"This pump needs greasing," she muttered under her breath. Molly's jaw clenched when she looked around and saw how they'd set up the settlement. In her eyes every house was crooked, their porches like a frown on an angry plaintiff, their broken windows like soulless judgemental eyes. It wasn't good enough, ishe/i hadn't done a good enough job, the place was a disaster and she too spent to do anything about it. Her fist tightened around the pump handle as she pushed it to its limit. iDamn it I'm doing it again. If Nate were here, he'd tell me I'm doing okay, that things are never as bad as I say they are./i "I'm Molly Gould, I'm General of the Minutemen," she whispered and closed her eyes.
Sometimes the sunsets are golden, some days her pip boy crackles as the rads ride high during a storm that turns the sky green. When it rains and is foggy, like it often is at the change of seasons between autumn and winter, she's reminded of how things used to be. The last three days had been a struggle, but at least it kept her mind on things other than the past. The downside, her discontent about everything.
"It's okay, it's not like the settlers won't be happy with what's here," she said.
Despite her dissatisfaction, her lost hope and the harshness she's seen around her she's found kindness here too. Preston had been her guide, Piper her voice, Nick her hope.
MacCready though, what was he? He's far too young to be much more than the hired gun she's paid him to be. If the war had never happened and he lived in her town, they would never have met. The guy's 15 years her junior, he'd either be at college, or in a trade, and he'd be partying with other young people, having fun, ignoring the inevitability of adulthood whilst she was rising at her firm, a loving partner at her side and a family she had always said she'd have some day. They would definitely move in different circles.
She shooed him out of the little house she's created as a layover for herself and laid a towel on the floor. She saw the way he gazed at her, a mixture of pity mixed in with lust, nevertheless, he seemed genuine enough and the arrangement they had was good. She had to admit, she liked the attention. Okay, his moves were nowhere near refined as Nate's, his hands didn't always find the right button to push, or they squeezed her flesh too firmly. On the flip side he's always as hard as a rock and she always comes, even if he might need guidance to help her get there. He's an indulgence, someone to relieve the tension, that's all.
She removed the bra and underwear. It's so ridiculous in a way that's not practical, much like how haute couture clothing and high heel shoes are practical, well, except for the occasion when a certain kind of persuasion was needed.
She dipped the clean cloth in the water and rubbed it on the soap. Her washing pilgrimage began. Despite the stress and the weight loss she still had a softness about her, Nate had always said 'Rubenesque' and he liked the shape of her. In addition to the softness that remained, there were also callouses and bruises that covered her knees, shins, forearms and hips, all marks that she now led a different kind of life. The lights flickered on and she could see it all, her body no longer smoothe, plucked and without a scratch.
Molly scrubbed at the ingrained dirt within the folds of her skin, under the crease of her breasts, in the line across her stomach, down her legs over the large purple mark now mottled with yellow on her thigh. She moved the cloth over her neck and face, then scrubbed every part of her body with the sweet smelling oatmeal and flower soap. A blast of cool from the open window flowed over her and she shivered as the water evaporated on her skin. She turned to see MacCready staring at her from near the barn. She looked away and down, and acted as if she never saw him staring, even though she felt a heat from his eyes make her cheeks burn.
A final rinse saw most of the grime and dirty removed, and she fumbled in her pack for a second towel.
MacCready entered with an old coffee pot, rinsed and filled with the boiling water. He'd stuffed it with the peppermint leaves she always carried with her on the road and the smell quickly overpowered the scent of the floral soap
"Enough for two," he said.
She turned her head and smiled at him as she patted the large towel over her. "Thankyou." Her brow furrowed. "But you don't drink peppermint tea?"
He shrugged. "I'm getting used to it."
There was silence between them as she continued to dry herself. He remained standing and even though she couldn't see his face she knew he continued to stare. She only lifted her head when he spoke.
"Do you really think I smell?" He asked.
She placed the towel over her front and looked at him up and down biting her lip. "You smell like a lot of things, some good, some not so good, some, well, just bad."
"Like those rotting ghouls."
"Like those rotting ghouls." She nodded in agreement.
He threw his cap off onto the bed and began to undress. "I can't do anything about this right now-" He pointed to his jacket, but maybe when we get back to the boathouse I can give it a good wash and airing out. But at least I can be clean. Is that water okay?"
She laughed. "I've just washed myself using it what do you think?"
He shrugged. "Superior than that cold water in the Brahmin trough, right?" He pulled his boots off awkwardly and threw them in the same corner as Molly's.
"I guess-"
"You finished with that?" He pointed to the first cloth draped over the chair as he stripped to naked.
She nodded and stared at him.
"Well don't just stand there. Hand me it then, and the soap."
Molly realised her mouth was gaping but she handed him both and he rubbed each in turn quickly over his body. She continued standing in the same place the towel still held in front of her. She had a large smile on her face.
"What? Never see a naked man wash himself before?"
She placed a hand over her mouth and supressed a laugh.
"Think that's funny do you? Well this is your cloth yes?" He dangled the wash cloth in front of him.
She nodded and laughed loudly when he rubbed it cheekily between his legs.
"So what do you think about that hey? Disrespectful hey? Yeah?"
She couldn't contain the laughter anymore and removed her hand from her mouth. "Good, errr- personal hygiene can't ever be disrespectful, MacCready."
MacCready dropped the cloth on the floor and stood like a statue his chin in the air. He sniffed loudly. "Is that satisfactory enough for the General? Have I done a good enough job to share this fine settlement bed with her this evening?"
Molly pursed her lips and went over and lay a hand on his shoulder.
"A fine job soldier, a tad rushed maybe, but I'm sure whatever you've done will have the desired outcome."
He nodded with a satisfied smile. "Thank you, General Molly Gould."
He sat on the bed and watched her as she resumed drying herself.
"Would you like the towel after me?" she asked.
He shook his head. "I'm fine to air dry. However-" He paused. "Tell me General, before I washed, what did I smell like? You said a lot of things, good, bad and ugly. What are they?" He cupped an elbow in one hand and tapped his lips with the other. "Mmmm whatcha say, General?"
Molly stopped motionless, an uncontrollable flush of heat washed over her body. "I- you really want to know?"
He nodded. "Start with the ugly, work your way up to the bad then the good, and the very good if you have one of those, nothing like ending on a high note."
If it hadn't been for MacCready's flippant and slightly flirty tone, she might have thought she had offended him. However, it appeared not to be the case and relief washed over her. She tucked the end of the towel into the crevice under her arm and walked over to where the pot sat, the peppermint now fully infused. She poured the green liquid into the two cups and walked back to him currently sitting spread eagled on the bed. She looked down and smirked, handed him a steaming cup before walking backwards and sitting herself in the same small armchair he had been ogling her from before.
"I'm not sure you'll like what you'll hear." She placed an arm on the chair and crossed her legs. When she took a sip of tea, her foot danced teasingly in the air.
"I'm a big boy. I can take it. I can do you after. Tell you what you smell like that is. Then I'll do you, as in do you do you. If you want, and you're not too tired of course." He gave a nervous laugh. "If you can take it. Take me telling you how you smell that is. Because I kinda know you can take the other thing." He snorted as he laughed again.
Molly placed her mug on the small table beside the chair and her hands peaked in front of her face. iI've had a hard few days, I need this, this little luxury. He's your indulgence. He's what you need right now./i A wide smile fell across her face. "Okay then. Let's start with the ugly."