Re: Hell's Kitchen, Marvel, Clem & Matt
Honey, when you say a woman takes a man into her bed 'round these parts, it ain't referring to bandages. [Clementine was smiling when she said it, easy some, like teasing about men and women and bedding wasn't a thing to be a ashamed of. That wasn't real English, and it sure wasn't real Bible Belt, but Clem wasn't made for being shy about things that felt good. Too much of a hedonist in the Southern girl, and unapologetic about the whole damn lot of it.] You're fine where you're at, at least until you can walk without me worrying those ribs are going to do some damage when I ain't looking. You got someone to get on home to?
[She scooted, propped herself back against the wall as he touched on the pills and examined them with hands that looked like they'd punched plenty.] You wondering why I don't mind? All them scars and bruising, and you saying you're real bad news? [She would be worried, she reckoned, if she was another kind of woman.] I got these friends that are real close. Family, I guess you could say, my sister's husband and his best friend, and they look like you more often than they don't. I'm not a real careful woman, and I come home bashed up from working too these days. Whatever worries I got about you being on the wrong side of things, they're long gone, and that's all concerns me.
[She reached out and took the bottle from him, once he was done, and she screwed the cap tight and set it aside.] You're real religious. You mention Jesus a whole lot. [She sounded skeptical, but with something old and fond twirled in, like when kids talked about Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, things no longer believed but once cherished and held tight.] I keep trying to drag someone to church with me on Sunday, but can't seem to get anyone to go. You Catholic? [She wasn't, but he talked like old days, and she figured most of them folks to be about rosaries and holy water.]