Into the West

[labcoatgirl]

Betty watched out the window, the small town of Culver coming closer as the stage coach approached. It wouldn't be too much longer. She had a teaching assignment out here at the small gold rush town that sprang up in the middle of the western desert.

The stage pulled in, the townsfolk giving it curious glances as if they hoped new news or something good might be coming in on it. Betty took the hand offered to help her down out of the stage and asked for her valise. Her dress was obviously of Eastern cut, she must look terribly green out here in the west. But Betty was not one to back down from a challenge.

She wasn't entirely sure which way was the schoolhouse.

Comments

[improvised_green]

Now that the men are standing, Bruce can get up off the ground. He and her luggage are covered in a thick layer of dirt but he doesn't give it a thought as he quickly puts himself between Betty and the troublemakers.

"That's no way to treat a newcomer, gentlemen." Granted, he was using the term very loosely, but they didn't seem impressed.

"Hey, we just wanna make sure she got a place to staaaay tonight." One at the back slurred sloppily, and Bruce stood up to his full height, though his thinner form hardly made it seem impressive.

"I mean it. Step away. Please." Bruce hated confrontation, but he hated people who were disrespectful even more. This was a horrible way for Dr. Ross to meet the town, and he hoped that his stern but calm tone would be enough.

[labcoatgirl]

Betty was fumbling with her purse when Mr. Banner came to her assistance. Even she knew this wasn't a safe situation for either of them, he was brave to even try.

The men started laughing at Bruce's ultimatum, ready to just toss him aside to get to the girl. But the laughter died quickly with one click.

The three men finding themselves on the business end of a small derringer that Betty had pulled from her purse. "You heard Mr. Banner. Please, step aside," Betty said in her most no-nonsense teacher voice. The three looked at each other, all of the sudden out of things to say. Before they all take a few stumbling steps backwards and out of the way, moving to cross the street and get away.

Betty sighed once they were gone, glad that it worked.

[improvised_green]

Bruce practically jumps when he hears that familiar sound, but is pleasantly surprised to find the business end is not pointing at him for once. Once the troublemakers are out of the way he turns to look at that gun with an impressed expression.

"Wow. I mean, you're..." He wants to say 'prepared' but it feels like he's just supporting stereotypes. "Look, I'm sorry, I mean it when I say that's not a daily occurrence around here. Are you alright?"

[labcoatgirl]

She nods, a faint smile as she returns the pearl handled gun to her purse. "...I'm not as helpless as I look?" Betty knew how it looked, he didn't have to sugar coat it. "I'm quite alright. However, we probably shouldn't stand too long here, I don't think I would want to go two rounds with those gentlemen on the same day."

She bends to try and retrieve what's left of her suitcase. The clothes are probably bent inside but at least it stayed latched.

[improvised_green]

He quickly scrambles to beat her to the bag. It's all dirty now and so is he, as he realizes he's letting off a small dust cloud just by moving.

"I'm sorry about your bag." He stands downwind and gives it a gentle brushing. "That's one truth about living out here though. Dust gets into everything. Sometimes I wonder if I'm writing with stumps of sand instead of chalk."

[labcoatgirl]

"It's not so bad," she says to try and excuse the dust. "I could get used to it..."

Oh dear, her hand had covered his on the handle. Betty flushes and removes her hand to cover a cough, pretending at the dust. "Is....is the schoolhouse far?"

[improvised_green]

He very nearly drops the bag but seeing that she's let go he manages to hold on to it and flushes red again.

"Oh, no, it's right at the end of the road here. I hope you like it." He points to an old bell tower that looks more like it'd be found on a church. "I've had your supplies shipped in ahead of time. Once you're settled, perhaps we can go over lesson plans?"

[labcoatgirl]

"Certainly, yes," she says hurriedly. Why was she flustered? Because he had been brave before? Perhaps that was it.

Betty steps towards the building, looking up at the bell tower. "Those are for calling the children to school?" At least that seemed more normal to a school, even out here in the middle of nowhere.

[improvised_green]

"It is. This used to be an old church, but when the town got too big they turned it into the schoolhouse. The nice thing is that there's an annex in the back of each classroom. Lots of storage space." It takes a few more minutes of walking, they have to turn the corner in order to get to the schoolhouse but there it is, painted a fresh coat of white. Bruce had wanted it to be sparkling, and spent most of the prior week fighting to get it done between dust storms.

[labcoatgirl]

Her smile grows, already picturing the little minds she would be instructing inside of it. "I'm sure it will be...more than adequate."

Betty stepped inside, taking in the desks, the chalkboard, the clean windows looking out over the plains. It was rustic and simple, but it looked perfect to her. She didn't say anything, just stood in the doorway. Forgetting for a moment she wasn't alone here.

She slowly walks up to the front desk, removing her gloves and running a hand along the wooden surface.

[improvised_green]

Everything in this room is brand new, a rarity but it also spoke to the wealth of the town that it could afford to not only build a new classroom, but stock it properly. Bruce had still polished and cleaned everything and he waited quietly as she inspected the place. He watched her, framed by the windows and beautiful view through them as he felt his heart flutter again. He smiles gently as she moves about the room, letting her take in everything.

"I hope it's enough. We just built this room earlier in the summer."

[labcoatgirl]

Betty looks up as if realizing he's still there. "Oh! Yes...yes, it's perfect." Maybe perfect was overdoing it, but it was more than she thought there would be.

There were even books. Betty picked up one to flick through it, one of the sciences. "Which lessons have you been teaching...Dr. Banner?" She would have to keep from duplicating anything already taught.

[improvised_green]

"Bruce, please." He smiles and walks over to see which book she's chosen. "Most of the older students are learning about acids and bases, along with basic physics. The younger students are working on earth sciences, mostly weather and geology. That's not getting into their English and Arithmetic."

[labcoatgirl]

She has the page open to the discovery of the DNA molecule. The twisted ladder structure very familiar to her.

"Bruce..." she tries it to be sure it would be alright. "I'm Elizabeth....or Betty."

She sets the book down on the desk, opening a drawer to be sure there were pens handy if she should need one. "I am well versed in arithmetic, but only basic grammar for English." Hopefully that wouldn't reflect badly on her, she had always been more partial to the sciences.