𝙵𝙻𝙴𝚂𝙷 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙱𝙾𝙽𝙴 | 𝚃. 𝙾𝚃𝚃𝙾 𐂃

Chapter 12

"Cristine."

 

 

"Mr. Otto."

 

 

Even to an outsider the greeting between the two was so insincere it was abundantly clear that there was a history of bad blood. More so from Cristine's side as this old coot was the de facto leader of a community with warped ideals.

 

 

Jeremiah's main concerns with James's eldest child were the long standing bitterness she dragged along everywhere she went. Certain individuals who couldn't allow bygones be bygones only complicated manners. He had a lot of those in the old world. Jeremiah briefly lowered his gaze and smiled at the thought out distance she put between them by saying his name with such manners. It was cute, and reminded him of his first wife in many ways, perhaps it was why Troy showed such interest in her. He didn't like that his youngest son would stray that way, as it wasn't what he taught him. While different, Troy resembled him the most out of his two sons and it was difficult seeing him getting charmed by this exotic looking Pandora. Jeremiah stretched his hand to offer the young woman on guard a cup of coffee. "No need for the formalities, we're not strangers."

 

 

"I don't mind." Cristine showed a tight lipped smile that was completely different from her usual frown. Her cheeks sported the exact same dimples James had when she curved her mouth. Thankfully she accepted the warm drink and cupped it inside her hands, her eyes still vigilant for anomalies in the night.

 

 

Jeremiah paused, but didn't mind her brusque nature as much as he would. It would strike him odd if she didn't. "I thought- you and I should have a chat." She neither denied or affirmed this so called 'weight' on his mind, but for Jeremiah it was a sign to continue. He would do his say and be done with it, she seemed to have made her decision to stay on the Ranch indefinitely with the Nation. "I never personally thanked you for what you did for the Ranch. What you do for us." Jeremiah's boots purposely scraped over the ground to stand at a length that was appropriate enough to be counted as safe, but not too distant.

 

 

"You don't have to. It was good organizing and teamwork skills from everyone in our community." Cristine shook her head.

 

 

"Still, but from what I've heard you and Troy were the gears that kept everyone sharp and focused."

 

 

"Well, like I said team effort." Cristine looked at the cup and gently blew at the edge to cool it off. "You don't have to build up this talk Mr. Otto, you can be direct and say what's on your mind."

 

 

Jeremiah sipped from his coffee and scratched his throat and filled his line of sight with the same pathway she so intensely held under scrutiny. "This new world is an opportunity for all of us. A new life and a chance to make amends. I ruined my son in the old world, almost drove him mad, but he has a purpose now and he's trying to find himself. Figure out who he is and wants to be in the new world. We all are." Jeremiah sighed and reached out for the wooden shaft that held the barbed fences together.

 

 

"What I'm trying to say is that we build something better than before. It won't be an easy thing to do, but I hope you're up to carry that burden with us." Just as she was about to take a sip from her drink, Cristine stopped the movement and removed her mouth from the cup its edge and glanced at the old man. Words left her. She stared into chocolate eyes burning with a staunchness, and her mind blanketed. "That's why I hope we can put all those things in the past, both of us, and start off with a clean slate." He proposed and lifted his cup as a sign of goodwill.