Yellowstone

Chapter 44 - Bill Of Sale

Elisabeth laid alone in her bunk, fidgeting with her engagement ring.

The loss of Ava was a dark cloud constantly hovering around her head, and she felt as though she was going insane.

Now that she was no longer pregnant, the secret was out.

Everybody knew that she'd not only been hiding a pregnancy, but that her baby was now dead.

Everyone seemed to be walking on eggshells around her, and it was beginning to rub Elisabeth the wrong way.

Yes, she was hurting, but she didn't want people to have to be scared of talking to her.

She carefully slipped out of her bunk and walked out to the back porch, posting up in a chair and propping her feet up in the table.

She lit a cigarette and placed it between her lips, leaning her head back as she took a drag.

The door squeaked open, but she didn't bother to look up and see who had come out to join her at such a late hour.

"Darlin'..."

Beau.

Sweet, sweet Beau who had always wanted nothing but the best for her.

The amber eyed man who had always loved her with his entire being.

"Can I sit?" He asked.

She nodded, sitting up and taking another drag.

Beau placed himself across from her, his expression soft as he took out his box of cigarettes.

He glanced at her box, a slight grin tugging at his lips.

"Marlboro smooth ice... you still ain't changed a bit, have ya?"

Elisabeth shook her head, exhaling a thin trail of smoke.

Beau cheek twitched in a half smile that disappeared just as quickly as it appeared.

"You feelin' ok? Scar healin' up good?"

She nodded.

"Yeah... still hurts like a bitch but it's healing." She murmured, lifting her shirt a bit to look down at the healing wound from her C-Section.

The brunette nodded. "Good, good... bullet wounds too?"

Elisabeth nodded, tugging her shirt back down into place.

"Why're you up so late, huh?" She asked Beau, taking the final drag off her cigarette.

"I could ask you the same thing." He said with a light chuckle.

She simply shrugged.

"Couldn't sleep. Kept thinkin'."

Beau nodded in understanding.

"Yeah... me too."

"What were you thinkin' about?" She asked, her voice laced with curiosity as she butted out her cigarette.

"Just..." He stopped to think for a moment.

"Old shit that I've been through... how I would've done things differently."

Elisabeth knitted her brows together.

"C'mon now, honey. You can't go on beatin' yourself up over the past."

Beau gave her a look.

"You do it."

"It's different when I do it." She murmured, propping her feet up on the table.

"It's expected of me. Not from you though."

Beau half smiled, a sheepish expression gracing his angular face.