The Unexpected Partner

Chapter 13

The wooden door got pushed aggressively. Two boots got taken off and thrown on the floor. Claire entered her home feeling more tired than she had ever felt in her entire life as she sat on the sofa and took her pocket watch out: 1:30 AM.

"Ughhh," she exclaimed, falling on the brown chair. Not being able to keep her eyes open, she drifted off to sleep in a second.

When daylight came hours later, the rooster crowed, and the birds chirped as Claire slowly opened her eyes and saw the light coming through the windows. She stretched her arms and legs.

"What is that?" She asked, hearing the jingle in her pocket. Grabbing the money from her trousers, she realized the events of the previous day; how she had gone with Shane to help him pick up supplies and how today was Sunday, her only day off.

Twisting her neck, she felt pain all over her body. Shane had made her carry so many heavy boxes, she could have collapsed then and there. What a cruel man! She thought, rubbing her neck. A cruel but handsome man. Oh, stop it! There was never a time when Claire had not been feeling a civil war ensuing in her mind at the thought of Shane.

She got off the sofa, smiling widely and putting out her hands, "I'm free today!" Looking down, she noticed that she was still wearing her dad's clothes which made her run to the bedroom and change into a practical, yet nice, deep green dress. She planned to visit the general store and reminded herself to put money in the bank for the gamblers. I hope they get syphilis, she thought as she walked outside her home, feeling angry at the cruelty done to her father. But she knew that if she didn't put money in their bank box, they would do much worse.

"Hey there, Sweetie!" The stray dog ran up to Claire as soon as she stepped outside. She petted the fluffy, long brown mane and bent down to give her a kiss. "You're such a good girl."

Glancing over to the chicken pen, she saw the metal rod had been moved. "Not again!" She exclaimed, seeing Scamper running away. Claire ran after the chicken, with Sweetie following behind. "Why doesn't he like his quarters?"

"Scamper!" She yelled. "You ungrateful chicken!"

Sweetie reached Scamper way before Claire did. She tried to play with the chicken by using her paws which caused Scamper to fill with fear and stay put.

When she reached the two animals, Claire said, "Good girl, Sweetie!" She petted the grinning dog and then turned to the chicken. "I got you!" She laughed, grabbing Scamper and taking it back to the pen. As she looked at his defeated face, she exclaimed, "You will never give up, huh?"

After fixing the pen so the Scamper was never able to escape again, Claire took care of all the rest of her animals and her home. She made food for the entire day and then decided to bring some to her father.

"Hello, Papa," she said, entering the room with water and food. "I brought your breakfast."

"Hello, Dear," her father said. He grunted as he tried to sit up.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I feel a lot better, but my bones still hurt."

She looked at him with sad eyes. "Yes...the doctor said it would be many months before your bones are good as new."

John smiled at her and took the meal she had brought him. The greatest progress was that he was able to eat on his own now.

"Claire?" He asked after remaining quiet for a few seconds, "How do you have money to buy flour and fruit and everything else?"

Claire felt the rock in her throat and felt the pain in her heart from lying to him. "Well...I told you how Liliann lets me help her make dresses. She pays me for it."

Smiling at her, John said, "You are a brave girl, you know that?"

"Thank you, Papa."

Claire and her father talked together before she left to let him rest. Time to go to town, she thought.

Not wanting anyone from the saloon to recognize Fancy, Claire decided that she would walk to town. It would take longer but that was better than being recognized from her horse.

Walking through the path and feeling the sunshine on her, Claire felt happy, for the first time in a while. She knew her life was far from perfect, but she also knew deep down that perfection was not a prerequisite to happiness, she could definitely have it worse. Feeling the soft wind and the sun, she'd never been more alive. She felt even more alive in a dress and was overjoyed she could be herself today: a lady.

After walking for almost half an hour, she reached the busy town. Although it was less hectic than other days, the town was still buzzing with many people in its street. She walked with the crowd, looking at the different establishments until she reached the front of the General Store, in the middle of town square.

She tried her best to get away from the carriage that was tied on the post nearby but the horse in front started sniffing her. She smiled at the horse and started to pet its head, but the animal got more aggressive and shoved Claire to the ground.

As she landed on her bottom, Claire immediately started to laugh. "You are not a good boy," she exclaimed loudly at the horse. Before she had the chance to pick herself up, she heard someone from one of the buildings calling out to her. A voice that was all too familiar. Her eyes went to where the voice was coming from, and she saw that it was none other than the front of A's Saloon. And the man talking was none other than... Shane!
Shane was getting out of his saloon to take his carriage back to the stables when he noticed that his horse had pushed down a lady, causing him to immediately call out to her. "Miss...are you alright?" He yelled in a concerned tone, running in the lady's direction. The lady quickly got up, ignored him and walked briskly to the general store.

Shane walked quickly behind the lady and yelled, "Miss!" He noticed that her hair clip had fallen causing her short hair to fall down. Shane picked it up from the dusty ground and said, "You dropped your hair pin!" When she kept walking, he wondered if the attractive lady was deaf.

Claire checked her hair and noticed that it had fallen out, with the pin missing. Nonetheless, she continued to walk rapidly, walking as rapidly as her legs would allow her. I am finished! She thought, almost having a heart attack. If he sees me, I am finished! Shane will make the connection between me and Clark and then I will go to prison!

Running up the steps of the General Store, she quickly opened the door and closed it while hearing Shane call out that she dropped her hair clip. The store seemed to be busy, so the people didn't notice her, not even Grant noticed, which was a first. She quickly ran up the stairs and toward Liliann's room.

After knocking on the door, she heard Liliann's footsteps and the door opening. "Hello Claire-," Liliann stopped halfway through her sentence. "My Lord! When did you cut your hair?"

Great, Claire thought, another person I have to lie to.

Meanwhile at the general store, Shane walked in and saw a large number of people. He looked around and didn't see the lady that he was just following. Where did she disappear? Did I scare her? He asked himself.

He made his way to the counter where he saw Grant. "Excuse me, Mr. Hefel," he said, causing Grant to look at him, "Did you happen to see a lady come in here just now?"

Grant assessed the man and noticed that it was the saloon owner. "Are you here to buy all my liquor again?" He asked bluntly.

Shane smiled nervously, wanting to be polite to the old gentleman. "No...-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Grant cut him off. "I haven't seen a lady come in."

"Are you certain?"

Grant gave him an annoyed look as he scanned the store. "No one has come in right now; I would have seen them."

Looking down at the brown hair clip in his hands, Shane thought, this man has either gone mad or he's blind. He then looked back up at Grant. "Well, thank you...and sorry to bother."

He tipped his hat at Grant and made his way back to his saloon. While he was walking, he saw his horse, the one that had pushed Claire to the ground, and pointed a finger at him as if he was scolding a little kid. "Behave yourself."