Players:
NPCs:
* Phillip
Summary: Colton encourages Chiane to talk to the marshall.
Date: February 1,1884
Colton's Warning
Boarding House
Chiane is sitting on the floor next to a warm pallet of blankets that Chiane had set up for her infant son. She seems to be playing patty-cake with the baby, speaking in cooing gooshy voices to the infant. As the door to the home opens, Chiane lifts her gaze to the two. "Ah! Welcome. Can I get you anything?"
Keira steps into the room, being escorted by Colton, a bag resting on her arm. She looks over towards the baby and all but melts, giggling and she quickly closes the distance to the little bundle of joy.
Colton chuckles, and touches the brim of his hat, "Afternoon Maam…Miss Keira here said she was comin by for a drink.."
Phillip, the infant boy reaches for his foot and pulls it directly to his mouth. Drool coats the lil socked toes as he nom noms happily away at the appendage. Icy blue eyes look up to Keira before giving one of those baby coo laughs in her direction.
Chiane rises from her spot. "Ah, what can I get ya? Coffee? Tea? I got a bit of milk still left from this mornin'."
Keira squeals at the baby, and instintivly reaches for him, "ken I 'old im, I jus love babies, ope tha have one meslf some day." she then looks to Chiane, "somethin ta 'elp wit me cold."
Colton shakes his head, "Stay there Maam.. I'm jest fine.." He smiles slightly, and watches the boy laugh, "I wanted a word with ye Miss Chiane."
Chiane nods once in Keira's direction. "Of course." The boy lets loose his foot and looks up to Keira grinning a chubby grin. His light brown skin seems to glow in his moment of attention. Chiane turns to Colton, "Talk to me? About what?" She turns for the kitchen to fetch the drink for Keira.
Keira scoops the boy up into her arms, wagging a finger at him with a grin and then she giggles as he grabs it and tries to put it in his mouth, 'ye are jus too cute."
Colton says, "Theres a Marshall in town Maam. He's got a poster.. decade old or more.. He's chasin an injun."
Chiane laughs. "Lotsa injuns round these parts." She pushes open the door to the kitchen, rummaging about for but a bief moment. She returns with a cup of steaming tea, offering it to Keira. Then back to Colton, "Wish i could help ya. Dun seem that I keep the company of Injuns of late."
Keira walks over to take a seat, balancing the baby on her lap, still playing with him, being careful to keep the tea away form his little fingers so he doesn't burn himself, still seeming happy to be pre-occupied by him.
Colton nods, "This Marshall don't care.. He's locked up the butcher fells cause he thinks he might know somethen.. He ain't gonna take no for an answer."
Chiane frowns. "I dun said I aint kept the company of injuns of late. Now.. iffen ya are talkin' of mah husband.. I mean.. umm. ex-husband.." The mention of that sounded painful to her. "I aint seen him. He dun talk to me when we were married. He ran off and did his own thing. What makes ya think he will talk to us now that he turned his back on me and mah son. Iffen ya wanna find out where he is, I would check the beds of the whores of the town."
Chiane adds, "Startin' with that snake Meriah."
Keira reminds silent, yay for being silent, and just plays with the baby.
Colton holds up both his head, "Easy now Maam.. Yer takin this the wrong way.. What I'm tellin ye is.. If'n you know or ye don't.. He's liable to toss you in a cell in case you do know.. Or in case he thinks it'll bring him back to town.."
Chiane eyes Colton. "So what ya think ah negro woman like myself can do 'bout it?"
Colton says, "I figure yer ….ex husband has done gone to ground.. I'm jest tryin to keep this Marshall from tearin up the town to find 'im. Well first off… Let's go see 'im together.. If he tries to arrest ye.. at least I'll be able to stall it.. Second off.. tell him the same as you told me just now about him… He may buy that… Third off… Go a little easy on 'im.. If he thinks yer holdin out, or showin 'im up.. There'll be a fight sure.""
Chiane looks to Colton a bit suspiciously. It seems to her that the Sheriff was up to something. She didn't know him well enough to trust him all /that/ much. "I am not going anywhere near that office. I aint leavin' mah son. If the Marshall wants to talk to me, he needs to come to me. I refuse to go to no man lawman or not." She is a contrary lil cuss today! Seems her ire has been roused.
Colton lets out a long breath, and looks down, "You don't want 'im in yer house Maam….he don't seem the type of man to hesitate tossin yer in jail, boy or not." He rubs the back of his neck, "He's tosses the butcher fella in jail… Till he talks.. This Marshall is talkin about five years in a federal prison.. He huntin a reward, and will stomp ye if'n he thinks yer holdin back on 'im."
Chiane narrows her eyes. There is something about her demeanor that almost seems dangerous. A shadow seems to pass over her features. "He will be pickin' on the wrong fuckin' town iffen he does." Slowly her gaze looks over her shoulder at the baby in Keira's lap and then back to Colton. "I've already told ya everythin' I know. When he comes, I will tell him the same thing I told ya.."
Colton throws up his hands, "Fine.. Do it yer way Maam.. I've warned ye all I can.. But damn sure have someone ready to look after yer boy, and this place… Cause you try this snake act yer hiss right now on him, and he'll jail ye jest to see the look on yer face." He touches the brim of his hat both of them, "Ladies.. Y'all be careful" He turns back and reaches to open the door.
Chiane says lowly behind Colton, "He won't get the chance." Taking in a deep breath, "But.. thank ya. Thank ya fer warnin' me. I will take what ya say seriously." With that she turns and glances back to Phillip.
Colton pauses and glances back to her. He nods once, and steps outside closing the door behind him.
Keira finally looks up from the cooing baby, her face unreadable, though she stands up, her tea forgotten and she holds the baby close, saying something softly to him.
Chiane lets out a low sigh as the sheriff leaves. Slowly, Chiane's gaze turns over her shoulder to look at Keira. "If you see Chris, tell him I need to speak to him." She states flatly, looking to the teacher.
Keira looks up to her, and frowns softly, "fraid I don know where 'e is." she offers the small baby back to his mother, "yer son is beautiful." she offers with a smile, though it is slightly guarded, "thank ye fer the tea."
Chiane reaches out to take Phillip, drawing him in close to herself. "Thank ya. He looks a lot like his father. At least to me." She says softly. "Yea well.. ya know he does that to people. Chris that is.. leaves them in a bad spot and takes off." She pauses. "You are welcome. I am pretty sure ya will see him 'fore me. He dun want nothin' to do with me."
Keira shakes her head, "I don think I will." she offers softly, a hint of sadness in her voice, "I best git some rest..if ye want ta keep workin on her lessons, let me know." she half expects Chiane to quit.
Chiane nods to Keira. "I will let ya know." She turns from Keira. There is a new strange tension between the women. But.. oddly Chiane does not turn to exact any revenge or hostility against Keira. Probably because Keira has only been kind to her. Kindness goes a loooooong way to someone who suffered abuse. "Iffen ya need anythin' let me know."
Keira shakes her head, "nae, I don need anythin." she crosses her arms over her chest, "maybe yer friendship, if ye will 'ave me.."
Chiane does the sideways glance to Keira and back to Phillip, then back to Keira. "I umm.." She seems a b it thrown off. "Uh.. well.. I can try. I dun think ya are a bad person or anythin '. Jus' umm.. jealous."
Keira sighs softly and nods, "aye, If I 'ad known..bout yer background..wit 'im.." she shakes her head, looking back to the woman with obvious pain, "i'm sorry..if I 'urt ye.."
Chiane shakes her head. "You didn't do it. I n ever thought ya did it on purpose. I saw the two of ya walkin' round a few times. I jus' minded mah business. We aint married no mo'." She turns her face away from Keira. "But.. a person can't jus' turn off how they feel fer someone. No matter what has happened."
Keira nods to that, "aye aye, I ken…understand tha..well..if it 'elps ye feel any bettah, I doubt I'll 'ave any kind of future wit 'im."
Chiane shrugs. "It shouldn't matter to me. It really shouldn't. I should jus' let him go. I think that's what happened. I clung onto him too tight. He comes from a different mindset than me." She reaches up, rubbing at her eyes but still keeping her back to Keira. "Ya know.. I think he is punishin' me really. I was unfaithful to him once. So now.. " She shrugs. "But in all fairness.. he had been missin' fer months. I thought he was dead."
Keira chews on her lip a little, looking to the little baby again, "I best git goin, don want ta keep ye if ye are busy." she picks up her bag, putting it over her shoulder again, "ye stay safe, don want ta 'ave ta break ye out of jail."
Chiane gives a sly smirk in Keira's direction. "I aint goin' to jail. This I promise ya." She looks to Phillip and back to Keira. "You stay safe.. sorry i got all blubbery and all.." She seems a bit on the embarrassed side now.
Keira shakes her head, "nae nae, nothin ta worry bout." she coughs softly, turning her head to one side, "I'll see ye lattah."
