*Author's Note*
Thank you for the reviews, faves, and follows.
Only one scene of this is from the show, but I tweaked a few things to add Novella into it. Yep, talking about the funeral scene. Also, the mystery behind Misty the whore is revealed. Yea, I decided on a solid concrete way to go with that so…
The McCoy Boys' Funeral
Novella POV:
I felt numb as Jim steered our horse 'round the dirt road bend an' right to the entrance of town. Pikeville was busy today. People walkin' up an' down the sidewalks, groceries an' other items in hand. Chil'ren were runnin' an' playin' wit' their hoops as mothers gossiped an' caught up wit' one 'nother. The diner looked busy, people were comin' an' goin' from it.
The town was alive, but my husband an' his brothers weren't. Which is why Jim was currently trottin' our horse down the road an' towards where my Uncle Perry's office was located. My uncle's office was large and in a busy part of the main strip. It was easy to find and get to. Whenever our horse stopped in front of the buildin' with the large sign hangin' from the roof readin' Perry Cline Attorney at Law I felt my chest tighten and my heart drop into my stomach. My nerves were shot and I didn't want to deal with the fact that Tolbert and his brothers were dead, didn't want to relay the gruesome details to Uncle Perry.
Jim got off the horse and then offered me his hand, silently helping me down. After my feet hit the ground Jim went to hitch up his horse while I smoothed any wrinkles from my skirt. Once I deemed my skirt presentable I walked over to the plank walkway and up it. Jim followed me and together we reached the door to the law office. He opened it, causin' the doorbell to chime, and let me walk in 'head of him.
Uncle Perry's head popped up as soon as his ears registered the chime sound off. "What's the reason for the visit? Was the posse successful?"
I just shook my head, feelin' tears stingin' my eyes and threatenin' to fall, as Jim replied in a solemn tone, "No, Perry, we were too late. Found my brothers shot dead, tied to pawpaws."
"Reverend Garrett took me and Aunt Sally to say our goodbyes, we ran into Ole Rand'l and the posse on the road back home near Blackberry Creek." I added in, thinkin' that my uncle might need to know why I was with Jim tellin' him the bad news instead of at my cabin wit' Moses and Rihanna.
"Oh my, this is horrible and tragic news." Uncle Perry shook his head, his slick voice down and full of heavy sadness. Quickly composin' himself he looked right at my brother-in-law and told him, "Jim, go home and tell your wife the bad news. Then go to your parents, they'll need you now the most."
Jim just nodded his head at Uncle Perry. Pointing at me he told him, "Take care of her, Perry. I lost my brothers, but she lost her husband."
"Of course." My uncle told Jim wit' a slight nod as he sat back in his chair.
Jim accepted Uncle Perry's response tilted his brown hat at him and left.
As soon as the door to the office buildin' closed Uncle Perry rounded on me, his sympathetic look gone from his face and now replaced wit' one a bit snake like as he told me in a hard slick tone, "I hope you feel some sort of grief, but if not I want it made clear that I expect you to act as the proper grieving widow at Tolbert's funeral."
"Uncle Perry, of course I'm upset that Tolbert's dead. He was my husband. I'm not going to be cold-hearted at the funeral."
"Well, it's a relief to hear that since it was after all your lover that murdered your husband."
"He didn't murder him, he executed him." I blurted out in defense of Cap, not even thinkin' bout the effect my words would have on my uncle.
"Don't try to justify the actions of Cap Hatfield. What he and the rest of his kind have done is unlawful murder of the McCoy boys."
"But the McCoy boys killed Ellison, don't all of this just even out?" I asked since logically I thought that everythin' was now even an' wanted my uncle to confirm my suspicions.
Unfortunately Uncle Perry didn't feel the same way I did since he scoffed out, "No, my dear, it doesn't." Givin' me a stern look, much like one he'd give my as I child if I'd done somethin' he didn't like, he ordered, "Now, stop acting silly. Your husband just died, show the dead some respect." Risin' from his desk he remarked, "You're going to wear a mourning hat at the funeral, Rihanna as well. Don't protest, I'm buying them right now and then taking you home."
"Fine." I gave in, knowin' that there was no winnin' wit' my uncle on the matter. Whether I wanted to or not I was stuck wearin' a hat.
The buggy ride home wit' my Uncle Perry was full of tense silence as I held a pair of hat boxes on my lap. It felt like it took forever to reach my house. Once we pulled up to the cabin I felt sudden dread course thru me as I suddenly realized that I'd have to tell Rihanna that her poppy passed 'way. My uncle stopped the buggy right in front of the house. He exited first 'fore takin' the hat boxes from me an' hepin' me down. Once my feet hit the dirt covered ground Uncle Perry shoved the hat boxes at me and then walked to the porch steps. Bitin' my lip an' lettin' out a small sigh I followed 'hind him.
"Moses, let's go. We need to give Novella an' Rihanna some time 'lone." Uncle Perry told my brother as we entered the house.
"Oh, so they're dead?" Moses asked as he got up from the table.
"Moses, don't be so blunt and rude. Proper thing to say's they're passed over the River Jordan to forever sing with the angels." Uncle Perry chastised my brother, his slick tone sharp, as he was walkin' out of the kitchen an' into the main room.
"If ya think they're singin' wit' the angels then okay." Moses sarcastically shrugged, reachin' my uncle's side.
"Moses, be more respectful." Uncle Perry chided, narrowin' his eyes in a warnin'.
Moses just nodded his head half-heartedly. I knew that my brother was fond of my husband, I doubt he felt any loss for his death.
"We'll be going now. I'll speak with Ole Rand'l, make sure the proper arrangements are made and that you're made aware of them."
"Thank ya, Uncle Perry. Bye." I told my uncle wit' a soft, but tight, tone to my flowin' voice.
My uncle just nodded and ushered my brother out the door. Once my uncle pulled the door closed I made my way ov'r to the kitchen table, where my daughter was sittin' at nibblin' on some apple slices. I placed the hat boxes down on the table and then took a seat next to Rihanna. "Sweetie, somethin' happened and Uncle Perry got us some hats to wear for a service we gotta go to in a few days."
"I don't like hats." Rihanna quickly told me, eyein' the hat box wit' disgust.
"I know, neither do I, but we gotta wear the hats. It's important to Uncle Perry that we do. Like I said somethin' happened, we gotta wear the hats to properly honor poppy."
"Why? What happened?" Rihanna asked 'fore quickly addin' in, "Poppy's not home yet."
And now came the hard part, I had'a tell my daughter the hard truth 'bout her poppy. I took a deep breath and placed a soothin' had on her shoulder. In the most soft an' level tone I could muster I explained, "Rihanna, sweetheart, poppy's not gonna be comin' home. He's passed ov'r the River Jordan to forever sing wit' the angles."
"Oh." Rihanna simply said, her mouth makin' a small o shape, 'fore takin' 'nother nibble outta her apple slice.
I didn't know what to do so I just wrapped my arms 'round my lil girl an' pulled her into a hug. Oh lordy, I hope she's okay at the funeral in a few days. Hell, I hope I can be strong 'nough for the both of us too.
Two days after my husband's death I found myself standin' in the McCoy family graveyard between Moses, who had our Uncle Perry standing near him, and Alifair, who had Nancy glued to her side. Rihanna stood in front of me, my hand was on her shoulder. She was wearing the little black hat my uncle bought for her, I too was wearing my own mournin' hat. I hated the thing, it was a black top hat that had tulle and silk ribbon 'round it, making a large bow in the back. I noticed that Nancy wore a similar hat, tho cocked to the side of her head to show off her long and bountiful black curls that was her hair. Alifair had on the same mourning dress and hat that she donned when I buried my first son, Bert.
My brother held his black hat firmly in his hands as he stared emotionlessly at the 3 graves and the coffins next to them. Ole Rand'l had set it up that his boys would be buried together in order of oldest to youngest. My husband was being to rest a row 'bove where Tol was buried at, adjacent to where Bert was. Ole Rand'l stood next to Uncle Perry and Aunt Sally, who was being held and comforted by Jim. Lissa stood with the children next to Jim while Calvin was on the other side of her with our cousins Parris, Squirrel, and Jefferson by him. Jefferson was such a class act, he was drainin' a flask at the funeral service and wasn't even in black. He looked like he just rolled outta bed drunk and showed up to tell the truth.
Family and friends, neighbors too, where all in attendance. The only ones not here were Aunt Betty and Roseanna since the latter gave birth early a couple of days ago. She had a girl, weak and sickly accordin' to Doc. She couldn't travel, needed her rest. As I understood the reverend delivered the news 'bout Tolbert, Pharmer, and Bud to Aunt Betty so Roseanna knew what happened. Eh, I think she knew a version of what happened, not the entire truth.
"Surely thou shalt slay the wicked oh God. Depart from me thee bloody men. Do not I hate them that hate thee oh lord? I hate them with perfect hated, I count them my enemies." Reverend Garrett bellowed loudly, standin' right next to the graves with a bible firmly held in his hand. His sermon wasn't one that's fittin' for a funeral if ya ask me. His words are gonna rile people up, that I can tell by all the pissy looks apearin' on just 'bout everyone's faces.
Nancy looked over at Alifair and loly told her, "I don't see your sister, Roseanna."
"She's at Aunt Betty's ailin', can't travel none." Was Alifiar's answer on Roseanna's absence.
"She lose the baby?" Nancy asked, not an unce of sympathy in her harsh twangy voice.
"No, it come early. A girl, very small an' sickly." Alifair informed our bitter lookin' cousin as they stood shoulder to shoulder.
"She'll likely perish." Nancy stated, once gain showin' no emotions what-so-ever.
"I pray not." My sister-in-law said in a flat monotoned voice, a sour look on her face as she gazed onto the graves nearby.
Nancy tilted her head in a know-it-all way as she solemnly remarked, "But likely."
Alifiar nodded her head. "Likely."
Dear lord, they were gossipin' at a funeral. Alifair was a lovely sister wasn't she? Like this exchange couldn't take place after the service. Instead of stoppin' them I looked 'head at the preacher, pretendin' to pay attention to his outlandish service. I didn't trust Nancy one bit, not after learnin' from my brother that Uncle Perry and Nancy had been talkin' bout me bein' with Cap, believin' an affair was goin' on months after the damn thing ended. My daughter was the one with a useless left ear, not me, so I was goin' to eavesdrop on everythin' those bitter bitches had to say.
Before I would've never called them that, but right now with them standin' together they both wore the same nasty expression and had the same hateful glossy look in their eyes, even their stance was the same. It was clear that Alifair and Nancy had a friendship sparked up, one in which the older woman was passing down her bitter ways.
Nancy looked at Alifair while hissin', "Baby's daddy, Johnse Hatfield, 'mong them that murdered your brothers."
"I pray not." Alifair quickly spat out, bitin' her lip real hard.
"Likely he was." Nancy croaked out, a hard look in her beady black eyes as she watched Reverend Garrett perform the funeral service for Tolbert, Pharmer, an' Bud.
"Likely." Alifiar spat back, her voice just as bitter if not more than Nancy's was.
I could feel Nancy's black eyes burnin' a hate fueled hole into the side of my head as I heard her lowly hiss, "Ya know that Novella's lover Cap Hatfield murdered her husband yet she stands here fakin' grief."
What the hell?! Really, Nancy, really?! You're gonna bring that up to my sister-in-law at my husband's funeral? How low of that bitter bitch. There's a time and place for everythin' an' now's not the time for that.
"I pray not, but likely it's true." My sister in law remarked, her voice tight. Alifair's tight voice changed tone slightly as she revealed, "She'd pushed my brother 'way long 'fore he died."
Nancy shook her head. "Tolbert didn't deserve that, he loved her."
Alifair nodded, "Yes, he did. Very much so."
Nancy clamped her mouth shut instead of makin' another remark whenever Reverend Garrett loudly said, "Today we lay to rest Tolbert, Pharmer, and Bud." Aunt Sally let out a whimperin' cry, her face tremblin', as Jim held her. "Who were cruelly and unjustly murdered. The lord with wash 'way their sins and bring them to the promise land." The reverend loudly said, wavin' his hand in the air.
Since when were murderers 'llowed in heaven? Last I knew they fried in hell. Seems like Reverend Garrett's ticklin' the McCoys' ears, tellin' them what they wanna hear. Tolbert might've been my husband an' Pharmer an' Bud my in-laws, but I wasn't naïve to think that St. Peter let them thru the pearly gates of heaven.
"And people forget that our pap was killed by Hatfields too." Oh no, drunk as a skunk Jefferson's gonna put his two cents in during this service now too. "Honest soldier mindin' his own business returnin' home from war." Jefferson ranted, causin' Ole Rand'l to cut him a dirty look. Eh, as I heard from Cap it was a bit more then how Jefferson's sayin' it when it came to Harmon. Man wasn't an honest soldier, was a Yankee in the Civil War while everybody else was fightin' for the Confederacy. Yea, that's another tricky situation.
"Shut up an' come on." Parris hissed into Jefferson's ear, tryin' to drag him off.
Jefferson batted Parris' hand off his elbow and went on with his speech by loudly sayin', "They gotta bill that's past due, bout time it's collected. Time for them to get theirs."
"Come on." Parris hissed once more, grabbin' Jefferson by the elbow an' tryin' to drag him back into the line by Squirrel.
Reverend Garrett had an uneasy look on his stern face. Aunt Sally let out a muffled cry as she went over to where Tolbert's grave was. With Jim by her side she bent down and grabbed a handful of dirt. She tossed it into my husband's grave, letting out shaky cry. She moved on to Pharmer's grave, scooped up some dirt, and tossed it in while her jaw trembled as a whine came from the back of her throat. Aunt Sally stopped in front of Bud's grave, got the handful of dirt from the pile on the ground, and tossed it in. As the dirt hit the coffin wit' a loud clunk she turned 'round and collapsed in Jim's arms as she let out a sobbin' cry of heartbreak and loss.
Jim was rubbin' his mother's back in an attempt to calm her down as Calvin quickly grabbed some dirt from Tolbert's pile. He handed the dirt to his poppy only for Ole Rand'l to smack his hand 'way, causin' all the dirt to fall to the ground. The look on Ole Rand'l's face was so hard an' full of hate that I barely recognized the god fearin' man. I've never seen him look so hardened 'fore, not til now at his sons' funeral.
The grievin' an' disgruntled man turned his back on everyone and walked 'way down towards where his wagon was at. Uncle Perry walked a few feet 'way from the site 'fore he quickly took off his hat and held it out as people quietly began to leave. "Donations for the McCoy family's justice." He spoke out, hat held up high in the air. "Any little bit helps for justice."
"He's gone an' lost it. Service hasn't been over a minute yet an' he's collectin' money." Moses scoffed under his breath into my ear.
"Hush, let's go." I ordered, nudgin' my head in the direction that everyone was retreatin' in.
"Thank you. Jesus will be smiling down on you and your family." Uncle Perry told some old church bitties as they placed some money into his hat.
"Don't ya wanna toss dirt on Tolbert at least 'fore we go?" Moses asked as we began to walk 'way from the graves as the grave diggers grabbed their shovels, goin' over to the 6-foot deep holes to start their work of coverin' them up wit' dirt.
"No." I quickly snapped out, walkin' wit' my daughter at my side down the small grassy hill in the direction my wagon was at by the dirt road.
Moses just nodded his head and fell into step next to me all the while our uncle continued to cry out for donations, his hat held high in the air.
It was now Sunday, but I didn't go to church. Nope, I opted not to set my alarm an' to just sleep in. I wasn't in the mood to be in a one-room chapel sittin' 'round people who'd give me fake sympathetic smiles, hugs, an' words when half of 'em weren't even at the McCoy boys' funeral yesterday. I also didn't want to see the preacher stand up in the pulpit like some good man while the sermon he did for the funeral was very hate inducin', the damn thing painted my late husband an' his brothers out to be some kind of saints slaughtered like sheep instead of the drunken fool murderers they really were.
It was late mornin' whenever I woke up. Rihanna was still asleep when I woke, clearly, she was worn out from the previous day. I just changed into a simple house dress and then made some breakfast. As I was placin' the scrambled eggs onto the small servin' plate Rihanna's door creaked open. She scurried out of her room, the smell of breakfast the reason for her bein' up, an' rushed to the kitchen table.
"Mornin', mama." My daughter told me as she sat down at the table as I carried the platter of eggs over to the table, which already had a platter of bacon an' a plate of toast on it.
"Mornin, sweetie." I smiled, settin' the platter down. Silently I grabbed the pitcher of milk from the table along wit' the cup in front of my daughter's place settin'. "Ya feel okay this mornin'?" I inquired as I poured Rihanna a glass of milk an' set it by her plate.
"Yea, mama, I okay." She nodded 'fore eyein' up the breakfast platters.
"Okay, I just wanted to make sure." I told her, takin' my seat next to her an' startin' to make up her plate by grabbin' some toast an' tossin' it onto her plate. Placin' some bacon an' eggs onto the plate I remarked, "It's just you an' me now, Rihanna. Things are gonna be a bit different now."
"Okay, mama." She simply replied, grabbin' a slice of bacon from her plate.
Rihanna's reaction shocked me, I wasn't expectin' her to be so acceptin' of not havin' a father 'round anymore. I knew that Tolbert wasn't the best husband to me, but he tried the best he could to be a father to our daughter. I knew that he felt overwhelmed by her hearin' loss an' was saddened by the fact that only one of his chil'ren was alive an' breathin', but I also knew that in his own way he loved her. Tolbert might not've showed that he loved our daughter, but I know that deep down he did. He wouldn't be upset that Rihanna was closer to me if he didn't.
"Well, since it's Sunday why don't we just have a quiet lazy day 'bout the house. Sound good?" I suggested as I began to make up my own plate.
"Yea, sound good, mama."
"Okay. Well, just eat your breakfast." I smiled, urgin' my daughter to et 'fore diggin' into my own breakfast.
It was now late afternoon and I was sittin' on my sofa readin' a book an' enjoyin' a cup of tea loaded wit' sugar an' honey while Rihanna took a small nap next to me, curled up wit' a stuffed animal she'd won at the 4th of July celebration a few months back. It still baffled me how my daughter seemed to be so resilient and unaffected by her father's absence. I guess I just expected her to be askin' more questions bout where Tolbert was or to cry or somethin' more then what she's been doin'. Oh an' what she's been doin' is carryin' on like she never saw her poppy kill somebody an' run off, like she never was told her poppy weren't comin' home an' had passed ov'r the River Jordan. Maybe I expected her to be more upset cause I was when both of my parents died, but yet 'gain I was 5 an' nearly 8 when I lost my father an' then my mother.
I was on the third chapter of The Scarlett Letter whenever a knock sounded at my door. I placed my marker into my book, closed it an' set it on the side table next to me 'fore risin' to my feet and swiftly makin' my way over to the front door. I figured that somebody from church or even my own McCoy kin might be checkin' up on me, but I was wrong. Standin' on my front porch was none other than that ex-whore Misty. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a flawless curled updo, a small silk hat perched on her head. Her belly was large an' rounded, stretchin' her silk dress to the point where it looked ready to pop a seam. In her hands was clutched a covered dish.
Crossin' my arms ov'r my chest I asked, "What're ya doin' here?"
"Ya weren't at church. I came by to check on ya an' give ya a casserole." Misty replied, her voice coated wit' sweetness as she gave me a friendly smile. She's up to somethin', her fake offer of friendliness ain't foolin' me.
"Since when do they let whores into church? Last time I check the soiled doves weren't allowed." I sarcastically scoffed, archin' my brow up at Misty as she stood on my porch, still smlin' as she held that damn covered dish in grasp.
Her eyes widened as a long look of sudden shock came ov'r her face. Puffin' up an' liftin' her chin at me Misty corrected me wit', "I ain't no whore anymore. I'm respectable now."
Once a whore always a whore. Just cause she moved outta the whore house an' stopped getting' paid to do the trick don't suddenly make her a good girl,she'll always have the tainted rep'tation of bein' a dirty girl. Hell she better head out west, up north, or further south to get rid of her taint. I rolled my cornflower blues at Misty 'fore bluntly tellin' her, "Respectable my ass, you're unwed an' knocked up wit' my late husband's child. Don't try to play the sweet an' carin' reformed whore act wit' me."
Her pretty youthful face blanched, lookin' like I'd stung her wit' a hard slap, at my harsh words. Stumblin' over her tongue she said, "I didn't know you knew 'bout that."
"Of course, I knew. Bad news always travels faster than good."
"Cap Hatfield told ya then. I saw ya'll t'gether at 4th of July. He's the only one that could've told ya."
"Yep, he told me." I confirmed her theory. "Now ya can take that covered dish of yours an' get off my porch. You're not welcomed here."
"He was just lettin' off steam wit' me. It weren't nothin' 'gainst ya. He felt bad bout gettin' me wit' child." Misty rambled, tryin' to convince me that my husband wasn't in the wrong wit' bein' her customer an' knockin' her up. Hell, the man knew how to pull out wit' me, but not a whore. Now that's rich.
Goddamnit, Cap even stopped seein' whores when we were carryin' on our affair. He had the decency to only see me an' he wasn't obligated to. Hell, I wouldn't 've even gone to Cap for comfort an' attention if Tolbert was bein' a good husband to me instead of off at the whore house lettin' off steam wit' lil Goldie-Locks the whore.
"Tolbert's dead an' gone t'hell now so I don't care to hear your bullshit." I seethed, feelin' anger risin' up an' boilin' in my blood. The more I looked at that young girl's face the more I wanted to claw her eyes out. How dare she come to my house, which is now in control of my uncle thanks to my late husband, and say all of this shit to me.
"He really loved ya, ya know. Even after you betrayed him to the Hatfields an' could've gotten him killed he still loved ya."
"Clearly he didn't love me enough cause if he did he wouldn't 've paid ya for your services." I coldly told the young woman in front of me, cuttin' her a disgusted look. "Now get the hell off my porch." I ordered, pointin' my finger at the buggy that was in front of my house. "Dirty whore." I spat 'fore slammin' the door in Misty's face.
Dear god, Cap was tellin' the truth. Tolbert really did two-time me wit' a whore an' knock her up too. Shit. I knew he saw her 'fore Tol even died cause that's what I was told and honestly right now I'm takin' Cap's word as golden.
Lettin' out a sigh I peeked out the front room window to see if that Goldie-Locks harlot was leavin' yet. I chewed on my lip an' nodded my head approvin'ly as I saw her sit in her buggy an' grab the reins. She quickly snapped them, makin' her team of horses pull her buggy 'way from my porch steps. I watched her ride 'way from my house wit' a hollow feelin' in my chest. I was just 'bout to move from the window whenever my eyes spotted the cover dish left on the porch. What a nice homewreckin' whore, left the casserole I told her to take. Well that shit's stayin' on the porch til the cows come home cause I ain't ettin' it. Could be poisoned for all I know.
I shook my head an' let out a deep huff of breath 'fore turnin' 'way from the window an' goin' back to the sofa to continue readin' my book. I didn't want to deal wit' the hard fact that Tolbert had strayed from me when I thought we were good, that if Uncle Perry sided wit' me over him then I could've had my divorce. I could've been happy for the last few months instead of pretendin' to be happy an' walkin' on eggshells with a husband that claimed do love me, but did a piss-poor job of showin' it.
As I sat on the sofa in the open spot by Rihanna, grabbin' my book off the side table, I decided not to dwell on the past. I decided that I was just goin' to go forward an' make sure that me an' my daughter were as happy as we could be. I also decided that when the money in the savin's jar got too low then I'd cash in my saw mill claim.
AN:
Well this is almost finished. Just one more chapter to go (which is gonna be the epilogue) before the sequel gets started. Got the cover for the sequel made too, yay!