*Author's Note*
Thanks for reading, faving, following, and reviewing.
I put a Jim Vance POV in here. Oh boy. Anyways the other POVs are Cap & Novella.
Lunch, Lumber, & More Plans
Novella POV:
A couple days had gone by since I stayed with Cap. I hadn't talked to him other then a few texts here and there since my Uncle Perry was keeping me busy with work. I also hadn't called Tolbert yet. In a way I suppose I was ignoring him, due to the fact that I had gone home with Cap hours after spending time with him and his daughter. I guess I felt a bit guilty, my brother's disapproving words had more of an effect on my then I wanted to admit.
Uncle Perry and Roseanna were oblivious to my sleepover with Cap. They believed Moses' cover story that I had gone out for dinner and drinks with Meredith an hour away and decided to stay over and borrow some clothes since I had drank too much. They even thought that I was a good friend so being so supportive of my friend that was going through marital problems. If they only knew the truth they'd be ashamed.
I was sitting at my desk, going over the list of things my uncle wanted me to perfect into questions or statements for the preliminary whenever a knock sounded at my door. Assuming it was either Uncle Perry or Moses, even Betty, I simply called out, "Come in."
"Ya never called me, Ella." I heard Tolbert's velvety timbre over the sound of the door closing.
Oh shit. Looking up from the notes I was reading to look at him, while he was makin' his way to my desk, I simply told him, "Sorry, I've been busy."
"Wit' me and my brother's case?" Tolbert asked, sitting down in a chair across from me. I just nodded my head, silently answering him. "Should've known. I thought ya were avoidin' me."
Um, actually I was. Yep, can't tell him that though. "No, just been busy. So, what're you doing here?"
"Dropped Sally Elle off wit' Roseanna for some playtime wit' Sarah Elizabeth. Thought I'd swing by, see how yer doin'." Couldn't he have just called though? That thought was sweet, but…
"Don't you have shining to do?" I asked since I knew his illegal booze brewing job involved him driving all over the countryside to sell the shit. Perhaps that's why his daughter was with Roseanna today.
"No deliveries today. Did that yes'day, got some 'morra tho."
"Oh." I nodded before going back to reviewing the legal notes in my hand.
His storm-filled eyes were hopeful and questioning all at once as he asked, "Since court's two day 'way how's it lookin'? Can we avoid trial?"
Looking right at him I sighed, "Tolbert, honestly, I'm not sure if a trial can be avoided. This case's hard and messy."
"Ain't hard, darlin'. We acted in self-defense, had no choice, but the Hatfields are tryin' t'make it out more then it is and skin us 'live for it."
Was he really that dense? Didn't he get it, get why it's a bad case? "Tolbert, Ellison was stabbed 26 times and shot point blank in the gut. He had no weapon on him. This isn't a simple shut and close self-defense case."
"Do what ya gotta do t'keep me alive an' outta jail wit' my lil girl." Tolbert commanded me through gritted teeth, his hands white knuckling the armrests of his chair.
"Tolbert, what happened that day at the harvest festival? Is there anything I need to know that I don't already know?" I asked him, my cornflower blues soft and questioning as they looked into his stormy eyes.
Tolbert quickly shook his head before answering me with, "No. Y'know ev'thin', darlin'. Ellison was fightin' us 3-1, was knockin' us 'round real bad an' we had'a do what we did t'survive."
Accepting his answer, even though a part of my didn't believe it, I nodded and told him, "Okay."
Tolbert's eyes darted all over me office before he focused on me and asked in a blurted, but velvety tone, "Ya wanna go to the diner for lunch? I haven't et yet, figured ya might be hungry too."
Well, it was getting close to lunch time and I needed to eat. With a smile I answered with, "Yea, we can go eat."
Walking into the diner was like dejavu since I was here ya couple days ago with Tolbert, only difference is today we're alone. We were seated by the hostess, who gave us menus and took our drink orders. Cokes for both of us. As we opened our menus Tolbert told me in a gruffly smooth timbre, "Ya know we used t'come here a lot when datin'. Ya 'memba that?"
"Yea, Tolbert, I remember." It was hard not to remember now that I was back in Pike. It was easier to forget when I was miles and miles away from this place.
"Ya used t'get chicken fingers so damn much. Had t'beg ya t'get somethin' else a few times."
"I didn't get them all the time." I defended myself, a tiny half-smile on my face as I browsed my menu.
"Could've fooled me." Tolbert chuckled, his velvety timbre bouncin' deep in his throat. Smirkin' he pointed to the menu in my hand. "Menu hasn't changed. What ya getting'?"
With a smile I blurted out, "Chicken fingers."
"Ah hell, should'a seen that comin'." Tolbert shook his head, a thin smirk on his lips. Looking between me and his menu, he quickly informed me, "I'm gonna get a hot roast beef san'wich."
"Those are good." I lamely offered with a polite tug of a smile.
We quieted down whenever the hostess arrived at our table with our drinks and the affirmation that our server would be with us shortly. Once she left I grabbed a straw and placed it into my glass before taking a sip. Tolbert did the same and after drinking some Coke he placed his glass on the table and looked at me with semi-soft storm-filled eyes."Ya know I was gonna take Sally Elle t'have dinner with Parris an' Squirrel t'night at the pizza place." He gruffly rambled before asking, "Wanna go too?"
"Sure, I'll go. Be nice to see them again."
Tolbert scratched his chin before asking, "Pick ya up 'round sev'n?"
"Yea, seven's good." I smiled, fine with the set time for my pick up.
"Sally Elle'll be 'cited t'see ya. Squirrell and Parris'll be too." He assured me, tapping his thumb on the edge of his laminated menu.
Before I could say anything back our waitress came up to our table. Thank god it wasn't my old schoolmate, Chloe. Today our waitress was a woman in her mid-40's who looked like she hated her job and life for the matter. "What'd ya'll want?" She asked in me a very raspy and cold voice as she dug her notepad out of her apron pocket.
"I'll have the chicken fingers and fries with honey mustard dipping sauce please." I politely ordered, earning me a smirk from Tolbert.
"Mhm…" The waitress nodded, quickly scribbling down my order. Lifting her gaze off of her pad she asked Tolbert, "And you?"
"The hot roast beef san'wich wit' fries." Was Tolbert's gruffly smooth toned reply.
"Mhm…" She wrote down the order before slipping the notepad back into her pocket. "It'll be out shortly." The waitress, who's nametag read Peg-An, told us as she grabbed our menus before walking off.
A heavy silence fell over us, neither of us knowing what to say. We had a lot between us that made things drift into awkwardness, unintentionally of course. Silence with Tolbert was different then with Cap. With Cap it felt welcomed, comforting, and natural, but with Tolbert it felt looming, obstinate, and odd. Only a handful of times silence with us felt normal, but sadly this wasn't one of those times.
"Next Monday's Sally Elle's first day at school. Ya wanna take 'er wit' me?" Tolbert blurted out, breaking the suffocating silence in the air around us.
"Yea, I'll take her with you." I replied with a smile before grabbing my pop and taking a sip out of it.
Tolbert smiled before telling me in a velvety voice, "Thanks, I 'preciate it."
Before taking another sip from my straw I asked, "Is she excited about going to school next week?"
"Yep." Tolbert simply popped his tongue before going on to say, "She'd go now if she could. Girl's itchin' t'make friends that ain't her kin."
I nodded, feeling for the little girl. I guess in a way I related to her. I was raised with a man and had no mother figure other then Sally since her husband Randall's Uncle Perry's best friend. My bestfriends were Nancy and Roseanna since I was around the McCoys so much and making friends with outsiders proved hard. I mean I had friends, but they were never true or serious ones. Sadly, I didn't make real lifelong friends until I left Pike and went to Louisville for college. I pray that Sally Ella has it easier then I did, but I doubt it since Tolbert's being charged with murder. A murder I know he's guilty of but have to spin as extreme and traumatic self-defense.
Poor Sally Elle, the girl got the shitty end of the stick in this messy situation.
Jim Vance POV:
The buzzing of the saw echoed out in the loggin' camp as I walked thru it, lookin' for my nephew Devil Anse. Since it was close to lunch time I reckon it was a good a time as any to pitch makin' up wit' Cap an' givin' Miss Nova a chance. I spotted Lias preparin' to shut down the saw, Anse walkin' way from the contraption, as I made my way up to it. The other workers were scatterin' 'round, grabbin' their lunch-pails from the main trailer or goin' to eat at one of many plastic tables set on the loggin' site.
"Anse, word wit' ya." I told my tall, stern-faced nephew, as I appeared a few paces behind him.
"What'd ya want, Jim?" He asked, turnin' 'round and takin' his pipe from the corner of his mouth.
"Ya know your boy Cap had me meet that girl he walked out for other day when we played cards over drinks at the tavern." Devil Anse narrowed his eyes at me, givin' me a death stare. Comin' up closer to him I gave him an impressed look while tellin' him, "Miss Nova Landon ain't like Cline or them bastard McCoys. She's gotta good head on her shoulders, even knows them McCoys be guiltier then sin."
"If she's so smart an' knows they done murdered why she defendin' them?" Anse asked in a snarl, soundin' like a pissed off wildcat.
"Perry Cline bamboozled her into it." I answered, my nephew just shakin' his head at me. I groaned before explainin' in great length, "Poor girl didn't even know what the case was when she hauled off and quit her life back east to go back t'Pikeville. Girl hadn't set foot there in a decade, she had no idea what was goin' on an' by time Cap told her the truth she already got hornswaggled into defended them bastards."
"But she's still defendin' them, Jim." Anse spat roughly. Narrowin' his eyes he hissed out, "What's to say she ain't playin' with Caps head so he'll drop the case or lessen their charges."
"Hell, Miss Nova ain't like that at all. Girl's devoted to your boy, Cap. Ya didn't see the way she look at him, acts 'round him like I did. She's in love with him an' he's in love with her right back. Both's just too darn stubborn t'admit it."
"You're really pushin' her approval hard, Jim. If I didn't know better I'd say you like the girl."
"Hell, I do like the girl." I admitted in a chuckle, smackin' my nephew's shoulder. Devil Anse just shook his head and rolled his eyes at me. "She ain't whiny and meek like that McCoy girl was, Anse. Miss Nova Landon's a mouthy one with a brass set of tits." One of his brows rose as a curious look appeared on his face. "She even told Cap off, threatened t'cut 'im off and he listen to her. Shut the hell up he did." With a smirk I nudged Anse with my elbow and told him, "Reminded me of you an' Levicy."
"Jim…" Anse trailed off him a warnin', his eyes turnin' into slits. Reminded me a lot of his boy Cap in a way. Hot damn them two were so much alike it wasn't funny. Ah, maybe it was just a tiny bit.
I spat on the ground 'fore remarkin', "All I'm sayin's let Cap back home an' give the girl a chance. She's good for him." Pointing my finger up to my eyes I told my nephew "Looks him in the eyes, both of 'em."
Devil Anse's eyes mellowed a bit before his hard baritone commanded, "Have Cap bring her to the tavern for drinks an' cards the night ya bring Cotton. I'll make up my mind 'bout lettin' him back home an' givin' her a chance when I her from you how she acts."
I nodded my head as I agreed in a chuckle, "Fine, Anse, I'll let Cap know Friday night it's a double date with me, him, her, and Cottonturd."
"Hey, be respectful of that boy. He might not have a whole bucket of brains, but he's still Ellison's only child." Anse barked before placing his pipe into the side of his mouth and takin' off to the onsite trailer to eat the lunch Levicy packed him. Most likely a ham sandwich, that woman was good for makin' that.
Cap POV:
I was on my lunch break, sitting at my desk eatin' some takeout that I had gotten from a cheap burger stand near my office building, whenever my phone started to ring. I set down my burger, pickin' up my phone to see Uncle Jim on the screen. Reckon he got 'round to talking with pa for me. "Hey, Uncle Jim." I greeted my favorite uncle upon answering my phone.
"Cap, bring your girl over to the tavern Friday night to meet Cotton. Think he'd like meetin' Miss Nova Landon." Jim bluntly said, forgoin' any greeting and making me feel like I'd just been hit in the head by a 2x4.
"What? Jim, I don't think it's a good idea that she meets Cotton just yet."
"Why the hell not? She met me an' everythin' turned out just fine."
"It's different with you and Cottontop, ya know that." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose to ward off an oncoming headache.
"Look, either ya bring her or not choice I yours. I know I'll be at the Mate Creek tavern Friday night wit' Cottonturd. Come or not, I don't give a shit what ya do." Was his hard-jagged reply to my reasoning.
"Jim…don't…" I groaned, the onslaught of a headache just itchin' to break through my skull. Talking to Uncle Jim could be like talking to a brick wall, useless cause it ain't budgin'.
"I ain't doin' nothin'." Sure he ain't, just pushin' me to have Nova meet Cotton. "I gotta go, my lunch's mostly up now."
"Wait a minute, did ya talk to pa yet?" I asked before he had the chance to hang up the phone.
"Nah, haven't had a chance. Been too busy at the sawmill." Damnit. I need him to talk to pa, get him softened up bout me and Nova. "I'll talk to him soon, tho." Jim assured me in his deep drawlin' tone.
"Okay." I told him, letting him know that his answer was good enough for now. Jim better talk to pa soon. I hate my pa being mad at me, for no reason too. I ain't Johnse, I'm not an idoit thinkin' with the wrong head when it comes to pretty women, so he needs to trust my judgment. I ain't with a McCoy, not a real one, so he needs to calm down.
My thoughts were broken whenever my uncle's jaded drawling tone sounded over the phone with, "Just bring her Friday night, Cap. Ya know it'd make Cotton happy to meet the pretty thin' ya keep shacked up in your bed."
"Jim…" I sighed before giving in and adding, "We'll see 'bout Friday, ain't makin' no promises."
"We'll see means yes, boy." My uncle chortled out confidently. "Tell Nova her future Uncle Jim said hi." Jim told me before hanging up.
I shook my head while placing my phone back on my desk. Uncle Jim was something else, referring to Nova as his future niece. I knew he took a tiny likin' to her, but I wasn't aware how much he seemed to approve of her. Maybe I'm just reading too much into his remark, maybe he was just bein' a sarcastic asshole.
He would want me to bring Nova to meet Cotton Friday night. Friday was the date for the preliminary, I doubt she's goin' to be in the mood to get drinks after that. Hell, I was leery about her meeting Cotton since he was slow and simple minded. I was afraid of how she'd react to him since nearly everybody that met him was mean to him, made fun of him too. I didn't want to see her do that, I was scared that she wouldn't treat Cotton the way I did with kindness and understandin'. Her being nasty to Cotton would break my heart. I was heavy hearted in what I should do. I wanted her to meet my cousin, but at the same time I didn't.
Damnit, my head's all fucked up. Thanks, Uncle Jim.
Sighing I grabbed my phone, deciding to call up Nova and invite her out for cards and drinks Friday night. The phone rang a few times before she answered with an exasperated, "Hey, Cap."
"Why're you so out of breath, baby?" I asked, tryin' to make my deep voice light and playful since I figured she must've ran into her office for privacy considerin' she's been stuck up her uncle's ass listenin' to his defense ideas.
"Ran all the way to my office from the front door. I just got back from lunch." She explained as I heard the sound of her heels hittin' the floor as she walked over her desk.
"Ah, how'd that go?"
"It was good. Had some chicken fingers at a diner." I heard her say over the sound of her office chair rollin' against the floor, no doubt from her adjustin' it or movin' round to be closer to either her computer or file cabinet.
"Got some time to talk real quick?" If she didn't I'd just call or text her later. I knew her job was taxin' to say the least these days.
"Sure, I can spare a few minutes." Even tho I couldn't see her I knew she was smiling, I could tell by the sunny flowing tone she used. The smile was in her words, not just on her face, when she smiled.
"Okay. I was wonderin' if Friday night you'd come to the tavern to have drinks 'gain. This time with Uncle Jim and my cousin, Cotton."
"Friday's the day of the preliminary. Of course, I'll meet you for drinks, I'll need to get drunk after that shitshow's over." She told me, her voice light and airy over the sound of her computer turning on.
"Really?"
"Yep." She popped out before going on to ask me, "Are you going to want me to spend the night since I'll be drinking and it's a long drive back to Pikeville from where we'll be?"
"Yea, I'd prefer ya to stay the night with me." I admitted as I stretched my arm out, grabbing my foam cup off my desk. "Hell, you could just come over to drop some stuff off and I can drive us to the tavern in my car." I remarked, taking a sip of my pop.
"Sure, we'll do that." She agreed over the faint sound of her fingers typing on the keys of her desktop's keyboard.
"Hey, babe, I'll let ya get back to work. See ya Friday."
"Bye, Cap." She simply told me, her graceful voice a bit soft, before hanging up.
Fuck, Friday night can go either very good or very bad. Hopin' it goes good, but ya never know. Cotton tends to bring a jeering cruel name callin' side out of everybody that comes across him. Nova doesn't seem like the type to laugh and poke fun at an innocent simpleminded man, but what if I'm wrong? I don't wanna be wrong.
AN:
So, Novella's in deep now. She's making plans to hang out with both the Hatfields & the McCoys.