I AIN'T THAT KINDA GIRL.

[ season 2 — episode 8 ]

BAMBI'S phone rang just as she parked her Honda in front of Mags' store over in Bennett, who wanted to meet with her after she got out of school, presumably about her father's land once again. The younger girl was wondering if this had anything to do with Boyd taking a job with Black Pike Mining — he was some kind of security consultant or something.

Bambi was fairly sure that just meant he was pressuring people to sell their land to Black Pike, which must've been making Mags nervous since she was after all the same land that Black Pike was eying.

"Hello?" she answered after studying the unfamiliar number. Only to sigh when she realized it was a call from the jail — Boyd was calling her from a cell, and they were asking if she'd accept the charges. "No, I don't accept the charges."

Then, Bambi hung up, figuring that Boyd was now Black Pike's problem. She rightfully was assuming that he was locked up because of his association with the sketchy business.

Forgetting about her brother — he'd be okay, he always was — Bambi got out of her car and made her way inside of the store. Inside, Mags was behind the counter and restocking the containers of candy she kept by the register, but she instantly put it to the side and perked up when she saw Bambi come in.

"Howdy, there, Bambi," she greeted brightly. "Thank ya for coming all the way over here. I know it must've been a lot of trouble."

Bambi just smiled at her and shook her head. "Yeah, that twelve-minute drive was so taxing," she joked. Then she leaned against the counter, looking at Mags as she did so. "Ready to tell me why you want my land so bad?"

After a moment, Mags sighed and nodded. "Black Pike needs the land around the mountain to build roads up to it — what they already own is too steep for trucks to make it up there," she explained.

Bambi's jaw dropped a bit. "You're collecting land so you can hold it over their heads and get more money," she realized, her eyes narrowing. "You ain't trying to keep them from ruining our environment."

Mags at least had the decency to look a bit ashamed as she nodded. "I've gotta do what's best for my family — for my tads. And this reefer business, I can't keep at this. I'm old, Bambi. And that ain't the life I want them to keep having."

For a moment, Bambi just bit the inside of her cheek, not sure what to do. "You know, I got a call from some representative — Carol Johnson."

"I've spoken with her as well," Mags nodded.

"She said, well, she said that it'd be easy for them to involve lawyers and get my land seized since it was Daddy's and probably wasn't acquired in the most legal of means," Bambi admitted. "So, she was saying I needed to sell now before it was taken from me."

"Did she sound like she was just pullin' your leg? Or was it a real threat?"

"Oh, you knew Daddy," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'm sure a judge could seize it from me. But, well, if I sold it off before they got their lawyers involved, ain't nothing to be done, I suppose."

At that, Mags smiled like she'd accomplished something great. "Miss Bambi, are you gonna accept my deal?"

"On one condition," she said, sighing. "I need you to give me some advice."

"That's your condition?" she asked, raising a thin eyebrow.

Bambi just nodded and looked down at her hands. "I ain't — well, I ain't had a mama to go to or nothing. And I can't talk to Ava about this stuff. Guess I just need... someone to tell me what to do."

Mags' heart ached at that moment, who'd always been so desperate for a girl of her own — it was why she'd taken in Lorette McCready, who she cared so much about. So, Mags smiled softly and covered Bambi's hands with her own.

"What's eatin' at you, Sweetheart? That boy still troubling you?"

"Two boys," she groaned. "The first one, let's call him Ted. Well, Ted and I were fooling around — having a real nice time. Then he took me on a real date, and it was perfect. But next thing I know, he's ignoring me and my calls. Come to find out, let's call this one Ron, who works with Ted and is my good friend, told him to stay away from me."

"Well, I found out about it and confronted Ron 'cause I thought we were friends — that he cared about me being happy. Only for him to kiss me and run away after. He's got a girlfriend, Mags. He ain't got no business kissing me. And now, I'm ignoring Ted 'cause I'm confused, and Ron's ignoring my calls now."

Mags leaned forward, her eyebrows furrowed as she thought it over. "And you really like this Ted fella?"

"I do. He's so sweet and caring — and like, stupid hot," she couldn't help bit add, making both women laugh. "But Ron... well, I ain't never had the sense to think about him like that. But now that's all I can think about. 'Cause that was a hell of a kiss, Mags. Made me wanna twirl and kick my feet and shit."

"Bambi," Mags said, now giving her a knowing look that she didn't understand.

"What?"

"Ron wouldn't happen to be Raylan, would it?" she questioned.

Bambi paled, which just about gave Mags her answer. "Maybe," she said in a small voice. "And maybe he's back together with that ex-wife of his. And maybe she was just on the other side of the door the night he kissed me before going right back to her."

"Well," she sighed, "you are in some shit, Bambi Crowder."

It made her laugh weakly as she squeezed Mags' hand. "So, what do you think?"

"I think Raylan Givens ain't no better than a dime store whore for leading you on and then not talking with you about it," she said, shaking her head. "But at the end of the day, it comes down to one thing. Who do you care more for?"

Bambi's stomach sank. "Raylan," she whispered so quietly like she was afraid of Tim hearing from Lexington and breaking his heart. "There's just — he's my best friend, Mags. And I ain't supposed to feel like this for my best friend, but I do now. And it ain't fair to Tim. I like him a whole lot too, and know I'd be happy with him."

"But not as happy as Raylan would make you," Mags said knowingly before tucking some of Bambi's hair behind her ear comfortingly. "Baby, I don't know what to tell you but to follow your heart."

"My heart tells me to punch Raylan in the face," Bambi muttered. "Right in front of his ex-wife so she knows what a slut he is."

Mags laughed heartily and shook her head. "Oh, that would be a sight," she said, grinning brightly. Then she shook her head. "If Raylan's gone cause more heartache than what he's worth, maybe that Tim fellow deservers a better shot. 'Cause I sure hate the thought of Raylan stringing you along if he ain't got plans to drop that ex-wife."

"Maybe you're right," she muttered before sighing heavily. "Alright, well, I think your advice was sound enough that I'm willing to sell you that land."

Mags' smile was nearly blinding as she squeezed Bambi's hands again. "Oh, you've just made me so happy, Sweetie. We'll get something arranged in a few days or so."

"Well, we'd better shake on it," Bambi said, offering her hand. "Daddy told me no deal in Harlan is official without a shake."

"And he was right," Mags said while firmly shaking her hand. "Now we have a deal."

"Thank you again, Mags," she said softly. "And I'll let you know how everything goes—"

Bambi cut herself off when she heard the screen door swing open. She and Mags looked, surprised to see Raylan coming in with an unfamiliar woman with long, red hair. For just a moment, Raylan's eyes landed on Bambi, but he quickly masked his surprise and looked back at his companion.

"Oh. Ms. Bennett," the woman greeted. "I don't believe we've formally met. I'm Carol Johnson with the Black Pike Mining Company."

Mags looked at her, not quite impressed as she shook the woman's hand. "I know who you are, Miss Johnson. Glad you're prettier in person than you are in the papers." Then she looked acusingly at the Marshal. "I'm surprised to see you here with her, Raylan."

"Uh, Marshals service duty. There have been some threats," he explained in a tone that made Bambi frown. He looked downright exhausted and miserable — he was hungover, not that she knew it.

"Oh,well, that's just awful," Mags said with a frown before blowing her nose.

"Part of the job, I suppose," Carol shrugged.

"Yeah, it's not easy being a strong woman. Take it from me," she told her. As she spoke, Bambi saw Coover and Dickie enter the store, who she smiled at. "But you just keep doing what you're doing. Don't let them see you sweat."

"Yeah, I don't think old Mags here even has sweat glands," Bambi joked before offering her hand. "I'm Bambi Crowder."

Carol looked at her with a new interest while shaking her hand. "We spoke on the phone."

"We did."

"Any more thought on that conversation?"

"I'm afraid not," she said politly, opting not to tell her she'd sold to Mags. It wasn't any of Black Pike's business.

Carol smiled tightly before glancing at the two boys that were so obviosuly lurking around them, making her uncomfortable, especially with how Raylan was eying them.

"Oh, Miss Johnson, these are my boys... uh, Dickie and Coover," Mags introduced.

"Hello," Carol nodded politly.

Coover smiled real big for her, towering over her. "Hey!"

Mags then cleared her throat. "So, what... uh, what brings you out this way? Need some travel soap? Toothbrush, maybe?"

"I'm here to talk business," she said simply.

"Even with the law within earshot?" Mags asked with a smirk.

Carol just chuckled and shook her head. "Black Pike is all aboveboard. No need for secrecy."

Bambi glanced at Dickie, who was next to Raylan as he picked up a baseball bat, beginning to inspect it. She rolled her eyes, figuring he and Coover were trying to be intimidating.

"Everything I have to say on the matter you'll hear tonight at that fancy meeting you're holding," Mags informed the woman, referring to the town hall meeting that'd been arranged.

"Oh, well, I'm very glad to hear that you're gonna be coming, but I was hoping to talk to you before then — sort out our conflicting interests."

"And by 'conflicting interests,' I'm assuming you mean that Black Pike wants to rape our hollers, and I want to save them?" Mags asked accusingly.

Bambi just gave her a knowing look. She was just throwing all this attitude back to help her get more money down the road.

"No, that's not what I meant," Carol said, keeping her cool.

"I've already made it clear that you will hear my position tonight," she said. "Nice to meet you."

Carol smiled tightly and nodded to her. "Ma'am."

Carol and Raylan moved to leave, but Coover, with a broken hand and colorful lolipop in said hand, came up to Raylan, just humming as he put a hand to his chest, stopping him in place.

"You whoring for the mines now, too... Like your buddy Boyd?" he asked him, raising an eyebrow.

Raylan just raised an eyebrow. "Coover, you touch me again, it's gonna be a problem."

Coover just smirked at him. "I ain't afraid of you, Marshal."

Looking to Mags, Raylan clearly wasn't afraid either. "It's nice to see the work you done on your boys' self-esteem has paid off."

"Coover, be careful, now," Dickie warned. "You go beating on a federal, it can take years from you."

Coover huffed and slammed the lollipop down on a shelf while looking at Raylan. And Raylan, ready for a fight, pulled his badge off his belt and tucked it inside his blazer, signifying that he was now off duty if Coover wanted to try something.

And try, he did.

Coover hit Raylan hard before ramming him back into the wall. Then he slung him around, throwing him onto the shelves, knocking everything off. Bambi cringed as Raylan was thrown through the screen door just seconds before Loretta McCready arrived, looking confused and horrified.

Thankfully, Raylan got in a few hits on Coover, but it hardly slowed him down. Coover tackled Raylan, pinning him to the ground. Then he began punching him in the face over and over again, blood seeping from Raylan's forhead.

"Coover!" Bambi snapped, glaring at the man. "He's had enough."

"Boys, let's go, now," Mags instructed. "That's enough. You hear me? Coover, that's enough."

When Coover didn't stop, Mags sighed and grabbed a nearby shovel. She began lightly hitting Coover on the head. "Stop it. Stop it. Stop it! Come on. Let's go."

When Coover slowed down, Mags tossed the shovel to the side. Coover stood and delivered a kick to Raylan's ribs before following after his mother and brother. Loretta stood there a moment before Bambi caught her eye and nodded for her to follow after Mags, which she silently did.

"Bambi," Mags called before going outside. "Clean him up, would you? The Marshal shouldn't be looking so pathetic."

Bambi just about glared at the smug woman who knew what she was doing. Once all the Bennetts left the store, Bambi crouched by Raylan and looked down at him.

"She's right," Bambi said before helping him stand. "You look pathetic."

Carol just stood there and watched as Bambi led Raylan to the stool behind the counter. "I've got to make a call," she said before going to the other side of the store to do so.

Bambi didn't look at Raylan, who was watching her like a hawk — a beaten and bruised hawk. She focused insteaed on gathering some supplies around the store like a cloth and disinfectant and such, which she'd leave some cash for.

Then she moved back to Raylan's side and slid up on the counter so she could reach his face easier.

"What are you doing at Mags' place?" he found himself asking as she gently began applying pressure to the worst of his cuts, which was above his eyebrow.

"Needed to talk to her about something," she said simply, figuring Raylan didn't deserve the truth right now, especially if he was involved with Black Pike.

"'Bout what?" he questioned.

Bambi glanced at his brown eyes that she couldn't help but pathetically think were beautiful. "I don't figure you'd care, what with you ignoring me," she muttered before looking back at his eyebrow.

Raylan sighed and grabbed her wrist lightly, pulling her hands away from his face so that he could talk to her. "Bambi, about that night..."

"When you kissed me," she stated, not wanting to dance around it. She wasn't in the mood for him being coy.

"When I... kissed you," he admitted. "How did you feel about that?"

Bambi nearly scoffed. "How did you feel?" she countered. "I think you ignoring me makes it pretty clear, though. You regret it"

After a moment, Raylan just shook his head. "I don't," he admitted, surprisng her. "Bambi, that was the best moment of my life. But this can't hapen. You're too young for me, Darlin'."

"Funny," she murmured, her heart beating rapidly as he admtited to loving the kiss. "That didn't seem to keep you from kissin' me like I was somethin' to own last time we saw each other."

Raylan so pathetically looked at her lips as she spoke before blinking slowly and looking back at her blue eyes. "Bambi—"

"Don't worry," she said, sliding off the counter. "I'm not interested in being a side piece while you're still with Winona," she said snidely. "I ain't that kinda girl, so don't expect me to just chase after you just because I might like you back."

"Do you?" he asked while catching her wrist, keeping her from walking off. "Feel that way about me?"

Bambi slowly looked from his face and down to his hand around her wirst. "Don't matter if I did," she whispered. "'Cause I recall you going right back to Winona after kissing me that night. And I ain't foolish enough to ask you to choose between me and someone as perfect as her."

Bambi pulled out of his hold and walked to the exit, and he tried to stop her, but Carol intercepted him, telling him that she needed to head back to her hotel in Corbin. So, he could do nothing but watch through the window as she climbed into her car and drove off, leaving him just as conflicted as he'd been the last time he saw her.

✵︎

Bambi didn't really want to be at the town meeting inside the church, but she was nontheless. She was seated next to Ava and Boyd, who had to be there for Carol — it was Carol who bailed him out of jail. And Boyd was telling her about how he'd been to visit Helen and Arlo Givens to try and get Helen's family land, who turned him down, unsurprisingly.

As soon as Carol and Raylan arrived, Boyd got up, and since Bambi was now a little involved since she'd sold her land to Mags, she followed her brother. Raylan was busy talking with a state trooper named Tom, who was in chanrge of the security for the event.

"How'd it go with Arlo Givens?" Carol asked Boyd, not even bothering with a greeting.

"Not well. Technically, the property is in Helen's name, so you'd have to convince both her and Raylan's old man," Boyd explained.

"Raylan's mother pass?" Carol questioned.

Boyd just nodded sadly. "A long time ago."

Raylan, only catching the very end, came over with a curious look in his eyes. "What was a long time ago?"

Rather than answer, Boyd just stuied Raylan's bruised face. "I heard from Bambi that you had a bit of trouble this afternoon, evident by all the bruises on your face."

"So, you can still see it?" he asked jokingly, not really all that amused.

"Uh, what's the plan?" Boyd asked, looking between Raylan and Carol.

"The plan is that if Miss Johnson sees anything that spooks her, she gets down behind that podium fast and she stays down," he explained.

Raylan would rather Carol not be there at all with Kyle Jr., a man who was out to kill her was still out there. His father had been killed in a rock slide while trespassing on Black Pike land, which was shut off to the public.

"What do you want me to do?" Boyd asked earnestly, ready to follow Raylan's orders.

As Carol walked up to the podium, Raylan looked around. "You, uh, if you see anyone pull a gun, step in front of it."

Bambi rolled her eyes and grabbed Boyd's hand, dragging him back toward their seats beside Ava. "Don't do what Raylan says," Bambi told him simply.

"I'm not inclind to," he informed her while sitting between the two women.

"Evening, everyone," Carol greeted while getting everyone's attention. Then she dramatically clapped her hands together, sending a small puff of coal dust flying. Bambi just raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Ladies and gentlemen, we're here tonight to talk about coal. And coal is dirty. Always has been, always will be. But it's still coal that provides more than half of the electricity used in the U.S., much of it coming from the heart of your great state of Kentucky."

A few people around the room clapped, proud of their hard work.

"Mining gives a good living at Black Pike — just ask Raylan Givens here," Carol said, singling him out. "He used to be a miner. Now he's a decorated U.S. Marshal. He was assigned by the judge to watch over me tonight, keep me safe. I asked, 'Why do I need protection? We're all friends here, ain't that right?'"

Bambi smirked as several people chuckled, everyone knowing what her and the company's reputation was.

"Um, Marshal, if I may..." Carol went on. "Now your salary as a law enforcer officer is is about $1,100 a week. Isn't that right?"

Raylan just shrugged, wondering where this was going. "Base pay, starting out, about that."

"Same thing as what a miner makes, isn't that right?"

"Uh, we get overtime," Raylan added. Then he thought it over, realizing he could sabotage Carol just the slightest bit, making the company look cheap. "And, uh, Marshals get paid fifty-two weeks out of the year. I put in fifteen years. That's... what? Around eight hundred weeks of pay without a miss. And if I have to take a day off... if, for example, I have a ferocious hangover..."

Bambi, though she was annoyed with him, couldn't help but grin. Only to full on laugh when Coover spoke up.

"Or got your ass whooped!"

"Or that," Raylan said sheepishly. "If I take a sick day, I don't get fired. I get paid."

As people clapped for him, Boyd quickly stood up to defend his boss and the people that hired him. "Well, now, hold on a second! There's two sides... two sides... to every coin, so let's - let's hear the other side. Now, I grew up in a mine, shoulder to shoulder with the Marshal, in fact, and you all know me. You know my background. You know my history."

"It's not easy for a man like me to come by honest work. But this woman, Carol Johnson, and Black Pike, they gave me a second chance. Now, I believe they're here to stimulate this economy, make it fertile in infertile times, and what we need right now is jobs! I believe Black Pike is here to help — if we let them. I believe they're here to help."

That of course, had people applauding as well, and made Carol smile, feeling like she'd got some traction back.

"Now, I come into this county and look around, and I see empty businesses. I see houses in shambles. I see families struggling to make ends meet. We can bring prosperity back to this land. God put coal in these hills for just that purpose. I believe that deep down in my heart, and I think - I think you all do, too."

As the people clapped once more, Bambi saw Mags join in, and she kept at it slowly even after the others died out. All eyes turned to the displeased woman.

"Apparently, Black Pike is here to help us realize God's great plan. And all they're asking us to let them do is cut the top off our mountain," Mags said, not impressed. "Well, my people pioneered this valley when George Washington was president of the United States. And as long as we've been here, the story's always been the same — the big-money men come in, take the timber and the coal and the strength of our people. And what do they leave behind?"

Mags stood up, getting more upset — damn, Bambi thought she was an excellent actress.

"Poundments full of poison slurry and valleys full of toxic trash!" she snapped. "You know what happens when five hundred million gallons of slurry breaks loose? The gates of hell open."

Carol shook her head. "Those poundments are built strong to keep the slurry back."

"The gates of hell open," Mags repeated, her arms spread wide, "and all that waste rolls down through the hollers and poisons the water and the land and everything it touches! Mining company has a... has a word for those leavings. Doesn't it? 'The spoil.' The spoil!" And that is what our lives will be if Black Pike has their way with our mountain."

As Mags stood in the aisle, Carol looked at her, displeased. "With all due respect, Mrs. Bennett, Black Pike will replace the mountaintops and leave money — a lot of money — in the pockets of the working people of Bennett and Harlan counties."

She raised an eyebrow. "Is that a fact?"

"Yes, ma'am, that is a fact."

"Well, that's something to consider... 'Cause it ain't an easy life here," she said while running her hand through Loretta's hair. "No, ma'am. To an outsider, it's probably hard to understand why we're all not just lining up and saying, 'Where do we sign?' But we got our own kind of food, our own music. Our own liquor."

Several others cheered and hollered for her, making Bambi smile. It was the very reason she'd come back to Harlan after graduating — Harlan and its way of life was home to her.

"We got our own way of courting and raising children and our own way of living and dying," Mags went on. "And to protect all that, we have got to say 'No, thank you' to Miss Carol Johnson here and Black Pike Mining."

Bambi shook her head, knowing Mags was full of shit. But she wasn't about to call her out, knowing that the Black Pike opperation would happen — the least they could do was shell out more money than necessary for the land.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Mags said over the clapping. "Which is why I will put up my own money to stop the landowners from selling their rights away to the mining company. Now, just yesterday, Reggie here..." She went to the man's side, who was looking down in shame. "Hello, Reggie... Reggie here turned me down. Sold out to Black Pike instead. It's all right, Reggie. I understand what kind of pressure you were under."

"But sometimes we need to stop and remember just what it is we've got to lose... Which is why I'm inviting you all up our way tomorrow for a big, ol' whoop-de-do!" Mags announced while rushing to the front of the church.

Everyone cheered, excited by the thought of a party in these hard times, and Mags just went on with a wide grin on her face. "Whoop-de-do! Everybody, come. Even you, Reggie," she said, winking at him as others laughed. Then she turned to Carol. "And especially you, Miss Johnson."

"I want you all to see just what it is we are fighting for down here," Mags said before meeting Bambi's eye.

Bambi started to clap but stopped when everyone heard shots being fired. She let out a yelp as her brother quickly pulled her and Ava down to the floor. Raylan rushed to the podium and forced Carol down while drawing his gun. But no one saw any bullets flying.

People quickly began running from the church, screaming as they did so. Soon, those remaining in the audience — as in just Boyd, Bambi, and Ava along with a few officers and the Bennetts — all stood back up, figuring there'd be no more shots fired.

"Well," Bambi said, clasping her hands together in front of her as she looked at Carol. "I guess you ain't really been welcomed to Harlan until someone's tried to shoot you, so..."

Ava nodded and smiled wryly. "So, welcome to Harlan."

✵︎

"Raylan said there were shots fired at the meeting tonight," Tim said as soon as Bambi answered his call. "Were you there?"

Bambi sighed, her chest aching over his caring tone. "I'm fine, Tim. No one was shot," she told him.

"Good," he said, letting out a relieved sigh. Then there was silence for a few seconds. "I'm sort of surprised you picked up. Figured you were still mad at me for actually listening to Raylan."

"I am," she said softly. "Real mad, Tim. And hurt. But I think I'm tired of pretending you don't exist after you doing the same to me."

"I can work with that," Tim said. "Can I come over? We could talk?"

"It's late, Tim," she told him while looking at the clock in her living room. "And I've got a big day tomorrow. There's this community party, and I'm part of a business deal with Mags Bennett."

"Ain't the Bennetts dangerous?" he asked, sounding quite worried.

"Not to me, just to Raylan," she told him before taking in a deep breath. "I'm gone go, Tim. But I promise to stop ignoring your calls, okay?"

"I'll take what I can get," he said nodding on the other end. "Goodnight, honey."

"Night, Tim."

As she hung up, Bambi stared down at her cellphone with a frown, wishing more than anything that she'd told him to come over. Wishing that she could just let herself get lost in him to forget about Raylan — but that would be cruel and unfair to use Tim that way.

So, she was stuck with an impossible decision. Did she cave and take Tim back, knowing she'd be happy enough with him? Or did she choose to be miserable while pining after Raylan, who didn't seem to be planning on leaving Winona any time soon?

Bambi truly must've been a masochist for even considering that second option.