Stormfeather Ch. 11

There was a moment of silence between Amy and Cora, whose eyes looked like saucers in her predicament. Amy said nothing, she only carried a friendly little smile on her face as Cora considered what to do. She gave it up and bent to pull everything up, and at that instant, the lacing which held her corset tied together broke. Cora stood up clutching the whole mess to hold it all up under her dress.

"Whoa Cora," Amy grinned, "What happened? You look like you're coming apart there."

Cora turned and did her best to run out of the store with a sob. The others stared after her and Arn tried on the boots as though nothing had happened which concerned him in the least.

As they left a few minutes later, Arn found himself in the middle of the pack of females. He looked up from Winky in surprise and a couple of them almost jumped back, staring at him. "Please excuse us, "he smiled, "and please mind our little friend here. She is not used to so many people and it makes her nervous."

Amy laid her hand on Winky's back to guide her away and nodded to a few by name.

"Is that, - is that a wolf, Amy?" a brunette asked.

Amy nodded, "Yes Becky. Don't try to pet her, she's quite wild."

"My name is Rebeccah," the brunette scowled a little imperiously.

"Whatever you say, Becky," Amy said, pleasantly.

She purposely avoided being drawn into any more conversations and they placed their purchases into Arn's packs and mounted up. The women watched for a moment and then crowded back into the store.

"Hello, Amy."

The voice came from a slightly heavy young woman with dark hair and brown skin who blinked up at Amy through spectacles.

"Hey, Sabrina!" Amy smiled as she got down from her mare again to hug the woman, "It's been so long! How've you been? I didn't even see you in that pack." She smiled genuinely, "You know, you look so much better away from that flock of crows."

"I've been ok. I guess," the girl said, pushing her glasses a little higher up on her nose, "I haven't really seen you much since school. I heard that your father died, and I was real sorry to hear that. It hasn't been the same since you left. Are you back now?"

Amy shook her head, "Well I was for just a little while. We're just leaving to go to Santa Fe. What have you been up to?"

The other woman looked a little sad for a moment, "A whole lot of nothing," she said, "Things were a lot harder after you left before the final year was over, but I remembered what you taught me and I finished highest in the school, so I have you to thank for that.

I'm not doing much of anything," she said, "Just helping out at home. Anna is getting married in a year, so soon I'll be there alone with my folks and my brother. There's really nothing much to do for me here, other than tutor some of the children. That's about all that I've done since school, but what I'd really like to do is teach."

Winky came a little closer to Sabrina and after a moment of sniffing curiously, she just sat down next to her and looked up. Before she was really aware of what she was doing, she was scratching Winky's ear absently.

"Is your dog really a wolf, Amy?"

Amy nodded with a grin, "Yeah, and I'd say that she likes you, though she's not tame or anything."

Amy looked at Sabrina a little seriously, "If you can take a bit of advice, Sabrina, you need to get out from under Anna and live for yourself. Do you really want to teach?"

Sabrina nodded, "I do but, well, it's alright to tutor kids a little, but around here, I'll never get a job teaching because they don't hire teachers with last names like mine."

Amy thought about what she knew of the girl's situation for a moment and then smiled, "Then you need to get away from here to a place that will let you teach."

"What are you talking about, Amy? There's nothing around here like that, just the same school that we went to," Sabrina said.

"I know that, Sabrina, "Amy said, a little excited now, "Listen, we don't need a fortune teller to be able to predict your future -- unless you do something to change it right now. Don't get upset with me, but you'll keep living under Anna's heel, completely ignored and forgotten until she gets married. After that, you'll keep living with your folks and your brother will get married sooner or later, and after that, you'll just be the one who takes care of everybody like an unpaid servant."

Before Sabrina could really absorb what she'd heard and maybe began to feel badly, Amy nodded, "Do you really want to have your own life, Sabrina? Would you really want to teach if someplace gave you that chance? I know a school in Santa Fe that'll give you a teaching position. A lot of the children come from Mexican backgrounds just like you, and a lot of them are new there and need help learning English too, so you could teach them English and Spanish. You'd be perfect for the job, if you want it. How does that sound?"

Sabrina blinked behind her spectacles, "It sounds great, Amy, but how do you know that they'll give me the position?"

"Because you've already got it," Amy laughed, "I'm the new headmistress there, and about the only thing that I haven't been able to have ready is the teacher for children just like that, the new kids who have the hardest time in schools where everything is new to them, and they have to struggle because it's only taught in a language they're just learning."

The other woman was stunned, "But -- "

"No buts, Sabrina," Amy chuckled, "You need a way to start living your own life, and I'm offering a way to do that -- and you'd be solving a big headache for me at the same time! This way, I won't have to sit and interview a roomful of applicants. I know your school records already, don't I? I just need a copy for my records, and we can send away to the school for them. And you'll already know somebody so Santa Fe won't be such a huge jungle to start in. The choice is yours, Sabrina. I'm offering you a way out of this, and I need a teacher like you.

You were the only true friend I ever had in this town. We were always together. I don't see why we can't go on now that we're grown. You can stay with me til you get settled, and Ximena and I'll help you find a place if you want.

You can do this two ways, Sabrina. You send me a telegram that you're coming and when, and I'll arrange to have someone meet you at the coach station. But that means that you'll have to explain it all to your folks, and they'll only tell you no. Or, you can come with me right now. I promise that you've got a job to start at, a place to live, and if you don't like it, I'll bring you back home again by Thanksgiving. What do you say?"

"My god, I'd love that!" Sabrina said excitedly. But then the light faded from her eyes after a second. "You're right," she said quietly, "My folks wouldn't let me go."

"You're all grown up," Amy said encouragingly, "If you want to stop being pissed on by everybody, Sabrina, I'm offering you the umbrella. We just go back into Mrs. Parker's store, buy you some clothes that you can travel quickly in, since we won't be going on the road. I'm in a hurry because of my great aunt's health, and all of this will be behind you. I was a lot younger, but that's how I got out. Will you do it? You'll need to TELL your sister what you'll be doing for once, and not asking her."

Amy had a word with Arn, who'd heard it all, and he nodded, "If your friend wants to come with us, it can be done, but we would lose a little time."

Sabrina blinked, "Who's --"

"That's Arn," Amy smiled, "my husband." She smiled, "I guess you must have been at the back of the flock."

Sabrina stared a little but then she smiled and nodded before turning back to her friend, "I don't have a horse."

"You let me worry about that," Amy grinned, "if it's no trouble riding a mule that I've got in mind. The way out is to get out of this town," she said, "or spend the rest of your life under the thumbs of your family having to listen to all of their reasons why you can't do anything that will let you have a life. You can't see the world if you're on Papa's leash. What has it done for you since we left school?"

"Nothing and I won't mind," Sabrina said, "I liked riding the mule that you had on your farm when I'd come to visit during the summers. I'll do it, Amy, "she grinned.

Amy hugged her tightly for a moment and whispered, "Right here's the hard part," she said as they turned to go into the store, "You need to tell Anna."

Less than ten minutes later, Sabrina had her dress folded inside heavy paper wrapping and stood talking to her sister wearing a shirt and a pair of Levis. Amy paid for her, after promising to let Sabrina pay her back.

"I'm not sure that I'd want to teach at a school where the headmistress doesn't know how to dress properly, Sabrina," Anna's voice dripped with scorn as she listened to her younger sister, "You'd just make a mess of it, and anyway, Papa wouldn't allow it."

"Then it's a good thing that I'm not asking you anything," Amy said coolly, "since you couldn't teach anything but your own meanness to save your life. I know she'd be perfect for the job. You're the same nasty, worthless bitch that you've always been -- and always will be.

Since my very first day at school," Amy said, "you were on my back with all the other town crows, making fun of me and tormenting me for being a farmgirl who had to ride on a hay-wagon for two hours to come to school. You've never allowed your sister to be much more than your pincushion, either. It's been ten years, Anna, and I still remember every minute. Well things have changed."

Amy stepped close to Anna and pulled her even closer. There was nothing that the other woman could do to resist the strength that she felt in Amy's hand.

"Here's your chance to do something good for Sabrina just one time," she whispered, "and be rid of the sister that you've been acting as though you're ashamed to be related to for your whole life. You've been pissing on her for over twenty years. If you do anything to ruin what I'm trying to do for her, if you don't give her at least an hour to get out of here before you run home to tell on her -- just like every time that she 's ever tried to do anything for herself, well I'll come for you then, Anna. You were about the loudest in this town to talk about it when I killed a man out in the street. Don't ever let me catch you alone, Anna, because I'll kill you. I don't think that I deserve that much happiness, do you?"

Anna shook her head.

"Good," Amy said softly, "you keep thinking like that, and you might just live long enough to get married, but if you send your boyfriend after Sabrina, I'm going to cancel your wedding for you -- so there's a cost to you if you can't keep that fat mouth of yours shut for once in your life."

Amy let go of her. None of the other's faces showed that they'd heard what had been said. They just gawked a little at how far back Anna had to pedal before she regained her balance.

Amy looked down for a moment and chuckled, "Remember the time that the winter turned so cold that one year that the snow groaned under our boots, Anna, and how we'd make snow angels because the snow was just perfect for it?"

"Yes," Anna replied, a little cautiously.

"And then it turned even colder, and Miss Patterson called everyone inside because the wind had turned so cold. You made Sabrina and I lick the doorknob of the shed and our tongues froze to it and then you kept Miss Patterson busy so she wouldn't notice that two seven year-old girls stood in the wind crying for over half an hour, remember? My ears swelled up like pink cauliflowers because you took my hat and Doc Harris said that a few minutes longer and I'd have lost them. You thought it was the funniest thing."

"No," Anna lied, "I can't say that I remember that at all."

"That's funny, because I sure do." Amy grinned as she backhanded Sabrina's sister across the face, knocking her backward across the floor.

"I'd leave now if I were you," Amy smiled, "before I really get to reminiscing."

Amy turned back to Sabrina and laid her hand on her shoulder, "Wait'll you meet Ximena. She knows Santa Fe like the back of her hand and she'd be thrilled to meet you and show you around."

"Who's Ximena?" Sabrina asked.

"She's my best friend in Santa Fe."

Amy leveled her gaze toward the older sister again as they turned to go, "And Anna, I don't wear clothes like this where I live, unless I'm out hunting, or you know, running around looking like a cowboy. A woman doesn't have to look down when she walks there, since she doesn't have to worry too much about dragging her hems through shit like you do here. If you think that I'd wear clothes like this to where I work, then you need to spend less time looking down your nose at other people and see the world outside of this flyspeck town."

As they saddled up and rode farther along the street with Sabrina sitting behind Arn for the moment, he looked at Amy, "Was that unusual or something? I thought that the woman looked a little strangely at me. Who were the others?"

He watched her head tilt back a little as she laughed quietly. "Please forgive me, Arn. I've had to listen to the prissy well-to-dos around this town all of my life. There was nothing wrong in you trying on the shirt. I knew that it would fit you well right off, and it fits even better than I thought it would. I did choose that store for a reason. Besides having everything that we wanted in stock, Old Mrs. Parker there is a human telegraph station, though she's not one of the mean ones around here.

While you had your shirt off, half of the girls that I used to go to school with had their noses up against the glass of the window or stood there watching inside the store. No matter what I say or do, they'll talk about it in a mean-spirited way. I figured that I'd just give them something to talk about, that's all."

She winked at him, "I'm sure they'll all find some reason to look down on us. That's about all that they're good for. But I know what every single one of them is thinking; whether she says it out loud or not. I've gone to school with most of their husbands, those that are married." She smirked, "I'll bet half of them are related to their own husbands somehow."

Arn doubted it until he heard Sabrina's quiet chuckle from behind him from where she sat on his horse. "This is true?" He asked over his shoulder.

"No, Arn," Sabrina said, "Amy and I are just being as catty as they are for once."

They noticed that he'd fallen silent after his nod. Amy waited a minute and then asked," Have I done something wrong? I didn't mean to embarrass you, if you feel that way."

"No," he said, after a second as he adjusted his hat, "From where the ones in the store were looking, I am only glad that I was not buying pants."

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Judge Clayton was pleased to part with the third mule, who turned out to be as healthy and mild-mannered as the others. As soon as they were out of town, they rode off along the pathways that Arn knew and before long, the road was out of sight. They kept up the best pace that didn't seem to cause Winky any trouble and stopped for lunch under the boughs of a grove of large oak trees. Just as they saddled up to go on, Arn led them off behind a draw and took them up to a low ridge. They stayed on the side away from the ridgeline for a time until Arn stopped and pointed.

A lone rider approached them, and there was a short conversation with Arn.

"Marúawebukwu!" he said.

"Haa marúawe!" the other answered and Amy saw Arn smile.

"Unha hakai nuusuka?"

"Tsaatu, untse?" Arn replied, before looking at Amy, "It is the usual way to begin any conversation, "Hello, how are you, and so on."

Amy and Sabrina watched as the men spoke for a few minutes. At one point the man smiled and nodded for a moment, before allowing his face to return to its slightly grim expression. He stared at Amy a little, and then he spoke some more, before sidling his horse close by as he passed Amy, giving her a long look. His parting remark was friendly and respectful and Arn returned it.

"I saw the scouts on either side of us down there," Arn pointed, "so I brought us up here to save us all some time. There is a group of Comanche passing by down below. The one that I spoke to was an outrider. At first, he wanted to know who I was, thinking that I am a warrior from a tribe that he did not recognize who traveled with two women and a wolf -- which I guess, is what I am."

"Why was he staring at me?" Amy asked.

"I told him that I come from far away near the ocean. The only ocean that they know anything about lies behind them and none of this group has seen it, he said. I told him no -- the other ocean. I think that he stared at you because I said that you are a dream-walker. He wished to know why we are traveling and why we have a wolf with us. I told him that we go to the home of your tribe and that Winky is your spirit-guide sometimes. He suggested that we may wish to stay with them tonight, but he understood about being newly married. They are in a hurry anyway. They are among the last free Comanche and go now to the Llano Estacado, an old stronghold of theirs. They have left the reservation and go to fight the army there if they must. This is a bad time for them.

He stared at your hair," Arn smiled, "and your eyes. He has seen hair like this before, but never from close up. He said that it might be safer for us to travel with them, but I do not wish for us to get caught in their war."

He laughed, "Please do not misunderstand me, Sabrina, but I was complimented on my lovely brides, though I think that he believes that Sheena is a spirit-bride, or something like that. I did not understand it all."

Sabrina was a little confused at first, but she remembered that her father had called her Sheena in her presence once or twice.

They found a secluded place for their evening meal and Arn enjoyed listening as the two friends began to get caught up. Before it grew too dark, Amy inspected Winky's feet carefully to see if they were holding up. The resultant wrestling match caused Arn and Sabrina to laugh at them both.

"Well," Amy smiled at Sabrina, "how do you like the adventure so far?"

"This is already better than what I'd be doing right about now, "she answered, "though I guess that my parents are pretty upset. I thought about everything that you said, Amy. I decided not to wait because I knew that they'd never give me their permission to go, and like you said, I'm plenty old enough to make my own choices. I'll write them when I get settled. They'll never understand, so I guess that it'll be a lot of me saying that I'm sorry, and a lot of tears all around."

"You're likely right," Amy said thoughtfully, "and the one who will be the most sorry is Anna. She'll actually have to do some things around the place now, instead of just ordering you to do it on top of everything else that you do. I guess that you'll likely miss her even so."

"Yeah," Sabrina replied, "Though not at the moment. I am really glad that I met you in town today, and I'm really glad that I met you, Arn. It would have been awful to hear that my friend had gotten married, and I never saw the man she married." She looked over at the long pieces of leather that he was working. "What are you doing, anyway?"

"I saw something on Sheena's belt to hold more amm - , ... to hold more bullets and I want something like this for my gun."

"The word is ammunition, Arn," Amy smiled, "and what you're making there is called a bandolier." She turned to Sabrina, "I bought him another box of shells in the store."

They watched him, and he finished just as it was getting hard for Sabrina to see. She and Amy laid out the bedrolls and blankets and they turned in not long after. Sabrina grew a little alarmed at first, but she finally recognized that Winky had chosen her to sleep close to that night.