Chapter Text
The air was humid & sticky down here in Shady Belle. You wished to sit on the jetty and dangle your feet in the water – but considering the camp was now in the swamps just outside Saint Denis you didn't fancy taking the risk of an alligator chomping your leg off. Choosing a safer option, you finally decided to sit in the shade of the big tree towards the back of the house - far enough away from the main campfire so that you most likely wouldn't be disturbed, but still close enough that people wouldn't be wondering where the hell you'd gotten to.
Reaching into your satchel you pulled out your notebook and a pencil and settled into a comfortable position, with your back placed against the sturdy trunk before you started doodling some small sketches of the camp. Occasionally you'd hear some voices talking nearby and your natural curiosity would force you look up to see what was happening, but for the most part you were fully engrossed in your art.
“What are you reading?” a friendly voice enquired from above you. You looked around and spotted Jack standing on the 1st floor balcony
“I'm not” you hollered over to him “I'm just practising my drawing”
“Can I take a look?” Before you had chance to even respond to him he'd disappeared back into the room he was now sharing with his ma & pa. You shook the thought out of your head. Although you were happy to see John finally man up and start to look after his family, you still wished it was you he was sharing a room with.
“Whoa watch out there Jackie” you heard Arthur exclaim as he moved out the path of the boy running towards you, followed closely by his new best friend, Cain the mutt.
“Sorry, Uncle Arthur” he shouted as he bounded over to you "What are you drawing Lilly?"
“There's not much to look at I'm afraid” you explained to the 4 year old as he sat down on your lap. He looked carefully at the page that was open
“Is that Uncle Hosea?” he asked pointing to a rough sketch you'd previously started and gave up on.
“it's meant to be, I couldn't quite get the picture to turn out how I wanted” he turned the page glancing at each sketch before seeing one that put a huge smile on his angelic face
“You drew Cain?!” The dog who was now laying next to you both lifted his head at the sound of his name. Jack turned to face him with your notebook still in his hands “Look boy, look what Aunt Lilly drew of you” The dog simply sniffed the pages and wagged his tail in excitement, before wandering off in the opposite direction.
“Jack Marston, where you at?” Abigail's voice echoed from the upstairs bedrrom
“Oh dear, you better get back to your momma before she starts getting worried” you explained lifting him off your knee.
“Can I take this with me?” he asked sweetly, clutching it to his chest “I wanna try drawing Cain too!” You nodded reluctantly, you'd just have to find something else to enterain you instead.
“As long as you show me later on okay?” You ruffled his hair and sent him on his way
“Coming Momma” he yelled moving his legs as fast as they would carry him back towards the house.
You stood up & brushed down your skirt before making your way over to Pearson's wagon to see if today's stew was ready yet. Walking past Hosea reading at the table, you were startled when he spoke to you not lifting his head from the pages “You know Lilly, I'm proud of what a responsible young woman you've become”
“Thank you?” you answered confusedly. You glanced ahead of you, only to see the pot was not yet over the fire, so you pulled up a chair next to older man.
“You could have easily have chased Jack back to his room then, but I like how you handled it”
“I can't really take it out on the boy now can I?”
He placed his book down and looked around to make sure nobody else was listening to your conversation.
“Have you spoken to John yet, since he asked them to move into his room?” You shook your head.
“Didn't seem right at the party, and since I found out about, I thought it be best to give them some space” you sighed leaning back on the chair “I've stolen enough time with him from both Jack & Abigail as it is”
Hosea grinned and nodded before rising from his seat to give you a pat on the shoulder
“Like I said – you've become a responsible young woman”