Happy Holidays!

[realmrsreynolds]

With Jo freeing Sallie up from bartending, she's taking the time to enjoy the process of decorating around the bar for the holiday season. A wreath over the fireplace, cinnamon brooms in random corners, and of course appropriate amounts of mistletoe

Comments

[not_his_pa]

When Tamara finally left and William feels like he has a hangover, but seeing Sallie putting up decorations makes him smile,

"It looks beautiful, ma'am."

[realmrsreynolds]

"Thank you very much, Mister William!"

It's a little overly loud, but sincere and bright.

"How've you been, son?"

[not_his_pa]

He laughs at her cheerfulness,

"Doin' alright, Mrs. Reynolds. I'm tryin' to figure out what to get my Ma for Christmas."

[realmrsreynolds]

"Well for the love o' all that is holy, don't get her something useful.

"My husband bought me a vacuum one time. Wanted to throw it at his head."

[not_his_pa]

"What's a vacuum? I was thinkin' about some cloth for a new dress but guess that'd be useful?"

[realmrsreynolds]

"Damn, I forget about what's where, sometimes --

"On the dress bit, is that somethin' she'd likely be able to get on 'er own? Or something she wants?"

[not_his_pa]

"I don't know. I'm not good at this. Pa always seemed to know how to find presents that were special somehow. We didn't really do much last year and I want to make it all nice."

[realmrsreynolds]

"Hmm. What's your budget? I can help, I think."

After she pours herself some more wine from the bottle behind her on the bartop.

Clearly.

[not_his_pa]

"Not too much, but I've been savin' up from workin' here. About ten dollars now and about the same for Mark."

[realmrsreynolds]

That wouldn't buy Sallie next to anything back home, but in Milliways, that should catch William something worthwhile.

"Would you want to get the dress made for 'er or would your ma prefer to do it herself?"

[not_his_pa]

"I don't want to give her more work. Maybe somethin' like a pretty shawl would be better. I just want to make her smile,"

He feels like he hasn't been able to manage that as he should.

[realmrsreynolds]

"Shawls are easy as hell to make!" Sallie brightens a bit. "You could do one yourself, wouldn't even need to sew it one bit, and I could help.

"If you work the scissors. Tonight is not the night for pointy bits."

[not_his_pa]

"How'd I make one? And I can do that,"

Her enthusiasm makes him hopeful and he laughs.

[realmrsreynolds]

"First you need to pick out your fabric, and then we'll cut a triangle or a rectangle out of it to size, hem it, then add decorations if you'd like to. But we got to start with the fabric bit first!"

[not_his_pa]

"That shouldn't be too hard. I've been thinkin' about what she likes. Somethin' blue and nicer than her other stuff. Silk or a soft wool so she's warm but it ain't like everythin' else which is sort of rough. What do you like best for your shawls?"

[realmrsreynolds]

"I'd stick with a wool or a cotton so's it's easy to wash, too."

Leave it to the women to think of the practicalities.

"Blue, huh? And it has to be somethin' that fits in with your world, so nobody thinks that it's off somehow."