A new land, a new life, a new love. (Shiningknight x MercuryRisen)

[Shiningknight]

Elliot Campbell wandered slowly down the muddy farm road, picking his way around puddles and patches of mud. A small part of his mind told him that he didn't belong here, not dressed as he was. That made him smile thinly to himself as he edged around a particularly muddy puddle, working ever closer to the farmhouse at the end of the road. He wore a deep red shirt, buttoned up and tucked into a pair of dark blue jeans, held up by a worn brown leather belt. On his feet he wore a pair of black and white converse all stars. He really wasn't dressed for this.
He had arrived in the small town of Maple, Montana three days ago, and had immediately fallen in love with it. He'd been travelling for a long time, touring all over Europe for four years before moving to America with the plan of spending a few years road tripping there. His plans didn't go as far as to say what happened after that, and it seemed like the small, simple town was about to upset the rest of his plans only two months in. He hadn't been anywhere that felt like home in a long time, not since he started running, but Maple felt strangely like that. The people were friendly enough, cocking their eyebrows at his English accent, the serving girls looking at him strangely when he asked for just tea, not coffee, but they all welcomed him nonetheless. He could tell they didn't get too many visitors.
He had only planned on staying a day but the small town charm had kept him for three so far. The old married couple that ran the small hotel had told him everything there was to know about their small town, who was who, all the gossip and the fact that there was a lovely little apartment for sale on the particular farm that he was walking up to now. He didn't even know the owners, hadn't met them but knew that it was an elderly woman and her grandchild.
What are you doing? He asked himself as he neared the farmhouse. Overhead dark clouds threatened rain as the sun tried desperately to shine through them. This place isn't home, home is gone. It died with Ellie and it isn't coming back. Just turn around and walk away, you fool! He kept walking, right up to the front door of the house, where he stood for a moment, adjusting himself, his mind conflicted, tearing itself apart. He caught his reflection in a window and stopped for a minute. He barely recognised the hazel eyes that started back, or the mess of dark brown hair. His face was somewhat unshaven, dark stubble covering his chin. He looked a little gaunt, his broad shoulders slumped. He looked like a defeated man. He raised his shoulders a little, tried not to look so pathetic and then knocked on the door.

 

[pariah]

[color=FFCC99]The door would not open after Elliot’s knock. Not the first time, nor the second time… and any clever man would accurately be able to come to the conclusion that no one was home. Thunder boomed in the distance, and out here in Maple, Montana, thunder was loud; echoing off of the mountain ranges and reverberating down in the valley. Somehow, even when the storm was miles away, it sounded as though it were right overhead. Most outsider’s flinched their first few storms in Maple, but after a while you get used to it.

Then, as if there were someone high above were cupping their hands under a faucet and then just letting it go, the skies opened and rain dumped over Maple. Elliot’s only shelter being the porch of these stranger’s ranch house, had little option on where to go.

Luckily for him, it was just a heartbeat later that a beat up old Chevy began rumbling it’s way down the long dirt driveway. From a distance, two figures could be seen in the cab of the truck, and it was nearly palpable in the air that they had not been expecting company. Potholes in the driveway rocked and bounced the slow moving truck, but eventually it made it up to park right next to the steps leading up onto the porch. From Elliot’s perspective he would easily see the hunched, small figure of an older woman in the passenger seat. The woman was looking at Elliot and speaking excitedly to whoever else it was in the cab, gesturing up to the porch and him, quite casually.

Then, suddenly, a blur of red plaid, blue jeans, and olive skin came running around the front of the truck and opened up the passenger door while gesturing to Elliot from the bottom of the steps.

”Don’t just stand there! Open up the door!”

Her voice was sharp with command, leaving Elliot no room to deny the order.

The younger woman took the older woman by the arm and helped her exit the truck; keeping one hand on her arm and the other supporting her back.

”Alright, Nana, be careful. The steps are slippery,” She murmured in a much softer tone, kicking the truck’s door closed behind her as she lead the woman up the steps and to the porch. The woman who had been affectionately dubbed Nana was just beaming at Elliot; gripping the bannister with one wrinkled, gnarled hand and holding fast to a small, dainty purse with the other. She was dressed in what could only be described as a nightgown, with hair as wispy and white as moonlight.

”Well thank you, young sir!” She cooed as the younger gal lead her into the now open house, nodding at him before she reached forward for the couch that was nearby. Once settled, she waved the younger woman away from fussing over her. ”I’ll be fine, dear. Go offer that man some tea.”

Saying something softly, but firmly, under her breath to her Nana, the younger woman turned around and faced the stranded man in her doorway. She stood quietly for a heartbeat, really seeming to weigh his worth as he stood there before she crossed her arms and canted her head to the side.

”Thank you. Would you like some coffee or tea?”

A bizarre thing when in a small town… A strange man can show up on your doorway, and instead of asking him who the hell he was or what the hell he needed, you ask him if he would like something to drink.
[/color]

 

[Shiningknight]

Elliot flinched slightly at the booming thunder, echoing down the mountains. He had seen storms come seemingly from nowhere during his travels in Europe, but seldom had he heard thunder so loud. It rang in his ear and sounded as if it were sounding right above his head. And then the rain came pouring down, lashing the ground heavily and pounding off of windows and the roof of the porch that he sheltered under.

"Well shit." He muttered to himself, peering out at the heavy rain and regretting his decision to not bring a jacket.

And then he noticed the Chevy bouncing down the long dirt path to the house. He squinted, trying to make out it's occupants through the wall of rain pouring down, rattling against the Chevys roof loudly. He could just make out an excited looking elderly woman in the front, and then someone, a much younger woman was running around the front of the truck, opening the door and shouting at Elliot.

"Don't just stand there! Open up the door!" She snapped at him, and he found himself jumping to obey. There was something about his tone, something authoritative about it that made him not want to ignore her or get on her bad side. He was surprised when he gripped the door handle, twisted and pushed it open. Don't people lock their doors here? He thought to himself as the two women made their way up the stairs and past him.

"It's no problem at all." He said as the elderly woman thanked him. He followed the two women slightly, lingering in the doorway as the younger woman settled the elder on the sofa. He found himself looking around curiously, wondering what kind of people they were. The rain continued to pound the roof of the house heavily as he stood there and eventually his gaze met with that of the young woman's. He stood there, regarding her for a moment as she did him, seemingly weighing him up before asking if he wanted coffee or tea. He found it strange that she would ask that before asking who he was and what he wanted. He looked out a window at the rain before looking back at the woman before him. Looks like I could be stuck here a while.

"Erm, yeah, I'd love a tea if that's not too much trouble." He said, finding himself oddly nervous under her judging gaze, wondering what she thought of him and very aware of the fact that he didn't really belong here, with his English accent and overly smart clothes. What on earth was I thinking? "My name's Elliot. Elliot Campbell." He said, holding out his hand for her to shake. "I'll try not to take too much of your time but I was informed that there was an apartment or some form of property for sale on this land and I was interested in it."

 

[pariah]

[color=FFCC99]So this was the stranger she had been hearing about around town. His demeanor gave him away far earlier than his accent ever did. Maple was one of those towns where everyone knew everyone else, and gossip of a new person in town spread like wildfire. The opinions of him were dripping with speculation on why he was here, as well. The old couple that ran the diner were the most kind when describing their most unusual patron, but the gal who ran the front desk at the motel was just buzzing with stories about him.

He was handsome, she would give him that, in an English sort of way. Dark hair, bright eyes, and a smattering of stubble over a sharp jaw. He was dressed sharply as well. Not the blue jeans and cowboy boots sort of outfit that most men around here wore.

When he accepted her offer for something to drink, Leilani was not surprised that he requested the tea. There really were no known details about this man that had not been spread across town; his preference of tea over coffee being one of the first things that been speculated over in depth.

Nodding once, she strode right past him and into the small country kitchen.

”I believe Nana has some Earl Grey in here somewhere.”

Leilani herself didn’t look like anyone else in this town, but she still had that sense of belonging. Naturally olive skin darkened by hours in the sun denoted an islander’s heritage, along with the silken black hair that fell down between her shoulder blades in a thick braid. She had almond-shaped eyes that were nearly black, they were such a deep, rich brown.

Opening up one of the cupboards by the sink, she pulled down a box and began rifling through some small boxes before finding the earl gray she had been looking for. Pulling the kettle off the stove top, she filled it with water and then placed it back over one of the burners; turning on the gas and then turning the dial to light it. Adjusting the flame, she turned back to Elliot as he introduced himself.

Those scrutinizing eyes danced over him again before she reached over and shook his hand quickly, and then began preparing some coffee as well.

”Leilani Hart. That is my grandmother, Dolores.”

A small voice sounded back from the living room.

”But everyone calls me Nana, dear.”

When Elliot inquired about the old mother-in-law apartment that Leilani had put up for sale six months ago, she turned her eyes to look at him again. This time, her gaze was a little more… curious. She licked her lips and turned her attention back to his tea; pulling the bag from it’s container and placing it in the coffee mug she had pulled from the hooks overhead. Wrapping the tag and string around the handle to keep it from sliding inside, she turned her back to Elliot to approach the stove as the kettle began to whistle. Pouring the hot water over the teabag, she set the kettle back down on a different burner and turned off the flame.

Turning around again, she gestured to the small dining room table for him to sit before placing the tea in front of him.

”Milk or sugar?”

She didn’t acknowledge his question about the apartment. Not yet. The two-story town house set behind the main house on the property. It was separated by enough space that privacy was completely assured, but it had no kitchen or laundry of it’s own. Space within this house would need to be shared, but more importantly than all of that, Leilani needed the money from the sale to get the ranch out of debt with the bank. Leilani also knew that the apartment needed some work. The piping was old, her grandfather’s father having built the small second house by hand back in 1890. Now, nearly 150 years later, the house just needed a complete overhaul, but she couldn’t afford it.

Fixing up herself a cup of coffee, she offered a drink to her nana before settling at the table across from Elliot. Sipping her coffee with just a splash of cream, Leilani rose those dark eyes back up to Elliot and laid it all on the table.

”The house is old, but sturdy. The plumbing is occasionally a problem but if anything happens you’ll have access to the main house to shower or use the restroom while the apartment is being repaired. There is no laundry or kitchen in the apartment, but again, we share the kitchen and laundry here. You are responsible for making your own meals and washing your own drawers, though. I won’t be playing maid for you. Some of the windows stick, and the locks need to be replaced, but you won’t find any trouble makers here in this town that have the guts to mess with anyone on this property. You can have it for $1300 a month until it’s paid off, or $50,000 outright.”

She realized he had not seen it yet, and she also was asking for far more than she was willing to sell it for. Jacob had told her to start high when she’d put the property up for sale, knowing that most folk would haggle a price that would be closer to what she was willing to sell it for.

”I’ll show you the property before you make your decision. Finish your tea, I think I have a spare jacket in the mud room that’ll fit you.”

[/color]

 

[Shiningknight]

"Earl grey sounds wonderful, thank you." Elliot said, allowing himself a half smile as he followed Leilani into the small kitchen. In truth there had been a time when he had hated earl grey and any tea that wasn't typical English breakfast tea, but the right woman had changed all that. She had changed a great many things in the years that they had been together. He pushed those thoughts from his mind as the smile quickly fell from his face and he fought of a near overwhelming wave of melancholia. Damn it Elliot get your shit together! He told himself as he looked around the small kitchen.

He watched her for a few moments as she started preparing a tea and a coffee for herself, trying to guess her age. He found it hard to tell but decided that she probably younger than him at twenty six, but old enough to be a woman. He guessed between twenty and twenty two as she turned to face him, waiting for the kettle to boil. She was definitely pretty, even beautiful he might have said, and by the looks of it her family hadn't always lived in this town. His eyes lingered on her a few moments, watching the way she moved, the way her hair fell down her back and the way her rich brown eyes looked over him, taking everything in and giving little away. He wondered what was going on behind those eyes, before looking away from her, out the window. He didn't want to give her the wrong impression. He noticed the strange look of curiosity in her eyes though when he mentioned he was interested in the property, and found it strange that she didn't mention anything about it at first.

"It's lovely to meet you." He said as they shook hands. "And you too Mrs Hart." He added calling out to her without thinking. Should I have called her that or Nana? He immediately thought. He made a mental note to stop being so damn formal with people.
"Thank you, just milk please." He said as she placed the tea on the table and he sat down while she finished the two coffees. As she brought the milk over he took it and poured a small amount in his cup, leaving it rather strong before taking a sip. It was just perfect. He sat there and waited, sipping the hot tea occasionally whilst waiting for her to sit opposite him, then he listened intently as she explained about the house for sale.

After she had finished his first thought was that it was a lot of money. He did a few calculations in his head, converting some of the money he had stashed away in a savings account into dollars and realised he had enough to buy the thing outright. A part of his mind said it was too much money, but the other part said to do it, be impulsive. Perhaps it was time to finally move on. It might have been a lot of money but as he looked out the window at the rain that was just starting to ease off, he knew it would be worth it. Images raced through his head. He could settle here in this town and perhaps live a nice quiet life, make some friends, maybe even do some writing again in his spare time. He had to stop himself from smiling like an idiot at the thought, after all nothing was set in stone.

"Thank you, I'd appreciate it and I've just got a few questions," He said slowly, still thinking as she offered to show it to him. "First of all does it come furnished? If there are any problems with it or I need repairs is there someone in town who can do so? And also if I were to but it outright how soon could I expect to move in?" He sat back and sipped some more of his tea, waiting for her answers. He had thought of haggling for a better price, but he'd wait to see it before he did, if at all. Looking across at Leilani he tried to figure her out, why she was charging so much more than it would probably be worth. He guessed they were in debt and desperately needed the money. If so they'll get better use out of the money than I will. He thought to himself as he watched her reaction to the suggestion of him buying it outright.

 

[pariah]

[color=FFCC99]
When one lived in the country, especially in a town as small as Maple, people weren’t really threats. The town wasn’t big enough to have the typical hoodlums you may catch in a city such as L.A. or Houston. Sure, Maple had it’s troublemakers, but they were harmless. Everyone knew everyone else here, and if Johnny Appleseed decided to pain some graffiti on Miss Cafe’s storefront, his mom was going to give him a few good licks with a willow switch and then Miss Cafe was going to make Johnny work for free to cover her pain and suffering until Johnny knew never to do anything of the sort again.

Hell, if there was a fistfight at the tavern, the sheriff hauled them off overnight and then gave the sorry suckers a ride home in the morning with a slab of beef over their eyes; after they got out of their systems whatever they were fighting about. It was just that sort of town. And everyone was back to being friends in the morning.

Except Darryl. Everybody hated Darryl, that son of a bitch.

Outsiders like Elliot were not treated much differently. There was a lot of speculation and curiosity, of course, because who didn’t love a hot new round of gossip in a small town, but he would never be ostracized until he did something to make everyone feel that way. Elliot would be treated fairly, and warmly, with the same hospitality one would shower visiting relatives with - maybe even more warmly. You catch more flies with honey after all.

So when Elliot started asking questions about the house, the most apparent one was if he bought it outright how soon could he move in. Leilani paused with her mouth hovering over the rim of her coffee mug; matching mocha eyes studying Elliot curiously before she sipped and set the joe down.

”Fully furnished, and I keep it clean. There are no problems that I’m aware of but the house has sat empty for quite some time. If there are any issues, there’s a handyman in town who can usually fix things next day if he’s got all the materials.”

Leilani’s conscience weighed on her a little bit; knowing damn well that $50,000 was a hefty asking price for that little apartment. Especially when it came with no land of it’s own, and laundry and kitchen needed to be shared with the main house. But… it’s what they needed. After Leilani’s grandfather died, her nana had gone through some health scares herself. Leilani had only been thirteen at the time, but she’d stepped up and started running the show. When the medical bills started coming, Nana had to make the hard choice to put the ranch up as collateral with the bank for a loan.

Once Leilani turned eighteen, she’d gained access to her inheritance from her parents, but even then it wasn’t enough to gain the ranch back and pay their debt. It was just enough to keep the bank at bay, but now, three years later and her inheritance had run out. They were running on borrowed time, and they needed at least 35K to break even.

Licking her lips, she downed the rest of her coffee and then stood up and turned from Elliot; dropping her mug in the sink before turning and heading for the small closet by the front door. She pulled out her grandfather’s old jacket and held it out to Elliot.

”This should cover ya. It’s not a long walk, but with the weather pissin’ like it is I wouldn’t suggest the walk without it.”

Once Elliot took the jacket, Leilani stepped over to the living room to make sure Nana was warm and comfortable before she stepped out the front door and held it for Elliot.

”This way.”

The walk was short, but the sky was dumping water in buckets. Leilani didn’t grab a jacket herself, but then again they were on her property. She could throw her wet clothes in the laundry and curl up on the couch by the fireplace whenever she wanted. Stepping up on the front porch, she twisted the door handle and pushed inside; stepping out of the way for Elliot to join her. It was a small two-story home, with a covered front porch matching the one on the main house. The two were clearly meant as a single entity, but with only Leilani and Nana on the property, the detached mother-in-law house was sitting unused.

Right when he walked in, to the left there was a living room space that surrounded a large fire place with a loft hovering above. There was a three-seat couch, loveseat and rocking chair next to the hearth. A small hand-carved table sat between the couch and sofa, and a stairwell was visible from the end of the small hall separating the living space from a very small galley kitchen to the right. There was a large storage chest full of blankets behind the couch, as well as a hall closet for jackets and the like right before you walked into the kitchen. In the said kitchen, there wasn’t enough space for an oven and stove, or dishwasher, but there was a small sink, a microwave and several cabinets and a pantry for dry food where a fridge should be.

”The old fridge we had broke down, so we built shelves in the space. They’re easily removed, so if you would like a fridge we can take those apart and install that. Otherwise, we have two refrigerators in the main house.”

The small kitchen was also attached to a slightly larger dining room. An oblong table with rounded edges stretched in front of the window looking out over the ranch. Four chairs framed the table with the same hand-carved design as the coffee table in the living room. Leilani waited for Elliot to circle the dining and living room, answering his questions about this and that before leading him to the stairs and up onto the loft space.

At the top of the stairs, the loft space was open and cozy. There was a desk up against the wall, facing a large window that looked up the hill and mountain side that the Hart Ranch was nestled against. The scene was beautiful, and the sort of thing you’d expect to see in a painting. There was a fold-out couch also situation in the loft, facing a small old rabbit-ear antenna TV on a small wooden media center. Turning on a dime from the staircase, a very short hallway sported two doors. One lead into the master bedroom complete with queen bed, closet and dresser, and the other to the master bathroom with a bath/shower, toilet and sink.

Leilani kept to the stairs, looking over the hand made furniture with affection as Elliot explored.

”Like I said, there’s an extra shower in the main house if this one ever gives you trouble, and we share the kitchen as well. Everything is clean, and operational when I last checked on the first of the month. You can move in today if you want. I’ll just need a check made out to Hart Ranch.”

[/color]

 

[Shiningknight]

Elliot regarded Leilani cooly with his piercing hazel eyes, doing his best to keep his face calm. During his travels in Europe he had often found himself in unsavoury places, mainly gambling dens where a wrong move or a wrong face could cause a lot of trouble. The time he spent in these places, with people his ex-wife would have slapped him silly for associating with, had allowed him to develop what he considered somewhat adequate poker skills. Skills that often helped rather a lot in everyday life as well. As he sat across from Leilani he watched her every move, analysing it carefully. He noted the way she paused, hovering over her drink as she looked at him curiously. Trying to figure me out perhaps? Wondering who the hell I am? The next thing he noticed was the way she licked her lips. A nervous tick maybe, her conscience weighing on her or maybe eagerly anticipating the money. He made a mental note of it but decided not to press the matter. If the apartment wasn't worth the money in his eyes he'd contemplate haggling. But at the same time his own conscience spoke up in the back of his mind, telling him that she and her grandmother would need the money he had hoarded away much more than he would.

He nodded as she answered his questions, quickly finishing his tea and placing the mug in the sink. He thanked her for the jacket, surprised by how well it seemed to fit, before following her into the rain, noting that Leilani didn't bother with one. He also noticed the way the rain plastered her red plaid shirt to her body and more than once averted his gaze as it clung to her, hoping she hadn't noticed. He didn't want to make things seem awkward before he had moved in. Besides he wasn't interested in finding any sort of love. But then again a great many things had seemed certain before he had arrived in Maple.
He fixed his gaze on the ground, nearly slipping in the mud a few times while Leilani walked through it as though she had done so all her life. He supposed she had, if she was born on the ranch.
"I should've worn better shoes." He muttered, mostly to himself as he looked down at his muddy black Converse.

A few minutes and they were walking into the apartment after Elliot had wiped as much mud from his shoes as possible. He looked around the apartment and found himself falling in love with it. The living room looked cozy and he had always been fond of the idea of a fireplace, something he hadn't had when he had been living in England. Or in fact when he had been travelling, but he reminded himself that almost anything would seem cozy compared to living in motels. He had to ask himself if it was worth the money, despite the impulsive part of him that wanted to buy it right now.
"Is all this furniture hand-made?" He asked, running his hand over the table, before following her into the kitchen and dining room, noticing the table and chairs that shared the same deign as the coffee table. So far it looked lovely, with the only issue being the lack of an oven or stove.
"A fridge might be a good idea, but I guess I'd have to see how I went without one." He said, mostly musing to himself. As they walked round he also asked various questions about the land and Leilani and her family. He could soon be sharing space with these people and it occurred to him that he knew very little about them.
"So how long has the land been in your family? Is it just you and your nan living here? Do you do all the work on the ranch yourself? Who built the house and who made the furniture?" He didn't ask them all at once, just every once in a while so as not to overwhelm her with questions. How long have you been in debt? He wanted to ask, wondering if he was right but not wanting to be too presumptuous or upset her.

"Wow." He said when he saw the view from upstairs, smiling. "Now that's a view worth paying $50,000 for, though I can't say how much work I'd get done with that as a distraction." He couldn't help but smile as he looked around, thinking what a great place the loft would be to do his work. He had a quick look in the master bedroom and the bathroom, finding them much as to be expected. He returned to Leilani, noticing the way she looked around with affection.
"$50,000 is pretty steep for saying it has no cooking facilities," He said, pausing for a moment as he contemplated haggling for a better price, until his better side won over. "But I'll take it. I need to move some money about for it, so how about I move in first thing in the morning? I'll have your cheque then as well."

 

[pariah]

[color=FFCC99] Leilani’s “poker face” was still developing. She was a trusting person by nature, and often took people at their word. Nana often told stories of when Leilani was a toddler, running around the big island of Hawaii where her father was from, making friends with tourists and strangers. Her parents would take their eyes off of her for one second, and she’d be crawling into the lap of a stranger, blabbering her gibberish stories as all toddlers will do, and offering bites of her half-mauled pineapple slice. After her parents died, and Leilani moved permanently to Maple to live with her grandparents, she’d had no need to develop a poker face. The small town pulled her in with open arms and swallowed her whole with their kindness.

It was only after her grandfather fell ill, and then her grandmother, that Leilani had learned that people weren’t all upfront and honest. Doctors, lawyers, the men and women at the bank… all people she had thought were there to help her when in reality they were just out for their next penny. Her Nana and their little Hart Ranch were their next paychecks. Leilani learned, and she learned fast.

But, she still struggled at times.

Sitting across from Elliot at the table, she tried to judge whether or not he was someone else looking to make a buck off of her family. He didn’t seem as though that was what he was doing, but she had been fooled before.

Once she was showing the apartment to Elliot, though, Leilani became a bit warmer to be around. There was clear affection for the place, and as Elliot walked through it’s walls and asked his questions, she answered with a clear sense of love in her voice.

”Yes, all hand-made. My grandfather and father built this place and all the furniture inside.”

She watched him as he moved through the house. Running his hand over the coffee table, commenting about the fridge, and then asking a few little questions here and there about her and her family.

”My grandparents inherited this ranch from my Nana’s father. She’s been in Maple her whole life.”

“It’s just me and my Nana. My grandpa passed a few years back. He’s the one that carved all this furniture.”

“I do most of the work, but some help comes from some of the guys in town. They stop by about every day or so to see what they can do, but don’t worry - they won’t ever bother you.”

She lead him upstairs and the view, which prompted the reaction Leilani was accustomed to. Her smile softened as she leaned up against the wall, arms crossed under her chest and gazed out the window while Elliot checked out the master bedroom.

Once he returned, Leilani’s expression returned to one of business; especially after he mentioned the steep price for the house. She didn’t interject, offering a more affordable price when he paused, and instead she let the silence build between them and waited; watching him think before his eyes lifted back up to hers.

I’ll take it.

Leilani’s eyebrow rose, surprised. She had expected him to haggle. He had seemed prepared to offer her a counter price, so when he spoke about moving in first thing in the morning she found herself standing in stunned silence. Her tongue darted across her lips before she nodded and reached out her hand for a handshake, the way most people did business out here.

”Excellent! Will you need any help moving?”

[/color]

 

[Shiningknight]

Elliot noticed the shift in Leilani's attitude as she was showing him around, the way she spoke with affection and smiled as they walked around the apartment. He nodded in response to her questions, noticing how she opened up in the apartment, compared to the closed off, almost cold demeanour back in the farmhouse. Her poker face had been pretty good up until this point, but as she showed him around he could see everything written plainly upon her face, the love and affection for this place, the concern, her worries and perhaps a little guilt, then finally relief as he said he would buy it.

"No don't worry about it, I don't have that many things to bring over." Elliot said with a smile as he shook Leilani's hand. Outside the rain was starting to ease off, so he lead the way outside. Already he felt the odd tingling of excitement and of the possibilities ahead. This was the furthest thing he had intended when he first arrived in Maple.
"Oh, you'll be wanting this back." He said, shrugging the coat off and handing it to Leilani. "I'll see myself out, and I shall see you tomorrow morning." He gave her one last smile before departing in the light drizzle, with the sun starting to emerge from behind several grey clouds. The entire walk home he couldn't stop thinking about the apartment, the homely feel to it, the great view, the potential it held for him.

He finally arrived back at the motel, wet through from the persisting drizzle which had yet to dampen his spirits. Once in his room he dried off and then began to pack, which took upmost of the night. His mind began to wander to the future, what it held, the possibilities. And occasionally his mind turned to thinking of his soon to be neighbours, of a sort. Specifically the younger one. He quickly pushed those thoughts from his mind though as he folded and packed his clothes into the simple, large black suitcase, a few of his smaller belongings going into his beaten brown leather satchel. Once all his clothes were packed away he decided a shower would be a good idea and went to the bathroom. He turned the hot water on and stripped his top off, when he caught a sight of himself in the mirror. Resting against his lean, slightly muscular chest was a simple, silver locket, the sight of which instantly drowned his good moods. He held it in his hands for a moment before leaving it on the side, and proceeding with his shower. He put it back on again afterwards and spent the rest of the evening in a much more sombre mood before finally falling asleep around midnight.

The following morning at 9:17 Elliot was walking down the drive to Hart Ranch again, wearing jeans, a white t-shirt and a redd hoodie. He was carrying his black suitcase and had his satchel slung over his shoulders. In his pocket was the cheque for $50,000 written out to Hart Ranch. He reached the front door once again and knocked on the front door lightly.

 

[pariah]

[color=FFCC99] What a long night it had been… Leilani hadn’t slept a wink.

After Elliot had shook her hand and left, claiming to be back the next morning with a check and his items to move in, Leilani had been in a stupor. For so long she’d been fighting an uphill battle to keep the Hart Ranch that the idea of suddenly being free and clear of the debt… She’d tucked her nana into bed, crawled under a quilt by the fire and stared at the burning logs.

Before she knew it, it was sunrise, her usual help was pulling up in the driveway and she could hear her nana stirring upstairs. The woman was in her seventies, and she still rose before the rooster crowed in an attempt to sneak into the kitchen and make Leilani breakfast. She snuck up the stairs to her room, her thoughts still buzzing, and quickly changed her outfit. Her Nana worried about enough as it was, without adding a sleepless night for Leilani to the table.

By the time Elliot made it back to the ranch, check in hand, Leilani had built up a slight sweat and a clear mind. Her focus was on the fence they were replacing across the valley from the ranch house. The horses had broken through the fence during the last lightning storm, and although they had only replaced the fence last year, several of the posts were damaged to the point of no return. She was taking this opportunity to expand the fence a little as well, so the horses had more room to run. They had just signed contracts with a few families in town to break their stallions, and she needed the space for her growing herd.

She had her back to him, gloved hands raised high above her head before she slammed the post hole digger down into the dirt. A couple other men were with her; pulling posts out of the back of a giant red Chevy and pounding them into the holes after her. One of the men noticed Elliot and said something to Leilani, causing her to pause and turn around; wiping her brow with her forearm before she lifted a hand and waved at him.

Turning back to check in with the fellas, she made sure they were alright without her before she turned and began walking back through the field to meet Elliot at her front door. She wore an old, worn T-shirt with the words “Aloha” scrawled across the front. Her jeans were muddy and well-worn, clearly loved and lived in at the ranch. Her boots protected her legs up to her knees, and her small hands were dwarfed by the thick working gloves she pulled off one by one.

”Morning, Elliot!” She called as she got close enough.

Tucking the gloves in the back pocket of her jeans, she stepped up onto the porch and opened the door for him; ushering him inside as she looked over his satchel and brief case.

”Where’s the rest of your things?”

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