“How do you know that?”
“Dammit to hell! I can read. The sign way back there said five miles.”
“Ya don’t have to be so shitty ’bout it,” Chester grumbled.
“Things ain’t goin’ right. I wanted to get at that cowboy tonight.”
“Maybe we can go on past and come back through the woods when it’s dark.”
“I want the car close by.”
“Sometimes ya don’t get ever’thin’ ya want. We’re ’bout outta gas.”
“We’ll get some in Sayre, then go back to Elk City. I saw somethin’ back there that looked good.”
“I’m hungry too. We ain’t et since mornin’.”
“If what looks good turns out to be good, ya can have ya a big old fat steak—later on.”
“We goin’ to hold up somebody?”
“Ain’t sayin’ till I size the place up.”
She needed a haircut. Margie bent over. With her hair hanging from the top of her head, she brushed it vigorously. Then while it was still slightly damp, she parted it on the side, brushed it over and held it back with a shiny clasp.
A dark blue jersey skirt gathered on a wide band and the white blouse that went with it were the only things she owned that didn’t need ironing. She dressed, pulled on her stockings and slipped her feet into black pumps. She hated wearing black in the spring, but her white shoes were so run-down at the heels she was ashamed of them.
After touching up her eyelashes with Maybelline mascara she tinted her cheeks with a little rouge and put on her lipstick. Margie studied her face in the small, round hand mirror and wished that she could see the overall effect. Then, again, maybe she was better off not seeing the overall effect, she told herself, and put away the mirror.
The last things she did before leaving the truck were to dab a little Evening in Paris perfume behind her ears and to make sure the three twenty-dollar bills, all the money she had in the world, were secured with a big brass safety pin to her brassiere.
Elmer was sitting in his canvas chair when she climbed down. Ignoring him, she walked across the campgound and up the path to the house. It was almost dark. A bird wheeled overhead, searching for one last meal before seeking its nest for the night. The chubby figure of Mrs. Bales occupied the porch swing.
“Come on up, my dear, and have a seat. My, don’t you look pretty.”
“Thank you. It’s hard to look presentable when everything you have to wear is crammed in a suitcase.”
“Deke will be out in a minute. I’m glad he’s gettin’ away from here for a while. He sticks close because he doesn’t want to leave me alone.”
“I’ve no idea where we’ll be going.”
“That nice Mr. Putman put Deke’s mind at ease. He said he’d keep an eye on things while he’s gone.”
“And he will. He’s very reliable.”
“Deke jumped into the tank. That tank’s had a workout since suppertime. After the two young fellows, that tall one with the little girl got in, then Deke. Deke will pull the plug and let the water out tonight. It’ll be good on the garden.”
“I thought we were in for a little rain tonight. I’m afraid of storms especially while camping.”
“We’ve got a good storm cellar. A few weeks ago Deke thought sure a cyclone was comin’. He took me and two camper families to the cellar. It blowed real good, but we only got a dab of rain out of it.”
As Mrs. Bales talked, Margie saw the headlights of Brady’s car flash on. The car backed up even with the garage and stopped. Deke came out of the house, the screen door slamming behind him.
“I thought I heard you out here, darlin’.” He was wearing a white shirt with a string tie. His coarse, straw-colored hair had been slicked down. “Mama, Mr. Putman is goin’ to keep an eye out. Switch the porch light on and off several times if you think there’s somethin’ he needs to know.”
“I’ll be just fine. Go on with Margie and have a good time.”
“Ready, darlin’?”
After saying good night to Mrs. Bales, Margie took Deke’s arm and they walked down the path to the garage. When they appeared to be headed for Brady’s car, Margie pulled back on Deke’s arm.
“Deke? We’re not going with them, are we?”
“Darlin’, you wouldn’t want to ride to town on my cycle. Brady’s takin’ the kids to town and invited us to go along.”
“I want time to visit … just with you.”
“That makes me feel ten feet tall, darlin’. Come on now, I want to show you off.”
Brady sat silently behind the wheel. Mona sat in the backseat between Rusty and Jody.
“Get in, darlin’. Not too close to that old boy. You’re my girl tonight.”
Margie moved across the seat to make room for Deke. It was impossible not to come up against Brady’s long, hard body. She heard him draw in a harsh breath as if being close to her were as unpleasant to him as it was to her. Deke crowded in beside her and slammed the car door.
“All set?” Brady asked.
“All set,” Deke agreed, and put his arm across the back of the seat. Margie moved close to him to allow as little contact with Brady as possible. “There’s a picture show and a roller-skating rink in Elk City along with a few honky-tonks. In Sayre we have the PowWow right in town and the Starlight farther on down the highway.”
“Don’t let me keep you from going to the picture show,” Rusty said. “I’ll enjoy hearing it, and Mona can whisper in my ear and tell me what’s going on.”
Deke looked over his shoulder as they pulled out onto the highway. “You can’t see?” he asked bluntly.
“With my eyes I see a few shadows and a flickering light now and then. But I can hear a cloud passing overhead, so be careful what you say.”
“Well, I’ll be hornswaggled. I talked to you when you and the young fellow got out of the tank, but I didn’t know you were … that you were blind.”
“Thank you,” Rusty said cheerfully. “I’ve had a lot of practice foolin’ folks into thinking I can see.”
“Let’s stop in down here at the PowWow, Brady, and see what’s goin’ on. That all right with you, darlin’?” Deke’s arm tightened around Margie. “When you get to Main Street, turn left. It’s on the next corner. They’ve got a dance floor and one of them new jukeboxes you put a nickel in. Bootlegger money paid for it, but that ain’t none of my business.”
Lord, help me get through this evening. Margie was so miserable by the time they parked in front of the PowWow that she wanted to cry. Brady had said a total of two words. In the backseat Mona giggled, Jody teased and Rusty seemed to be enjoying himself.
The outside of the honky-tonk was decorated with wagon wheels and steer horns. Margie vaguely wondered what they had to do with a place named the PowWow. There was, however, a painted wooden Indian beside the door.
Several cars and two motorcycles were parked in front. Three horses were tied to a rail on the side of the building.
“Some of the boys from the ranch where I used to work are here. Their eyes will bug out when they see ya, darlin’.” Deke led the way, with Margie anchored firmly to his side. She was uncomfortably conscious of Brady behind them.
Rusty’s arm was tucked inside Mona’s, their fingers entwined. “One step up,” she whispered when they reached the door.
The large room had booths down two sides of the dance floor and a bar across the far end. On the jukebox Gene Autry was singing “That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine.” Half of the booths were occupied and nearly all of the barstools.
“Hey, Deke. Who opened the gate and let you out?”
“Same damn fool that let you out, cowboy.”
“Howdy, Deke. Introduce me to your lady.”
“Not on your life, Bulldog. She’s not for the likes of you.”
Deke was greeted boisterously by friends as he led the way to a booth in the back. It was evident that he was well liked and that he was enjoying the spectacle he was creating.
&nbs
p; As she slid into the booth, Margie looked up to see Brady heading toward the bar.
“I’ll get us somethin’ to drink,” Deke said. “What’ll ya have, darlin’?”
“Cola, if they have it.”
“How about you, Mona?” Rusty asked.
“Cola for me too.”
“Lead the way, Jody.” Rusty placed his hand on Jody’s shoulder. “I’m buying for my girl tonight. You too, if you behave yourself.”
They followed Deke back up the line of booths to the bar. Deke stopped along the way to talk to several men wearing big, Texas-style hats.
Mona’s eyes were shining. “Isn’t Rusty something? I never thought I’d ever meet anyone like him. He called me his girl because that’s what Deke called you.”
“Don’t be too sure. He likes you … a lot.”
“Do you think so? Sugar is being mean about me and Jody spending time with the Putmans.”
“What does your father say?”
“Nothing.”
“Then what do you care what she thinks?”
“I’m afraid of what she’ll say in front of Rusty. She has no sense at all when she’s on one of her tears. She’ll have it in for you now. Watch out for her.”
“There isn’t anything she can do to me that hasn’t already been done.”
“What happened between you and Brady?” Mona asked with the frankness of youth.
“Nothing. There’s nothing between me and Brady.”
“I thought you liked each other … a little.”
“No more than I like you and Jody and Rusty.”
The music changed on the jukebox. Someone was singing, “I don’t know why I love you like I do.” Two couples were dancing on the small floor.
“Here they come. Just look at him.” Mona’s eyes were on Rusty. “You’d never know that he’s blind. He’s cheerful all the time and so … smart.”
“Uh-oh. I think you’re falling for him.”
“I can’t help it, Margie.”
Deke set a bottle of cola and a glass on the table and then slid in beside Margie with a bottle of beer. Rusty moved over close to Mona to make room for her brother.
“You should’ve seen Rusty, darlin’. Booger didn’t know he couldn’t see. Rusty pulled a handful of change from his pocket and counted out the coins just pretty as ya please.”
“How do you do that?” Margie asked.
“Easy.” Rusty reached into his pocket and put a handful of coins on the table. “The dime is the smallest and usually the thinnest. The penny is next, then the nickel and the quarter.”
“Well, doggone if ya ain’t right.”
Rusty slid the coins off the table into the palm of his hand and put them back into his pocket as a dark-whiskered man stopped at the booth.
“Ya goin’ to let me dance with yore woman, Deke?” His watery eyes honed in on Margie and he winked.
“Hell no! You’re drunk, Hooter.”
“I ain’t that drunk.”
“Yeah, ya are. ’Sides, I’m goin’ to dance with her. Ain’t that right, darlin’?”
“Right.” Margie gave him her hand. He helped her slide out of the booth. “This is one of my favorite songs.”
“Mine too.” Deke put his arm around her and pulled her close. She was surprised how smoothly he moved. She hardly noticed that he was a couple inches shorter than she was. He sang softly with his cheek pressed to hers. “On a day like today, we pass the time away, writing love letters in the sand.”
“I didn’t know you sang, Deke. You should get together with Rusty before we move on.”
“The blind boy?”
“He plays the violin and the guitar.”
“It’ll be a day or two before I can get that radiator fixed. We’ll have us a singin’ before you go.”
When they finished the dance and went back to the booth, Jody jumped up before Margie could sit down.
“May I dance with your girl, Deke?”
“If it’s all right with her and if ya promise not to get fresh.”
“I swear it. Margie?”
Again Margie was surprised. “Where did you learn to dance, Jody?”
“We danced at home. The folks took us with them when they went to dances, mostly in the homes of their friends.And we had a Victrola. Mama danced with me, and Pop danced with Mona.”
“How nice.”
“Yeah. I look back and wonder how things can change in such a hurry.”
“Maybe they won’t be so bad when you get to California and are settled again.”
“Sugar had a fit when we left tonight. She wanted to come, but with you and Deke there wasn’t room in Brady’s car. She accused Pa of letting Deke take the radiator out of their car so he wouldn’t have to take her out someplace tonight. I keep wondering how long he’ll put up with it.”
“I take it she’s different from your mother.”
“As different as night and day. Mona and I still don’t understand how Sugar got her hooks in Pop, but he may be starting to see that she isn’t all she pretends.”
“He was probably lonely when he met her.”
“He had me and Mona.”
“That isn’t the same. My goodness. Look, Jody. Rusty and Mona are going to dance.”
“She probably talked him into it. She likes him a lot.”
“I can see that she would. He’s a really nice person.”
“I can’t imagine what it would be like to be blind.”
“Especially after being able to see.”
“Mona will keep them from plowing into anyone. I’ll move up over a little closer so if they bump into someone, it’ll be us.”
“Jody, if I had a brother, I’d want him to be just like you.”
“Thank you, Miss Kinnard,” he said, and whirled her around to come beside Rusty and Mona. “Hello, kids. Your mama let you out tonight?”
“We’re doin’ the town. Can’t you tell? Has he gotten fresh yet, Margie?” Rusty asked.
“No, and I don’t expect him to, doggone it.”
“I could put a bug in his ear.”
“I don’t need your help, Romeo.” Jody flashed him a grin. “And don’t get fresh with my sister.”
“Jody!” Mona hit her brother on the arm. “Tend to your own business.”
Margie’s eyes locked with Brady’s as they passed near to the bar. He stood with his back to it, his arms folded over his chest. The scowl on his face goaded her into a slow smile.
The cowboy was not having a good time!
They were in the middle of the dance floor when the music ended.
“My turn.”
Before Margie’s mind could jerk awake to what was happening, Brady had her hand and was pulling her out onto the dance floor and into his arms. She was too surprised to speak and totally unaware the song coming from the jukebox was one of her favorites, “You Made Me Love You.”
They swayed to the music for a short while before they began to dance. He turned so that his big body shielded her from those in the booth, held her firmly, lowered his head and pressed his cheek to hers.
“Stop playing up to Deke. He’s crazy about you.” The words were growled in her ear. She pulled back so that she could see his face.
“He is not. That’s just the way he is with everyone. But if he wants his friends to think I’m his girl, it’s all right with me,” she snapped.
“What will he tell them after you leave to chase your rainbow in Hollywood?”
“My rainbow? What about your rainbow, cowboy?” She tried to move away from him, but he was holding her so tightly against him that she could only tilt her head back and glare at him.
“What about it?”
“You want to palm a sweet little girl off on someone she doesn’t even know so you can go on your merry way free of responsibility.”
“You know nothing about it.”
“Don’t tell me I don’t know what it’s like to be dumped. It’s the story of my life.”
“W
hat’s put your back up?”
“You don’t know? You’re the most insensitive clod I’ve ever met.”
“There’s a limit to how far you can push me, little tease.”
“Your threats just scare me to death.” “I mean it when I say stop playing up to Deke. He’ll begin to think you mean it. I doubt he’s had many women as good-looking as you pay attention to him.”
“Maybe I do mean it. What’s it to you? Deke and I understand each other. I don’t need you telling me what to do.”
“You need someone, you little twit, or you’d not be in the mess you’re in.” The hand holding hers came to her chin and lifted it. Light green eyes as cold as ice glared down at her.
“Whatever mess I’m in has nothing to do with you, Mr. Know-It-All Hoyt.”
“I’m warning you, Margie. Climb down off your high horse or—”
“Or what? Now, let go of me before I kick you. I don’t want to dance with you. I don’t want anything to do with you.”
“Too bad, Miss Mule-Headed Kinnard. We’re finishing this dance. And if you kick me, I’ll swat your butt right here on the dance floor.”
“I’m surprised that the upright Mr. Hoyt would dance in public with a thief and a strumpet.”
“Hush up!”
“I won’t—”
“You’d better hush or I’ll whirl you right out the door and lay my hand down hard on your rear end.”
Margie missed a step and stumbled. “And I’d scream ‘rape’ so loud every man in this place would be on you like a duck on a June bug.”
He said nothing, but she knew he was angry. The arms encircling her pulled her so close her breasts were crushed against his chest. She had to admit that she and Brady fit perfectly against each other. She could feel the warmth of his body through her dress, and the wild beating of her heart against his. Was his breath coming faster than usual, or was it just wishful thinking on her part that she had disturbed him just a little?
If I could be with you one hour tonight. If I was free to do the things I might…
Margie floated along in a haze, only vaguely aware of the crooning voice coming from the jukebox or that the arms holding her had loosened and now held her gently. Brady pressed his cheek to hers. Her steps matched his as if they had been dancing together forever. She closed her eyes and wished just for an instant that the song would never end. But it did.
Dorothy Garlock - [Route 66] Page 15