Get Along Little Dogies (Arkady)

[Deleted]

Caden had never even considered the possibility that Dusty could be married, nor that she might want to marry. She was a saloon girl, so she surely couldn’t have a husband, but why wouldn’t she want one in the future? If she didn’t want to spend her whole life here pouring drinks or, worse, selling herself on a nightly basis then what other way out was there for a girl like her?

She didn’t sound against the idea, but if’n she was waiting for someone special then she weren’t desperate to get out either. If she were she wouldn’t care if she liked the man or not as long as he would take her away from here and provide for her. Caden had heard of that happening before.

Staying silent through the whole exchange, he just quietly sipped his drink. She sure had a way with the men around here, he thought glumly, and a bit jealously. Any one of them would probably leave their wives to be with her, so why didn’t she accept none of them?

Finishing his drink, Caden signalled for another; not that he needed more to drink at this point, but it seemed like the easiest way to get her attention again, even if for only a few minutes.

“So you like workin’ here?” he asked lamely. It was a strange feeling, all of this. He was willing to waste all his money on liquore just to spend time with her, and he didn’t want to share her with everyone else. Unfortunately with her pouring drinks he pretty much had to, but he could handle that. It was the thought of later, if she was like the other girls and had to take her business elsewhere with one or these men... he didn’t like that idea one bit.

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty hoped that someday she’d get married, but only if she found the right man. She’d always felt like that, even when she were just a little girl and ‘er momma warned ‘er that she may never find the man of ‘er dreams. Her momma never did and it might be the same for her, but she’d never given up hope. She weren’t even seventeen yet. She had lotsa time ta find the right man if’n it were meant to be. It just weren’t meant ta be yet, ‘specially with them men ‘round here.

But maybe, just maybe, the right man were sitting right there at the bar, signaling for another drink and lookin’ pretty glum. He weren’t…he weren’t jealous were he? Well that….no, that couldn’t be. He couldn’t be jealous. She were just a Saloon girl, paid ta pour drinks and make men forget about life for a while. She were s’posed ta be nice ta look at and maybe make the men want a little somethin’ more, but no one were s’pose ta jealous. No, he couldn’t be jealous. That wouldn’t make sense atall. She were just another Saloon girl.

“I do like workin’ here,” she said smilin’ as she poured another drink for Caden. “I was practically raised in this place. Ever since I were real little my momma would sit my behind this bar and whoever was working the bar would keep an eye on me. I guess I were meant for this job.” She weren’t sure why she were tellin’ Caden this. She hardly knew ‘im, but she liked ‘im. And that were good enough fer her.

[Deleted]

Whether he wanted the drink or not, the idea behind it had worked. Not only did she come back over to serve him but she stayed to answer his question, and much more fully than she had to. He liked listening to her talk, and he liked hearing about her life. Taking a sip of his drink, Caden smiled a little at her when she seemed to finish her story.

“You ever dream of doin’ somethin’ else?” he asked before he even thought about it. It was probably a rude question, like he was insinuating that her job wasn’t enough, that she should do more, but he was genuinely curious. Was anyone actually meant to be a saloon girl? He doubted it was something any girl dreamed of, though it was what her mother did, what she saw every day. She grew up in this life, so it made sense she wouldn’t dream of anything more. Or, at least, wouldn’t think she would ever have more. “Not that this is bad or nothin’, but just... you ever think there’s more?”

The drink was loosening his tongue a bit, giving him the courage to talk to her, to ask her about herself, to even apply it to him. He’d helped his parents run the farm since he was old enough to carry a slop bucket, but did that mean he was meant to do that? That was why he was here, why he’d left. How else would he ever find out?

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty felt comfortable tellin’ Caden ‘bout ‘er life, as if she had had known ‘im her whole life. She didn’t mind talkin’ ‘bout ‘er strange upbringin’. It were normal for her this Saloon life. Rowdy men and scantily clad women were just everyday life, along with bein’ the outcasts in society. This were normal and sometimes she liked ta talk ‘bout ‘er life.

But the next question caught ‘er off guard. Did she ever dream ‘bout somethin’ more? Was he readin’ her mind? She looked down at the bar for a moment ta think over an answer. “Well,” she began lookin’ up at ‘im. “I got dreams.” She leaned ‘er elbows on the bar. “Someday I’d like to get married and be a respectable lady. I’d like ta just have one man ta look after and maybe have a family eventually.” She shrugged. “But I gotta be realistic. Those things may never happen. They’re only dreams.”

She smiled at Caden. She’d done quite a bit o’ talkin’ ‘bout herself and she still didn’t know anything ‘bout him. “Alright, your turn. Tell me somethin’ ‘bout you.”

[Deleted]

For a moment Caden was scared he’d offended her by saying there was more to life than working in a saloon, but before he could stutter out some sort of retraction (which, let’s be honest, would have probably only made it sound worse) Dusty was talking again, telling him about her dreams for the future. She was amazing, different than any other girl he’d ever met, yet she still wanted the same things they all did, the same things his mother had given up her fortune for.

“That sounds real nice,” he replied, resting his own elbow on the bar and propping his chin on his hand. “I’m sure it’ll happen for ya too. Not all dreams are just what ya see when you’re sleepin’. Sometimes they come true.”

Her dreams were definitely more realistic than his, that was for sure. All she wanted was love and a family, while he dreamed of infamy and fortune. Why else would he have come up with with the moniker Arkansas Caden? If he used his real name nobody would take him seriously and he’d never be famous.

Speaking of his real name, suddenly she was turning the conversation back on him, asking him to talk about himself. Part of him wanted to, part of him wanted to tell her everything, but he couldn’t help but glance around at the crowded room. Sure, none of them seemed to be listening to him, but he still didn’t want to say much when others could here. Still, she was being honest with her so he owed her a bit of the same, at least.

“Well, I ain’t been gone from home all that long. Was workin’ on my parents’ farm just a few month ago,” he offered. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

[Dusty Fae]

It would take a lot to offend Dusty. Growin’ up in this place she’d heard the worst o’ the worst and been called the very worst. Caden couldn’t offend ‘er if ‘e tried. And even if’n ‘e did try it probably wouldn’t offend ‘er then neither. She’d just be mad that ‘e were insultin’ ‘er.

Caden were such an optimist. For any other girl the dream o’ gettin’ married would probably come true ‘cause women in the West were scarce and men were plenty. It were harder for a saloon girl ‘cause they were, in a sense, already been used. And sure, all the girls had admirers, lotsa men wishin’ their wives were more like these girls, but when push came ta shove there weren’t many saloon girls gettin’ serious marriage proposals. So Dusty could dream all she wanted, but it didn’t mean that her dreams were gonna come true. But he seemed so hopeful, she didn’t wanna crush his dreams.“Maybe,” she told ‘im though she weren’t sure she even believed it herself.

She noticed that Caden looked ‘round the room ‘fore answerin’ her question. She wondered what he were afraid ta tell ‘er in fronta ever’one else. But she smiled at his answer. He really were just a simple country boy. She liked ‘im even more for that. “So what do yah wanna do if yah ain’t workin’ on the farm? What’d yah leave the farm for? If’n yah don’t mind my askin’, that is.” She didn’t mean ta pry. She were just curious were all.

[Deleted]

Caden might not be very bright, but he knew it was probably her job to say what he wanted to hear and to act like she cared and was interested in him. It didn’t mean she actually gave a damn about him at all... yet he couldn’t quite convince himself that she didn’t either. She was different than the other girls, and she sure seemed interested enough. Would it be so bad to believe her? Maybe just for tonight...

“Well, I just wanted ta make my own way in tha world, I guess,” he said with a bit of a shrug. “I wanted ta get out and see other places, make my own fortune... do somethin’ excitin’.”

It wasn’t that he’d had a bad home life, cause he really hadn’t. He loved his family, and they’d had some good times together, but it had been hard work. Nothing ever came easy to them, they had to work for every cent, every morsel of food. He was tired of it. Just once he wanted his life to be easy.

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty were supposed ta take int’rest in the men that came into the Saloon, even if they bored her to tears. But most men she really were interested in hearin’ what they had ta tell ‘er. And Caden were new to the town so he had new things ta say and she were int’rested in what ‘e had ta say. And he were diff’rent. He were nice and sweet and he’d asked ‘bout her own life. She liked ta listen.

She nodded. “You’re makin’ yer own way in the world. Every man wants that.” Everyone had ta leave home at some point. “Just be careful what yah wish for,” she told ‘im gently. Things that were excitin’ were usually dangerous too. She didn’t want him ta get in trouble or worse.

She wiped down the counter a bit. “Just don’t get yourself killed. I prefer you alive.” She’d probably worry about ‘im too. And wonder what kind o’ things ‘e were runnin’ inta. If’n he were runnin’ from the law. She wished he weren’t alone. He needed someone to look out for ‘im, that much were for sure.

[Deleted]

Sure, every man wanted to make his own fortune just like every woman wanted to settle down and have kids, but as Dusty already seemed to believe it didn’t always happen for everyone. Would it happen for Arkady? He couldn’t know for sure, but this was the first night he’d ended a game with more money than he’d started with, and it wasn’t even his doing. Had Dusty not been there he would have probably played until he lost all his money again, and he would have played a lot worse too without his good luck charm beside him.

Then she had to go an warn him to be careful, and it was a sobering thought. Speaking of not getting killed, he really should be taking Barrett more seriously instead of getting caught up in pretty smiles and kind words and nice kisses.

“I should prob’ly be headin’ on out soon,” Caden said a bit reluctantly, finishing his drink. “Gotta find me a room for tha night so I can get on the road in tha mornin’.”

[Dusty Fae]

She could see the impact that ‘er simple warnin’ had on Caden. Death were always a soberin’ thought really. It made yah think about life diff’rently. She certainly hoped that Caden’d be alright out there in the world by ‘imself. He weren’t the brightest o’ men and there were sure ta be people that’d take advantage o’ that. He were just a sweet farmer that were tryin’ ta make his own way in the world.

She still didn’t want ‘im ta leave though. Unfortunately that were probably gonna happen anyhow. She couldn’t keep him here. What would he wanna stay here for? Not fer her. She were just a Saloon girl.

“The hotel’s just down a ways.” She waved ‘er hand in the general direction of it. It weren’t hard ta find if yah walked outside. There were a big sign in front that said ‘Hotel’. Couldn’t miss it really. “You should be able ta find a room there.” She were tempted ta ask ‘im ta stay again, but as much as she didn’t want ‘im ta go she couldn’t ask ‘im ta stay. What were ‘e gonna do here anyhow? It weren’t fair for her ta ask ‘im ta stay. “You leavin’ at day break?”

[Deleted]

The hotel. Right. Where else would he stay? Getting down off his barstool, Caden ran a hand back through his hair, really missing his hat. If he had a hat right now he could tip it at her all cool like before he left.

“Well, I guess I should get goin’, then,” he said reluctantly, taking a step toward the door, but he stopped when she spoke again. “Yeah, I ‘spose so. Should get outta here before the Sheriff gets in.”

He wasn’t sure how things worked here, but there was a chance Barrett would just be left to sleep it all off tonight and get let out in the morning. Taking another step, this time backwards so he could still look at her, Caden tried to make himself just leave, to just walk out. It wasn’t like she really cared where he spent his night or when he was leaving, but still... maybe he cared.

“Ya know, if ya get outta here early enough, if ya wanted to stop by...” he suggested, before realising that he had just asked her to come to his hotel room in the middle of the night. “Ta talk! I mean... if ya wanted.” Oh, that wasn’t smooth at all.

[Dusty Fae]

Caden were leavin’ and no matter how many times she told ‘erself she didn’t care ‘bout ‘im, she couldn’t help but feel like she did. And if he left then she might never see him again. It was strange how much thinkin’ ‘bout that affected her. Her heart...well she’d rather not think about that.

She did care though ‘bout when ‘e were leavin’. He’d said they could say their goodbyes later and she meant ta say goodbye if’n she could. So she’d be awake when she left. Well, she hoped so anyway. She tended ta work late since she weren’t bringin’ men ta bed. The disappointed ones stayed and got even drunker at the bar with ‘er until she called for last drink and then kicked ‘em out so that she could get some sleep.

She were pourin’ a couplea drinks when Caden made the suggest to come by his hotel room and she looked up sharply. Had he just asked her what she thought he asked her? She blushed and her heart rate picked up, beatin’ faster.

Oh, just ta talk. Right. ‘Course. This were Caden she were talkin’ ‘bout. She nodded. “Right. Sure.” She didn’t know what ta think ‘bout that. She needed ‘er heart ta stop beatin’ so fast and the red ta leave ‘er cheeks. This were not how she were s’posed ta behave. Men had outright asked ‘er the same sorta thing and she’d never acted like this.

She quickly tucked a piece of hair behind ‘er ear then downed another drink, hopin’ it would help. It only burned down ‘er throat and made ‘er feel worse.

[Deleted]

Gosh darnit, she’d taken it the wrong way, hadn’t she? At least she accepted his explanation simple enough, even if she did seem to be a little red. He really hoped she wasn’t angry with him for suggesting such a thing, not that he’d meant to suggest what she thought he’d suggested... though he wouldn’t exactly argue if she’d suggested it herself. It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about it.

But now she weren’t saying much so it was probably time for him to just leave before he said something else to make him look like a bigger idiot.

“Or I could stop by in the mornin’, right afore I leave,” he suggested instead of keeping his big mouth shut. He was just drawing it out now, finding any excuse not to walk away from her, at least not without seeing one last smile. Maybe she’d have a smile for him tomorrow, if she saw him off in the morning.

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty couldn’t help but take it the way she had. She’d grown up in a saloon for goodness sakes. What else were she supposed ta think? Gord lord. And the worst part was that she wouldn’t have minded if that were what he meant. But it weren’t.

He just needed ta go. Caden just needed ta stop talkin’ and leave. And there he went talkin’ again. He were so sweet but she needed ‘im ta go. She nodded again. “That’d be fine.” She would see him ‘fore ‘e left one way or another, but right now he needed ta leave. She just couldn’t handle ‘im right now.

[Deleted]

Fine. Good. Caden could barely hide his disappointment at Dusty’s sudden change in attitude. Gone was the bright smile and interested questions. He seemed more of an annoyance to her now, like she just couldn’t wait for him to leave so she could get back to work.

“Well, G’night then, Miss Dusty,” he said. With the absence of a hat he bowed at the waist instead like his papa taught him, before turning and stepping out into the night. Once outside he took a deep breath of the crisp, fresh air. Trying to force all thoughts of Dusty from his mind, Caden untied his horse and walked her to the stables. After making sure she was properly settled and paid for for once he took the saddlebags containing his meager belongings and made for the hotel.

When was the last time he’d been able to pay for an actual room, not to mention have some money left over afterwards? That thought at least put a bit of a bounce in his step, even if his heart till felt a little heavy.

Entering the room, he locked the door behind him but left the key in the lock, too tired to think much on it. Tossing his bag on the lone wooden chair in one corner, his clothes soon followed, and in barely five minutes he was in bed and asleep. It’s amazing how some drinks, a bit of romantic confusion and a near death experience can really wear a person out.