The Unexpected Partner

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Get back here!" Claire yelled, chasing after the chicken. The chicken continued to run dramatically across the grass.

*Cluck* *Cluck* *Cluck*

Not being able to catch him, Claire lifted her skirt and ran even faster. A few minutes of sprinting all the way by the river, the chicken stopped running so fast, allowing Claire to launch towards it with both hands open wide.

"I got you!" Claire laughed as she looked at the defeated chicken who was making sounds and trying to escape.

This wasn't something new to Claire. The chicken, which had gained the name Scamper due to the fact he was always scampering away, left its pen almost every week. There was one time when he ran all the way to the mountains, in hopes of being free.

Before rushing back to the house, Claire looked at the distant mountains and saw the smoke rising into the blue clear sky. Must be one of the mines, she thought to herself. Her dad worked in a mine close to their cottage. It wasn't the greatest place to live but Claire and her dad, John, were proud of it. Although it was still a large enough place, and it had all the necessary essentials for life, it was very run down. Over the years, it had gotten more run down because John had not made the proper renovations due to his heavy workload at the mine. There was just too much to be done and not enough money or time to do it.

Claire put the chicken back in the pen with the seven others. Seeing the spot that Scamper escaped from, she made a mental note to dig the metal harder in the ground so it wouldn't happen again. But deep down, she knew it would happen again.

After doing that, she continued with the rest of her daily activities. First, she cleaned the house, polishing every corner. Then she took care of the animals. Her animals included chickens, a horse and the stray dogs that have made a home near their property. After feeding all of them, Claire continued to work by making food so that her father had some when he got home at sundown. She made bread, jam and boiled eggs. Lastly, she made a mental note to go to the General Store before sundown to get more flour and fruit.

After her long list of daily chores was done, Claire sat on her couch and laid back. "Finally," she signed, grabbing the new book she had gotten and started reading the pages like there was no tomorrow. Her body ached from the tedious work, but her mind was still fresh. As a woman, living in 1873 Montana, the mind was the greatest gift to Claire. It was the only thing that truly belonged to her, without anyone else taking it away. Her home life, her chickens, even money, could not matter to her more than using her mind to read different things. Because Claire believed that without reading, she would not be the person she was today. Her dream was to be a teacher. To instill the love of knowledge and reading into other minds. The current schoolhouse teacher was an old lady, a lady that was set to retire in one year and promised to give the job to Claire (after Claire begged tirelessly for it). Claire couldn't wait!

After a few hours of deep reading, Claire noticed that it was almost afternoon. She looked at the little pocket watch, her father's most expensive possession, and read that it was 2:00 o'clock. She quickly put her book down and ran to the mirror where she fixed her hair, adjusted her dress, and put on her brown shoes. Going into town was one of her favorite things to do. Fixing her hair was not. Her long golden-brown hair that reached the middle of her back made it difficult to brush but she would not cut it off for anything. Her father had always told her that her mother had long hair. Ever since then, Claire had wanted to be like the women who brought her into this world, even though she never got a chance to meet her.

After getting ready to face civilization, she quickly ran out of her door, and headed straight to the back of the cabin where Fancy, her brown horse, was eating away at the hay and the grass. "Hi Fancy," Claire stated in a baby voice. Babying her animals was something she had grown to do, and there was no one there to stop her from doing it. She petted the horse's mane, "Ready to go for a ride?" She said, stroking her head. The horse didn't make a sound as Claire untied the reins from the wooden post and climbed on top of the saddle.

Fancy and Claire galloped all the way through the empty fields, towards Silver Wood, the town near their home. "Woah!" Claire yelled excitedly as Fancy rode fast and the cold wind pushed against their skin. She held onto her brown hat, hoping it wouldn't fly away.

After ten minutes of riding, Claire finally saw the town in sight and the little people walking all around the stores and different houses. She slowed down and neared the town while getting off her horse. She would ride her horse through town but that would result in strange stares as if people had not seen a woman riding a horse before. Oh shoot, maybe they haven't, she laughed to herself. After all, in 19th century Montana, it was improper for an unmarried woman, or any woman for that matter, to ride a horse in the same manner as a man.

Walking with Fancy's reins in her hands, Claire made it to the General Store. After tying Fancy to a horse post outside, she walked up the steps and through the door, seeing the General Store owner, Grant, standing at the front of the counter.

"Hello Grant," Claire smiled, making eye contact with the old man. He didn't respond. Fine, don't say hello back you old cane, she thought to herself as she walked past the two people in the store and towards the flour section. Before she made it to the section, she saw Liliann, Grant's younger sister.

"Hi Claire," Liliann smiled, walking over and giving Claire a hug.

"Good afternoon," Claire responded. Liliann was Claire's dad's age. She was the closest thing Claire had to a real friend, even though she was two decades older. She had black hair, the same as her brothers, sprinkled with some gray strands. The skin on her face was as white as the winter snow, a great contrast to her dark hair. She was a lot taller than Claire and had a befitting figure for a widow in her late forties.

"Don't mind Grant, he's mad cause the owner of A's Saloon bought all the liquor."

Claire chuckled. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"No... cause Grant always drinks some while he's workin'."

Claire and Liliann laughed, both looking in Grant's direction. He looked mad as he spoke to the people in the store, counting their money as if a gun was held to his head.

Liliann broke the silence, "Claire, come upstairs, I got these new fabrics that I know you would love. The dresses are to die for."

Claire contemplated going upstairs because she was here to just buy flour and fruit and then leave. But she couldn't resist trying on new dresses. I have time, she told herself, Papa won't worry if I'm a few hours late.

The two women went upstairs to look at fabrics and dresses while Grant grunted annoyingly at the shoppers. He gazed out the store window and across the street, glaring at the establishment that had emptied him of all his liquor.