forbidden (illicitus) wrote in the_colony, @ 2011-01-12 18:24:00 |
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Entry tags: | ^ week 33, jed bailey, thomas galloway, | jed and tom, ~ series: traders |
Week 33 - Wednesday
Characters: Tom Galloway and Jed Bailey, and NPCs Evie and Noah
Location: Various Grant’s Pass and the Farmstead
Summary: Tom and Jed meet up with Evie’s traders and lead them back to the farmstead. The two leaders catch up on the events of the past six months.
Rating:PG
Jed was nothing short of antsy, his gaze darting back and forth between the windshield and the passenger window. He probably hadn’t stopped moving since they’d heard the traders on the CB radio. Or specifically since they’d heard Evie on the CB.
Winter had been rotten. They’d been all but trapped together at the farmhouse, and while nothing had exactly exploded, they’d all been relieved as things started to warm up. Well, mostly. Today seemed a bit crappy weather-wise, what with the sleet and all, but Jed took the traders’ return as a sign that things really were looking up.
“We could’ve juss had ‘em come to the farmhouse,” he said, though without any really force behind it. “We know ‘em pretty good already.”
“We know who they were six months ago,” Tom responded reasonably, keeping his eyes on the road. “We have no idea what their situation is now and I’m not going to risk getting everyone killed or worse because we trusted someone we shouldn’t have.”
Was hard to argue with that when they’d been burned before. But Jed knew this was different; for one, he trusted them. It wasn’t worth arguing over, even if Jed had been in the mood to argue. God, they had to be getting there soon, right?
“Any last orders beside watchin’ yer back?” he asked.
“That’s order number one.” Tom glanced over at the younger man and smirked slightly before turning his eyes back on the road. Jed had come a long way toward redeeming himself in Tom’s eyes over the past two months since the incident with Alice. He made a good wing man on raids or other potentially sticky situations. “Order number two is get a head count and see how many new faces they have, I’m reasonably willing to stipulate that the ones we know about are trustworthy but I’ll want to find out what we can on new people.”
Tom was a bit antsy on meeting strangers without checking out the location right beforehand, but the parking lot they’d agreed to meet at was huge, afforded good fields of fire and had plenty of escape routes if there was a trap. Quit being paranoid Galloway, we know these people.
With that they turned the corner on the intersection, and the supermarket parking lot came into view. Another pickup waited in the center of the lot, and two silhouettes could be seen inside.
Jed sat up sharp upon seeing the truck, a smile twitching at his lips. The moment Tom stopped right across from the vehicle, Jed was out the door, swinging his rifle strap over his shoulder. He caught a good look at Evie’s face through the windshield and smiled. He didn’t move forward, though. This was Tom’s rodeo; he was just backup.
There was a sound of a door opening and closing before Noah -- Evie’s brother -- came around to the driver’s side. It seemed a little strange at first, but once the driver’s side door was closed and the two started toward them, the reason became clear:
Evie was very obviously pregnant.
“Afternoon, fellas,” she said, smiling brightly.
Jed’s smile dropped like a cat off a couch, and he didn’t bother hiding the stare that was aimed right at Evie’s abdomen. She was huge. Alright, maybe not huge - nowhere near Bridget-sized - but compared to the last time he saw her. “Holy shit,” he said with a breath of a laugh. So much for his plans of gettin’ some.
“I see congratulations are in order.” Tom observed with a smile, taking in her swollen midsection. “You and Bridget will have to compare notes when you see each other, poor thing is about a month away from having twins.”
He offered a hand to the young woman first, then the brother. “Good to see a pair of fresh faces. I think we’ve all been going a bit stir-crazy here.”
“Winters inside do that,” Evie replied, smirking a little.
“We just finished off six weeks in Cabo,” Noah added, smiling slightly. Evie elbowed him, which he answered with a swat in return and a lengthening grin.
“Starting to wonder if we shouldn’t’ve stayed another week, though,” Evie added, smirking a bit. “Looks like Old Man Winter’s not done with the place.”
Cabo. Damn. Maybe I joined up with the wrong outfit, Tom thought to himself ruefully. Ah well, committed now and the folks here need me.
“Lots of local goods on board. It’s gonna be a good season for trading,” Evie added. “So! Where we headin’?”
“We’ve got a farmstead about fifteen minutes from here.” Tom responded, taking out a foldout map of the county. “How do you want to play it? You and yours form up behind us and follow us in? Or a different way?”
“We’ll radio them to meet us at the junction in five,” Noah replied with a nod, already heading back to the camper van. Evie’s hands settled on her lower back, swaying gently on her feet. For someone so pregnant, she appeared very fit. Apparently she hadn’t slowed down in the slightest.
“You just interested in trading goods, or are you up for labor trading like last time?”
Tom scratched the back of his neck and nodded. “We’ve got a fairly long list of projects we’d like to try and tackle in addition to planting crops this spring, so if you folks feel like sticking around a while we could work something out I’m sure.”
He gestured at her midsection. “We’ve also got a pretty good doctor if you want a checkup, an experienced ER doc from Portland. She’s gotten pretty familiar with pregnant women lately.”
Evie’s brows rose thoughtfully, but she continued to smile. “An ER doctor,” she echoed, nodding in appreciation. “I could use the check-up, but we just picked up a midwife in SoCal, so I’ve got at least that part covered.”
Tom nodded. Maybe this midwife and Louisa May could trade notes and the midwife could take a look at Bridget, just to be safe. He’d talk to Evie about it later, and try to figure out how often the other woman would want to trade for things and how much would just be one group of humans interacting with another.
“If you’re ready we can get the show on the road.”
“Absolutely,” Evie said, her hands dropping to her sides again. Her eyes finally turned to the tall Texan, cocking one brow at him and letting her eyes trail over him before she smiled again.
“Seeya in a bit, then,” she directed toward him, heading back to where her brother was waiting.
Tom glanced over at Jed and shook his head slightly. “You can pick your jaw off the ground now, son.” He told the younger man in amusement. He wouldn’t be at all surprised if Jed and Evie had some fun before the traders left, given the look the pregnant woman had sent the Texan.
Jed’s neck had already started growing warm at Evie’s heated once-over, and that only spread with a bit of embarrassment at Tom’s words. “Sorry, juss wasn’t expectin’ that,” he said with a grin, turning back to the truck. “Jesus, can’t believe all that can happen to a woman in six months. Still looks pretty damn good, though.”
“Yes she does.” Tom may have been old enough to be her father, but he was still a healthy heterosexual man. Evie was definitely an attractive woman, even in her last trimester of pregnancy. “Bridget makes her look small by comparison,” he commented absently as he headed back toward the drivers-side door, “though I think we’d be better off not saying that in front of either of them.”
****
If there was one thing to say about the small group, it was that they were extremely efficient. Once they’d been directed where they could set up camp, it took less than an hour for them to unpack and unload. It was starting to look like they’d been there almost as long as the colonists themselves.
The trailers and campers were parked in a U-formation, and two men were rapidly working on digging out the beginnings of a firepit. An older woman was gently and silently coaxing the goats and chickens out of their trailer to stretch and become familiar with their new, temporary home.
Some of the more curious colonists had already came out and were mingling with them, but Evie hung back, watching from a fold-out stool beneath the awning next to the camper van. She wanted to be available to her people in that crucial moment.
“Where’s Alice?” she asked curiously, looking up to the older man.
Tom had watched the almost military like efficiency the caravan set up camp with no little admiration. The veteran had radioed ahead with the proper code words once they’d met up with the main group of the traders to let her know everything was proceeding according to plan. He’d stayed put with Evie once the group began to set up camp, content in the knowledge that Alice had things under control with the farmstead up the drive and ready to be there if anyone had a question.
A question like the one Evie just asked, as a matter of fact. He glanced down at her and figured it was better to just get it out and over with. “I’m in charge of the group, have been since Christmas, more or less. We had a group meeting and I was formally voted in, and I asked Alice to be my deputy. She’s up at the farmhouse coordinating things while I’m here with you.”
Evie’s brows rose again slightly, her eyes scanning the former officer thoughtfully before she nodded. “I’m surprised you managed to get her up this far. She seemed pretty anti-cold weather last time we talked.”
Tom shrugged. “We wanted to get far away from Las Vegas, or from any major city for that matter. That pretty much ruled out California, and we wanted someplace that had good farmland unless we wanted to turn into gypsies like you lot.” The last was said without any heat, merely an observation of the travelling lifestyle the traders had adopted. Evie smirked and chuckled in response.
He’d been watching the group, counting heads and looking for familiar faces. “What happened to Cassidy and Zoe? I thought they’d left to join your group. They decide to go their own way?”
“Blondie and Gumby?” she moved her hands to fold under her stomach, her lips pressing into a thin line for a moment. “Once Blondie caught up with us, they didn’t stick around long. It wasn’t my business, so I didn’t ask questions. So long as they left in good standing, y’know?”
Tom nodded. It hadn’t been more than idle curiosity on his part, so as far as he was concerned the matter was closed. “Who’s the lucky man in your life? He must be excited about becoming a father.”
The question clearly caught her off-guard if the look on her face was any indication, but she recovered rather quickly, her lips spreading in a slow smile.
“It could be the Creator Himself for all I know, but I’m not bothered by it. I’ve got all the helping hands I need.”
Tom’s own expression shifted into that of clear surprise and a hint of old-school disapproval, but it quickly was replaced with a more neutral look. It wasn’t any of his business if the woman wanted to sleep around. It wasn’t any of his business if his people wanted to sleep around, as long as it was consensual and they were of age. “Well, congratulations just the same.”
He surveyed the campsite and the number of people involved in putting things together, and nodded to himself. “You mentioned being interested in labor trading. How long do you plan on sticking around?”
“We could certainly stay as long as it takes to help plant your field and maybe get some work in on a few of those projects you mentioned. If the payment’s good, that is.”
Tom had already been considering what sort of payment they might be willing to take in trade for the work. He’d already planned to plant extra acreage for no other reason than to ensure there was no possible way they could starve over the next winter, with Evie’s group there he could expand it further and give them a chunk of the harvest if they were willing.
“I’m sure we can work something out, but we can let that go until tomorrow.” He allowed after a moment’s thought. “I’d imagine tonight your people would want to relax, and mine will want to mingle with new faces. Sound fair?”
Evie nodded in agreement. She licked her lips, about to continue on, but one of of the other traders jogged up to interrupt.
“Evie? Anything else y’want me to do?”
Evie turned to the long-haired man, her face suddenly breaking into a grin. “Nah, Orin. Go play; have fun.”
Tom nodded in amusement. “Like I said. It can wait until tomorrow. Tonight is for fun.” He nodded to the young woman respectfully. “I’ve got rounds to make yet today, so I’ll be going. I’ll talk with you later this evening I’m sure. Take care.”
Evie grinned. “Seeya.”
With that he nodded at Jed hanging back in the distance, indicating the younger man was free to do as he pleased, and started toward the farmhouse. Grinning, Jed ambled on over to Evie, his hands in his pockets.
“You always surprise the hell outta people, or that somethin’ special you reserve for me?” he said, stopping in front of her.
Evie tilted her head a little at him. “I don’t make a habit of it.”
“You look good, though,” he said appreciatively. “Ain’t a full on balloon like our Bridget. How far you along?” It was only polite to ask.
Evie looked like she wanted to say something about his comment about Bridget being a full balloon, but his question stalled her. She frowned thoughtfully, closing one eye as she counted the weeks in her head.
“Little over six months? Give or take a week,” her lips quirked in a wry smile. “My skinny ass makes me look more like eight months, of course. I blame my mother.”
“Can’t blame her. I liked yer skinny ass, last I remember,” he teased, giving her a wink. Evie laughed high and joyfully, flipping her long hair out of her face.
“You’re as bad a flirt as I am, Jed Bailey.”
That got a laugh in return. “Well it’s been awhile since we got fresh blood in. Gotta work out the skills while I got a chance.”
Evie giggled, shaking her head at him in mock admonishment, though it was clear by the faint flush in her face that she’d appreciated the attention. She put her hands on her knees and pushed herself up to standing, her hands immediately shifting to her back as her head turned toward the still-working traders.
“I should prob’ly go make myself a little useful. Can’t just sit here looking pretty all day.” Her eyes returned to his face and she smiled prettily at him. “You’ll be around at dinner, yeah?”
He’d almost gone to help her up but thought twice about it. Her smile sending a pleasant little thrum through his body, he said: “Yeah, definitely. Hell, I’m gen’rally ‘round here somewhere. So you ever need me, I’ll prob’ly be here.”
Evie’s smile lengthened just a little, her eyes doing a quick once-over on him again. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, sweetie.”
Drawing a sharp breath through his nose, Jed grinned. “‘Prob’ly’ ain’t exactly a promise. But you come lookin’ for me, I sure wouldn’t mind.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she replied, smirking some. “Seeya later.”
Letting out his breath, Jed watched saunter off with no little amount of amusement. He had the hots for a pregnant lady. Go figure.