Clockwork Firefly

Clockwork Firefly- Chapter Six

The door to the workshop flew open and Peter Walter the second's head stuck into the room, looking hastily from one side to the other, finding it empty. He growled and pulled back, shutting the door and hurrying down the stairs to continue his hunt.

"Peter." His father's voice came from the dark and he stopped, turning around, not in the mood for another lecture.

"Yes, Father?" He turned, folding his arms across his chest.

"Sit down, Peter. I want to hear your side of events." The two canvas camp chairs he'd been carrying were unfolded and set down. "Please."

He took the chair and sat back, still keeping his arms tightly folded over his chest. "I understand you don't like her, Father, but Miss Mickleson was a guest. Hell, she even brought presents for the band! How sweet is that? Then Pete acts like an ass and embarrasses us all by trying to molest her in front of everyone. " He glared at his father. "I'm sure you'll say it was all her fault that she blew things out of proportion, that Pete would never do something like that, but he did!"

"I know. He told me." Peter the first sat back, his leg rising to rest his ankle on his other leg's knee. "And I talked with The Spine as well, who I believe was there to witness it? " He noted his son's reluctant nod and went on. "And everybody's story is different, but the same. Yours, for instance, has some glaring fallacies in it." He raised his hand for silence before his son could argue.

"I do not dislike Miss Mickleson. Quite the opposite. After she left you this morning, she came back here and offered me an apology for ..." he chuckled faintly. "For being sassy to me." He shook his head, still finding that particular word amusing. "She was on her way out when Pete ran her over. She held her own with him too. She's not the sort of girl you're painting her to be."

"And what sort of girl is that? Kind? Generous?"

"Silly!" His father barked. "Weak." he sat forward. "I have no doubt that if she ever sees Pete again,she is more than capable of taking care of things herself. " He smirked. "As you said, if I want grandchildren, I have to rely on you anyway, so when she tears your brother's ..." He cleared his throat and gave a pointed look. "... off, the future is covered." He sat back again, steepling his fingers before his lips. "I thought you said Pete didn't care for girls."

"He doesn't. He only kissed her because he knew it would hurt her." He didn't sound wholly convinced.

"Why don't you tell me your version of things now that you're calmed down."

"Everything was fine. I brought the receipts for the night in, and I ran into Miss Mickleson. She wanted to tell the band how much she'd enjoyed the show and as I said, she'd brought presents."

"So The Spine said. She was right. He does look a lot more finished with that bit of silk in his pocket. Quite well done on her part. I am not one to keep up with the changes of fashion I fear. " He chuckled. "Also, I don't think we're getting that button thing away from Jon anytime soon." Again he chuckled. "It was, however, Rabbit's present that started the kerfuffle though?"

"Yes." He huffed softly. "When I first introduced Mary to the boys, Rabbit was still playing at being all Valentino and apparently she remembered and bought him the book."

"The Sheik?"

"Yes, that one. He said he'd been reading Pete's copy and was happy to now have his own and ... well, Pete had come in just before she gave it to him... and she seemed a little surprised he would have read it and when Rabbit said Pete might have seen the movie more than him, she said, just to be consoling to Rabbit, I'm sure ... she said that Rabbit was probably a much better Valentino. Then she gave me some paintbrushes and she gave Pete a bell."

"A bell?"

"Yes. Apparently he's crept up on her and caught her unawares more than once today."

His father chuckled. "Did she? Oh, they left that part out. Now it makes a little more sense why he did it. What happened then?"

"Well, he accused her of trying to be funny. She said she wasn't trying to make fun of him, and he said she was, just like she was trying to make fun of him about the book. She said she was just surprised he was a fan and then he accused her of insulting him by saying Rabbit was a better Valentino than him. I should have stopped him then, but I had no idea he'd... " He almost said 'be that convincing' "... do what he did. I thought it would be funny to watch him try to be a sheik."

"And what did he do."

"He stripped off his coat and tie, and he was pacing and getting all anxious and then, he just turned on her. He was saying... I suppose it was from the movie but ... I saw the movie and it didn't look like that. He grabbed hold of her and he just... kissed her." He frowned a bit. "I mean... really kissed her and then he threw her off and grabbed his stuff, told her not to keep him waiting and left. She was shaking so bad I had to walk her out. We found her sister, and I left Mary with her. Then I came back here to punch Pete's teeth down his throat."

"So, to clarify. All he did was what you yourself encouraged him to do. To ... act out this part and prove he was better at it than an automaton?"

"Well... yes, but she didn't say it to cut down Pete, she meant it to soothe Rabbit's pride."

Peter the first was quiet for a few minutes, mulling things over. When he spoke again, it was in that paternal tone that the boys, metal and flesh alike, knew meant business. "Each town we come to, each stop we make, you have a girl you set your cap at, and as soon as we pull out of town, it's on to the next one. " He leaned forward, his eyes boring into his elder son's. "Do you have feelings for this girl, Peter?" He feared the answer. The hazy memories of a friendship destroyed, of countless lives ruined by the events that were sparked by two men fighting over one woman. He didn't want to see it happen to his sons.

Peter wanted to say he did. That he loved her madly, passionately, so he could better fill the role as the injured party, but he knew it wasn't true. When first he'd seen her, he had chalked her up to being another wide-eyed farm girl he could have a bit of fun with, but then, he actually found that he liked her. He thought she was very clever, and very kind. She actually seemed to like his art, but... "No." He shook his head. "Not in the way you mean. Not like the others either, Father. I wouldn't do that to Mary."

"Then all is well. Trust me when I say that your brother will pay the price for his shenanigans without you coming to blows over it. Can I trust that you won't start scrapping when he gets back from his walk?"

"You have my word. I won't raise a hand to him unless he starts it."

"Good. Go get some rest." He rose with a little groan as age was just beginning to affect his joints. "Clear heads all around tomorrow." He gathered his chair and waited for Peter to make his way toward the sleeping car before he returned to the workshop, not looking forward to tomorrow.