*Author's Note*

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Anyways, this picks up right where the first story left off. Yep, we're back in 1882 now. Yay!


New Living Situation

Novella POV:

It'd been a lil over a week since my husband had died an' I had'a flee my home to go 'cross the tug to avoid gettin' sold off like a milk cow to my Uncle Perry's friend Senator Brooksdale. So far, I had nothin', but my daughter an' the saw mill claim that I gave to Cap so that he'd get my money for me from his pa, Devil Anse. At least the house Cap was lettin' me stay in was nice an' furnished. Thing's could've been worse, I could have nowhere for me an' Rihanna to live. Hell, I could be stuck bein' my uncle's pawn in whatever scheme he cooked up wit' that damn senator.

I was sittin' on the small sofa wit' Rihanna, waitin' on Cap to come back wit' the things he promised to scrounge up for us. There wasn't much to do, except sit and stare at the wall. Poor Rihanna, she was so bored from sittin' quietly that she just dozed off into a nap. She was just a small child so I didn't fault her for fallin' asleep. Hell, after havin' to abandon our cabin on a whim no wonder she's tired. Our fast travel over the Tug wasn't a comfortable one considerin' we had'a ride on horseback wit Cap, all squished t'gether.

I'm not sure how much time ticked by, but it felt like an eternity, whenever I heard the loud clankin' of horse hooves mixed wit' the sound of a wagon. Ah, so Cap had finally returned. I looked ov'r at Rihanna as she napped 'fore risin' an' standin' on my feet. I arched my back, stretchin' it an' crackin' out the kinks, and then made my way ov'r to the front door. I opened it and stepped out onto the front porch only to see Cap pullin' the wagon he was drivin' to a stop in front of the house. He had his horse tethered to the back of the wagon, so I gathered that the wagon was for me to borrow and use.

"So, ya came back." I told him, standin' on the porch watchin' him climb down outta the wagon.

"Said I would." Cap smirked at me as his feet touched the ground. "Come on, I got some stuff for ya." He waved at me to follow him as he started to go to the back of the wagon.

I silently walked down the porch steps and over to him. When I stopped next to Cap he was pullin' a small bundle out of of the wagon. Lookin' at me wit' his mismatched eyes he tossed me the bundle while sayin', "Ma said ya can keep 'em since they're old." Oh, he was able t'get some dresses for me an' my daughter. "Also got ya some salt pork an' canned food. It's not much, just 'nough to hold ya ov'r a few days 'til ya can get to the store an' livery in town."

"Ya get me cups an' plates too?" I asked as I noticed a crate in the back that seemed to have some plates tucked behind the canned foods in it.

"Mhm." Cap nodded as he grabbed he crate out of the wagon. While walkin' ov'r to the porch steps he explained, "It's some old stuff ma was gonna send to the saw mill, but let me take for ya instead."

"And is the horse an' wagon for me too?"

"Yea." He told me, noddin' his black Stetson clad head, as we walked to the front door. "It used to belong to Uncle Ellison, but pa let me have it after he died to do wit' as I pleased." I don't need a horse an' wagon, but you do so it's yours now." He explained as we entered the house and made our way to the kitchen. Settin' the crate down on the kitchen table he went on to say, "The main house is maybe half mile down the road, if ya need anythin' don't hesitate t'stop by an' ask."

"Okay." I simply told him since there wasn't much else to say.

"Well, I gotta get back to work. Uh, reckon I'll check up on ya later." Cap declared 'fore turnin' on his heel an' walkin' outta the house, leavin' me to unpack on my own.


Cap POV:

The ride from Nova's homestead, well mine if I'm to be honest, to the saw mill took 'bout an hour or so. When I rode up to the area of the loggin' camp that was for hitchin' up the horses an' storin' wagons I noticed that nothin' had changed since I left a few hours 'go. Everyone was still cuttin' wood or stackin' it up at the different stations. Well everyone 'cept Uncle Jim an' Skunk Hair since they were walkin' 'round the yard actin' as patrol wit' their rifles perched on their shoulders.

After dismountin' Badger and hithin' him up I walked 'round, lookin' for my pa. I spotted him not that far from the awnin' that the main saw was at. When I approached him, he was countin' the piles of fresh cut planks, pointin' at them wit' his pipe. I took the claim papers out of my jacket pocket while tellin' him, "Pa, Nova Landon wants to cash in her claim."

Pa looked at me, his eyes fallin' right on the papers I was holdin' out to him. Noddin' he took the papers from me while sayin', "She'll get her share on payday. I'll make sure I give it to ya to bring home t'her."

"Thanks pa. She's in a tough spot right now, needs the money."

He nodded 'fore remarkin' in his deep-rough voice, "Uncle Jim told me 'bout the Western Union her brother gave ya. She must be somethin' special for ya to leave work t'go an' help her."

Shruggin' I told my pa, "She's Sawyer's cousin, I couldn't let her uncle hand her off to some crooked Kentucky Senator in exchange for money and power."

"Son, ya ain't helpin' cause she's Sawyer's cousin." Pa spat at me, his icy eyes cuttin' a narrow knowin' look at me. Pointin' his pipe at me he went on to say, "Don't try an' pull no wool ov'r my eyes, ya an' me are cut from the same cloth. There's only one reason why I'd drop everythin' t'help a woman an' I'm sure it's the same for you too." So, he's figured out that I care 'bout Nova.

"Pa-" I began to say til I was quickly cut off by my pa's deep and hard words of, "Son, ya can't run from what's right in front of ya forever." He took a deep puff off his pipe 'fore goin' on to say, "It's time ya moved into your own place. You're a grown man now an' your mama's expectin' 'gain."

"But, Pa-" I started, tryin' to explain why me stayin' at my house weren't a good idea, only to have my pa give me a hard look while snappin', "Don't but pa me, Cap." He took a small puff off his pipe and then went on to say in a half-sigh, "Ya got a good head on your shoulders an' ain't flighty like your brother, Johnse, so I have t'put my foot down an' make ya live in your own house." I went to open my mouth, but pa held his hand up to silence me. I clamped my mouth shut and listened to him speak the deep-rough soundin' words of, "I'm not dumb, I figure ya took Miss Nova to your place already. How ya'll cohabitate t'gether is your business an' if ya'll can't get 'long then have her go to Sawyer an' Essie's in Boone." Pa pointed his pipe at the awnin' while orderin' in a deep curt tone, "Stack 'em boards ov'r here."

"Yes, pa." I nodded, turnin' to head over to grab the planks that were freshly cut.

"And son I expect ya 'ere early t'morra to make up for the time ya missed out on today." Pa told me 'fore stickin' his pipe in the corner of his mouth an' walkin' 'way to go to 'nother station.


Moses POV:

After askin' Cap to help Novella I went back home to Kentucky. When I say I went home I mean it too, I put my horse back into the stable 'hind my uncle's house and opted to clean my guns on the back porch. I had my Colt that my uncle got me at the 4th of July festival an' my new Winchester I got when Tolbert died. Since he was dead an' didn't need it back me borrowin' it turned into ownin' it real fast. The entire McCoy family thought that I was horrible for takin' it so quickly after Tolbert's death. Eh, it was a free rifle so of course I was gonna keep it. I'd most likely sprout a grey beard 'fore Uncle Perry'd buy me a Winchester of my own.

Once the time came for school to be let out I put my guns into my room, grabbed my textbooks, an' walked out of the house. I made sure to use the back door so I wouldn't be caught playin' hookie. I cut 'cross the neighbor's yard and then made my way onto the street. I made sure to blend in with the other chil'ren walkin' home from school.

Okay, so maybe I was an expert on skippin' school an' not gettin' since I do it so much. So far, I never got caught.

Silently I walked down the street to my Uncle Perry's law office for my after-school job. I was curious on whether or not that senator was gonna be there or not. When I reached the office, I got my answer when I saw a fancy buggy parked in front instead of the sight I was usually met with, which would've been Ole Rand'l's horse hitched to the post by the fence. So, the bastard Senator Brooksdale was still in town schemin' wit' Uncle Perry, oh how nice.

"Afternoon, Uncle Perry. Ya got a client?" I asked as soon as I walked thru the front double doors, playin' dumb.

Uncle Perry shook his head while tellin' me, "Oh, no, child, this here's my old friend from University." Wit' a sly smile spreadin' ove'r his fox-like face my uncle explained, "Senator Brooksdale's here to help me out with matters on justice for the McCoy boys."

"Oh, hello." I told the senator, who's skull I wanted to put a bullet in cause he wanted my sister as his complain in Frankfurt, as I walked up to my uncle's desk.

"Hello, young man." Senator Brooksdale told me in his slimy rough voice. Puttin' on a charmin' smile, one I bet he uses when he's playin' politics in the capital, he asked, "You're clerking after school for your uncle?"

"Yep." I simply popped out, keepin' a blank look on my face since I had'a hide that fact that even tho I just met him I hated him.

"Well, Moses, there isn't any work for you today so just run along home. I'll be there after I drop something off to the printshop." Printshop, he rarely ever drops anythin' off there himself. He usually sends me in. He must have somethin' he needs printin' that he don't want me to see or know 'bout if he's droppin' it off himself.

"I must get goin' myself if I want to reach Frankfort in time for an evening meal." The senator announced as he got up from his chair.

Uncle Perry picked up a folder an' held it out to his shady friend while tellin' him, "Oh, here's your paperwork. Wouldn't want you forgettin' that now would we?"

"No, we wouldn't." The bowler hat wearin' senator chuckled, soundin' like a rattle snake was caught in his throat, as he took a file from my uncle.

Uncle Perry rose from his desk and followed his friend out of the office. My uncle began to walk down the sidewalk, headin' to the print shop, while the senator went over to his fancy buggy. I watched the shady politician get into his buggy and leave 'fore I locked up the office and went home.


Novella POV:

I was cleanin' up the dishes from dinner whenever I heard the door creak open. "Hi." I heard Rihanna greet our guest, who I assumed was Cap since he was after all the one that brought us here and got us some supplies earlier in the first place.

My suspicions were confirmed whenever I heard Cap's deep rollin' voice reply to my daughter wit', "Hey, Anna, how's your day in the new house goin'?"

I looked ov'r my shoulder to see Cap's signature black Stetson 'long wit' his coat hangin' up on the rack by the door. Cap placed his Winchester on the gunrack while Rihanna told him in her sweet voice, "Okay. Don't got an'thin' t'play wit' tho."

"Well, I'm sure we'll get'cha some toys soon." Cap told my daughter, givin' her a smirk, as he walked into the main room an' placed a sack he was carryin' onto the floor by the sofa.

"What'd ya bring ov'r this time?" I asked him as he stood up, a bag slung ov'r his shoulder.

"My books an' clothes." He simply told me, his deep voice a bit flatter then usual, as he made the short walk to the kitchen.

"What?" I exclaimed 'fore quickly followin' it up wit' a scoff of, "Don't tell me you're movin' in too."

"Yea, Nova, I am." He answered me as he walked right by me, goin' start to the door of the master bedroom.

"You can't live here. I'm livin' here." I snapped, my flowin' tone goin' a bit high-pitched, as I followed Cap into the bedroom.

"It's my damn house so I can an' will live here." Cap told me, tossin' his bag of clothes onto the bed. 'Fore I could say a word he cut his eyes at me an' said, "Don't say a damn word if they're gonna be fightin' words." The tired look in his lone icy eye hinted that he had a hard day. His milky eye stared blankly at me, as it always did. Cap let out a sigh 'fore goin' ov'r to sit on the bed. He ran a hand thru his shaggy blonde hair 'fore lockin' eyes wit' mine an' tellin' me, "Pa says ma's expectin' 'gain an' it's too crowded in the house. Since I got a homestead I had'a move out."

Oh…reckon he is old 'nough to be out on his own. His parents do got a lotta chil'ren too, reckon their house'll be getting' crowded soon. I wonder if Johnse was made to move out an' live in his shanty chack of a cabin. Eh, prolly not since he's a mama's boy… "Uh, if ya want I can unpack your clothes while ya grab somethin' to et from the pot of leftovers on the stove." I suggested, my flowin' tone a bit uneasy an' soft soundin'.

"Yea. Just put 'em in whatever drawers ya see fit." Cap told me 'fore risin' to his feet an' walkin' out of the room.

Well, looks like my new livin' situation just got interestin'. I hope that livin' wit' Cap proves t'be easier then livin' wit' Tolbert was. I don't think I can handle 'nother man tryin' dictate what I do in my house, tellin' me what to buy, cook, make, etc. At least Cap an' Rihanna get 'long. That's good cause if they didn't then I don't know what'd I do. Reckon the only thing that's hard is what's goin' on 'tween me an' Cap, our distance wit' each other due to endin' an affair a few months back. I don't know how we're gonna get long since we haven't been warm an' overly friendly wit' each other in a long time.

I let out a long sigh and shook my head to clear my thoughts 'fore openin' Cap's bag in order to unpack his clothes.


Hours later it was nearin' midnight an' I was layin' in bed next to Cap, our shoulders touchin'. It was awkward tryin' to sleep next to him since we weren't on intimate terms anymore. Neither one of us were tired, but we didn't know what to say that'd make the situation any lighter. Truth was he needed to sleep in a bed since he worked hard at the saw mill for a livin'. I wasn't mean 'nough to make him sleep out on the sofa. I also wasn't gonna sleep on the sofa either an' he never suggested it. So here we were in bed together, tryin' an' failin' to fall asleep.

"I gotta make a bookshelf." Cap randomly said, breakin' the heavy silence loomin' 'tween us in the air. I just nodded my head and looked at him, wonderin' where the hell that remark came from. "Can't leave all 'em books just sittin' in a sack on the floor." Cap explained, givin' a reason for why he made his previous remark.

"Guess not."

"Ya can read whatever ya want. I don't mind sharin' the books." He told me 'fore quickly goin' on to add in a deep, but unsteady soundin' tone, "I'm not sure what ya like to read, but I got books by Dickens, Twain, and Hawthorne. Some others in there too prolly."

"I like Twain's books, but only one from Dicken's I like is the Christmas one." I admitted, my flowin' voice no louder than a squeak of a mouse.

"A Christmas Carol?"

"Yea, that one." I confirmed, nodded my head slightly against my pillow.

Once again silence fell over us. A silence that loomed til Cap broke it wit' his deep an' tired soundin' words of, "I gotta get to the lumber yard early in the mornin'. Earlier than usual, so I'll be gone when ya wake up."

"Okay." I simply told the man next to me. Silence hung in the air for a second or so 'fore I made the remark of, "I'll prolly go to town to get some things tomorrow."

Cap turned his head to look at me 'fore suggestin', "Just go to Shifflets for groceries. Gettin' pigs, chickens, and a cow's gonna be expensive. Best to wait til payday t'get those."

"So, Devil Anse's honorin' my claim then?" I asked, lookin' at Cap, since I wanted confirmation that I had somethin' of my own. After havin' my Uncle Perry steal everythin' from me, cause he had my late husband sign over all rights to the property an' finances, I needed to hear that my claim share was indeed good.

"Yea, pa's givin' me the money to bring home t'ya on payday." The man next to me revealed, glancin' at me only for a brief moment.

"Reckon since we're stuck livin' together we're puttin' our money together?"

"Reckon so." Cap said, his voice soundin' like he was lettin' out a small wispy sigh. He turned his head and looked at me, a softness shinin' in his mismatched eyes. "Ya know we're not stuck livin' t'gether. Ya can go stay in Boone wit' Sawyer an' Essie if ya want." Still lookin' at me he offered, "I'd take ya ov'r there."

"No, I can't go there." I shook my head in protest 'fore goin' on to explain, "Boone's too far 'way from the Tug an' I wouldn't be able t'see Moses."

Cap nodded his head, his shaggy blonde hair getting' messed up by the pillow. Lookin' 'tween me an' the wooden ceilin' he told me softly in his rollin' wave of a voice, "Ya can have your brother come up 'ere to visit if ya want. I can have Selkirk fetch 'im so he knows how t'get 'ere."

"Thank you, Cap." I gratefully told him, my voice full of emotion. Knowin' that I was able to have my brother visit an' spend time wit' me meant a lot.

Silence fell ov'r us once 'gain as we laid shoulder to shoulder in bed. Our skin was touchin' since my night shift had straps instead of sleeves and he wasn't wearin' a shirt. Body heat was flowin' 'round us, keepin' us warm under the blue quilt. The bedroom was dark wit' only a sliver of moonlight peerin' into the window as a source of white light. 'Fore long I could hear Cap's breathin' soften as his bare chest settled into a gentle rise and fall. I just stared at the ceiling til my eyes grew heavy an' I fell asleep.


AN:

Well, looks like Cap and Nova are roommates now. Roommates that are also exes stuck sharin' a bed, LOL. Moses, oh yea he's suspicious of his uncle and that senator. Any guess on what Perry's getting printed up at the printshop?