*Author's Note*
Thanks for all of the follows, faves, and reviews.
Everyone I want to wish ya'll a Merry Christmas (Happy Holidays). Oh and have a Happy New Year too (in case I don't update before then).
Christmas With Hatfields & McCoys
Novella POV:
This mornin' when Cap told me that he had the day off and wanted to spend it with me an' Anna decoratin' for Christmas he took me aback. I'd been so used to doin' all the decoratin' myself for the last couple of years that I hadn't even considered the possibility that my husband might want to help, be a part of it. So, that's why I'm currently sittin' in the wagon next to Cap wit' Anna 'tween us as we ride to town.
"Shifflett's sells candy canes." Cap told me with a smile. A nostalgic look crossed his face as he recounted his childhood with the remark of, "Growin' up pa always got two large bags cause even tho we hang 'em up on the trees we et 'em too."
"So, we'll be buyin' two bags of 'em then?" I asked wit' a raised brow an' a thin upturn of my lips, an upturn that could be considered a slight smirk.
"Of course. It's important to pass down holiday traditions." Cap told me as he guided our wagon closer to town, which could be seen in the slight distance. Lookin' at me he asked, "Have any traditions of your own ya wanna carry on?"
"No." I answered in a quick and rushed tone. Why would I want to carry on anythin' I did in Kentucky durin' the holidays? Lookin' back at it, Perry Cline made things a bit snotty and snuffy while the McCoys drank too much eggnog and gave out a gift or two. Only tradition was gettin' a new outfit for Christmas Eve service at church, but I doubt that one needs carried over into my new Hatfield life considerin' we ain't crossin' the Tug to go to church any time soon.
"Okay. Reckon we'll just do the stuff I grew up doin'." My husband concluded as we entered town.
I just nodded while watchin' people goin' in and out of the various shops, buyin' things for Christmas which was a couple weeks 'way. My reverie was broken whenever my husband pulled our wagon to a stop in front of the general store.
"Well, here we are. Time to get some things for the tree." My husband announced 'fore quickly jumpin' down from the wagon.
"Pa, can I get candy?" Anna asked as Cap picked her up off the seat.
"Of course, ya can, Ana." Cap smiled, placin' our daughter on the ground.
"So, after we buy the stuff an' get back to the house you're gonna go cut down the tree then?" I asked my husband as he helped me down from the wagon.
"Yep, but I was gonna take Ana wit' me." Cap told me as we headed to the store. "Growin' up pa always took us kids to help him find the tree." He revealed as we walked up the porch of the general store an' to the door.
"Okay, guess I'll be makin' bows while ya'll do that." I smiled at my husband, watchin' him open the door for me an' Anna to enter the buildin'.
"Bet you'll have a bunch of bows made by time we get home." Cap mused, his voice a deep rollin' rumble, as he followed me an' our daughter thru the doorway.
The tree that Cap let Ana pick out was huge. It took up a large corner of our main room. I was still makin' bows to put on the tree, since the green thing was so full, while Cap was helpin' Anna decorate the tree wit' the bows that were already made. Cap was holdin' Anna so that she could reach the high spots on the tree, an action that brought a smile to my face.
I was tyin' together a red ribbon whenever the sound of the door slammin' open was heard paired with my brother Moses' voice sayin', "Oh, it's tree trimmin' day. Good thing I came over."
"Moses, shouldn't you be in school?" I asked him with a thinly lined smirk, teasin' him.
"Eh, I should, but I ain't." My brother retorted, a large smirk of his own takin' over his face.
"Hi, Unca Mo." Anna cheerfully greeted, lookin' at her uncle right 'fore stickin' a green bow on the tree.
Pointin' 'tween my brother and the tree my husband offered, "You can help us if ya want."
"Sure, I'll help." Moses nodded, makin' his way over to the tree. "The housekeeper put the tree up one day when I was at school, weren't able to be part of the decoratin' process." He revealed, grabbin' some bows from the decoration box and goin' to the tree wit' 'em.
"Oh, does Perry know she did that?" I asked as I finished up with the bow I was makin', puttin' it in a box by my feet.
"Course he does. He's the one that told her to get the thing up." Moses scoffed with bitterness in his voice as he stuck a couple of bows on a bare tree branch
"Perry Cline had a heavily pregnant woman put up a tree?" Cap asked, disgust both in his voice and on his face.
"Yea, but the whore had 'nough brains to have the tree salesman in town bring it in the house an' set it in the stand." My brother told my husband while turnin' his back to the tree an' snatchin' a few more bows from the box of decorations.
I wasn't even going to remark on my brother's language. I've given up tryin' to correct him. He's spirited, doesn't take reprimands to heart so it's kinda useless to correct him.
"So, it's set in stone that the baby goes to Calvin then?" Cap asked, changin' the subject, while bendin' down to let Anna pick a bow from the box near the tree.
"Yep." Popped off my brother's tongue. "Baby's due come February."
Shakin' my head I cut some ribbon, settin' the scissors on the side table with a clank. "Still can't believe Calvin's takin' on that burden."
"Course he is, it's one more McCoy to raise to hate an' hunt Hatfields." Cap sarcastically quipped in his deep timbre while helpin' Anna hang up a red bow on the tree.
Oh boy…Just what we didn't need, more McCoys to hate us an' want us dead.
The weeks flew by quickly and suddenly it was Christmas Eve. Dusk had settled over the hills, markin' night fall was near. The fireplace roared in the main room of the house. Orange-red embers crackled off the burnin' logs as the flames danced in the stone fireplace. Stockin's were hung up on the wooden mantle, just waitin' to be filled by Santa. Err, okay by me and Cap, but Anna was little and believed in Santa so… Cap was sittin' in his chair while both me an' Ana sat on the sofa nearby while he was readin' A Christmas Carol.
Cap was 'bout halfway thru the book, at the part where Scrooge meets Christmas Present, whenever I noticed that Anna's eyes were gettin' heavy an' she was nearly asleep. I just pushed some of her unruly copper-hair, that she inherited from me, out of her face with a smile. Lookin' up at my husband I told him, "She's sleepy."
"S'pose it's time to tuck her in so Santa can get to work." Cap turned the corner of the page he was on down, markin' it, 'fore shuttin' the book and placin' it on the table next to him.
"Yes, s'pose it is." I smiled, standin' to my feet.
I went to pick up our daughter, but was stopped by my husband tellin' me, "I'll carry her upstairs, sweetlin'."
I just nodded, watchin' Cap go ov'r to the sofa in a few large strides and scoop up Anna wit' a gentle ease. Silently we went upstairs and to our daughter's bedroom. Cap gently placed Anna into bed once I moved her blankets aside. Together we tucked her in 'fore makin' our way back downstairs.
Once on the ground floor, Cap collected the gifts from the hidin' spot in our room and brought them out into the main room to be placed underneath the tree. I had just grabbed a box, which had a new dress in it for Anna, an' was walkin' towards the tree with it whenever my husband broke the silence with the deep rollin' remark of, "I've told ya 'bout my childhood Christmases an' the Hatfield traditions, but you've never said a thing 'bout your Christmases growin' up. Why?"
Standin' near my husband I put the box under the tree. "There's nothin' to tell, really."
"I still wouldn't mind hearin' 'bout it tho." Cap told me, placin' a couple of things under the tree.
I stood up, furrowin' my thin auburn brows at Cap. Throwin' my hands up in the air I sarcastically asked in a bitin' snap, "What do ya wanna hear? That on Christmas Eve I got a new outfit to wear to the church service and then on Christmas Day I got a few presents, mostly books? Had a small box of candy an' small jar of nuts to open after the Christmas Eve service and Christmas Day dinner was at the McCoys' an' usually ended in somebody gettin' yelled at or somethin'?"
"Yea, Nova, that's exactly what I wanted to hear." My husband told me as he appeared by my side. "It doesn't have t'be good things ya tell me, I just want ya to confide in me. I am your husband, after all."
"I know." I nodded, turnin' 'round in order to walk 'way from the tree an' grab somethin' else to put under it.
Honestly, havin' a husband that valued my thoughts an' opinions was still new to me. I reckon in time I'll get used to it, but for now I'll just have to remember to be more open with Cap.
*Meanwhile In Kentucky*
Moses POV:
I was tyin' half of my hair back an' 'way from my eyes whenever the door of my room cracked open followed by Misty's golden blonde head, which had one of my sister's old Christmas bonnets perched on it, pop thru the door crack. "Moses, your uncle's ready to go."
"Okay."
"Is that your new silk tie you used for your hair? Oh, Moses, you shouldn't 've done that. Use a ribbon, your tie's to be worn 'round your neck."
Where does this ex-whore get off at tryin' to teach me propriety? She used to get paid to lay up wit' men, mostly Tolbert since he was her number one customer, so she can't be actin' all prim an' proper now. Her new holiday outfit is in fact one of my sister's old maternity dresses paired with an old evergreen Christmas bonnet that my uncle had swiped from the house he sold to his corrupted senator buddy. Sold it right out from under my sister too, might I add.
"Misty, I ain't much for silk ribbon ties. I'll wear it how I see fit." I told the annoyin' housekeeper 'fore instructin' her to, "Go on an' tell Uncle Perry I'm comin'."
Misty didn't say a word, just nodded and shut my door 'fore goin' to relay my message to my uncle. Goss, she got on my nerves. I grabbed my new hat off my dresser, placed it snugly on my head, and then went over to my coat rack to grab my new back jacket. I put it on over my red plaid waistcoat and then headed out the door and downstairs to meet my uncle in the parlor. No doubt the housekeeper was in there too.
"Moses, why aren't you wearing your tie?" Uncle Perry asked me from his spot in his wingback chair as soon as I set foot into the parlor.
"Don't like ties." I shrugged, leanin' 'gainst the doorframe of the room.
"But Moses we're going to Christmas Eve service, can't you just wear the damn tie?"
"No, I ain't wearin' it. Christmas Eve service or not." I firmly stood my ground, givin' my uncle a look that dared him to try and get me to change my mind once more.
"Fine…" My uncle sighed out in frustration. "Let's get goin', don't want to be late." Uncle Perry suggested, risin' from his chair.
We can be late, hell we can even skip out on the service for all I care. It's a cold, dark, and damp night so I'd rather stay in then walkin' up the street to church. A church buildin' that don't have no heat might I add.
I just nodded my head, watchin' my uncle walk 'cross the room and right by me on his way to the front door. Pushin' myself away from the doorframe with my foot, I quickly followed my uncle. The click-click of heeled-boots sounded 'hind me, markin' that the ex-whore was taggin' 'long.
Novella POV:
A bounce on the bed accompanied by my daughter's excited shrill of, "Up-up, it's Christmas! Santa came!", woke both me an' my husband.
With a large yawn Cap asked, "Did he leave a lot under the tree?"
Anna nodded enthusiastically, her unruly copper hair goin' every which way. "Yea, pa. Lots an' lots."
Gently pushin' some hair out an' 'way from her face, I told Anna in a motherly tone, "Go into the other room an' we'll be right there in a minute, sweetie."
"Okay, mama." Anna cheerfully agreed 'fore jumpin' off the bed an' runnin' out of the room.
I got up out of the bed and grabbed my plum housecoat from the corner chair while my husband stood to his feet wit' a chuckle of, "She sure is excited for Christmas t'start."
"Yea." I agreed. Wrappin' my housecoat tightly 'round myself an' tyin' it I mused, "She's just excited that there's a tree full of presents in the main room."
"Weren't there presents under the tree when ya'll lived in Kentucky?" Cap asked, pickin' his long-john shirt off the dresser an' pullin' it on over his shaggy blonde head.
I put my slippers on an' made my way to my husband's side all the while answerin' him with, "Yes, but nowhere near as many that's under our tree."
"Ah…" Cap nodded, quickly understandin' what I meant. That my first husband was tight an' cheap wit' money an' didn't believe in spoilin' chil'ren, holidays or not. "Well, lets go get Christmas started with Anna." Cap suggested, slippin' his feet into his slippers an' goin' over to the door.
I just smiled an' nodded, which caused my husband to open the door an' walk out of our room. I followed him, my slippers slightly scuffin' on the floor, an' smiled at the sight I was met with. Anna was sittin' on the floor right by the tree, her eyes wide wit' joy an' excitement as she gazed at all of the boxes an' packages under the tree.
"I'll hand out the presents." Cap announced, goin' over to the tree to grab some gifts.
I went over to Anna and took a seat next to her. The positive energy radiatin' off of her this year was the opposite of how she was last year. I'm glad that she'd happy an' will have a good holiday today, versus how things were last year. Hell, I'm happy that from now on all of her holidays an' birthdays will be full of joy an' excitement, no longer strife an' stress.
With a huge grin Cap handed Anna a box. "This one's for ya, sweetie." Lookin' at me he handed me a tiny box. Wit' a wink he said, "Santa got'cha somethin' nice too, sweetlin'."
Anna tore the wrappin' paper off her box in lightin' speed. When she took the lid off of the box she was greeted wit' the sight of a strawberry haired porcelain doll with blue eyes an' a frilly pink dress. She took the doll out of the box an' held it up for us to see while announcin' proudly, "Look, Santa got me a new dollie."
Cap pointed to the doll while remarkin' in his deep rollin' timbre, "He got'cha a porcelain dollie." Cap insisted on spendin' the money on the extravagant doll for our daughter. His logic was that his sisters all have at least one, that his daughter should be no different. I had always wanted a china doll, but my uncle would never get one for me. He preferred to get me practical gifts like books an' a damn piano. "Those are real fragile, so he must trust ya not to break it."
"Oh, I won't break it. She's my new favorite dollie." Anna said, huggin' the doll tightly to her chest.
Lookin' at me my husband asked, "Ain't ya gonna see what'cha got?"
I didn't say a word, just answered him wit' a simply nod of my head. I could feel his eyes on me as I unwrapped my gift. As soon as I lifted the small lid off the box I was meet with a simple, yet beautiful, gold chain an' pendant. I looked at my husband, taken aback that he'd gotten me jewelry as a gift. I wasn't accustomed to recieivin' jewelry.
"Oh, that's nice." Cap said, a smirk crossin' his face. "I better get up an' hand out more gifts." My husband announced, pushin' himself off the floor wit' his calloused hands. 'Fore goin' over to the tree he leaned by me an' whispered into my ear, "I noticed that ya had a necklace you used to wear, but stopped wearin' it after the Scarlett fever epidemic. Figured ya needed a new necklace to wear."
I just smiled as I watched my husband go over to the tree an' grab some more presents. Cap was full of surprised. He came 'cross as a cold man, but that was just his outer layer. Underneath it all he was a good an' carin' man. A man that I was more then happy to be spendin' Christmas mornin' with. A man that I was grateful was makin' the holiday a good one for Anna, she deserved a nice holiday after everythin' she's been thru in her short life.
"Pap-pap, Unca Jim, look at the new dollie Santa got me!" Anna exclaimed in excited, her porcelain doll tightly clutched in her hands, as she barreled to where both Devil Anse an' Jim were sittin' at in rockers on the front porch.
"Ah, so ya were good this year." Uncle Jim gruffly said as he gave my daughter a nod of approval, eyin' the fine crafted doll she was holdin'.
"That's a fancy dollie. A big girl dollie, so be careful with her." Devil Anse told Anna, a grin on his face as he pointed at the pink frilly china doll wit' his pipe.
"Pa, Jim." Cap greeted the men wit' the tip of his black Steston as he walked up the porch steps.
"Hi." I simply smiled at them 'fore lookin' down to the covered dish I was holdin' and sayin', "I brought over some Christmas puddin'."
"Mmm-mmm." Jim hummed out approvin'ly 'fore smackin' his lips an' annoucnin', "That's gonna be good ets." Of course he'd say that. The rugged mountain man loved my cookin'. Came over twice a week, sometimes more, for dinner. If he wasn't at my house then he was at the main house ettin'. As I understand from Cap his uncle's a picky eater so him bein' so enchanted by my cookin's a good thing. I heard that he tossed a servin' bowl of coleslaw out the window cause he didn't like the way Roseanna made it. So…
"Vera's inside wit' Levicy an' Betty in the kitchen." My father-in-law told me, his pipe danglin' from his lip with every word he spoke.
A curious look crossed Cap's stone-cold face. "Where's Nannie? Why ain't she in the kitchen?"
"Oh, she's too busy sittin' at the kiddie's table talkin' wit' cousin Jon." Devil Anse said wit' a slight hint of humor to his deep an' cold rooted timbre.
One of Cap's brows arched high as he inquired, "Jon? Ya mean Jonah's son, Jon Vance?"
"Yep." Jim's tongue clicked. He spat a wad of tobacky juice into the spittoon by his rocker. Lookin' at me an' my husband he said, "My nephew an' his sons are 'ere visitin' from only God knows where." Lookin' at my daughter, who was perched on his knee while huggin' her dollie, he said, "Sure the younger one'll make a good playmate for Anna tho."
"Come on, Anna, let's go find the kids so ya can play wit' 'em." Cap suggested, signalin' our daughter over with a simple flick of his wrist.
"Okay, pa." Anna nodded, quickly clamberin' down from Jim's lap and rushin' over to my husband's side.
"I better get to the kitchen, help out wit' the meal." I said 'fore quickly walkin' by the men and enterin' the large house.
I noticed as soon as I set foot into my in-laws' house that Nannie was indeed talkin' to this Jon Vance, a distant cousin of Cap's. Jon looked to be my age, had bronze hair that was pulled back into a low ponytail an' a dustin' of a beard on his jawline. His cheeks rounded as he smiled, laughin' at somethin' my golden blonde sister in-law had said. I noticed how Nannie's blue eyes sparkled as she joked wit' Jon.
Looks like she's over the McClintock boy. It's clear as a sunny day to me that Nannie liked Jon and that he felt the same way. With him bein' a distant cousin I'm sure that Devil Anse an' Levicy'll approve of their couplin'.
"Oh, what'd ya bring?" Vera asked, bouncin' her baby on her hip while stirin' a pot on the stove. From the smell waftin' from her pot I'd take a guess that she was makin' cranberry sauce.
"Christmas puddin'." I answered while makin' my way into the kitchen, puddin' tightly held in my grasp.
"Just put it on the counter by Vera's corn casserole, then get to work helpin' Betty peelin' the potatoes." Levicy told me, not once pausin' or stallin' in her task of kneadin' dough. "Jane an' Essie'll be here soon to help." I heard Levicy remark as I went over to the counter an' set my covered dish down like I was told to do.
"Uncle Wall says Essie an' Sawyer's gonna have a baby." Betty blurted out as she quickly peeled a potato.
"That's wonderful news." And I meant it, I was happy that my cousins were expectin their first child. With a thin smile I took a seat at the table next to Betty an' began to help her peel potatoes.
*Meanwhile Outside*
Cap POV:
I walked a few yard to the left of the house wit' Anna only to see my younger siblin's playin'. I noticed a boy 'bout 5 or 6 standin' next to Jonah, who was leanin' on a tree an' talkin' to Rovert E. I concluded that the boy must be Josiah, who Jim thought would make Anna a good friend. Lookin' down at my daughter and stretchin' a hand out I told her in my deep rollin' tone, "Hand me over the dollie so you can go play. Don't want it to get broken."
Anna just nodded and handed me over the porcelain doll 'fore makin' a dash to where Josiah was by his pa. As I made my way over to the tree, I heard Anna introduce herself cheerfully, "Hi, I'm Anna. Who're you?"
"Josiah. Josiah Vance." The bronze haired little boy shyly told Anna as I reached the tree.
"You can play wit' her. She's Cap's girl." Jonah told his son in a low gruff voice as tobacky juice dribbled an' ran down his bearded chin.
"Come on you two, time t'go play." Robert E. told the kids, usherin' them off an' 'way from the tree.
Jonah looked at me, a smirk on his weathered face, as he told me in a long an' gritty drawl, "Sam's Hill, boy, when both Devil Anse an' Jim said ya got hitched an' have a lil girl I nearly had a heart 'tack. Didn't know ya were involved wit' somebody."
"Yea, well, I was. It was an affair, we married after her husband died."
"Aha." Jonah nodded his head, his faded black hat nearly scrapin' on the tree he was leanin' 'gainst. "Care to share the details?"
"Nope." I popped my tongue, pullin' my cigarette case from my pocket. "Ya know 'nough from pa an' Jim." I mumbled while lightin' the cigarette I'd just stuck in my mouth.
A few silent moments passed by til my cousin pointed to our kids playin' a lil way off an' told me, "My youngest boy's a bit in a shell. Ain't too social, but your girl seemin' to get him to be so."
"Anna's got that way. She's a cheerful chatterbox." I told my distant cousin 'fore takin' a drag off my smoke. "Nev'r know she's only got use of her right ear by how well she converses."
Pullin' a flask from his coat an' uncorkin' it he asked, "Oh, how'd she lose hearin' in the left side?"
"Scarlett fever." I said 'round the waft of smoke I let tumble out of my mouth.
"Couple years back." Jonaha nodded, takin' a swig of his whiskey. "Yea, Josiah beat it too. Fought for days, but the skinny boy's tough as nails."
"I 'member Jim sayin' your pregnant wife managed to catch it from helpin' a poor German family, that her an' the baby didn't make it. I'm sorry."
"Yea…" Jonah trailed off, a slightly pained look apearin' on his face for a split second. His face turned into a stoic mask as he stated, "I got half dozen boys to keep me busy tho."
I just nodded, takin' a long drag off my cigarette. Silence came over us once more as we smoke an' drank while watchin' our kids play as if they were the oldest an' best of friends.
Moses POV:
Christmas Day dinner, oh what a wonderful thing. Eh, not. Just 'nother day spent at the McCoys'. I was sittin' on the stairs 'bout midway up, watchin' Billy sittin' wit' Mariah closer to the bottom of the stairs. He was tryin' really hard to impress her, but by her body language he was just botherin' her. I was only a swift kick in his back, or head, way. Yea, I was basically keepin' an eye on him to make sure he didn't get too creepy or bold wit' Mariah. Poor girl.
"Billy, help Alifair get that goose outta the oven." Calvin ordered his younger brother from his spot at the table, where he was talkin' to Misty.
Billy just nodded at his brother while mumblin' under his breath, "Lazy asshole, why can't he do it." Pushin' himself off an' up from the step, he looked at Mariah and told her, "I'll be back, Mare."
Mare? Oh lordy… He's remindin' me too much of Tolbert right now. If Billy doesn't calm it down…yea…
Mariah just nodded as she watched Billy go over to the stove Alifair was at, bumpin' into both Sarah and Jenny on his way since the women were in the kitchen helpin' make sides an' were in his way. Well, they were't really in his way, Billy was just bein' a moody prick an' bumped into them on purpose to let off steam. It's a move Tolbert would've pulled…
Knowin' I needed to let her know that I was on her side, could get messages to Robert E. for her if she'd like, I bent over and whispered in Mariah's ear, "My sister Nova just happens t'be Robert E.'s sister-in-law. If ya ever wanna pass notes wit' him I can help ya."
Whippin' her head 'round she looked at me an' asked wit' a curious desperation to her voice, "Can you help me see him?"
"Yea." Slipped out of my mouth, causin' a small look of hope to appear on Mariah's face. Even tho it's not the smartest thing I decided to offer her my help 'cross the Tug, help to see Robert E. "I skip school a lot an' go ov'r there, so I can take ya wit' me if ya want."
Maraih smiled at me, a real large one, 'fore sayin' in a near whisper, "I'd like that. Can we go soon?"
"Was gonna go in a couple days." I admitted. "That work for ya?"
"Yes." She nodded 'fore addin' in a quick whisper, "I'll make sure that my brother covers for me. He can't stand McCoys."
"I can tell." I chuckle, referrin' to the fist fight that broke out 'tween Fred an' Jefferson hours earlier at breakfast cause the latter was, like always, drunk.
'Fore 'nother word could be said 'tween us Billy headed back over to the stairs while crazy Aunt Sally craned her neck an' set her glassy gaze on me, beckonin' me over wit' a wave an' a sweet-toned, "Moses, come 'ere, sweetheart."
Oh damn…I can just imagine what she wants wit' me. I mean she's got the weird look in her eye so…I numbly got up an' walked down the few steps to the first-floor wit' heavy thumps. As my boots hit the wooden floorboards Billy pushed past me an' took his seat next to Mariah. With dread I walked over to the corner that Sally was rockin' in. Squeak, squeak, squeak echoed into the air every time the McCoy woman moved back an' forth in her chair.
"Moses, you're as cunnin' as Perry Cline, but as hard-headed an' spirited as Nova Hatfield. That's a dangerous mix, a deadly mix."
"Huh?" Fell out of my mouth as I was givin' her an odd and confused look.
Sally's eye turned into slits, slits that narrowed at me, as she hissed lowly in a commandin' snarl, "Stop meddlin' in folks' business. Stop consortin' wit' the enemy while there's still a chance ya can save my son."
My cerulean eyes grew wide due to my shock. "Um…" I was no doubt lookin' at her like she needed admitted to the looney-bin. My throat felt dry an' scratchy as I spoke up, "You're not makin' any sense, Aunt Sally."
"If you stop your sneakin' and lies now then ya won't murder Billy, but if ya continue on the path you're on then you'll murder him. You'll kill your best friend in cold blood." Sally told me, her voice hard an' quiet, as she stared at me wit' glassy brown eyes.
The hairs on the back of my neck were standin' upright and goosebumps covered my flesh. Sally was officially spookin' me. Sight or no sight, she's gone crazy an' has lost her senses. Who the hell talks like that to people. Oh lord, she's out of her mind.
Sensin' she wasn't gonna get a reply outta me, Sally turned her head and resumed lookin' out of the window while givin' me the eerie warnin' of, "Change your ways, Moses, or you'll have blood stained hands 'fore you're a full-grown man."
A chill run down my spine as I backed 'way from her. I had 'nough of Sally's creepy seer shit for one night. Hell, I need a smoke cause I'm too stressed. Too bad my uncle frowns on the habit I picked up, from my brother-in-law 'cross the Tug by the way, and doesn't let my do it round him. Looks like I'm off to the cold porch for my smoke since Uncle Perry's sittin' in the main room wit' Ole Rand'l and all of the other men of the family minus Jim (lucky bastard was in town havin' a holiday meal at his in-laws). I can't smoke in doors, not wit' my uncle in the house.
Merry Christmas, not… More like Christmas in hell... Hopefully Nova's havin' a better holiday then I am. Too bad I can't be spendin' the day with her an' her family. Bet the Hatfields' Christmas is normal.
Right as my hand grasped the doorknob my uncle asked, "Where are you going, Moses?"
"Just out for a smoke, Uncle Perry." I answered, walking right out the door and not even botherin' to wait 'round for his reply. A reply that most likely would be full of disapproval or disappointment.
I sat on the edge of the porch, smokin' an' tryin' to calm my shot nerves. I don't know how long I was outside for whenever I heard the sound of the door open paired wit' the shufflin' of boots. "You miss your sister, don't ya?" Calvin asked, takin' a seat next to me on the edge of the porch.
Turnin' to him I kept a pokerface on while dully statin' the lie of, "She's a traitor, no need to miss her."
"It's okay to miss her." He told me, causin' me to give him a funny look. "Tolbert wanted me to look after 'em, Novella an' Rihanna, but I failed. She done gone an' runned off wit' Cap 'fore I got a chance to show her Tolbert's will an' papers."
What the fuck?! Calvin had Tolbert's legal documents? Hell, then reckon that means the ones Uncle Perry has on file are forgeries. Oh hell, course he forged papers cause it gave him the right to sell the property an' claim all the money. Wonder if Calvin has those papers still, I'd like to see 'em for myself an' maybe show 'em to my sister. Those papers could prove my uncle a fraud, get him locked up an' perhaps put the bounties to an end. Nobody'd want to bounty hunt for a client in jail.
Lookin' at Calvin I asked, "Ya got the papers?"
"Not anymore, I gave 'em to Perry Cline."
Yea…those papers are long gone now. Hmm, the lawyer who drew 'em up some have spare copies. Oh, wait a second, Tolbert should've had a copy. Hmm, where would that dead as a doornail drunk hide his important documents? Oh, I know, prolly in a box or jaw buried somewhere in his still site. That or stuffed inside his mattress. Looks like the next couple of days I'm playin' detective t'find those legal papers.
"Oh." I simply said, tossin' my cigarette butt on the snow-covered ground. "I'm goin' back inside." I announced, standin' to my feet.
"I'm gonna stay out here for a minute." Calvin told me as I walked over to the door. Good for him, I didn't care what he did. Reckon he told me so I could relay it to everyone inside the house.
Time to rejoin the disaster that's the McCoys' Christmas dinner.
AN:
Well, I wanted to show Cap, Nova, and Anna's first Christmas as a family and all that jazz. Also, Anna met Josiah Vance (in the first chapter teenager Anna had Josiah as a suitor and lunch date so…) and his older brother Jon is wooing Nannie (Cap's sister). Josiah, Jon, and their pa Jonah Vance will be seen more later on once the Hatfields take refuge in their mountain settlement high up in the hills in the middle of nowhere. As of right now, I was thinking of Jon's face claim being Marco Ilso. So far Jonah doesn't have a face claim. Eh whatever, lol.
Do ya'll agree with Sally, is Moses a dangerous mix of Perry Cline and Nova McCoy? Or is Moses just in a desperate situation that calls for drastic measures (Spying, lying, and sneaking around)? An Calvin, oh man he just had to tell Moses about Tolbert's real legal papers didn't he?...
