Oregonal Sin

The end of another long night - which, in practicality, meant the sun was already rising as Beth headed down into the cathouse barroom, wrapping an old shawl closer around her shoulders against the dawn chill. Slightly sore, definitely tired, but still smiling as she collapsed onto a chair, careful to get the shawl under her arm before she leaned on the polished table.

Not alone. The barroom was rarely empty, but the dawn meant tired girls heading to bed, and someone in the corner. Someone, that morning, who wasn't Gemma.

Beth straightened up, tucking her shawl in more firmly and lifting her head as she glanced across at Jax. "Gemma sleeping already?"

Jax had been trying to give Beth and Ryan space. All things considered, he hadn't wanted to crowd them or fuss or anything like that more than usual. Mostly, he was a little worried about how he would react, seeing them bruised and battered like that, and he was trying to keep Gemma's words in mind.

He didn't want to bring anything else down on the place.

Then again, he couldn't believe they were getting away without being punished. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to take Noah up on her suggestion and... Sure, his mom would probably kill him, but at least justice would win.

He was a little surprised to walk into the kitchen to find Beth, and he offered her a warm, genuine smile. "Hey Bethy."

Jax wiped down the bar again, before he turned his attention back to cleaning glasses, putting them away. The bar had just opened for the evening so there wasn't anyone except old George sitting in the corner, scribbling in his little notebook as usual. Jax glanced at his glass - still full - and went back to preparing to get busy.

When the doors opened again, he looked up and smiled a little. "Hey there."

Afternoons were quiet enough, most times, that there wasn't much call for keeping the main bar open as well as the cathouse. Most folk weren't interested in girls until darkness fell, as if daylight would show up the patches on goods that weren't no longer new, so early afternoon found Gemma through in the saloon, resting on a stool next to the bar, watching Jax polish up glasses. "You been hearin' anythin' more 'bout those men the sheriff took away?"

The more she heard Mariette talk about Ryan and Beth, the more upset Liz got. It didn't matter what they did, no one deserved to be attacked like that. No one. She might not approve of what they did for a living, but still!

With that in mind, she packed a small basket full of breads and cookies that she'd made over the week. She remembered from the picnic how Beth had made some wonderful baked goods. Hers weren't as accomplished but she didn't know if the other woman was able to bake for herself yet.

She took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the saloon. She didn't come in here often, and there was always a sense of panic when she did. She looked for Jax immediately and felt a sense of relief when she spotted him.

Head tilted up, she walked over. "Hello Jax."

Note - please please make sure you've read all threads and checked on character locations and what you can find out from the 'crowd' before posting a thread or tag, so we can keep everyone in one place at one time without cloning! Thank you! Ryan and Beth have now gone from the scene but please feel free to keep on playing threads set before then or reactions after.

It had been a bad idea. Beth had known it was a bad idea, felt it, but the preacher had been so insistent and Gemma had just shrugged and said it wasn't her business what the girls did with their time off and Ryan had said he'd go with her, so Beth had gone to the church pot luck. And it had been a bad idea.

( And now )

The air was a little cooler than might have been ideal for an outdoor gathering, but hovering in the low 60s, it wasn't so bad.

There was a tent set up in the yard beside the church, a few tables put together, to make a long row, and chairs. Brother Dan has announced the last couple of weeks in church that there would be a pot luck today, everyone invited. No preaching, just community dinner. Now it was up to everyone else to show up. With food, if they wanted to and could.

Jax took a bit of a detour in getting back to the saloon. There was never any rush and maybe the walk would clear his head a little more, stop that niggling feeling that had kept him from sleeping sound.

The sun was up by the time he made it back to the saloon, letting himself in and heading to the kitchen out back to make yet more coffee. Mom probably had something to eat back there too.

John's stable had had some room in it yesterday evening, but come morning it was full up.

It was full up and John was about 2/3 of the way asleep when the sun came up. He got his morning feeding and cleaning done, got cleaned up a bit and then more or less staggered his way outside, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and headed for the hotel and a cup of coffee, dammit-all.

He ran into someone on the boardwalk just outside and squinted at them to see if they were a customer or not. It was early enough that there was some question -- enough for him to pause and look them over, anyway.

Hell, this early in the morning and with as little sleep as he'd had, he'd have had to look twice at his best friend.

He was still getting that cup of coffee. With or without company. Preferably with.