The Course of True Love - Book l

Beecher's Hope - Home Improvement for Beginners

Crickets chirped as the sun began to set for the night as John finished his evening rounds to ensure nothing was going on at his ranch. The landscape was quiet, too quiet, even, but he didn't mind. It was a peaceful mood he began to love as it reminded him of how peaceful and quiet camps were while he was in the gang. That is, when Dutch hadn't gotten them into more trouble.

"Feels like old times..." He heard Uncle chuckle, nursing a bottle of whiskey as he and Charles had been sitting next to the fire, catching up on the years they had gone without seeing each other. "It's good to have the old gang back together again!"

"We're still waiting on Minnie and Arthur," Charles reminded. "That's about as close as we're gonna get." 

"Well, as long as it don't end up like last time..." Uncle agreed. 

"Yeah, let's just hope things don't turn out like last time." John chuckled in agreement.

"There he goes! What'd I tell you, Charles, what'd I tell you? Boy is as sour as week-old milk. No wonder she didn't stay with you. Not even a retired two-dollar whore would stay with you. That's the goddamn truth." 

"Yeah? Well at least I could get a whore if I wanted one." John scoffed. 

"I begged to differ. I can show you the photos!" He joked. 

"Shit, you probably have more photos of weathered old crevices than the governor himself." 

"You used to be decent company, John Marston, but now you're worse than a snake with a toothache. All you do is whine, whine, whine!"

"Excuse me?" 

"Don't get all angry, it ain't gonna change nothin'."

"Sounds to me like Uncle is just mad he can't take what he's dishing out." Charles snickered, sipping the coffee from his tin, looking over at Maria, who had her arms crossed over her chest at the men's behavior. 

"I think you're right, Charles." John nodded. 

"Look at this place, boys, your dream home," Uncle scoffed. "I've had better nightmares than this dream. Oh, darling Abigail, I've changed. Come live with me in an outhouse," He mocked. "I wouldn't ask my worst enemy to take a shit in this."

"What're you trying to say?" 

"It's awful. It's a dump. The house, it's gotta go. Get some self-respect you miserable sack of shit. Build a house a lady would set foot in!" 

"The place just needs a woman's touch! Right, Charles?" John asked, looking at both Charles and Maria. 

"Right, but I think we're about to have two times a woman's touch. Look over there." Charles nodded his head towards the west side of the ranch, a wagon approaching Beecher's Hope. John stood to his feet, shielding his eyes from the setting sun as he was unsure of who was coming towards him. Once they got closer, he immediately recognized the familiar worn leather hat. 

"Arthur Morgan, what a surprise!" John scoffed happily, his hands on his hips as the wagon came to a stop, startled at the young boy peering from the back of the wagon, brown hair and chubby cheeks, reminding him immediately of Jack when he was a boy.

"Pleasant, isn't it?" Arthur chuckled, stepping down from the wagon to help Minnie down, keeping an eye on Isaac as he wasn't one for patience as he climbed off of the back of the wagon. "It's nice to see you, John." He nodded, embracing him. 

"You too, brother," He sighed. "Who's this little feller?" 

"This is Isaac," Arthur replied, the boy standing behind his father as he was rather shy around new company. "Once he warms up to you, he won't leave you alone." He joked.