FIONA
*WARNING...SEXUAL SITUATIONS*
She caught Heyes' eye immediately. She was trying hard to make herself as small as possible; which was an easy feat as she was a tiny thing and young too. Her head was down trying to avoid the lecherous leers of the mostly drunken cowboys that were selecting their whores for their eight minutes of fame or more, depending on how much money they had and were willing to let loose of.
When she briefly raised her head, Heyes saw that the poor girl only had one eye. A beautiful green eye, that resembled an emerald against her porcelain skin. She raised her hand to her forehead and tried to pull some of her wavy red hair across the empty socket to conceal her disfigurement.
Heyes could tell she was new at whoring. He saw fear on her face, then relief and then disappointment when each man passed her by once they noticed her deformity.
Heyes walked up to her and slipped his battered black hat off his head and held it in one hand. He held out his other hand to the frightened whore.
"Ma'am."
The girl looked behind her thinking the handsome cowboy must be addressing someone else.
"Me?" She asked in a shocked voice.
Heyes smiled and nodded.
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The man was very handsome and didn't reek of sweat, dirt and animals. And those dimples...Why he could have had his pick of any gal in the whole place. Why her? Was he drunk? She could smell only the faintest odor of alcohol on his breath and fresh soap. She slowly slipped her small hand into his and led him up the stairs to her room. The room was merely a small cubicle with a sagging mattress, chair, a small battered dresser with a photo propped on it and a nightstand with a box of brothel candles, an oil lamp and a box of matches.
"So why me?" She asked as she bent to light one of the brothel candles.
"I saw you winking at me." Heyes said with a smile.
The girl shook out the match and slowly turned to face Heyes. "I...I... weren't winking. Mister, I only got one eye." There was confusion on her face and in her voice.
"It...It was a bad joke Sweetheart." Heyes said as his smile deepened. "You ever done this?" Heyes asked as she took a seat on the bed and clutched the brothel gown tightly to her body.
"Well ya I'm a whore ain't I?" she said in a not too convincing tone.
"No you ain't. I'm thinking you've never been with a man." Heyes had taken the lone chair in the room and took a seat.
"I have…" she started to protest but stopped."Someone told me men like virgins...but maybe only virgins with two eyes. Mister I've lit the candle so you only have eight minutes...probably seven now."
Heyes ignored her, "You got a name? A real name."
"It's Fiona."
"Well Fiona I'm Joshua."
"Mister...now don't take this as complaining but I thought men were more interested in….well you know. I don't want you taking offense when the candle goes out and you ain't...satisfied."
"Don't you worry Miss Fiona there are more candles in the box."
She gave Heyes a puzzled look.
"I guess it's your money. Are you rich? Pardon me for being forward and askin'."
"Some days I guess you could say me and cousin are, iffing you're referring to money. If that's the definition of being rich...There are other days we ain't got a pot to piss in and we feel like the wealthiest and sometimes luckiest folks in the territory. I guess it's perception...how ya look at things."
"Perception...So are we...What are we doing?"
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Fiona turned away from Heyes and pushed up onto one elbow to light another candle.
"There's only a few candles left."
"If we run out, there's always tomorrow."
Fiona smiled and nestled against Heyes' bare chest.
"So what's next? Got kissing down...well maybe I need just a bit more practice." She said with a smile and inched up his chest to find his lips.
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Heyes bolted upright in bed. He struggled to control his breathing so he could speak. Tears stung his eyes.
Fiona's eyes were wide and frightened as she surfaced from under the sheet. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She said the words so quickly they blended together into one wail.
"Tha... Tha...That's o...okay." Heyes said, finally managing to choke the words out. "Ya gotta go easy when ya down there. Treat them like...well eggs. The fresh ones that are easily broken. Not hardboiled. Obviously ya didn't have no men folk around growing up."
"No." Her sad eyes looked away from Heyes.
"That's okay." Heyes said, trying to reassure her that he wasn't permanently damaged. Or at least he hoped not. "You just discovered a man's weakest part. Don't matter how big he is, you can drop a man to his knees and make him wail like a baby. He'll be down for a while...gives you a chance to get a head start and make your getaway. Which I suggest you do as he won't be in the kindest of moods. You remember that."
"So I should squeeze…"
Heyes was shaking his head no, "Usually a well placed kick will do the trick." A memory quickly surfaced as Heyes' remembered being called out by a much larger gang member who had questioned Heyes' authority. One kick had settled that argument.
"When I was little and got hurt my ma used to kiss…"
Heyes was nodding his head in agreement as if it were a shared memory. "Hmm...never thought of that." He said innocently. "That just might help the pain. Remember...easy."
Fiona threw the sheet over her head and let her lips wander down Heyes' body.
"Like this?" Fiona's voice was muffled under the sheet.
"Uh...ya just like that." Heyes' voice had a dreamy quality as his eyes slowly closed.
They snapped open when there was a sharp rap on the door.
"Joshua? Joshua?"
It was Kid.
"Not now."
"You okay?"
"Go away."
"Ya sure you're okay? Ya been in there for hours."
"Thaddeus. I'm fine. Really...fine."
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"Will ya come back tomorrow?" Fiona asked as Heyes finished dressing. "You know I could like this whoring after all."
Heyes sighed and took a seat beside her on the bed. Fiona laid her head against his arm and snuggled close.
"No you don't, Sweetheart. It's not a life for you. I don't know where you came from but my advice is go home."
"But don't ya like me?"
Heyes smiled and turned his face towards hers, "I do. That's why I'm telling you what I just did. Got out before it eats you up. You're a beautiful woman that needs a better life than whorin' has to offer."
"I'm not beautiful," Fiona started to protest.
Heyes sadly shook his head, " You're one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen or been with."
"My eye-"
"Makes you unique...You have to believe it and not let anyone else tell you differently."
Heyes leaned into Fiona and gave a long kiss before he slowly stood up.
"Not sure when the stage leaves tomorrow so this might be our last time together." Heyes adjusted his hat and touched the brim, ``It's been a pleasure making your acquaintance Miss Fiona." He nodded his head towards the money on the nightstand. "There's enough to pay for your first and hopefully last box of candles and some extra if you decide to move on."
And then he was gone...
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The next morning there was only enough time for Heyes and Kid to eat a quick breakfast before making their way to the stage. Kid and Heyes took turns throwing their baggage up to the driver before opening the door to the stagecoach. Heyes paused to look towards the saloon before raising his foot to step into the coach.
Suddenly he heard a commotion coming from the saloon. He peered down the street to see a woman with flaming red hair burst through the batwing doors and run towards them. She had a small bag tucked under her one arm; her hands holding her long dress gathered, allowing her to run as fast as she could.
She reached the stage red face and breathless.
"We best hurry," Fiona said looking over her shoulder.
Heyes stepped off the step and physically lifted Fiona into the coach.
"Kid Fiona. Fiona Kid. I'll get a ticket..you wait here."
Minutes later Heyes returned with a ticket. Heyes nodded to the driver.
"Let's get the hell outta here!"
The driver slapped the reins across the team's back as the stage lurched forward.
"Joshua you was right." Fiona said her eyes were bright as she stared at the two men.
"About?" asked Joshua.
"About everything...whoring...defending yourself. It's true. He tried to grab me and hurt me. I saw the devil in his eyes...but I took your advice Joshua...one kick. It only took one kick." She was smiling proudly, full of accomplishment.
Both men's eyes dropped in unison to her pointed shoes and shifted uncomfortably on the stagecoach seat.
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After posting the article on brothel candles which I'm sure caused every AS&J writer's imagination to run wild (including mine)...I was listening to Lyle Lovett's song "Fiona" and the story developed. It was intended as a short story but looks like there will be at least one more chapter. "Fiona" is a counter story to Kathy Knudson's "Salt & Wax"...only fair that Heyes has some fun too.
There is a reference to the scene in "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid" where Butch drops Harvey Logan AKA Kid Curry with one kick during a fight. "Guns or knives Butch"
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