The Last Love Of Arthur Morgan

A Lonely Heart

Ambarino was a snowy hell for sure. Everyone was miserable, even the horses. No one was used to this type of weather. They couldnt wait to get back to the warmth of the southern states.

Arthur and Lorna hadn't spoken since their blow up at the creek a few days ago, and Arthur couldnt bring himself to apologize - she didnt look like she was going to either.

She went back to calling him Mr. Morgan - sometimes she wouldnt even speak to him at all. That was perfectly fine whereas he was concerned, getting too close to anyone in this life was a death sentence. It's best it ended before it even began.

He was handed a bowl of piping hot stew, that he nearly dropped. He looked up at Lorna and shook his head. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!

Arthur shook his hand trying to stop the stinging. Abigail gave Arthur a look of concern and curiosity, but he was a private man, hardly ever discussed his personal problems, unless someone did a lot of coaxing. One look from a woman he used to be friendly with, wasnt going to cut it.

"Eat up Jack." Arthur watched as the boy played with his stew.

"Its yucky."

Arthur breathed a laugh."Dont say that too loud."

"Uncle Arthur..." Jack leaned in."Are you sad?"

"Nah, just cold."

Jack nodded."Me too."

"I'll tell ya what." Arthur swallowed a mouthful of stew."I'll go find us some more blankets and I'll give you the warmest one."

"Thank you, Uncle Arthur." He giggled.

Arthur smiled and heaved a sigh. The kid knew how to pull at his heart. When Jack walked over to Lorna to tell her what he was going to do, Abigail scooted closer to him and cleared her throat.

"Thank you."

"For what?" He asked.

She shrugged."John ain't in his life like he should be, he dont even think Jack is his son."

"Look, Abigail, it ain't really my business-"

"Oh I know, Arthur. I just wanted to thank you for being there for him, for...I dont know, makin' him smile every once and a while."

Arthur shook his head."Its nothin'."

"Well it is to me and that little boy over there appreciates it." She pecked his cheek.

Arthur looked up and gave her a nod."Then, you're welcome."

Jack skipped back over to Abigail and sat back down. Arthur dumped the rest of his food into the crackling fire, then set his empty bowl on a table nearby.

He walked to the door, refusing to even look at Lorna - not that she cared much, she'd been ignoring him ever since he yelled at her. He stepped out of the cabin and shoved his hands in his pockets, stumbling through the knee high snow towards the shed where Pearson was cooking.

He was perplexed, to say the least. Lorna was weighing heavy on his mind, maybe his heart too, he didnt really know the difference anymore. He just knew that he was too close to the problem right now. He took a seat on an upside down bucket and sniffed.

"Good day to ya, Morgan." Pearson greeted.

Arthur nodded."If you wanna call it that."

Pearson chuckled and placed the cooking pot on top of the table."Listen, we could really use some more meat. I'm not picky, we'll take rabbit, snake, deer - anything."