Saved By An Angel

by Elliee Atkinson

  Jake nodded and followed Sam into the Horse N Saddle. “I really appreciate it, Sam. It’s been a rough night.”

  Once they were inside, Jake decided there was no way he would rob the saloon owner. He was obviously a generous man. Jake hoped he didn’t screw it up for himself the way he always seemed to. He wanted to make some honest money so that he could get back on his feet. But he didn’t know how. Despite his master crafting in carpentry, he’d found the call of alcohol too strong for his will. He was a weak man, he knew it. After several years during which he lost his home, his woman, and most of his possessions, he had given up trying. He wrote himself off as a hard-luck case and got stuck in a rut of constant drinking, cheating at cards to win money, and never working at a legitimate job for longer than a week. The small town he’d traveled from did not afford him many options when it came to work.

  “Needed to leave there anyway,” he mumbled.

  Sam turned and looked at him. “Beg your pardon?”

  Jake shook his head. “I was talking to myself. I don’t do that often, mind you. I’m not a lunatic.”

  Sam tossed his head back and let out a grand laugh. “If that makes a person a lunatic, count me as one. I have many interesting conversations with myself. I’m the best entertainment and the most intelligent person I know.”

  Jake laughed. “Good to know. Do you expect to see Adam today?”

  Sam was behind the bar, filling up a tall glass with beer from a barrel. He looked over his shoulder in Jake’s direction, watching the man move his eyes all around the room. “I don’t expect to see Adam any day. He comes in when he pleases. He’s a family man, so I don’t see him much.”

  Jake took the glass from Sam and began to drink it, trying not to show that he was shaking or how badly he’d needed it. He was aware that Sam was watching him, so he didn’t drink the entire glass at once. He stopped himself about two-thirds of the way through and set the glass down on the bar reluctantly. He eyed the drink, wanting to down the rest of it.

  “You’re a thirsty man,” Sam smiled. “Drink up. I’ll give you another before you go upstairs. You can take any room. None of them are occupied right now. In fact, no one is here but me for now.” His eyes lifted and moved over Jake’s shoulder, making him aware someone had just come in. “Well, I was,” Sam moved around the bar to greet his new customer. “Mark! Fine day. You are here early.”

  Mark nodded, looking at Jake curiously. “You all right, buddy?” He asked.

  Jake smiled, which made the corners of his lips crack painfully. He was aware he had dried blood running down the side of his head from where he had fallen. “I’m gonna be.”

  “This is Adam’s cousin, Jake,” Sam introduced him. “Jake, this is Adam’s good friend, Mark.”

  The two men shook hands. Jake finished off his beer and set the glass on the bar, pushing it slightly toward the other side in an unconscious effort to get Sam to pour him another one.

  “Got robbed last night,” Jake lied. “And Sam here has been generous enough to let me work off room and board.”

  “And beer,” Sam laughed. Jake wondered if he was being sarcastic. Was he aware that Jake was a drunk? If so, he didn’t seem to mind. Even though Jake didn’t have any money. It had been a long time since anyone trusted Jake. He didn’t feel like he was worth it but he would take it where he found it.

  Sam filled up the glass he’d given Jake the first time and looked at Mark with his eyebrows raised. Mark shook his head.

  “Nah, thought I’d come in and have a coffee with you, Sam. I gotta work today. Can’t be drinking this early.”

  Jake picked up the glass and instinctively drank half of it. He knew Sam and Mark were watching him, a stranger in their town, drinking beer like it was water. He couldn’t stop, though. He eyed the rest of the beer like it was a pretty woman.

  “You gonna see Adam today?” Sam asked Mark.

  “Yeah, it’s likely. He’s doing some carpentry work today.”

  Sam looked at Jake. “You might be able to get some work with Adam. He’s a carpenter, too.”

  “I thought he was in the saddle trade,” Jake asked, digging up a stray memory and using it to sound like he knew what he was talking about.

  “He does a lot of work in different industries,” Mark responded. “I’m sure if you talked to him, you’d get some work. You’re a carpenter then?”

  “Yeah,” Jake felt uncomfortable lying for the first time in his life. These were good people. He didn’t want to take advantage of them. He made a quick decision to get back to working as soon as he could. He vowed to himself that he would not cheat anyone at cards in this little town. He wouldn’t embarrass himself or his cousin.

  “I’ll see Adam later. I’ll tell him you’re here.”

  “I’d appreciate that, Mark. Thanks.”

  “No problem.”

  Jake downed the second half of the beer and was just beginning to feel the warmth moving through his body. The shaking had stopped and his brain was happily fogged over. He wanted a third glass but knew it would be too much to ask for.

  “I’m gonna go on upstairs and clean up, if you don’t mind, Sam.”

  Sam nodded. “Everything you need is up there. You got clean clothes? I can get a woman to wash yours while you clean up if you need.”

  “I have some clothes in my knapsack,” Jake said. “But if you could find someone to clean the ones I’m wearing, I’d be grateful.”

  “I can do that.”

  “Thanks.”

  Jake nodded to the two men and walked to the stairwell leading up to the second floor. He looked up at the doors to the rooms as he went up, deciding which one he wanted to take. He knew it didn’t matter. As long as it had a bed and somewhere to wash up, he would be fine. He hadn’t even asked Sam how much he would owe him for the room. Or the beer he had generously offered.

  Jake opened the door to the first room he came upon and went in. The bed was the first thing he laid his eyes on. He hadn’t realized how very tired he truly was. He stripped down to his skivvies, washed his hands with water he poured from the pitcher into the basin, splashed it on his face and dried off with a small towel folded up in between the two. Then he turned and went to the bed. He’d planned to take a bath but he was completely exhausted.

  He figured he would be out the moment his head hit the pillow but it was not to be so. He dropped onto the bed and laid there, staring up at the ceiling, enjoying the leftover taste of beer in his mouth.

  Unwillingly, sleep eluded him. He went over the memory of being kicked out of the saloon in the town he’d come from, what he could remember. He’d had too much vodka and too much beer last night to comprehend most of what he’d done. It was the drinking that had caused him to be caught cheating at cards. He was sure of it. When he regulated himself, it was nearly impossible to catch him.

  His alcohol consumption never made him into a violent man. He was fully aware that most men who drink excessively were angry and mean. He did not have that reaction to alcohol. It could have been because he never stopped drinking. When he did, he would begin to shake and feel sick. He hated feeling that way so he continued drinking to mask the pain. He’d lost everything and he felt entitled to mourn his sorrows at the bottom of a bottle.

  He didn’t want to take advantage of anyone but if it weren’t for the charitable contributions of other people, he wouldn’t even be standing. He doubted he would still be living. He was always taking. Always taking. Never giving anything back to society. He was a waste of space.

  He squeezed his eyes together, determined not to feel pity for himself. He’d done this to himself. There was no one else to blame. He was responsible for the state of his life. He clenched his jaw. He wasn’t going to cry like a little girl. He was going to man up, accept the fact that he was a waste of oxygen and move on the next day doing exactly the same thing he’d been doing for the last three years.

  Nothing.

  It took longer than he wanted but s
oon enough, his eyes were closed and he was snoring loudly. His dreams were fitful and restless. He was running, running away from someone or something. He tossed and turned as his mind twisted reality. He would wake up covered in sweat, as he often did, probably having relieved himself on the bed while sleeping and feeling like the lowest human being on the face of the planet.

  CHAPTER TWO

  MARK FETCHES ADAM

  MARK FETCHES ADAM

  Downstairs, Sam and Mark chatted over coffee. Sam stood behind the bar, preparing for the day to come while Mark sat on one of the tall barstools. He cupped his hand around the steaming coffee, watching Sam run a towel over the top of the bar.

  “What’s your first impression of this Jake guy?” Mark asked, lifting the cup to his lips, enjoying the steam sliding over his face. “He seems like a rough one.”

  “I think that man has been through more trials than we care to know,” Sam replied. “I think it would be a good idea to get Adam. He should come and tend to his cousin.”

  “If Adam knew Jake was coming, he would have met him here. Or Jake would have gone to his house. I’m taking it Adam doesn’t know of his arrival.”

  “Probably not, no.” Sam agreed with him.

  “Wonder what Alice will say.”

  “I don’t know enough about this guy to know what she’d think of him. She’s a kind woman, I’m sure she’ll give him a chance to prove himself to her.”

  “Yeah, she will,” Mark nodded. “I’ll go get him after I drink this coffee. I don’t mind.”

  Sam shrugged. “You can if you want but I’m pretty sure that guy is gonna be asleep for a while. No need to change your schedule to go get Adam too soon. And hey, if you see Lucy, tell her I got a job for her. She’ll be glad to make a dollar washing Jake’s clothes.”

  “A dollar? I don’t think the man has that kind of money, Sam.”

  Sam shook his head. “I’ll pay it.”

  “A dollar? That seems like a lot for one load of laundry.”

  Sam laughed. “I can spare it. Don’t worry about my money, friend. I’ve got it covered.”

  Mark laughed with him. “I wasn’t sayin’ you didn’t have the money to spare, Sam. It just seems like a lot for that.”

  “I don’t mind. Lucy’s always struggling, what with her sick parents and all. I just want to help out how I can and finding her random jobs seems to be my thing. I’ve always got people in here wondering where they can get a woman to do this or that for them. That’s the thing about this bar, all the men in town come here whether they have wives or not and they always tell me their troubles and what they need. Makes for a good reference for Lucy.”

  “Definitely.” Mark agreed. “And yeah, you’re right. I’ll let Jake sleep. I’ll be seeing Adam later this afternoon anyway.” He took a long swallow of his coffee and looked thoughtfully into the distance. “I’m a little surprised at ya, though, if I wanna be honest with ya.”

  Sam raised his eyebrows, pushing the towel over the beer dispensers attached to the barrels. “Oh?”

  “Yeah, you seemed… I don’t know, it was like you already knew that man. You’ve never seen him before?”

  Sam shook his head and came over to stand in front of Mark, leaning down on the bar with one elbow. “No, never seen the man before. He’s Adam’s cousin, so…”

  “But do we know that’s true?” Mark asked. “See that’s my point. You took him at his word that he’s Adam’s cousin.”

  “The man would have to be psychic to know that I would be more hospitable by him dropping Adam’s name as soon as I met him. He don’t have a clue how I might feel about Adam.”

  “Adam has a pretty solid reputation, Sam,” Mark chuckled, lifting his coffee cup and emptying it of the last of its contents. He set it down in front of Same. “I wouldn’t doubt if people in all of Utah knew who he is.”

  Sam shook his head again. “That would surprise me, Mark.”

  “Well, there’s not that many people here,” Mark’s slowly widening smile made Sam laugh.

  “That’s true, my friend. There’s a whole lotta land and nobody on it.”

  “Someday this place will be packed like New York City. You wait and see.”

  “That’s a pretty big jump from where we are. You ever been there?”

  “Nope,” Mark responded, shaking his head. “Don’t ever plan to be anywhere but Wickenburg. I like it here. Like my life. Wouldn’t mind finding a lady to spend some time with but… well, there aren’t that many out here, are there?”

  “Yeah, you’d have to do some traveling to make that happen. Meet new people. You’ve been here in Wickenburg all of your life, haven’t you?”

  “Yep. I don’t mind sayin’ I like it here and I’m stayin’.”

  “You’ll have to hope for a lady to come through then. You know every woman in this town.”

  Mark laughed. “I won’t get my hopes up too high.”

  “That’s probably best.”

  Both men laughed.

  “You want another cup?”

  “No, I’d be running alongside my horse if I have another cup.”

  They laughed again. Mark lifted his hand, waving a goodbye. “I’ll see you later on today. I’ll come back with Adam.”

  “Ok, sounds good.” Sam gave him a salute as he left.

  Mark found Adam later that day at the saddle shop where he was steadily working on the horn of one of his recent creations.

  “Hey, Adam!” Mark came through the door, waving at Adam to get his attention. Adam lifted his head in a single nod.

  “Mark. What are you up to?”

  “Nothing. Just came by to see how you are doing. See if you’d heard the news.”

  Adam stepped back from the sawhorse the saddle was strapped to while he worked and began to remove the protective gloves he wore. He walked toward Mark, raising his eyebrows curiously. “Oh? There is news?”

  “If you haven’t heard then I guess it will be news to you.”

  Adam shook his head. “I haven’t heard a thing. Been working in here since early this morning.”

  “I went to Sam’s this morning for a cup of coffee before work. Saw your cousin there.”

  Adam’s face turned reflective. He blinked a few times and hesitated before replying, “My cousin?”

  Mark nodded. “Yeah, you know, your cousin, he’s got shaggy reddish brown hair and looks like he’s been put through the ringer.”

  Adam continued to look thoughtful. “You must mean Jake. Jacob Collins, he’s my youngest cousin and he only lives in Louisville. That’s just an overnight ride.”

  “So you know who I’m talking about?” The confirmation was enough for Mark. But he wanted to know more about the man staying in Sam’s boarding room.

  “Yeah. I bet he don’t look too good.”

  “What? Why?”

  “He’s a sly fox, last I heard, going around chasing women, gambling, cheatin’ and thievin’. Most of the family wrote him off after he lost his wife. Well, she didn’t die. She left him when it came out that he’d been cheatin’ and lyin’ all the time.”

  “He doesn’t sound like a very trustworthy character if you ask me, Adam.”

  “You say he’s here? He stayin’ at the Horse N Saddle?”

  Mark shrugged. “As far as I know.”

  “Well, I reckon I gotta go out there and see him.”

  “You thinkin’ maybe about puttin’ him up in your house?”

  Adam shook his head. “If he is comfortable with that. And Alice, of course.”

  “Yeah, you don’t know how she’ll feel, do ya?”

  “I think if I wanted my cousin to stay with us till he gets on his feet, she’d be pretty receptive to it She an open-hearted woman.”

  “That she is, lucky man. That she is.”

  Adam gathered his things and put away his tools. Just before they left, he took the lantern out of the room and set it outside for the morning when he would return and it was still dark. Both men st
epped out onto the board sidewalk, nearly running into a woman walking by.

  “Oh, I am sorry,” Mark said at the same time as the woman.

  Both smiled and laughed softly as the woman continued on her way. Mark and Adam both watched her leaving.

  “Now there’s a fine woman,” Adam said when he thought the woman wouldn’t be able to hear him. “A very fine woman. And beautiful. Have you ever considered…”

  Mark chuckled. “You are determined to get into my private love life, aren’t you, Adam?”

  “I’m curious, friend. You’ve been alone a long time. Most of your life. I don’t know why you aren’t married yet.”

  Mark let his eyes stray to the woman, who was just turning to step into the postal office. “Well, it won’t be Marie.”

  “Why not?” Adam sounded genuinely curious.

  Mark smiled at him. “I’m not on her level. I would never be able to get a woman as perfect as she is.”

  Adam looked taken aback. “What? If you have feelings for her, let em be known! Don’t hide how you feel.”

  Mark shook his head, still smiling. “No, it’s not that I’m trying to insult myself. I wouldn’t be able to be with a woman of her stature. She is one of those rare pure souls you find that makes you wonder if God really put angels on the earth to help out us humans. I mean, that long, wavy blond hair she lets hand down around her slender face and those red lips and that body, well, Adam, I’m just not worthy of it.”

  Adam was, by now, laughing hard at his friend’s long speech of adoration. Mark had added emphasis in just the right places so his friend would know he was being humorous.

  “She doesn’t think a great deal of herself, though,” he said in between laughs.

  Mark nodded. “That I gotta give to ya, Adam. That’s why I’m saying it’s not just her looks that make me think of an angel when I see her. It’s that brightness in her eyes, I know, I know, I sound like a sap. But when you take those looks and add that unusually pure personality, well, it’s hard not to think it.”