*Author's Note*
Thank you for all the follows, favs, and reviews.
Thrown Under The Bus
Tolbert POV:
I was sittin' at my folks' table, stewin' ov'r how the Hatfields had found out where we were holdin' their idiot boys captive. Only thing I could think of was Bud had gone t'Roseanna who'd gone straight to the devil himself. Bud wasn't home, so I'm sure he went t'Roseanna. Hell, boy always was too quiet an' kind. Johnse's bullshit request must've tugged at his heart, made him run off to our sister.
My brothers were out in the fields, helpin' our poppy, while I just sat an' watched my ma wash laundry. Shakin' her head at me, she sighed, "What'd ya do Tolbert?"
"Nothin' ma." I denied, not wantin' to tell her what happened.
Roughly scrubbin' a firty shirt,she cut me a look an' pressed on with, "Tolbert John McCoy, don't ya dare lie t'me. I raised ya so I know when you're lyin'. Now what'd ya do?"
"Do ya really wanna know, mama?"
"Yes." She nodded, wringin' out the shirt an' tossin' it into the clean laundry basket.
"I had my brothers help me capture Shaw an' Johnse, bring 'em to Uncle Harmon's old place t'hold 'em at til time came t'dispose of them." I honestly told my ma while she grabbed a shirt from the dirty basket an' dunked it into the wash bucket.
"Dear lord, Tolbert, what did you do? The Hatfields are sure t'come after ya for that." She chastised as she started to scrub and wash the shirt in her hand.
Leanin' back a bit in my seat, I drawled out, "Well, thanks t'Bud they arrived at the cabin 'fore Johnse and Shaw could be killed at dawn."
Ma shook her head and sighed, "Thank goodness Bud's got a solid head on his shoulder cause if ya'd killed them boys the Hatfields would be burnin' every piece of McCoy land down to the ground for revenge."
"Well, ma, I didn't kill them now did I?"
Ma wrung out the shirt an' tossed it into a basket 'fore standin' up an' comin' ov'r to the table Takin' a seat next to me, she knowin'ly asked, "Ya went after Shaw cause of Miss Jessa, didn't ya?"
"Yes." I nodded, earnin' me a nod from my ma. I took a deep breath 'fore revealin', "She's carryin' my baby."
"Oh Tolbert…" My mama wrapped an arm 'round me. Rubbin' my shoulder she stated in her eerily knowin' way, "You'll never know peace, that man's gonna want ya deader than dead."
"Ain't me I'm worried 'bout, it's her."
"I warned ya, Tolbert, but ya wouldn't heed it. Thought ya knew better than your own mama's sight."
"Mama, nobody believes in the sight, dreams, an' preminisons any more. Poppy says they're of the devil."
"No, they ain't an' plenty o'folks still believe in it." She stated, causin' me to give her a skeptical look. Pattin' my shoulder, she explained, "Your poppy's just a bit narrow minded 'bout religion, what good Christians should an' shouldn't do, from how your gran'pappy raised 'im." Lookin' at me with such a firmness in her eyes, she told me, "Ya better start heedin' my warnin's son unless ya wanna be crossin' ov'r the Jordan at too young of an age."
"I ain't makin' no promises, but I'll try to heed ya, mama." I told her, causin' her to give me another shoulder pat 'fore risin' from the table an' goin' back to her wash.
Shaw POV:
After leaving Wall's office, my dad and uncle went their own way while me and my wife went home. My wife. Damn, callin' Jessa my wife just brings a smile to my face and a warmth to my heart that I never knew possible. Finally, I got what I always wanted. Albeit, the wedding wasn't the grand event I planned for her, but overall the most important thing was that Jessa was Mrs. Eldridge, not Miss George.
Jessa was quiet as we rode back to our house. I don't blame her; she's been thru a lot; prolly still processin' everything. I mean she thought she'd never see me again, only to have me return to her alive and then be told to marry me shotgun style. I knew she loved me and married me for our baby, but I wasn't stupid enough to think that she was suddenly over our past (my drinking, that I still didn't think was that bad…). I knew that we had a few things to work thru in our newlywedded bliss. Maybe when Jim or Sully come over later to drop off my shit I can ask if they want to watch the kids for us so we can have a honeymoon. Taking that Mississippi riverboat trip'll be a big help in repairin' things with me and Jessa, or at least I think so.
"Well, here we are, home sweet home." I told my wife as we rode up to the hitch-post by our front porch.
"Yea." She simply nodded, sounding a bit detached. Yep, she was still processing.
Quietly, we dismounted and hitched up out horses. I took her hand in mine and led her up the porch and over to the front door.
"Well, see you got rescued." Todd remarked as soon as I walked into the house with my wife by my side.
"Yea, also got married too." I held my left hand up, showing off the golden band that was now around my ring finger.
"Oh, and ya couldn't even swing by and get us for the event. I see how it is." Todd remarked in a smartass way.
"It wasn't planned, Todd. We were told to see Wall and get married." Jessa snapped, yankin' her hand out of mine and storming over to the corner our kids were playing in to check on them.
"Oh…okay…" Todd whistled while Mary, who was in the kitchen cookin' a pot of something (prolly grits or oatmeal) for breakfast, looked over her shoulder with wide eyes. Hmm, I take it Jessa's outburst shocked my siblings.
"Tolbert wanted to kill me, steal Jessa, and claim my unborn child cause Allie prompted him too. Anse told us to marry to curb Tolbert's idiocy." I explained to my siblings while going over to my sitting chair and takin' a seat.
"Allie betrayed us?" Mary asked in a shocked tone, pausing in stirring the cookpot.
"Yes. Seems like she's sidin' with her brother's McCoy in-laws; is makin' lies up 'bout us too." Jessa spat out in a mix of anger and hurt as she sat next to our kids, playing with them as a way to cope with everything she was dealin' with.
I took off my black Stetson (which was older than me) and tossed it onto the coffee table. Leanin' back into my chair, I sighed, "Only ones we can truly trust is Johnse, Roseanna, Sully, Uncle Jim, Devil Anse, Ellison, and Cotton. Other then that keep your guard up, even if they're family we can't blindly trust them."
"Okay." Todd and Mary answered in unison.
Lookin' at my brother, I told him, "You'll be runnin' the livery from now on. Devil Anse's order me to work full time at the lumber mill."
"He's gettin' rid of Abel ain't he?" Todd knowingly asked.
"Yes, he's fired come tomorrow morning." I answered with a nod.
"That's good since he brought those shit bum McCoys into Allie's life; corrupted her into betrayin' us." Todd coldly responded, soundin' like a true Hatfield even tho he was just one by integration.
Lookin' over her shoulder, Mary announced, "Grits are almost done."
Tearing her attention from our kids, Jessa looked at my sister and asked, "Did ya make anything else like eggs or bacon?"
"No, I was just gonna make toast." Mary answered while givin' the grits one last stir.
"Start on the toast and I'll fry up some salt pork real quick." Jessa instructed my sister while standing up.
"Are ya sure, Jessa? You must be tired; I can make breakfast." Mary asked with concern heavy in her voice as Jessa headed into the kitchen.
"I'm sure, Mary." My wife assured my sister with a small smile. Grabbing a frying pan and the chunk of salt pork that was on the counter, Jessa admitted in a slight scoff, "Hell, with everything I've been thru I'm not gonna be unwinding for a while yet."
"Okay." Mary nodded while slicing up bread t make pan fried toast in. Hey, toasters don't exist yet so everything's made in pots and pans.
Me and Todd just sat in silence, watching the kids play and the girls finish up breakfast in the kitchen. I was thankful to be alive and with my family right now. Tolbert tho, well he won't be alive for long. Maybe I'll wait til after the baby's born and maybe I won't, but mark my words I'm gonna kill that ginger fucker.
Abel POV:
Tolbert hasn't been at my house for a couple of days and I couldn't be happier. Maybe the jackass moved out. I'm hoping he did, it'd make my life easier. I liked not having to tiptoe around my own house cause of the moody redhead. My wife seemed giddy that her cousin was gone too.
I'd just rode up to the large hitching area at the Hatfield lumber mill whenever I noticed Shaw stackin' up boards. What the hell? He's doin' my job. Why's he doin' my job for. As if he could read my mind, Devil Anse walked over to me while I dismounted my horse and told me, "Better mount up and go home. As of now you're fired, Abel Freeland."
Holding my reigns in a white knuckled grip, I asked, "Fired, but why?"
My boss stared me down with a death glare as he coldly informed me, "Seems that I've heard your sister's been consortin' with McCoys, mainly Tolbert, thanks t'ya and that awful wife of yours."
"What?" I asked, wide-eyed. Quickly, without much thought, I pleaded with my boss. "My sister has nothin' to do with McCoys. Hell, I was just only able to see her and my niece a few weeks back. I don't know who told you a bunch of bullshit, but it doesn't give you the right to fire me."
Pullin' his pipe out of his mouth, he calmly, but firmly, told me in a hard tone, "Shaw told me after a posse of us Hatfields got him and Johnse back from bein' kidnapped, held hostage, and nearly killed, by Tolbert McCoy and his brothers."
"What?..." I let out in a whoosh, feeling like I just got hit in the chest with ton of bricks.
"Go on home, Abel. You're fired." Devil Anse ordered in a low snap.
"But I need this job. Anse, my wife's pregnant."
"That's your problem, not mine." Anse coldly remarked. Pointin' his pipe to the exit of the mill, he harshly told me, "Your no longer employed here so get the hell off my land or I'll have ya forcibly removed by Uncle Jim and Cap."
Shaw POV:
I was stackin' up boards whenever I noticed Anse walking off from the hitchin' area followed by Abel ridin' off. So, it's official, Abel's fired and I'm working in his spot. Yay… To be honest I hated lumber mill work, but if it meant a potential traitor was out of the inner family circle then I'd do it. I'd rather be at the livery, but Devil Anse made sure that I knew that wasn't an option at the moment. Todd was doing a good job at running it despite him being a young teenager. I just hope he doesn't screw up and lose me money.
I was walking over to the freshly cut boards to grab some for stacking whenever I noticed Cap walking over to his daddy. Hmm, reckon he's going to give him some bullshit excuse for Allie's actions. Prolly gonna pin it all on Abel; use him as a scape goat to preserve his wife's reputation. If Cap's bullshit fools Devil Anse then shame on him, but whatever he has to say won't fool me. As they say, can't bullshit a bullshitter.
Cap POV:
"Pa…" I called out to my pa as I came up to him.
Stopping and looking at me, he asked, "What is it, son?"
"I talked to Allie last night." I informed him as works buzzed by us stackin' and gatherin' wood.
Archin' a brow, he asked a bit flatly, "And what, pray tell, did your wife have t'say?"
"That she hasn't seen Abel since I sent him by the house t'see the baby."
"That it?" Pa prodded, placin' his pipe into the corner of his mouth.
"She thinks since Nancy McCoy lives here in West Virginia, bein' married to Abel an' all, that she spotted Jessa in town and figured out that she was expectin' by how she was actin'; then in turn went home an' told Tolbert since he lives wit' 'em still." I explained to him, earnin' me nothin', but a hard stare. In an attempt to save my wife's reputation I added in, "Nancy hates all Vances cause of what Uncle Jim did t'her pap Harmon so…"
Pa's face was a clod unmoving slate. His lips were pressed into a tight line as he thought over my words. "I'll believe it for now, but if anymore word 'bout that wife of yours runnin' 'round and consortin' with McCoys finds my ears then I'll be dealin' wit' her myself."
"Pa, Allie's trustworthy; there won't be no more word on it." I assured him in a tone that was rough, but quick. I needed him to believe that nothing else would befall his ears; that my wife was loyal to our family. Was loyal to me.
"Are ya tryin' to convince me or yourself, son?" Pa asked me before turning his back on me and walking off towards where Lias was mannin' a saw in order to check on his work.
Pa's question was swimmin' in my head as I made my way back to the hill Uncle Jim was usin' as a guard post. Was I doubtful of my wife? Well, I wanted to believe her, I really did, but if I was wrong, I'd be laughed at as a fool. I believed her for the moment, but if any more things happened, well I don't even know the answer to whether I'd trust her no mores or not. I ain't a religious or prayin' man, but I pray that my wife ain't involved wit' McCoys otherwise I'd be heartbroken.
Tolbert POV:
I was mindin' my own business, cookin' mash at my still, whenever Abel came ridin' up like a fire was under his horse's hooves. I just ignored him, figurin' he heard what happened and was mad, an' continued to cook down my mash as he hitched up his horse. Suddenly I was jumpin' back as Abel kicked my mash pot off its tri-pod, sendin' it flyin' on the other side o'my still site. "What'd ya do that for?" I loudly asked, aggravated that my almost done mash was all ov'r the ground, as I tossed my spoon down an' stood up.
Abel's lip's curled angrily as he shoved me. "You dumb son of a bitch! You told Shaw my sister's close to you, you bastard!"
Shovin' him back, I barked, "She knew the risks of talkin' t'me, but took 'em. Don't blame me for her problems."
"You weren't supposed to rather out, dumb bastard."
"Shaw weren't supposed to live either, so take that up wit' Bud since he went behind my back cryin' t'Roseanna 'bout the killin's."
"Kidnapping Johnse and Shaw with a plan to kill them, yea like that wouldn't piss off the Hatfields." Abel sarcastically scoffed, rollin' his eyes at me. "Now cause of your stupid stunt I'm out of a job and can't be around my sister anymore. Oh, my wife's also on their shit list now cause in order to save her own ass Allie shoved Nancy under the bus."
Bus, what the hell is he takin' 'bout? "We don't got no omnibuses here, cousin. They're up in New York City; places like that." I told Abel since I didn't understand how Allie could've shoved Nancy under a bus when we didn't have 'em in the Tug River Valley.
Runnin' a hand down his face, he sighed, "It's an expression, Tolbert. Means that my sister put the blame on my wife with a lie in order to not get into trouble."
"Ah, then why didn't ya just say so?" I dryly asked, givin' him an arched look.
"My family's in fuckin' shambles cause of you. Hell, why couldn't ya just take Jessa and run off to Oklahoma like a normal person?"
"Jessa'd nev'r be safe wit' me in Oklahoma as long as Shaw's alive an' breathin'. He's got business ties to that Pinkerton Bad Frank Phillips. Can't afford bein' hunted down by a crazy person."
"Damnit…" Abel hissed as my words rang true in his head. He shook his head 'fore firmly tellin' me, "I don't care what Nancy says, I want you the fuck outta my house. I don't care where you go, hell go back home to your parents for all I care, just leave my house."
"Fine, I'll leave." I nodded. Ma'd rather have me home anyways since she was so worried 'bout my safety. Don't know how pa's gonna handle it since I'd been outta his house for a few years nows.
"You cost me my sister, Tolbert." Abel told me in a hard tone. Narrowin' his eyes at me, my cousin-in-law cursed, "I pray that ya know the pain of havin' your family torn from you; that it haunts you that no matter what you'll never have your family be whole." Shakin' his head, he turned his back on me an' went ov'r to his horse.
"I already lost my family, Abel." I reminded the man as he unhitched an' mounted his horse.
"No, you haven't, but you will. Oh, if god has anything to do with it you will." Abel told me before ridin' off, leavin' me standin' alone at my still to ponder ov'r his words.
AN:
Yea, drama, drama, and more drama's going around. Gotta love angsty drama.