Oregonal Sin

It had been four weeks since the flood. Four weeks of sweat, dirt, tears, aching muscles and aching hearts. There was still work to be done, and everyone was worried about supplies and rations, but the town was slowly getting back on its feet.

This afternoon there was a bit more reason to smile. The last of the major buildings ruined by the flood -- the warehouse -- was being raised again. The whole community had been invited to help out and a few soldiers with local roots had shown up to give a hand. The older folk who'd done this sort of thing before got tasked with being crew chiefs while anyone who could swing a hammer or hoist a beam was asked to. The women and girls saw to providing what water and food they could and younger boys were used to fetch parts and tools.

After all was said and done, everyone was given a chance to go home and clean up before coming back to celebrate under the new roof. Food was sparse but music was plentiful and the warehouse floor made a fine place to dance. The weather had cooperated as well and small groups clustered here and there outside to talk under clear, starry skies.

John was half-drunk, half-conscious, naked to the waist (with a blanket) and in Liz's boarding house. One of the girls had run to find Benjamin while they waited. John was fine with Liz's company until Benjamin got there, but at that point really, really wanted her out.

The bruise on his temple and cheek was becoming more apparent as he warmed up. So were the bigger, darker, bruises along his side. The cut on his cheek wasn't much of an issue. That his collarbone was messily broken, with a fractured end showing through skin, though, was one hell of one.

He was shivering, still filthy, and really just didn't give a shit about much at that point. Except, of course, Not having anyone aroundbto witness anything potentially embarrassing (or humiliating or that would make Benjamin's life (more) miserable forever.

The guest rooms were fine, of course. They were all upstairs, safe and dry. The first floor though... Liz sighed and pushed back her hair. She knew they hadn't taken as much damage as stores and homes closer to the river. They hadn't lost anyone from the house, thank god; she spared a moment to utter a prayer for those who had been taken.

No, it was more as if the flooding had gently crept into the house like a thief in the night. The waters had seeped into corners and curled around furniture legs, sought out the softness of fabric, made itself comfortable wherever it found a low spot, stayed for awhile and then left again, leaving a trail of muck and mud behind it.

Food stores on the floor of the pantry were a complete loss. The rugs... the rugs might be saved if she could get them off the floor and hang them someplace. The problem was that the backyard was more swamp than yard. She tried to go out and sank practically to her ankles in some spots.

Still, she was determined. Liz moved furniture, rolled the sopping fabric as best she could and began to tug and pull the rug from the main parlor toward the front porch. She paused in the doorway to catch her breath before bending and heaving with all her strength.

Liz was having a very good day. She smiled at everyone as she went about her errands, stopped to chat with various shopkeepers and impulsively bought a length of fabric that she didn't really need but would make a lovely new dress for spring.

She stepped out of the shop with a cheery wave and almost ran into someone. "Oh! I am so sorry!" she said with a startled laugh.

Noah was sitting in an alley, her back to a grimy wall, munching on an apple and keeping a casual, discreet eye on what was going on in the house on the other side of the street, opposite the alley. Sure, it was pretty damn cold outside, but she'd put enough layers on and was wearing warm, thick fingerless gloves. She was doing pretty well.

Well, unless someone decided to notice she was there and turned from the street into the alley. She did not particularly want company right now, thanks.

Cleaning day at the boarding house and Liz was just finishing sweeping the last of the dirt from the first floor out through the doorway. "Oh! Watch out!" she called as someone walked by just as the right -- or wrong -- moment.

The Blackwood House opened its doors -- though not literally, considering the cold -- to everyone Christmas eve. It was a tradition her father and mother had started the second year they'd been in town and something Liz looked forward to every year.

All the rooms and parlors were open except the guests' private sleeping areas and the kitchen. Even the garden had been cleared and swept, benches free of snow for the moment, if guests wanted a bit of fresh air or someplace more private to talk.

The house was decorated to the hilt with greens, candles, berries, and a large tree in main dining room. That room also featured a buffet spread with food and treats that Liz had been working on for weeks. The pianoforte had been moved into the main parlor and every guest was encouraged to take a turn if they wished.

In one of the smaller parlors there was a table with small gifts for each guest -- they could pick at random or have Liz's father, who presided over the room, suggest one for them. Her brother and sister-in-law had claimed the main parlor to hold audience while Liz herself floated quietly from room to room, making sure everyone had a good time and a full plate.

Liz presented herself nervously at the marshall's office. She didn't normally come here -- although she never turned away a chance to talk to Marshall Kane -- it was different when it could become official business.

She gave him a small smile when he came in to the room. "Good day, marshall."

Charlie rode back into town with a considerably fatter purse than he'd left it with. Perfectly timed trail that had been, to get out of town when the 'fluenza hit, and a nice bounty to collect at the end, which wasn't exactly negligible.

It had even given him some trouble, which was always a pleasant surprise.

He stopped in front of the boarding house, but did not dismount, rather turning to the person closest to him. "Howdy. 'Fluenza still wreaking havoc in town?"

Jack hadn't slept well last night, bad dreams waking him at all hours and keeping him awake a good long time once they had. As it was, he was taking it slow, yawning as he went about his business, heading toward the general store to pick up some supplies he and the pastor needed.

Liz knew she'd been very, very lucky. The 'flu had hit the town hard and the boarding house hadn't been excluded. She and the girls had done the best they could to nurse those affected without catching it themselves. It had worked, up to a point. One of the girls had gotten sick toward the end and Liz had spent the last few days nursing her. She wouldn't send her home to her family to risk them, so she'd put her up in one of the empty rooms.

Throughout the whole thing, she'd been trying very hard not to think about how her mother had died from a fever. How the whole family had been struck. How it had changed everything.

When she finally had a chance to get out of the boarding house, she kept a warm shawl on and tilted her head up to the sun as she walked slowly across the town square. She was paler than normal, looked more tired, and walked more slowly.

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."

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.

A clear, crisp morning, with the tang of autumn on the air. Seemed the town would quiet some, with the worse weather moving in, but it hadn't happened yet. Still plenty of folk around as Chris crossed the square towards the store, lifting his hat in greeting to a face he recognized. "A fine morning."

Liz never shirked away from the heavier work at the boarding house. One of the younger girls probably should have been made to do it but they were cleaning one of the bedrooms, so Liz had hauled the rug out to the back of the house, hoisted the line to string it up and then began to hit it with a woven, wooden beater.

She hadn't noticed that someone was passing by until the first cloud of dust had cleared.

"Oh I am so sorry!" she exclaimed. "I hope I didn't get you!"

Fine clear afternoon. Late summer, early autumn, well clear of noon, the town square was busy with folk running errands, going about their business, meeting up...whatever it was they felt the need to do on a sunny weekday afternoon.