Wildfire (Steve Rogers AU)

3

"Good morning Miss Mary". The bell above the shop door rang as it opened and a man, who was rather wobbly on his feet, stumbled in.

Mary turned and rolled her eyes. "Johnny Storm, have you been drinking again?" She scolded and moved him away from the crockery that was on display. The last time he'd come into the store in this state he'd smashed some pieces. Now he was to be kept away from the best china to order.

He hiccuped. "No...maybe just a little last night, there was a girl and..."

"Sweet Jesus, again? Who's haystack haven't you stuck your needle into in this town?" And sat him down in the back, passing him some water. "Sarah's gonna be beating your ass if you don't get yourself sorted".

Johnny grinned. "She don't worry about me anyway".

"She's worried about you from the moment you were dumb on her doorstep young man, now drink some of this down and get that head of yours together". She said and shoved some liquid on a spoon down his throat. "I'm surprised your brothers not in here asking about ya".

"If it's between the ranch and me? He's gonna choose the ranch". Johnny replied,

"Now that really is the drink talking, get yourself home and put poor Sarah outta her misery"

Johnny got up, swaying a little but seemed a bit more steady on his feet. "Thanks Mary".

"Go on". She ushered him out of the store and then turned, seeing Hadley watching after coming downstairs from putting Flynn down for a nap. "That boy..."

"Who is he?" Hadley now enquired, coming to look out of the window of the shop's door.

"One of the Rogers boys, doesn't share the same name as the family though but everyone knows him by that. He's half Rogers. Sarah's a darn saint for raising that kid. She didn't have to, but she did - that were me I'd be burying my husband out on the prairie for what he did".

Rogers.

There was that name again.

"So the Rogers seem like kinda the family that everyone knows here?"

Mary nodded and began to open some boxes of stock that had been delivered the day before. "Sure are, come help me out these out on the shelves, I can start showing you where everything goes".

Coming round behind the counter, Hadley began to unpack the stock that had been ordered, Mary showing her what went where on the shop floor. There was everything, from gunpowder to fabrics for dresses, right down to mail order catalogs so as even people out here could keep in touch with the latest fashion. She'd need that for sure.

"So you were saying about the Rogers?" She was intrigued now.

"They own The Howling Commando Ranch. You probably saw it coming into here. They raise horses mainly. But have some cattle. Largest ranch within miles, sure there's other ranches in and just outta town but their not as big and the Rogers built theirs up from nothing. Others simply came with their money and had someone build theirs for them". 

 Hadley bit her lip. "Having a little money isn't all that bad y'know". 

"True, but it can't buy true happiness" Mary said and looked at her. "Way I see it, you can only have so much until you get bored". 

"I never got bored".

"No...but what would've happened if your dandy husband of yours didn't die and instead you lost everything anyway to his debts. What would've happened then?" 

Hadley shook her head. "I don't want to think about that..." 

"Hadley...how did William die?" Mary pressed. "You spoke to me about everything else except him".

She swallowed as she remembered a servant hurrying through the city to find her and get her home, how the detective had sat her down and plied her with drink to calm her nerves at the news. How she'd watched the body being carried out, neighbours all crowded and whispering their theories. She had been a laughing stock. The gossip amongst all the ladies in town  for weeks after that, and even more so now. 
"Because he took the cowards way out and left me to pick up whatever pieces were left..." Her voice was a little angered. "He locked himself in his study and shot himself! Is that what you wanted to hear! My husband drained us of our money and left me and our son to fend for ourselves! There? Are you happy now!" And without another word she stormed out and upstairs. 

Mary sighed as the bell above the shop door rung again and in walked a red headed woman, arms filled with dresses. "Morning Mary" 

"Ah, Natasha thank god..." 

Nat frowned. "You alright?" 

"Just making my niece upset like I do everyone else" Mary shook her head. "Thanks for bringing those, how much do I owe ya?" She asked, taking the dresses from the town's seamstress. 

"Nothing. These are knew, there's a couple of mourning dresses in there as I'm guessing she's still doing that". Mary nodded and now Nat watched her. "How's she settling?" 

"Considering she only got in earlier this morning? Bad..." 

Nat shrugged. "Coming from what she had? Guessing it's a shock to the system". 

"I just hope that she's gonna be ok. Thankfully the little one is too young to know otherwise". Mary glanced out of the shop window. "Quiet today..." 

"Would you rather it be chaos?" She smirked. "The saloon had the usual brawl but nothing the Dum Dum couldn't sort". 

Dum Dum Dugan owned the saloon just a little way down from the store. I wasn't unusual to see drunks being thrown out or people having shoot out in the middle of the street. It was just the life in any town you went to. Especially the next one over. Red Skull. Now that had a reputation, hence why the coaches avoided it. Thankfully the railroad didn't pass it. 

"Just another day in Graystone" Mary chuckled. 

Nat smiled. "I'm gonna pop in tomorrow to get some bits, I'd really like to meet Hadley if she's feeling better?" 

"I'll tell her. She needs a friend - I think she feels like she's going to be isolated now". 

"I'll bring Wanda too, the more friends the better". 

Mary smiled. "Thank you Natasha, and thank you for the dresses. Hadley and I are so grateful". 

"More where that came from, just let me know if they need any adjustments and I'll do it" 

Once Natasha was gone, Mary climbed the stairs and knocked on Hadley's door. "Sweetie, I got you some new dresses...open up won't ya?" The door opened and Mary now saw that her niece had been crying. "Oh Hads, I'm sorry if what I said was harsh".

Hadley shook her head. "I'm just so angry at him...how could he have done this to me?" She sobbed as Mary put the dresses on the bed and held her. 

"It's like you said - he was a coward. You deserve a better man for you and Flynn, someone who'll take care of you right". 

Hadley very much doubted that she'd find that in a place like this....