Mister Quaid: 1800s (WLW)

Part One, 1873: Chapter Six

August 28th, 1873, Outskirts of Yellowstone, Hendrix Homestead

"So, uh, Hany..." Jonathan trailed off as he glanced toward Pete. They were splitting wood for the Hendrix fire and stacking it on the side of the house. "Is Roy... Well, is she his betrothed?"

"She is." Pete asked with a grimace as she watched both Hany and Roy walking through the fields together. She turned her gaze back to Jonathan and found sadness. "Jonathan, you can't become involved with her."

"Why's that? They ain't married yet." He scratched his five o'clock shadow and cocked his head to the side.

"Interracial marriage is illegal and you live in a town that doesn't smile fondly on people of colour, remember?"

"I never said nothin' about marriage as far as I'm concerned and there are other places to live." When Pete just stared at him in shock, he smiled and waved his hand. He picked the axe up again and brought it down on another block of wood. "I'm just sayin', if I met a lady as nice and gentle as Miss Hany, I wouldn't let 'er go."

"You really meant it before?" He looked at her in bewilderment. "When you told Walter Covington you don't mind people of colour?"

"What does it matter what colour skin a person has? We're all the same on the inside. I saw enough over my years to know that for sure, sir." He shook his head as Pete placed another block on the stump. "Besides, I ain't really a believer in all that church stuff."

"Church stuff?"

"Well, the bible said slavery was good, just, and then God killed his son just so he had the right to tell us what to do. That doesn't sit well with me, Mister Pete." Jonathan split the wood and leaned on the axe as he looked over the field. He grinned when he saw Hany and Roy dancing like they were at a barnyard festival while the little coyote, Pepper, jumped around them, eliciting giggles. "That's love right there and I won't invade on what they have... No matter how much I do like Miss Hany. What the bible told me don't sound like love. I choose to believe in what I can see and that right there is love." He turned to her with a smile, and then looked back at the field. "There ain't no one can change my mind on..."

"What?" Pete grabbed a few pieces of wood and carried them over to where they were stacking them. There was now a good size pile and her belly roared loudly begging her to answer. She needed some food. Making her way back to him as she wiped her hands along her canvas trousers trying to get rid of the splinters, she asked, "What were you sayin'?"

"Uh, boss?" Pete glanced up at him as she began pulling her gloves back on and found Jonathan pointing. "I think I just saw--"

She slapped his hand down. She knew exactly what he had seen and she hoped he wouldn't. Turning back to the field, Pete waved her arms and caught Hany's attention. She signed for her to come back for dinner and Hany nodded, then took Roy's hand and led him toward the house.

"I know there's someone out there, but we have to act natural, alright?" Chris told Jonathan as she turned back around, making sure to keep a smile across her face. "Smile and keep actin' normal, dammit."

Jonathan scrambled for a moment, then picked up a few straggler pieces of wood. As he took them over to the stacks, Pete followed him with her eyes, but when she caught sight of Alice in the window, she froze. She still wore one of Pete's pullovers and Hany's trousers, but appeared much more relaxed in them than the day prior. Still, Pete's curiosity ran rampant with how becoming the dresses she wore were and found herself missing them. Regardless, she tried to not linger on it for too long.

Alice and Jessie were standing by the window peeling potatoes as they carried on a joyous conversation. Pete watched as Alice's face lit up and she threw her head back with laughter. Everything about her glowed and Pete put her hand on her stomach to still its overwhelmingly high amount of butterflies. Not right now, goddammit.