Outlaws - An American Youth - [Charles Smith x OC]

Chapter 16 - For a quarter dollar

A Quarter Dollar.

Sitting on the porch of the house, I was absorbed in my reading when a quarter dollar landed on my book. Surprised, I looked up to see where it came from. In front of me, Micah looked sly. I handled the coin, frowning. It took me a few seconds to figure out what he was getting at.

"What, I heard it's your new job.

- Do you really think a quarter would be enough? Even Valentine's syphilitics girls took more.

- You seem to know a lot about it. Good, I like girls who know what they're doing...

- Fuck off Micah"

Leaving my book, I got up, heading for a cabin on the river at the back of Shady Belle. I spent my frustration throwing stones at the green waters, chasing mosquitoes in vain. I was furious. Not so much because of Micah, I was used to his behavior. Looking back, I think it was just a desperate way to get attention.

No, the reason for my anger was Dutch. He who had been so considerate, so inspiring, he had now credited me with this reputation. It was clear that I was just a toy for him. I was just good to be a bargaining chip, sold to the most offering. Why should I keep following someone that treats me like that? It was supposed to be a place of freedom. But here, as anywhere else, my voice didn't matter. My body wasn't mine. I was to obey blindly to this man that now repelled me.

As I was reflecting on my future in the gang, Arthur arrived to check on me.

"You ok?

- Micah got into my head. Urg, I wish I had a reason to leave the camp. But Charles left to help his Indian friends, and I don't like to go hunting that far alone.

- Well, I'm going to town, I was going to ask you to come along"

I hesitated for a moment. The city brought me too close to Bronte. But I desperately needed a change of environment. Everyday tasks seemed a little too repetitive and boring since we hit the boat. And our nice catch had soothed Dutch: he no longer spoke about the Italian and no longer gave me the cold silence treatment. Coming back, I thought he was going to blame me for the disappearance of the dress, as if I had done it on purpose, but he said nothing, just admiring the stack of cash we brought him.

Arthur and I set off for Saint-Denis, chatting about everything and nothing. After a silence, I dared to question him about Mary, his youth love with whom he seemed to have reconnected. He sighed and didn't answer me immediately.

"What do you know?

- Only the few things the girls told me. That you were young and very in love. Her family didn't approve of you. And that she ended up listening to them. And married another man.

- It's about that."

Silence was heard again as the factory chimneys guarding the entrance to the city drew closer.

"She wrote me when we were in Valentine. She needed help with her brother. She rented a room in the north of the city, at a woman's farm.

-Chadwick Farm? Oh, I think I crossed paths with her then. Beautiful woman. She looked sweet.

-She is. She wrote to me again recently, we saw each other in Saint-Denis. We... We relived our youth for a few hours.

-Great. It's a good sign, maybe it wasn't your time back then but today it is."

An unconvinced sound came out of his mouth. I used to laugh at Mary-Beth's books, but I would have given everything I could to make this story end as in one of her novels. I sincerely appreciated Arthur and wanted him to be happy.