His Story
This afternoon was very exiting for Josette, she was finally going to get the men some shoes and that made her beyond happy, she knew they would be joyful about this too. Finally that no good Kendrick would have to answer to Robert who was just as angry as her, although he tried desperately to calm himself.
John and Josette, including five other men traveled with Robert to go meet the quartermaster in his building within the camp, as they were walking Josette kept her hands behind her back, at this moment she had a lot of energy and had to contain it.
She was fidgeting with her fingers and occasionally would kick her boots in the sand as she walked. Robert clearly saw her anticipation, while he thought it was a bit funny and cut, he quietly told her to calm down. Like always she apologized and tried her hardest not to do it again.
"You men stay outside and guard the door, Sergeant Mikaelson and I will only be a moment." Robert ordered as he walked in, allowing Josette to walk in first, closing the door behind him for his men to watch. John stayed in the middle, not saying a word knowing Robert would do anything to make sure they had what the men needed.
"Good afternoon, Colonel." Kendrick greeted while sitting on his desk, the only source of real light came from the lamp that rested on top of the wooden material of his workplace, papers scatters everywhere, even hung up on the wall next to him. The two approached the man, Robert giving him a fake smile.
"You change your mind about that bottle I was talking about?" He asked gesturing to the bottle right in front of him. The man didn't even acknowledge Josette's presence. Instead of creating small talk and trying to be nice, Robert got straight to the point without a second thought "I want 600 pair of shoes and 1200 pair of socks, and anything else you've been holding out on us." His tone was stern and loud without really raising his voice, he seemed sure if himself.
"Piece of rat filth." Robert insulted as he walked over and around the counter that separated the two, approaching his desk looking down at him, Kendrick staying siting down, not a care in the world. "I'd love to help you. But we just don't have any."
"...not for niggers you don't." That was the cold truth, it was obvious they were doing it on purpose, giving the white soldiers more and leaving the black soldiers with absolutely nothing. "Not for any body." He responded making Josette roll her eyes "pity. I'll just have a look around, see that you haven't misplaced them." She said walking around the counter and to the shelves of supplies, knocking down cans and buckets.
A worried expression appeared on Kendricks face as Robert joined as well, knocking over cans that were on the counter "son of a bitch!" Robert said with anger, tons of commotion was made, luckily the men were outside guarding, there was no doubt they were making a lot of noise. "Damn it! You can't—"
"Can't I?" He asked as he approached the now frightened man yet again "I'm a colonel, nasty little cuss. You really think you can keep Union Soldiers without proper shoes because you think it's funny?" Kendrick leaned back in his chair in some sort of attempt to keep himself away from him, his eyes wide and frightened, "now where would that power come from?"
Trying to calm Robert down be slightly put his hands up in defense "a-all right, calm down." He told him as he fixed himself, going through some papers on his desk, Robert stayed silent watching him "look, have a drink." Kendrick suggested trying to poor the liquid into a shot glass but was immediately interrupted by Robert taking a hold of the two shot glasses in rage.
Just as they thought, the quartermaster had no choice but to cave in and give them exactly what their men deserved, that was a lot of work for god damn shoes, but Robert didn't mind one bit, he wouldn't let his men be treated like this.
Clearly Robert was a bit in shock at what he'd done, he felt very satisfied. Josette was of course thrilled seeing the Kendrick coward like that. Exiting the building, Robert closed the door behind him as he stood with his sergeant on the top steps, the door closing alerted John to turn around.
Without a word Robert and Josette looked at John, she really couldn't take it anymore, just being calm, this was a time to celebrate their little victory. After the moment of way to serious silence she let out a laugh and slightly jumped up. "Looks like you men are getting new pairs of shoes." Her tone was cheerful and ecstatic, this made Robert and the old man smile.
-
"Hey, you barefoot men!" A man called out as wagons with horses ran through the camp, the wagons contained dozens of shoes for the men. Crowds of men gathered around to claim their long awaited pairs of shoes, some of them cheering, eager to get their hands on them. "Get over here!" Another man yelled trying to get all the men's attention to the arrival, "shoes!"
John stayed in the back of the wagon handing the shoes to each reaching hand, occasionally tossing them at the crowd of men that was starting to grow more and more. Some of them left to try them on, tossing them in a pile if that pair didn't fit them, and off to find the right size.
Robert watched with a smile on his face before going off into the tent where Trip was being treated, Josette was with him in there kneeling next to him for a while, she knew he didn't like her but she still wanted to help. "Would you like some water?" Josette asked him quietly.
There was no answer for a good while until he gave a very small nod, to that she grabbed the bottle full of water that was in the floor next to her, and brought it to his mouth. She gently tipped it not wanted to give him to much all at once because he was laying down.
Men treated him, rapping bandages around his hurt and blistering feet, along with placing a cloth on his scars from the flogging. Robert stood there and watched with a saddened expression.
"Steward, is there anything you need?" He asked one soldier that was treating Trip "No, sir." He answered shanking his head, "keep me informed." Robert added "yes sir." Steward replied. Curious as to see who was in the tent, Trip turned his head away from the girl to be met with Robert, half his face resting on the pillow as he laid on his stomach, the two stared at each other for quite some time. Robert couldn't help but feel sorry and immensely guilty.
"Run along Sergeant Mikaelson." Robert said now looking at her. Without a word she put the glass bottle down and stood up, "goodbye." She said quietly gently grazing Trips shoulders, and left the tent in silence, walking to watch the men as they trained, it would be over soon, the had began to set.
"Did he kick you out?" Cabot spoke coming up behind her, she instantly knew who it was without having to turn around, Cabot Forbes had a very recognizable voice, just like Robert. "Yeah...he told me to 'run along Sergeant Mikaelson.'" Her voice going deep trying to mimic Robert, Cabot left out a laugh at her failed attempt.
The man caught her by surprise as he gently grabbed her hand, pulling her away from almost everyone, it all happened so fast, a confused looked plastered her face. "Josette, why was Robert in your tent yesterday?" Cabot asked changing his very laid back demeanor to a serious one. "What?" She played dumb, but he saw past that.
"Last night I was walking to my tent, then I saw Robert come out of yours." Cabot stated knowing there was no way she could deny this, she knew it happened when she had fallen asleep, but Robert never informed her about bumping into Cabot at all.
Josette stayed silent, her head looking down at the dirt below her. "Why was he there?" Cabot questioned again but with a bit more annoyance. "He came to apologize about what happened in the morning, and told me everything about getting the shoes. That's why he was there." She told him with defense, Cabot didn't by it one bit.
"You're such a lier." He told her with disappointment, but what she told him was the truth, but it wasn't the complete truth "I'm not stupid Jo, you don't think I see you two, the way you act around each other, the way he looks at you?" Still, Josette gave no answer seeing that he was being a little too hard on her, he calmed himself, taking in a deep breath and clenching his jaw. "Look I won't tell, I just want to know..."
"Why do you care?" Josette asked crossing her arms, it sounded a lot meaner than she had intended "b-because....I—" the words just couldn't come out of his mouth no matter how hard he tried, he was terrified to say it, and he was terrified to even think it. "...I'm jealous..."
"Cabot, I really like you, hell I love you dearly, but not like that. I know—" Cabot interrupted her, shaking his head slowly "...I'm jealous of you..." he finished with teary eyes, it felt like an immense weight was lifted off his shoulders, hearing what he said, she was shocked beyond words. "Oh..." was all she let out.
"...you love Robert." She mumbled making sure no one heard, Cabot didn't say anything, he fell completely silent, he was scared, thinking one of his friends would be disgusted by him. Not a lot of folks in his time were exactly okay with anyone being a homosexual, he's never said it to anyone in his entire life until right now. "I-I like the same...sex." He spoke quietly, looking down ashamed of himself.
"You hate me..." Cabot said assuming the worst, without warning he began to cry. "You hate me, you hate me, I'm going to hell." He kept on repeating, "I will never hate you, no matter what, I will never hate you." She reassured with tears in her eyes, never in her life has she seen anyone like this, the fierce and mighty Cabot Forbes was sobbing. Josette could tell that it didn't matter about what she said in that moment, he felt like a bad person for just being himself.
She quickly embraced him, her arms wrapped around his neck standing on her tippy toes "I love you, I love you for who you are, I doesn't matter to me about who you're attracted to or anything." Her heart broke for him and couldn't comprehend how he must be feeling, she knew in that there was nothing she could say to make him feel like it was okay to be gay.
They stayed like that for a while, thankfully they were hidden behind a tent, he held onto her, both of them crying "you're my friend Cabot, I love you and you are so strong." She said trying to control her breathing, she felt devastated at the fact that he felt guilty for something that no one can control.
Cabot was very much expecting Josette to be confused, disgusted, and hurt, but she wasn't. What she said was truthful, and from deep within her heart that she didn't care what gender he was attracted to. For a long time Cabot had this feeling, especially towards Robert, but as they grew Cabot realized that there was no doubt that his best friend and his crush was attracted to women.
He was hurt but knew there was nothing he could do to change that. While Cabot was immensely jealous of the relationship Robert had with Josette, part of him knew that's the way it was meant to be. The man couldn't help but feel grateful at the fact that one of his friends stood by him and right now that was all he ever wanted. "Promise me you won't tell anyone." He pleaded.
Of course she wouldn't tell anyone, that would be absolutely disgusting because it wasn't her place to tell "I promise, this is your story to tell Cabot, whenever you want to whoever you want."