Fated Memories

by Judith Ann McDowell

  Hattie nodded as she saw Eathen turn away to lift another log onto the fire.

  “I’m tryin’ to change, Charlotte.” He stood up, dusting his hands off on his jeans. “But you sure don’t make it easy on a man.” Eathen walked over to pick up his sleepy-eyed daughter.

  Jessie yawned a contented yawn, then stuck a half-eaten candy cane back into her mouth, and Charlotte felt her heart soften towards the man she still loved. Without giving herself time to think about what she was going to say, she declared, “Eathen, perhaps, a trip to Helena would be all right. I’ve always wanted to go there.”

  All the places he had dreamed about showing her, such as the biggest and best hotel in Helena, the one with the huge chandelier imported all the way from Europe that hung in the restaurant, the fine wines he could introduce her to and, best of all, a room all to themselves, without any interruptions, ran through his mind. His big face broadened into a wide smile as he walked back over to her. With Jessie held against his chest, he reached out and, with his free hand, pulled Charlotte up and into his arms. “Since everything I say here of late seems to come out wrong, I’ll just say thank you, Charlotte.”

  “You know, Eathen? This is the first time in all the years we’ve been married you actually thought about your words before you said them.” A little smile played at her mouth.

  Returning her impish grin, he replied, “Now that I see the results, I’ll choke before I ever forget it!”

  ***

  A steady cold December wind blew throughout the day, its chilling reach finding its way through the heaviest of winter wraps to remind even the most stalwart of travelers the dangers of its icy touch.

  Repeated loud banging on the front door echoed throughout the big house.

  “Ah kain git mahseff hyah no faser!” Hattie wheezed, yanking open the heavy oak door.

  “Christ, woman!” Frank ran a gloved hand across the frozen mucus hanging from his bulbous nose and stiff mustache. “A body could freeze to death, ‘fore you got around to answerin’!” he growled, brushing past Hattie and leaving his wife and young son standing on the doorstep.

  “Come on in hyah wid dat chile, Miss Sarah,” Hattie ushered them into the house.

  “Thank you, Hattie. Its so cold out it hurts to breathe.”Sarah shivered, running gloved hands up and down her crossed arms.

  “Aw, quit your snivelin’ and get in here,” Frank told her, already divesting himself of his thick-lined coat. “Stomp the snow off them boots too, ‘fore you track everything up!”

  “Yes, Frank, we did.” She pulled her shivering son through the door.

  “Merry Christmas everyone!”Eathen greeted them, walking into the parlor.

  “That the best you can offer?”Frank turned from hanging up his coat. “After we come all the way over here in the cold?”

  “Ah gots coffee wahmin’ on de stove,” Hattie spoke up, ignoring Frank’s unsubtle hint.

  “Coffee!”Frank pulled his gloves from his hands, cramming them into his coat pocket. “I need somethin’ a lot stronger’n coffee to thaw out!”

  “Frank, dear, you promised you weren’t gonna drink til’ later,” Sarah plucked at his shirtsleeve.

  “Don’t start, woman,”Frank shrugged her hand away, his stomach tightening as he saw the way she cowered beneath his words, “or I’ll take your scrawny butt right back to the house.”

  “Yes, Frank,”she stooped to unbutton her son’s coat to pull it off his shoulders, “I’m sorry.”

  “Little Frank, get them boots off, then get over here and say hello to Mr. Thornton. At least act like you got some manners, even if you ain’t!”

  The boy dropped to the floor, undoing the rubber boots to tug them from his feet. As his mother held out her hand, he grabbed it to pull himself up. He drew the side of his hand beneath his nose then wiped it on the pant leg of his jeans as he walked across the floor to hold out his hand. “M-m-merry Christmas, M-mister Thornton,” he stuttered, bowing his head.

  “Merry Christmas, son,” Eathen ruffled the boys’ mop of dark red hair.

  “Damn kid can’t talk for nothin’,”Frank growled, casting a disgusted look on the boy. “I don’t know why I let her talk me into draggin’ him along.”

  “You’re bein’ too hard on the boy, Frank, Eathen told him. “He’ll grow out of it with time.”

  “I sure as hell hope so!”Frank smoothed the collar of the boy’s white cotton shirt into place. “Otherwise he’ll never get nothin’ said!”

  “Merry Christmas,”Charlotte called out, coming into the room to place Jessie on her nearest rocking horse.

  “My word, Charlotte,”Sarah steepled her hands to her mouth, “look at all these presents.Why, there’s more stuff here than’s in the Mercantile in Cut Bank.”

  Walking over to stand beside a small rocking horse, Little Frank brushed a slow hand down the thick mane. “S-santa must t-think you’re really s-pecial! He only l-left me three presents.”

  Jessie, happy for the attention, squealed and rocked her horse back and forth with glee.

  “Special ain’t got nothin’ to do with it, Little Frank,” his father said, his voice taking on a bitter edge. “Santa just had a little help’s all. Not every kid has Eathen Thornton for a pa.”

  “I-is that t-true, Mister T-Thornton?”Little Frank looked up, hope shining from his eyes.

  “Yes, son, it is.This bein’Jessie’s first Christmas, I decided to give ole Saint Nick a hand.”Eathen explained as the boy’s pale green eyes watched him. “She won’t get near this much next year.”

  “Would you like to place a little wager on that, Eathen?”Frank challenged.

  “There’s no need to, Frank,”Eathen grinned a good-natured grin. “I said she won’t. That’s good enough.”

  “All the same, I plan to be here just to see for myself come next Christmas.If I see a pile of presents,” Frank jabbed a finger into Eathen’s chest, “you’re gonna owe me the best bottle of brandy you got in stock.Fair enough?”

  “All right, you got a deal.”Eathen pushed his hand away. “In the meantime, I suggest we open a bottle right now. It wouldn’t be Christmas without a little Christmas cheer, now would it?”

  “Now you’re talkin’!”Frank snickered, ignoring the look on his wife’s pinched face.

  “Come on, Sarah,”Charlotte said, draping an arm over the distraught woman’s shoulders, “Let’s go see what Hattie has for us to munch on in the kitchen.”

  “I really think we should keep an eye on the young’uns.”Sarah held back.

  “They’ll be fine. Eathen and Frank can watch them. Besides, Hattie’s makin’ her famous sweet potato pie and I promised myself, this year, I’m gonna be there to see what it is she adds to makes it so special.”

  “Well, all right,”Sarah agreed with some reluctance. “I guess they’ll be fine for a little while.”

  As soon as the women walked from the room, the men made a beeline for the den.

  Breathing a long sigh of relief, Frank voiced his anger. “Some day that woman’s gonna push me a little too far and she’s gonna find her skinny ass out in the snow. Naggin’ all the goddamn time! Gets so I hate to go home anymore.”

  “You shouldn’t let it get to you.Women are born worriers.Hell, it’s in their blood.” Eathen filled two glasses up to the rim with brandy.

  “What shall we drink to, Eathen?”Frank looked around the well-furnished room. “This rotten weather to change or the loose women of the world who accept lousy bastards like us for what we are?”

  “How ‘bout both?”Eathen winked, handing Frank his drink.

  “I gotta hand it to you, Eathen,”Frank touched his glass against Eathen’s in a toast, “you got the best of all worlds.A beautiful wife. More money’n ten men! Not to mention, the respect of damn near every man in Montana.”

  “Yeah, I been lucky. But I’ll tell you somethin’, Frank,”Eathen leaned his weight back against a broad oak desk, his voice taking on a serious tone, “sometimes s
uccess can make a man do things he later comes to regret.”

  Frank gulped his drink, set the empty glass down near a full bottle of brandy and, pulling a cigar from his shirt pocket, bit off the end to spit it into the fireplace. “Hell, there ain’t a goddamn thing I regret.”He struck a match and held the flame to the tip of the cigar. “I plan on gettin’ all I can, while I can.”He squinted at Eathen through the smoke. “If somebody don’t like it,” he smacked a hand against the seat of his pants, “they can just kiss Ole Rusty!”

  A high-pitched scream echoed with alarm throughout the big house, spurring those who heard it to move.

  “What the hell?”Eathen yelled, dropping his glass and running from the den.

  Close on his heels, a nervous Frank murmured, almost to himself, “If that damn kid of mine has done somethin’, I’ll beat him within an inch of his life!”

  The chilling sight meeting his eyes as he entered the parlor almost made Eathen’s heart stop. The rocking horse Jessie had been enjoying just scant moments earlier, now lay in the fireplace, with the small child only inches from the flames. Jerking his daughter from harm’s way, Eathen held her close against his chest, afraid to check her for injuries.

  “Eathen, my God, what happened?”Charlotte cried, running into the room.

  “We went to the den to have a drink when, all of a sudden, we heard Jessie scream,” he hastened to explain, the tension in his voice giving an angry tone to his words. “We ran in here just in time to see her layin’ almost in the fire!”

  “Well, is she all right?”Charlotte demanded, one hand clutching her heart.

  “She’s stopped cryin’.”Eathen held Jessie away from him, his voice still on edge. “I guess she’s all right.”

  “Little Frank,”Charlotte turned to the small boy standing wide-eyed across the room, “do you know what happened to Jessie?”

  Unable to speak, he nodded.

  “Well if you know, please tell us!” she cried.

  “I t-tried t-to get her o-off the r-rockin’ horse so I c-could have a turn and s-she f-fell in t-the f-fireplace. I didn’t m-mean to h-hurt her none,” he sobbed in his own defense.

  To everyone’s shock, Frank moved across the room and with brutal force jerked the boy up by his thin shoulders. “You rotten little bastard! You coulda killed her! Why in the name of God did I get cursed with a worthless piece of shit like you for a son?” Frank drew back his hand and, before anyone could move to stop him, delivered a vicious slap across Little Frank’s face. The force of the blow sent the child sprawling across the room.

  Going to where her son lay sobbing, Sarah dropped to her knees, drawing the small boy into her arms. “There now, Little Frank, let mama wipe your tears. We know you didn’t mean any harm to Jessie,” she soothed.

  Still crying, Little Frank crawled into the loving arms of his mother.

  “Didn’t mean any harm, hell!”Frank glowered, as they sat huddled together on the floor. “He almost caused her to be burnt up!”

  “All right, Frank, it’s all over now,”Eathen said, with more empathy than he really felt. “Jessie’s not hurt, just scared.”

  “I’ll take her upstairs and get her cleaned up.”Charlotte reached for her daughter. “Then we can all sit down to dinner. Sarah, why don’t you let Eathen get you a glass of wine? It’ll help to calm you.”

  “Yeah, and while you’re at it, take out the tallest glass you got and pour it full of whisky.”Frank ran a shaky hand through his dark red hair. “This damn family’s enough to make any man wanta drink.”

  “I don’t think you need an excuse, Frank. Eathen has plenty of liquor. All you have to do is ask,”Charlotte told him, before continuing on her way up the stairs with Jessie.

  Later, after everyone had gone home, Charlotte brought up a subject that had been bothering her all evening.

  “Eathen, why were the children left alone in the parlor?”

  “I thought they would be all right. Besides, I figured you and Sarah would be right back. I guess, I just didn’t think,” he finished.

  “No, Eathen, you didn’t, and it could have cost our daughter her life.”Charlotte left her chair. “You can forget about our goin’ with you to Helena, Eathen. If you can’t see to our safety in our own home, I shudder to think what could happen there.”

  As she walked past him, Eathen reached for the bottle of brandy waiting nearby.

  Chapter Eleven

  The canceled trip to Helena made life in the Thornton household all the more difficult. Eathen’s treatment of those around him, especially his hired help, became such that everyone, including his foreman, wanted to quit.

  “Hattie, I need to talk to Eathen. Where is he?” Dave asked, walking into the kitchen.

  “Ah specs he bes in de den,” Hattie told him, cutting out a pan of biscuits. “Ain’ nobody seed him yit dis mawnin’.”

  “They’re gonna,” Dave growled turning on his heel.

  Without bothering to knock, Dave pushed open the door. The stench of liquor and stale smoke hit him full force. Spying Eathen stretched out on the couch, his mouth open wide with an empty glass dangling from his hand, Dave shook his head in disgust before slamming the door.

  “Why that woman puts up with you is beyond me,” he breathed, grabbing the glass and shoving the older man further back upon the couch.

  “What the hell’s goin’ on?” Eathen mumbled, running a coated tongue over dry lips, his bleary eyes trying to focus.

  “That’s what I wanna know,” Dave said, standing by the couch and staring down at him. “If you got any concerns for what your wife thinks of you, I suggest you try gettin’ your shit together.”

  “What my wife, or anybody else, thinks of me ain’t no goddamn concern of yours, Houston,” Eathen muttered, dropping his feet to the floor and running a large hand through his rumpled hair.

  “No they ain’t, but the runnin’ of this ranch is. How long do you expect us to go without bein’ paid?” Dave called back over his shoulder as he lifted both windows wide. Cold air rushing into the room sent a billow of stale smoke wafting to escape.

  On unsteady legs, Eathen moved to the door jerking it open. “Hattie, get some goddamn coffee in here,” he bellowed.

  “Ah’s gots it aw ready fer you.”

  “Then quit gabbin’ and get it the hell in here,” he banged the door closed for emphasis.

  “Yassuh, Mist’ Eathen. Ah’ll gits it,” she wheezed, scurrying to get the coffee.

  “I hear his lordship’s awake,” Charlotte declared, coming down the stairs.

  “Yas’m, he sure is,” Hattie replied, not bothering to slow her steps. “An’ effin you’s smart you’ll stays outta his way dis mawnin’.”

  Ignoring Hattie’s warning, Charlotte made her way to the den, just in time to hear her husband’s temper unleashed.

  “The day I need to depend on you for the runnin’ of this ranch’ll be the day I pack it in!”

  “Then you best start packin’, ‘cause it’s for damn sure you ain’t in any condition to run it! Hell, you can’t even make up your mind about what we’re gonna do about the broken cook stove in the bunkhouse.”

  Charlotte pushed open the door. “Eathen, what in the world’s goin’ on in here? Hattie and I can hear you bellowin’ clear out in the parlor.”

  “That’s great! Now I got two of you on my ass!” Eathen rolled his head on his shoulders trying to work out the kinks. “To answer your question, Charlotte, Houston here seems to think I can’t run things around here anymore. Is that your opinion, too?”

  Charlotte ignored the silent plea Dave aimed at her from across the room. “No, Eathen, it ain’t. This is your ranch. You run it the way you see fit. All I’m askin’ is that you do it a little quieter. Jessie’s playin’ in the parlor and I don’t want your loud mouth scarin’ her.”

  At the mention of Jessie, Eathen’s demeanor changed. “You’re right, darlin. I’ll get some coffee in me then I’ll go see her. I’ll be down later,�
� he focused his attention on Dave, “to discuss matters with you, Houston. Right now, I need to pull myself together. Go on out to the kitchen and have some coffee with Charlotte. I’ll be along in a few minutes.”

  “All right, I’ll be waitin’.” Dave placed a hand on Charlotte’s back, ushering her out the door.

  Once out of hearing of her husband, Charlotte could remain silent no longer. “I think you’re oversteppin’ your bounds with Eathen, Dave. It ain’t your place to come into his home and treat him with disrespect.”

  Stung by her quick defense of Eathen, Houston reached to take hold of her arm, and then dropped his hand back to his side as she stepped back out of his way. “I’m tryin’ to talk some sense into him. We been waitin’ almost three weeks for our pay. Hell we can’t even afford razor blades to shave.” He ran a hand over his stubbled chin, wishing he looked better for her. “Before long, we’ll be lookin’ as shabby as Eathen!”

  “You didn’t need to say that.” She gave him a warning glare. “Eathen will pull himself together. All he needs is a little time.”

  “A little time?” Dave laughed, throwing up his hands. “He’s been treatin’ Hattie like a slave, makin’ her cook for thirty men just because he can’t pull hisself together long enough to order a new cook stove.” The anger he fought to keep under control seeped through, icing his words. “If you want this ranch to go under, then keep on coddlin’ him. For Christ’s sake, Charlotte, it’s almost noon and he’s still sacked out from the night before.”

  “Don’t you take that tone with me, Dave Houston,” she warned him. “We don’t need you comin’ in here takin’ over our lives. My husband and I can handle things just fine without any help from you!”

  If she had drawn back her hand and slapped him across the face she couldn’t have stunned him more. Nor hurt him more deeply. All the fantasies he had spun lying in his bunk at night and had run through his mind about her during the day paled beside what he had just witnessed. In his dreams she always championed him. In that one split second of cold reality, she showed him the dream had already faded.