accepted | anne with an e

04

chapter four

bash and lucy finally arrived at the bog. they walked around, bash saying hello to just about everyone. they were finally in a place where they could walk freely without getting nasty looks from others.

"if it isn't the man from the train and his little friend." isaac approached them. lucy held her breath and stared at him intensely.

"so your guest ditched you? where you from?" he asked them both.

"trinidad." bash said.

"i worked a steamship to get here." bash added.

" I mean where do you live when you're not swimming down here with us...in the muck?" isaac rudely asked.

"avonlea." bash replied.

"farming community. hear it's pretty up there. must be nice." bash tried to walk away but he blocked him. "i was rounding off the 72 hour shift when you got all uppity. boss rode me till the end like a mule." he stared at bash.

"sounds like you had a bad before we stepped foot on that train. pushing us to the back wasn't bound to help you." bash spat back.

"boy. it's all right for you to be those people's pet, but you don't know your place, and that's dangerous." lucy could see the jealousy that isaac felt.

"what i can't understand, boy, is someone who was born free but still likes the taste of the boss man's boot enough to lick it when he doesn't have to." bash replied which caused isaac to punch him in the stomach. he grunted.

"bash!" lucy yelled with wide worried eyes as he fell.

"a steamer's just a floating train! you licked your share of boots to survive!" he yelled at him. lucy's eyes began to fill with tears that she didn't dare let fall. isaac held his hand out to help bash. he got up with both of their help. "now, i coulda hit you in the mouth. laundry's a few streets that way. they'll take care of you." isaac said. bash and lucy began to walk away but lucy stopped and turned to isaac.

"you know, when i first saw you on the train i was excited. i thought i finally found him." she said and isaac was confused. "you're definitely not who i remember you to be. you probably don't remember me do you?" she asked and he shook his head no.
"yeah, i didn't think so, papa." and with that she left, leaving isaac in shock and at a lost for words.

lucy caught up to bash and they stood in front of the laundry. bash stared through the window. some women were working in there, and after a while they let them inside.

"afternoon, ladies. i have to be honest.." bash walked in and held the door for lucy.

"i hope so. the last man who tried to rob us left here with us then he came in with." one of the women said and they all laughed in agreement.

"my situation might be a bit of a challenge." he said.

"well bring your challenge inside and close the door." the same lady said and he did just that. the women exclaimed due to the bad odor bash brought in. lucy held her nose.

"ooh, hot in here! feels just like a perfect carnival monday." bash said.

" if I didn't have to smell him I could listen to him talk all day." one of the other women said.

"sorry about his smell, we were in a..... situation" lucy said.

"lucky you got a warm place to be in this bone chilling winter." he mentioned.

"i'm lucky?" the lady questioned with sass.

"yes?" bash was clueless.

"i'm lucky to be working here all day, hunched over this tub, cleaning dirt and worse out of peoples foul smelling under things?" she replied.

"you done did it now, bash." lucy tsked.

"now that you put it like that.." he frowned.

" nickel per item, press and starch included." she continued.

"hope you don't mind me saying so, miss, but you're very pretty." bash complimented. lucy could barely keep in her laugh. "like a julie mango shining in the sun." he continued.

"i do mind. why is it that men think women are waiting around to be complimented? i'm working." she replied.

as the conversation went on, lucy found the woman fasinating. she loved her confidence and how she seemed witty and smart. that's what lucy wanted to become. "lets have your thins." she said to bash and he began to take his dirty clothes off. all of a sudden, gilbert walked in.

"gilbert!" lucy said.

"i've been looking all over for you. what happened? why is bash standing half naked in a room full of women?" he asked.

"fortune finally smiled on me. ladies, this is my friend and business partner, gilbert blythe." bash introduced.

"forgive me. pardon me." gilbert said and they nodded.

"and you two are?" she asked bash and lucy.

"i'm lucy." the girl replied.

"name is sebastian. you can call me bash, bastian, trini. whatever you like." he and the lady stared at each other.

"turns out there's no train until tomorrow, so we'll need to find a hotel. can you recommend one?" gilbert asked.

"caters to black folk? good luck." one of the other women said.

"i know someone who has a room. she lets it out to people in need." the lady hands some clean clothes to bash. "these were never claimed." she said.

"what is this someone's name who takes in wayward travelers?" bash asked. "mary." she replied.

꧁꧂

the three settled at mary's house, the same lady from the laundry, in her extra room. "you're ok sharing a room with us, lucy?" gilbert asked the girl.

"of course! i don't have much of a choice but anyway, i'm used to being in a small space with many people at night so i don't mind some company." she smiled. mary walked in.

"how are you three? not still hungry?" she asked, holding a candle in her hand. they sat up and gilbert replied,

"oh, or fragrant. bless you for drawing him a bath." lucy laughed quietly as gilbert smiled, turning to bash.

"yes, bless you, mary. you're an angel." bash said and they smiled at eachother.

"i brought your receipt." she handed bash a piece of paper and he stood up to get it from her and gave the money due.

"oh. you gave me too much." she offered to hand it back. bash stopped her.

"i was hoping for some breakfast?" he said.

"do know how to cook don't i." she said. her and bash shared a stare and lucy nodded.

"you really do, it reminds me of my mother." she smiled at the memory and mary smiled at her.

"good night, then." mary left and bash sat down, putting down his wallet.

"bless you my angel." gilbert mocked bash causing the three of them to laugh softly.

"oh bash, i don't want to admit it but i thought you were charming from the start." lucy teased in a high pitch voice, mocking mary. gilbert smiled and went over to lucy.

"mary, my angel, please make me the happiest and marry me." he played along. lucy dramatically put her hand to her forehead and sighed.

"why bash i thought you'd never ask!" she said and they let out more laughs as gilbert went back to his spot.

"tease all you want. i don't shy away from the truth of how i feel like some fellows i know." bash got comfortable in his spot.

"ahh" gilbert shook his head and laid his head down. "i don't think i'll sleep much. too much has happened today"

"i know exactly what you mean." bash nodded and smiled to himself.

as lucy closed her eyes she couldn't help but let her mind wonder from what bash meant by that, to mary, to her father, and to her mother, until she fell asleep.

a/n:
i'll try to update faster my motivation came back :)