#othergen1

[oasisfrontier]

1855, Pebble Homestead

Eliza always said yes to Thomas, even when she didn't want to. She laughed at his bad jokes about chickens, and listened to him complain. She thought about finding her own perfume to cover the smell of Lily's that seemed to never go away.

But he was a good man! He provided for their family and kept them safe. What had she expected, answering a newspaper ad? Hadn't she whored herself out in a way? But she squashed any sympathy for Lily that threatened to appear; Eliza would never sleep with another woman's husband. Lily was betraying every woman in the whole town just because she knew how to prey on men's weaknesses!!

[oasisfrontier]

1855, Springscape Farm

Mila and her sons moved into Bjorn's farmhouse right away. He felt a little guilty being intimate with Mila in the bed he had shared with Clara. Did Mila compare him to her late husband? He decided to send for some new fabric back East so Mila could redecorate the home to her tastes.

The children would not get along, no matter how hard Bjorn and Mila tried to bring peace. Bjorn was often gloomy and convinced that they would never get along, but Mila assured him it would just take time. But he hoped it wouldn't take much longer, as Mila was already expecting.

[oasisfrontier]

1855, Lutheran Church

After the proper amount of time had passed, Bjorn Bjergsen and Mila Munch were wed.

It was a small affair with only a few friends and family. Bjorn invited the McFarlands, as he credited some of his business success to Eliza's industrious nature.

Bjorn and Mila wanted to create new family bonds immediately, but Sofia spent most of the reception at her mother's graveside.

[oasisfrontier]

1854, Springscape Farm

Bjorn Bjergsen was not made to be a widower. He had more respect for Clara now than he ever did when she was alive. How had she known what to do with these children? He could run the General Store, manage employees, navigate supply chains... but when it came to potty training little Elsa he was lost.

So his businessman brain started running the cost-benefit analysis. Mila Munch, a widow with three children, was his closest neighbor. She was struggling without a husband; her house was still unfinished after four years. They were from the same country-- Windenberg-- so why shouldn't they get married?

Mila willingly accepted his proposal, but they decided to keep it private until over a year after Clara's death to look respectable. Sofia was extremely upset when Bjorn told her what he thought was happy news. Why wouldn't she want to have a mother?

[oasisfrontier]

1853, Michaelson Manor

After almost three years of construction, the Michaelson family finally completed construction on their manor! Christopher immediately got to work setting up a schoolroom.

He was especially worried about Martha Pancakes, as he knew it was an understatement to say she'd had a difficult childhood. Christopher committed himself to giving her extra lessons, and he also decided he needed to learn Spanish to teach Aurelio Robles more effectively. More than anything, he wanted to benefit the community around him.

[oasisfrontier]

1855, Oasis Outpost

When Lily wasn't half-drunk to numb the pain, her only thought was: How long, O Lord? How long?

[oasisfrontier]

1854, Mormon Homestead

After a year, things were finally looking up for Lorena Swann. Out of her limited options on the homestead, a potential suitor finally materialized -- Jacob Kizer. Lorena had the sneaking suspicion that it was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time; she knew that Jacob's wife Emilie was exhausted raising their rambunctious toddler. But what was love for anyone, really, other than being in the right place at the right time? Lorena had high hopes, but without a father to protect her she needed to be on her guard more than ever.

[oasisfrontier]

1854, Oasis Outpost

Lily often wondered how she had ended up in this line of work. She hated it so thoroughly, but the money was better than what Angela made at the school. Plus, there was no going back for her.

The men disgusted her with their open pawing and sweaty stench. Still, she flirted with them at the card table and kept them entertained upstairs. What else what she was supposed to do?

Lily was especially sad to miss Clara Bjergsen's funeral. She had always liked Clara; they had been friends before... well. After that, no woman in town would speak to Lily. They treated her like a disease to be avoided. So, she just listened to the men talking about the funeral that night at the saloon, and tried not to cry when they joked that Bjorn just needed to visit her to cheer himself up.

[oasisfrontier]

1854, Springscape Farm and the Lutheran Church

Tragedy struck the Bjergsen family early in the year. Clara died in a freak farming accident, leaving behind Bjorn to care for their two daughters alone. Bjorn owned the General Store and had relied on Clara to keep things running smoothly at home.

They held a funeral for her at the Lutheran church she had loved so much. The little church was packed, and Bjorn stoically choked out some remarks. His older daughter, Sofia, cried the entire service.

Eliza McFarland was scandalized to see Lily Pleasant in a church, but Mila Munch explained that it was Lily's identical twin Angela. Angela was the town schoolteacher, and once Eliza heard that she was very excited. She already had big plans for Brandon's future--he obviously wasn't suited to farm work. Angela was kind, but gently let Eliza know that she didn't teach children below the age of five.

[oasisfrontier]

1853, Mormon Homestead

Lorena Swann had not wanted to come quite so far west, but her father had left her with no choice. Lorena's mother had died in childbirth a year after she had Lorena, along with the stillborn. Lorena's father had been too heartbroken to ever remarry, so for her whole life all they had was each other. She understood that they had to move west for their safety, but it was her father who had wanted a large plot of land. And then he had gone and died along the way, leaving Lorena all alone.

The other families on the homestead were kind to her, but they were no replacement for her father; she so desperately wanted to get married and it was mortifying trying to make her own match. Lorena tried to make herself attractive to the men by improving her womanly skills, but no one seemed to want her.

She was very close friends with John Shaffer--probably closer than they should be. She became very entrenched in his family and learned all about the struggle of his first wife, Marjorie, to embrace his second wife Mary. His daughter even told Lorena that she wished Lorena had married her daddy; when Lorena told John that, waiting for a proposal, he was horrified. Only then did the spell finally break, and Lorena wondered if she would be alone forever.

[oasisfrontier]

1853, Banker's Paradise

Nancy Landgraab invited Eliza to a quilting bee at her house, and Becca grudgingly agreed to watch the babies for the day. Eliza wore her best dress but was still intimidated by the grandeur of the mansion. She hadn't been anywhere this nice since she came out west -- even their water closet felt like a luxury.

It was relaxing to be with other adult women, gossiping and talking about their motherhood woes. Eliza admitted that she was unable to help Thomas with the farm chores now that she had two babies, and Nancy suggested that she hire a wet nurse for a few days a week. Nancy insisted that she never would have survived without a daily wet nurse, and that if Eliza had more energy for her husband at night it would improve her marriage. Eliza was shocked at her candidness, but agreed to ask Thomas about it.

[oasisfrontier]

1852, Pebble Homestead

Eliza begged Thomas to take an interest in his son, but he was happy just to watch her do all the parenting. He often reminded her that it was her duty as Andrew's mother, and that he was too busy running the homestead. They moved their wooden bathtub outside in an attempt to cut down on the mold.

Becca came to help one afternoon late in Eliza's pregnancy. She seemed worried about everyone's health, but more worried about herself. She still had not found a husband, and her work at the post office was stressful. Adhesive stamps were taking off but most of her customers were resistant to using them.

Eliza was exhausted, dirty, and alone. She and Thomas were so busy working that they often didn't have one meal or conversation together. Awake at 3 am with the baby, she wondered why she had answered his newspaper advertisement at all.

[oasisfrontier]

1852, Oasis Outpost

Eliza was able to be intimate with Thomas again, but she was so exhausted from taking care of Andrew that it still wasn't enough. Thomas was beginning to feel ashamed of how many nights he stumbled home from the saloon. None of the other cowboys there were married.

He enjoyed time with Lily when he could afford to, but Thomas had no delusions about their relationship; she was available to any man who could pay. Some nights there were so many takers that Thomas wondered how Lily kept up.

[oasisfrontier]

1851, Pebble Homestead

Little Andrew was born just in time for a holiday! The McFarlands hosted the Pancakes for a grand meal after church.

Martha Pancake was so excited to be in the house that Bob got embarrassed. Daisy encouraged her to sit quietly and be polite for the company.

[oasisfrontier]

1851, Pebble Homestead

TW: Racism, slavery

Eliza was humanizing Thomas--taking a feral pioneer and molding him into a respectable husband and neighbor. Her sympathy for the Pancake family rubbed off on him, and he honestly called Bob a friend.

Thomas could see that his house embarrassed Bob, so they usually sat outside together. Bob poured out his heart to Thomas, telling him that his family had escaped slavery. Every day he lived in fear of being discovered; the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act required anyone who discovered their family to turn them in. He was ashamed that his family was living in such poverty compared to their neighbors. The Michaelsons had been born free in Pennsylvania, and Bob couldn't relate to their education and comfortable life.

Thomas assured Bob that he would do anything to protect him and his family.

[oasisfrontier]

1851, Pebble Homestead

Becca Clarke, Eliza's old wagon train partner, came by to visit. She was happy for Eliza but couldn't hide her jealousy. Becca was still struggling to survive, and admitted to Eliza that she was considering getting a nighttime job at the saloon.

Eliza summoned her courage and shared her suspicions about Thomas. Becca was mortified at the idea she might have to sleep with Thomas, and swore to Eliza that she would never betray her that way. Eliza suggested she visit the saloon at mid-morning in search of a more respectable man. She also believed that the post office was hiring for a new desk clerk.