We could, but I decide to leave instead.

Flora starts to kiss you. Her hands find your softening member. “Let’s go again,” she begs. “Fuck me until I’m too weak to walk.”

“Stop,” you say, pushing her back.

You’re glad you decided to take Flora out of Tiny’s Tavern because the first person you run into is Amara, casually dressed to counter the lingering winter chill. She isn’t adorned with black but is dressed with browns and reds, almost the opposite of “not sticking out” to attract attention.

“There you are,” she says. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“Yeah?” Flora shifts beside you. “Here we are.”

“Where were you?” Amara urges.

“Packing up,” you say before Flora can say anything.

“I told Kenji to do this with you,” Amara grimaces, glancing backward. “Aren’t you hurt?”

“No,” you say. “I cleaned up this before leaving the house. My wounds are…closed.”

“Hurry up and get back to the house, would you? We got people coming in, and I don’t think anyone should see you out here,” Amara said, glaring at you. “Did anyone see you?”

“Just the staff, I promise.”

“And their name?”

“Miranda,” you pause for effect as if having to think. “She’s been here for a while. She knew who I was from before.”

“I’m familiar. Don’t go there again. Not for a while.” Amara looks around, her eyes drifting to the snow. “So, we should head back together then?”

The walk back is done in silence. Flora tries to talk to Amara to smooth the situation over, which seems to work reasonably well, but it does make you feel slightly like a third wheel. When you’re back, Kenji is in the kitchen with his gun field stripped on the table, doing a deep clean.

The rest of the month is spent indoors, doing odd jobs and rarely leaving the house…

…

It’s the first of April when the weather breaks into a loose Spring. There’s snow in the trees and patches of white on the ground. It’s cold at night, and flurries still greet you between days. Contracts are run by Kenji, but he keeps you informed that traffic is coming and going– he’s still working on finding you a good exit. Plans are arranged with the caravan, Benjamin’s Group. You manage to keep things hidden. Whenever Amara is distracted or off with Kenji, you sneak out and scout the members of the caravan groups coming and going.

You betray Amara’s trust. Besides being stressed about business renewing, she doesn’t suspect you or Flora doing anything you aren’t supposed to.

Despite what the name suggested, there was no one named Benjamin. Instead, the remaining leader of the group was a younger girl called “Glass.” She had curly red hair, dark green eyes, and deep freckles. When you met her for the time, she was bandaged and on crutches. However, on the 12th of April, she was outside of Tiny’s Tavern wearing regular clothes, no longer bandaged. The only off-putting thing about Glass was that her right pinky was missing.

You hid most of the details and talked about Flora like she was a medical expert. Glass tried to acquire Flora’s “file,” but you lied and said it was lost over the winter.

Glass signed you as a caravan guard for Benjamin’s Group and attempted to arrange that she’d rally you up the day they left for Billings. This offer was quickly dismissed, and you told her you needed a date and time for a meet-up. She thought for a moment and then glanced at the others that were lounging around you.

“I don’t know,” she sighed. “We need horses. We need supplies. We’re down 30 guys, so spreading them out to collect these things is hard. Unless you–”

“Sorry,” you cut in. “I can’t help with those things. Not in a timely or effective manner, at least.”

She nods. “Then you better talk to me every time you see me because we could leave anytime, depending on when those things are pooled together.”

...

...

The waiting was brutal, but Kenji continued to work with Amara even after his contract ended. His pay was docked, but Amara enjoyed having him around as an extra hand. He distracted Anara enough that you could make your “scheduled” meet-ups with the Benjamin Group now.

When things got serious, Flora was finally informed that you could be leaving any day now. “I’m– how did you get this going?”

“Scarlet,” you say. “And Kenji mostly. But I’ve been having secret meetings with a caravan group at Tiny’s Tavern. It sounds like they’re about to leave for Billings and had for Hardin. I can get you out of here finally.”

Flora held onto her hands in disbelief. “Good God, Warren, and you’ve kept this from me?”

“I didn’t want to get your hopes up until I get it confirmed with the girl I’ve been working with. We just need to sign our names on some of their papers and leave with them when they’re ready.”

“Shit,” Flora said. “What do I need to bring?”

“Nothing,” you tell her. “Nothing at all. We just need to be ready.”

Flora hugs you. “Yes! You did it! You did it!!”

You fail a fight at washing away your smile. “Don’t thank me yet. There’s no telling how much trouble is still ahead of us, you know?”

“Doesn’t matter,” she shoots her arms out. “We’ll be getting out of this shit show for good in less than a month!”

…

…

The next day, you and Flora made your toward Tiny’s Tavern to meet with Glass. To your surprise, you spotted Glass and the entirety of her group getting ready to head out.

Glass spotted you and trotted over on her horse. “Is this the girl you’ve been praising for the last two weeks?”

Flora blushed. “I believe so. Do we need to sign anything? Or… are we too late now?”

“I’d say it’s too late, but you sound too valuable to leave behind. If you have anything you need to bring along, I’ll go back and grab it. We’ll wait for a little for you outside of town, but dilly-daily, please?”

You and Flora say you don’t have anything to grab. The only thing you had been concerned about leaving behind was Scarlet’s guns, but you gave Flora her gifted one and kept her personal for yourself. “Let’s just go.”

Glass nodded once. “Alright. Let’s go then.”