Twin sisters lived normal lives in a normal town working normal jobs. Normal that is until Arthur Morgan, an x outlaw, rode into their world. In a story that breaks the barriers of both time and space, two ordinary girls discover that home can be e...
The dim glow of the oil lamp cast an orangey hue through the little room giving it a warm softness in the oncoming dawn of morning. John sat in a nearby chair watching over Samantha as she slept. The last few days had been troublesome moving in. The weather was warming but with it brought Spring showers making it a pain to preserve things from getting water damage.Regardless, John had been thankful for the rush and busy hum of it all. It had helped to distract Samantha and tired her out to where she was finally getting some real rest. She moaned softly and turned her head in her sleep facing him.He'd been up since 5am when he'd heard Morgan start rumbling around in the kitchen, the smell of coffee drifting through the homestead full and rich. They were building the gazebo today, a circle by the sea Samantha had referenced it,even though it would be placed near the river's edge. Arthur had packed a quick lunch for the three of them and nodded at Marston as he stumbled into the kitchen seeking the black liquid Gold. "You look like a mangled disaster John.She not sleep again last night?" his kidding quickly reverting to concern over his would be sister n law. John reached up and scruffed the back of his bedhead as he poured the coffee into a cup. He smelled its rich aroma and took along pull from the strong drink sighing before answering. "Yeahhh she slept...just fitful again. Tossed n turned all night in her sleep.." he said shaking his head. "Mmm fightn demons.." Arthur said solemnly shoving the last wrapped sandwich into a knapsack. "Yeahhh.." John agreed disparagingly as he swirled another pull of coffee in his mouth. "Well, Ima take these supplies down to the shoreline then I'll be back to fetch the wagon and yall. Sayyy boutan hour?" "Make it two." John smiled and winked a little mischievously and took another sip. Arthur smirked and shoved him in the shoulder almost sloshing the hot liquid down his red long handles. "You possd to be letting her rest Marston, not pestern her like a tick on a coon dog. Let the girl sleep if she will. They'll be time nuff for That later." Arthur emphasized the last two words with a raised eyebrow. John smiled sheepishly at the reprimand but knew the older outlaw was right. He was just aching to touch her again. Flashes of their night before all went to hell seemed still fresh in his mind even though it been 3mths since he'd even dared to go there again, what with all that had happened. He sighed heavily,"Finnnee, you go on. I'll let her sleep a while longer then get her up n ready to go. Be sure to grab the canteens from that newfangled ice box thingy would ya?" He nodded towards the corner of the room and the monstrosity Samantha had insisted they would need. What was wrong with putting the water n milk in the river like they'd always done to keep it cool? Just the look of the thing was intimidating to him, regardless of how she insisted it would be better.
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Arthur grunted a yes and collected the rest of his belongings snatching the canteens before leaving out the door to head down to the river's edge. John set the emptied mug in the wash basin then and strolled quietly back down the hall to take his place in the chair in the corner where he sat now thinking about all they'd been through in the last few months. Samantha moaned again, turning her body to face upward towards the ceiling now, her eyebrows knitting together with whatever dream was haunting her. He stood and walked over to the bed to lay beside her. "Shhhhh" he soothed, brushing the sweat and hair back from her forehead. Her face relaxed at his touch, seeming to find comfort in his presence. He searched her face, drinking her in, a loving expression in his eyes for this woman he'd only known for a few short months. It was uncanny, ridiculous even how her and her sister had resembled so much the two most important women in both his and Arthur's life. It physically pained him to think about the loss Arthur must be feeling right now. He couldn't imagine, wouldn't even, losing Samantha like he'd lost Abigail. Not this time, nope not again. If he had to stay awake and watch over her for eternity, he'd never sleep again or let her out of his sight.
