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These sketches of Allie are from last July when I wrote her story but I never posted it up on here:
Finally some doe-led Skytown stories. I do love my gents but I need some more fem stories for sure ;)
Margo helps her old friend settle in Tucson, Allison gains some independence and Gears needs an ice pack.
I haven't posted much Gears and Margo art here in probably forever but the Tucson Crew is another sect of Skytown characters outside of the main Hidden Stars stories I have been posting most often. Maybe someday I'll work backwards and post some older short stories from then as well ;)
Until then, You can read proetty much anything I've written for the Tucson Crew through this link list: https://skytowncomic.tumblr.com/drabbles I do need to update a better collection site for my writing since dA's gone down the tubes. But that's an issue for another day...“They really said that to you?” Allison gasped as she and Margo stirred their tea outside the cafe. Margo had recently visited to see her family in Culdan outside Tucson, after things hadn’t gone as swimmingly as Margo had liked, Alice had offered to come back and spend the day with her in town before she headed back to the city.
“It probably sounds worse to hear her say it but I still feel… bad.” Margo set her teaspoon aside and peered at her white gloved hand, she was still dressed from her family’s Sunday luncheon and the more she stared at it the more it felt out of place. “It’s nearly ninety degrees, why do we bother wearing these right now.” she muttered, pulling them off and trying to ignore the mild look of scandal crossing Allison’s face.
“Well I’m sure they had a reason-” Allison began but stopped seeing Margo shake her head roughly.
“I know their reason, my father wants a grandson so he will have someone to leave the mines to since we know he doesn’t trust the business to my mother or me. Because we’re does.” she added in irritation. “But hearing my mother agree, and then to say ‘and so we’ll have a reason to come visit you in your new home.’ I couldn’t leave soon enough!”
“But you stayed through the whole thing!” Allison said. “You were brought up with proper manners.”
“I was held hostage by my manners! If I had a shred of courage I would have told them off there. It was rude enough not to invite Gilligan to the event, but to then berate me for the engagement like it was somehow up for discussion.” Margo took a sip of her tea. “And then to immediately switch the topic to children! They don’t approve of my future husband at all but my father would rather see me become a mother as soon as possible to keep me out of trouble!”
“What sort of trouble? Don’t tell me Gears has you working.” Allison wrinkled her nose at the thought.
“Working isn’t horrible, Allison.” Margo shrugged. “Honestly, I enjoy it! I get to leave the house, meet new people and do more than I ever did in my father’s house like some sort of caged bird.”
“But you shouldn’t have to! I’m sorry to say this Margo, but your parents have a point! They don’t want you wasting your years working dismal jobs! You should be a homemaker! In a proper home too! Not that dingy apartment you don’t even own! If you don’t want children that’s another level of absurd but I understand it being an issue with… well.”
“With what?” Margo’s eyes flashed in warning, Allison was getting dangerously close to bouthing Gears, something she wouldn’t tolerate from her friend even though she had spent the last day and a half biting her tongue fiercely in front of her family.
“Sorry.” Allison frowned. “I know he’s sweet, a-and good to you. But he can’t offer you what you’re worth. You know this.” She stared at her teacup awkwardly.
“Who’s to say he doesn’t offer me what I’m worth? I’m happy, Allison! I love our apartment and I love my job! I love Gilligan and in a few months I’ll love him as my husband and if we ever have children we’ll decide our next step together.” Margo stuffed her gloves into her bag. “And I can’t keep doing this! Every time we see each other you act like I’m some prized beast abused in its pen. I don’t need rescuing from my life, I chose this!”
Allison winced and looked away. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“I miss you.” Margo said after a beat. “But if this is all we’re going to talk about when we get to meet up, I’ll miss you more. The old you. The Allison that used to run through the fields with me in our nighties when the moon was bright. The Allison that helped me paint the church fence in white wash daisies. My friend had so many grand adventures planned for her life! Where did that Allison go?”
Allison blinked her misting eyes and set her cup down. “She grew up, Margo.” she tugged off her glove and showed Margo her ring. “I’ve been engaged too, to my father’s business partner. I wanted to tell you, but you hate so much of your old life now, I knew you would just scoff.”
“What?” Margo’s eyes widened. “Does this mean you’re moving away?” she winced at Allison’s glare.
“You can’t even congratulate me!”
“Of course I’m happy for you! But is this what you want?” Margo saw Allison stand abruptly and put her glove back on.
“It doesn’t matter, it's going to help my family, and with Colton’s wealth, I’ll be set for life. I’ll be happy.” she turned away and headed down the steps. “Eventually.”
Margo watched her friend cross the street back towards her home and felt her chest tighten. This visit really had gone as poorly as it could have.
The coach ride back to Tucson was long and hot. Margo had her hand fan fluttering constantly as she listened to the other two engers chatter about business and money as they reached their stop in town. Margo took the driver’s hand to exit the coach and made her way down the street as the sun began to set. As critters started to disperse for the night, Margo heard the familiar trundling sound of another stagecoach pull up beside her and spotted the familiar Blue Gem Stables paint on the side.
“Evening, Margo. Need a ride?” Andrew Littledore’s smiling face was shadowed under his ridiculous uniform top hat.
“Thanks, Andrew, but I think I’ll stretch my legs, I was in a buggy almost all day.”
“Visiting your folks?” Andrew slowed the coach to a crawl so they could converse.
“Yes.” Margo sighed. “I hadn’t been since the engagement announcement. It’s always a bit of work to go see everyone.”
“Gears go with you?” Andrew asked.
“No, he had work today.” Margo fibbed, so used to lying to her family that it took a minute for her to she was talking to Andrew.
“It’s Sunday?” Andrew arched his brow.
“He…” Margo sighed. “It was just me this time, don’t worry, things are fine.” she forced a sweet smile then saw her apartment up ahead the next block. “I’ll talk to you later, thanks for the company.”
“Alright.” Andrew tipped his hat customarily then flicked the reins and turned to take the couch down his route by the time Margo had reached the steps leading down into her basement level apartment.
The light was dim in the house when Margo stepped inside and set her keys in the dish by the door. Staring into the low-ceilinged living room she let out a quiet breath of relief. It was strange that this place felt more like home now after two years than the big house she grew up in. She took off her bonnet and smiled seeing Gears stretched out on their couch, fast asleep. His limited hearing hadn’t woken him when she had come in. She crossed the room and turned up the brightness in their oil lamp before reaching down and touching his shoulder. He flinched then rolled onto his back, stretching his arms above hia head, blinking awake. He smiled seeing her face above him.
“You’re back.” he rested his hand over hers. “Have a nice time?” he stifled a yawn.
“Hmm, better now that I’m home.” Margo walked around the house and sat down next to him, not sure if she wanted to get into it all again now that she was back home. She just wanted to relax.
“That bad?” Gears sat up. “You get to see your friends at least?”
“Well…” Margo leaned back against the couch. “Mary has two little ones to look after now, didn’t have time to visit. I did see Allison but… we had a fight.”
“A fight?” Gears arched a brow. “About what?”
“Just… a lot.” Margo waved her hand and shook her head. “I hope it blows over.”
Gears gave her hand a squeeze then got up to make them both some dinner. Margo spent the rest of her evening thinking about Allison, wondering what would happen if she really did move out of Culdan. Would she ever see her again? Would Allison want to leave because of their fight? She shut her eyes tight and tried to sleep.
Margo didn’t have long to wait before she saw Allison again, one week later there was a frantic hammering on the front door that even Gears heard while they were sitting up in bed talking about their plans for the day.
“I’ll see who it is.” Gears tugged on his cap and headed out the door.
“Uh, it’s Allison?” Gears called.
“What??” Margo jumped out of bed and pulled on one of her dressing gowns, rushing to the door. Sure enough, there was Allison, dressed in enough ribbons and bows and shawls to open a shop. She had a panicked look in her face as she hovered in the doorway, eyeing Gears uneasily then rushing in when she saw Margo and dove into her arms.
“Margo I can’t do it! I can’t marry that buck! He’s nearly twenty years my senior! He has a son nearly my age! I can’t do it!”
“Whoa, Allison!” Margo patted her back and shot Gears a look as he shut the door. “Let's get you off your feet.” she led her into the main living room, listening to her rant close to hysterics about the bumbling, gruff and ‘so very old’ Mr. Walsh.
“And when I told my father I wouldn’t go through with it he said while under his roof I was his to do with what he wished! And under Mr. Walsh’s roof then I’d be his to do with what he wishes! Well! Who’s roof do I have to be under to do what I wish!” Allison half sobbed and leaned into Margo’s shoulder.
“Gears!” Margo tried to whisper loudly but had to signal him over with her hand when he couldn’t hear. She made a drinking motion with her hand and gestured to the kitchen.
“Alright.” Gears whispered back, but went into their kitchen nook while Allison continued to wail.
“So are you running away?” Margo asked.
“Running away? Like a ruffian? I don’t know! I didn’t know where else to go! I was at my wit’s end just trying to find this place! I’ve been jostled and leered and and called to by the most awful men! I don’t think I can live like this! I certainly can’t marry Mr. Walsh though! What other choice do I have!” Allison rubbed her eyes. “No I’m asking! What is there?”
Margo smoothed Allison’s hair and took the teacup from Gears. “Let’s calm down then we’ll think of something. Try this.” she gave her friend the mug and watched her down it in a most un-Allison-like gulp. After a few more minutes of sniffling and huffing she was almost completely asleep against Margo’s shoulder.
“What was in that tea?” Margo looked over at Gears.
“Tea? I thought you meant get her a drink! Just a splash of whiskey! Just, you know, she was freaking out! I didn’t think she’d conk out like that.”
“Gill!” Margo scolded gently. “She’s never had anything stronger than cordial!” she sighed. “Help me get her to bed.”
“And then what?” Gears walked over. “Should we take her home?”
Margo pushed her hands through her hair. “I don’t know yet, let's let her rest, she’s exhausted and scared senseless.”
Gears scooped Allison off the couch and carried her to their bed, setting her down and left the room, letting Margo set about removing her shoes and jackets and shawls until Allison was snoring into her pillow.
“Did she come here on her own all the way from Culdan?” Gears asked as Margo re-entered the room. “She’s terrified of the city.”
“She came to see me. She must be desperate.” Margo picked up Allison’s tea cup and nudged Gears in the shoulder with it while she pinched her brows. Gears reached behind him and grabbed the whiskey bottle giving her a moderate pour which Margo took in one shot then set the cup down. “We got into an argument about her new fiance, her father’s business partner. I didn’t think she was happy, she insisted she was. Now here we are.”
“Well, she’s clearly not happy, maybe she just needs time to cool off and plan her next move.” Gears corked the bottle. “I’ve got a friend who’s sister runs a boarding house we can put her up in if she needs a place.”
“Oh Gears, she’s terrified, please let her stay with us until she gets her city legs, I don’t want to shoo her out of the only place she knows.” Margo pleaded.
Gears sighed. “Ok, but this is a small place, Margo.”
“I know.” She hugged him tight. “And I think a boarding house is a fine idea, I do, but not now. She needs to rest easy.”
Gears kissed the side of her head. “She’s your friend, we’ll figure out the best option.”
Allison slept most of the day and woke late in the afternoon. She had an awkward dinner with them that evening where she sat close to Margo and only spoke with her for the majority of the meal, then retreated to the room when she was finished. Gears told Margo he would sleep on the couch so she could share the bed with Allison.
“I’m sorry about all this.” Allison said the next day as Margo took her on a walk through the city to the market. “I feel so foolish and unprepared.” she stared at the ground as she walked arm in arm with Margo down the sidewalk.
“It’s ok.” Margo said for perhaps the fiftieth time that morning. “We understand it’s tough getting on your feet. We’ll help you the best we can. You still need to come up with a plan though. We need to tell your mother where you are, she’s probably worried sick.”
“But she’ll just tell father and he’ll come and drag me home! No, I can’t tell them where I’ve gone.” Allison pinned her ears flat. “I want to go home so badly but not if the only thing waiting for me there is a tongue lashing ending at an altar with Mr. Walsh!”
“Forget Mr. Walsh.” Margo soothed patiently. “Gill has a place in town that would welcome you to stay, mind you, you will have to find a job to help pay for your room and board, but there’s meals daily and the doe who runs it is very sweet.” she patted her hand at the stricken look on Allison’s face.
“Work?” Allison squeaked. “Work where? I don’t know how to do a thing!” Allison started to wail but flinched as Margo stopped their stroll abruptly.
“Now, stop that. You’re acting like a helpless little girl.” she sighed shortly. “I know you’re better than that. You need to stop acting so sorry for yourself. We can help you, but you have to meet us halfway too, Allison.”
“I’m not acting!” Allison pulled her arm away. “You know what home was like! We had kitchen and laundry staff that did all the washing, cooking and mending! Not to mention the cleaning. The most chores I ever did was washing vegetables before dinner and getting schooled by the tutors my father brought in! I was told I would never have to work so long as I kept a good house… but our house was kept so well by my mother’s staff I never learned that either!”
Margo shook her head. “Well, you have to learn. Are you up for learning? Or are you going back to them?” she rested her hands on her hips as Allison squirmed under her firm gaze then nodded weakly.
“I’ll try.” she said finally.
“Good.” Margo took her arm again. “I work at the tailor shop in the laundry area doing mending and ironing but they are always looking for new laundry girls. You wash clothes, hang them to dry, then take them in and fold them for the customer to come pick up. It’s not difficult.”
Allison nodded. “Not difficult.” she sighed in exasperation. “Ok.”
Working in the laundry mat did prove difficult for Allison, who showed up in her sunday frock to the first shift to be laughed at by the other laundry women who wore simple, bleach stained garments and kept their hair tied back under bandanas. Allison scalded her fingers in laundry water, splashed bleach onto her black stockings and tore one of her puff sleeves on a nail sticking out of one of the doors.
“It’s the most awful place in the world.” she pouted over dinner as she pushed some lentils around on her plate. “I can’t do it forever. I’m going to go crawling home by the end of the week because I can’t handle it.”
“You’ll be ok.” Margo said.
“Oh buck up.” Gear muttered at the same time making Allison gasp and her lip started quivering.
“Gears!” Margo hissed.
“I’m sorry.” Gears rubbed his eyes and dragged his hand down his face looking apologetically at Margo before turning a harder eye to Allison. “Yes, today was hard, so what did you learn? You go back tomorrow and you do it differently. Then you come home and realize it was easier, so you go back again, and again. You go because you have to, and not because it's easy and not because it's fun, but because it's work, and you gotta work to live.” Gears gestured at the table. “This isn’t food, it's hours Margo spent stitching buttons onto clothes, it's the day and a half I spent replacing bolts along line seven. Don’t you see?”
Allison blinked teary eyes and looked away. “I see that you don’t want me here.” she pouted.
“That’s it.” Gears muttered and stood up.
“Gears?” Margo stood up in a panic as Gears walked out of the room and into their bedroom.
“He’s going to throw me out!” Allison started to cry. “I’m trying Margo, I am!” she trembled as the door opened and Gears came back into the room but to both doe’s surprise he was carrying a small wooden oval frame.
“Look here.” Gears ed the frame to Allison who took it from him shakily and looked down and the faded black and white photograph of a gray and white doe mouse wearing a dark house dress, patched at the seams. She carried her chin high, her hat crowned with a collection of feathers and a small pearl pin.
“This is my ma.” Gears sat down next to Alice. “And she’s the hardest working critter I ever knew. Buck or doe, reptile or rodent. My ma could work them all under the table. She did it ‘cause she had two kids to feed. Me, and my sister.”
Allison sniffed and looked at Gears as he continued. “When my ma left my dad, she had one fancy dress to her name, she had to sell everything else to make ends meet. She kept that dress in her closet and took every job she could get. She would sweep floors, cook meals, clean, and even look after other doe’s children. But on special occasions she’d come home and put on that dress, I think she wanted to feel pretty and what the old life was like before the hard times.” he smeared the dust off the glass above her face with his thumb. “She worked hard, took care of us and herself. Eventually, she remarried. She has an easy life now, but she taught me how to survive. And no, it's not fun, it's not easy and at times it's really, really hard.” he looked up at Allison and sighed through his nose. “But if my ma could do it, you can. She was an even bigger powder puff than you when she started.”
Allison swallowed hard and looked at the picture. “I’m trying.” she said softly.
“What did you learn today?” Gears pressed.
“I… I don’t–” Allison looked at his face then down at the picture and took a breath. “I… I wore the wrong type of dress. I think… I think I need something I can work in better.”
“See?” Gears patted her shoulder. “You’re learning. I bet Margo has a spare work dress you can borrow until we get you one of your own. So tomorrow you go in, you work another shift, you learn something else. We’ll talk about it at dinner again, ok?” Allison’s mouth trembled as she forced a smile and nodded. “Good.” Gears nodded. “No more of this ‘I can’t’ talk, you can do it.” He stood up and collected his plates, heading to the kitchen to do the dishes.
“Wait.” Allison stood up and hurried over to him. “I-Th-thank you, Gill-Gears…? Thank you for telling me.” She handed him his frame back. “I’ll do the dishes.” she offered.
Gears gave her a nod and took the picture back, heading back to the bedroom. He was putting the frame back on the little shelf above his dresser when he turned and saw Margo standing in the doorway.
“Sorry.” He muttered. “I know I was hard on her.” he blinked in surprise as she hurried over and hugged him tight around his chest.
“You’re a good buck.” Margo mumbled in his chest then sniffed loud and rested her chin on his left shoulder, repeating herself so he could hear. “You’re a good buck, Gilly.”
Gears hugged her back, rocking side to side slowly. “She’ll get the hang of it.” he sighed. “I miss you out there.” he looked at the couch through the door.
“I miss you too.” Margo curled her fingers into his shirt sleeve. “But you’re right, she’ll get better. One step at a time.”
Gears kissed her on her forehead. “Good, cause I want my room back. And my bunkmate.” he smirked as she flicked his hat and headed back outside.
Allison worked another three days at the laundromat and each day got a bit easier. She even shared a shift with Margo learning to darn socks and fix torn button holes. That night, she repaired the sleeve on her gown sitting on the couch and beamed showing Margo and Gears the lopsided stitches. The next morning she had an announcement.
“I… I think I want to try the boarding house. You two have done so much for me but I can’t keep taking space in this house. Gears needs a real bed to sleep in, you’re getting dreadfully sore.” she gestured to him rubbing the back of his neck.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Margo asked.
“It’s not far from here.” Allison nodded. “If I need you, I know where to go.” she reached into her pocket and pulled out the folded bills from her paycheck. “I want to pay you back, for the food and the help and the… the everything.” She tried to the money to Gears but he shook his head and withdrew his hand.
“You keep that.” he took a drink from his glass. “You earned it, and it was hard earned. You’re already rewarding me by giving my bed back.” he smirked.
Allison smiled and looked down at the bills then clutched them to her chest. “Why was I hoping you’d say that?” she teased gently.
Margo and Gears laughed and raised their glasses.
“To Ally.” Gears nodded. “An independent doe.”
“Independent.” Allison murmured. “I’m independent!” she beamed in realization.
Margo helped Allison move into her new room at the boarding house the next day and got her introduced to her neighbors.
“I can’t thank you enough,” Allison sat on the edge of her bed and looked nervously around her room. “I’m still a bit nervous.”
“It feels that way when you first move to a new place.” Margo brushed some dust off the bedside table and set her packages on it. “But soon it’ll feel like home. I was nervous when I first moved in with Gill.”
“You were?” Allison blinked in surprise. “But you love him! You never quit talking about it back home. I thought you were over the moon to move in together, even if it did make your father fit to be tied.”
Margo laughed. “You can be happy and nervous at the same time. I had never lived on my own before. Sharing a home with someone new was a big step. And yes, there were challenges to get used to, but it worked out. Gill had to change some of his bachelor habits and we both learned how to make it work.”
Allison sighed. “I know I gave you grief before, about running off with a factory worker and living this hard life but… seeing it in person I know you were in the right. I think if your parents saw you they would feel happy for you too. Happy for what you have.” Allison looked at the ground. “I want what you have.” she itted in a mumble.
Margo gave her a side hug. “You’ll get there.” She promised. “And I’ll see you Tuesday for dinner out, !” She said as she gathered her things to leave.
“And I’ll see you at work!” Allison beamed.
Margo was a few blocks from home when she noticed two mice, bucks, stepping out of a stage coach nearby. They were dressed well in woolen suits that probably blazed with the heat, even in the cool of the evening. She saw one look up and down the street before spotting her and pointing her out to his companion. Margo’s stomach tensed as she saw them make their way forward and thought about crossing the street to the other side when she recognized the first buck as Johnny, Allison’s cousin. His black and white patched face was furrowed into a frown as her hurried up, leaving his golden furred harvest mouse companion to puff in his wake.
“Margo! You’re looking, well, this is Pat.” Johnny forced a smile, like he was forcing through the pleasantries of a greeting and introduction to get to the point. “We’re looking for my cousin, Allison’s gone missing. You haven’t seen her, have you?”
Margo took a step back from his looming form and frowned, shaking her head. “Missing? Why is she missing? Why would she be here?” She saw Pat folding his arms tightly and giving Johnny an irritated look.
“We know you’re her best friend.” Pat spoke around a growl. “If she was in trouble, she’d come to you.”
“Is she in trouble?” Margo put her hands on her hips. “Who’s she in trouble with?” She saw Johnny drag his hand down his face in annoyance.
“Margo, quit acting dumb. This isn’t cute. Now tell me where she’s at or–” he looked up as a coach slowed to a crawl nearby and a golden furred dormouse leaned over from the bench.
“Or what?” Andrew frowned down at the two bucks.
“Mind your business, fuzzball.” Pat glared at him.
“My business is making sure you don’t make threats towards Margo that end in dismemberment from her fella.” Andrew patted the bench. “C’mon Margo, I’ll take you home.”
Margo started to go when Johnny grabbed her arm but Andrew cleared his throat loudly.
“Don’t let this silly hat fool you, I’ll kick your tail up and down the street too if you don’t keep your hands off her, friend.” Andrew dropped his voice into a low growl until Johnny loosened his grip. Margo jerked her arms free then hurried over to Andrew and let him pull her up onto the bench beside him. He flicked the reins and got the coach moving as Pat and Johnny grumbled loudly with one another.
“Thanks.” Margo trembled, gripping Andrew’s arm tightly. “Can we go a few blocks away? I don’t want them seeing where I live.”
“No problem, you ok?” Andrew asked in concern.
“I’m fine I’m… just trying to help a friend of mine and trouble followed her into town.” Margo shuddered.
“Should we alert the sheriff?” Andrew turned them down a new street, noticing the two bucks attempting to tail them from a distance.
“No.” Margo sighed. “It’s not as bad as that I think. She just needs to be careful.”
“So do you, I don’t want you getting hurt. Besides, can you imagine the carnage that would rain down if Gears found out some bucks were being rough with you?”
“I’ll be fine.” Margo nodded. “But you’re right, Gears could get hurt if he got caught up with this anymore then he already has. If you give him a ride home tonight could you give him a warning?”
“I will, but seriously, I want you safe too. If they get grabby again holler your head off for a deputy, I’m not joking.” Andrew took another block and turned down a narrow alley street until they were back along the main road. Once Andrew was sure they had lost their followers he took Margo back down the street and dropped her off at home.
“Take it easy.” Andrew tipped his hat and waited for her to get inside before resuming his route.
Margo tried to take the rest of the evening easy, but knowing Johnny and his friend were looking for Allison kept her filled with dread. If they found her would they drag her home? Johnny’s friend looked like he had even less patience than he did. Keeping Allison locked away also didn’t feel right, she wanted her freedom. She was so preoccupied she didn’t even notice the chiming of the clock until she heard Gears call that he was home.
“Strange coming home to an empty house.” he mused aloud until he caught sight of Margo sitting at the empty table. “Everything alright?”
“Hmm? Oh yes uh, did Andrew speak to you?” she asked.
“Haven’t seen Golden Boy in a few days. Why? He gettin’ himself shot at again?” he smirked.
“No just, Allison’s cousin was looking for her.” Margo wrung her wrist. “And I’m worried what he’d do if he found her.”
“You don’t think he’d hurt her?” Gears frowned, the fur along his grease-stained arms bristling at the thought.
“I don’t know, he seemed really angry when he talked to me. His friend too.”
“They came here?” Gears lashed his tail angrily.
“No, they saw me walking, I’m just scared for her.” Margo looked away guiltily. “Andrew saw them and gave me a ride home but I think they’re still looking for her.”
“Are you ok?” Gears sat down next to her.”
“Just scared for her.” Margo itted.
Gears squeezed her hand when there was a loud knocking at the door. Gears looked over his shoulder. “Didn’t take long for her to swing by for a visit.” he stood up and crossed over towards the door, he opened it to see two bucks standing there. Margo bristled at the table recognizing Johnny and Pat.
“Evening.” Johnny said, stepping closer to the doorway but Gears made no step back to allow him entry, leaving them nearly nose to nose. “We’re friends of Margo, she home?”
“Who’s askin’?” Gears narrowed his blue eyes up at the taller buck but planted his work boot firmly behind the cracked door.
“Johnny Corrd, Allison’s cousin, this is my associate, Pat Walsh.”
“Margo’s not feeling well.” Gears folded his arms. “Saw something foul earlier that made her feel sick. Some sludge balls on the street.”
“Look, Greaseball, we’re just looking for Allison. The wispy little wretch is supposed to be getting married to my father. The sooner you help us find her, the sooner you are your so-called fiance can go back to living in squalorly bliss.” Pet showed his teeth menacingly, tucking his fingers into his suit jacket and cracking his knuckles.
“Never heard of her.” Gears pinned his ears. “My turn, buttons. How about your and splotch face get your pampered powered hides off my doorstep before I crack your empty skulls together like a couple of rotten walnuts.” Gears’ voice rose as he jabbed Pat’s chest sharply with his finger. “And if either of your harass my Margo again I’ll beat yours faces up, down and sideways from here to the picket gates of your pretty little dollhouses back in Culdan!” he stomped forward making Johnny lean back slightly then slammed the door heavily in Johnny’s face, twisting the bolt to lock it as he turned around and headed back to Margo.
“Truth be told I only picked up half of what marble mouth and grumpy were saying back there but I heard so-called fiance and that boiled my blood.” he took off his cap and raked his finger through his headfur.
Margo looked at the front door nervously, watched the shadows cast by Pat and Johnny in the street lamp above recede as they walked back up the stairs. “Gill, what if they come back?” she asked shakily.
“Then I stove their faces in with a frying pan, don’t worry.” Gears patted her shoulder. “They’ll get bored trawling the city sooner or later and go home. Allison will be fine.”
Margo squeezed his hand but didn’t look convinced. After dinner she curled up on her side of their bed feeling anxious and unsure. When Gears ed her a little later in the dark she turned to face him.
“Sorry if I got out of hand before.” Gears tried to apologize. “With those suits.”
“No, you were fine.” Margo sighed. “But I have a feeling they won’t leave. I think Allison does need to tell her family where she is, that’s she’s safe but she’s happy now and not coming back to marry that Mr. Walsh. I think that’s the only way to stop Johnny and Pat from trying to find her and bring her back.”
“We’ll talk to Ally about it tomorrow.” Gears yawned. “Don’t be scared, it’ll work out.” he raised his arm and let Margo nestled close to his chest. He smelled like hot iron and sweet leather. She closed her eyes, happy that despite everything, she was going to sleep well in his arms again for the first time in a week.
Margo was eager to go out and find Allison the next morning but to her surprise she wasn’t at the boarding house the next morning when she rushed over. The landlord said she had left that morning for the farmer’s market to get some groceries. By the time Margo got a coach ride to the market it was in full Saturday morning swing. The streets were packed with critters of every shade, spot and stripe. It took almost an hour for her to spot Alisson’s woven bonnet inspecting a bottle of cooking oil from a vendor and she ran up to her, spooking her with her sudden appearance.
“Margo!” Allison gasped then fanned her face. “I was wondering if I’d see you here! I came out on my own and… and it was ok!” she smiled. “Not all scary like last time.” She put the bottle in her basket.
“Allison, your cousin came by last night, he was with Pat Walsh, all hot and bothered looking for you!” Margo clasped her hand. “They want to take you back!”
Allison’s eyes widened. “They’re looking for me?” She looked around anxiously. “But I don’t want to go back!”
“I know, but we need to tell your father to call them off. You have to make him listen to you. I don’t think Johnny and Pat were going to debate with you.”
“What do I do?” Allison whimpered, fanning herself anxiously with her hands. “How do I get my father to call them off from here? If I go back to talk to him he’ll just lock me away!”
“We don’t know that, but we can send them a wire from the train station. It’ll be something.” she took her hand. “Come on.” She took her hand and wove through the crowd towards the station.
It took them a while to get to the front of the line in the train station and to work out the message they could send in the shortest amount of words. Eventually they settled on:
“Father. I am safe and happy. Call off the search. Will write to you soon. Alisson.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay with us until word comes back?” Margo asked as she walked Allison back to her boarding house.
“No, I should be ok here.” Allison insisted. “I don’t want to draw anymore trouble to your doorstep.” She reached the front door and gasped. “I left my bag at the train station! It has my room key in it, and everything!”
Margo looked over her shoulder at the street anxiously. “Stay here, I’ll go get it.”
“Nonsense, I’ll go with you, if Johnny shows his face I won’t let him be gruff with you again.” Allison said fiercely in a voice Margo had not heard her use before. “Let’s hurry.”
The two rushed back towards the station, the market was clo with vendors returning to their homes and businesses. The streets started to empty around the station as Margo and Allison made their way up the steps inside.
“Oh I do thank you so much!” Allison gushed to the rat behind the counter who handed her back her basket and clutch. “Ok, it's all here.” She sighed in relief to Margo. “Let’s go.”
“Let’s take a coach back.” Margo looked at the shadows lengthening on the ground outside. “I want to get off the street before it gets too dark again.”
“Ok.” Allison took her arm and followed her around the train station steps back onto the main street. They hadn’t gone far when they heard a voice bark at them from down the street.
“Margo! Ally!”
Allison flinched and Margo flattened her ears, turning around only to see Gears was waving at them as he crossed the street.
“What are you two doin’ out here?” He tilted his good ears towards them.
Margo breathed a sigh of relief and Allison loosened her grip on Margo’s forearm.
“We were just on our way home.” Margo looped her arm with his. “She knows about Johnny.” she added as Gears held out an arm for Allison too and she took it eagerly.
“Alright then, let's head home.” Gears shrugged.
“You can drop me off at the boarding house, I’ll be ok.” Allison started but gasped softly as they turned the block and saw Johnny and Pat leaning against one of the brick buildings across the street from the boarding house. Johnny flicked the burning nub of a cigarillo into the gutter and snapped the lapels of his suit jacket as his eyes locked on them.
“Never heard of her, eh?” Pat snorted. “Couldn’t be satisfied with one rich buck’s daughter, you had to swindle another away from her fiance and family to have your kicks! Well enough’s enough. Allison! Get over here!” Johnny snapped at the ground in front of him.
“Shut your traps.” Gears curled his lip. “She’s not some pet. She’s a free doe, she can do as she pleases.”
“So help me, cousin, you’re getting in this coach if I have to drag you onboard by the hair.” Johnny said in a warning tone.
“That’s kidnapping.” Gears slid his arms from Margo and Allison’s grip and balled his hands into fists at his side. “And you’re a right pair of fools if you think I’ll let you put one hand on her.” His eyes flashed. “On either of them.”
“I had a feeling you’d be difficult.” Pat smirked and glanced to the side alley between them. Margo heard the steps and looked to the left but Gears never heard the attack until a fist collided with his face with a crack knocking him into the gutter. Margo screamed in fear and grabbed Allison, pulling her back.
“Gears!” She gasped as the attacking buck, a dark gray mouse with a white throat turned to face them and a second dark brown mouse followed him out of the alley. Margo gasped and backed up quickly, then ed what Andrew said and screamed out loud, making the two bucks hesitate for a moment in front of them.
“HELP! POLICE! ANYONE!” she screeched. She took Allison’s wrist and yanked her into a dash back down the street trying to put some distance between them and the bucks.
The two bucks started to give chase when the gray buck yelped in alarm and he was ripped backwards by the tail and dealt a brutal right hook across the muzzle.
“Gotta hit harder than that!” Gears snarled, socking him with his left then driving a hit low to his gut before running after the brown buck and tackling him flat to the ground just paces before he tried to grab Allison’s hair.
“Run! Get inside!” Gears yelled at them as he wrestled to keep the larger buck down then cried out as Johnny rushed up and dealt him a heavy kick to the ribs, knocking him off the brown buck, who rolled and seized Gears by the arms, holding him fast by the time Pat caught up and started delivering a series of punches to Gears’ middle.
“Gill!” Margo skidded to a halt seeing Gears overwhelmed.
“No!” Allison gasped then turned and ran back the way they had come, she reached into her bag and pulled out her glass bottle of cooking oil. With a scream of fury and fear she brought it smashing down onto Pat’s head, shattering it and coating them all with slick cooking oil.
Margo rushed in and shoved Johnny’s chest, he flailed in the slick oil and fell hard on his back onto the pavement letting out a guttural gasp. She grabbed the brown buck’s ears and wrenched them back painfully. He let go and struck her across the face, Margo fell against the side of the brick building and looked up to see Gears plow the brown mouse flat, trapping his arms in a straddle he started to punch his face in a series of hooks, snarling the foulest curses and obscenities at him.
Margo stood up and grabbed Allison, pulling her back as the gray buck started towards them again when there was a commotion in the street. Loud whistles blew followed by the squawking of quail as two uniformed police deputies raced around the block on bobwhites.
One jumped down and tackled Gears flat off the unconscious brown mouse, bleeding heavily from his nose and lip. The other drew his pistol at the gray mouse and Johnny as he struggled to stand in the slick oil puddle. Pat lay unconscious surrounded by the broken glass.
“Stop! Stop!” Margo hurried forward. “He’s with us!” Margo pleaded, tugging his arm where he was forcing Gears’s face into the glass strewn street.
“Officers!” Allison found her voice. “These men tried to kidnap me!” She pointed at Johnny directly, her blue eyes full of fire. “And they attacked my friends!”
The officer released Gears then rushed over to help his partner put the four bucks in cuffs while a third officer rode in leading a bar-windowed jail coach.
“Gears.” Margo gasped, helping pull him up from the pavement with a wince seeing him flinch and grit his teeth. She crouched on the pavement next to him, wrapping her arms around him, trying to be gentle but wanted to hug him as tightly as possible.
“You ok?” he rasped into her ears. She sniffed and rubbed her teary eyes. Of course he was worried about her. He was a bleeding wreck and still only had eyes for her pains.
“I’m fine.” she sniffed as he rested a hand on her stinging cheek, his knuckles busted and bleeding.
“It’s over.” Gears looked up seeing Allison chattering a mile a minute to the police officer writing furiously in his pad. She kept pointing violently at Johnny and Pat and lashing her tail.
“She saved your neck.” Margo sniffed heavily and rubbed her streaming eyes. “I just froze…”
Gears shook his head and hugged her close as she started to cry. “You didn’t do anything wrong, it’s ok.” he soothed as Allison walked up to Johnny, shouting after him and making a very rude un-Allison-like gesture at his back as he was shoved into the paddy wagon.
Allison hurried back to them, fanning her hands in front of her face.
“That was… terrifying!” she gasped. “And Gears you poor thing!” She reached out to take his other arm and together the two does struggled to pull him to his feet, his legs shaking, still bent double, he made it to a bench outside the door of the building and sat with a wince.
Allison fetched something from the street and hurried back to them, handing Gears his hat.
“Should we go to the hospital?” Allison fanned her hands anxiously. “Are you badly hurt?”
“Ugh, no hospitals.” Gears rubbed Margo’s shoulder, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. “Don’t worry about me, Ally.” he smiled at her. “I’m just glad you’re both ok.”
“But you look awful!” Allison sniffed.
“I’ll look worse in the morning, but I’ll live.” Gears raised his gaze to the officer coming up behind her.
“Miss, can I get a name for the report?” he tapped the pencil to his pad.
Allison looked back at her friends and nodded. “Ally, Ally Corrd.”
“Well Miss Corrd, friends, have a safer evening. We’ll be in touch.” he tipped his hat before climbing back into the saddle and spurring his quail after the wagon.
–
“How’s Gears doing?” Allison asked over dinner a few nights later.
“He’s as stiff as a board.” Margo sighed. “But insists he’s fine to go back to work. I’ve drawn him a hot salt bath every night this week. I think he’s getting better, it’s my job to worry though.”
Allison smiled. “That’s good, he can act as tough as he wants so long as you’re there to make sure he doesn’t act too foolishly.” she sipped her water.
“What about you?” Margo sighed. “Any big news from your father?”
Allison let out a nervous giggle. “Well, he wasn’t thrilled to hear about his nephew and business partner’s son getting jailed for attempted kidnapping. He still wants me to come back home, now that the marriage to Mr. Walsh is off the table. It turns out he met another young doe to take his fancy.”
“Are you thinking of going back?” Margo blinked in surprise. “I know you missed home.”
“I did miss it, but I think I’m going to stay here.” Allison smiled into her glass. “My parents aren’t going anywhere, I can always visit.” She bit her lip shyly. “And the city has so many cute young bucks! So much more than Culdan!”
“You’re terrible.” Margo laughed. “But I’m happy for you.”
“I’m happy for me too.” Allison wiggled her shoulders and looked around the restaurant. “So now you have to help me find a date for your wedding!”
“It’s so soon though!” Margo laughed. The two friends continued their banter and enjoyed their meal, as the sun set outside the window behind them.
Finally some doe-led Skytown stories. I do love my gents but I need some more fem stories for sure ;)
Margo helps her old friend settle in Tucson, Allison gains some independence and Gears needs an ice pack.
I haven't posted much Gears and Margo art here in probably forever but the Tucson Crew is another sect of Skytown characters outside of the main Hidden Stars stories I have been posting most often. Maybe someday I'll work backwards and post some older short stories from then as well ;)
Until then, You can read proetty much anything I've written for the Tucson Crew through this link list: https://skytowncomic.tumblr.com/drabbles I do need to update a better collection site for my writing since dA's gone down the tubes. But that's an issue for another day...“They really said that to you?” Allison gasped as she and Margo stirred their tea outside the cafe. Margo had recently visited to see her family in Culdan outside Tucson, after things hadn’t gone as swimmingly as Margo had liked, Alice had offered to come back and spend the day with her in town before she headed back to the city.
“It probably sounds worse to hear her say it but I still feel… bad.” Margo set her teaspoon aside and peered at her white gloved hand, she was still dressed from her family’s Sunday luncheon and the more she stared at it the more it felt out of place. “It’s nearly ninety degrees, why do we bother wearing these right now.” she muttered, pulling them off and trying to ignore the mild look of scandal crossing Allison’s face.
“Well I’m sure they had a reason-” Allison began but stopped seeing Margo shake her head roughly.
“I know their reason, my father wants a grandson so he will have someone to leave the mines to since we know he doesn’t trust the business to my mother or me. Because we’re does.” she added in irritation. “But hearing my mother agree, and then to say ‘and so we’ll have a reason to come visit you in your new home.’ I couldn’t leave soon enough!”
“But you stayed through the whole thing!” Allison said. “You were brought up with proper manners.”
“I was held hostage by my manners! If I had a shred of courage I would have told them off there. It was rude enough not to invite Gilligan to the event, but to then berate me for the engagement like it was somehow up for discussion.” Margo took a sip of her tea. “And then to immediately switch the topic to children! They don’t approve of my future husband at all but my father would rather see me become a mother as soon as possible to keep me out of trouble!”
“What sort of trouble? Don’t tell me Gears has you working.” Allison wrinkled her nose at the thought.
“Working isn’t horrible, Allison.” Margo shrugged. “Honestly, I enjoy it! I get to leave the house, meet new people and do more than I ever did in my father’s house like some sort of caged bird.”
“But you shouldn’t have to! I’m sorry to say this Margo, but your parents have a point! They don’t want you wasting your years working dismal jobs! You should be a homemaker! In a proper home too! Not that dingy apartment you don’t even own! If you don’t want children that’s another level of absurd but I understand it being an issue with… well.”
“With what?” Margo’s eyes flashed in warning, Allison was getting dangerously close to bouthing Gears, something she wouldn’t tolerate from her friend even though she had spent the last day and a half biting her tongue fiercely in front of her family.
“Sorry.” Allison frowned. “I know he’s sweet, a-and good to you. But he can’t offer you what you’re worth. You know this.” She stared at her teacup awkwardly.
“Who’s to say he doesn’t offer me what I’m worth? I’m happy, Allison! I love our apartment and I love my job! I love Gilligan and in a few months I’ll love him as my husband and if we ever have children we’ll decide our next step together.” Margo stuffed her gloves into her bag. “And I can’t keep doing this! Every time we see each other you act like I’m some prized beast abused in its pen. I don’t need rescuing from my life, I chose this!”
Allison winced and looked away. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“I miss you.” Margo said after a beat. “But if this is all we’re going to talk about when we get to meet up, I’ll miss you more. The old you. The Allison that used to run through the fields with me in our nighties when the moon was bright. The Allison that helped me paint the church fence in white wash daisies. My friend had so many grand adventures planned for her life! Where did that Allison go?”
Allison blinked her misting eyes and set her cup down. “She grew up, Margo.” she tugged off her glove and showed Margo her ring. “I’ve been engaged too, to my father’s business partner. I wanted to tell you, but you hate so much of your old life now, I knew you would just scoff.”
“What?” Margo’s eyes widened. “Does this mean you’re moving away?” she winced at Allison’s glare.
“You can’t even congratulate me!”
“Of course I’m happy for you! But is this what you want?” Margo saw Allison stand abruptly and put her glove back on.
“It doesn’t matter, it's going to help my family, and with Colton’s wealth, I’ll be set for life. I’ll be happy.” she turned away and headed down the steps. “Eventually.”
Margo watched her friend cross the street back towards her home and felt her chest tighten. This visit really had gone as poorly as it could have.
The coach ride back to Tucson was long and hot. Margo had her hand fan fluttering constantly as she listened to the other two engers chatter about business and money as they reached their stop in town. Margo took the driver’s hand to exit the coach and made her way down the street as the sun began to set. As critters started to disperse for the night, Margo heard the familiar trundling sound of another stagecoach pull up beside her and spotted the familiar Blue Gem Stables paint on the side.
“Evening, Margo. Need a ride?” Andrew Littledore’s smiling face was shadowed under his ridiculous uniform top hat.
“Thanks, Andrew, but I think I’ll stretch my legs, I was in a buggy almost all day.”
“Visiting your folks?” Andrew slowed the coach to a crawl so they could converse.
“Yes.” Margo sighed. “I hadn’t been since the engagement announcement. It’s always a bit of work to go see everyone.”
“Gears go with you?” Andrew asked.
“No, he had work today.” Margo fibbed, so used to lying to her family that it took a minute for her to she was talking to Andrew.
“It’s Sunday?” Andrew arched his brow.
“He…” Margo sighed. “It was just me this time, don’t worry, things are fine.” she forced a sweet smile then saw her apartment up ahead the next block. “I’ll talk to you later, thanks for the company.”
“Alright.” Andrew tipped his hat customarily then flicked the reins and turned to take the couch down his route by the time Margo had reached the steps leading down into her basement level apartment.
The light was dim in the house when Margo stepped inside and set her keys in the dish by the door. Staring into the low-ceilinged living room she let out a quiet breath of relief. It was strange that this place felt more like home now after two years than the big house she grew up in. She took off her bonnet and smiled seeing Gears stretched out on their couch, fast asleep. His limited hearing hadn’t woken him when she had come in. She crossed the room and turned up the brightness in their oil lamp before reaching down and touching his shoulder. He flinched then rolled onto his back, stretching his arms above hia head, blinking awake. He smiled seeing her face above him.
“You’re back.” he rested his hand over hers. “Have a nice time?” he stifled a yawn.
“Hmm, better now that I’m home.” Margo walked around the house and sat down next to him, not sure if she wanted to get into it all again now that she was back home. She just wanted to relax.
“That bad?” Gears sat up. “You get to see your friends at least?”
“Well…” Margo leaned back against the couch. “Mary has two little ones to look after now, didn’t have time to visit. I did see Allison but… we had a fight.”
“A fight?” Gears arched a brow. “About what?”
“Just… a lot.” Margo waved her hand and shook her head. “I hope it blows over.”
Gears gave her hand a squeeze then got up to make them both some dinner. Margo spent the rest of her evening thinking about Allison, wondering what would happen if she really did move out of Culdan. Would she ever see her again? Would Allison want to leave because of their fight? She shut her eyes tight and tried to sleep.
Margo didn’t have long to wait before she saw Allison again, one week later there was a frantic hammering on the front door that even Gears heard while they were sitting up in bed talking about their plans for the day.
“I’ll see who it is.” Gears tugged on his cap and headed out the door.
“Uh, it’s Allison?” Gears called.
“What??” Margo jumped out of bed and pulled on one of her dressing gowns, rushing to the door. Sure enough, there was Allison, dressed in enough ribbons and bows and shawls to open a shop. She had a panicked look in her face as she hovered in the doorway, eyeing Gears uneasily then rushing in when she saw Margo and dove into her arms.
“Margo I can’t do it! I can’t marry that buck! He’s nearly twenty years my senior! He has a son nearly my age! I can’t do it!”
“Whoa, Allison!” Margo patted her back and shot Gears a look as he shut the door. “Let's get you off your feet.” she led her into the main living room, listening to her rant close to hysterics about the bumbling, gruff and ‘so very old’ Mr. Walsh.
“And when I told my father I wouldn’t go through with it he said while under his roof I was his to do with what he wished! And under Mr. Walsh’s roof then I’d be his to do with what he wishes! Well! Who’s roof do I have to be under to do what I wish!” Allison half sobbed and leaned into Margo’s shoulder.
“Gears!” Margo tried to whisper loudly but had to signal him over with her hand when he couldn’t hear. She made a drinking motion with her hand and gestured to the kitchen.
“Alright.” Gears whispered back, but went into their kitchen nook while Allison continued to wail.
“So are you running away?” Margo asked.
“Running away? Like a ruffian? I don’t know! I didn’t know where else to go! I was at my wit’s end just trying to find this place! I’ve been jostled and leered and and called to by the most awful men! I don’t think I can live like this! I certainly can’t marry Mr. Walsh though! What other choice do I have!” Allison rubbed her eyes. “No I’m asking! What is there?”
Margo smoothed Allison’s hair and took the teacup from Gears. “Let’s calm down then we’ll think of something. Try this.” she gave her friend the mug and watched her down it in a most un-Allison-like gulp. After a few more minutes of sniffling and huffing she was almost completely asleep against Margo’s shoulder.
“What was in that tea?” Margo looked over at Gears.
“Tea? I thought you meant get her a drink! Just a splash of whiskey! Just, you know, she was freaking out! I didn’t think she’d conk out like that.”
“Gill!” Margo scolded gently. “She’s never had anything stronger than cordial!” she sighed. “Help me get her to bed.”
“And then what?” Gears walked over. “Should we take her home?”
Margo pushed her hands through her hair. “I don’t know yet, let's let her rest, she’s exhausted and scared senseless.”
Gears scooped Allison off the couch and carried her to their bed, setting her down and left the room, letting Margo set about removing her shoes and jackets and shawls until Allison was snoring into her pillow.
“Did she come here on her own all the way from Culdan?” Gears asked as Margo re-entered the room. “She’s terrified of the city.”
“She came to see me. She must be desperate.” Margo picked up Allison’s tea cup and nudged Gears in the shoulder with it while she pinched her brows. Gears reached behind him and grabbed the whiskey bottle giving her a moderate pour which Margo took in one shot then set the cup down. “We got into an argument about her new fiance, her father’s business partner. I didn’t think she was happy, she insisted she was. Now here we are.”
“Well, she’s clearly not happy, maybe she just needs time to cool off and plan her next move.” Gears corked the bottle. “I’ve got a friend who’s sister runs a boarding house we can put her up in if she needs a place.”
“Oh Gears, she’s terrified, please let her stay with us until she gets her city legs, I don’t want to shoo her out of the only place she knows.” Margo pleaded.
Gears sighed. “Ok, but this is a small place, Margo.”
“I know.” She hugged him tight. “And I think a boarding house is a fine idea, I do, but not now. She needs to rest easy.”
Gears kissed the side of her head. “She’s your friend, we’ll figure out the best option.”
Allison slept most of the day and woke late in the afternoon. She had an awkward dinner with them that evening where she sat close to Margo and only spoke with her for the majority of the meal, then retreated to the room when she was finished. Gears told Margo he would sleep on the couch so she could share the bed with Allison.
“I’m sorry about all this.” Allison said the next day as Margo took her on a walk through the city to the market. “I feel so foolish and unprepared.” she stared at the ground as she walked arm in arm with Margo down the sidewalk.
“It’s ok.” Margo said for perhaps the fiftieth time that morning. “We understand it’s tough getting on your feet. We’ll help you the best we can. You still need to come up with a plan though. We need to tell your mother where you are, she’s probably worried sick.”
“But she’ll just tell father and he’ll come and drag me home! No, I can’t tell them where I’ve gone.” Allison pinned her ears flat. “I want to go home so badly but not if the only thing waiting for me there is a tongue lashing ending at an altar with Mr. Walsh!”
“Forget Mr. Walsh.” Margo soothed patiently. “Gill has a place in town that would welcome you to stay, mind you, you will have to find a job to help pay for your room and board, but there’s meals daily and the doe who runs it is very sweet.” she patted her hand at the stricken look on Allison’s face.
“Work?” Allison squeaked. “Work where? I don’t know how to do a thing!” Allison started to wail but flinched as Margo stopped their stroll abruptly.
“Now, stop that. You’re acting like a helpless little girl.” she sighed shortly. “I know you’re better than that. You need to stop acting so sorry for yourself. We can help you, but you have to meet us halfway too, Allison.”
“I’m not acting!” Allison pulled her arm away. “You know what home was like! We had kitchen and laundry staff that did all the washing, cooking and mending! Not to mention the cleaning. The most chores I ever did was washing vegetables before dinner and getting schooled by the tutors my father brought in! I was told I would never have to work so long as I kept a good house… but our house was kept so well by my mother’s staff I never learned that either!”
Margo shook her head. “Well, you have to learn. Are you up for learning? Or are you going back to them?” she rested her hands on her hips as Allison squirmed under her firm gaze then nodded weakly.
“I’ll try.” she said finally.
“Good.” Margo took her arm again. “I work at the tailor shop in the laundry area doing mending and ironing but they are always looking for new laundry girls. You wash clothes, hang them to dry, then take them in and fold them for the customer to come pick up. It’s not difficult.”
Allison nodded. “Not difficult.” she sighed in exasperation. “Ok.”
Working in the laundry mat did prove difficult for Allison, who showed up in her sunday frock to the first shift to be laughed at by the other laundry women who wore simple, bleach stained garments and kept their hair tied back under bandanas. Allison scalded her fingers in laundry water, splashed bleach onto her black stockings and tore one of her puff sleeves on a nail sticking out of one of the doors.
“It’s the most awful place in the world.” she pouted over dinner as she pushed some lentils around on her plate. “I can’t do it forever. I’m going to go crawling home by the end of the week because I can’t handle it.”
“You’ll be ok.” Margo said.
“Oh buck up.” Gear muttered at the same time making Allison gasp and her lip started quivering.
“Gears!” Margo hissed.
“I’m sorry.” Gears rubbed his eyes and dragged his hand down his face looking apologetically at Margo before turning a harder eye to Allison. “Yes, today was hard, so what did you learn? You go back tomorrow and you do it differently. Then you come home and realize it was easier, so you go back again, and again. You go because you have to, and not because it's easy and not because it's fun, but because it's work, and you gotta work to live.” Gears gestured at the table. “This isn’t food, it's hours Margo spent stitching buttons onto clothes, it's the day and a half I spent replacing bolts along line seven. Don’t you see?”
Allison blinked teary eyes and looked away. “I see that you don’t want me here.” she pouted.
“That’s it.” Gears muttered and stood up.
“Gears?” Margo stood up in a panic as Gears walked out of the room and into their bedroom.
“He’s going to throw me out!” Allison started to cry. “I’m trying Margo, I am!” she trembled as the door opened and Gears came back into the room but to both doe’s surprise he was carrying a small wooden oval frame.
“Look here.” Gears ed the frame to Allison who took it from him shakily and looked down and the faded black and white photograph of a gray and white doe mouse wearing a dark house dress, patched at the seams. She carried her chin high, her hat crowned with a collection of feathers and a small pearl pin.
“This is my ma.” Gears sat down next to Alice. “And she’s the hardest working critter I ever knew. Buck or doe, reptile or rodent. My ma could work them all under the table. She did it ‘cause she had two kids to feed. Me, and my sister.”
Allison sniffed and looked at Gears as he continued. “When my ma left my dad, she had one fancy dress to her name, she had to sell everything else to make ends meet. She kept that dress in her closet and took every job she could get. She would sweep floors, cook meals, clean, and even look after other doe’s children. But on special occasions she’d come home and put on that dress, I think she wanted to feel pretty and what the old life was like before the hard times.” he smeared the dust off the glass above her face with his thumb. “She worked hard, took care of us and herself. Eventually, she remarried. She has an easy life now, but she taught me how to survive. And no, it's not fun, it's not easy and at times it's really, really hard.” he looked up at Allison and sighed through his nose. “But if my ma could do it, you can. She was an even bigger powder puff than you when she started.”
Allison swallowed hard and looked at the picture. “I’m trying.” she said softly.
“What did you learn today?” Gears pressed.
“I… I don’t–” Allison looked at his face then down at the picture and took a breath. “I… I wore the wrong type of dress. I think… I think I need something I can work in better.”
“See?” Gears patted her shoulder. “You’re learning. I bet Margo has a spare work dress you can borrow until we get you one of your own. So tomorrow you go in, you work another shift, you learn something else. We’ll talk about it at dinner again, ok?” Allison’s mouth trembled as she forced a smile and nodded. “Good.” Gears nodded. “No more of this ‘I can’t’ talk, you can do it.” He stood up and collected his plates, heading to the kitchen to do the dishes.
“Wait.” Allison stood up and hurried over to him. “I-Th-thank you, Gill-Gears…? Thank you for telling me.” She handed him his frame back. “I’ll do the dishes.” she offered.
Gears gave her a nod and took the picture back, heading back to the bedroom. He was putting the frame back on the little shelf above his dresser when he turned and saw Margo standing in the doorway.
“Sorry.” He muttered. “I know I was hard on her.” he blinked in surprise as she hurried over and hugged him tight around his chest.
“You’re a good buck.” Margo mumbled in his chest then sniffed loud and rested her chin on his left shoulder, repeating herself so he could hear. “You’re a good buck, Gilly.”
Gears hugged her back, rocking side to side slowly. “She’ll get the hang of it.” he sighed. “I miss you out there.” he looked at the couch through the door.
“I miss you too.” Margo curled her fingers into his shirt sleeve. “But you’re right, she’ll get better. One step at a time.”
Gears kissed her on her forehead. “Good, cause I want my room back. And my bunkmate.” he smirked as she flicked his hat and headed back outside.
Allison worked another three days at the laundromat and each day got a bit easier. She even shared a shift with Margo learning to darn socks and fix torn button holes. That night, she repaired the sleeve on her gown sitting on the couch and beamed showing Margo and Gears the lopsided stitches. The next morning she had an announcement.
“I… I think I want to try the boarding house. You two have done so much for me but I can’t keep taking space in this house. Gears needs a real bed to sleep in, you’re getting dreadfully sore.” she gestured to him rubbing the back of his neck.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Margo asked.
“It’s not far from here.” Allison nodded. “If I need you, I know where to go.” she reached into her pocket and pulled out the folded bills from her paycheck. “I want to pay you back, for the food and the help and the… the everything.” She tried to the money to Gears but he shook his head and withdrew his hand.
“You keep that.” he took a drink from his glass. “You earned it, and it was hard earned. You’re already rewarding me by giving my bed back.” he smirked.
Allison smiled and looked down at the bills then clutched them to her chest. “Why was I hoping you’d say that?” she teased gently.
Margo and Gears laughed and raised their glasses.
“To Ally.” Gears nodded. “An independent doe.”
“Independent.” Allison murmured. “I’m independent!” she beamed in realization.
Margo helped Allison move into her new room at the boarding house the next day and got her introduced to her neighbors.
“I can’t thank you enough,” Allison sat on the edge of her bed and looked nervously around her room. “I’m still a bit nervous.”
“It feels that way when you first move to a new place.” Margo brushed some dust off the bedside table and set her packages on it. “But soon it’ll feel like home. I was nervous when I first moved in with Gill.”
“You were?” Allison blinked in surprise. “But you love him! You never quit talking about it back home. I thought you were over the moon to move in together, even if it did make your father fit to be tied.”
Margo laughed. “You can be happy and nervous at the same time. I had never lived on my own before. Sharing a home with someone new was a big step. And yes, there were challenges to get used to, but it worked out. Gill had to change some of his bachelor habits and we both learned how to make it work.”
Allison sighed. “I know I gave you grief before, about running off with a factory worker and living this hard life but… seeing it in person I know you were in the right. I think if your parents saw you they would feel happy for you too. Happy for what you have.” Allison looked at the ground. “I want what you have.” she itted in a mumble.
Margo gave her a side hug. “You’ll get there.” She promised. “And I’ll see you Tuesday for dinner out, !” She said as she gathered her things to leave.
“And I’ll see you at work!” Allison beamed.
Margo was a few blocks from home when she noticed two mice, bucks, stepping out of a stage coach nearby. They were dressed well in woolen suits that probably blazed with the heat, even in the cool of the evening. She saw one look up and down the street before spotting her and pointing her out to his companion. Margo’s stomach tensed as she saw them make their way forward and thought about crossing the street to the other side when she recognized the first buck as Johnny, Allison’s cousin. His black and white patched face was furrowed into a frown as her hurried up, leaving his golden furred harvest mouse companion to puff in his wake.
“Margo! You’re looking, well, this is Pat.” Johnny forced a smile, like he was forcing through the pleasantries of a greeting and introduction to get to the point. “We’re looking for my cousin, Allison’s gone missing. You haven’t seen her, have you?”
Margo took a step back from his looming form and frowned, shaking her head. “Missing? Why is she missing? Why would she be here?” She saw Pat folding his arms tightly and giving Johnny an irritated look.
“We know you’re her best friend.” Pat spoke around a growl. “If she was in trouble, she’d come to you.”
“Is she in trouble?” Margo put her hands on her hips. “Who’s she in trouble with?” She saw Johnny drag his hand down his face in annoyance.
“Margo, quit acting dumb. This isn’t cute. Now tell me where she’s at or–” he looked up as a coach slowed to a crawl nearby and a golden furred dormouse leaned over from the bench.
“Or what?” Andrew frowned down at the two bucks.
“Mind your business, fuzzball.” Pat glared at him.
“My business is making sure you don’t make threats towards Margo that end in dismemberment from her fella.” Andrew patted the bench. “C’mon Margo, I’ll take you home.”
Margo started to go when Johnny grabbed her arm but Andrew cleared his throat loudly.
“Don’t let this silly hat fool you, I’ll kick your tail up and down the street too if you don’t keep your hands off her, friend.” Andrew dropped his voice into a low growl until Johnny loosened his grip. Margo jerked her arms free then hurried over to Andrew and let him pull her up onto the bench beside him. He flicked the reins and got the coach moving as Pat and Johnny grumbled loudly with one another.
“Thanks.” Margo trembled, gripping Andrew’s arm tightly. “Can we go a few blocks away? I don’t want them seeing where I live.”
“No problem, you ok?” Andrew asked in concern.
“I’m fine I’m… just trying to help a friend of mine and trouble followed her into town.” Margo shuddered.
“Should we alert the sheriff?” Andrew turned them down a new street, noticing the two bucks attempting to tail them from a distance.
“No.” Margo sighed. “It’s not as bad as that I think. She just needs to be careful.”
“So do you, I don’t want you getting hurt. Besides, can you imagine the carnage that would rain down if Gears found out some bucks were being rough with you?”
“I’ll be fine.” Margo nodded. “But you’re right, Gears could get hurt if he got caught up with this anymore then he already has. If you give him a ride home tonight could you give him a warning?”
“I will, but seriously, I want you safe too. If they get grabby again holler your head off for a deputy, I’m not joking.” Andrew took another block and turned down a narrow alley street until they were back along the main road. Once Andrew was sure they had lost their followers he took Margo back down the street and dropped her off at home.
“Take it easy.” Andrew tipped his hat and waited for her to get inside before resuming his route.
Margo tried to take the rest of the evening easy, but knowing Johnny and his friend were looking for Allison kept her filled with dread. If they found her would they drag her home? Johnny’s friend looked like he had even less patience than he did. Keeping Allison locked away also didn’t feel right, she wanted her freedom. She was so preoccupied she didn’t even notice the chiming of the clock until she heard Gears call that he was home.
“Strange coming home to an empty house.” he mused aloud until he caught sight of Margo sitting at the empty table. “Everything alright?”
“Hmm? Oh yes uh, did Andrew speak to you?” she asked.
“Haven’t seen Golden Boy in a few days. Why? He gettin’ himself shot at again?” he smirked.
“No just, Allison’s cousin was looking for her.” Margo wrung her wrist. “And I’m worried what he’d do if he found her.”
“You don’t think he’d hurt her?” Gears frowned, the fur along his grease-stained arms bristling at the thought.
“I don’t know, he seemed really angry when he talked to me. His friend too.”
“They came here?” Gears lashed his tail angrily.
“No, they saw me walking, I’m just scared for her.” Margo looked away guiltily. “Andrew saw them and gave me a ride home but I think they’re still looking for her.”
“Are you ok?” Gears sat down next to her.”
“Just scared for her.” Margo itted.
Gears squeezed her hand when there was a loud knocking at the door. Gears looked over his shoulder. “Didn’t take long for her to swing by for a visit.” he stood up and crossed over towards the door, he opened it to see two bucks standing there. Margo bristled at the table recognizing Johnny and Pat.
“Evening.” Johnny said, stepping closer to the doorway but Gears made no step back to allow him entry, leaving them nearly nose to nose. “We’re friends of Margo, she home?”
“Who’s askin’?” Gears narrowed his blue eyes up at the taller buck but planted his work boot firmly behind the cracked door.
“Johnny Corrd, Allison’s cousin, this is my associate, Pat Walsh.”
“Margo’s not feeling well.” Gears folded his arms. “Saw something foul earlier that made her feel sick. Some sludge balls on the street.”
“Look, Greaseball, we’re just looking for Allison. The wispy little wretch is supposed to be getting married to my father. The sooner you help us find her, the sooner you are your so-called fiance can go back to living in squalorly bliss.” Pet showed his teeth menacingly, tucking his fingers into his suit jacket and cracking his knuckles.
“Never heard of her.” Gears pinned his ears. “My turn, buttons. How about your and splotch face get your pampered powered hides off my doorstep before I crack your empty skulls together like a couple of rotten walnuts.” Gears’ voice rose as he jabbed Pat’s chest sharply with his finger. “And if either of your harass my Margo again I’ll beat yours faces up, down and sideways from here to the picket gates of your pretty little dollhouses back in Culdan!” he stomped forward making Johnny lean back slightly then slammed the door heavily in Johnny’s face, twisting the bolt to lock it as he turned around and headed back to Margo.
“Truth be told I only picked up half of what marble mouth and grumpy were saying back there but I heard so-called fiance and that boiled my blood.” he took off his cap and raked his finger through his headfur.
Margo looked at the front door nervously, watched the shadows cast by Pat and Johnny in the street lamp above recede as they walked back up the stairs. “Gill, what if they come back?” she asked shakily.
“Then I stove their faces in with a frying pan, don’t worry.” Gears patted her shoulder. “They’ll get bored trawling the city sooner or later and go home. Allison will be fine.”
Margo squeezed his hand but didn’t look convinced. After dinner she curled up on her side of their bed feeling anxious and unsure. When Gears ed her a little later in the dark she turned to face him.
“Sorry if I got out of hand before.” Gears tried to apologize. “With those suits.”
“No, you were fine.” Margo sighed. “But I have a feeling they won’t leave. I think Allison does need to tell her family where she is, that’s she’s safe but she’s happy now and not coming back to marry that Mr. Walsh. I think that’s the only way to stop Johnny and Pat from trying to find her and bring her back.”
“We’ll talk to Ally about it tomorrow.” Gears yawned. “Don’t be scared, it’ll work out.” he raised his arm and let Margo nestled close to his chest. He smelled like hot iron and sweet leather. She closed her eyes, happy that despite everything, she was going to sleep well in his arms again for the first time in a week.
Margo was eager to go out and find Allison the next morning but to her surprise she wasn’t at the boarding house the next morning when she rushed over. The landlord said she had left that morning for the farmer’s market to get some groceries. By the time Margo got a coach ride to the market it was in full Saturday morning swing. The streets were packed with critters of every shade, spot and stripe. It took almost an hour for her to spot Alisson’s woven bonnet inspecting a bottle of cooking oil from a vendor and she ran up to her, spooking her with her sudden appearance.
“Margo!” Allison gasped then fanned her face. “I was wondering if I’d see you here! I came out on my own and… and it was ok!” she smiled. “Not all scary like last time.” She put the bottle in her basket.
“Allison, your cousin came by last night, he was with Pat Walsh, all hot and bothered looking for you!” Margo clasped her hand. “They want to take you back!”
Allison’s eyes widened. “They’re looking for me?” She looked around anxiously. “But I don’t want to go back!”
“I know, but we need to tell your father to call them off. You have to make him listen to you. I don’t think Johnny and Pat were going to debate with you.”
“What do I do?” Allison whimpered, fanning herself anxiously with her hands. “How do I get my father to call them off from here? If I go back to talk to him he’ll just lock me away!”
“We don’t know that, but we can send them a wire from the train station. It’ll be something.” she took her hand. “Come on.” She took her hand and wove through the crowd towards the station.
It took them a while to get to the front of the line in the train station and to work out the message they could send in the shortest amount of words. Eventually they settled on:
“Father. I am safe and happy. Call off the search. Will write to you soon. Alisson.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay with us until word comes back?” Margo asked as she walked Allison back to her boarding house.
“No, I should be ok here.” Allison insisted. “I don’t want to draw anymore trouble to your doorstep.” She reached the front door and gasped. “I left my bag at the train station! It has my room key in it, and everything!”
Margo looked over her shoulder at the street anxiously. “Stay here, I’ll go get it.”
“Nonsense, I’ll go with you, if Johnny shows his face I won’t let him be gruff with you again.” Allison said fiercely in a voice Margo had not heard her use before. “Let’s hurry.”
The two rushed back towards the station, the market was clo with vendors returning to their homes and businesses. The streets started to empty around the station as Margo and Allison made their way up the steps inside.
“Oh I do thank you so much!” Allison gushed to the rat behind the counter who handed her back her basket and clutch. “Ok, it's all here.” She sighed in relief to Margo. “Let’s go.”
“Let’s take a coach back.” Margo looked at the shadows lengthening on the ground outside. “I want to get off the street before it gets too dark again.”
“Ok.” Allison took her arm and followed her around the train station steps back onto the main street. They hadn’t gone far when they heard a voice bark at them from down the street.
“Margo! Ally!”
Allison flinched and Margo flattened her ears, turning around only to see Gears was waving at them as he crossed the street.
“What are you two doin’ out here?” He tilted his good ears towards them.
Margo breathed a sigh of relief and Allison loosened her grip on Margo’s forearm.
“We were just on our way home.” Margo looped her arm with his. “She knows about Johnny.” she added as Gears held out an arm for Allison too and she took it eagerly.
“Alright then, let's head home.” Gears shrugged.
“You can drop me off at the boarding house, I’ll be ok.” Allison started but gasped softly as they turned the block and saw Johnny and Pat leaning against one of the brick buildings across the street from the boarding house. Johnny flicked the burning nub of a cigarillo into the gutter and snapped the lapels of his suit jacket as his eyes locked on them.
“Never heard of her, eh?” Pat snorted. “Couldn’t be satisfied with one rich buck’s daughter, you had to swindle another away from her fiance and family to have your kicks! Well enough’s enough. Allison! Get over here!” Johnny snapped at the ground in front of him.
“Shut your traps.” Gears curled his lip. “She’s not some pet. She’s a free doe, she can do as she pleases.”
“So help me, cousin, you’re getting in this coach if I have to drag you onboard by the hair.” Johnny said in a warning tone.
“That’s kidnapping.” Gears slid his arms from Margo and Allison’s grip and balled his hands into fists at his side. “And you’re a right pair of fools if you think I’ll let you put one hand on her.” His eyes flashed. “On either of them.”
“I had a feeling you’d be difficult.” Pat smirked and glanced to the side alley between them. Margo heard the steps and looked to the left but Gears never heard the attack until a fist collided with his face with a crack knocking him into the gutter. Margo screamed in fear and grabbed Allison, pulling her back.
“Gears!” She gasped as the attacking buck, a dark gray mouse with a white throat turned to face them and a second dark brown mouse followed him out of the alley. Margo gasped and backed up quickly, then ed what Andrew said and screamed out loud, making the two bucks hesitate for a moment in front of them.
“HELP! POLICE! ANYONE!” she screeched. She took Allison’s wrist and yanked her into a dash back down the street trying to put some distance between them and the bucks.
The two bucks started to give chase when the gray buck yelped in alarm and he was ripped backwards by the tail and dealt a brutal right hook across the muzzle.
“Gotta hit harder than that!” Gears snarled, socking him with his left then driving a hit low to his gut before running after the brown buck and tackling him flat to the ground just paces before he tried to grab Allison’s hair.
“Run! Get inside!” Gears yelled at them as he wrestled to keep the larger buck down then cried out as Johnny rushed up and dealt him a heavy kick to the ribs, knocking him off the brown buck, who rolled and seized Gears by the arms, holding him fast by the time Pat caught up and started delivering a series of punches to Gears’ middle.
“Gill!” Margo skidded to a halt seeing Gears overwhelmed.
“No!” Allison gasped then turned and ran back the way they had come, she reached into her bag and pulled out her glass bottle of cooking oil. With a scream of fury and fear she brought it smashing down onto Pat’s head, shattering it and coating them all with slick cooking oil.
Margo rushed in and shoved Johnny’s chest, he flailed in the slick oil and fell hard on his back onto the pavement letting out a guttural gasp. She grabbed the brown buck’s ears and wrenched them back painfully. He let go and struck her across the face, Margo fell against the side of the brick building and looked up to see Gears plow the brown mouse flat, trapping his arms in a straddle he started to punch his face in a series of hooks, snarling the foulest curses and obscenities at him.
Margo stood up and grabbed Allison, pulling her back as the gray buck started towards them again when there was a commotion in the street. Loud whistles blew followed by the squawking of quail as two uniformed police deputies raced around the block on bobwhites.
One jumped down and tackled Gears flat off the unconscious brown mouse, bleeding heavily from his nose and lip. The other drew his pistol at the gray mouse and Johnny as he struggled to stand in the slick oil puddle. Pat lay unconscious surrounded by the broken glass.
“Stop! Stop!” Margo hurried forward. “He’s with us!” Margo pleaded, tugging his arm where he was forcing Gears’s face into the glass strewn street.
“Officers!” Allison found her voice. “These men tried to kidnap me!” She pointed at Johnny directly, her blue eyes full of fire. “And they attacked my friends!”
The officer released Gears then rushed over to help his partner put the four bucks in cuffs while a third officer rode in leading a bar-windowed jail coach.
“Gears.” Margo gasped, helping pull him up from the pavement with a wince seeing him flinch and grit his teeth. She crouched on the pavement next to him, wrapping her arms around him, trying to be gentle but wanted to hug him as tightly as possible.
“You ok?” he rasped into her ears. She sniffed and rubbed her teary eyes. Of course he was worried about her. He was a bleeding wreck and still only had eyes for her pains.
“I’m fine.” she sniffed as he rested a hand on her stinging cheek, his knuckles busted and bleeding.
“It’s over.” Gears looked up seeing Allison chattering a mile a minute to the police officer writing furiously in his pad. She kept pointing violently at Johnny and Pat and lashing her tail.
“She saved your neck.” Margo sniffed heavily and rubbed her streaming eyes. “I just froze…”
Gears shook his head and hugged her close as she started to cry. “You didn’t do anything wrong, it’s ok.” he soothed as Allison walked up to Johnny, shouting after him and making a very rude un-Allison-like gesture at his back as he was shoved into the paddy wagon.
Allison hurried back to them, fanning her hands in front of her face.
“That was… terrifying!” she gasped. “And Gears you poor thing!” She reached out to take his other arm and together the two does struggled to pull him to his feet, his legs shaking, still bent double, he made it to a bench outside the door of the building and sat with a wince.
Allison fetched something from the street and hurried back to them, handing Gears his hat.
“Should we go to the hospital?” Allison fanned her hands anxiously. “Are you badly hurt?”
“Ugh, no hospitals.” Gears rubbed Margo’s shoulder, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. “Don’t worry about me, Ally.” he smiled at her. “I’m just glad you’re both ok.”
“But you look awful!” Allison sniffed.
“I’ll look worse in the morning, but I’ll live.” Gears raised his gaze to the officer coming up behind her.
“Miss, can I get a name for the report?” he tapped the pencil to his pad.
Allison looked back at her friends and nodded. “Ally, Ally Corrd.”
“Well Miss Corrd, friends, have a safer evening. We’ll be in touch.” he tipped his hat before climbing back into the saddle and spurring his quail after the wagon.
–
“How’s Gears doing?” Allison asked over dinner a few nights later.
“He’s as stiff as a board.” Margo sighed. “But insists he’s fine to go back to work. I’ve drawn him a hot salt bath every night this week. I think he’s getting better, it’s my job to worry though.”
Allison smiled. “That’s good, he can act as tough as he wants so long as you’re there to make sure he doesn’t act too foolishly.” she sipped her water.
“What about you?” Margo sighed. “Any big news from your father?”
Allison let out a nervous giggle. “Well, he wasn’t thrilled to hear about his nephew and business partner’s son getting jailed for attempted kidnapping. He still wants me to come back home, now that the marriage to Mr. Walsh is off the table. It turns out he met another young doe to take his fancy.”
“Are you thinking of going back?” Margo blinked in surprise. “I know you missed home.”
“I did miss it, but I think I’m going to stay here.” Allison smiled into her glass. “My parents aren’t going anywhere, I can always visit.” She bit her lip shyly. “And the city has so many cute young bucks! So much more than Culdan!”
“You’re terrible.” Margo laughed. “But I’m happy for you.”
“I’m happy for me too.” Allison wiggled her shoulders and looked around the restaurant. “So now you have to help me find a date for your wedding!”
“It’s so soon though!” Margo laughed. The two friends continued their banter and enjoyed their meal, as the sun set outside the window behind them.
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