“We can stay if you want to. Margie will wait with us.” Mona was compelled to say it even though it would break her heart to have to part from Rusty.
“No. Sugar broke from us. She won’t be back.”
“But what if you never see her again?”
“Right now, honey, that would be all right with me.”
“But you’ll still be married to her.”
“That worries me. If something happened to me, she would get everything. You and Jody would be left in the same fix as Margie.” Foley knotted the cut rope and tied down the canvas.
“Isn’t there something you can do?”
“I’ve already given Jody some of my cash money to keep. As soon as you can rig up a way to carry it, I’ll divide what I have left with you. It’s what Alvin did. He divided his money between the three of them. He said that way if he’s robbed, they wouldn’t lose everything.”
“Do you think we might be robbed?”
“I don’t know, honey. Sugar has hooked up with someone. I can’t think a decent sort would pick a woman up off the highway, keep her out all night, then sneak her in here to get her suitcase. She may have dropped a hint that I’m carrying money.”
“Pa.” Jody came to where Foley was checking the air in his tires. “I need to tell Margie if we’re goin’ or stayin’.”
“We’re going.”
“You don’t want to wait—”
“No. We’ll go on.”
“Deke talked to his mother. She didn’t see anyone drive in while we were gone.”
“I’m not surprised they didn’t drive in.” Foley kept his head down.
“Brady is filling his gas tank. Margie wants me to move the truck up to the gas pump. She’s wondering if she should buy extra tubes or anything before we go.”
“Tell her to ask Deke. He’ll know.”
A knowing look that said “stay with Pa” passed from brother to sister before Jody hurried away.
He drove the truck up to the gas pump, and while he was putting gas in the overly large gas tank, Deke was checking the water and the oil. Brady with a pump in his hand was inspecting the tires with a gauge he put on the air valve.
“Ever’thing’s up to snuff, darlin’,” Deke said to Margie.
“Is there anything I should get now to have on hand?”
“I’m not tryin’ to make a sale, but you should have an extra fan belt in case you get off in the desert and break one.”
“Do I need tire tubes?”
Brady spoke up. “She’s got two that haven’t been used and extra boots in case she gets a hole in a tire.”
“Then you don’t need ’em now, darlin’. I’ll get you a spare fan belt.” He spoke to Brady as he passed. “Y’all got the tools to put it on?”
Brady nodded, then called out to Jody, “Look in the tool-box and hand me an oilcan.”
Margie followed Deke into the garage. “Deke, do you know what it would cost to put some kind of marker on my father’s grave?”
“Honey, it’d cost fifteen or twenty dollars to put a marker there that would last.”
Margie looked apologetic as she pulled a twenty-dollar bill from her pocket.
“Do you know someone who would do it? I hate to impose on you once again.”
“The undertaker will take care of it. Just write down what you want on the marker. I’ll see that he gets it, and I’ll see that it’s done.” He tore a sheet from the back of a tablet and handed her a pencil.
“I’ll write down his name, his age and the date. I think that will be enough, don’t you? I hate to think of years going by and no one knowing who is buried there.”
“Don’t ya worry none about it. It’ll be done.”
“Oh, Deke,” she said after she had put the note and the money on the shelf beside the tablet, “I’ve never had such a good friend.” Margie put her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder.
“Now, now, darlin’. Yo’re goin’ to be all right. Mr. Putman is pure hickory, and Brady’s a man to ride the river with. They’ll look after ya.”
“I don’t want to be looked after as if I was a little kid. I have to feel that I’m pulling my own weight.”
“Now, darlin’.” Deke saw Brady come to the garage door. “Don’t ya go and get all stiff-necked with pride. Hear? These is good folks yo’re with, or I’d not let ya go off with them.”
“I’m afraid that I’ll be nothing but trouble.”
“When the time comes that ya think yo’re holdin’ them back, just peel off, leave the truck settin’ and take the bus.”
Deke was watching Brady over Margie’s shoulder. Brady’s scowling face spoke volumes; his eyes were so narrow Deke could scarcely see them. The big galoot was jealous of him! Deke turned his face and kissed Margie on the cheek. When he looked up, the door was empty.
“I want to tell your mother good-bye.”
When Margie left the garage, Jody moved the truck to make room for his father to pull up to the gas pump. After Alvin had gassed up and was ready to go, Jody got in line behind him.
“I’m sure obliged for what you’ve done,” Foley said as Deke filled his gas tank. “Alvin figures that we should be in Flagstaff, Arizona, in about a week and a half. If you hear anything from my wife, I would appreciate it if you’d send me a card General Delivery. Or send it to Bakersfield, California. We are going there to scout out places for our ice business. I think Alvin has relatives there. I’ll ask at both places.”
“I’ll do that, Foley. I’m sure sorry about what happened.”
“Yeah, so am I. I just hope that Sugar’s with someone who will look out for her. She lived all her life in a one-horse town up in Missouri. For all her flirty ways she’s dumb as a stump when it comes to taking care of herself.”
When the caravan was lined up and ready to leave, they all got out to tell Deke good-bye. He squatted down so Anna Marie could hug his neck.
“We’ll not forget you,” Mona said, and waved to Mrs. Bales on the porch.
“And I’ll not forget you, darlin’. Y’all send me a card from time to time and let me know how yo’re makin’ out. Just send it to Deke’s Garage, Sayre, Oklahoma, and we’ll get it. Bye now. Be careful with my girl, Jody.”
“I will. I’m going to teach her to drive.”
“Well, now, I ain’t so sure that’s a good idea,” Deke teased, and winked at Margie. “Take care, darlin’. Write to me.”
“I will, Deke. I promise.”
Margie had tears in her eyes when they pulled away from the campground. She waved at Deke until he was lost from sight.
Margie soon discovered that Jody handled the truck even better than Elmer had. He maintained a steady speed, not speeding up, then slowing down as Elmer had. At the end of the day Margie used to feel as if she had been on a roller coaster.
When they passed the prairie cemetery on their way out of town, Margie could see the fresh mound of red dirt that was her father’s grave. He would remain there, far from home, throughout all eternity.
Good-bye, Daddy. I wish we could have loved each other like a father and daughter should.
Shortly after they had crossed into Texas they hit a patch of dirt highway. Choking dust boiled up. Jody slowed to allow the Putmans to get farther ahead. Margie rolled up the window, making it terribly hot in the truck.
“Oh, my. This is the first dirt road we’ve hit in a while. You’re a good driver, Jody.”
“Pa taught me when I was twelve. Mama had a fit. She thought I was too young. Pa put the truck out in a field and told me to go at it.” He grinned at her proudly. “I started delivering ice when I was thirteen.”
“Is your father heartbroken over losing Sugar?”
“He doesn’t appear to be. Pa’s usually very levelheaded. Marrying Sugar is the one time that I can remember when he went off kind of half-cocked.”
“Most of us do that sometime in our life. I’ve already done it a couple of times, and I’m younger than your fath
er.”
“He’s thirty-seven. He was my age when he and mama married. They were in school together. It ’bout killed him when she died. He might have thought he’d have something like he had with mama when he married Sugar.”
“Some things don’t work out like we plan.”
“That sure didn’t.”
“Having someone to talk to makes the time go fast, Jody. How far to Amarillo?”
“From Sayre, Alvin figured about a hundred and twenty-nine miles. We won’t make it tonight. None of us want to be on the road at night.”
“I heard Alvin say that the trucks are loaded too heavily to make good time.”
“Yeah, and they want to get them to California in good shape so they can be used in the business.”
In the middle of the afternoon they came to a place where men were working on the highway. Jody slowed the truck to a crawl. Farther on down they had to stop and wait for a scoop, pulled by a team of mules, to get across the road.
Margie sat on the edge of her seat and watched the road construction with interest. The crew used big machines that belched smoke from smokestacks, a water wagon that was pulled by horses and drags pulled by mules. Men in overalls worked with scoop shovels and rakes.
“That’s a relief,” Margie said an hour later when they pulled up onto the new paving. “We’re spoiled.” She smiled at the boy behind the wheel.
“Sure is easier driving.”
“Want a drink of water out of the fruit jar?”
“Uncle Brady.” Anna Marie pulled on Brady’s arm. “I’m hot. I want a drink of water.”
He reached over and rolled down the window. “That better? Move over away from the door, honey.”
“I still want a drink.”
“Hold on just a minute, Punkie. It looks like we’re going to be stopping.” Brady watched Alvin pull over onto a wide shoulder of the road, and Jody stopped behind him. Brady parked behind Margie and Jody.
Rusty and Grace stood beside their truck while Alvin climbed into the back. The rough road had caused some pans to fall, and they were bouncing around. Holding Anna Marie’s hand, Brady walked up to where Jody and Margie stood. Jody was drinking from a fruit jar.
“Margie!” Anna Marie cried.
“Hello, puddin’.”
Anna Marie pulled on her hand. Margie bent over so the girl could whisper. “I’m thirsty but … I got to pee-pee first.”
“Well, let’s see.” Margie looked around the flat, treeless area conscious that Brady was watching her. Finally she said, “We’ll get in the truck.”
Before she could untie the ropes holding the back flap, Brady was there. He let down the tailgate, then reached in for the box Margie used to step up into the truck.
“Thank you.”
She climbed up and reached for the child. Brady lifted her up. Her eyes were snared for several seconds by his, and she was surprised to see that a sadness was reflected there.
“Thank you,” he echoed her words softly.
As soon as the flap was dropped down, Margie took the washdish from where it was wedged next to the water barrel. It was the only thing she could think of for the child to use. She would wash and scald it tonight before it was used again.
Anna Marie giggled. “I’ve not pee-peed in a washdish.”
“Hurry, puddin’. We don’t want to keep them waiting for us.”
When the child was finished, Margie lifted the canvas flap. Brady stood a few feet away talking to Foley and Jody. He came and lifted Anna Marie down.
“Go to Mona, Punkie. She’s waiting with a drink of water for you.”
He offered his hand to Margie and helped her down. He clasped it tightly and seemed reluctant to let it go. She tugged on it, and he suddenly realized what she needed to do and went to the side of the truck. Margie reached for the washdish, emptied it quickly and shoved it back into the truck.
Brady was there seconds later, lifting the box and rolling down the flap.
“I can do it,” Margie said.
“I know you can. I think you can do most anything you set your mind to, but you don’t have to do this when I’m here.” He finished tying the flap and turned so that his big frame blocked her view of the others. “You’re still mad about … that night, aren’t you?”
“What … ah … night?” She hated herself for stammering. “Oh, that. I’ve forgotten all about that.”
He reached out a finger and looped a strand of hair over her ear. Time ticked away as they looked at each other. His warm fingertips touched her cheeks. Something inside Margie began to melt, spreading warmth to her toes. Finally he pulled his eyes away from hers and swung them to watch a car that passed them on the highway. When his eyes returned to hers, they held a quiet, serious look.
“Did you get all shook up on that bad stretch of road?” He drank in the sight of her pretty face.
She met his green stare with all the poise and self-control she could muster. His eyes were so narrowed she could hardly see the green glint between the thick lashes. She was more scared of his effect on her than she wanted to admit.
“Yeah, I did.”
“Did what?” Watching her, he had forgotten that he had asked her a question.
“Get shook up on that rough road.”
He couldn’t stop looking at her. “Are you and Jody doing all right?”
“He’s a good driver.”
“I’m glad you didn’t stay behind.”
“So am I.”
When she smiled, her eyes moved over him like a soft caress. Watching her lips spread and her eyes light up, he was so fascinated that he couldn’t look away. His hand reached for hers and held it in his large rough one. He glanced down at their clasped hands. Hers was small, her wrists fragile. His eyes moved to her face, and he wished desperately to know what she was thinking, if she was still remembering his rough treatment of her. The thought made him weak inside.
The silence between them was beginning to be embarrassing when Anna Marie called.
“Uncle Brady. Can I ride with Aunt Grace? Rusty is goin’ to ride with Mona.”
“Did she ask you, honey, or did you ask her?” “She asked me.”
Before answering Anna Marie he squeezed Margie’s hand and murmured, “I’ll see you this evening.”
Chapter 21
CHESTER WAS ANGRY.
He drove the Ford coupe at breakneck speed toward Amarillo and hardly slowed over the rough, unpaved patch of highway. The workers jumped out of the way, cursing and shaking their fists at the car as it disappeared in the cloud of dust.
Homer and Sugar didn’t appear to notice Chester’s recklessness. They cuddled on the seat beside him, hugging and kissing and … more. At times Homer’s hand was up under her dress and hers was rubbing his crotch.
The woman was a bitch.
Chester seethed with indignation. Homer had gone too far this time. Some of the men in their family were a little wild, he thought, but all of the women were decent. Every blasted one of them! Chester wanted no truck with this woman who called herself Sugar. She was the type who would eat a man alive.
Chester intended to dump Homer and his whore the first chance he got and head back home. He admitted to himself that he had done a lot of mean things, but taking his mother’s car bothered him the most. He shouldn’t have let the stupid little horsecock talk him into it.
He drove into Amarillo at sundown.
“Find a motor court, Uncle. We’ll wait till dark, then go out and find us some money. We got to have us a good time while we wait for the road-hoppers to get here.”
“They won’t get here tonight,” Sugar said. “Foley piddles along following the trucks and won’t drive at night.”
“Good. That’ll give us some time. This is a good-sized town. With yore looks, baby, we ort to do pretty good here.”
“I’m not goin’ to rob any more stores,” Chester said flatly.
“You didn’t rob them, Uncle. I did. It was as easy as fallin’ off
a log. But I got me a idey how we can get more money faster without takin’ such a risk.”
“We’ve got enough gas money to get home.”
“You still singin’ that tune? I’m not through with that cowboy yet. I ain’t goin’ till I am.”
“Homer, honey, you said we’d go to California—”
“I ain’t goin’ to California either!” Chester broke in angrily.
“Don’t get it in yore head to run out on us, Uncle Chester.” Homer’s voice held a threat. Then he laughed nastily. “I bet I know what’s got yore tail over the line. Yo’re randy as a ruttin’ moose and mad cause ya ain’t gettin’ any of what my Sugar’s puttin’ out.”
“I ain’t wantin’ her.”
“Well, la-di-da! You wouldn’t get it if you was rich as Rockofelter—or whatever his name is,” Sugar jeered.
Homer laughed and kissed her soundly. “He ain’t gettin’ any if he was Alfalfa Bill Murray, the great know-it-all governor of Oklahoma. This’s all mine.” He grabbed her between her legs.
Sugar giggled. Chester grimaced and muttered under his breath. Homer ignored him.
“Ya know what that crazy son of a bitch did?”
“Who?”
“Alfalfa Bill. He plowed up the yard at that statehouse where he lived and planted taters. Don’t that beat all?”
“Why’d he do that?”
“Hell, who knows? Whater ya mutterin’ about, Uncle? Stick with us till we get enough money to get us a car and you can hightail it back to the sticks, run a little booze and take handouts from Grandma while me ’n’ Sugar is livin’ high on the hog.”
Chester turned into a motor court with six tiny cabins lined up behind the main office.
“Find out what they got, Chester. If they got one with two beds, ya won’t have to sleep in the car.”
Chester got out and slammed the door.
“I don’t like him none a-tall.” Sugar snuggled her hand inside Homer’s shirt and ran her fingernails over his chest. “And I don’t want him in the room with us tonight.”
“Why not, pretty little puss? If ya get him hot enough, he’ll drive this car to hell and back for ya. Wouldn’t ya like that?”
Dorothy Garlock - [Route 66] Page 22