1996

-

"Hia handsome."

Duke was laying in bed when a woman's voice gently cooed to him. He sat up and felt her fingers run down his back.

"Mornin."

Duke pulled on his boxers and grabbed the pack of cigarettes of the end table.

He walked over to the stove, filled a pot with water and boiled it before spooning in the cheapest coffee he could find.

"What are you doing?" She said with a little smile.

"Makin cowboy coffee," he turned and smiled at her. "You want some?" He lit his cigarette on the gas stove before pouring himself a cup of coffee. He had two mugs, a blue metal camping mug, and a wolf mug he got from a little tourist trap in Nevada.

She smiled at him. "Yes please." The woman moved to the end of the bed and pulled a thin blanket around herself.

Duke was in a one room cabin in South Carolina. It was more of a shack really, but it was home.

He grabbed the camping mug and filled it up before passing it to her.

"Thanks baby."

Duke nodded and flicked of the ashes off his cigarette into an ashtray on the counter. "I've got eggs and bologna, I can fried em up and give you some breakfast."

She shook her head, "Gotta watch my weight."

Duke looked her over, her wrists where about as big around as his thumb and he could count her ribs.

"No you don't."

She opened her mouth to say something but stayed silent and nodded.

Duke pulled out his skillet and pulled out 5 eggs and the pack of bologna.

She grabbed his t-shirt off the floor and slipped it on, migrating to the card table with 2 rusty fold out chairs.

"This is the worst coffee I have ever tasted," she laughed.

Duke chuckled and poured another cup of coffee. "Yea I uh, haven't really gotten around to buying a coffee maker."

She smiled up a him. "Gimme some more."

-

Her name was Marie. After 3 months she moved into the shitty little shack with Duke. It was supposed to just be a one night stand but she decided she liked it there and Duke didn't mind having her around.