Sit. Talk. (Alex, Nelly)
They ate the cake in silence, Nelly because she was lost in thought and Alex because she was savoring the food. As soon as the last crumb disappeared into Nelly’s mouth she began talking.
“I married Fred when I was 19. He was 21 and just out of business school. We had our whole lives in front of us. We were so young and so optimistic.” She smiled sadly into her cup of tea. After taking a sip she continued on, “We moved here from the Fifth Dimension shortly after Brad was born. We wanted to fill the house with children but the good Lord only blessed us with the two, Brad and Tom. They were beautiful boys, blond hair, big blue eyes. Followed their daddy everywhere, even to work sometimes.” She paused a moment to dab at a tear in the corner of her eye. “We went contentedly about our lives for eighteen years and then the Status War broke out. My world ended that year. Fred was at work in the Stalks building as usual when a bomb hit demolishing the magnificent structure. The boys went nuts when they heard what had happened. The two of them stormed out of the house with rifles in hand seeking revenge for their father. I never saw them again. Brad was almost 18 and Tom was only 16. I lost all three of my men that day and my life.” Nelly had to stop, overcome with emotion she struggled to reign in the flood of tears to no avail.
Without even thinking, Alex went to the older woman and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, cradling her like she would a hurt child. “I’m so sorry.” She whispered. She knew all to well what it was like to loose everyone you loved in one twisted event. She found some measure of comfort by just knowing that there was somebody else like her in the world. ‘But she didn’t turn into a murder’ she chided herself.
Nelly patted the young girl’s arm, “Thank you dear. I’m alright now.” Alex took her seat once more while Nelly dried her tears on the corner of her apron. “I came to terms with things a long time ago, but it still hurts.” She choked back the tears as they threatened to come again and took another sip of tea. They sat there in the still kitchen a bit longer while Nelly composed herself.
“After struggling to make ends meat for a year, my friend Ran suggested I turn the house into a bed and breakfast. At the time it was a wonderful idea for there weren’t too many reputable lodges in the area. The high and mighty Minute Man Hotel Grande wasn’t even thought of yet. With a lot of help from some very good friends, Nelly’s was born. By taking care of others, I found a purpose in life again. I love this place and the people who cross its threshold both past and present. That’s why I’ve bent over backward to keep Officer Riddle around. I strongly dislike that man but he has kept the neighborhood safe and the riffraff out.” She took another sip of tea. “Well, now you know all there is to know about me, now lets here about you.” She smiled encouragingly at the girl sitting across the table from her.
“I don’t know what to say. Where to begin?” Alex shrugged her shoulders apologetically and looked down at her mangled hands.
“Well, that’s easy, dear, begin at the beginning.”
Alex sat contemplating her words, wondering if she could trust the woman. “Is it all right if we talk about me another night? I’m pretty tuckered out.” She looked imploringly at the round faced woman and hoped that she would believe her excuse.
“That would be fine, dear. But before you go upstairs I must speak to you about the bathroom.” Alex was unable to look at the woman, feeling like a child about to be reprimanded for breaking a dish. “I purchased some toiletries for you today and placed them in the bathroom. However, when I went to put the items away, I found the bathroom to be in quite a sorry state. I would appreciate it if you would be a little neater in the future.”
“Yes, mam.” Alex replied meekly still unable to look at the woman. She got up from her chair to retire for the night but stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Ms. Nelly?”
“Yes, dear”
“Where’s your outhouse located at? I really need to use it.”
Nelly walked over to the stairwell and looked at the girl who had turned a rather bright shade of pink at having to ask such a question. “Honey, we don’t have an outhouse. That’s what the bathroom’s for.”
“I didn’t see a hole up there but I’ll go look.” She started up the steps but Nelly’s laughter halted her.
“A hole? Don’t those heathens have proper bathrooms on those smelly vessels? Let me show you how things work, dear.” She slipped past Alex on the steps and led the way to the bathroom while muttering about drunken sailors who have no common sense.
* * * *
Alex lay wide awake on the large bed. She wanted desperately to go to sleep but just couldn’t get comfortable on the soft mattress. Finally giving up, she pulled a blanket and pillow from the bed and placed them on the floor. Stretching out on the dark green carpet she let out a sigh of contentment. Staring up at the ceiling she replayed her tour of the water closet over in her mind. “No wonder so many women are wanting indoor plumbing. No more trips outside in the middle of the night. No more freezing in the winter. What an amazing invention. And the shower – I can’t wait to try that thing out tomorrow morning.” Rolling over onto her side she opened the little box as had become her nighttime ritual since acquiring the trinket. For the first time since appearing in this town, she was content.
Down the hall Nelly prepared for sleep in her comfortable bed, snuggling up to the many pillows that kept her company during the night. Smiling to herself, she thought again about the girl’s reaction to the toilet. She had been altogether astounded by the whole thing, as if she’d never seen a commode in her entire life. “An outhouse,” she chuckled, “what an amusing young girl. What will she come up with next?” With thoughts of the girl feeling her head, she fell happily asleep.
“I married Fred when I was 19. He was 21 and just out of business school. We had our whole lives in front of us. We were so young and so optimistic.” She smiled sadly into her cup of tea. After taking a sip she continued on, “We moved here from the Fifth Dimension shortly after Brad was born. We wanted to fill the house with children but the good Lord only blessed us with the two, Brad and Tom. They were beautiful boys, blond hair, big blue eyes. Followed their daddy everywhere, even to work sometimes.” She paused a moment to dab at a tear in the corner of her eye. “We went contentedly about our lives for eighteen years and then the Status War broke out. My world ended that year. Fred was at work in the Stalks building as usual when a bomb hit demolishing the magnificent structure. The boys went nuts when they heard what had happened. The two of them stormed out of the house with rifles in hand seeking revenge for their father. I never saw them again. Brad was almost 18 and Tom was only 16. I lost all three of my men that day and my life.” Nelly had to stop, overcome with emotion she struggled to reign in the flood of tears to no avail.
Without even thinking, Alex went to the older woman and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, cradling her like she would a hurt child. “I’m so sorry.” She whispered. She knew all to well what it was like to loose everyone you loved in one twisted event. She found some measure of comfort by just knowing that there was somebody else like her in the world. ‘But she didn’t turn into a murder’ she chided herself.
Nelly patted the young girl’s arm, “Thank you dear. I’m alright now.” Alex took her seat once more while Nelly dried her tears on the corner of her apron. “I came to terms with things a long time ago, but it still hurts.” She choked back the tears as they threatened to come again and took another sip of tea. They sat there in the still kitchen a bit longer while Nelly composed herself.
“After struggling to make ends meat for a year, my friend Ran suggested I turn the house into a bed and breakfast. At the time it was a wonderful idea for there weren’t too many reputable lodges in the area. The high and mighty Minute Man Hotel Grande wasn’t even thought of yet. With a lot of help from some very good friends, Nelly’s was born. By taking care of others, I found a purpose in life again. I love this place and the people who cross its threshold both past and present. That’s why I’ve bent over backward to keep Officer Riddle around. I strongly dislike that man but he has kept the neighborhood safe and the riffraff out.” She took another sip of tea. “Well, now you know all there is to know about me, now lets here about you.” She smiled encouragingly at the girl sitting across the table from her.
“I don’t know what to say. Where to begin?” Alex shrugged her shoulders apologetically and looked down at her mangled hands.
“Well, that’s easy, dear, begin at the beginning.”
Alex sat contemplating her words, wondering if she could trust the woman. “Is it all right if we talk about me another night? I’m pretty tuckered out.” She looked imploringly at the round faced woman and hoped that she would believe her excuse.
“That would be fine, dear. But before you go upstairs I must speak to you about the bathroom.” Alex was unable to look at the woman, feeling like a child about to be reprimanded for breaking a dish. “I purchased some toiletries for you today and placed them in the bathroom. However, when I went to put the items away, I found the bathroom to be in quite a sorry state. I would appreciate it if you would be a little neater in the future.”
“Yes, mam.” Alex replied meekly still unable to look at the woman. She got up from her chair to retire for the night but stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Ms. Nelly?”
“Yes, dear”
“Where’s your outhouse located at? I really need to use it.”
Nelly walked over to the stairwell and looked at the girl who had turned a rather bright shade of pink at having to ask such a question. “Honey, we don’t have an outhouse. That’s what the bathroom’s for.”
“I didn’t see a hole up there but I’ll go look.” She started up the steps but Nelly’s laughter halted her.
“A hole? Don’t those heathens have proper bathrooms on those smelly vessels? Let me show you how things work, dear.” She slipped past Alex on the steps and led the way to the bathroom while muttering about drunken sailors who have no common sense.
* * * *
Alex lay wide awake on the large bed. She wanted desperately to go to sleep but just couldn’t get comfortable on the soft mattress. Finally giving up, she pulled a blanket and pillow from the bed and placed them on the floor. Stretching out on the dark green carpet she let out a sigh of contentment. Staring up at the ceiling she replayed her tour of the water closet over in her mind. “No wonder so many women are wanting indoor plumbing. No more trips outside in the middle of the night. No more freezing in the winter. What an amazing invention. And the shower – I can’t wait to try that thing out tomorrow morning.” Rolling over onto her side she opened the little box as had become her nighttime ritual since acquiring the trinket. For the first time since appearing in this town, she was content.
Down the hall Nelly prepared for sleep in her comfortable bed, snuggling up to the many pillows that kept her company during the night. Smiling to herself, she thought again about the girl’s reaction to the toilet. She had been altogether astounded by the whole thing, as if she’d never seen a commode in her entire life. “An outhouse,” she chuckled, “what an amusing young girl. What will she come up with next?” With thoughts of the girl feeling her head, she fell happily asleep.
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