*Author's Note*
Thank you for the reviews, faves, and follows.
Back to back updates, yay!
Since this is told in Novella's point of view I'm following some of the scenes in the show as close as possible, but obviously some changes are going to be made. Hopefully ya'll like this chapter. Once again sorry for how the last chapter ended, but I felt that Tolbert needed to be at a low going into this chapter and getting ready to have a newborn son wouldn't make him pissy and cruel 'nough to be nasty to Cotton. Plus, if he was having a son I don't think he'd be selling off his gran'pappy's heirloom fiddle for like 50 cents in his hand and a quarter on IOU plus a cup of shine to Lias either.
Anyways I'll stop with my author's note and let you guys read the story.
Election Day, 1880
Novella POV:
Two days after the stillbirth a funeral was held. Tolbert named our son Bert McCoy since he refused to name him Tolbert Junior. No, that name was reserved for a son that'd be born alive an' breathin'. The funeral itself was a very heartbreakin' an' somber affair. My Uncle Perry was the one to hold me and comfort me instead of my husband, who stood a tiny bit away from me as he drained his flask. I think he was upset with me, even tho he'd never admit it. I knew he wanted a boy real bad and the loss of said boy took a toll of Tolbert.
The months followin' the stillbirth were gruelin'. Tolbert drank to deal wit' his grief. I think he was drinkin' more then what he was sellin' since the shine deliveries got fewer an' the money he brung home wasn't as much as it used to be. I dealt with my grief of losin' a child by pourin' my love an' affection out onto my livin' child, onto my daughter. Rihanna was my reason to get up every mornin', to carry on an' live my life instead of drownin' into a depp dark depression. My daughter was my joy, my light, my savin' grace.
Soon 'nought the hot summer melted away to bring in the harvest season which then brought in autumn. With the fall came the Election Day Festival, which was were I currently was. The event was bein' held in West Virginia this year so the place was crawlin' with Hatfields and their own which would no doubt put my husband in a foul mood.
I had spotted my cousin, Sawyer, with his Hatfield fiancé dancin' on the makeshift wooden dancefloor housed under a canopy. They looked like a happy couple, laughin' an' smilin' as he twirled her 'round an' 'round. Too bad Tolbert hates to dance, it'd be nice to be able to dance once an' a while. Only time I ever danced wit' him was the one time he took me to a barn dance when we just started courtin'.
Roseanna and Nancy were spendin' a lot of time together strollin', no doubt lookin' for beaus, while I just walked 'round by myself with my 13-month-old slung on my hip. I was still friends with my cousins, but it seemed ever since I got married and had a child they seem to go their own way durin' festivals and events. I don't blame them, they want to find somebody to strike up a romance with.
Tolbert and Pharmer were runnin' the whiskey cart. They were flankin' the large barrel, the spicket 'tween them, as they stood waitin' for business. Tolbert had brought his gran'pappy's heirloom fiddle, had it perched on top of the whiskey barrel. I think he had the intention of sellin' it. As I said 'fore the loss of Bert had a hard an' negative impact on him.
I saw Ellison Hatfield, the youngest brother of Devil Anse, and his slow-minded son Cotton settin' up the flyin' anvil thing a few yards 'way from where my husband's shine wagon was at. I knew it wasn't gonna go over too good, knew Tolbert was gonna do somethin' stupid. Whenever Cotton placed the small anvil down too fast on the powder in the hole of the larger one that's when my husband opened up his dumbass mouth and made the hurtful remark of, "Yea, ya dumb half-wit bastard. Don't blow us all up."
Oh, didn't I just marry myself a real peach. What kind of person makes fun of an imbecile? As my husband laughed Ellison marched over to him in 3-large strides while askin', "You think that's funny?!" Suddenly the amused look left Tolbert's face, replaced by a shocked look of fear, as Ellison grabbed him roughly by his shirt an' by the back of his neck. He dragged my husband over to where Cotton was standin', a sad look on his face while he had his shoulders slummed. "Apologize." Ellison ordered, his warmly deep voice low and commandin'.
"I'm sorry, Cottontop, that yer a bastard." Tolbert mocked the boy, causin' Ellison to roughly yank on his shirt an' squeeze a pressure point in his neck.
Oh my god, I'm so embarrassed. So many people are stopped an' starin' at this unfoldin'. Stopped an' lookin' by me just happened to be Devil Anse and Levicy. Oh yea, I just wanted to be swallowed up by the ground. I looked up at Mr. & , who were both taller then me, and told them as sincerely as I could, "I don't condone my husband's actions an' I'm quite appalled by them. Cotton don't deserve made fun of."
Mr. Hatfield looked me over 'fore askin' with a stoic look, "You're Sawyer's cousin, aren't ya?"
"Yes, sir." I answered, lookin' the tall imposin' devil of a man in the eyes.
"Explains why you have a heart." He simply said around the pipe hangin' out of the corner of his mouth.
"I'm sorry I called ya names an' I won't call ya names 'gain." Tolbert apologized to Cotton, only cause Ellison was chokin' him an' givin' him a look that if it could kill he'd be dead.
Ellison tossed Tolbert aside, my husband stumblin' as the broader man let him go. Devil Anse went over to Ellison and Cotton while Tolbert rejoined Pharmer at the whiskey cart. Both me an' Levicy started marchin' over there. Both of us wantin' to give him a piece of our minds. I made it over to Tolbert before she did.
"What the hell's wrong wit'cha, Tolbert?! Makin' fun of that slow-minded boy, makin' a scene at this festival." I shouted at my husband, starin' daggers at him, while balancin' my daughter on my hip as I peacocked myself to seem bigger then I was as my temper flared. "You're actin' like a damned fool. You're an embarrassment t'me, Tolbert."
"Shut up, Ella. Don't start yer shit wit'me." Tolbert growled out, his stormy eyes ragin' like a thunder storm, as he twisted his face to give me a look of warnin'.
Before I could say somethin' back to him Mrs. Hatfield appeared. She pointed her finger at my husband while tellin' him in a beratin' tone, "You're a grown man, married and a papa, so you know better then to be pickin' on innocent chil'ren. How'd you like it if somebody picked on your child? Hmm, not so much. I know your mama so I know she didn't raise you up to be cruel. Get your head outta the likker bottle an' practice the manners Sally raised ya with."
Tolbert was speechless whenever Levicy walked away, makin' to join Devil Anse, Ellison, and Cotton over by the anvil. Pharmer was just lookin' at Tolbert with wide-eyes. Guess he was shocked by everythin' that went down, or by the fact that Tolbert didn't have any nasty words to come back to Mrs. Hatfield with.
"Okay dokay, everyone back now!" Cotton announced loudly, wavin' his hands in a stay 'way type gesture.
Tolbert rolled his eyes an' grumbled under his breath 'fore grabbin' a likker jug an' takin' a large gulp of it. Ah, how nice my husband's startin' his day off right with a slug of corn likker.
A loud bang was heard throughout the air as Ellison hit the anvil, makin' the smaller one fly up high in the air with sparks flarin' a bit 'round it. Rihanna giggled as she saw the anvil fly, makin' my heart soar. It was hard gettin' my moody girl to giggle an' smile. Seein' her smile made Tolbert put down his whiskey bottle an' give me a soft look. A look of apology, one that I just returned with a forced, but sweet, look of acceptance.
Near the votin' tent were the booths with the new fancy gadgets an' contraptions. I was browsin' them whenever I stumbled upon the one gadget that seemed to make sense. A pressure cooker. It had a steam release valve to prevent scaldin' explosions an' was supposed to cook the food in half the time. The sign by it said that the small one was $3 while the larger one was $4.25. I was impressed by the demonstration so I decided to buy it. The large one too. I only had $5 on me so after the purchase I was gonna have only 75 cents to work wit' fore buyin' me an' my daughter stuff to et an' drink.
Problem was I had to find a way to carry my purchase over to Tolbert's whiskey wagon. I noticed my brother Moses and his best friend Billy, who was also my brother-in-law, walkin' by on their way to a game stall. "Moses, Billy, come over here!" I called out to them, wavin' them over.
"What is it, sissy?" Moses asked as he and Billy ran up to me.
"I need one of ya'll to hold Rihanna for me while I carry my new pressure cooker over to Tolbert's whiskey wagon."
"I'll take her, sissy." Moses eagerly volunteered, his arms greedily stretched out to take hold of my daughter perched on my hip.
I passed Rihanna over to Moses while smilin' an' tellin' him, "Thank you."
"What's a pressure cooker for?" Billy asked as I picked up my crate off of the long table near the display, where the seller had placed it for me after buyin' it.
"Cooks food in half the time." I simply explained the gadget's use, in laymen's terms an' not the technical words the salesman had used, to the boy.
"Oh, I should tell mama an' poppy 'bout that contrap'on." Billy mused, a thoughtful look on his face.
"Go on 'head an' find them to tell 'em. Moses'll find ya later." I told Billy with a small smile, holdin' onto the large crate with both of my hands. Billy nodded his head 'fore runnin' off, leavin' Moses wit' me to help wit' Rihanna.
"She's a cranky baby. Must be cause Tolbert's her daddy." Moses told me as he looked between me and my daughter he was holdin', who was shootin' him a pouty face.
"Moses, be nice." I scolded my brother, furrowin' my thin auburn brows at him.
"What? It's true." Moses shrugged before rattlin' on with, "Your husband's the crankiest, cruelest, cheapest shithead I've met. My daddy Fred 'cluded."
"That's not nice to say. Don't matter if it's true or not, don't be sayin' things like that." Boy's big mouth was goin' to get him in trouble one day. Narrowin' my eyes at him I said, "Also you're too young to be sayin' shithead."
"Okay, if ya say so."
"Oh, you'll make a fine lawyer one day." I sarcastically scoffed, causin' my brother to laugh.
"I ain't gonna be a lawyer. Law clerk, sure, but not a lawyer. I ain't got the knack for the la like you an' Uncle Perry do." Moses honestly said, takin' me by surprise since I had just assumed he'd be fine with law work like I was at his age.
"In time you'll learn the law. Uncle Perry wants ya to so it'll happen."
"But why can't you become a lawyer under him?" He asked, a simple honest curiosity laced in his words.
"Cause I'm a woman. It's my duty to tend to my home, husband, an' chil'ren. Woman don't hold careers, Moses." I told my brother, givin' him the harsh reality of a woman's role in the world.
"Oh…" Moses sighed, nodded his head in understandin', as we walked up to Tolbert's likker cart, which still only had him and Pharmer at it.
"What'cha got there?" My husband asked me, directin' his stormy eyes at the large crate in my hands, as I went to the back of the wagon to set it down.
With a smile I patted the top of the crate. "New contraption. It's a pressure cooker, makes food in half the time."
Tolbert looked 'tween me an' the crate while askin', "Was it 'xpensive?"
"Spent $4.25 on the large model." I honestly told my husband, knowin' that most likely he'd feel it cost too much money. Well, I couldn't lie to him, he knows how to count and he'd want to know why most of my money was gone if he rifled thru my purse tonight once we got home.
Pharmer just whistled lowly while Tolbert barked out, "What the hell, Elle?! That's most of the money ya got on ya today."
"Here's Rihanna." Moses shoved my daughter off onto my husband, knowin' that holdin' her would curb his temper a tiny bit. "I gotta go find Billy." He quickly said before rushin' off. Obviously he didn't ant to be 'round Tolbert when he got into one of his pissy moods.
"It's a good investment." I told Tolbert, earnin' me a skeptical glare as he bounced our daughter on his hip in an attempt to get her pout to disappear. I had to convince him that it was worth the money and there was only one way to do that. Appeal to his wants and needs. With a soft look in my cornflower blues I rubbed his arm while tellin' him in my flowin' tone, "I mean I wouldn't have to be at the stove for hours at a time so when Rihanna's nappin' an' ya get in early from workin' we could have a few private moments for ourselves."
Tolbert just bit his lip and nodded his head. I'd won the argument 'bout the pressure cooker. "Fine, ya can have it. But only cause less time spent with ya in the kitchen means more time spent tryin' for my boy."
Pharmer's eyes nearly bugged out of his head and he nearly fell off the large barrel he was perched on as a result of Tolbert's remark.
I was walkin' 'round, holdin' the glass of milk I'd bought for my daughter, whenever I noticed that Tolbert was makin' a sell with Lias Hatfield, not just for likker, but for the fiddle too. Oh boy…I also noticed that when Tolbert handed off the bottle he filled for an old man that man took off without payin' since Tolbert was busy talkin'. Pharmer was too intrigued with the deal goin' down 'tween Tolbert an' Lias that he didn't seem to notice the bottle that was given 'way for free.
I noticed that Cap Hatfield and his little brother Robert E. were runnin' Johnse's whiskey wagon. Johnse was nowhere in sight. Come to think of it I couldn't spot Roseanna anywhere either. Last time I saw her was when she was talkin' to my Uncle Perry before he went into the votin' tent. I saw them 'round the time I bought my pressure cooker. I believe she took up walkin' 'round with Nancy after that. Only reason Roseanna was talkin' wit my uncle was cause Nancy was helpin' Jefferson vote since he was sloshed an' was havin' a hard time seein' straight to read the ballot. The votin' officials took pity on him and let his sister read the options to him. I think it was cause one of those widowed old goats liked Nancy, but who knows.
I was lookin' for a candy booth to buy a sugar stick for my daughter to gnaw an' suck on whenever I heard a deep rollin' wave of a voice tell me, "I heard 'bout what happened. I'm so sorry for your loss, Nova."
Of course, Cap had let his 10-year-old brother take charge of sellin' whiskey while he set out to talk wit' me. Great guy, huh? "Thank you for your condolences." I told him a bit tightly before lookin' up at him and askin', "Your ma's baby come a'ight?"
"Yea, she had a boy few months after the celebration."
"Would never know it by how slim she is. Don't even look like she's had a baby not 'long 'go." I meant my compliment 'bout his mother too. For havin' 9 chil'ren an' bein' middle age one'd never know it cause that's how nice of a figure she had. I often heard the older women at church gossip bouth how it was unnatural for the Hatfield woman to be so slim. The church bitties also called Mrs. Hatfield a heathen too since her family was rarely in church. Once in a blue moon they popped in, but not often.
"Same with you." The shaggy haired blonde told me with a wink an' a smirk, his mustache an' goatee slightly raisin' up.
"Don't try an' flatter me." I ordered as I offered the cup to my daughter to see if she wanted to drink. She shook her head and swatted at the cup, causin' Cap to let out a small chuckle. Lookin' at him pointedly I remarked, "'Sides won't Nancy get made or jealous if she finds out you're payin' me useless compliments."
Cap's face grew hard, his jaw locked, as he seethed thru gritted teeth, "Ain't with her no more."
Before I could even think, my mouth opened an' out came tumblin', "Why? What happened?"
"Nancy wanted me t'be a more affectionate an' attentive man. I can't change who I am an' I told her that. I can't be soft-hearted so either she accepts me as I am or she can find 'nother man t'court with." Damn, I can't believe that he told her he wasn't goin' to be lovin' an' she needed to deal wit' it or go. Like what kind of man wouldn't wanna be affectionate an' attentive to their woman? I know that Cap comes off as a cocky imperturbable ass, but still least he could do is soften up a bit for the girl he's courtin'.
"So, she left you and's lookin' for 'nother man then I take it." I concluded since he was alone an' annoyin' the hell outta me instead of with her.
"Yep." His tongue popped.
"Don't worry, one day you'll meet the right girl. Sadly, it just wasn't Nancy." Yea, he's gonna need a bitch to put up with his shit. A sweet girl'd never make it with Cap, he's too bold an' set in his ways for a young man of 18. Asshole's too much like his pa, Devil Anse, I reckon. Hmm, wonder if that means his mama's a bit snippy? The woman did tell Tolbert off so…
"Hell, I ain't gonna be meetin' the right girl. No girl willin'ly wants a cold-hearted fog-eyed bastard." Oh, so he admits that he's cold-hearted. I agree with him on that one, but hearin' him insult his own eye injury is shockin'. Guy can't help he got his eye ruined in a loggin' accident couple years back.
"Don't say that 'bout yourself. There's somebody out there for everybody." I kindly told him, hopin' to make him feel better. Plus, it was true, everybody had somebody for them they just had to wait for them to come 'long. Sometimes one's person was a dud, but they were your dud so…
"All that's out there for me's whores an' I gotta pay for that. Unlike Johns, he can sweettalk any of 'em into a free go. Reckon I ain't much of a marryin' man either an' I ain't good wit' words an' feelin's like a lady wants a man t'be anyhow." Cap ranted an' raved, his hands shoved in his pockets, as a stone-cold look crossed his face while his jaw twitched a bit.
"Words an' feelin's are overrated Cap. Sometimes I love you an' other sweet words can be over said."
"Talkin' from experience as a married woman?" Cap asked, his deep wavin' tone laced wit' both knowin' an' wonder, as he gave me a soul chillin' look with his mismatched eyes while towerin' over me as we walked side by side.
"I think this conversation's over now. I found the booth I was lookin' fore so if you'll 'cuse me." I told him as I quickly left his side and rushed over to the large candy booth.
I was over at the apple booth, which sold whole candy and caramel apples along with candy and caramel apple slices, whenever I heard a large mix of laughter. I turned my head to see what was goin' on and noticed that Tolbert, Pharmer, Bud, Parris, and Squirel were standin' huddled in a group eatin' papercones of popcorn while laughin' at an' makin' fun of Cotton, who was tryin'an' sadly failin' at the game of bobbin' for apples. I also noticed that Cap was playin', rough housin', with his little brother Robert E. while the McCoy men were makin' fun of Cotton.
Parris shook his hands, mimickin' holdin' the young simple-minded boy's neck, while meanly sayin', "S'posed the drown 'im. Like this."
Oh boy, my kin are horrible.
"Can I get two candy apples and a candy apple slice?" I kindly asked the woman sellin' the food. I was goin' to give one of the whole apples to Cotton since I felt bad for the boy. It wouldn't go over well with my husband an' ur kin, but I didn't care. I felt the need to do somethin' nice for the boy.
"That'd be 12 cents." The woman told me, promptin' me to dig the money out of my purse.
While me an' the apple sales lady exchanged money an' goods Cap stopped playin' with his brother an' pointed towards their cart, no doubt, tellin' him to go over to it. He then walked over to Cotton and grabbed his hat 'fore pullin' him outta the apple barrel. As I went to walk 'way from the booth, apples in hand while my daughter gnawed on her slice, I heard him tell the McCoys, "Easy to laugh in a bunch." Then he shoved Cotton's hat on his head and ushered him off towards the direction of Johnse's cart.
I quickly made my way over the cart. Cotton looked a bit down that he did get an apple while Robert E. was sittin' by a barrel while kickin' the side of the cart with his feet that were danglin'. Cap looked bored as he read a book while leanin' 'gainst the likker barrels as he waited for a customer.
"Hi, Cotton. I'm Miss Nova. I got a candy apple for ya." I kindle told Cotton with a smile as I stopped in front of him.
"Oh, thank you very much, Miss Nova. I like these." The fair-haired man, who was more boyish in nature, smiled widely as he quickly snatched the candy apple from me.
Lookin' up from his book Cap told me, with a softness in his lone icy eye an' it's milky twin, "Thank you for doin' that. Was nice of ya, Nova."
"Weren't a problem. I saw what was goin' on an' thought an apple might cheer him up." I honestly told Cap before takin' a bite out of my own candy apple. "What're ya readin'?" I asked, pointin' my apple to the black book Cap had in one of his hands.
"The new Mark Twain book." Cap answered as he flashed the cover of the book for me to see. The bold printed title on the black book read Mark Twain-A Tramp Abroad.
"Is it any good?" I asked 'fore quickly gushin' out, "I loved his last book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer."
"So far it's good. It's 'bout travelin' 'broad all these different places." Cap explained as he went back to readin'.
"Sounds interestin'."
"Yep." He popped his tongue while turnin' the page in his book.
Good how I envied him for havin' that book. Tolbert wouldn't allow me to spend that kinda money of a book, Mark Twain's works were pricy, so I was stuck with the paperback dime novels by unknown writers.
"Well, I'm gonna get goin'. My in-laws'll be leavin' soon an' I'm supposed to ride back with them."
"Bye then." Cap simply told me with the tilt of his black Stetson.
Without a word I walked away and headed towards the Ole Rand'l's wagon. When I finally reached it Aunt Sally was sittin' in it along wit' the chil'run. Well all of the chil'run expect for Roseanna, Pharmer, Calvin, an' Bud. Calvin rode his own horse here while Bud an' Pharmer were gonna be stayin' wit' Tolbert an' gettin' a ride back wit' him. Roseanna not bein' in the family's wagon didn't make no sense.
"Alifiar, can you take her so I can get in?" I asked the brunette sittin' in the first row behind the driver's seat as I stood next to her side of the wagon.
"Sure, hand her here." Alifiar said while holdin' her hands out to take Rihanna.
I handed Rihanna to my sister-in-law, who placed her on her lap and scooted over a bit, before I climbed into the cart. Once I was seated comfortable I snatched by baby back from Alifair and set her on my lap. Alifair just shot me a shocked look, but I didn't care. Rihanna was my girl, not hers, and I was goin' to be the one holdin' her in my lap as we rode back to Kentucky.
Ole Rand'l was off doin' somethin', which is why we were all sittin' in a wagon, while Tolbert, Pharmer, an' Bud finally made it back to their likker cart with Parris an' Squirrel in tow. I was watchin' Pharmer grab some jugs to fill, that were by the wagon's wheels, while Tolbert and Bud stood by the back of the wagon talkin' with Squirrel and Parris whenever Ole Rand'l returned with a caramel apple in his hand. Passin' it over to Trinnie he looked at Alifair while askin', "Where's yer sister at?"
"Oh, I dunno where she went." Alifair answered her poppy as he walked over to the driver's seat of the wagon.
"Go an' find her. We're leavin'." Ole Rand'l ordered as he got up into his seat on the wagon next to Aunt Sally.
"Oh, Rand'l, let her stay. The boys'll bring her home." Aunt Sally told Ole Rand'l as she patted his shoulder an' gave him a soft look.
Ole Rand'l turned his head 'round as he shouted, "Tolbert!" Tolbert looked at us, causin' our cousins Parris and Squirrel to quickly steal an' start drinkin' full bottles of shine. "Bring yer sister home wit'out fail. Ya hear." Ole Rand'l instructed, causin' my husband to just nod his head.
As we were takin' off an' leavin' I saw Tolbert lunge at Squirrel and Parris while shoutin', "Hey, that ain't free!"
The sky was startin' to fade an' the golden glow of the sun was fadin'. Soon 'nough it'd be dark. Twilight was closely approachin'. Reckon I'd be eatin' dinner at the McCoy house, that is if Sally had anythin' quick to whip up like salt pork or leftover stew from the night 'fore. If not, we'd wouldn't be eatin' til midnight.
AN:
I think I got roughly 10 or so more chapters left of this story before I continue Novella's tale and her part in the Hatfields & McCoys feud in the sequel. Sequel's still unnamed as of now, but I roughly have an idea of how the first chapter is gonna go. The sequel will be following Novella's life right after Tolbert dies and how her lumber mill partnership claim and her ties to both the Hatfields & McCoys impacts her life, etc. It will follow the miniseries as close as possible.