Date: 20/09

Time: Late Evening

Location: Paradise

Characters: Bettina/Mirriam

While she was no stranger to hard work, and certainly not adverse to it, making bricks was labor-intensive and tedious,by the time Bettina decided it was time to stop for the day she was sore and exhausted,? although she had managed to meet her self-imposed quota of bricks for the day.? She was filthy and famished, but even so, she still had to check on her horse and get cleaned up before she went upstairs to the room she shared with Miss Mirriam.? At least she was able to get most of the muck off and change clothes so the other woman wouldn't be offended, and as she headed upstairs, she munched on a hunk of bread that she had stashed from her earlier meal -- she wasn't sure if the terms of work allowed for dinner.

And since she was essentially a guest, she knocked on the door to the shared room and waited, hoping that Mirriam hadn't changed her mind.

Aurelian saw Bettina come back in and, to be truthful, had on occasion spied on her out one of the back windows to check on how she had been doing. He was happily impressed she obviously was not lazy so left her alone. He really was not a hard taskmaster. At the moment she went up the stairway, he was too busy with customers at the bar to say anything to her but maybe later he would compliment her work ethic. Well, maybe he should take a closer look at the bricks though too.

Mirriam was sitting in front of her dressing table mirror as she applied her makeup, an almost every evening ritual for she would soon be going downstairs to entertain the menfolk with songs and dancing and of course, her charm. She was in a chemise for now but would soon throw one of her fancy colorful dresses on to complete her preparation. There was a knock on the door then. It startled her just enough to throw off her aim on the eyeliner she had been working on. With a muttered curse, she then turned toward the door.

"Come on in. It's open."

No doubt it was her new room mate as Aury never knocked and he also never let any customers go up that stairway either.

"Come on in. It's open."

No doubt it was her new room mate as Aury never knocked and he also never let any customers go up that stairway either.

Bettina pushed open the door, hesitating a second even though she'd been invited in.? She smiled as she glanced at her room mate, allowing as how she had never used makeup herself, nor ever had been gussied.

"Seems like yer pretty enough," she commented as she moved toward her bed, "got yer nice dresses an' all."? There was no hint of judgment or jealousy.? "Don't suit what I do, makin' bricks an' all."? Grinning, she started to peel out of her cover-alls that protected her regular clothes.? "What is ya do here, anyway?? Not th' cook?"

"Thank you for the compliment...I think," Mirriam now was wiping at her mistake, "One of the many reasons why I do NOT make bricks."

She paused then to glance over to where the new girl was shedding those muddy cover-alls, "Wanna put that out in the hallway then...thank you."

The brunette then rolled her eyes, "Do you honestly think I would do all this just to cook?"

She did not wait for an answer though, "I am the Paradise singer and dancer. I entertain the menfolk primarily."

"Thank you for the compliment...I think," Mirriam now was wiping at her mistake, "One of the many reasons why I do NOT make bricks."

"Was a compliment," Bettina commented with a grin, "an' bricks...could be worse!"

She paused then to glance over to where the new girl was shedding those muddy cover-alls, "Wanna put that out in the hallway then...thank you."

"Yeah, I can do that...was gonna hang 'em out a window ta let 'em dry out a bit."? She had managed to shed them without leaving a mess, a well-practiced habit that took a little finesse.

The brunette then rolled her eyes, "Do you honestly think I would do all this just to cook?"

She did not wait for an answer though, "I am the Paradise singer and dancer. I entertain the menfolk primarily."

"Ah, right, should'a guessed."? Honestly, it made good sense. Mirriam really was pretty, so that even not taking into account talent, she would attract attention.? "Hey, maybe I should try that, too!"? Starting with an ungainly twirl, she launched into an awkward dance and off-key tune.? She was kidding, but she was having fun, and that was helping her to work off some newbie nerves.

Mirriam watched the little performance. The customers would laugh this woman off the stage, it would not be pretty. But Mirriam took it for what it was, just a silly attempt at humor and smiled.

"Nice effort. Needs work...a lot of work. Still, I will admit something to you. While I have a good voice and can sing quite well, my dancing is ..........adequate at best. The trick is to show my legs and on occasion tease them into thinking they are going to catch glimpses of other parts of me. They love that," she explained.

"But please don't go thinking I strip naked or anything. Because I don't. It's the mystery which attracts them. I figure once they would see everything, well...how would you top that?" she added.

"Nice effort. Needs work...a lot of work. Still, I will admit something to you. While I have a good voice and can sing quite well, my dancing is ..........adequate at best. The trick is to show my legs and on occasion tease them into thinking they are going to catch glimpses of other parts of me. They love that," she explained.

"Ah, of course, keep them wantin' more!"? Bettina nodded as she sat on the bed and started pulling her socks off.? "I bet ya dance real nice.? Ya move a lot gentler than me, I've seen that much."

"But please don't go thinking I strip naked or anything. Because I don't. It's the mystery which attracts them. I figure once they would see everything, well...how would you top that?" she added.

"Good point.? Besides, I reckon it would be mighty drafty!"? Bettina laughed as she took off her work shirt and folded it neatly then donned a long pink tee shirt.? "You been here a long time?? Did ya start off with the singin' and dancin'?"

Bettina was trying real hard to be nice, Mirriam noticed and that more than likely was because the woman was indeed a nice person. She shouldn't be suspicious.

"Don't be too much on my dancing. But thank you for saying it," she responded.

As the other girl changed, she was curious about the saloon singer/dancer. It was reasonable enough.

"I came here to this town looking for work....a career. I certainly did not want to be a farmer or a farmer's wife. I was born on one and ....well....I rebelled early and a lot. I came into the saloon and at that time Aury was working for another man who was the owner of the joint. But he did most of the work. We talked, we hit it off. He listened to me sing a song for him and liked what he heard. He hired me. We became good friends..which is what we still are in case you're thinking there is more to it. There isn't that many years of age between us but if anything he treats me like I was his daughter, his precious daughter. Woe unto anyone who tries anything on me."

"That's my story....it's worked out pretty good for me I think," she smiled.

"I came here to this town looking for work....a career. I certainly did not want to be a farmer or a farmer's wife. I was born on one and ....well....I rebelled early and a lot. I came into the saloon and at that time Aury was working for another man who was the owner of the joint. But he did most of the work. We talked, we hit it off. He listened to me sing a song for him and liked what he heard. He hired me. We became good friends..which is what we still are in case you're thinking there is more to it. There isn't that many years of age between us but if anything he treats me like I was his daughter, his precious daughter. Woe unto anyone who tries anything on me."

"That's my story....it's worked out pretty good for me I think," she smiled.

"If yer happy an' safe, got a roof over yer head, decent food," Bettina shrugged, "an' doin' somethin' ya like, what more do ya need?"? She grinned.? "More'n most people have, even them that think they have all they need.? Me?"? She laughed.? "Wouldn't mind not havin' ta play in mud all day, and I'll feel a sight better when I have something more permanent.? I got a horse ta see after, not sellin' him."

With a yawn she sat back on the bed, then asked, "Does th' noise keep you awake?? I'm not particularly a light sleeper, but..." Well, as worn out as she was, she wasn't sure how well she'd sleep, what with being in new to everything.

"No offense, darlin', but you agreed to Aury's job offer, it's a decent enough job...though a temporary one, true," Mirriam felt compelled to point out, though actually she sympathized with the other girl's situation. A dirty boring job is what that was.

"So you looking for other jobs then? What sort of jobs do you have in mind? I mean other than saloon singer and dancer of course - that job is filled," she smiled.

"Hon, I do most of my work at night so no it don't keep me awake. In fact I'm getting all gussied up here to go down and do my job. So you'll have the bed all to yourself until early in the morning when we close up. I'll just slip in the bed so pick whichever side you want. Now if you're snoring away and taking up the whole bed, I will just give you a big shove to make room" she declared with a sparkle in her eyes.

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"No offense, darlin', but you agreed to Aury's job offer, it's a decent enough job...though a temporary one, true," Mirriam felt compelled to point out, though actually she sympathized with the other girl's situation. A dirty boring job is what that was.

"Yeah, and I ain't complainin' per se -- good food, soft bed -- just not what I plan on doin' forever."?? Wasn't the labor so much as she preferred something that challenged her brain a little more!

"So you looking for other jobs then? What sort of jobs do you have in mind? I mean other than saloon singer and dancer of course - that job is filled," she smiled.

"Oh, well, no, I got no intention ta take your job, wouldn't be civil, after yer kindness and all."?? She smiled, her words sincere, should she ever be able to step into Mirriam's shoes... She wouldn't do that to a body who had to been so nice to her.

"Lookin' for most anything that involves tinkerin'... Fixin' things, puttin' things together, paintin', hammerin' and whatnot."

Brick making was close, but just not the same! Too much really hard work.

"Hon, I do most of my work at night so no it don't keep me awake. In fact I'm getting all gussied up here to go down and do my job. So you'll have the bed all to yourself until early in the morning when we close up. I'll just slip in the bed so pick whichever side you want. Now if you're snoring away and taking up the whole bed, I will just give you a big shove to make room" she declared with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Seems like will be ships passin' in the night... Well, mornin'.?? I'll be up with the sun so I can be done before it's too hot out.?? But I'll have everything laid out so I won't make a fuss an' wake you up."?? She was pretty good at dressing quickly and quietly, and she'd do her best not to disturb Mirriam...she didn't want to cause an imposition and get tossed out.

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It was early morning when Mirriam slipped into her room, still not dawn though so had not gotten up for another day of brick making. The saloon girl undressed quietly then put on a slip of thin material, approached the bed in her bare feet then threw back half the covers.

"Sorry, like it or not, honeybabe, you got company," she announced in soft tones as she then crawled into her side of the bed.

"'S'okay," Bettina mumbled, only half-awake.? She'd been aware when the singer had come in, but marriage had helped to train her not to come too far awake.? Besides, she'd stayed up longer than she'd intended, sitting part-way down the stairs, watching Mirriam performing.? Not only had it been entertaining, but Bettina had been most impressed with how smoothly and easily she interacted with the customers.?

Her breath reeked of alcohol,in fact Bettina probably noticed the young woman's voice sounded..well a bit different, the words somewhat slurred.

"I think I'm jus...gonna curl up and die....like real peaceful."

"Sure..."? Snuggling in the covers, Bettina turned her back to the other young woman to avoid the odor, then pulled the blanket over her head.? "Ya sing real pretty," she murmured, shifting slightly to make sure her companion was covered before yawning and adding, "Don't die too much."

Although admittedly a bit plastered, Mirriam heard enough of what her bed partner said.

"Thanks, you make.....ummm...pretty bricks," she replied then buried her head into the pillow. It did not take long at all before she was out like a light. She had always been a good sleeper but the long work shift and the alcohol helped too.


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ooc: We can either wrap it up here or just continue this the next morning. I'm good either way.

Although admittedly a bit plastered, Mirriam heard enough of what her bed partner said.

"Thanks, you make.....ummm...pretty bricks," she replied then buried her head into the pillow. It did not take long at all before she was out like a light. She had always been a good sleeper but the long work shift and the alcohol helped too.

"Pretty?"? Not how she'd describe bricks, but whatever!? At least they were neat and professional-looking.? "Thanks."? Bettina snuggled deeper into the covers and was soon back to sleep.

It was far brighter than it should have been when Bettina awoke again, and, forgetting that she had a bed-mate, she sat up suddenly, kicking off the quilt.

"Earwax and kitty whiskers!"? Not that she was going to be late, per sae, but she wanted to be started before the heat of the day, and she didn't want to miss breakfast.

But then she remembered she wasn't alone and didn't really help matters by murmuring, "Oh...sorry..."