Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter One.

Imogen woke to the constant clatter of the screen door banging against the frame and she rolled over, burying her face into the pillow with a tired groan. She lay there for a moment, determined to get just a little more sleep but after a moment, the muggy humidity of her room crept in and Imogen sighed. Tossing the blankets back, she sat up and reached over to the upturned crate that served as a nightstand, feeling around until her fingers found the familiar wire frame of her glasses. Slipping them on and stifling a yawn with the back of one hand, Imogen stood up from bed before glancing around. She frowned a little when she saw the predawn light creeping in through the thin curtains but before she could think too much about it, the screen door banged again and she huffed.

Getting dressed for the day didn’t take long and soon, Imogen was hurrying towards the offending door, an exasperated sigh leaving her when she found the inner door still ajar. Pulling the screen door closed, Imogen made sure it was latched before pushing the inner door shut, leaning her whole body weight against it to get the latch to catch.

“Stupid door.” Imogen grumbled once it was closed and she turned to make her way into the kitchen. To her surprise, the percolator was still sitting on the stove, the contents still warm enough to be drinkable and she couldn’t help but wonder then if her daddy had left the doors open just for the purpose of waking her up. Shaking her head, Imogen poured herself a cup of coffee before glancing around the kitchen, her frown returning at the sight of the dishes piled in the kitchen sink. Those would need to be done sooner rather than later but…

Glancing out of the kitchen window, Imogen shook her head. It was almost time for her to start the walk to work so the dishes would have to wait. Downing the last of her coffee, she sat the mug down on the counter before walking towards the back door, snagging her hat off its usual peg as she went. Pausing for a moment to stuff her feet into her boots, Imogen put her hat on and opened the door, stepping out into the surprisingly warm spring morning.

She walked quickly, sidestepping the various clutter that was scattered across the yard until she reached the back fence and after taking a glance around to make sure none of their neighbors were watching, she climbed over it. A worn path started on the other side of the fence, leading off into the overgrown grass and after taking a breath, Imogen started walking. It wasn’t a difficult walk, the path worn in well after more than a decade of use and despite wandering close to the back fences of some of their neighbors at various points, Imogen ignored them.

The path opened out onto the main road into town a little more than an hour later and Imogen stopped to glance up the road, one hand coming up to adjust her hat as the morning sun warmed the back of her neck. The road was still and quiet, the majority of the town's traffic having already passed before dawn on their way out to the fields but Imogen hadn’t expected anything different. Gelvaan was quiet, always had been and she wasn’t sure anything about it would or could ever change. As she stared, her eyes found the large, brightly colored sign for Faramore’s General Store and she shook her head before turning her attention back to her walk. Crossing the street, Imogen kept walking, intent on getting to work before it got too much hotter. Already the morning was warming around her and despite the fact that it was only now the first of May, she couldn’t help but think that this summer was going to be a hot one.

Nodding to Sheriff Brown as she crossed another road, Imogen turned left, following a winding side street out towards the outskirts of town, keeping her eyes fixed on the clean, even concrete as she went. The houses were nicer here, owned by those in town lucky enough to own the fields instead of work them and Imogen had always felt like an outsider when walking past them but her boss had told her to meet him at his place instead of one of the usual job sites. As she walked, a newer car rumbled down the street and Imogen couldn’t help but look up, trailing her eyes over the glossy red paint as it shone in the sun before shaking her head and turning her focus back on the path ahead of her. It wasn’t long before she was turning off the sidewalk to walk towards a modest set of iron gates and ducking through the sally port built in next to them. Estheross’ manor house rose up ahead of her, the worn white paint bright in the morning sun and Imogen kept walking until she reached the front doors. Reaching up with one hand, she rapped on the dark colored door and lowered her hand, waiting patiently until Evelyn opened the door.

A moment later, one leaf of the doors swung inward just enough to reveal the tall, slender form of Evelyn Wress, Mr. Estheross’ caretaker. Imogen couldn’t stop the little smile that spread across her face at the sight of the older woman, even if her expression didn’t change as she stepped away from the door and beckoned her inside. Evelyn had never been cruel to her, even when she had banged on the door at eleven, asking to pull weeds for pocket money and she had warmed to Imogen enough over the last decade that she had occasionally gotten to see the barest hint of a smile on the older woman’s face.

“Mr. Estheross is waiting for you in the dining room.” Evelyn said as Imogen pushed the door closed and she turned to lead the way. “He’s insisting that you join him for breakfast.” Blinking, Imogen opened her mouth to ask a question but Evelyn was already moving and she hurried to follow. As they walked through the wide hallways, Imogen couldn’t help but glance around though she had seen most of the decor before. A sense of comfort welled up in her then and she breathed out a quiet sigh, some of the tension loosening from her shoulders as the door to the dining room came into view. Evelyn stepped off to the side of the door before turning to Imogen and motioning her inside with one hand. Nodding at her, Imogen walked into the room, the little smile on her face spreading into something closer to a grin at the sight of the hulking form of Ariks Estheross.

“You wanted to see me boss?” Imogen asked, stopping just before the end of the table and tucking her hands into the pockets of her overalls. A moment passed before Ariks looked up, the light from the windows behind him glinting off the metal wire of his glasses frames. He stared at her for a moment before he nodded and gestured to the only other set place at the table with one large hand.

“Sit down.” He said, his eyes not leaving her as Imogen hurried to do as she was told. An array of breakfast foods were laid out across the table and Imogen felt her stomach grumble as the smells reached her nose. Ariks watched her for a moment before lowering his hand. “And help yourself. I’m certain all you’ve had this morning is coffee.”

“Guilty.” Imogen said, slowly reaching for the basket of biscuits and she hummed a little when she found that they were still warm. Adding one to the plate in front of her, she reached for the pot of honey, drizzling some across the top as Ariks stared at her. “It was good coffee too but I’m honestly surprised daddy left any.” A low hum rose from the older man and Imogen winced. She had learned often over the years that Ariks had thoughts about her father and while he had never come out and told her what they were, she knew they were less than nice.

“Your terrible eating habits aside,” Ariks said, reaching to pick up his own coffee cup and taking a sip. “I have a job for you, if you’re interested.” Looking up from her breakfast, Imogen nodded a little as she reached for the plate of bacon.

“You know I am.” Imogen said, adding a few strips to her plate before putting the serving tongs back. “What’s the job? Will it get me outta town for a little bit?”

“Yes but not terribly far.” Ariks said, motioning for her to start eating and waiting until she had before he continued, “You are aware that I rent several properties, yes? A nod will do.” Imogen nodded quickly and Ariks took another sip of his coffee. “There is a new tenant moving into the house on Farron Hill. I believe I’ve taken you out there before though it has been a few years and the house has been empty for some time. I would like you to go and inspect the property, just to ensure that everything is functioning as it should and clean up the yard. This will involve potentially trimming bushes, mowing the grass, pruning and weeding the flower beds and ensuring that the pool is ready for use.”

“Sounds like a lot.” Imogen said, picking up a strip of bacon. “More than I’d get done in one day at least. Farron Hill you said? That’s… That’s a bit of a hike boss.” Ariks stared at her for a moment before one corner of his mouth turned up in just the barest ghost of a smile.

“It would be more than you could feasibly do in one day.” Ariks said, lowering his coffee cup to set it back on the table. “And the tenant has requested to hire someone for regular maintenance on the property. Should you agree to the job, you’ll be granted access to use one of my vehicles for the duration of the tenants stay.”

“Really?” Imogen asked, excitement creeping into her voice and the corner of Ariks mouth turned up just a hair more. Heat washed up her cheeks as she took a breath and continued, “I mean, that sounds like a great job. When does it start?” The room was quiet for a moment before Ariks glanced down, staring pointedly at the food still on her plate.

“After you’ve eaten more than bread, honey and bacon.” Ariks said flatly and Imogen couldn’t help but grin at him before reaching for the boiled eggs.

“How often is regular maintenance?” Imogen asked, tapping the egg against the edge of her plate to crack the shell. “I mean, how often would I have to go out there? Do you know antythin’ ‘bout the tenants?”

“Tenant.” Ariks said as she began to peel the shell from the egg. “Only one. An artist from out west here on a sabbatical. In terms of how often you would have to go out there, the pool will need to be cleaned at least twice a week due to the trees. Your duties would also involve maintaining the yard for the duration and there might be times where the tenant might ask you to do additional tasks.” He paused, staring at her for a long moment before a proper smile spread across his face. “I am aware of how much I am asking of you Imogen and am willing to pay you accordingly. Along with the use of the truck for the duration, you will be paid thirty dollars a week.” Imogen stared at him, her eyes going wide at the figure before a thought crossed her mind.

“Would this be my only job or am I still gonna do other stuff?” Imogen asked as she reached for the salt shaker and Ariks gave her an approving nod.

“You will still be carrying out other tasks for me during this time. We’ll just have to rearrange your schedule to make time for you to get out to Farron Hill. You’ll collect the required tools today when you collect the truck and as soon as that is finished, you can head out to the property. The new tenant should be here by the end of the week.” Imogen nodded, lapsing into thoughtful silence as she ate the boiled egg and she glanced around the room. As soon as her mouth was empty, she turned her attention back to Ariks.

“Know anythin’ ‘bout the new tenant?” Imogen asked, picking up the other half of her biscuit. “Other than he’s an artist?”

“She.” Ariks said and Imogen felt her eyebrows raise. “I know she is an artist though I’m not familiar with her work. From what I’ve gathered, she’s recently widowed so I doubt you’ll see much of her. Grief often takes its own time.” The room was quiet for a moment before Ariks sighed and gestured to her plate. “Finish your breakfast and we can get started for today. You aren’t going anywhere until I’m satisfied that you won’t faint from hunger while driving one of my vehicles.” Not bothering to hide the fond smile that spread across her face, Imogen reached for another egg and tapped it against the edge of the plate.

“Whatever you say boss.” Imogen said, earning her a huff from the old man though he didn’t reply. Her thoughts wandered as she tucked into the unexpected breakfast but honestly, Ariks bullying her for her lackluster eating habits wasn’t that unusual and this was far from the first time they had shared a table. She could still remember the first time she had been called onto the porch, her hands dirty and cut from too many run ins with the rose's thorns but instead of being told to leave like she feared, she was sat down in the shade with a plate of sandwiches and a glass of lemonade. Evelyn had been firm to the point of frightening, sternly telling Imogen not to move from that spot until she was finished and she had been told to continue working. Her thoughts continued to wander until a sigh from the other end of the table drug her back to the present and she looked up from her half peeled egg to find Ariks watching her, a slightly exasperated smile on his face.

“Eat Imogen.” Ariks said, gesturing to the plate again. “Then we can be off. There is much to do and little time to see it all done.” Nodding, Imogen finished peeling the egg before taking a bite, letting her mind wander again towards just what excitement the day might bring.
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A little more than an hour later, Imogen was pulling the truck out of the back gate of Ariks property. Eating hadn’t taken long, neither had gathering the tools she would need but there had been a bit of a snag when Ariks insisted on giving her money to put fuel in the truck and Imogen had tried to argue with him. That had taken all off a few minutes before Ariks shoved a ten dollar bill into her hand and told her to just take care of it.

Turning her attention to the road, Imogen focused on the drive out of town, knowing from experience and the directions Ariks had told her, that the drive would take her around an hour. She was familiar enough with the Farron Hill area, having walked out there a number of times when life in town had gotten to be just a little too much to take and her memory had been stirred by Ariks description of the house. Driving felt nice too, Imogen thought as she hung her left arm out of the open window, enjoying the feel of the air rushing across the side of her face as she passed an ever widening row of houses. The yards had gotten larger the further out she had gone and every so often, she would catch the sound of cows on the breeze. By the half hour point, the manicured yards of town had turned back into proper fields and she knew if she looked in the right direction, she would see people working them but she ignored it. The houses were further apart now too, modest things built in styles that weren’t as popular in town now but functional enough to serve modest farming families. As she rolled to a stop at a stop sign, Imogen couldn’t help but glance over, her attention momentarily being stolen by the sight of a young woman hanging laundry out to dry. She looked young, Imogen thought, watching still as the woman stepped around the blowing bulk of a sheet and Imogen felt herself frown at the sight of what looked like a baby bump. Staring for a moment longer, Imogen shook her head when she noticed that the woman looked like she was her age or younger and felt something unpleasant curl up in her stomach as she turned her attention back to the road.

She knew it wasn’t weird to get married young and that most of the girls she had gone to school with were all married and most had kids but Imogen knew she didn’t want that and despite the arguments of people who thought they knew her better than she did, she was sure that she never would. As the road wound on further out of the town limits, Imogen breathed out a sigh, unable to stop the memories of the last explosive fight with her father from rising in the back of her mind. Relvin Temult was a serious man with a no nonsense view of the world where everything fit neatly into the same little categories he had grown up with and anything that didn’t was dismissed as being wrong.

Imogen had heard it often enough over the years from sharing a house with him; The complaints about the other field workers, the changes in clothes and cars and the designs of beer cans but she often blocked him out. That is, until he directed his attention at her. Their relationship (if it could be called that anymore) had been strained as long as she could remember, her father barely looking at her longer than he had too and despite the edict that parents wanted the best for their children, Relvin had fought her tooth and nail on everything. When they had found out she needed glasses, he had said no. When it had come time to purchase school books for sixth grade, he had said no, telling her that sending her to school would be a waste of money.

Thankfully for her, she had knocked on the right door that balmy day in June twelve years ago and Ariks had disagreed. After watching her work in his garden all summer, doing whatever tasks he asked of her with no complaint, he had presented her with the money for her books and driven her a town over to buy a rather expensive pair of glasses after having a quick but quiet word with her father.

Shaking her head to clear her wandering thoughts, Imogen forced her attention back on the road in front of her and she sighed at the looming sight of Farron Hill in the distance. It rose above the surrounding farmland like a beacon, the house nearly blocked from view by the trees that had been planted around it and Imogen felt curiosity rise in her at the sight of it. As she turned onto the paved driveway and slowed the truck down to a crawl, Imogen couldn’t help but glance around, her eyes lingering on the massive oak tree that grew just at the base of the hill. The house had been there for more than a hundred years or so people claimed, built in a symmetrical style that had stood up against time, weather and age and as she parked the truck and looked up at the house, Imogen couldn’t help but admire it. It was larger than it had looked from a distance, rising for several floors from the hilltop and a wide, railed off porch ran around the outside of both the first and second floors. The ground around the house was flat enough to boast a decent sized lawn that was edged on most sides by overgrown bushes and as she glanced around, Imogen couldn’t help but sigh. Walking around the side of the house, Imogen noted the locations of the various flower beds, her nose wrinkling at the sight of the weeds that had grown up around whatever had been planted there before as she made her way towards the back yard. The grass in the back yard was high enough to nearly obscure the stone path that ran down from the dark stained wooden stairs and Imogen followed it with her eyes as it ran towards the rectangular pool that sat towards the back of the yard. The concrete patio around it was messy, covered leaves that had piled up over a period of who knew how long but to her surprise, the stiff canvas cover was still tight over the surface of the pool.

Deciding then to tackle the pool last, Imogen walked deeper into the yard, frowning at the state of the grass before a sigh escaped her. ‘This is gonna be a lot of work.’ Imogen thought, glancing around again before turning to walk back towards the truck, a plan already forming in her mind. It was only Monday now but if what Ariks said was true and the tenant would be there by Friday morning at the latest, she had her work cut out for her. Walking towards the bed of the truck, Imogen glanced up at the house one more time before shaking her head and lowering the tailgate, intent on getting as much done as she could today before the sun went down. Smiling to herself as she pulled her gloves on and reached for a pair of sheers, Imogen couldn’t help the excitement that rose in her. A lot of work or not, being out here alone was going to be a lot of fun.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two.

Absently humming along to the radio, Laudna glanced around at the rolling farmland and sighed. It had been a long week of meetings, negotiations and getting things settled before climbing into her car to drive for four days alone regardless of how much the people in her life had desperately not wanted her to. The negotiations were over now though and she was content to let that part of her life rest with the husband she had recently buried. The sabbatical had been planned for some time now, a sort of artist retreat to refill her well of inspirations but Laudna was skeptical of how useful it would actually be. She had almost refused to go, only the encouragement of their closest friends being enough to convince her that not only would this be good for her, it’s what Bertrand would have wanted.

Shaking her head to clear those thoughts and pushing her sunglasses back up from where they had slid down her nose, Laudna glanced around again as the road wound uphill, a little frown tugging the corners of her mouth as she got her first look at Gelvaan. It was reasonably sized for a farming town though smaller than she was used to and Laudna could almost hear the nattering of the biddies that lived there already. As she drove closer, her eyes found the garishly colored sign proclaiming it as ‘Rothstein Liquor’ and she knew then that she would be stopping there. She was meant to be mourning and well, from what she had seen from other widows in the past, having a few drinks wouldn’t be unusual. She didn’t care either what any of the people in this backwater town thought of her, knowing good and well that it would be a miracle for her to last until October without packing up and going home sooner.

Pulling into the parking lot once she was close enough, Laudna eased the car into one of the parking spaces before putting it into park, sighing when she noticed the attention the admittedly flashy car had drawn. A group of men near the entrance had turned to gawk but she ignored them as she fished her purse out of the passenger seat before opening it. Checking to make sure her identification was where it was supposed to be and that she had enough cash on hand to do what she liked, Laudna sighed and closed her purse before turning the car off and pulling her keys out of the ignition. Taking a breath to steady her nerves, Laudna got out of the car and ignoring the looks the men shot at her, walked towards the store.

“That’s a real nice car you got ma’am.” One of the men said as she approached and another hurried to get the door. “That your husbands?” Laudna glanced over at him, clenching her jaw to bite back a scathing response before she forced a polite smile onto her face.

“No, it was a gift.” Laudna said, hoping that her tone would be enough to stop further questions but the look on the man's face told her otherwise. “My husband is a generous man who loves to treat me to the nicer things. Now if you’ll excuse me.” She brushed past him without waiting for a reply, the skirt of her black dress swishing around her ankles as she went.

She paid little attention to the interior of the store, simply grabbing one of the wire baskets off the holder by the door before wandering further in. An assortment of things went into the basket but Laudna paid little mind to what they actually were, grabbing the things she thought looked interesting as opposed to any one thing and soon, she was approaching the counter. The clerk looked up at her as she approached and she smiled at the look on his face.

“Do you have Lucky Strikes?” Laudna asked as she sat the basket down on the counter and the clerk nodded. “Two of the flat fifties if you have them, five regular packs if not.” The clerk stared at her for a moment before turning and grabbing two of the green tins off the counter behind him and setting them down next to her basket.

“Do you need matches or a lighter?” He asked as he started to tally up her purchase.

“No thank you, I have one.” Laudna said, already opening her purse to pay. The clerk rattled off the total a moment later and she handed the bills over before reaching for one of the tins. The clerk nodded as he bagged her purchase, the bottles clinking quietly in the paper bag before he looked up at her.

“Havin’ a party?” He asked in an attempt to be casual but Laudna could hear the curiosity in his voice and she smiled as tucked the tin into her purse before reaching for the bag.

“No,” She said, shifting the bag in her arms and smiling a little more when the bottles clinked. “Simply stocking up.” The clerk blinked at her before he nodded and Laudna turned to leave the store. Ignoring the men outside again, she deposited the bag in the passenger seat before climbing back into her car and opening her purse. Opening the tin, she fished out a cigarette before turning the car on to roll down the driver's window. Digging the lighter out of her purse drew a surprising burst of emotion from her that Laudna swallowed back down, the details of Bertrand’s ridiculous zippo seeming to brand themselves into her hand as she lit her cigarette and took a long drag. He had hated her smoking, always had but when it seemed that the unfortunate habit had stuck, he’d made sure to carry a lighter with him whenever they were out together. It was one of those darling little things he had done that proved that while their relationship hadn’t been conventional in the traditional sense, he had loved her. That love ached in her chest now, rearing its head to bare its teeth at the most random moments but despite it all, she couldn’t help but miss him.

“Stupid bastard.” Laudna grumbled around a mouthful of smoke before taking another drag and putting the car into reverse. The men in front of the store were still staring and god, she was so fucking tired of being stared at. Backing out of the parking space more forcefully than might have been necessary, Laudna turned back out into the road, intent on hiding in her rented residence until this sabbatical was over. As she followed what she assumed was the main road out of town, Laudna took another drag and sighed out a lungful of smoke, trying to temper the misplaced anger that was rising in her. Bertrand had been in the ground a little more than a month; She should be over being angry with him by now.

It was hard to get over it though if she was honest and a larger part of her thought she might always be angry at him for it. Bertrand had been her husband for nearly sixteen years, her partner in crime and one of the muses that fed her own artist endeavors. If anyone should have known he was sick, it was her. But no; He had robbed her of the chance to know from the start, swearing those that did know to secrecy until it was too obvious that there was something wrong and by then, he was too sick for her to feel comfortable screaming at him for lying to her, however much he might have deserved it. He’d apologized for lying to her, for keeping it from her but his words had come out so much… Less than his normal vivacious timbre that she had known then that their time was nearly up. The unfairness of it all grated at her then and still did now; Getting told that one of her oldest, closest friends was untreatably sick and that he was dying, that nothing had worked, no matter how much money they might have had to throw at the problem and Laudna had been forced to accept that for the first time since she was fourteen years old, she would be expected to carry on alone. To play the part of the grieving widow (not that that was a stretch) and accept condolences from people that barely knew either of them while their real friends watched from a distance and comforted her once the doors were closed.

Shaking her head again and taking another drag of her nearly finished cigarette, Laudna glanced around, frowning a little at the sight of the various little shops that lined the street she was on. A part of her wanted to stop, to poke through the little shops like she had so many times before when traveling with Bertrand but… She couldn’t bring herself to. Flicking her cigarette out of the window, Laudna slowed to a stop at a red light before glancing around, her eyes settling on what looked like a small grocery store with a sigh. She would need to get groceries today or risk having to come out later and as much as she didn’t want to stop again, she didn’t plan on being in much of a state to go anywhere for the next few days.

A quick stop for the essentials later and Laudna was on the road again, the trunk of her new car now crammed full of paper bags and as much as she hated to admit it, she was tired. It had been a long week and while the drive had been pleasant enough, she could admit that driving across the country after a few less than restful weeks had taken more out of her than she liked to admit. As the podunk little town faded into the rearview mirror and Laudna tried to remember the directions she had been given, she couldn’t help but roll her shoulders, hoping silently that a decent night’s sleep awaited her there. As the yards stretched out into proper fields and the last of Gelvaan’s structured neatness returned to barely beaten wilds, Laudna breathed out a sigh. The sabbatical was only for six months, just long enough for the dust to settle after Bertrand’s death and then she could go home, go back to doing what she did best and… Return to an empty house that would never be graced with his laughter again. Forcing that thought away, Laudna huffed and dug out another cigarette, fishing around in her purse for a moment to find her lighter. “If nothing else,” Laudna grumbled as the zippo flared to life and she lit her cigarette before snapping it closed. “Maybe I’ll find some inspiration while I’m here, though I doubt it.” Other than the soft music coming from the radio, the car was silent and Laudna huffed out a lungful of smoke.

The last hour of the trip seemed to speed by and it wasn’t long before she got her first glimpse of what she assumed was Farron Hill in the distance. As she slowed the car down to turn into the driveway, she felt her eyebrows raise at the sight of the polished white truck sitting off to one side and wondered suddenly who would be there. As she parked and turned the car off, Laudna glanced at the truck again before getting out and starting the walk towards the house. As she neared the side of the house, she caught the faint sound of someone singing quietly and walked a little faster, trying to make sure her steps didn’t make too much noise. The voice was female and very pretty, if a little off key and Laudna was suddenly overcome with the urge to know just who it belonged to. Stopping as she reached the edge of the sprawling porch, Laudna raised one hand to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight and glanced out over the yard, feeling her eyebrows raise at the sight that greeted her.

A young woman stood near a stand of rather impressive looking roses, a pair of pruning shears in hand. She was dressed in a pair of faded overalls that had been unbuckled, the shoulder straps tucked loosely into the edges of the waist. Broadish shoulders were wrapped in sweat soaked cotton and as she stared Laudna couldn’t help but run her eyes over the rather impressive figure of the other woman. Long hair was pulled up into a pony tail, gleaming red gold in the sun and she couldn’t help but wonder if the color was natural. A hat lay discarded on the ground and as she watched this strange woman move about the patch of flowers, Laudna couldn’t help but wonder suddenly if this was the gardener she had spoken to Mister Estheross about. If if was, Laudna thought, then perhaps her stay here wouldn’t be as terrible as she thought.

Before she could think of what to do next, the other woman turned and Laudna couldn’t have stopped the smile that spread across her face at the surprised little noise she made if she tried.

“Hello!” Laudna called, her smile spreading into a grin when a lovely blush spread across the other woman’s face. “Are you the grounds keeper? Mr. Estheross didn’t say you’d be here when I arrived.” The woman’s eyes widened and she hurried to lean down and pick up her hat.

“Sorry ‘bout that ma’am.” The woman said, her voice coming out with a hint of the accent Laudna had heard in town. “Didn’t mean’ta still be here.”

“You’re fine.” Laudna said, her smile not fading as the woman sat the hat back onto her head. “I think I’ve turned up a bit earlier than I originally told Mr. Estheross. I could head back to town if you need to finish up.” The other woman was already shaking her head no, the end of her pony tail swishing over one shoulder as she started walking towards Laudna.

“I’m mostly done,” The woman said as she came closer and Laudna couldn’t help but look her up and down, silently admiring the way the denim fit her. The faint blush on the woman’s tanned cheeks darkened again and she swallowed. “I’m uh, I mostly got caught up on the details. The um, roses should be nice an’ healthy though. An’ the uh, pool’s ready ifin you’re wantin’ to use it today.” Glancing around the yard, Laudna eyed the pool for a moment before turning her attention to the woman in front of her, an offer for her to stay and join her in the pool forming on her tongue before dying at the look on the other woman’s face.

“Thank you.” Laudna said instead and a small smile spread across the other woman’s face. “Say, did Mr. Estheross happen to mention to you who would be doing the ground’s work while I’m here? I would do it myself but I’m atrocious with plants.” The woman blinked at her for a moment before awkwardly jerking her thumb at herself.

“That’d uh… That’d be me.” The woman said and Laudna felt her smile spread into a grin. “I’m uh, Imogen. Imogen Temult. I’ll um, be takin’ care’a you- You’re property I mean, while you’re here.” Laudna stared at her for a moment, one dark eyebrow raising at her slip before she nodded.

“It’s nice to know my garden will be in such capable hands then.” Laudna said, her smile not fading as she met Imogen’s eye. “I’m Laudna.” She held out one hand, not looking away as Imogen reached to shake it. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“S’nice to meet you too.” Imogen said as she let Laudna’s hand go. She glanced around the yard then before she asked, “Do you uh, need help carryin’ anythin’?” Laudna stared at her for a moment before she snickered.

“I didn’t realize you offered porter service as well.” Laudna said, something playful creeping into her voice as a confused look crossed Imogen’s face. Deciding to take pity on the other woman, she nodded and gestured back towards the driveway. “I do have some things to move if you’re sure you aren’t needed anywhere else. Are you free to stay just a little longer?” Imogen nodded, sending the end of her pony tail bobbing again and Laudna couldn’t stop the little hum that escaped her. As they made their way towards the front of the house, Laudna watched the way the sunlight played across the hair that stuck out from under Imogen’s hat and already she could feel her hands itching to try and capture the way the light moved. Shaking that thought away as her car came into view, Laudna looked over when she heard Imogen let out a low whistle.

“That’s a hell of a car you got ma’am.” Imogen said, glancing over at her and Laudna couldn’t help but nod. “Is that the V8?” Blinking, Laudna glanced over at the car before she shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ve no idea.” Laudna said honestly, watching the other woman now as Imogen’s attention turned completely to the car. “Are you a fan of cars Imogen?” Imogen glanced over at her again, her blush having returned in full force again before she nodded.

“I read ‘bout’em sometimes.” Imogen said quietly, one hand coming up towards the back of her neck before she lowered it with a huff. “Anyway, you got stuff to move?” Nodding, Laudna dug the keys out of her pocket and hurried over to unlock the truck, stepping back to watch as Imogen lifted the cover of the trunk, letting her eyes linger on the way the muscles of the woman’s arms moved. It didn’t take long between the two of them before the trunk was emptied of luggage and groceries and soon, Laudna was carrying the first of her bags across the threshold into the dim interior of her new home for the time being. Imogen followed after her a moment later, one suitcase held in either hand and Laudna gestured her to the stairs.

“If you want to just put those at the top of the stairs, I’ll sort them out later.” Laudna said and Imogen nodded before hurrying away. Setting her bag aside, Laudna turned to start hauling in the groceries, wandering through the living room with the first armful of bags before she found the surprisingly large kitchen towards the back of the house. Large windows ran across over the sink, opening up into a spectacular view of the back yard and pool. As she sat the bags down on the counter, Laudna couldn’t help but think she might be spending a lot of time in front of these windows. She stared out for a moment, her eyes drawn back to the stand of rose bushes Imogen had been working on and she felt a small smile tug the corners of her mouth at the sight of the bright red flowers shifting in the breeze. The yard was pretty and obviously well taken care of. Laudna couldn’t help but wonder then just how long Imogen had been looking after it and if gardening was something of a passion of hers or just a job.

A quiet grunt from behind her got her attention and she turned in time to see Imogen setting a double arm load of bags down on the kitchen table, her hat once again missing from her head.

“The fridge works,” Imogen said, gesturing to where the oddly teal appliance sat on the other side of the room. “An’ the wirin’ was updated ‘bout a decade ago. I checked most’a the house to make sure everythin’ was workin’ like it’s supposed to be.”

“How thoughtful.” Laudna said, her smile spreading a little at the slightly embarrassed little smile on Imogen’s face. “You must be a credit to your employer then, as thorough as you are.”

“Thank you ma’am.” Imogen said, nodding her head a little though the blush didn’t fade. “Ariks- Uh Mister Estheross told me to tell you that’d I’d um, take care of whatever you needed done an’ if I can’t just to let him know. His phone number is on the counter.” Glancing over, Laudna eyed the slip of paper before an idea crossed her mind and she turned back to Imogen.

“Is yours?” Laudna asked, her smile not fading as a slightly confused look crossed the other woman’s face. “However will I get a hold of you, should I need something?” Imogen stared at her for a moment before the confusion faded from her face and she walked over to the counter, pulling a tiny stub of a pencil out of the pocket of her overalls. Laudna watched as she stared at the slip of paper before she sighed and scribbled something down and shoved the pencil back into her pocket.

“That’s my home number.” Imogen said, gesturing to the slip but not quite meeting Laudna’s eyes. “Call if you have to but I’m sorry now if my daddy answers.” Laudna nodded but before she could ask, Imogen breathed out another sigh and glanced over at the double doors that seemingly led out into the back yard. “I’ll be back over day after tomorrow. Jus’ holler if you need anythin’ alright?” Laudna nodded, stepping away from the counter to follow Imogen out of the kitchen. As they stepped back into the living room, she couldn’t help but glance around.

“Imogen,” She asked, genuine curiosity creeping into her voice as the other woman turned to look at her. “Do you know anything about the history of this house?” Imogen blinked at her before shrugging one shoulder and Laudna noticed that the blush had all but faded from her face now.

“I can’t rightly say that I do.” Imogen said, tucking her hands into her pockets and Laudna heard the jingle of what she assumed to be keys. Imogen hesitated for a moment before she added, “I could ask Mr. Estheross if you’d like. He might know somethin’ ‘bout it.” Nodding, Laudna felt a genuine smile spread across her face for what felt like the first time in days.

“Thank you.” Laudna said and Imogen nodded. “I eagerly await hearing what you’ve learned the next time I see you.” A shy little smile spread across Imogen’s face then and she nodded.

“I’ll uh, see you in a couple’a days.” Imogen said, nodding at her again before turning to hurry towards the door. Laudna watched her go, wandering closer as Imogen stepped out of the still open door and made her way down to the white truck, curiosity welling up in her at the other woman. As the trucks engine roared to life, Laudna turned to glance around the living room again, her smile fading from her face as a weary sigh escaped her. There were things to put away and things to do and she should probably have some dinner sooner than later but as she turned to return to the kitchen, her eyes landed on the bag she had gotten from the liquor store. She stared for a moment before shrugging one shoulder and snagging a bottle at random out of the bag. If nothing else, at least this would make unpacking interesting.
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Chapter Text

Chapter Three

Pulling the truck out of the driveway, Imogen turned towards town, the interaction from a few moments before replaying over in her mind. She had been curious about the new tenant all week and having been told by Ariks that it was a widow, had built something of an image of who to expect in her mind. She had expected someone older, a distinguished older woman who likely wouldn’t say more than three words to her, someone more akin to the stately grandmothers she had seen the few times she had been permitted to watch television but…

She had been wrong. So, so wrong.

Laudna was… Beautiful, for lack of a better word (though Imogen doubted that even that would suit her, surely there was something better) and playful in a way that had caught her off guard. And while there was an air of sadness about her, Imogen had felt the way the other (older?) woman’s eyes had lingered on her and while she had been stared at like that by men before, it surprisingly hadn’t bothered her when Laudna was the one doing it.

Shaking her head to clear those distracting thoughts away, Imogen forced her attention back on the road, knowing that despite how much she might have wanted to turn around and get to know this new stranger, she had other things to be doing today. As she drove towards town, Imogen ran over the list of things she had to do in her head, idly tapping her fingers against the steering wheel as she did. She needed to go to the hardware store to pick up nails and shingles to repair the Crawley’s roof in the morning and would need to stop by the co-op after that to pick up more fertilizer for the various gardens she looked after. She also needed to go grocery shopping because she knew that if she didn’t, her father would simply choose to eat in town instead and would only bring it up to her to complain about the cost of it.

Reaching up to pull her hat off, Imogen tossed it onto the passenger seat and sighed. The truck had been a point of contention between her and Relvin already and despite her explanation that it was for her job, her father was furious with her for “accepting charity from that Estheross busybody.” The argument that they had had about it had been explosive on his end, ending with a cup being smashed against and Relvin storming out, muttering under his breath about why she couldn’t just be fucking normal and after he had left, it had left Imogen in tears. It wasn’t the first argument of its kind that they had had over the years and as much as she sometimes wished it was, Imogen knew in her heart that it wouldn’t be the last.

Sighing as she reached the edge of town, Imogen turned the truck toward Prichards Tools and Lumber supply, frowning a little when she saw the collection of work trucks that lined the parking lot. If she was lucky, she could get in and out before anyone stopped her to talk but… As she pulled into a parking spot and spotted the gaggle of young men standing outside the store, she knew luck wasn’t on her side today. She sat there for a moment, trying to remember how early the store opened in the morning but coming up short and she knew that she wanted to be done with the Crawley job before noon. Taking a deep breath to steel her nerves, Imogen turned the truck off and pulled the keys out, tucking them into her pocket as she pushed the driver's door open. The walk up to the front of the store didn’t take long and for a moment, Imogen could almost let herself think she had escaped notice but just as she reached the doors, one of the young men turned, a seemingly friendly smile spreading across his freckled face.

“Howdy Temult,” He said, getting the attention of the three others and Imogen sighed. “Fancy seein’ you here. Still pretendin’ to be Relvin’s son?” The other three laughed and Imogen felt heat wash up her cheeks but clenched her jaw to stop herself from snapping back at him. Taking a deep breath, she tried for a polite smile but knew at once she failed.

“Just gettin’ some stuff for work Rudy,” Imogen said, reaching for the door handle with one hand but not looking away. Before she could stop herself, she added, “You should try it sometime. Workin’ I mean. Might be better than bakin’ your brain in parkin’ lots all day.” To her surprise, the three other young men laughed while Rudy’s face flushed an embarrassed, angry red and he bat away the hand of one who tried to clap him on the shoulder.

“Anyone ever told you you talk too much Temult?” Rudy asked, the smile fading from his face. “If you’re daddy ain’t gonna shut that mouth for you, maybe someone oughta.” An ugly look crossed his face when she snorted and he hissed, “You spend so much time with that old Estheross freak, drivin’ round that shiny new truck of his. We all know what kinda work you’re really doin’ an’ it sure don’t need nothin’ from here.” Imogen stared at him for a moment, horror dawning on her at what he was implying before she shook her head, a short, sharp chuckle escaping her.

“That’s the dumbest shit I ever heard,” Imogen said, shooting him a pitying look. “And that’s somethin’ considerin’ how long I’ve known you. Say, don’t your daddy drive one’a Mr. Faramore’s new trucks? What’s that say ‘bout them then?” Rudy’s face flushed an angry red but as he stepped forward, the shop door swung inwards, the bells overhead clattering loudly.

“‘Less your buyin’ something, get lost.” Imogen glanced over her shoulder to see Chetney Pock o’Pea stepping out, a frown making the wrinkles on his face seem even deeper than they already were. He glared up at the young men before making a shooing motion, the paper bag in his hand crinkling as he moved. “Pritchard’s already told you punks to beat it. Hangin’ ‘round gripin’ at payin’ customers ain’t what he meant. Now get!” A tense moment passed before Rudy turned on heel and stormed off, the other three following after him a moment later. Nothing was said as car doors were slammed but when Imogen turned to thank him, she found Chetney’s glare directed at her.

“Thank’s Chet.” Imogen said but Chetney scoffed before turning his head to spit on the pavement.

“That mouth’a yours is gonna get you hurt one’a these days ‘Mog.” Chetney said, his empty hand coming up to wipe his mouth and Imogen sighed. “Or worse. You keep poppin’ off at the mouth like that an’ you’d better be willin’ to follow up should push come to shove.” Sighing again, Imogen glanced in the direction Rudy and company had gone, watching as the truck pulled out of the parking lot before shrugging her shoulders.

“I could take’em.” Imogen said and Chetney scoffed again.

“You keep tellin’ yourself that girlie an’ you might jus’ believe it.” Chetney said as he shook his head. “Ariks get ahold of you this mornin’?” Imogen glanced over at him and shook her head, one hand coming up to brush the hair out of her face.

“I haven’t heard from him but I went straight out to the Farron Hill house to finish the yard.” Imogen said, tucking her hands into her pockets, wrapping her little pencil tightly in her right hand. “Why? Somethin’ come up?”

“Change of plans for tomorrow.” Chetney said, not looking away when Imogen’s eyebrows rose. “You ain’t goin’ out to the Crawley house. Brady Stutton called and wants his fence redone while Mrs. Stutton wants your magic hands in her garden again. ‘Parently, the gardener the Mister hired ain’t doin’ it right.” His eyes narrowed up at her for a moment before he shook his head, the pompom on the top of his hat swaying with the motion as he stepped closer to her. “An’ that’d better not be a euphemism either ‘Mog. I’d better see you outside, the entire time.” Imogen stared down at him for a moment, fighting the little smile that wanted to creep onto her face at his implication before she nodded.

“Got no plans to do nothin’ but the garden.” Imogen said before she breathed out a sigh. “Makes me wonder how bad that new gardner was to it. Especially if they’re askin’ for me. Brady wasn’t uh, too subtle ‘bout how much he don’t like me.” The serious look stayed on Chetney’s face for a moment before a slow smile spread across his face, deepening his wrinkles again as it spread into a grin.

“Don’t know what you heard ‘bout the Stutton’s but the mister ain’t the one controllin’ the wallet in that relationship.” Chetney said, humor creeping into his voice and Imogen snorted. “Word ‘round the bars is that Mrs. Stutton wasn’t happy ‘bout that yuppy gardener messin’ up some’a her flower beds. You’re gonna need to bring the stuff to clean their pool too, they’re payin’ extra for that.”

“This gonna be an all day job?” Imogen asked, frowning a little when Chetney nodded. “Guess I’ll pack lunch then. Sandwiches good for you?”

“Yeah.” Chetney said, his smile not fading as he shook his head again. “I’ve had your cookin’ before ‘Mog an’ don’t get me wrong, I appreciate a free meal when I can get one but… Spare me.” Feeling her eyes narrow, Imogen huffed.

“My cookin’s fine.” Imogen grumbled, fighting the urge to smile again when Chetney snorted. “It is! You’re just too damned picky.”

“Whatever you gotta tell yourself.” Chetney said, flashing her a grin before gesturing at the store. “You don’t gotta be here. I already ordered your fertilizers and stuff, Ariks gave me a list. They’ll be delivered in the mornin’ an’ you don’t need none of them ‘til day after tomorrow.” Imogen nodded and sighed, one hand coming up to adjust her hat.

“Suppose I ought’a get to the grocery store then.” Imogen said, turning to glance at the truck and mentally counting the money she had on her. Glancing over at Chetney she asked, “Am I pickin’ you up in the mornin’ or you meetin’ me there?” Chetney stared up at her for a moment before he shrugged.

“Pick me up.” Chetney said and Imogen nodded. “That way we can get a bite to eat before we head out there. You remember how to get to my house right?”

“‘Course I do.” Imogen said, rolling her eyes. “Ain’t that hard to find, just look for the one with all the junk in the yard.” Chetney huffed then, reaching out to jab her hip with one bony finger.

“That stuff ain’t junk!” Chetney said, but there was no heat to his words and Imogen couldn’t help but smile at him. “Now get on somewhere ‘fore you get yourself into any trouble. I’ll see you in the mornin’.” He turned and started walking away before Imogen could reply, not stopping until he was climbing into a beat up old ford. Imogen watched him for a moment, not looking away until the engine came to life with a clank and she shook her head before starting back towards the truck. It wasn’t long before she was pulling out of the parking lot, mentally checking things off her list as she went.

Getting to the grocery store didn’t take long and while gathering the things she and her father would need for at least a week wasn’t difficult, she was glad when it was over. People stared as she shopped and more than once, she heard her name whispered by one of the other shoppers, usually followed by “Poor Relvin,” or something to the effect and Imogen hated it. As she was leaving the store, Imogen heard the sound of feet on the linoleum floor and glanced over her shoulder. Mr. Dilly’s, the long-time manager of this particular store, was walking towards her, a flyer held in one hand.

“Got a minute Ms. Temult?” He asked and Imogen nodded, stopping her cart with one hand as he reached her. He stared at her for a moment before gesturing to the flyer. “I’ve got a stocking job open,” He said, holding the flyer up for her to see. “It’s a fast track to cashier too. The pay is reasonable an’ it’d get you out of the dirt more often. I’ve never put much stock in the rumors of your… peculiarities an’ it’d give you somethin’ to do.” Imogen stared at him for a moment before taking a breath.

“Thanks for the offer Mr. Dilly’s,” Imogen said slowly, weighing her words carefully as she spoke. “But I got a job already an’ I like it.” Mr. Dilly’s lips thinned, his mouth settling into a line before he shook his head.

“Ain’t no proper job Ms. Temult.” Mr. Dilly’s said and Imogen fought the urge to frown. “‘Sepcially not for a young woman like you. This is good work, proper work.” He held the flyer out and huffed. “Just think about it alright?” Sighing, Imogen took the flyer and let him watch as she stuffed it into her pocket, not caring at all if it crumpled.

“Thanks for the concern Mr. Dilly’s.” Imogen said before gesturing to her cart. “I’d stay an’ chat but I got some cold stuff so I’d better be gettin’ home. Gotta get dinner started ‘fore my daddy gets home.” The older man stared at her for a moment before nodding once and flashing her a tight lipped smile. Imogen waited until he had turned to amble back into the store before turning and continuing on toward the truck. As she loaded the bags into the bed of the truck, Imogen couldn’t help but shake her head. Mr. Dilly’s had never shown an interest in anything she had done before and she couldn’t help but wonder what or who had put him up to this now.

“Prolly his wife.” Imogen grumbled as she added the last bag and stepped back, dragging the cart behind her towards the corral. Sighing as she pushed the cart in, Imogen raised one hand to push her glasses up, rubbing wearily at her face. It had been a long day, her morning starting before the sun and now with everything, she could feel it draping across her like a lead weight. Turning back towards the truck, Imogen walked over and climbed in, starting it easily with a practiced turn though she simply sat there for a minute, listening to the engine run, leaning her head back against the back window and closing her eyes. It would be easy to fall asleep in the truck she knew, having done it once before already but Imogen forced herself back to wakefullness, knowing that despite how tired she was, she wasn’t done yet. There were still dishes to do, dinner to be made and the living room could use some attention to. Breathing out a weary sigh, Imogen put the truck into gear and started the drive towards home, hoping silently that tonight would be one of the rare, quiet nights.
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The house was dark and quiet when Imogen shouldered her way through the stubborn door, first armful of bags heavy in her hands. She carried on into the kitchen, dropping the first of the bags onto the cluttered kitchen table before hurrying outside to get the rest. As she made her final trip inside, Imogen flipped on the lights, wincing at the way the kitchen brightened before hurrying over to open the curtains. After she had put away the cold things she had bought, Imogen glanced around and sighed at the sight of the sink. The dishes would need to be done before anything else and with that in mind, she rolled up her sleeves and got to work. It was mind numbing work, taking the better part of an hour to put the sink back to rights but soon, dishes were stacked in the drainer to dry and she moved on to the next task. The table was cleaned and organized, miscellaneous things returned to their proper places and Imogen took the time to refill the pepper shaker, taking a moment to be still.

Dinner, a simple chicken casserole that she had read about in a magazine was thrown together and put into the oven before she moved on into the living room, a sigh escaping her at the state of it. Empty drink bottles lined most of the surfaces, some toppled over to scatter across the floor while empty liquor bottles were dotted around between them. Crumpled fast food wrappers lay piled on one arm of her fathers preferred chair and Imogen sighed. It was a wonder she hadn’t been blamed for the state of it, Imogen thought as she sat about gathering the trash that had accumulated, despite the fact that she never drank at home nor had ever indulged in the one fast food restaurant that had popped up in town. It seemed like a pointless thing to spend money on, Imogen thought as she turned towards the kitchen to drop her load of bottles into the return bag. As she returned to the living room to gather more, Imogen felt her eyes being drawn to the few framed photos that lined the worn out, dust coated mantel and she sighed. Stepping closer, she eyed the largest photo in the middle, trying and failing to not see the ghost of her features in this woman’s face. It was undeniably a nice picture, taken as she had often been told on her parents wedding day but looking at it had often left Imogen feeling like no matter what she did, she would never measure up to the woman in it.

Lilliana Temult had been a stunning woman, her red hair more vibrant, her features rounder and softer than Imogen’s had ever been and the Relvin in the photo stared at her like she held the secret to the meaning of life. It was an expression Imogen had never seen on her father’s face in real life and she couldn’t help but wonder as she often had over the decades, how much better his life might have been if her momma had lived and she had died. They could have had other children and maybe if her momma had lived, those hypothetical children would have had a father who didn’t compare them to a ghost.

Shaking her head to reground herself to the present, Imogen sighed and returned her attention to the task at hand. It didn’t matter how she felt about the woman who had died bringing her into the world. Imogen had never known her, had only been a few hours old when she had died and Relvin sure as hell had never made space in his grief to talk about her. Not in any way that didn’t leave Imogen feeling like she shouldn’t exist anyway. Gathering up the last armful of bottles and snagging the last of the paper wrappers, Imogen trudged towards the kitchen. She had just sorted the last of the trash out into the proper containers when she heard the whine of her fathers truck pulling into the yard. Glancing over at the kitchen windows, Imogen swore under her breath when she saw how late it had gotten and hurried over to check the timer on the oven before cracking the oven door open to take a peek. She watched it bubble for a moment but was straightening up as she heard the door open and she looked over her shoulder in time to see Relvin stepping in, dusty boots clunking across the floor she had swept. Two red, white and gold boxes were tucked under his arm, a brown paper sack hanging from the same hand and Imogen swallowed when her father looked over at her.

“You cookin’?” Relvin asked and Imogen nodded, resisting the urge to shy away from the flat look he directed at her before he turned to kick his boots off. She winced when she watched the dirt flaking off his boots, her hands itching to grab the broom and fix it but she had long learned when to keep her distance. He glanced around the room then and huffed. “‘Bout time you cleaned up in here. Beginnin’ to think you liked livin’ like a pig.” Heat washed up her cheeks but Imogen clenched her jaw, not reacting when she accidentally bit the inside of her cheek.

“It got away from me.” Imogen said quietly, not meeting his eyes though she could feel him looking at her. “It won’t happen again.” The room was quiet for a moment before she heard the sound of Relvin moving across the room, instinctively shrinking back against the oven as he did. She didn’t relax until she heard the ice box open and then close before Relvin sighed.

“It’d better not.” Relvin said and Imogen felt herself nodding, tucking her trembling hands into her pockets to stop him from seeing them. The room was quiet again for a moment before she heard the hiss of a beer opening and looked up in time to see Relvin looking over at the full bag of glass bottles. “I’ll take those back tomorrow,” Relvin said, gesturing to the bag with his open beer and Imogen nodded. “Is dinner done?”

“In-In a few minutes.” Imogen said, wincing internally when she stumbled over her words. Her father’s face was flushed red, a sure sign that he had been drinking already and Imogen couldn’t hope but hope that this would be one of the nights where he would pass out after eating. “Why don’t you g-go get washed up while I uh, set the table?” Relvin stared at her for a long moment, his brown, muddy eyes meeting hers and Imogen flinched when she watched the muscles of his jaw tighten. For a long moment they stood there, neither looking away as his hand tightened to a white knuckle grip around the bottle and Imogen started mentally measuring the distance between her and the back door. After a moment though, the tension snapped as Relvin grunted and took a drink, wiping his mouth with his free hand a moment later.

“Be somewhere else.” Relvin said and Imogen felt confusion rise in her as he continued, “After dinner, make yourself scarce. The boys are comin’ over an’ I don’t wanna listen to you bitch ‘bout it.” Nodding quickly, Imogen stood ramrod straight until he turned to leave the room, not relaxing until she heard the bang of the bathroom door closing. Taking a shaky breath, Imogen glanced over at the oven timer and reached up to stop it from sounding right as it finished. Taking a moment to steady her shaking hands, Imogen carefully removed the casserole from the oven and carried it to the table, setting it down on the folded dish towel she had left there. Relvin came back in as she finished serving him a generous portion, sitting down in one of the old, worn out chairs as she served herself. They ate quietly, the tense quiet of the kitchen broken only by the scrape of utensils on plates and the grind of the rapidly emptying beer bottle as it moved across the rough surface of the table. Once dinner was finished, Imogen gathered the plates and carried them to the sink, aware as always of her fathers eyes on her. As she started to wash the plates, she heard the groan of the chair being turned and felt eyes on her back. A long moment passed before she heard her father sigh.

“S’shame you look jus’ like her.” He muttered just loud enough for her to hear and Imogen swallowed. It was never a good sign for her when he mentioned her mother. “Jus’ like her. Sound like her too. She’d be ashamed to see you wastin’ the life she died to give you. She’d roll over in her grave if she knew how you turned out.” Imogen ignored him, trying to focus on getting the plates clean as she buried the hurt those words caused. No good ever came of letting him see how his words got to her. As she turned on the water to rinse the plates, Imogen heard the thunk of the bottle being put down before the chair groaned again and she heard the plod of her fathers footsteps coming closer to her. A hand touched her arm as she put the last plate into the drying rack and she sprang away, looking up into the red face of her father.

“I’m leavin’ daddy.” Imogen said, gesturing to the back door. “Have uh, have fun with the boys.” She turned and bolted before he could reply, the screen door banging behind her as she hurried out into the darkening evening. She didn’t stop until she was safely in the truck, the doors locked between her and the outside world and Imogen couldn’t help but collapse against the steering wheel, biting her bottom lip to stop the sob that wanted to escape her. Digging the keys out of her pocket with shaking hands, Imogen took a deep breath to steady herself before turning the truck on, taking comfort once again in the steady drone of the engine. As much as she might have liked getting to sleep in her own bed, she knew it was better to be somewhere else when her father got like that. He had never hurt her before (physically at least) but sometimes, especially as she had gotten older and the drinking had gotten worse, she couldn’t help but wonder if in his drunken stupor, he confused her with her mother.

Shaking her head to force that thought away, Imogen backed out of the driveway, silently thankful as always that Ariks had given her the keys to the gardener's shed. The cot there would do for the evening and the wash basin would be enough to make her presentable in the morning if nothing else. As she pulled out of the driveway, Imogen couldn’t help but think that leaving sooner rather than later might be better for her in the long run.

Chapter Text

Chapter Four

Laudna woke to a still sort of quiet, the unexplainable loudness of it seeming to beat through the room as she turned her head to look out of the living room windows, frowning slightly at the sight of the predawn light. She stared for a moment, ignoring the collection of open bottles that were scattered across the coffee table that she had sampled the night before and sighed. Normally, if she were at home, she would start her morning routine or go shut herself in her studio or lock herself in the dark room if she had film to process but here, in this rented slice of nowhere, there was nothing. No pressing deadlines, no kitchen cook to help despite the woman’s assurance that she didn’t have to and worst of all, no husband to greet with a smile and a peck on the cheek.

A sigh left her then as the gaping well of Bertrand’s absence rose inside her chest and Laudna shook her head to will it away. He was gone, no amount of weeping or pleading would bring him back (trust her, she had tried) and in the scheme of things, the grief of a woman who had never loved him in the ways a proper wife should mattered little. As she lay there on the surprisingly comfortable couch, Laudna closed her eyes and took a deep breath, breathing it out slowly to will the pain of his absence away. That chapter of her life was closed now and the sooner she left it alone, the sooner everything would get better.

Opening her eyes and sitting up, Laudna glanced around the room and felt a painful thud in her chest when she spotted Bertrand’s lighter balanced on the corner of the open tin of cigarettes. Ignoring the nearly full ashtray, Laudna dug a cigarette out of the tin and picked up the lighter, lighting the tobacco with a practice flick before laying it back on the table. Shifting against the cushions of the couch and promising herself that she would take a bath after breakfast, Laudna glanced at the coffee table. An assortment of things were scattered amongst the liquor bottles; A box of oil pastels lay mostly open next to a handful of drawing pencils and Laudna sighed when she spotted one of the pads of the watercolor paper preferred, the surface of the exposed page lined in splashes of color. Wondering suddenly what her overtired, slightly intoxicated mind had come up with, Laudna leaned forward and picked up the pad, frowning as the swirl of lines came into focus.

It was a drawing of someone obviously female and as she looked, Laudna felt her eyebrows raise when she recognized the shape of the gardener from the day before, though her hair wasn’t exactly the right color. She could tell from looking at the splotches of various shades of red that dotted the edges of the drawing that she had gotten frustrated at least once trying to get it right and she smiled.

Shaking her head and dropping the pad back onto the table, Laudna stood, taking a drag of her still burning cigarette as she went. Wandering into the kitchen with the idea of making breakfast, Laudna glanced out of the back windows and smiled a little. Tossing the remnants of her cigarette into the sink to burn itself out, Laudna wandered towards the refrigerator, taking in the sights of the new kitchen as she went. It was functional, if not rather spartan but charming enough in its own way and as she pulled the door open to pull out things for a quick breakfast, Laudna couldn’t help but think that it would do for the time she was here. As she walked towards the stove, a small collection of things in hand, she couldn’t help but glance out of the back windows again, pausing for a moment to watch the leaves of the trees sway in the breeze. Her attention was caught a moment later by the sight of the morning sun gleaming off the water in the pool and Laudna felt herself smile before returning her attention to the task at hand. Perhaps after she had eaten, she could see about having a swim, Laudna thought as she leaned down to dig out a pan. Setting the pan on the burner and turning the stove on, Laudna sighed a little as the memory of her bags sitting at the top of the stairs rose in the back of her mind. Really, she should unpack at the very least before letting herself relax but as she cracked an egg into the pan, she sighed. Oh well, she would need to dig out her bathing suit anyway.

While her breakfast cooked, Laudna glanced out of the back windows again and smiled as the memory of the gardener rose in the back of her mind. During the talks with Ariks about renting this lovely place, Laudna had been clear that while she could take care of the various outdoor jobs while she was here, it would be better left in the hands of a professional and when the older man had told her he had the perfect someone in mind, she had resigned herself to simply ignoring whatever laborer he sent to look after it. Yesterday's encounter had been a surprise and if she was honest, not an all together terrible one. The young woman was beautiful in the rural sort of way, the kind of gem one can find in out of the way places, and while to most, seeing a young woman dressed in what were obviously men's working clothes might have been distasteful, Laudna couldn’t help but think that it had suited her. From that short encounter, Laudna knew that she would likely find herself spending her free time either near the windows when the other woman was working or on the back porch but as those thoughts rose in the back of her mind, Laudna sighed.

Pulling the now finished eggs off of the heat, Laudna glanced around until she found drawers and pulled them open until she found a small collection of cutlery before returning to her breakfast. Bertrand had only been in the ground a month now and regardless of what any of their friends had told her about the healing distraction an affair could be, she wasn’t certain that was entirely what she needed right now. But as she took the first bite of her eggs, Laudna couldn’t help but remember the feeling of the other woman’s eyes on her the day before. The way she had stammered out her replies in that charming accent and had gone red more than once simply looking at her. It wouldn’t wholly surprise her if the other woman was so inclined (it truly wasn’t as uncommon as everyone liked to believe) and if the interest was mutual, perhaps it would make a lovely way to pass the summer here.

Shaking her head as she scraped up the last bite of eggs, Laudna smiled a little. She would need to learn a few things about the other woman first but as she dropped the pan into the sink to be dealt with later, Laudna could feel the certainty rising in her. As she left the kitchen to make her way upstairs to begin the tedious task of unpacking, Laudna couldn’t help but think that this summer might wind up being more interesting than she had initially thought.

Shaking her head to refocus herself on the present, Laudna climbed the stairs, feeling the corners of her mouth turn up in a little smile at the sight of her bags sitting against the wall at the top. Glancing around, Laudna took in the collection of open doors before spotting a bed just visible at the end of the hall. Grabbing the handles of her bags, Laudna carried them towards that open door with a huff, grumbling under her breath at herself for some of her packing choices as she went. Stepping into the room, Laudna glanced around before hefting one of the bags onto the bed while the other was sat carefully near the foot board. She would unpack that one later but for now, she focused on getting her clothes sorted out. It was tedious work but went a lot faster than packing had and soon, Laudna was tossing the two pieces of her bathing suit onto the bed before shucking off the rest of her clothes. She stood there for a moment, simply taking in the feeling of being somewhere completely alone before pulling on her bathing suit and leaving the room. A quick search of one of the closets in the hall found her a towel and soon, Laudna was walking back down the stairs, not stopping until she reached the back doors. Stepping outside into the surprising heat of the morning, Laudna took a breath before walking down the stairs and she smiled a little at the feeling of the sunwarmed grass on her bare feet. Tossing her towel over one of the deck chairs once she was close enough, Laudna looked over the pool, watching the sun glimmer off the surface of the water for a moment before looking around the yard. Flowers of all colors were scattered about in well tended beds and as she looked, Laudna couldn’t help but smile. The grass was cut short, neatly manicured to fit what must have been a complex design for the yard and the small shrubs that lined the edges of the open space had been cut in neat, symmetrical designs. She couldn’t help but wonder again as she looked around if being a gardener was something of a passion for Imogen or if she was simply good at her job but Laudna found herself growing excited to ask the next time she saw her. As her attention was captured by the swaying dark red blooms of the rose bushes, Laudna sighed a little and wandered closer. The flowers were large, spread open in almost full bloom though as she got closer, Laudna could see several unopened buds dotting the spaces between the flowers. The foliage was thick enough that she couldn’t see the main structure of the plant and Laudna couldn’t help but wonder then just how old this plant was. Reaching out, Laudna brushed her fingers across one of the blooms, an idea forming in the back of her mind about gathering some of them later in the season to make a pigment from before she lowered her hand and turned away.

Walking back over to the pool, she checked the markers for how deep it was before jumping into the deep end, the chill of the water shooting through her like lightning. As she sank, Laudna closed her eyes, making no move to propel herself back to the surface as the pressure of the water buried the lingering grief for just a moment, blocking out everything except the beating of her own heart. It would be easy, she thought as her knees hit the bottom of the pool and she began to drift back upwards, to simply lay here and let what happened happen but even as the thought crossed her mind, she got her feet under herself and kicked off, her head breaking the surface of the water a moment later. Shaking her head to clear the water from her face, Laudna swam towards the shallow end, content for the moment to simply bask in the cool water even as internally she berated herself. Drowning was a miserable way to go, she knew and while a lot of things still hurt and likely would for some time, even wherever he was now, Bertrand would never forgive her if she hurt herself.

Hauling herself onto the low stone steps that had been built into the shallow end of the pool, Laudna took a breath before breathing it out as a sob and she covered her face with her hands. She willed the tears away, knowing that by now she had done enough crying for a lifetime but they wouldn’t stop. She missed him, missed his laugh, missed the steady presence of her closest friend so much that it hurt and once again found herself damning him for refusing to tell her before it was too late. For just a fleeting moment she wished desperately that the two of them had been inclined to have children, that maybe then she would have some small piece of him to cling to but even as the thought surfaced in her mind, a watery, sad laugh bubbled out of her. Bertrand wasn’t and had never been any more interested in her company as a wife than she had been in his as a husband and while having some tangible piece of him left in the form of a child they shared might have been nice, it was an impossible thought, even when he had been alive.

“I’m so fucking mad at you.” Laudna said aloud, her voice thick and scratchy from cry and she pulled her knees to her chest, propping her chin on them once she was settled. “But it doesn’t stop me from missing you. I could have had two years to prepare for this Bertrand but no. You, in typical fashion from the noble bastard you were, wanted to protect me from it. It-It didn’t work.” Her voice broke then and she breathed out another sob before scrubbing the tears from her face. She sat there for a time, simply staring into nothing as the water lapped around her from its artificial current before she breathed out a sigh and heaved herself up. Climbing out of the pool, she wandered over to gather her towel and looked around the yard again, her eyes landing on the gate in the fence towards the very back. She stared at it for a long moment before sighing again and turning towards the house to go and get dressed. As she reached the top of the back stairs, Laudna glanced over at the gate again, the idea of taking a walk forming in the back of her mind and she sighed. If nothing else, it would give her something to do. With that in mind, Laudna turned back to the house and pulled the back door open before stepping inside, letting it close behind her with a snap as she went.
_________________________________________________________________________

Imogen sighed, one hand coming up to wipe the sweat from her brow as she looked around, a satisfied little smile spreading across her face at the visible progress of the morning. The weedy garden beds were back in order now, the hedges that lined the pathway to the front yard once again neatly groomed and she had just finished mowing the lawn around the paving stones and the pool. Lowering her hand, Imogen looked over at the new gas powered mower Ariks had bought last summer and smiled. While she preferred the old push style, she had to admit that these were faster. Shaking her head and turning to walk back to the truck for a rake to start cleaning up the clipped grass, Imogen glanced over to where Chetney was hammering away at the back fence. The old man had been in good form when she had picked him up that morning, commenting on the fact that she had obviously slept in her clothes before making a scathing comment about her father that Imogen had tried to ignore. The two men had never liked each other, that much was commonly known and while Imogen was familiar with the two halves of her life not getting along, Chetney was far more vocal in his disdain for Relvin than Ariks usually was.

Humming to herself as she rounded the corner of the house to reach the truck, Imogen had just begun to let her mind wander onto what she would need for the next job when she heard the snap of a door opening and looked over in time to hear a woman’s voice call,

“Is that you Genny?” She paused then, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Chetney wasn’t looking before stepping around the hedges towards the front door.

“Depends on who’s askin’.” Imogen said, a smile spreading across her face as the front door came into view. It faded a moment later when she spotted Martha Stutton standing at the top of the stairs, the porch framed on either side by the hydrangeas that Imogen had planted when the Stuttons had moved in. She was as fair and lovely as always, the midday sun gleaming off her curled blonde hair but as she looked, Imogen felt a stone sink into her gut at the sight of the other woman’s visibly pregnant belly. “Oh.” Imogen said dumbly as Martha came down a few steps closer to her and Imogen stepped back.

“I was hoping to catch you today.” Martha said as she carefully came down another step. “It’s been months since I’ve seen you, almost enough to make a girl think she’s been forgotten.” Imogen swallowed and nodded, unease rising in her as she shrugged her shoulders.

“Brady was uh, pretty clear he didn’t want us bein’ friends.” Imogen said, her voice coming out tight as a lump rose in her throat. “An’ uh, you married him.” Martha frowned then, stopping on the second to last stair before gesturing over her shoulder into the house.

“Brady’s not here right now,” Martha said, a mischievous smile curling one corner of her unpainted mouth and Imogen felt her frown deepen. “You could come inside if you wanna keep me company for a little bit. You know, for old times sake.” Imogen stared up at her, tempted for a moment to spend a little time in the other woman’s company but even as she contemplated it, the scar that split her left eyebrow seemed to tingle, reminding her of the number of stitches it had taken to close and she shook her head no.

“That ain’t a good idea.” Imogen said, taking another step back towards the truck. “Brady made his stance on it clear Martha an’ I for one don’t wanna get on his bad side again.” Martha stared at her for a moment before she huffed and crossed her arms across her chest.

“We won’t get caught again.” She began but Imogen shook her head no.

“I ain’t takin’ that chance again.” Imogen said, still shaking her head as Chetney yelled from the back yard for her to get her ass back there and she jerked her thumb in the direction of the back yard. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta get back to work.” Martha started to speak but Imogen ignored her in favor of grabbing the rake and hurrying back towards the back yard, heat blooming up her cheeks as memories rose in the back of her mind. She had gone to school with Martha and while they were never friends exactly, she had never looked down on Imogen like some of their classmates had. Falling into bed with her a few months after the other woman had married Brady Stutton hadn’t been planned but Imogen could admit to herself that the connection had been nice while it had lasted. Getting beaten when they had gotten caught hadn’t been though and Imogen was more than happy to avoid all of the drama that came with being involved where she wasn’t wanted.

“‘Mogen, come help me lift these damned boards!” Chetney yelled again and Imogen sighed before dropping the rake and rushing over, catching the dragging end of one of the long fencing boards. She wrestled it into place as Chetney held the other end against the post and started hammering in nails to keep it there. They worked quietly for a moment, the crash of the hammer against the treated wood thudding inside Imogen’s head like a drum before Chetney huffed.

“Thought I told you to keep your ass outside, not go sniffin’ around like a damned bloodhound.” Chetney grumbled, whacking the nail just a little harder than necessary and Imogen sighed. “I mean it girlie, you tryin’ to get Brady Stutton to put you in the,-”

“I just went to get a rake.” Imogen snapped, the heat in her voice getting the old man’s attention and Chetney looked up at her then, lowering the hammer as he did. “I only went to get a damned rake to clean up the grass an’ Martha came out to chatter. Wanted me to come inside an’ I told her no.” Chetney stared at her for a moment before he glanced around the yard. Imogen watched him for a moment, the heat of her blush rising all the way to the tips of her ears and she sighed. Chetney stared at her for a moment, taking in the redness of her face and the glassiness of her eyes before he shook his head.

“Ain’t safe for you to be fuckin’ around with married women ‘Mog.” Chetney muttered lowly, stepping closer to her and digging another handful of nails out of the pocket of his overalls. “I’ve told you this. On toppa havin’ to watch out for husband’s, you gotta keep yourself from likin’em too much. ‘Cause no matter what, she ain’t yours.” Imogen huffed and turned her attention to making sure the board was in the right spot before she grumbled,

“Sure said she was when my tongue was on her.” A moment of tense silence passed before Chetney snorted, the sound turning into a chuckle a moment later and he shook his head.

“You’re an idiot.” Chetney said, something akin to affection creeping into his voice before he lined up another nail and started hammering. “Women’ll say all kindsa shit if you know what you’re doin’. Just gotta not be the dumbass that believes’em.” Imogen huffed again but she could feel a little smile creeping onto her face at the old man’s vulgarity and she shook her head.

“We almost done?” Imogen asked and Chetney nodded as he lined up another nail.

“We’re done as soon as you clean the pool.” Chetney said, motioning with the hammer for her to move and Imogen nodded before looking over at the fenced off inground pool. There were several leaves floating on the surface and she sighed. “Soon as you’re done, we can leave.” Nodding again, Imogen walked towards the pool, breathing out another sigh as the bag of tools she had carried in that morning came into view. As she stooped to grab the bag, Imogen couldn’t help but glance at the house and her smile faded slightly. Oh well, she thought as she screwed the handle onto the scooper. It was better this was because sooner or later, she would be leaving.