Dorothy Garlock - [Route 66]

by Hopes Highway

“You plannin’ on sellin’ ice?”

  “No. I raise horses.”

  “Then whater ya wantin’ to know for?”

  “Well …” Brady scratched his head and spoke casually. “I guess I was wondering if it was the ice business that turned you into such an ornery son of a bitch.”

  Elmer didn’t turn a hair.

  “And the more I talk to you, the less I give a damn,” Brady added.

  “I ain’t no fool. You didn’t come to talk to me. You’re sniffin’ after the female.”

  “Something wrong with that? She’s a nice girl and she’s pretty.”

  “Nice? She’s a thief is what she is!”

  Brady stood. He had never wanted to hit a man so badly in all his life. “That’s a hell of a thing to say about your daughter.” His voice was low and angry.

  A sound like a snort came from Elmer, and he got to his feet. Standing with his hands tucked into the bib of his overalls, he looked Brady in the eye.

  “Ya ain’t knowin’ what she is. She run off with a feller last year and stole his money. Name was Ernie Harding from Conway. He dumped her. She come a-crawlin’ back to town with her tail ‘tween her legs.”

  “You took his word that she stole his money?”

  “Damn right. It’s in her blood. She’s set her sights on seein’ Hollywood, bein’ a movie star. Don’t that beat all? She’s got about as much chance a bein’ a movie star as I have pissin’ from here to California.”

  “I don’t understand how a girl like Margie would be related to you.”

  “I ain’t a hundred percent sure she is. Take my advice. Stay away from her, or she’ll sucker ya in and take everythin’ ya got.”

  “I’ve not got much.”

  “Then ya ain’t got nothin’ to worry ’bout except maybe catchin’ the clap.” Elmer walked away.

  Brady watched him leave. There were no words to describe the contempt he felt for the man. If Margie was what her father said she was, she was sure to land a job in Hollywood, because she was a damn fine actress.

  Margie had heard every word that passed between Brady and Elmer.

  Damn, damn, damn him! she thought. I wish to God I was anywhere but here.

  Ernie Harding had gone back to Conway and spread the story that she had taken his money in order to excuse his going off and leaving her stranded in Oklahoma. Elmer had believed him.

  Margie pressed her palms to her hot cheeks and scooted around to the other side of the truck. She leaned against it and hid her face against her bent arm. Too humiliated to even cry, she stood there, stiffening the legs that wanted to sag from the weight of her heavy heart.

  She hoped and prayed that Brady would leave. To have him look at her with contempt would be more than she could endure.

  Her prayers were not answered. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. It was the final straw. A tremor shook her. She swallowed repeatedly to hold back the agonizing sobs that refused to be controlled. Silently they bubbled up. She cried as she had never cried before, tears wetting her arm.

  “Hey, don’t cry.”

  It seemed to take all her natural strength to say, “Go away … please.”

  “I don’t believe what he said. I’m smarter than that.”

  “He … said that I’m a—he said I took Ernie’s money. He believes—he’ll tell everybody.”

  “They won’t believe it either.” Brady tried to turn her into his arms. She resisted.

  “Go away. Please. I wish … I wish I’d never come on this blasted … trip.”

  “What kind of man is he to say these things about his daughter—”

  “Unless they’re true? Is that what you think?”

  “No, it isn’t what I think. I think he’s an embittered, sick man who doesn’t even like himself.”

  “He … hates me because of my mother.”

  “He must have loved her once.”

  “No. There’s no love in him.”

  “Hold your head up, Margie girl. Don’t give him anything to gloat over.”

  “Please go. I’ve got to finish the dishes.”

  “The Putmans are inviting all the campers to a singing. Will you come over?”

  “No!” she answered quickly. “I’m going to bed.”

  “If you don’t come, I’ll come after you.” He looped her hair over her ear and massaged the nape of her neck.

  “Don’t come back. It’ll just make things worse.”

  “Are you afraid of him?”

  “No. He’ll not … hurt me that way. He has other ways.”

  “Finish the dishes. Then come over.”

  “Please go before he comes back.”

  “All right. But if you don’t come over, I’ll be back; and if he says anything, I just might knock his block off.” He patted her on the back and walked away.

  She waited until she was sure that he was gone before she lifted her head from her arm. Oh, Lord. How could she ever face him or the others? Elmer had branded her a thief, made fun of her for wanting to see Hollywood. He had insinuated that she was a loose woman. He had probably said the same to Alvin and Grace and the Lukers. He must really hate her. She wiped her face on the hem of her skirt and went back to the dishpan.

  Margie had planned all day to tell Alvin about the campsite at Andy’s Garage just this side of Sayre, where Ernie had taken her money and deserted her. It was probably called Deke’s Garage by now. In the one letter she received from Leona after she had married, she said that Andy had sold the garage to Deke, the man who sometimes helped him, and that he and the girls were moving with her and Yates to a ranch in Texas.

  If Alvin would agree to camp there for the night, Deke would tell them that she hadn’t stolen money from Ernie, that it was the other way around. The only way she was going to be able to speak to Alvin before they pulled out in the morning would be to go over there tonight.

  Once she came to a decision, she hurriedly finished the evening chores, then climbed into the truck with a pan of water. The first thing she did was hold a damp cloth to her puffy eyes, hoping to erase the results of her tears. After washing she put on her blue-checked gingham skirt and blouse. It was her second-best dress. Soon she would have to find a place to wash her underwear and the two skirts and blouses she had worn all week.

  Her heart felt like a rock in her chest as she brushed her hair and added a touch of color to her lips. She wanted to leave the truck before Elmer returned. She jumped down and hurried over to Brady’s car before she lost her courage. Pausing there, she was assailed by sickening doubts. What if she was ignored? What if Grace no longer wanted to associate with her? What if Brady had second thoughts about what Elmer had said?

  Her eyes searched for him. Rusty was playing a rousing tune on his fiddle while Alvin piled wood on the bonfire, and Grace, holding on to Anna Marie, greeted the people coming from the other camps. They came with stools and chairs and quilts for the little ones to sit on.

  Brady and Jody appeared out of the darkness carrying a heavy log. When they dropped it on the fire, sparks flew in all directions. Brady paused, kicked at the log with his booted foot, then turned and came toward her.

  “How did you know I was here?”

  “I’ve been watching for you.” He held out his hand. Mindlessly she reached for it, but held back when he tried to pull her toward the gathering.

  “No. I’ll wait here. I’m only going to stay long enough to talk to Mr. Putman.”

  “You’re coming with me.”

  “No. Please—”

  “You’re coming. Must I remind you that I’m bigger than you are?”

  Brady reached into the car for a blanket, then, holding her hand tightly, pulled her along with him. He skirted the crowd to a place out of the direct light of the campfire and spread the blanket. Margie sat down quickly, hoping not to attract any attention. Brady sat close, but not touching her.

  Tilting his head so that he could see her profile, he studied the lines of her face. Brady felt that he
was a fairly good judge of character, and he couldn’t, for the life of him, associate her with the description her father had given him. It just wasn’t possible.

  He saw the trembling of her lips just before she turned to glare at him. “Stop looking at me!”

  “I like looking at you. You’re pretty.”

  “Yeah. Sure. You think I’ll be an easy tumble after what Elmer said. Well, because I let you kiss me doesn’t mean it’ll go any further.”

  “We kissed each other. Remember?”

  “I remember, and that’s the end of it.”

  “I’m not asking for more.”

  “Thank you.” She turned her face away, but not before he saw the moisture in her eyes.

  “You can ride the rest of the way with me and Punkie if you want. I’d appreciate the help.”

  “You don’t need my help. Grace will help with Anna Marie.”

  “Even so. You’ve got a place with me if you want it.”

  “And you’d expect payment. How? On my back?” She bit the words out angrily.

  He didn’t reply. A strained minute passed before she looked at him. He had turned away from her, but she could see the muscle flex in his cheek as he clenched his teeth.

  “Brady? I’m sorry,” she said in an agonized whisper, and placed her hand on his arm. “Please—I’m sorry.”

  He looked at her then. His eyes were shadowed by the thick, stubby lashes, but the set of his mouth told her that he was not pleased.

  “You’d best be careful, Margie, that some of Elmer’s cynicism doesn’t rub off on you.”

  “Oh, Lord! You’re right. I can’t let that happen. But it’s so hard when he says … those things.” Her eyes were torn away from his face when Anna Marie ran to her and threw herself in her arms.

  “Margie! I haven’t seen you all day. Can I give you a hug?”

  “There’s nothing in the world I want more than a hug from you right now.” She wrapped her arms around the child, closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet, innocent smell. “I’ve missed you.”

  “I ’bout know the rest of my ABCs.”

  “Forevermore! When did all of this happen?”

  “While I was riding with Aunt Grace. She likes me.”

  “I’m not a bit surprised at that.”

  “Do you like me?” Anna Marie’s arms were tight around her neck.

  “More than you know.” Margie glanced at Brady and found him gazing at her. She hugged the child and closed her eyes as her mind went back to when she had asked her granny why her daddy didn’t like her.

  He likes you, honey, He just doesn’t know how to show it. That had satisfied her for a while, but later she had known differently.

  Margie opened her eyes to see Brady still watching her. One long leg was stretched out, the other bent at the knee, his arms resting on it. She pulled her eyes away from his quiet face and tickled Anna Marie’s nose with the end of her braid. The child giggled happily and hid her face against Margie’s shoulder.

  “Can I ride with you tomorrow? I’ll sing my ABCs.”

  “Ah … I don’t know, honey. We’ll have to talk that over with your uncle.”

  “Can I, Uncle Brady? Please. I’ll be nice.”

  “I’m feeling left out, Punkie. It’s my turn to have you ride with me. I want to hear the songs you’ve learned and hear you sing the ABCs.”

  “Maybe Margie can ride with us. Can you, Margie?”

  “I don’t know about that either, Punkie,” she said, using Brady’s pet name for his niece. “Look now, Rusty has the guitar, and Mr. Putman is going to play the fiddle.”

  “All right, folks.” Alvin’s booming voice reached out over the campground. “Let’s sing a few hymns. We’ll start out with ‘The Old Rugged Cross.’ I think everyone knows that one. If anyone has a favorite, holler it out.”

  Alvin waved the bow of the fiddle like a baton. He and Grace started the singing, and as soon as the crowd gathered around the campfire joined in, he played the tune on the fiddle. Rusty picked chords on the guitar.

  When the song ended, they sang “Shall We Gather at the River” and “In the Sweet Bye and Bye.” Then someone suggested “Red River Valley.” Alvin passed the fiddle to Rusty, then pulled Grace up beside him, and they sang the ballad in harmony.

  When they finished, Jody called out, “Sing a cowboy song, Rusty.”

  “Which one?” he asked, and he and his father changed instruments again.

  “How about ‘Strawberry Roan’?”

  Rusty sat down and casually let his hand drop to Mona’s shoulder to make sure she was still beside him. The touch was noticed only by his mother. When he began to strum the strings of the guitar with slender, knowing fingers, all conversation ceased. He lifted his head and flashed a sudden bright smile around the circle and began to sing.

  “Oh, that strawberry roan, oh, that strawberry roan,

  He goes up in the east, comes down in the west,

  To stay in his middle, I’m doin’ my best,

  Stay on that strawberry roan, stay on.

  Stay on that strawberry roan!”

  Rusty was a natural entertainer. His voice had a husky throb that drifted gently on the night breeze. The crowd was enthralled. When he finished the song, they clapped and shouted, “More, more!”

  “All right.” Rusty was smiling. There was no doubt that he was enjoying himself immensely. “How about ‘The Cowboy’s Lament’? It’s got a lot of verses, if you can put up with them.” Laughter followed his words, and he began the sad song.

  “As I walked down the streets of Laredo,

  As I walked out in Laredo one day,

  I spied a poor cowboy wrapped up in white linen,

  Wrapped up in white linen as cold as the clay.”

  Even the excited children were quiet as Rusty sang verse after verse of the sad song about a cowboy who had done wrong. When he finished, they were silent for a few seconds, then clapped their appreciation.

  Chapter 10

  RUSTY HAS AN AMAZING MEMORY,” Margie said. “Imagine being able to play the violin and the guitar without being able to see them.”

  Brady grinned. “I think he has a crush on Mona.”

  “Goodness. I hope that she’ll be kind to him if she can’t return his affection.”

  “She seems to be taken with him.”

  “I hate to think of what Sugar would say to that.” Margie snuggled the sleeping child close to her.

  “Because he’s blind?” There was resentment in the softly spoken words.

  “She calls him a dummy.”

  “Dummy? He’s got more brains in his little finger than she’s got in that head of hers.”

  “Maybe, but it’s a pretty head. You have to admit to that.”

  “Mrs. Luker is a different breed of cat.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She’s like an alley cat. She’ll never be satisfied with one man. My guess is that she’s using Foley to get to California and will dump him as soon as they get there.”

  “He seems to be completely in love with her.”

  “She’s got him bamboozled, all right. He’ll wake up and find himself alone, broke and depending on his kids in his old age.” Brady moved to take Anna Marie from Margie’s lap. “Punkie’s asleep. I’ll lay her down here on the blanket.”

  “No. Let me hold her.” Margie pulled Anna Marie’s dress down over her thin little legs and cuddled the warm, trusting little body. “I hope her aunt will love her and give her a good home.”

  “I’ll not leave her until I’m sure she’ll be all right.” He turned his face away, but not before Margie saw that his eyes were bleak and bitter.

  “Is the aunt married?”

  “She was. I don’t know if they’re still together. Brian said something about her husband being a fly-by-night.”

  “A child needs a mother and a father.”

  “My brother doted on her, but she never had much of a mother. Becky was the most selfish,
self-centered person I’ve ever known.” His eyes had turned hard. There was not a flicker of kindness in their depths.

  “Elmer never had any use for me. I was lucky to have my grandmother.”

  “Have you noticed how Punkie’s always asking people if they like her? I suspect that Becky told her many times that she didn’t even like her.”

  “How could she have been so cruel?”

  “When Punkie was just a little tot, Becky got mad at her for some little thing and told her that she hated her. Brian slapped Becky then. And he loved that woman with every breath in his body.” He bit out the words, low, husky, angrily.

  Margie turned questioning eyes to him, but he was looking toward the campfire. At the memory of Anna Marie’s mother, he had bristled like an enraged porcupine. He turned to Margie, and their eyes clung for a breathless moment. Strange sensations went zigzagging along her nerves.

  “Poor little thing,” she said almost to herself.

  The campfire was dying down and the gathering breaking up. Folks were picking up their sleeping children and calling to those who had been too excited to sit still.

  “Don’t look so worried. I’ll bring Alvin over,” Brady said as he saw the expression of anxiety move over her face when she lost sight of the man she had come to talk to. His voice was sincere and had almost the same tone he used when talking to Anna Marie. He got to his feet and walked away.

  Margie hadn’t realized how comforting Brady’s presence was until he left her sitting alone on the blanket holding the child. Grace was saying good-bye and wishing the other travelers good luck, her voice friendly as she called out that she hoped to see them again on down the line. Mona helped Rusty put the instruments in the cases, and Jody folded Grace’s canvas chair and took it to the truck.

  “I’ll take Punkie.” Brady was back beside her. “Alvin will come over to my car.”

  He lifted the child from her arms, stood and reached to help her up. She was grateful for the strong hand. Her legs were trembly from sitting so long. After regaining her balance, she released his hand and followed him to his car.