North and South...and West
by Rin
Jealous Confrontation
[reviews]
Joyce noticed that Buffy and Will seemed to be sitting a lot closer than was appropriate but decided to comment on it later. No need to bring up such matters at the dinner table in front of guests. Riley Finn had arrived moments earlier to join them for lunch, as he did every day, in hopes to pursue Buffy as his wife.
"So, you gentlemen are helping on the farm." Riley had sat on the other side of Buffy, as he always did at lunch. She scooted her chair away from him as she always did. Only this time, Will was on the other side...instead of an empty chair. Buffy blushed profusely at her unladylike behavior, and Riley took it as a good sign pointed towards him that the blonde was blushing.
"Yes. We're trying to earn enough to help get us back out West, and Ms. Summers here was kind enough to take us in." Xander noticed that Willow was being extremely quiet.
"Ah...so you two are cowboys." Riley thought he had it all figured out now.
"Um...not exactly..." Though it would've presented a good lie, Willow thought. Saved a lot of explanations. "Just passing through, and our funds diminished."
"Have you not families that can union you money for the trip?" Riley was being awfully nosy. He didn't like the way Buffy was sitting so close to the redhead.
"Oh, well. We do...but they told us to find our own way home." Xander looked sad when he said that, and it was news to the ladies at the table.
"I didn't know that. You should've said something." Joyce placed a gentle, reassuring, motherly hand on Xander's shoulder. She couldn't imagine a mother not sending money to have their sons home quicker, especially after not seeing them since the war started.
"What about the war? How did you manage to escape being drafted?" Riley was trying to find the missing link to the puzzle. He didn't like the sympathetic glance Buffy sent Will.
"Um...Xander's leg." Willow hoped there would be no questions after that but Riley was being persistent. She didn't like this guy. When she found out he was one of Buffy suitors, she REALLY didn't like this guy.
"That doesn't explain you, though. You seem healthy." Riley narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "How did you escape the draft?"
"Mr. Finn, I believe the boys are tired from their day on the field. Why don't we let them rest, while we retire to the den." Joyce stood from the table, and the three boys stood in manners.
Xander immediately took the nap suggested, and bounded up the stairs with a little more gusto than usual. However, Will offered to help clean up first. Buffy offered to help, too but her mother would have none of it. Riley Finn was their guest, and here to see Buffy. She could allow the others to do the cleaning.
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"I don't like him." Willow commented as soon as she entered the kitchen. For one, Forrest, Mary, and Susie ate in the kitchen, instead of at the dinner table as usual.
"Well, Mr. Will. I'm afraid it's not up to us to like him, or not...but to Miss Buffy." Mary actually agreed with Will silently.
"Oh, please, Mama. Riley Finn is a bigot. We all know it, and he has a temper known throughout the county...just like his pa. Don't butter up the boy." Forrest helped his mother snap the fresh green beans from the garden for dinner that night. They would be canning a bunch for their winter months soon. Forrest was warming up to Will and Xander. They proved to be hard workers, and took some of the slack from him, so they were good in his book. "His pa let the overseer beat his slaves. We could hear them over here screaming sometimes...they did such horrid things to them."
"That sounds horrible." Will couldn't imagine Joyce allowing such brutality. "What happened to the others...the slaves, I mean?"
"Oh, Ms. Joyce freed us all after Mr. Hank left for the war. He never came back; ran away with a young brothel girl, from what we heard. Ms. Joyce always was the kindest lady in these parts...never let Hank beat us, or anything. It was like she was running the plantation all these years. Mr. Hank never cared much for it." Mary was glad to do some gossiping. She figured since Will and Xander were going to be here for awhile; they might as well know a little bit about where they were staying.
"Ms. Joyce, though...she loves this place. Her great-great-granddaddy built it himself." Forrest knew the story backwards and forwards. His mama used to tell the story like it was part of his history...which it was, since she was born here, and so was he...
"You can tell she loves it, and it seems like Buffy loves it, too. I couldn't imagine her being some dainty wife." Willow had this small smile across her her face; just thinking about Buffy did that to her.
"Oh, no...Miss Buffy was always a spitfire. She was always into some type of trouble. She was moved from the school because the teacher thought she was the one that burned the house down." Mary chuckled at that, knowing full well that Buffy was quite capable of such tomfoolery. "Just ask Forrest here. They been the best of friends since they was little."
"It's true. I'm older than Buffy but we always played together. We were the closest in age around here. William is much older, and we never really got along." Forrest had this smile on his face...obviously reminiscing about his childhood.
"I love this place. It's so...beautiful..." It was true. Willow had stared out her window for hours, just studying the lay of the land. The plantation was beautiful.
"Well...I'm sure that Miss Buffy has nothin' to do with that observation..." Mary had noticed the way the two young ones had glanced at each other. She knew everything that went on in this house. She also knew that Will's dislike of Riley Finn was partly due to jealousy. It was obvious that Will and Buffy were fond of each other, and it was obvious that Mary and Joyce were the only two that had picked up on the situation.
"Buffy is truly beautiful..." Willow had a faraway look in her eyes.
"Careful there, boy. You're just a farmhand from California, and passing through no less. Plus, don't you have a fiance?" Forrest smirked. He saw it now, too...the sparkle in young Will's eye...one he'd seen in many boys that passed through the plantation, especially upon seeing Buffy.
"Oh, right..." Willow backtracked, a mad blush of embarassment on her face. She'd forgotten that she was 'engaged' to Harmony.
"Well...nonetheless, Buffy is nice to look at...but the day she takes a husband..."
"Forrest, watch that mouth..." Mary smirked at her son. He was just like his father, rest his soul.
"Sorry, mama. But you know I'm right. Buffy has had more suitors than anybody in the county, and she hasn't even given a glance to a single one. They're always too shallow, or too tall..."
"Don't forget the one that was too uppity." Susie spoke from her position at the bean-breaking table. Willow had joined them in the task, after she'd figured out what they were doing.
"Oh, and don't forget the gentleman whose breath 'smelled like he fell in a horse's excrement.' That was my favorite." Forrest was having too much fun but the two stopped their teasing upon their mother's scolding look.
"If you're worried about her marrying that Riley Finn, there's nothing to worry about, Mr. Will. She despises him more than any of them." Mary stirred the beans, as Susie brought them over from the breaking table.
"Yet, he never takes the hint...even though she always tries to avoid him. Still...he's here every day."
"Every day?!" Willow didn't think she could handle that...
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"Was that Mr. Finn?" Will joined Buffy in the foyer, noticing full well that Riley was leaving the plantation. She didn't mean to sound so jealous.
"Yes. He just left." Buffy sighed in appreciation, though Willow took it for a sign of adoration for the man.
"You want to marry him?" Willow found she couldn't get the jealous tone from her voice, and Buffy noticed.
"Oh, lord no. He's a vile man. I would never..." Buffy smiled a little... "Are...why, Mr. Will...are you jealous?"
"Um...no..." Upon seeing Buffy's disbelief, Willow relented. "Okay...so sue me...I'm jealous. Can you blame me?"
"Well...I promise. I will not stand in your way if you wish to marry Mr. Riley Finn. He's all yours." Buffy was teasing, and maybe flirting a little. Okay...so flirting a lot.
"Huh?" Willow was confused. Did Buffy just wink at her?
"I'm joking, Will. Oh...is it alright if I call you Will?" Buffy liked the sound of that.
"I would like that." Willow smiled adoringly at Buffy.
"You may call me Buffy, too. We'll be working together a lot more, so I suppose that'll be appropriate." Buffy started to walk on the front porch, and motioned for Will to follow her. They sat on the rocking chairs, overlooking the plantation's front.
"Thank you...I would like that, too." Willow was flustered. She'd never met a woman like Buffy before...even when she wasn't living life as a man. Suddenly, Willow got depressed at the sudden realization that it would never work between them. Buffy would find out eventually that she was a girl, too.
"Hey...come back to me." Buffy noticed the forlorn look, and immediately realized she missed the young man's smile. It was so warm, so charming, so...beautiful...
"Sorry. I just remembered something."
"Your fiance?" Buffy found herself with a jealous tone. Willow looked up immediately at that.
"Why, Miss Summers...I do believe I heard a tone of jealousy in there." It was Willow's turn to tease. "If you would like to marry Harmony, by all means..."
"Don't be ridiculous. I've never even met her." Buffy found that Will's laugh was quite infectious. It was hard not to like this young man. This young, handsome...beautiful...charming... Buffy shook out of her reverie.
"I suppose we should head back out there; tackle another row or two. See what we can get done today."
"Will?" Buffy's tone was tentative. Will just looked at her in curiosity. "Do you not love this...Harmony?"
"Oh, lord, no. I don't think anybody does but herself." Willow laughed at that thought. Harmony had always caused her grief at socials and gatherings.
"Then...why marry her if you don't love her?" Buffy's jealous tone came out again, and perhaps a hopeful expression.
"I want to marry for love but I'm afraid my situation is difficult." Willow left it at that. It was true. She could fall in love...but no matter, she could never marry.
"Something we both have in common, then." Upon Will's questioning look, Buffy explained. "I'm expected to get married. I'm already older than the average marrying age, yet suitors still keep coming. I want to marry for love, and no matter how many suitors come, I can't see them as potential husbands. I can't see myself being their wife. Mom keeps pressuring me, though...and I always feel like I disappoint her."
"I definitely understand the feeling of disappointing your parents. Mine were never even around, especially after my brothers were married." Will and Buffy were bonding...only showing jealous spurts when they'd talk about other girls or guys. They wound up talking on the porch, losing track of time, having a great time together. They completely missed the rest of the day's work, as they fell into comfortable conversation, loving each other's company.