When the house was finally settled, Daddy and Bubba came out and stood with Saucy at the window, admiring it.
Krissy came skipping out a moment later and crowed, “He gave me a $50 bonus. He said the day care bought the California mission. They want me to come and be a Celebrity Reader for them on Monday. Imagine that.”
Saucy could imagine that. Those little kids would love Krissy. When she first babysat Saucy and Bubba, Krissy had read story after story to Bubba. She’d even read from Saucy’s blue fairy tale book, the one Momma had given Saucy for her eighth birthday.
“Where to now, Miss Celebrity?” Daddy teased.
“Wal-Mart. I want a new perfume to celebrate,” Krissy said. “We can pick up a few groceries, too.”
“Good idea,” Daddy said. He reached out a hand toward Saucy and the other to Bubba. “We’re having a family conference tonight. It’s time we talk about our future as a family.”
3
A Family Conference
At the store, they split up. Bubba, his calculator out and ready, went with Daddy to buy groceries. Krissy and Saucy went to the perfume counter. At home, Krissy had a dozen perfume bottles lined up on her bathroom window. Saucy didn’t like how Krissy always smelled different; Momma had always smelled like roses. But Krissy always wanted a new perfume.
While Krissy was busy sniffing bottles, Saucy wandered down the aisle toward the magazines. Usually, she just stood and read them, while Krissy shopped. This time, a rack of blue jeans stopped her. They were the newest shade of blue and had a belt with a silver buckle. Last Friday, another girl in fifth grade had on a pair like this. Wow! They were great jeans.
Where was Daddy? Would he buy them for her? She picked up a pants leg and held it out to see the belt better. Saucy frowned, sighed and let it drop. Daddy was too worried about money still. He wouldn’t say yes.
“You like those?”
Saucy spun around to Krissy, who now smelled of a strong perfume. Did they call that scent a musk smell? Saucy didn’t like it.
Krissy leaned over her and took the hanger from the rack. “Try them on. I want to see.”
Daddy and Bubba were slow grocery shoppers, so there was time, thought Saucy. It wouldn’t do any good, but it would be fun to try them on. She took the jeans to the changing room.
When she came out a minute later, Krissy studied her. “You’re so slim. Those look really good on you.”
Saucy smiled at her reflection in the mirror and imagined wearing them to school on Monday. It was fun to dream.
She changed back to her old jeans and came out carrying the new ones on the hanger. She held it out to the changing room attendant, but Krissy took them.
“Let’s show your Daddy.”
Surprise made Saucy speechless. For the last year, since Momma died, Daddy bought all her clothes for a season at once.
“No sense in shopping every week. We’ll just get it all done at once and not come back until the weather changes.” The last time he’d bought clothes was right before school started–a week or so before he married Krissy.
Saucy had forgotten about shopping with Momma, about how much fun it could be to get something new for no reason except that you liked it.
Daddy was at the freezer department when they found him. He asked, “Ice cream cones for dessert? What flavor?”
“Chocolate!” Bubba said.
“Chocolate!” Krissy said at the same time.
Cold air streamed out of the freezer, and Saucy shivered. Strawberry was better, but she could get along. She shrugged. “Chocolate.”
Krissy said, “Look what we found for Saucy. The best jeans.”
The silver buckle had a soft gleam, and Saucy wanted to stroke it.
Daddy put a box of chocolate ice cream into the basket while Bubba picked out the cookie cones.
Then Bubba punched more numbers into his calculator. “$43.97,” he said.
Daddy said, “Jeans? She doesn’t need jeans.”
“Of course, she does,” Krissy said. “I got a bonus: I want to buy some perfume for me and jeans for Saucy.”
Daddy laughed. “Special gifts for the prettiest two girls in the state. Why not?”
Saucy looked up and met Krissy’s blue eyes. Daddy would never have understood why Saucy wanted new jeans. Krissy might be a stepmother, but she understood. It was nice to have someone on her side.
But there was the rum to think about. Saucy lowered her eyes and her smile faded a bit.
Then she brightened her smile and stifled a sigh. Well, Daddy was working in town right now and not making runs in the big truck. She didn’t need to worry about that rum. And Daddy didn’t need to know about that bottle. With her decision made, she watched Krissy peel off twenty-dollar bills and pay for her new jeans.
Later, when they got home, Saucy dressed up in her new jeans for supper. Daddy grilled burgers, and Krissy made a salad. Saucy set the table while Bubba played with his calculator. Afterwards they ate triple-scoop chocolate ice cream cones.
When everyone was done, Daddy cleared his throat. “Kids, it’s time we talked. Krissy and I have decided to make some big changes around here. I’ve always wanted to turn this place into a horse ranch. It’s time.”
Saucy had heard this plan for a horse ranch before. Her Momma and Daddy had discussed it many times, but Momma had never liked it.
“Animals will tie us down to the ranch,” Momma had argued. “We can never travel or do anything. Horses always have to be fed and watered and exercised. If we have boarders, there’s never a vacation.”
“But I love working with horses,” Daddy said.
“It would be so hard to make a living that way,” Momma protested.
Before Saucy had been old enough for school, Momma and Daddy and Saucy and baby Bubba had all gone trucking together. Saucy remembered going to sleep with the sound of the truck enveloping her. Momma loved checking off states and cities on her map. They had traveled to forty states, and she had hoped to make the other eight in the continental United States.
She kept the map taped to the kitchen wall, beside the door. “When we finish this map, we can start on Canada,” she told Saucy.
It had been Daddy who wanted the horse ranch. Daddy had even bought Momma a filly. Saucy thought he was trying to change Momma’s mind, but it hadn’t worked. She liked her filly, but didn’t want any other horses.
Was Momma right? Was it really a hard way to make a living? Saucy was glad Daddy wanted to try something else, but would they be able to make enough money with a horse ranch? Would Daddy make her take back her great jeans because they cost too much?
“A horse?” Bubba’s eyes shone. Even though he’d been small, he had loved Momma’s filly. And lately he had been begging for horse riding lessons. He could be Daddy’s first pupil.
“The Dillard Horse Ranch. Sounds great, doesn’t it?” Krissy said.
Daddy cleared his throat and said, “It means I’m going to make one more run in the big truck before I sell it.”
Saucy’s throat hurt. No. He couldn’t leave them again.
Daddy hurried on. “It’s the last one. California strawberries are ripe. I can pick up some good runs and make enough to buy the two horses. When I get back, I’ve already sold the rig to Mr. Paris. His youngest son wants to try trucking.”
Saucy was shaking her head. “No.”
“Yes, Saucy. It’s only ten days, and then I’m done with trucking. For good.”
But there was a bottle of rum under the counter. And Krissy had money to go to town.
“Hurrah!” Bubba shouted. “Can I name the horses?”
“You can name one, and Saucy names the other.” Daddy pulled Bubba into his lap. Their faces looked so much alike. When Bubba’s hair darkened from its white-blond to a light brown like Daddy’s, they’d be almost identical. Saucy wished for the thousandth time that she looked more like Daddy. Daddy continued, “I already have two mares picked out. That’s where I was this morning, making t
he deal with Kyle Sanders.”
Daddy caught Saucy’s eye. “Whaddya say? Can you get along without me for just ten days?”
“That’s only 240 hours,” Bubba said solemnly.
“And after that you’ll be home forever and not go out on the road again?” Saucy whispered.
“That’s what we all want,” Krissy answered.
Daddy reached over to cover Krissy’s pale hand with his tanned one. “That’s what we all want,” he repeated.
240 hours. How many hours would they sleep? How many hours would she and Bubba be in school? That didn’t leave very many hours alone with Krissy. Surely it could work. And Krissy did buy her new jeans. Maybe she was worrying about nothing. Krissy was different now that she and Daddy had married.
What choice did she have? She had to trust Daddy. If he would sell the big truck when he got back, maybe it would work.
“The Dillard Horse Ranch,” Saucy said solemnly. “That’s what we all want.”
4
The Fairy Tale Book
Before school on Monday, Krissy came into the kitchen carrying Saucy’s blue fairy tale book. “Do you mind if I borrow this? I want to read it to the daycare kids today.”
Saucy wanted to say no. It was one of the last things Momma had given her. She shrugged. “If that’s the only thing you can find to read from, I guess you can.”
“Thanks,” Krissy said. “I’ll take one of Bubba’s picture books, too. But the director asked me to read fairy tales.”
Saucy wore her new jeans to school. Three girls complimented her on the jeans, the assistant principal said they were cute and even Robert, the fifth grader on the bus, said he liked her silver buckle. And she got to write an essay about getting her new jeans. All in all, it was a great day.
When she and Bubba stepped off the bus, she was excited to see Daddy’s pickup. He was sitting at the kitchen table when she walked in. They threw their book bags on the table and grabbed a glass of milk and chocolate chip cookies.
“Why are you home?” Saucy asked Daddy. She wished Bubba would go upstairs or something so she could show Daddy the rum bottle.
“I quit at the gas station today. Joel said just come on home, then. I’ve got a week’s vacation coming. I’m leaving in the morning, and I’ll be back in ten days.”
Saucy dunked her cookie in her milk. Her stomach tightened, though, and suddenly, she didn’t want the cookie. She pulled it out and nibbled.
Bubba grabbed another cookie. He always grabbed more chocolate chip cookies. “When do we get the horses?”
“When I get back.”
“In 252 hours.”
Saucy corrected him, “You said 240 hours.”
“240 hours once he leaves. But it’s twelve hours until he leaves. More or less,” Bubba said.
Bubba refilled his milk glass. “I’m going to do my math homework.” He shouldered his book bag, grabbed his glass and one more cookie, and headed up the stairs.
Now was her chance. Saucy cleared her throat. Daddy was putting his glass in the dishwasher and washing his hands. He bent to look out the window. “Good. Krissy’s home.”
“Daddy, I need to tell you–”
But Daddy was already halfway down the hallway and then out the door. Saucy followed and stood in the doorway, watching the van bounce into the yard and stop.
A moment later, Krissy flopped into a rocking chair on the porch. “It was a great day,” she said. “The daycare kids loved me. There was a blond kid that reminded me of Bubba. So cute. He talked with a lisp. And they asked me to come next month, and they’ll pay me. Oh, not much. But a little. Maybe I’ll help the kids make their own gingerbread houses. We could use graham crackers to make it easy.”
Daddy eased himself into the other rocking chair and sat mesmerized by Krissy’s enthusiasm. It was times like this that Daddy’s face lost that sad look. Krissy was good for Daddy. After Momma died last year, there were lots of days that Daddy didn’t even shave, and his whiskers were rough. But Krissy made him use the spicy after shave she liked. Daddy never forgot to shave now.
“Oh. And one boy had red teeth, just like Bubba. Too many red hots. It was so much fun. Did I tell you they asked me to come back next month?”
Daddy grinned. “You told me. I’m glad you had a good day.”
Krissy yawned and stretched, looking like a golden cat. “You’re home early.”
“I told Joel that I quit. He said, I should get on with it. He’s glad we’ve finally decided something. So, I’m leaving in the morning. I’ll be back in 258 hours.”
At that, Krissy grinned. “Been talking to Bubba, huh?
“He’s upstairs doing homework.”
“You better get up there and do homework, too, young lady,” Krissy said.
She’d been found out. “Where’s my fairy tale book?”
“Run get it out of the van.” Krissy yawned.
Saucy ran down the porch steps to the van. She jerked open the driver’s side door. The van was so old, if you didn’t jerk, it wouldn’t open. The blue book wasn’t in the seats. She leaned down and looked under the seats. Under the driver’s seat was a gleam. Saucy reached under, but jerked her hand back like a snake had bitten it. A bottle. Another full bottle of rum.
Where else did Krissy hide bottles? How many other bottles did she have hidden around the house that Daddy didn’t know about?
Saucy looked everywhere in the van, but all she found were Bubba’s picture books. Her book wasn’t there. All the while, she felt her anger growing. She stomped loudly up the porch steps. “It isn’t in the van.”
Daddy glanced up.
“I’m sure it’s there,” Krissy said. “Or it’s at the daycare.”
“It’s not there. Please, Krissy, call the daycare and see if they’ve found it.” Saucy used her best polite voice. She tried hard not to sound angry. But Daddy raised his eyebrows. Did he know how mad she really was?
He went inside and came back with the phone. “Hello? This is Mr. Dillard.”
Why was Daddy calling instead of Krissy? Saucy stomped across the porch, away from lazy Krissy.
Daddy covered the phone. “Saucy. Quiet.”
She sat cross-legged on the porch and glared.
Daddy spoke softly: “My wife Krissy read stories to your kids today.” Pause. “Yes, she enjoyed it, too. Did she–by any chance–leave her blue book of fairy tales there? Yes. I’ll wait.”
Daddy sat on the arm of Krissy’s chair.
Krissy patted his leg. “I’m sure it’s there.”
Hugging her knees, Saucy tried not to grit her teeth.
Daddy spoke into the phone again. “Not there. Well, if you find it, will you call?”
Krissy leaned her head back and sighed. “It’s got to be there. I’m sorry, Saucy. I’ll look in the van.” She shoved up and tromped down the steps to the car.
“Honey, Krissy didn’t mean to lose it.”
Jumping to her feet, Saucy said tightly, “Momma gave me that book.”
“We’ll find it.” Daddy tried to give her a hug.
Saucy ducked under his arms, opened the screen door and trudged down the hallway. Daddy wouldn’t listen to her now. He’d just think she was mad at Krissy for losing Momma’s book. And Krissy was at the van, probably hiding the rum bottle somewhere else. No, Daddy wouldn’t believe her. She picked up her book bag and let it bump on each riser as she climbed the steps. 258 hours until Daddy came home. How was she going to keep herself and Bubba safe for that long?
5
Daddy’s Gone
Brum-brum-brum. Long before dawn, Saucy woke to the sound of Daddy’s rig starting up. It quieted to a purr as the engine warmed up. Saucy pulled on her new jeans and a jacket and raced downstairs, afraid she would miss him. Last night she couldn’t sleep because of worrying about Krissy. Daddy might not believe her, but she had finally decided to try one more time to tell him about the rum. Maybe he wouldn’t leave, after all.
At the kitchen
door, she paused. Krissy was whipping up a big batch of pancakes, like she always did before Daddy left on a trip. Saucy tiptoed past, ran quietly down the hall and let herself out.
Outside, the mountain tops were just starting to glow pink. The big rig was pulled out of the shed and sat in the middle of the yard. Silhouetted against the dawn, it looked black instead of red.
Daddy was standing in the open doorway of the barn. Saucy snuggled against his side, and he put his arm around her without looking.
“Daddy, please don’t go,” she said.
Daddy hugged her closer, but still didn’t look at her. He finally let her go and waved his arm at the dark, empty barn. “Remember your Momma’s filly?”
“Yes.” It had been midnight black with a white stocking on its right front leg. Momma had braided its mane and tail with ribbons for every holiday: red and green for Christmas, green for St. Patrick’s day, and red, white, and blue for Fourth of July. Daddy had sold the filly to pay for Momma’s funeral bills.
Daddy suddenly knelt and hugged Saucy hard. He whispered into her hair. “After your mom died, I just hurt. I couldn’t do anything. I’m so sorry.”
Tears filled Saucy’s eyes. Daddy was saying things she didn’t want to hear.
Krissy called from the doorway of the house. “Breakfast in five minutes.”
“OK,” called Daddy. But he didn’t move. His voice was gruff. “Then I found Krissy, with her golden hair. She could keep me happy with just her smile. I could look into her eyes and laugh again. Now–” he cleared his throat. “Now, I want to make up for lost time. I want to do more for you and Bubba, more for Krissy.”
Saucy wrapped her arms around his neck and wished he would be quiet. She just wanted him to stay and not go. She didn’t want to hear how Krissy made him happy.
Daddy squeezed her back and turned her loose. He stood back in the barn’s doorway. The dawn was still a ways off, but light was growing. From the top of the small chicken house, one of Krissy’s bantam roosters crowed a greeting to the sun. Another rooster joined the first and they flapped wings at each other, jostling for the best position. The roosters’ crows rang out again.
Saucy and Bubba Page 2
