They exchanged grins and Esther walked away toward the pretzel stand. He turned back and looked around for Johnny. When he spotted him, he stepped over the ribbon boundary and went over to him. “Your ma has gone to get you a pretzel,” he said. “Where’s your sister?”
Without responding, Johnny pointed behind Daryl. Daryl turned and spotted the little girl on a rope swing, hanging from a tree. “Well, would you look at that?”
“She can get all the way to the branch, Daryl!” Johnny said excitedly. “And I bet Mike and Danny two pennies that she could do it. They didn’t believe it. When she gets to the top, I’m gonna have four pennies!”
“That’s a lot of money, Johnny. You make sure to hold on to that so when you get more, you can add it all together and get something nice for yourself.”
“Oh, that would be so much fun. I know what I’d like to buy, too!”
“Oh? And just what would that be?”
“I want to get my very own Winchester rifle.”
Daryl was surprised. “You want a rifle, do ya? You planning on doing some hunting?”
“I am. And you never know when I might need it to protect my family from… wild animals.”
Daryl knew exactly what Johnny implied. He was once against astonished and impressed by the wisdom of the young man at only eleven years of age.
“I understand,” he said in a low voice.
“Look, look!” Johnny’s excited voice made Daryl turn and look at Bethany again, who was pulling herself up the rope with quick precision. Her dress hung down below her but she kept her legs moving, crossing them as she went up so the fabric wouldn’t expose her to everyone below.
Daryl listened to the other children cheering on Bethany, and only a few hecklers in the group called out anything derogatory, and it was mostly because “girls aren’t supposed to climb ropes like that”.
She reached the top, slapped one hand on the fat branch holding rope and then dropped to the ground rapidly, not holding on to the rope but rapidly releasing it to go back down.
“That’s amazing, Johnny. Your sister is impressive.”
“I think so, too. Now I have four pennies. You want to come with me to get my pennies?”
“Are you sure the boys have two pennies each?”
Johnny frowned at him. “Why would they bet me if they didn’t have the money?”
Daryl shrugged. “They may have been so sure she wouldn’t make it that they didn’t bother to think about the fact that you might win the bet. She’s a dainty creature and she doesn’t look like she could do something like that.”
“She has boy muscles.”
Daryl laughed. “Oh?”
Johnny looked up at him. “That’s what I call them. Nobody else has said that. Just me.”
“Well I’ll make sure to give you credit if I use that phrase. Which I might. Pretty good one, really.”
Johnny smiled wide. “Thanks, Daryl.”
“Your mother is taking a while with the pretzels, isn’t she?”
“Look, I can see her. She’s waving at you.”
Daryl lifted one hand and waved back. “How do you know she wasn’t waving at you?”
Johnny laughed. “Momma never waves to me. I don’t think she started just today.”
Daryl nodded. “I see. You’re probably right.”
“She always acts like that when she sees you, though. Sometimes we’re walking through town and you’re there, doing something, maybe talkin’ to someone or somethin’. And she’ll try to get your attention but she doesn’t want to make it too much or bother you when you’re busy. So she just points you out to us. She always notices you, Daryl.”
Daryl didn’t know what to say. He nodded.
“Can I ask you somethin’, Daryl?” Johnny looked very serious suddenly.
Daryl nodded again. “Of course you can, Johnny. What is it?”
“Are you gonna be my pa someday?”
Daryl was taken aback. He stared down at Johnny. “That’s… that’s not likely to happen, Johnny. Why would you ask something like that?”
Johnny shrugged. “My ma. She’s mentioned it before.”
“She has? Tell me what she’s said, Johnny. Is she talking to you?”
“No, she’s usually talking to Pa about it.”
“About me? Saying that I’m going to marry her?”
“Yeah.” Johnny sat on a bench and crossed his legs Indian style. “I mean, I hate to listen to them but I can’t really help it since they never go outside or go away from us when they’re arguing.”
“What did she tell your pa, Johnny?” Daryl tried not to sound too forceful. He wanted to know what was being said about him so that he could come up with a rebuttal. Johnny had to know that Daryl had no intentions of being with Esther. Not then and not if she was divorced.
“Well,” Johnny appeared to be thinking back through his memory. He put one finger on the tip of his chin and narrowed his eyes. “Pa was mad at her the other day and threw away the dinner she’d spent all day making. He didn’t even leave any for us to eat. He took the whole side of meat and threw it out in the dirt. Momma was so mad. She was crying and yelling at him that you would be a better husband and a better father to us. Then he was yelling that she should just go be with you and take us with her. He called us names.” Johnny’s hesitant voice revealed his wounded emotions. “He said he never wanted any of us.”
“Oh my. I’m so sorry, son.”
“I like it when you call me that, Daryl. I’d like it if you were my pa. I don’t like my own very much. I don’t know why he doesn’t love us. I don’t know why he doesn’t want us. I reckon I could be more… I could do better but…”
“It isn’t you, Johnny. You shouldn’t ever think it’s you.” Daryl interrupted him, putting one large hand on the boy’s small shoulder.
“But even so, Bethany doesn’t do anything bad. She’s a good girl. The twins never get in any more trouble than babies always do. Least that’s what Momma says. And I… I believe Momma. She doesn’t do nothin’ to make Pa go after her. He just does it anyway. Especially when he’s drinking.” Johnny shook his head like an old wise man. Daryl wanted to smile, but knew the discussion was too serious for something like that. It might make Johnny think he was amused by the problems in the Fisher home.
“I want you to remember that there is no way in Hell the problems between your ma and pa are your fault or the fault of your siblings. You are just a kid and shouldn’t have to deal with anything like that. You leave the worrying up to the adults, okay? We’ll protect you.”
Johnny looked doubtful. “Sometimes there aren’t any adults around to help,” he murmured, though his voice barely came out as a whisper. Daryl’s heart ached for the boy. “And that’s when you gotta… you gotta put your boot down and say, I’m not gonna let you hurt me anymore.”
“My God, you are quite a smart young man,” Daryl remarked.
Johnny looked at him. “I’ve listened to you and Heath a lot. You might not know I’m listening, but I am. I understand a lot more than ever since I been helping you and Heath with chores.”
“Because you listen.”
Johnny nodded. “Exactly.”
Daryl’s eyes had strayed over to where Laura was leaning over a narrow fencing, holding out a piece of bread crumb to an otter. The otter sniffed the food, then took it and devoured it, stuffing it in both cheeks without chewing or swallowing.
He wanted to be there with her. On a whim, he looked down at Johnny and said, “Let’s go talk to my friend, Laura. You want to?”
“I do. But Bethany…”
Daryl leaned down so he was eye level with the boy. “I’ll tell you what. You see that lady over there?” He pointed to where Laura was. “Go fetch her for me. Tell her that her good friend Daryl would like to speak to her in the play park.”
Johnny peered over at Laura and then back to Daryl. “I’ll go get her for you, Daryl. Of course, I will.”
CHAPTER THIRTE
EN
JOHNNY’S SOUND ADVICE
JOHNNY’S SOUND ADVICE
Daryl watched Johnny run to Laura and pull on her skirt. She looked down at him, then up at Daryl. A smile covered her face and she nodded. Johnny grabbed her hand and led her back to where Daryl was. He stood when she arrived and sat back down when she did. Johnny went around the back of the fence and leaned on it, looking at the adults with amused eyes.
“So who is this pleasant young man with the good manners?” Laura asked, reaching out to touch the end of Johnny’s nose.
“This is Johnny. I think I’ve mentioned him to you before.”
“Oh yes, I remember. Your neighbor. Little Johnny Fisher.”
Johnny’s face lit up with the knowledge that he was known by the beautiful woman. “I am Johnny Fisher! How did you know?”
“Well, first thing, Daryl just told me your name was Johnny and since we’ve been chatting, he’s mentioned you several times. You like to do his morning chores before he gets up. That’s your game, isn’t it?”
Johnny’s grin spread wide and Daryl thought his face must hurt, stretched that far. “It is our game. I think he likes to get up a few minutes earlier every day to see if he can catch me or get there before I do. But he can’t because I get up really super early. And I keep getting up earlier every day. When it’s school time, I go to school, but until then, I have plenty of time.”
“And what have I told you about doing that?”
Johnny lost his smile but he didn’t pout or frown. “Not to do it.”
“And why do I have to deprive you of the joy of cleaning up after me?”
“Because Pa would be mad.” Now Johnny looked somewhat downtrodden.
“That’s right, and I don’t want him mad at you or at your ma.”
“He’s mean to Momma a lot.”
“I’ve noticed that.”
“Shall we talk about happier things?” Laura said, pulling a chunk from the remaining pretzel in her hand and offering it to Johnny. “How old are you?”
“I’m eleven,” Johnny replied proudly.
“Oh so you’re getting to be a big man, are you?”
“Yeah,” Johnny puffed out his chest and pulled in a deep breath of satisfaction.
“The way the boy works around my property, I’d say he’s well on his way. This is one strong ragamuffin right here.”
Laura laughed and Johnny blushed.
“Hold up your arm, Johnny. Show me your muscles.” She took his arm and turned it up so that he could make his arm muscle bulge. She gasped and pinched the muscle lightly. “Will you look at that, Daryl! The boy is practically Hercules!”
Johnny laughed and shook his head. “No, no, Miss Laura. I’m not that strong at all.”
“Well, if you aren’t now, I’m sure you will be when you’re a grown man.”
Johnny nodded. “Yeah, I am gonna try for sure.”
“Is that your sister right there?” Laura pointed to Bethany, who was in the middle of a circle of boys and girls. They were all looking at her as she talked. Daryl hadn’t noticed it before and he tilted his head.
“That’s Bethany, all right,” Daryl said. “What in heaven’s name is she doing? She looks like she’s teaching them something.”
“She is,” Johnny replied, glancing in his sister’s direction.
“She’s nine years old. What can she possibly be teaching them?”
“She makes up new games all the time. She’s probably teaching them a new one.”
“What kind of games?”
Johnny raised his eyebrows, looking like he didn’t really care to go into it. “Oh, I don’t know. Counting games sometimes. Hide and seek, but with certain rules and objects you have to find. She likes treasure hunts. I think sometimes she might be sneaking out and hiding things and then making the other kids look for them. Like, you know, for fun. I don’t like treasure hunts. I’m not good at them. She comes up with all these clues and stuff and ‘members all of them! I don’t know how she does it. She’s smarter than me.”
Laura looked at Daryl. “Esther’s children?”
Daryl nodded.
“She has two very smart children right here.”
“Yes. They are very smart. Friendly. It’s amazing they have a father like they do.”
“Let’s not get back into that. Everyone in town knows about James Fisher. I’ve never met him, nor do I plan to have the pleasure anytime soon.”
“Meeting Pa wouldn’t be a pleasure, Miss Laura,” Johnny said seriously, putting both feet on the back of the bench and hanging off it with his hands. “It would be a mistake.”
Both Laura and Daryl had to laugh. Johnny smiled because he had amused them.
“I’ll keep that in mind, Johnny. Any suggestions if I do have to meet him?”
“Yeah,” Johnny dropped both feet to the ground and then climbed up the back of the bench again. “Don’t.”
Laura and Daryl laughed hard, Daryl throwing his head back and Laura covering her mouth with her hands. She snorted at one point, which made all three of them laugh again.
“Oh my. Oh my.” Laura fanned herself with one hand, blinking the tears of laughter away.
“Johnny? Where’s your sister?” Esther suddenly appeared in front of them.
Daryl’s eyes snapped up to her face and he stood up abruptly, almost bumping into her. “I am sorry, Esther. I didn’t mean to almost knock you down. I didn’t see you coming.”
“Yes, I noticed,” Esther replied in a cold voice. Daryl narrowed his eyes. She wouldn’t get an attitude with him if she knew what was best for her. He had done a great deal for her. He didn’t want her jealousy to destroy their friendship.
“Bethany is over there, Momma,” Johnny pointed. “Me and Miss Laura and Daryl were just talking. She’s got a lot of friends playing a game with her over there.”
“I see that. I brought you a pretzel. Take this one to your sister and tell her play time is almost over. Your pa wants us to get back to him soon.”
Daryl narrowed his eyes, suspecting that was not the truth. James wasn’t going to leave the beer garden until he had to be carried out, just like last year and the year before. He didn’t care where the children or his wife were and would say nothing unless he was threatened. Even then, he would end up face first on the floor just like the day in Long Trail Saloon.
“Let them play for a while, Esther. James won’t mind it,” Daryl said. He offered the seat on the bench where he had been. “Sit down. We can all talk for a bit. It’s a beautiful day, no need to ruin it with any bitterness, wouldn’t you say?”
Esther reluctantly sat. She held out her hand to Laura, who took it. They shook one time before letting go. “I’m Esther Fisher. I know I’ve seen you around town, in the women’s groups over the years.”
Laura smiled and nodded. “Yes, I believe I do recognize you. But you haven’t been to anything recently. We’ve missed you.”
The look on Esther’s face revealed she didn’t believe Laura. “I will return at some point, I’m sure. But for now, James and the children really need me at home.”
Laura nodded again. “I understand. Maybe some of the ladies and I could come by your farm and we can have lunch?”
Esther looked doubtful, the same look her son had just minutes before. “That would be lovely. I’ll let you know sometime.”
“Please do.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
PLANS TO HELP ESTHER
PLANS TO HELP ESTHER
Esther ushered Johnny and Bethany away from the play area only a few minutes after having returned with the pretzels. Daryl and Laura watched her go.
“She’s a troubled woman, isn’t she?”
“When she’s not around her husband, she doesn’t act crazy,” Daryl replied.
“You realize the woman is completely in love with you, don’t you?”
Daryl flushed. “A lot of women feel that way. And I don’t mean to sound egotistical. It’s just a fact I’v
e learned to deal with over the years.”
“That may be so, Daryl. She may be just one of those women. But I don’t think she is. She seemed… very possessive. I thought she might jump on me and claw me with her fingernails for a moment there. I tried to be friendly though.”
“You were very amiable. I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“Maybe you wouldn’t,” Laura shook her head. “But I don’t think she’s holding it together very well. Is her husband very brutal to her?”
“Yeah, he is.”
“And the children?”
“I’m assuming so. You can see that his own son doesn’t want you to meet him. He’s obviously not proud to be the son of James Fisher.”
“Yes, it was very amusing the way he said that.”
“I thought so, too. He asked me earlier if I was going to be his new father. Said that he overheard Esther saying something akin to that to James while they were fighting. That I would be a better father and husband.”
“And that you would,” Laura said honestly. “But it was wrong for her to say that to James. I’m sure he was already angry enough with her. She just fanned the flames.”
“She’s been taking his abuse since he started drinking too much. They were fine before that. She was already in love with him by the time he started abusing her.”
“She must not have a lot of confidence in herself or she would leave him.”
“Well, they have two more children, two babies, twins. She would have to take all four children with her if she left him. She doesn’t work, has no job skills that I know of or she admits to. I’ve discussed this with her. I fear for her life sometimes. I know he can be overbearing and violent. You just never know when she might be killed or something might happen to one of those children.”
“Has anyone told the sheriff or a deputy?”
“I don’t think so. I haven’t. What can he do? In the eyes of the law, he can do anything he wants with or to her.”
An Unexpected Dilemma Bride Page 25