Beside the building, a porch stretched out, its surface lined with freshly laid round tables and chairs. Overhead, a simple but sturdy roof terrace shaded the area, ready to protect patrons from rain or sun. It wasn't just a food stall anymore. It was a proper eatery, a place people could gather. Caleb's chest swelled with pride. This was real. This was his.
Noticing movement, he looked closer. George, Seth, and Elias were outside, working on the wiring for electricity. Sparks occasionally flickered as they tested connections. Meanwhile, Jasper, Simon, Troy, and Mickey were on the side, setting the tables and arranging chairs with practiced ease.
It was coming together perfectly.
The scene looked less like a construction site and more like the final touches of an opening day. Caleb's chest swelled with pride and relief.
This was it. His foothold. His first stake in building a future that wasn't doomed to end in blood like Dutch's gang.
Caleb stepped closer, hands resting on his hips as he took it all in. At this time Jasper spotted him and waved his hand at him. "Boss! You're just in time. Place is just about ready. Few more wires to finish, then we'll be set for testing the lights."
"Boss." The word landed heavy in Caleb's chest, in the best way possible. He gave a nod, keeping his tone calm even as his heart raced. "Looks damn fine, fellas. You've outdone yourselves."
He wandered closer, running a hand along the wooden counter. Smooth. Clean. A place that people would line up at, money in their hand, hungry and thirsty. A place that would make him legitimate in the eyes of the town.
And all the while, behind it, a secret fortune was waiting.
George stepped down from the ladder, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his sleeve. His hands were calloused, smudged faintly with soot from the wiring they had just finished running across the ceiling beams.
A faint spark flickered behind him where Elias was double checking a joint, but the sound of the crackle soon died away. With a satisfied grin, George straightened his posture and turned toward Caleb.
"Well, boss," he began, his voice carrying a mixture of exhaustion and pride, "you arrived just in time. We've finished everything. Even the cable line checking was just wrapped up. Why don't you come with me and see the inside for yourself? Let's see if it's according to what you wanted or not."
Caleb's lips pulled into a small smile, his head bobbing once in acknowledgment. His chest swelled again at hearing that word, boss. It wasn't arrogance, it wasn't ego. It was fulfillment. He had people who believed in him, people who followed his vision. "Lead the way, George," he said warmly. "Let's have a look."
George nodded and strode forward, pulling open the newly fitted door with a satisfying creak of hinges that still smelled faintly of oil. Caleb followed him in, boots tapping lightly against the polished wooden floor.
The sight that greeted him stole his breath for a moment.
The front half of the room spread out before him, neatly divided into purpose. To the left side stood several round tables and chairs, set and ready. This wasn't for customers, no, this was for his people, his staff, a place to sit, to rest, to eat without being forced out into the elements or hunched in the back corner like an afterthought.
Caleb could already picture them, Jasper laughing with Troy, Mary-Beth sitting here with a book in her lap while the others teased her, his little found family having a safe corner to breathe.
To the right, framed against the wall, stood the window counter for customers to order. Behind its simple wooden sill sat a small book and a locked box, perfectly placed for whichever one of his crew manned the counter.
The book for writing orders, tallies, maybe even accounts in the future. The lockbox for storing the moneys, dollars and coins having their own places for easier counting. It was practical, but more than that, it was clean. Organized. Legitimate.
And just behind that counter ran a long wooden table. The space where orders would be laid out, burgers hot off the fire, fries crisp and steaming, all lined up to be served fresh. It wasn't grand, but it was efficient, sharp, built with purpose.
Above the long table, nailed firmly to the wall, were two oversized boards. Chalk still dusted the surface of one, smudged faintly where George's hand had brushed across while writing. Caleb stepped closer to read.
Menu
Burger – 3 dollars
Fries – 1 dollar & 50 cents
That was all for now. Simple. Straightforward. Exactly as he had told them. He had plans for more, of course, much more. But everything started small. He hadn't yet had time to experiment with an icebox design, not properly, and cold drinks weren't something a man could just pluck out of thin air.
Someone would need to travel north, up into the frozen wilds of Ambarino, to the desolate abandoned town that the gang used as hideout oreviously, Colter.
From there, they could cut blocks of ice from the frozen lakes, pack them in sawdust and hay, and drag them south before they melted. A logistical nightmare, but if he could make it work, then he'd have cold drinks,, an unimaginable luxury in this time and place. A future that nobody in Sant Denis or Valentine or Strawberry could compete with.
His mind raced with that thought, but George's voice cut through, steady and proud as he gestured to the chalkboards and counter. "Here's the front section, just like you asked. Set up for customers on one side, and a rest spot for your people on the other. We decorated it mostly plain, but neat. Matches what you described."
Caleb nodded, satisfaction warming him from the inside. "Looks damn fine, George. Exactly what I had in mind. You boys did a hell of a job wile I'm not here I tell you."
George's cheeks colored faintly under the praise, though he masked it with a modest shrug.
The two of them moved on, stepping past the counter and into the back half of the building, the heart of the operation.
Here, the air smelled faintly of fresh stone and newly chopped wood. On the left side, the ground was filled with dirt, packed firm, the edges ringed neatly with stones to keep everything contained. In the center of that space sat three campfire pits already constructed. Two were topped with cauldrons suspended by iron frames, perfect for boiling or frying. The third held a grill, though to call it "a grill" was underselling it.
Caleb stepped closer, his eyes lingering on the massive contraption. Six smaller grills had been combined, fitted together with careful work until they formed one giant, flat surface. It was crude by modern standards, but in this era? It was revolutionary. No one else had anything like it. He could cook for twenty people at once on this thing, maybe more.
To the right side of the room stretched the cleaning area. Unlike the dirt pit on the left, the floor here was laid with stone, smooth and practical. Against the far wall, a small hole had been cut, an outlet for water, ensuring it flowed out the back rather than pooling and stagnating. Beside it stood several sturdy tables, already fitted with racks for knives, wooden spoons, and other kitchen tools of the time.
A rack stood nearby, stacked neatly with bowls, plates, and cups. Beneath the tables were cabinets, their doors opening to reveal more sets of wooden utensils. It wasn't luxurious, but it was functional. Everything had a place.
George's voice softened, almost reverent, as he gestured around. "This here's the back section. Kitchen on the left, cleaning on the right. More or less exactly how you wanted it. Simple layout, but… some of the requests you made, boss…" He shook his head, letting out a little laugh. "Not complicated, no, but new. Never seen anyone build things this way. I'll be honest, even after finishing it all, it still astounds me."
Caleb chuckled, reaching up to scratch the side of his jaw. "It's just something I've been thinking on. Ways to make things run smoother, more efficient. Less wasted energy, less chance of burning food or people. You'd be surprised what a little planning can do."
George chuckled in return, his eyes glinting with genuine admiration. "Your folks are lucky, you know that? Most bosses don't give a damn about making things easier for their workers. Hell, if I'm being honest, I wouldn't mind working under a man like you myself. Leave this kind of job behind." He gave a sheepish shrug. "Though that's just me talking out loud."
Caleb smirked, reaching out to pat the man's shoulder with a firm, friendly thump. "If you, Seth, and Elias ever want to, you could be more than just hired hands. You could work for me directly. My private contractors. Every building I want made, every project I dream up, you'd be the ones to see it through. I'd pay you handsomely, of course like I was doing now. And all I'd ask in return is two things, you give it your best, and you keep everything you see under wraps, the usual."
George froze, the words hanging in the air. Silence stretched between them for a long moment, though Caleb could see the glint of temptation flickering in his eyes. Finally, George exhaled slowly, nodding once. "I'll… think on that. Talk it over with Seth and Elias. It's not a small thing you're offering."
Caleb chuckled lightly. "Of course. Take your time. I'll be waiting for the good news."
The two men shared a look of mutual respect before turning back toward the door. Stepping outside, the sunlight washed over them, and Caleb blinked against it after the dim interior.
And then he heard it, his name, called bright and clear.
Her face lit up in a radiant smile, eyes wide with delight. "Caleb!" she cried out, her voice breaking slightly with the force of her joy.
Mary-Beth.
She stood a few paces away, her arms loaded with two baskets brimming with food. She had come, as she often did, bringing lunch for everyone. But the moment her eyes landed on him, her whole body froze. Her jaw dropped, and the baskets slipped from her hands, tumbling to the dusty street below with a soft thud, bread rolls spilling across the ground.
Caleb's own lips curved into a smile, softer, warmer than any he'd worn that day. "Mary-Beth," he answered, his voice gentle, carrying across the street.
Without another thought, he descended the porch steps in long strides, closing the distance between them. She rushed forward too, skirts swishing, and when they met, he wrapped his arms around her in a firm embrace.
Right there in the middle of the street. In front of George. In front Jasper, Simon, Troy, Mickey, George, Seth, and elias. In front of townsfolk who happened to be passing by. None of it mattered. For a heartbeat, all that existed was the warmth of her in his arms, the scent of her hair, the quiet, unspoken comfort she brought him.
The world slowed around them. For Caleb, a man carrying the weight of two lifetimes, two sets of memories, it was grounding in a way nothing else could be. And for Mary-Beth, it was simple joy. Her heart beating fast, her cheeks flushed, her smile uncontainable.
...
Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 7/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 6/10
- Luck: 8/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 4)
- Rifle (Lvl 3)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 3)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 2)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 3)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 4)
- Poker (Lvl 4)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 2)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 3)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 1)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 0)
- Crafting (Lvl 3)
- Persuasion (Lvl 2)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl 3)
- Teaching (Lvl 2)
- Germanic Language Proficiency (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 10x10x10)
- Acting (Lvl 2)
- Alcohol Resistance (Lvl MAX)
- Treasure Hunter (Lvl MAX)
Money: 1,977 dollars and 10 cents
Inventory: 5,407 dollars and 43 cents, 7 gold nuggets, 8 gold bars, 7 silver rings, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, 2 large bags of jewelry, 4 gold rings, 2 silver rings, 4 silver pocket watches, 3 gold buckles, 1 gold pocket compass, 2 platinum pocket watches, 2 Colm's Schofields, land deed (Parcel), and four sacks of dollar bills and gold bars.
Bank: -