Sorrows, New and Old

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b_kaylee_icon.gif young-gin_icon.gif

Scene Title Sorrows, New and Old
Synopsis Months after Kaylee's arrival, she meets a young man looking to help out.
Date February 21, 1886

The Smith Inn


The city is blanketed in pristine white and tiny flakes lazily drift on a gentle breeze from the thick gray clouds above. The past week everyone had been huddled against a winter storm that buried the city. It's nothing like the mini ice age the city will see many, many years in the future, but it's done it's damage.

Part of that damage happened to the roof of The Smith Inn, a portion of the roof had collapsed, burying one room in snow and about ruined everything. Timothy was able to get some help from a friend to help fix the roof, that left Kaylee and Margaret to try and clean up the room.

Stepping out onto the tiny porch of the small inn, Kaylee Thatcher, tugs the shawl around her shoulders tighter, against the bone biting chill. Her long blonde hair is piled up in a bun on the back of her head, but a few loose strands shift in the sharp breeze. The heeled shoes she's wearing crunch in a bit of snow that the wind has blown up on the stoop, her skirts — she really hates wearing skirts — brushing the top most layer.

Leaning a shoulder against the column that leads down the stairs, Kaylee stares out into the street and listens to the sound of hammering above her, turning her thoughts inward as she does often. Cold fingers play with a thin gold band that wraps around the proper finger that indicates she's married.

It's been months since the owner of the inn found her and took Kaylee in. It's been a very long few months.

It's just one of those things. Your sister goes to church with this woman and bam, there you are fixing her place up. Truth be told, Malachi doesn't mind. He likes keeping busy. And they've always been nice people here, as evidenced by the lady they've recently taken in.

Interrupting Kaylee's inner thoughts is the sound of wood cracking, just a little at first, but as a portion of the roof construction falls into the room below as a support beam cracks… well, it's quite a ruckus. And then there's this stream of curses from the roof.

Malachi, as he's called, starts his climb back down to the very porch Kaylee stands on. His hair's a little wild looking, he hasn't had it cut in a while, and while his coats are off, as well as his hat, the scarf around his throat is still there, encircling a slender neck. That slenderness of his figure is what the other men around like to razz him over, but he's scrappy enough to have gained some respect in spite of it all.

The sound startles Kaylee and makes her jump, to which her reaction is to press her hand to her chest and wait for it to calm down again. Movement out of the corner of her eye pulls her attention, brows lifting a bit as she doesn't recognize him. "Everything okay up there," she inquires, eyes glancing upward, mentally making sure Timothy is okay.

"It did not sound too good up there." Gaze slowly drops to the young man, looking a little concerned. "Please tell me I do not have to re-clean that room?" Kaylee really doesn't want to do that again.

"Oh," Malachi says, his tone suddenly sheepish. "Pardon me, ma'am. I didn' see there was anyone else about. N-no, don't ya worry about the room none. My mistake… I'll do the cleanin'." And there's a sort of crestfallen look toward the roof again and the man lets out a sigh.

"I'd hate to see Timothy's face when'e sees this mess…" But he looks back to Kaylee, looking a little more sheepish before he holds a hand out toward her, "I'm jus' provin' I ain't got no manners t'day. I'm Malachi. Malachi Ashmore. My sister Deborah, she goes t' church wit — Well, we both go, really."

There is a touch of amusement playing on her lips, when Kaylee reached to take the hand, that wedding band clear on her hand. "Kaylee Thatcher," is offered in return, with a smile. "And I won't tell a soul about your slip up. Ms. Smith is a stickler for manners… among other things. So best be watching around her at least." There is a slight tease to that.

"I think they will go easy on you though. They did me." The telepath offers trying to relieve the stress the man might be feeling. "And I can honestly say I have done my share of messing up."

"A pleasure to meetcha, Missus Thatcher," Malachi says with a firm shake. If he sees that ring, it doesn't seem to affect his demeanor beyond knowing which title to address her by. "Oh, I've seen the furrow of her brow enough to know I don' much want it pointed my direction. SO I appreciate that."

The reassurance is taken with some skepticism and a glance toward the much abused room. But then, it's back to her with a hint of a smile. "Oh, I can't hardly believe that, Missus. But I'll take it as a kindness."

Her gaze follows his, a smile touches Kaylee's lips. "Trust me it is very true. She had to teach me how to be domestic." Brows tick up just a little as she looks back at him, waiting to see a reaction. "I didn't know how to cook, or how to iron, or even how to do laundry."

A glance goes towards the door as she continues, "I think I burned more food in my first month working here." Kaylee chuckles, "I was lucky that Ms. Smith has the patience of a saint."

Malachi gives her a look that's disbelieving at first, but then apparently amused. "She does have, at that. We're, all of us, lucky for it, too. But… ah, Missus Thatcher. I hope it ain't rude to ask… but what'd you do b'fore, i'f'n you wasn't domestic? 's there a maid or somethin' like that? Seems… strange for a married woman to not be domestic…"

"Lets just say I had a very understandin' husband. Of course, then he went off to do whatever the army wanted of him…" Kaylee trails off sadly, gaze dropping to the snowy porch. "Before that, I was a spoiled little rich girl." It's not in any way true, but it explains the why. "When I met Joseph, he didn't care about that really."

When she looks up again, Kaylee looks a touch sheepish. "I guess he'll be rather surprised when he comes back." She smiles, but it doesnt dispel the sadness in her eyes. "Well… not that I am all that great yet. I still have a lot to learn still."

"Surprised and then spoiled rotten by a good woman's good cookin'." Malachi pats her on the shoulder, a friendly gesture. "Don' you worry none, Missus Thatcher. He'll be alright." It's a just a soft bit of reassurance before he pulls his hand back again.

"If you'd be interested… my sister'd probably love to help out, too. She loves bein' domestic. We'd fallen on hard times before we came this way… so she'd made that move from the easy life to the harder one, too. You'd have a good ear there."

"Hope you're right." Kaylee murmurs softly, fingers seeking that ring on her finger, the one thing that is her bit of a reminder that she had something to go home too. Something to keep her hope alive, even if it's there to support a lie. "I miss him something terrible. Feels like forever since I last saw him, even if it has only been a few months."

She then shakes her head and sighs, forcing that smile back on to her lips. "I'm sure if your sister talked to Ms. Smith, she might take her on. Especially, when the warmer weather comes around and we start getting boarders again."

"I always am," Malachi says with a crooked smile. "The fightin', it won't last forever." It's really so very optimistic. "Hey, that's not a bad idea, either. It's sometimes hard to get her to come out and meet people, but I think I can get her out this way. As for boarders… only if I get this roof fixed up right, yeah?"

"Between you and Timothy, I have no doubt, the roof will be right as rain here soon." Kaylee states with confidence as fingers shift the shawl on her shoulders again. Her teeth are already threatening to start chattering for the time she's been standing out there, nose and cheeks reddened from the sharp bite of air.

"How about I go work on heating something to warm you boys through and through" A bright smile manages to touch her lips, as Kaylee tries to push asides memories for those out of her reach.

"That sounds right nice, ma'am. I can see why Miss Smith welcomed you in, you fit right in." Malachi glances over to the room, his sheepish smile coming back. "And I should get to this room, get it cleaned out again. It was good to meetcha, Missus Thatcher."

"You too, Malachi." Glancing upward, Kaylee looks a touch amused, "Just make sure you don't get hurt up there. Don't want to have to nurse you better." A smile is given to the young man, before she moves back for the warmth of the inn.

Little do these two people know that this little meeting has some significance.


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