Untrusting (Troubled)

by A. J. Wells

  In the exam room, we’re figuring out what Miss Lili has in mind. We can’t find any changes to be made so Miss Lili hands the plans to Maria and tells her to give them to her father and have him contact her before Friday with an estimate. Maria is learning quicker than I am, I guess, because she takes the plans and puts them in the office without a word.

  “Now, let’s get the posters ready to be put out.” Miss Lili’s on a roll and doesn’t want to waste a minute, but Wes didn’t drop off the originals. She leaves, is gone about forty five minutes and is back with the originals. Wes was sick this morning, but he got the posters made last night before he went to bed. He has the flu. She had gone to the school and then to his house in her search for him. She’s had her flu shot she says, before we can scold her for going near him.

  Right after school there’s three kids standing in the waiting room. Miss Lili hands them the newsletters and the posters with written instructions as to what they are to do and where to do it. They’re gone about an hour and are back, in the waiting room. Miss Lili gives each one twenty five dollars. After they leave, Maria and I look at her and start to say something.

  Miss Lili holds her hand up “Those kids are from three of the poor families in town. That money was for them to eat the rest of this week. Now, what were you going to say?”

  Maria and I say in unison, “Nothing.”

  “Good. Now we need to figure out a cat play house that can be inside and out. We need a cat house you know, cats need to be boarded, too.”

  Maria and I burst out laughing, “A cat house, Miss Lili?”

  She laughs, “I guess I wasn’t listening to my words in quite the same way y’all were. However, we do need housing for cats.”

  “Reminds me of the ‘Cheyenne Social Club’.” Maria snickers.

  “Or ‘Animal House’.” I supply.

  Miss Lili’s laughing, but says “I don’t believe that’s the kinda character we want to put on the resort. But we could make the front of the kennel look like the ‘Social Club’.” We laugh, but stop.

  “It’ll look like a colonial house and that’s pretty classy. I like it.” Miss Lili’s serious, but the sparkle is still in her eyes. “We could have it facing this yard, but build on the back lot. What’d ya think?” We get up to look at the back yard. We decide the yard is big enough and it would link into the clinic so we wouldn’t be run ragged. We like the idea.

  I look at the big oak tree in the middle of the lot behind us. “Miss Lili can we keep the big oak and maybe one or two more for shade for the animal shelter and the boarding house?”

  “Sher, the buildings are going to be cooled and heated. Why do you want the trees?”

  “They’ve been here a long time, they’re pretty and it’ll give the animals shade when they’re out for exercise and going to the bathroom.”

  Maria agrees, “That way they can stay out longer, incase we get distracted for a time.”

  Miss Lili agrees. Then I suggest the buildings not face east or west, but face north or south. The buildings will stay cooler and we’d like some natural light too. Oh, and vents on the roof to help with the odors. Miss Lili agrees again.

  It’s passed closing time. Maria has to go and Miss Lili still has her car and the dogs to get home. She’s going to ride to dinner with me and she wants Maria and Shay to join us, for a celebration dinner. She promises we won’t keep eating out. Shay needs some play time with Maria in the evening instead of sitting in a restaurant. Maria agrees to dinner tonight, but tomorrow night we’ll have dinner at her house.

  We go to “Grillin’ Glen” for supper. A screened in, open air restaurant that sets in a meadow like setting, in the shade of trees and has a man made creek on one side of the dining room. Maria and I get a small steak and Miss Lili gets chicken. Shay gets a child’s portion of hamburger steak, mac and cheese and cole slaw. It’s very good. Shay eats all of his, turns to Miss Lili and says, “Will you tell Bob I finished my supper so I can grow up big like him?”

  “Why, yes, Shay, but why do ya want him to know?” Miss Lili asks.

  “Because I miss him and I want him to come see me.” He’s almost in tears.

  Miss Lili looks at Maria, “Doesn’t he know?”

  Maria shrugs. “Bob hugged him ‘bye and kissed him on the head Sunday and said he’d see him in a few weeks. I guess he didn’t understand.” Maria’s holding Shay against her side.

  Miss Lili tries to explain. “Shay, Bob’s outta town working for a few weeks, that’s why he’s not been by to see ya. He’ll be by as soon as he gets back. I’m sure he misses you and your Mommy, too.”

  Shay’s mood picks up, “He’s away working? As a fireman?” Miss Lili nods her head at both questions. “You’re sure he’s not mad at me?” Miss Lili nods again, knowing no other answer is necessary. Shay’s so happy, he jumps down off his chair and runs around to hug Miss Lili and she’s happy to hug him back. She picks him up and puts him in her lap to sit while he snuggles his head against her and wraps his arms around her ribs.

  Maria and I have tears in our eyes and so does Miss Lili. After a few minutes Shay’s sound asleep. Maria gently shifts him into her arms from Miss Lili’s lap and we all walk out to help her put him in the car. Then Miss Lili gets in my truck and I take her home. On the way she tells me Bob needs to marry Maria and adopt Shay. Then she brightens up and says, “I bet that’s exactly what he has in mind, too. I would be very happy for him if he does. She’s a wonderful person and Shay shows it.”

  I agree with her, but she goes on, “Steve’s in love with you, too, ya know. I’m sure he hasn’t said it yet, he’s very cautious about the ‘L’ word, as the boys call it. But he’s in deep and I think you are too, but neither of ya know it yet. Listen to me talking like I know everything.” She gets outta the truck and I wait for her to get inside before I leave.

  Is she right? Are Steve and I in love and just don’t know it? I guess anything’s possible, but I won’t believe it ‘til I know it and he says it. I go to the clinic, take care of mama and the scattering puppies, lock up and head home for a shower and bed.

  The next few weeks go very fast and yet slowly. The arrangements with the city for the animal shelter and our parts in it took only one afternoon, ‘til its built and ready to use. The partnership took two days, involving bank accounts, deeds, and other legal matters. It was hectic, because Maria and I had to keep swapping places between Miss Lili and the office. We couldn’t close the office and forget it, too many things going on there, what with the contractors and sub contractors meeting there to confer with us.

  Maria’s letting mama out on Saturday and Sunday and I’m letting her out at night on the week nights. Maria and I still talk about Steve and Bob and our questions about our relationships. We haven’t heard anything from the guys after two and a half weeks. We three ladies have become good friends in this time and are spending a lotta time together. We focus on the daily happenings and hope the guys are okay and will be home soon.

  We’ve stopped talking about the guys much, there’s nothing to say, except how concerned we are. And we don’t want to say that, afraid the other two will become frightened. So we say nothing, except to ask if anyone’s heard anything from or of them, or the fire that we haven’t heard. We keep busy by watching the construction going on in the back.

  The outside of both block houses are finished in three weeks. Now we need to decide on the facade for the resort. We decide on a roofed, screened in balcony where the cats can get outside where the litter boxes could be put. A drop awning will be added to the keep the outside areas dry. The dogs will be below and the cats will be on the upper “floor.” Convenient for us to let the dogs out and get to the litter boxes. The block houses have grooming facilities for the animals, keeping each facility separate, because of the different kinds of inhabitants and keeping the possibility of cross contamination down. There may be more details to work out, but this will do.

  Miss Lili, Maria, and I sat down to dec
ide on a name for the resort and came up with some funny ones, some over the top classy ones, but decided on “Paws Boarding House,” probably. It’s still not expressing what we want it to, but it’s closer than anything else we’ve come up with to date. We still have two weeks before we have to have a name.

  The third week the guys are gone we’re missing them more. Maria says Shay is getting moody, sullen and argumentative. Miss Lili, though working, is getting depressed and Chief’s getting sullen. I’m depressed and can’t find enough to do.

  Miss Lili has been to the fire station to see what they’ve heard. Unfortunately, they’ve heard nothing and can’t find out anything. We keep watching the news, the fire is getting smaller and smaller but the drought continues and it’s the second week of October. When is it going to rain? All the churches are praying for rain in they’re Sunday meetings. Since the storm and the front with it, there’s been no rain. We watch the weather like its life or death. Dad’s had to bring the cattle in closer to the creek, as has most of the ranchers. We’re all concerned about the dryness.

  We have supper at Lili’s tonight. Friday night and no where to go, or anyone to go with. Miss Lili wants to have an early supper, tonight. She wants to play cards or something later. We watch the news and the weatherman’s predicting rain over the forest fire and most of Texas. Miss Lili says, “They shouldn’t allow lies like that on TV. Somethin’ll happen before it gets to the fire. Maybe the heat from the fire will dry up all the clouds.” She chuckles, as she gets up to put supper on the table, but her face is serious.

  After supper we clean up the kitchen, play gin rummy and talk about the county fair this week end. Miss Lili wants to go, but she doesn’t want to go alone. So Maria and I decide we’ll go with her. Mom always enters some jam or jelly and I’d already promised I would be there. So we’ll go and have some fun instead of moping around here. We call it an early night, Shay’s tired of playing with Chief and José and wants to go home. The fair is in Beaver Creek and there’s a rodeo, too. We’ll meet here at Miss Lili’s at ten. We’ll take Miss Lili’s Cadillac for the seventy five mile drive. Miss Lili says I should drive. She’s okay for around town and out a bit, but not for much further.

  I go to the clinic, let the dogs out then close everything up and drive home. On the way I think about how big the puppies have gotten. They’re going out with mama, they’re not house broken by any stretch of the imagination, but they do know what to do outside. Maria’s brother is going to let the dogs out tomorrow at lunch and supper. I plan to be back for the evening romp. All of the dogs are going to be gone soon. I’m going to miss them. Maybe, I should keep one of the puppies. No, I won’t have time to house break a puppy, I’m gone most of the day and house breaking would end any social life, if I had one.

  I guess I’ve decided I want a social life. Huh. I reach over to turn on my windshield wipers without a thought. I get home and have to run from my truck to the porch. Then stand there and watch it rain. I watch for about ten minutes before it hits home that it’s raining. I step out in it and let it soak me. It’s not long before Mom joins me. We do a little dance in the rain then go in for a cup of hot chocolate and a couple of towels. We hear thunder and see the flashing light from the lightening and go out on the porch to watch the storm. We watch and talk about the fair while we finished our hot chocolate then Mom dashes home in the rain. I sit and watch the rain and smell the clean air rain brings with it. I feel the moist cool and shiver in the occasional breeze. When the wind picks up I feel the cold and go in and take a warm shower to chase the chill away.

  I lie in bed and listen to the rain on the roof and pray this storm hit the forest fire and the guys’ll be home soon as I drift off.

  This morning is so fresh smelling, I wish I could find a way to close it up in my house so I could smell it when I get home tonight. The haze of the dust and heat isn’t here this morning, and the sky is deep blue with wisps of white clouds in it. I sigh, “Well, that’s our rain for a while, soon it’ll be back to dusty and dry.” I’m talking to myself, that’s not good. I go in, dress and head for the clinic then to Miss Lili’s. I notice on the way in it’d rained enough the road was soft and Mom and Dad had left ruts when they left earlier this morning. Maybe it helped with the forest fire.

  I started the puppies on puppy chow and formula yesterday. Today they get it again and another bath. I believe they got more on them than in them. Another week and they’ll all be gone. I pick Chaucee up and snuggle with her a little while. I wish I’d spoken for her, but I still wouldn’t have time to house break her. Of course, she’s small enough I could bring her to work with me. Miss Lili would be heartbroken if I asked her for Chaucee. I put her down to romp with the others and then round them up as Maria and Shay come in, helping me corral them.

  Miss Lili is ready when we get there at nine thirty so we leave early. We sing and play traveling games with Shay all the way to Beaver Creek. We talk about the rain, last night, too. We all had the same thoughts about the fire. Shay’s quiet about Bob, the fire and when he’s coming home, as are the rest of us.

  At the fair, we walk through all the exhibits. Mom got second prize for her apple walnut pie and first prize for her apple butter and walnut carrot cake. We ride a few rides for Shay and find Mom and Dad at the rodeo. We sit close to the arena so Shay can get a good look at the action. He gets excited at the little kids riding goats and chasing baby pigs around the arena, but he goes crazy for the calf roping event. He doesn’t like the bull riding, because the bulls chase the cowboys and sometimes hurts them. He likes the bronc riding event ‘til he sees a cowboy fly off, land on his side and get carried off on a stretcher. After that he covers his eyes every time a chute’s opened. After the rodeo, we look for something to eat and a few souvenirs. Shay loves the fair food, but then so do the rest of us. Miss Lili has kept up very well, but she’s showing signs of wearing down so we call it a day and head home.

  Shay’s asleep before we get outta town, but then so is Miss Lili. So Maria and I talk about the fair ‘til we run out of things to talk about. Just outside of Granite Falls, I check the rear view mirror and Maria’s asleep, too. A few minutes later, Miss Lili wakes up. “Looks like we’re home. I guess I was more tired than I thought.” She looks in the back seat, “Guess I wasn’t the only one.” A few more blocks and I turn into Miss Lili’s driveway.

  The bump into the driveway wakes Maria up. She starts waking Shay up, but the poor kid is dead to the world. We wrestle him out of the Caddy and into Maria’s car, say our goodbyes and she takes Shay home to bed. I help Miss Lili into the house and let the dogs out and wait for them to come back in. Then I go to the clinic to let the puppies out before I feed and bathe them. Afterward, I take my tired body home. I make it home before another rain shower starts. It’s a gentle rain, I watch it for a while before I take a shower and go to bed to let the rain on the roof and the fresh air, lull me to sleep.

  I’m up for church with a stop at the clinic. I take time to notice and value the morning and sights on the way in to town. Some wildflowers are budding, always a welcome sight in Texas. It reminds us of why we live through the heat and dry times of the year. Texas looks like spring, every time it rains. We have spring several times a year and we appreciate the break in the brown landscape.

  I’m dressed for church so the puppies are going to wait for their baths ‘til later. I get them back in the kennels and go to church to wait for the services to start. Mom comes in by herself and sits with me. Dad’s taking care of the cattle today. Burt’s down with a sinus headache and infection. “I can go home to help him right after I let the puppies out after church.”

  “No, we’re all invited to Miss Lili’s for Sunday dinner, today. She’s coming out for the barbecue tomorrow. Dad’ll meet us at Miss Lili’s.”

  “Mom, tomorrow’s Monday. I’ll be at work.”

  “Tomorrow’s a holiday, Sher. Founder’s Day. We’re havin’ a barbecue. Don’t ya remember?”

&nbs
p; “Is that tomorrow? I guess I forgot what the date is.” The minister’s walking to the pulpit so we stop talking. After church, I go back to the clinic and let the puppies out. Their house breaking is coming along, they’re making fewer messes. Next week I’ll have to call the prospective owners and have them come on Saturday to choose they’re puppy. Then my time will be freer ‘til the “Boarding House” has “guests,” as Miss Lili insists we call them. That’ll be another five weeks. She wants to open it just before Thanksgiving.

  That reminds me to take my “pill.” I’ve been taking them for three weeks and Maria’s been taking hers for two and a half weeks. Well, there’s no rush, the reason for taking them isn’t even within reach right now. Well, when and if the occasion presents itself we’ll be ready. I’m off to Miss Lili’s for dinner.

  We eat and play gin rummy ‘til eight o’clock. I have to let the dogs out and Maria has to get Shay home and ready for bed. Mom and Dad stay behind. Maria stopped at the clinic to help me with the dogs. Shay’s chasing the puppies around the kennel room when we hear him scream. We go running in.

  There he is in Bob’s arms and Bob’s leaning on crutches. Bob can’t move so he motions Maria to him. As soon as she’s within arms reach he grabs her in a bear hug with Shay. I’m smiling, but I’m not sure why, other than I’m glad to see him. Steve hops out from behind him and toward me. As soon as I see him I go to him. There’s a three way hug, him, me and his crutches. Maria and I try to get them to sit down in the waiting room, but they can’t move for the puppies in and around their legs and crutches. Maria and I get the dogs corralled in their kennel and take the guys into the waiting room to sit them down.