A Life Of 'Shine - Lem Fike

13

"I think I've come down with a cold or something." Nora's voice was hoarse as she left the bedroom, rubbing her eyes as she stepped closer to the table to join Lem.

The male looked up at the girl, briskly standing to greet her as the worried had gotten the better over him the past few hours she slept.

"I got worried. H-How are you feeling?" He asked, stuttering over his words. When he was close enough he made sure to give her a look over, checking her temperature the way a parent would when their child was ill. The attention was enough for Nora to chuckle, although she had no need for his actions she still appreciated it.

"I'm okay, no need for you to worry. I think the alcohol may have just been too strong. I'm fine." Lem looked her over once more, his hand gently caressing her face in a loving manner. She smiled up at him, stepping closer before letting out a fit of cough's desperately covering her mouth in order to prevent coughing on Lem.

"You don't seem fine."

"Just a cold, I ain't dying."

Lem could only nod, not wanting to cause unnecessary conflict through arguments with the other female. He knew better than anyone else to not go against what she claimed, even though he knew that she wasn't as well as she claimed to be.

"If you feel like you're getting worse, tell me okay?" Lem spoke sternly, her answer was just a simple nod. She walked away, collecting her satchel from the side as she made her exit from the house.

"I have a few errands to run, I think I'll be gone for a couple days." She announced loudly for Lem to hear, he followed her out so there was no necessary need for her to speak louder than what she had but none the less she did so anyway.

"You be careful now." Nora nodded mounting Beanz in one motion before turning her gaze down towards the male, a light smile on her face.

"I will be, I promise and if I feel to be getting worse I'll make sure to return straight home okay?"

"I'm not sure, the camp don't seem suitable if you are ill."

"I meant here, silly. You make sure to take care too." Once their goodbye's were over, Nora began to ride off waving goodbye to Lem for as long as she could see him, once having turned the corner she lowered her arm and urged the horse faster.

The ride to her first destination was long, having travelled across the heartlands to make it to Lemoyne the heat already taking affect on her as she got closer to the notoriously hot state. She made sure to be significantly careful as soon as she crossed the border into the new territory, now alert of her surroundings to avoid any run-ins with the Lemoyne raiders- a group of people she did not want to mess with.

Luckily, the female had no problems on her trip to Rhodes. The paths being quieter than she was used too, sure but it provided a far less stressful trip when you weren't being shot at by a group of psychopaths. Nora was able to take on the Lemoyne raiders no problem however, it was the murfree's she was afraid of. She never travelled that far, given the notorious nature they carried being less than pleasant.

What Nora needed to do was visit Trelawny in his caravan, see if he had any work whether it be horse thievery or anything else he had to offer. She wasn't as honorable as she led people to believe, a regular "bad guy" of sorts. This meaning she had no problem when it came too stealing from other's.

Just as expected Trelawny was sat outside his caravan with a book in hand, reading the words on the page with pure concentration- his eyebrows furrowed to show just how lost in the words he really was. That and how he failed to notice the female accompany him on the small porch of the caravan. She let him read for a minute or two longer, snapping him from the trance the book put him in by simply tapping his shoulder.

Annoyed, he looked up before softening his expression once he realised just who joined him. Rising to his feet to greet the female with a handshake.

"How are you Josiah?"

"I am very well, thank you dear. How are you feeling and Lem is it? I hope he's well, too." Trelawny was the first person Nora told about her feelings for Lem, having allowed them to slip from her mouth as she rambled one drunken night in his company. He of course, did not forget what she said and would occasionally use it as the subject for his teasing.

"He's well, I told him how I felt and it went well. I'm a little ill I'm afraid but nothing too serious, mainly just a bad head." Upon hearing of her being unwell, Trelawny took a step back but none the less he still looked happy, probably because she didn't pretend like being friends with Lem was the only thing she wanted.

"Wonderful dear. Just remember who I am when you get married."

"I doubt we will be married. I'm just happy that right now things are going well, I'm not looking to plan out my future with him just yet." She shook her head dismissively, holding onto the small fence that bordered the porch. All Trelawny had to do was offer a simple nod, walking inside and then appearing once more with a small pouch of money. She eyed the object suspicious before realising he was handing it over to her.

"It's the money I owed you from that last job you did. As for anything new, I'm afraid there's nothing. But some associates of mine should be around so maybe when you see them next you could speak to them regarding work."

She nodded, knowing by associates he meant the Van Der Linde gang. Having nothing much to do around the caravans she called for Beanz to follow, walking back into town that was to close to ride a horse into- walking being just fine. When she got there she recognised a voice all too well outside of the general store, that being Mrs Adler.

"Sadie, pleasant seeing you around here." The female greeted, stepping closer with a smile. The widow turned around, nodding in greeting to Nora as she finished loading the last few supplies into the wagon.

"Likewise, we had to move urgently so I thought I'd not have the chance to speak with you again." Mrs Adler smiled, walking around the wagon to the front with intentions of patting the horses. Nora followed closely behind, an idea of a conversation in mind.

"Call it luck. I'm a regular around Lemoyne and the Heartlands so you won't be able to get rid of me just yet." Nora joked, turning her attention at Arthur who had joined them after his visit to the post office. Nora smiled at the male, watching him climb into the wagon without saying a word to the girls.

"I uh, told Lem if you're interested in that. It's well, we're working it out."

"Look at you, finally admitting your feelings to someone. I'd love to stay and chat but I best be headin' home with these supplies. You take care now." With that farwell, Mrs Adler left Rhodes once she climbed up on the wagon- making the effort to wave at Nora just as the female had done when she left home earlier that morning.

The girl let out a small sigh, approaching her horse as he stood behind her- mindlessly chewing the grass in the area. Making sure to firmly pat his neck before mounting.

"Well boy, we best be heading home." She whispered, a gentle kick and a couple clicks and the steed began to ride back on up to Valentine.