“Booming.” Paul’s expression went from angry to happy in a split second. “The young men that you turned down have married and joined the business. We were able to buy forty more acres for the commune recently. When can we frame up a house for you?”
“I think I’ll settle in Bowie for a while,” she said. “Are you putting your trailer on the new forty, Aunt Luna?”
“Yep, I’m the first one in that section, and I have a place for a garden and it’s pretty close to the Cumberland River, so I can take my cane pole down there and fish,” Luna told her.
“You sure you’ll be happy in a commune?” Rose asked.
“Honey, I’ve lived in one ever since I was a teenager. A carnival is just a glorified commune, and then when we retired, we kind of made another one in the trailer park,” Luna replied. “If you’re here on Saturday, they’re bringin’ my new home in and gettin’ it set up and leveled. And anytime you want to come live with me, you are welcome.”
“If I can talk her into coming home, she’ll live right here,” Paul said. “Is your suitcase in that car out there? I’ll go get it for you if you’ll give me the keys.”
“It’s open, Daddy.” Rose looked up at the clock on the wall. “It’s been a long two days on the road. I’d like to have a shower and crawl into bed.”
“Good thing I put fresh sheets on the bed yesterday. Line dried too, just how you like them,” Echo said.
As soon as her father was out the door, she stood and gave her mother another hug. “He don’t change much, does he?”
Luna sighed. “He’s a sumbitch, but he’s Echo’s sumbitch, and she loves him. And he loves you, girl, even if he ain’t real good at showin’ it.”
“I know, Aunt Luna.” Rose smiled. “I can’t believe that you drove up here all by yourself and that you’re using the cell phone I gave you.”
She put a finger over her lips. “The phone was going to be my secret, but you know me and my big mouth. I done told Paul about it. And I told your mama that she can use it whenever she wants.”
Echo shot a look toward Rose and shook her head ever so slightly, as if telling her that she didn’t know how to handle Luna, either.
Rose couldn’t wait to get into her room that evening. She sent Hud a quick text telling him that she’d arrived and then called Aunt Molly.
“I’m here,” she whispered.
“Why are you whispering? Oh, yeah, no cell phones, right? That would be bringing the world into the camp, and that’s an unforgivable sin,” Aunt Molly said. “Want me to call Hud? Did you warn him about the rules there—no phones or televisions?”
“No, I didn’t. I don’t want to scare him away from ever coming to visit my folks,” she answered. “I’ll give him a quick call tonight, and then we’ll probably just text each other.”
“Texting is a great thing about technology, but I do like to hear your voice,” Molly told her. “Glad to know you’re safe.”
“Good night. See you in a week,” Rose told her. “Or maybe even sooner.”
The last thing she heard before the call ended was Molly’s giggle.
She closed her eyes and visualized Hud in his pajama pants and snug-fitting T-shirt as she waited on him to answer the phone. When he did, the first thing he asked was about FaceTime so he could see her gorgeous face.
“Phones of any kind, except the one in the communal kitchen, are forbidden,” she said in a soft voice. “If anyone heard your deep drawl, there’d be trouble. It would probably be better if we text most of the time.”
“Whatever works best for you,” Hud said. “I just want you to have a good week, and then come home.”
“I haven’t felt like I had a real home in a very long time. Something was always missing when I was a kid in the commune. I loved being with Mama, and the quietness of the hills and hollers, but I felt like I was in limbo, waiting for my real life to begin. That’s why I joined the army, but I didn’t feel whole there either.”
“Do you now here in Bowie?” Hud asked.
“Almost,” she answered, honestly. “Maybe when I get my own place, I’ll really be home.”
“I hope so, because I missed you more today than I did yesterday. That old saying about being out of sight, out of mind, is a crock of bull crap,” Hud said.
Rose was glad they weren’t FaceTiming, because she did a fist pump.
“What is that noise?” Hud asked.
“Aunt Luna is in the next bedroom, and she’s snoring,” Rose told him. “I never heard her do that in the B&B, not one time.”
“Maybe it’s all that mountain air. If you snore when you get back home to Sunset, I promise I won’t kick you out of bed,” he said.
Sunset? Home? She hadn’t thought of renting something in the tiny little town of Sunset. She figured she’d have to get an apartment over in Bowie, but Sunset made more sense. Aunt Molly lived there, and it was closer to Tag and Hud’s ranch.
“On that note, and with that vision in my head, I’m going to tell you good night,” Rose said.
“Good night, darlin’. Talk to you tomorrow,” Hud said.
Just hearing his deep, sexy drawl made her wish that she was back in Sunset, cuddled up next to him in the ranch house.
* * *
Mornings started way before daylight in the communal kitchen. Breakfast had to be ready and served before the men left for work. Then the women had cows to milk and chickens to feed, and when spring came, gardens to plant and take care of. If they had children, they also had to homeschool them, and train them to enjoy the work. Older boys were taught to milk cows and take care of livestock. Girls were taught the fine arts of quilt making, sewing and cooking, plus keeping house. It was all incredibly traditional, and Rose had been a part of it—except for the cooking part. She didn’t mind working in the garden, milking cows, or throwing corn out for the chickens, but kitchen work was not her thing.
Everyone seemed happy, and there were no strings holding the young people there if they decided to leave. If they did go their own way, as Rose had done, they were welcome to come home for visits. Several had changed their minds once they’d tried life outside, and the commune took them right back in without questions.
Rose went to the kitchen with her mother that morning. Aunt Luna had gotten the huge pots of coffee brewing and was already sipping on her first cup.
“Good mornin’!” She held up her cup in greeting.
“Mornin’.” Rose headed toward the pot to pour herself a cup.
Echo went straight to the stove, lit two burners, and set two big cast-iron skillets on the fire. She took five pounds of sausage from one of the refrigerators and divided it between the two pans.
“Can I help you, Mama?” Rose asked.
“No, honey, you go on in there and keep Aunt Luna company. I’ve got help coming any minute”—Echo nodded toward the door—“there’s Grace now. She and I work really well together.”
“And besides, you’re afraid I’ll burn the biscuits or scorch the eggs, right?” Rose said.
“Well, there is that.” Echo stopped what she was doing and gave Rose a quick hug.
“If I wanted to learn how to cook, how would I start?” Rose asked.
“Read the recipes and follow them to the letter,” Echo answered.
“Y’all still got pecans in the freezer from last year’s crop? Maybe I’ll make a pecan pie. I’ve been hungry for one.” Rose remembered seeing a recipe for one in a magazine that called for two tablespoons of Jack Daniel’s whiskey.
“That’s easy enough,” Echo said. “Maybe you could make several for supper before you leave.”
“I can manage that, but you’ll have to make the crust for me,” Rose said.
“I’ll be glad to,” Echo offered.
“Well, hello!” Grace crossed the kitchen floor and grabbed Rose in a fierce hug. “Echo didn’t tell me you were coming. This is a wonderful surprise. We’ll talk later, though. It’s my week to help in the kitchen. Come by my house aft
er lunch. You can meet my newest baby girl, Jennifer.”
“How many do you have?” Rose asked her childhood friend.
“Jennifer makes the fourth girl. We’re hoping the next one will be a boy.” Grace, a tall brunette with pretty brown eyes, hurried to the kitchen. She covered her jeans and shirt with a bibbed apron and went to work browning the sausage in one of the pans.
“Just think,” Luna said out of the side of her mouth, “you could have four kids by now and be thinking about a fifth. You and Hud are going to have to get busy to catch up. And by the way, you’re welcome.”
“I’m glad my friend is happy with her lot, but I’m also glad I didn’t marry at eighteen and have four kids right now. And I’m welcome for what?” Rose asked.
“My snoring,” Luna said. “I don’t snore. Molly does and Devine did, but I don’t, but last night I heard your dad say something about noises in your bedroom, and he said that he bet you had a damned cell phone in there, so I started snoring. Echo told him that was what he heard, and all was well, but be careful when he’s home. He has to maintain a standard, you know. If no one else can have a phone, then it wouldn’t be right for him to overlook yours.”
“I realize that, but how come you get to keep yours?” Rose asked.
Luna patted her pocket. “Because I don’t use it except when he’s away at work, and if he doesn’t like it, he can take it up with Madam.”
“Aunt Luna!” Rose threw a hand over her mouth. “What brought you here anyway? Especially when you know how Daddy is?”
“Reminds me of the carnival, only without all the rides and hawkers. We ate together and we worked together, and we were a happy lot,” Luna said.
“Did you buy that forty acres Daddy was bragging about?”
“Yep, I did, and that’s my price to live here until I die. I get to be near your mama, so it’s a fair deal. Things just ain’t the same in Alabama without Wilbur, and I got a little taste of being near family when I stayed at the B&B. I liked it, plus I get my meals cooked, and when I get too old to take care of my trailer, I can pay some of the young ladies to do it for me,” Luna said.
“Why didn’t you move to Sunset?” Rose asked.
“Me and Molly can stand each other for about a week, and then it’s the beginning of war. Your mama is easier to live around, and like I said, I like the commune idea. It fits me,” Luna explained. “This way we both have family, and I promise I’ll come visit,” she giggled, “…and I won’t snore.”
Life as the commune knew it was about to change, Rose thought. Her father had talked about that forty acres separating the camp from the river for years. Now it belonged to the group, but it had not come at a cheap price.
As if he heard her thoughts, he came into the dining hall with half a dozen men behind him. They all smiled and waved at her as they headed to the coffeepot. More people drifted in, right up until six thirty, when Grace and Echo put big bowls of sausage gravy and biscuits on the buffet counter. They set out several large pans of what Rose recognized as her mother’s special breakfast casserole.
“Are you going into town this week?” Rose asked Luna.
“Tomorrow, to take care of some banking business,” Luna answered.
“Reckon you could pick up a bottle of Jack Daniel’s for me?”
Luna leaned forward and propped her elbows on the table. “You only been here one night. Why would you need Jack?”
“I’m going to make pecan pies,” Rose whispered. “I’ll have to sneak it into the pies. You know the rules about liquor here.”
“Yep, and I intend to follow them to the T.” Luna moved back and slapped her thigh. “If you believe that, then I’ll sell you the Cumberland River. I’ll pick up a bottle for you, and, honey, I love bourbon pecan pies.”
Paul sat down at the table. “Feels right and good to be home, don’t it?”
“I’ve always loved having breakfast with everyone.” Rose sidestepped the question. “I’m making pecan pies one night for supper.”
“When did you take an interest in cooking?” Paul asked.
“Figured if I’m going to live alone without benefit of communal dining or an army mess hall, then I’d better learn a few things,” she answered. “Aunt Molly says anyone can cook. All you got to do is follow directions.”
“Yeah, right.” Paul almost snorted. “Anyone can read directions and frame up a house too, but there’s technique involved to get it done right, just like in cooking. Your mama could teach you if you’d stay home where you belong.”
“Hey, Echo is about to ring the bell,” Luna said.
Rose could have kissed Luna’s shiny red-and-white-checkered rain boots right then. Maybe, just maybe, life would be easier when she came for visits, since her aunt had moved there.
After breakfast, Luna drove away in her big boat of a car, and Rose cleaned the whole trailer for her mother. She’d always enjoyed things being neat and in their place—that had sure made it easy to get along in the military. By the time she finished, it was lunchtime, so she headed back to the dining room. A squirrel fussed at her from a tree limb, and the mama cat that she’d petted on the porch left her kittens and followed her.
There were few things that Rose truly loved about the whole communal thing, but mealtimes were the highlight of her visits. She loved breakfast because she felt like it started off the day with a family reunion, but lunchtime was her favorite part of the day. That’s when the womenfolk gathered together with the children and had time to visit with no men around. Being with them was like enjoying one big coffee klatch—only it was every day rather than once a month.
At noon she took time to go out to the dining hall for a sandwich and a bowl of potato soup. Her childhood friend, Grace, sat down beside her with a sweet little baby girl in her arms. “This is Jennifer. Amelia, Charity, and Rachel are right over there. Desmond Bennett’s older girls help out with them at lunchtime.”
“They’re all beautiful girls.” Looking at the baby, Rose was amazed at the yearning in her heart to hold a child of her own. Could it be that the roots she was putting down in Texas were causing her to have a feeling that she’d never had before?
“Thank you,” Grace said. “When are you going to start a family?”
“I guess I should have a husband before I have a child, right?”
Grace’s face turned bright red. “I’d hope so. Paul might never let you come home if you had a baby out of wedlock.”
Well, there is that. Rose echoed her mother’s earlier words and bit back a giggle.
“Do you ever regret not leaving the commune, just to visit the outside world?” Rose asked Grace.
“Not once,” Grace answered without a second’s hesitation. “I was born here. I’m happy right where I am with the love of my life and the children that we’ve produced. This is where I belong. I don’t even like going to Harlan every few weeks. When we do go, I can’t wait to get back home.” She stopped long enough to unbutton her shirt and take out a breast to feed the baby. “How long are you going to wander around out there before you decide to come home?”
“I’m still trying to decide where home is,” Rose admitted, honestly. “I’ve pretty well made up my mind to live in Texas. Luna’s sister Molly lives there. I’d be close to her, and I have a job offer to work in a hospital as a translator.”
“That’s not like having your mama and daddy right next door.” Grace’s tone bordered on scolding.
“I guess it’s not,” Rose said. “It’s been great visitin’ with you, but I should at least go help Mama with the dishes. We’ll see each other again at suppertime.”
“That’s the beautiful part of being here.” Grace smiled. “We get to share in everything.”
To have been so close that they could finish each other’s sentences when they were little girls, she and Grace had surely grown apart. Yet, in a small way, Rose was jealous of Grace for being content with her life.
* * *
Friday morning Rose
awoke and didn’t want to go to breakfast. That had been her prerogative in the army. Sometimes all she had wanted was an extra hour of sleep and an energy bar before she got dressed for work. When her mother knocked on her door, she wanted to pull the covers up over her head.
When in Rome, that niggling little voice in her head reminded her.
“If I was in Rome, I’d be my own boss,” she mumbled as she slung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. “Hell’s bells! If I was in Bowie, I’d be my own boss.”
Like the day before, Luna was in the dining hall when Echo and Rose arrived. She waved from her place at one of the long tables and held up a doughnut. Today she’d braided her hair into two long ropes with beads and tiny yellow silk flowers interwoven in them. She wore a pair of bibbed overalls and a yellow-and-black-plaid shirt and had a bibbed apron over the top.
“I gave Grace the day off,” she said. “I’m damn good help in the kitchen at breakfast time, and little Jennifer wasn’t doin’ so well when I visited them last night. Poor little thing had a low-grade fever.”
Echo’s expression said she didn’t like that Luna was taking such liberties as giving Grace the day off without asking permission, or even helping in the kitchen when Paul hadn’t given the okay. If Paul found out Luna was usurping his authority, he’d have a meeting with the ladies, and that woudn’t be a good thing. Rose bit the inside of her lip to keep from smiling. Luna had bought property. She had an agreement that said she could stay until death, and now she was taking the first baby step at changing something that had been the same for at least three generations.
Good luck with that, Rose thought as she picked up a doughnut from the box that had only two left.
“Aunt Luna, you know that we aren’t supposed to bring food to the kitchen from the outside,” Echo reminded her. “We either grow or make our own from scratch.”
“Then you’d best eat this last one before Paul finds it,” Luna said and gave her an innocent look.
Cowboy Courage: Includes a bonus novella Page 22