Memories of Gold

by Ali Olson

  Though Josie was her best friend in the house and they always got along well, Mary didn’t understand why she allowed every nickel and scrap of gold she got from the men to fall right into the hands of the shopkeepers along Main Street, never saving anything for longer than a week.

  To make things worse, Josie had a child, a young girl named Alice. Josie had come to the saloon when Alice was just a fatherless baby. A woman in town took care of the girl, and Josie had to scrimp at the end of each week to get the money to pay her. There had even been a few times when she had needed to borrow money from Mary for an emergency, paying her back after the next big weekend.

  Although dresses for work, tutoring, books, and Emma’s care were necessary expenses for Mary, much of the rest of her earnings stayed hidden under the floorboard, and every few weeks she would take what she had accumulated to Shasta’s only bank and deposit it into her account, where she had over six hundred dollars saved up. If she could get the amount up to a thousand, she could consider what to do next and possibly even open up her own little shop in town—the thought of running her own business intrigued her, even though she had no idea what she could sell. Maybe then she would be able to care for her sister herself. For the time being, though, she had to wait.

  Once Josie finished opening the last package and putting away the final items, a brooch and a comb with turquoise embellishments, she interrupted Mary’s reverie. “Mary, we should go eat supper before our night begins. Daisy’s making ham and corn bread, and another slice of her dry ham is liable to kill me. How about we go down to Lee’s and get some Hangtown Fry?”

  Mary wrinkled her nose. Hangtown Fry was a dish made of bacon, eggs, and oysters scrambled together. “I can’t for the life of me understand why you and the other girls like that mess, but I’ll go with you.”

  Mary normally wouldn’t spend her money to dine out when she got free fare at the saloon, but her time with Emma still hung over her head like a cloud, and a supper away would be a pleasant change. Besides, Josie was right: Daisy’s ham was often horrid, bless her heart.

  Josie giggled and clapped her hands, and she rushed out to tell Daisy where they were going as Mary removed a little more of her hard-earned gold. She was glad Josie was in a good mood; her daughter had been sick the week before, and the extra expense and worry had taken some of the life out of her for a while. Not to mention her own illness, whatever it was.

  Mary had no idea what exactly was wrong with Josie, but she was hesitant to ask. Her friend had tried to hide it, but she’d been pale and tired for several days, and occasional bouts of coughing made it hard for her to sleep at night. Josie brushed it off as the same cold her daughter had gotten, but her health hadn’t seemed to improve any. She was happy to see Josie’s spirits lifted.

  They walked out into the evening, the setting sun painting the clouds pink against the darkening sky, and made their way to the edge of Chinatown. Lee’s restaurant straddled the edges of Shasta and the village the Chinese immigrants had created, allowing him to gain white customers without the two races intermingling too much, which often caused trouble.

  The tiny restaurant was crowded as always, but the two girls found a place to sit and ordered their meals, then discussed the events of the day. Mary knew not to babble too much about the books she was reading—Josie never expressed much interest in learning more than basic reading and writing skills, and Mary’s “book talk” could make her impatient.

  Mary also avoided the topic of Emma—Josie knew she had a little sister, but Mary never shared details about the situation, uncomfortable discussing her with others. Instead, Mary let Josie gush about her new dress (this one out of peach-colored silk and covered in embroidered lace), how much it had cost, and the ribbons and jewelry she had purchased to match.

  Mary listened and let her eyes wander over the customers behind Josie’s head, at those she recognized from town and those that either never came to the saloon or had just arrived. One man, turned away from her, had long, sandy-brown hair that attracted her gaze. He seemed familiar, but it was only when he turned and she saw his profile that she realized it was Jimmy.

  She gasped in astonishment; although she looked for him every night, she had reminded herself all that time that even if she did see him, too much time had passed. Mary hadn’t seen Jimmy Parker for a decade, since she was a little girl, only ten, and he was barely twelve.

  She had often wondered what he looked like as a grown man, not sure if she would recognize him even if he did walk into Daisy’s. Here he was, however, and there was no mistaking that rugged face, brown from sun and wind, those startling eyes with the sunbursts of yellow, that slightly crooked smile. She could even see the crick in his nose from when she punched him too hard while he was teaching her how to box.

  Mary was suddenly transported back to childhood. She and her friend Jimmy running through the mining camp outside of Shasta, playing in the mud, trying to capture squirrels, and laughing until their sides hurt when it proved unsuccessful. For years, her days were spent outdoors, playing with her pal Jimmy while their fathers, friends who had begun to work together when Mary and Jimmy were just small children, mined their claims, finding enough to allow them all to subsist with relative comfort. Jimmy’s mother had taken care of Mary while her pa was away, and had been almost a mother to her.

  But then something had happened. Mary wasn’t sure exactly what, and she and her pa stayed while Jimmy and his parents packed their things and left. She had missed Jimmy terribly, and thought of their romps together often.

  Now, suddenly, here he was right in front of her. The surprise of it all made her flush. She had to speak to him, but what were the right words? She told herself it might not even be him—it was so long since they’d been together. How could she be sure what he would look like now? But there was no doubt in her mind.

  Whatever she was going to do, however, she needed to do it quickly. Continuing to stare was certainly not the best idea.

  Josie had noticed her friend’s reaction and stopped talking. “Mary? You okay? What’s going on?”

  Before Mary could answer, Josie turned in her seat and began craning her neck around, looking for the culprit that had taken Mary’s attention. Mary put an arm on her shoulder, embarrassed. “Josie! Turn back around right now, you hear me? It’s nothing, I just saw an old friend I wasn’t expecting to see round here, and it took me by surprise. I’ll go talk to him in just a minute. I was just so shocked that it got me a little flustered is all.”

  Josie continued to look. “Which one? Who is it? I’m not going to turn back around until I lay my eyes on this fella, so you might as well point him out to me.”

  Mary sighed in exasperation and pointed him out to Josie as subtly as she could, trying not to draw undue attention. Josie raised an eyebrow. “That blond one? Is he the one you said you grew up with on the claims? Jiminy, or something? Looks like the last few years have been good to him. You need to go say hello now, and you might want to introduce me to him, while you’re at it.”

  Mary leaned in to try to get Josie to lower her voice, which carried further than she liked. “First of all, it’s Jimmy. James. Second of all, don’t you get any ideas about this man. He’s my friend, so you won’t be laying no trap for him. And I’ll go talk to him in a minute. I just need to figure out what to say. It’s been ten years, more or less. He likely won’t even recognize me.”

  “Maria?”

  Mary sat up straight and looked over towards the voice. During her whispered conversation with Josie, Jimmy must have spotted her, because he had moved closer and was looking intently at her, waiting for her to respond.

  Her anxiety fled as a wave of excitement rushed through her. It really was him. Jimmy was back in her life, and how she had missed him. She smiled broadly, unable to contain her happiness, and he grinned back. “Jimmy!” she said quietly, more to herself than anything.

  Her feelings were reflected on his face as he rushed up to her and she jump
ed out of her seat to greet him. He picked her up in a giant bear hug, lifting her off the ground. He was so tall that she was lifted several inches off the floor, and his strong arms held her tight against his chest. She was too absorbed in the moment to realize the scene they were making and the impropriety of their intimacy in public. She hadn’t felt this comfortable or happy in a very long time, and she held on to it, and him, tightly.

  Finally, she let go of him, gained her feet, and stepped back. She couldn’t stop herself from grinning up into his eyes, bright from laughter and exhilaration, and she hardly noticed that her hand stayed cupped in his. He was the first to break the silence between them. “My goodness me, is this grown up woman the same skinny little girl that used to run around the camps like a jackrabbit with a dog on its tail? I barely recognized you, Lady Maria.”

  She laughed, and the flood of memories washed over her again. While his voice had gotten deeper, his teasing tone was just the same as ever, and when he called her “Lady Maria,” which he had used whenever he wanted to rile her up, she nearly cried from happiness.

  “Maria, is it?” asked a voice from behind her, and Mary saw Josie sitting there with one eyebrow raised, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

  “I’m sorry, Josie. I forgot where I was. Josie, this is my friend Jimmy. Or is it James now? It’s been a long time.”

  He chuckled again and greeted Josie, barely taking his eyes off Mary. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Josie. It’s still Jimmy. I never could quite get the hang of James. But I guess you’re not Maria anymore? What do I call you, then?”

  “You still call me Maria. I go by Mary around town. It just makes things easier.”

  There was a short silence as Jimmy nodded in understanding. Mexicans were treated poorly around the camps, and the tensions had gotten even worse in recent years. Mary, with her blue eyes, California-bred accent, and skin that looked more tan than naturally dark, was able to sidestep most of that ire. But it would be very different if she went by the name her Hispanic mother had given her.

  The moment passed and Jimmy smiled again, and Mary gazed into his eyes, soaking up the familiarity and rightness she found there. They had once been so close, and though a decade had passed, she could see in his eyes that he still felt that closeness as much as she did.

  She wanted to continue staring at him and grinning foolishly, which she had been doing since he walked over, but she was brought back to reality when Josie tapped her on the arm. Looking down, she saw that food had mysteriously appeared while she was absorbed with Jimmy.

  She turned back to him. “Will you join us for some supper?”

  His smile faltered. “I just finished, actually, and I’d sit here ‘til morning chattering with you if I could, but I’ve already promised those men over there,” he tilted his head toward a group of men nearby, “that I’d play some poker with them tonight. I figured that you and your dad would’ve given up the claim and moved out of here years ago, but that wasn’t going to stop me from searching for you around these parts all day tomorrow, and here you are. In town and dressed like a lady instead of the ruffian I was used to. I still can’t get over it.”

  He paused for a moment when he saw the sorrowful look on her face. “I will tell the guys that we can play poker another time. I’ll stay here,” he said resolutely.

  But what he took for sadness was actually anxiety. Play poker? Where? What if he went to Daisy’s? She rarely felt ashamed of her job, and, for the most part, she didn’t care who knew what she did. Jimmy was different.

  “Where were you fellows planning on playing?” she said, making an effort to smooth out her expression and trying to keep her voice casual.

  “Just a pickup game at the boarding house. Jack, the one over there who looks as uncomfortable as can be, works at the bank. I do, too, as a matter of fact. He found a good boarding house and reserved a room for me while I’m working on some things here. You know me—I met a few people and had to get something started for tonight.”

  She smiled again, thinking back to the thousands of times he had wandered over in the evening to start a game with her and her pa. She was relieved to hear that he would be playing a private game tonight.

  “No, you go play your game. Josie and I must eat quickly and leave in a few minutes anyway. But tomorrow. You said you were going to spend the day searching for me; since that is no longer necessary, I suppose you are free-up?”

  He smiled and nodded. She said, “Good. Then I’ll come over to the boarding house round about eleven and we can spend the whole day together, if that’s acceptable. For now, you go have some fun.”

  He paused for a second, and she hoped he wouldn’t ask her any questions, as she was unprepared to answer them. Instead, he nodded happily. “Tomorrow it is. I can take you out on the town with the money I get from these boys tonight. I swear, some of them are so green they probably wouldn’t recognize a flush if it came up and bit ‘em. Still, I’m sorry to go.”

  He walked away reluctantly, not letting go of her hand until he had taken several steps, and mouthed “tomorrow” to her, waiting for her enthusiastic nod before he turned and went back to the men he had left only a few minutes before, who had gathered at the door.

  Mary sat down by Josie again, and found the other girl staring at her with a giddy, almost smug, expression lighting her face. “That’s Jimmy, huh? Dearest friend and all that? The one you watch for every night? Don’t look so surprised; I figured out your little pattern long ago. That man is handsome, and the way he was looking at you! I’m amazed you had the wherewithal to keep standing. Man like that staring at me in that way, you would need to pick me up off the floor.”

  Mary nodded at her friend, then started to pick at her food, a shadow of the smile Jimmy had elicited still on her lips. Josie’s continued prattle faded into the background as she replayed everything that had just happened. Seeing him again made her feel like she was home. Happy, content, free.

  But there was something more to it; the thrill of their hands touching and the way she felt when staring into his eyes, like she had forgotten how to breathe and her heart decided to stop beating and start fluttering around like a bird instead. It was just the astonishment of seeing him again, she cautioned herself. Once she settled down a bit from the shock, things would be just like they had always been. Friends. Jimmy.

  Thinking his name and picturing his face spread in a grin, and reliving the crushing hug, she barely managed to eat anything before she and Josie had to leave. The walk back to Daisy’s felt like an hour or a second, she wasn’t quite sure which, and he was all she could think about as she prepared for the evening.

  She was so ecstatic to reconnect, but she was also anxious about the next day. She was unable to decide if she should tell him that she was employed in a saloon. Or, more accurately, in the rooms above it. Because they had been children when they last saw each other, she had no idea what his reaction would be.

  When she mentioned her conundrum to Josie, her friend glanced at her, wary. “Well, this is how I see it: if you two are just friends and he’s going to stick around town awhile, you better tell him. If you’re as head-over-heels for him as I’m guessing, you should wait a bit. There is no sense causing problems when you only just got back together.”

  Mary thought about her words. She decided that while she wasn’t head-over-heels for him—she couldn’t bring herself to even think about what the complications would be if that were true, so it wasn’t a possibility she could even consider—she wanted to reconnect more before she discussed her profession.

  With that resolved in her mind, she returned to thinking through their interactions for the hundredth time, smiling to herself as she pictured the pleasure in his eyes when he recognized her. She wanted to laugh with excitement when she imagined the next day, when she would have the opportunity to find out more about this older, but still so familiar, version of her friend.

  Chapter 3

  Mary’s walk back to the saloon an
d evening preparations passed in a daze. She was completely absorbed with thoughts of Jimmy, reminiscences of her past, what the next day would bring. She felt as if a missing part of her life had just fallen back into place, and she needed to hold tight to keep it from slipping away again. They had been more than friends; they had been two halves of a whole.

  She attempted to push away her anxiety and simply focus on the wonder of his return, but that led to other questions. Why did it take him so long to come back? Was this a brief visit or a permanent homecoming?

  The thought of his staying in Shasta made her heart jump, but it also meant she would need to tell him of her place of employment somehow. And what then? Would he be ashamed to know how she made her living? Most men had few qualms about going up those stairs, but that in no way meant they held no contempt for those same women come daylight. She had learned that contradiction early on. She decided it would be best to delay the discussion at least until she knew his plans, but had little idea how to broach the subject if the time came. The thought frightened her.

  As Mary walked down the stairs, several minutes behind the rest of the girls, she strived to pull herself back into the moment, but was unsuccessful. Her questions, worries, and continuous visions of Jimmy’s smile prevented it. She endeavored to smile at the men as she thrust herself through the crushing crowd of the saloon, but found she was unable to focus her thoughts long enough to hone in on her catch for the evening. They all blended together in one incomprehensible swirl.

  Her normal tactics simply would not work for her this evening, even though Saturday nights often brought big hauls, if she chose her first man wisely. While she stood dazed by the throng around her, Daisy rushed over. “Mary! What took you so long?”

  Mary’s thoughts were so far away, she didn’t even register her employer’s presence, let alone her words. Daisy waited for a response, then snapped her fingers in front of Mary’s eyes to gain her attention. “Mary? Hello? Are you okay? Why are you so distant? You know you need to be focused tonight. The biggest night of the week, and you are a thousand miles away.”