[locked to hesdead_jim] So I'm packing my bags and I'm heading out West

[rightawaydoctor]

It had to all be a terrible dream. A nightmare. This couldn't be happening to Christine. She stared down at the crudely made wooden cross and fresh earth in front of her. He had been there one minute, and gone the next, leaving her all alone. What was she supposed to do now

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[hesdead_jim]

Leonard had been though a great deal over the passing years. His mother's loss at a young age from a short illness, and then his fathers in his 20s from an equally short illness. In between he'd married and fallen in love with a woman from a richer family with high expectations of her and low expectations of Leonard. But they had loved each other, and he had never stopped loving her

[rightawaydoctor]

Christine stared up at the man, blinking back her tears. For a moment she didn't know what he was going on about, but then it struck her again and her lower lip trembled. She gave a brief nod, then turned away from him completely, looking down upon Roger's grave marker instead.

The woman with her set to explain the situation to Leonard. "Poor dear. She and her husband just arrived here today." Leaning in closer she murmured, "He drowned in the river, few hours ago." From behind her, Christine pressed a hand to her chest and took short, gasping breaths.

[hesdead_jim]

He slowly nodded in understanding, looking at the sobbing woman curiously. He didn't like to see people suffering and to lose a loved one was something he emphasised with. He was hurting for her; admittedly, not a fraction of the pain she felt too.

"Lord... no wonder she's lookin' so distraught."

[rightawaydoctor]

"Yes, I wish we could help," the woman continued. "Even offered her a free meal at my husband's restaurant tonight, but she's got no where to go, and I don't think she has much money."

Christine tried to pull herself together. The first rule of New Orleans society was to never show them what you're feeling. After a few deep breaths, she wiped her eyes and turned back towards the two.

"Thank you for your condolences, sir," she said to him, before looking at the woman. "You said I can't leave til spring? How early in spring?"

"Oh," the woman blew out a breath, shaking her head. "Not til the ground starts to thaw and there's no frost. Mid to late April at the earliest."

Christine's mouth set in a tight line. "That's seven months away. How can I--" She nearly broke down again. "I'm... not accustomed to life out here. I don't know what I should do."