Red Rose

by J. C. Hulsey

  “I tell ye what. I’ll tie me mount to the back and go with ye. I can show ye what to do on the way. By the time we reach yer place ye’ll be handling the reins like a teamster. How’s that sound to ye?”

  “I would be very much in your debt, Mr.?”

  “Everybody calls me Tiny, because I’m so big.” He grinned a big grin from ear to ear.

  “All right Mr. Tiny, I’m ready anytime you are.”

  “I’ll just get me horse.” He tied his horse to the back of the wagon, then offered his arm and I accepted it. He helped me up onto the wagon seat, then he climbed up the wheel and sat beside me. He picked up the reigns, clicked to the horse, and we were off.

  “Is it alright for you to be away from your business like this?”

  “Oh sure, people’ll just help theirselves to whatever they need. If they need to stable their horse, they kin take the saddle off and put ‘em in a stall. The business kin run itself if need be. Besides, it wouldn’t matter no how. I’d help the widow of Roscoe Brown without question.”

  “Thank you Mr. Tiny. Your words mean a lot to me.”

  “Just call me Tiny, ma’am, just Tiny.”

  “Only if you call me Rose.”

  “Yes’em. Roscoe called ye his Red Rose. I can see why he did now that I’ve met ye.”

  “Roscoe talked to you about me?”

  “Oh yes ma’am. I mean Rose. He talked about ye to anybody that would listen. He was especially glad to finally find a woman to share his life with. I’m just sorry that his life wasn’t longer.”

  I could feel the tears building in my eyes. I blinked several times trying not to cry.

  Tiny glanced by direction. “Go ahead and cry Rose. Tears is good fer ye. They help to cleanse the soul. Let’em come.” He handed me a red bandanna.

  I wiped my eyes and sniffed a couple of times.

  “When are you going to show me how to drive this contraption?”

  “How about now?” He handed the reins to me and explained how I was supposed to hold them between my fingers, how to pull in which direction you wanted to go. It was all fairly simple and I got the hang of it very quickly.

  “Ye’re a natural, Rose. Are ye sure ye haven’t drove a wagon before?”

  “This is a first for me. Since I’m doing so well, perhaps you want to start back to town? We’re still a ways from my home.”

  “I’d be remiss in me duty if I let ye go on alone. No, I’ll see ye all the way there. If I don’t feel like riding back tonight, I kin sleep in the barn and get an early start in the morning.”

  “Thank you, you’re very kind.”

  We rode the rest of the way in silence. I would make sure I had a pair of gloves the next time I drove the wagon. The reins were rubbing a blister on my fingers.

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

  It was almost midnight when we arrived in the front yard of my home. My home. That had a nice sound to it. Tiny climbed down on his side. I climbed down on my side.

  “I’ll take the horse to the barn and bed’em down for the night. Then I think I’ll go on back tonight. I can git there just in time to catch a couple hours, before the day starts.”

  “Let me see if there’s something I can fix for a quick snack before you leave.”

  “I’d be obliged, Rose. Thank ye.”

  I went through the front door and the memories overwhelmed me. For a moment I thought I was going to faint. I reached the table, lit the lamp and stood and stared. It was just as we had left it that morning of the accident. The bed unmade, dirty dishes on the table. I felt the tears again starting to flow. Were they ever going to stop?

  Tiny stuck his head in the door, surveyed the surroundings and said.

  “I can see yer gonna be busy, so I’m gonna leave now. If ye need anything, please let me know and I’ll do me best to fulfill yer request. Good bye Red Rose.”

  “Goodbye, friend Tiny. Thank you so much for your help and your kindness.”

  I sat down at the table and leaned my head on it.

  “What am I going to do now, Lord? I’m all alone and I know practically nothing about how to run a cattle ranch. I thought for sure that You had picked out a mate for me to carry on with my life, but surely you don’t want me to abandon my child for a man? I ask you again for the strength and the guidance that you have provided for me all my life? I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.”

  I stood, started gathering the dirty dishes and carried them over to the dry sink. I picked up the empty bucket and went to the well to draw water. It had to start sometime. That sometime was now.

  The next morning I heard a familiar sound. Oscar the rooster telling the world that he was awake and still in charge of the chicken yard.

  I got out of bed, washed my face, dressed, picked up a basket and headed for the hen house.

  “We’ll see who’s in charge,” as I picked up the stick by the door.

  Oscar saw me coming and started dancing sideways toward me. I raised the stick and he danced the other direction. I walked straight to the hen house and gathered the eggs. Without any interference, I might add. I had just finished breakfast when I heard hoof beats in the yard. I went out the door and there were two teenagers riding horses. Then I remembered they were the Jarrod twins, Seth and Sam looking after the place.

  “Hello, Seth. Hello, Sam.” I made sure to address them separately. I remembered some twin girls in school. They got very upset when people would get them mixed up. They said they wanted to be treated as individuals not as a packaged set of something.

  “Good morning, Ma’am. We didn’t know you were back. Do you still want us to take care of the chores?”

  “Yes, if you would please, and then come into the house. I’d like to talk to both of you.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” They dismounted, tied their horses to the hitching rail by the barn and went inside.

  In a little while, one of the boys came in the door carrying a bucket of milk. “We been giving this milk to the hog, but we figured since you’re here, you might want some of it.”

  “Thank you. Yes, I would like some fresh milk. Whatever’s left over I’ll feed to the hog. Thank you again.”

  “It weren’t nothing, ma’am. Glad to do it. We’ll both be in to talk to you, like you asked, after we run the fence-line to make sure no cows have crossed over.”

  “No hurry, I’ll be here.” I checked the cookie jar. There was half a dozen sugar cookies in it. I tasted one. It wasn’t too old. I would have cookies and milk for them when they returned.

  I began the old ritual of cleaning the house. It was going to be hard after lazing around Mildred’s house for those days. Why did I think of Mildred? Thinking of Mildred caused me to think of Nate. Somehow the feelings that I thought I had for him had dimmed. I guess that's what happens when someone breaks your heart. It changes your feelings toward that person.

  It was close to noon before the boys came back in. I had opened some jars of vegetables and fried some johnnycakes so they could have more than cookies and milk.

  “Come on inside after you wash up and you can have dinner with me.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” They about knocked one another down getting to the well to wash up.

  “Please have a seat at the table. I’ll fix a plate for each of you. You can eat while we talk.”

  “There’s only two chairs, ma’am, where are you gonna sit?”

  “I can sit on this barrel. You boys just sit down and dig in. It feels good to see someone eating something that I fixed.”

  As they ate, I explained how I was all alone and I didn’t know anything about running a ranch. If we could reach some kind of agreement for them to keep helping me, I would appreciate it very much. I explained I didn’t have any money, but as soon as we sold the herd, there should be plenty for all. I remember that was Roscoe’s answer for everything. When we sell the herd.

  “I don’t know, ma’am, we’ll have to talk it over with Pa. He’s gonna be needing our help all the time before
long.”

  “Do you want me to talk to him? Explain everything that we’ve talked about?”

  “No, ma’am, we can do that. Maybe if we took turns helping you it would work out for everybody. How would that be?”

  “That sounds great. I’m sure now that I’m here, I can help more as I learn more. You boys can help me learn, can’t you?”

  “Yes, ma’am. We can surely do that. Now we need to be getting back to our place.”

  “Hold on, how would you like some cookies and milk before you go? And one more thing. You must call me Rose. No more of this, ma’am stuff. Deal?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I mean Rose. That sounds just fine. One of us will be here in the morning. And if you keep feeding us milk and cookies, there may be a fight as to which one comes first. Good bye to you, Rose.”

  “Goodbye Seth. Goodbye Sam. See you tomorrow.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

  We settled into a kind of routine. Either Seth or Sam would show up and take care of most of the outside chores, much as Roscoe did. I was getting back into the habit of doing things on a kind of schedule. Stoke the fire, fetch water from the well, cook breakfast, clean up, cook dinner, clean up, cook supper and in between, the clothes had to be washed. I had to build a fire outside under a big cast iron tub, wash the clothes and carry them inside to dry because it was too cold outside. They would freeze before they dried. There wasn't much mending to do, but there was always something to do. I found an old churn out in the barn, so I made plans to collect enough milk to churn some butter. It seemed the house was always in need of a good cleaning. I stuffed the mattress with fresh, clean straw again. As soon as the herd sold, I was going to see what the cost of a real mattress was. On Saturdays I would bake bread, pies, cakes, whatever I had items to do with. I was always glad for Sunday to come around. A day of rest except for the cow needing milked, the hog getting fed, feeding the chickens, feeding the horses. Then and only then, it was a day of rest, what was left of it. But I was thankful each and every day for what I had.

  I was very faithful in saying my prayers each and every night. I knew that my Lord would help me through these hard times and I would come out victorious, because of my faithfulness to Him.

  The boys brought a smoked ham one day, another day they brought a sack of potatoes. The next day, a big box came filled with jars of canned vegetables and there were even some jars of canned fruit. Oh, how I desired a peach pie. Now, I could have one. Things seemed to be pulling together fairly well. I hoped that the herd brought enough money to take care of everything. Enough to pay the boys, buy supplies for the year, and enough left over to replenish the herd. If I couldn't do that, I might as well give up. It seemed to be a never ending battle to get ahead and not being able to.

  One day, when I was outside scrubbing the bedding, I heard a buggy coming up the road. Oh my, I wasn't dressed for company. What difference did it make? I'm not trying to impress anyone. After all, I'm a rancher's wife. We're allowed to look this way on a work day. The buggy pulled up and stopped beside me. It was Chester Wainsworth. Dr. Wainsworth. Chet to his friends, of whom I used to be one.

  "Hello Rose. You're looking well. How are you feeling? You don't have but about two more months to go. I expected you’d be bigger by now. And I, also, expected you to come see me for a checkup. We don't want anything to happen to your baby.”

  "What can happen? Women have babies all the time?"

  "Yes, and sometimes there are complications that only a doctor can help with. Maybe we should examine you now, just to be on the safe side."

  "Alright, if you think it's necessary."

  "I think it's necessary." He brought his bag and followed me into the house. "Please lay on the bed and I'll take a look."

  After the exam, he said, "Everything looks fine, but I would like for you to start taking things a little easier until after the baby is born. I would think you’d be showing more, being this far along. But the baby sounds fine. Mrs. Templeton said she’d come and stay with you when it gets close.”

  “I don't need anyone to stay with me.”

  “Yes, Rose, you do. Maybe you can have a baby by yourself, but you will need someone to help you. You'll see when the time comes. You'll be begging for someone to help you.”

  “Not me. I'm not the begging kind.”

  We'll see. We'll see. Mrs. Jarrod, also, said she would come help you when the time came. And if there is any trouble, they’ll send one of the twins for me. I’ll come as soon as I can. I've got to get back to town now. I'll be back in a month. If you have any pain or discomfort, send one of the twins after me. I'll come immediately. I promise. Goodbye for now. Remember, I love you very much. Until next time. You still haven't had any morning sickness? That is very unusual. Most every women has some morning sickness.”

  “I guess I'm different."

  “Yes, Rose, you are indeed very different. In a very good way different. I’m waiting for you, Rose. I’ll keep waiting until you come to your senses and realize that we belong together.”

  “I don't think that’s going to happen, Chet. I'm sorry.”

  He climbed into his buggy and left. I watched until he was completely out of sight. Why can’t I feel for him now the way I did on the train?

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  The days hadn’t changed any. They were still long and very tiring. I know Chet told me to take it easy, but there’s no easy when you’re trying to take care of your own place.

  I brought one of the chairs out to the front of the house. I was planning on churning butter today. All of the other chores were going to have to wait. I poured the cream into the churn, put the top on, sat down and began the hour long process. Up and down, up and down.

  As I sit here doing this, I wonder is fresh butter worth all this trouble. Yes, a resounding yes, it is worth the trouble. There's nothing more delicious than fresh butter on home baked bread. Or a dollop on top of that peach pie that I’m going to bake. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

  I have never liked buttermilk, but being a rancher’s wife, you have to learn to like a lot of things that you might not have liked before. Of course, the hog doesn’t care if it’s fresh milk or buttermilk, so I shouldn’t have to force myself to drink it if I don’t want to. Just a couple more pulls and it should be done. I’m glad I baked that bread and pie on Saturday. I’m looking forward to some of this fresh butter on top of a piece of pie. I looked up just as a buggy was turning the bend and headed toward the house. Has it been a month already?

  “Is that what you call taking it easy, like I advised you to do?”

  “Things have to be done around here. They don’t stop just because I’m having a baby. Besides, I feel fine. I suppose you’ll be wanting to examine me?”

  “I think that would be the prudent thing to do. How are you feeling? Any morning sickness yet?”

  “Nope. The only thing I feel is big. How much longer do you think it will be?”

  “I’ll know more after the exam.”

  He picked up his bag and started walking into the house. He turned and asked, “Are you coming?”

  I stood, rubbed my back and went inside. After he examined me he took a brown bottle out of his bag.

  “I want you to take one of these pills each day until after the baby is born.”

  “Why? Is something wrong with the baby?”

  “Well, I would like for you to be bigger, and the baby’s heartbeat isn’t as strong as I would like it to be. I have to insist that you take it easy until after the birth. If you keep pushing yourself, it could hurt the baby. Will you please slow down? I’m going by Mrs. Templeton’s house and ask her to come and stay with you. I’m serious, Rose. You must take it easy. Especially don’t do any heavy lifting, and take a nap during the day.”

  “I’ll try to do what you say, but it’s going to be hard.”

  “I’ll stop by the Jarrod’s and explain all this to the twins. They can do more than they’ve been doing until after you
have the baby. I wish you’d come into town so I can watch over you.”

  “You know I can’t do that. I have to stay here. This is my home.”

  “Alright. Mrs. Templeton should be here tomorrow. I would suggest you go inside and get ready for bed.”

  “I can’t go to bed now. I’ve got to take the butter out of the churn. Then I have to take care of the animals, then maybe I can go to bed.”

  “Rose, you haven’t understood a word I’ve said to you. Have you?”

  “Yes, I heard every word, but as I said the world doesn’t stop turning just because I’m having a baby.”

  “You take care of that butter. I’ll take care of the animals. I want to see you in bed before I leave here tonight.”

  I took the top off the churn, reached in and lifted out a big blob of butter. I carried it into the house and placed it in a bowl. I rounded it out until it looked absolutely beautiful sitting there on the dry sink. I went back out and poured the buttermilk into a pitcher. I finished with that and realized it was getting close to supper time. The twins had already left for their home.

  I could hear Chet whistling while he took care of the stock. I suppose since he was helping me, I should fix him something to eat before he goes back to town. I still had some smoked ham left. I sliced off a few slices of bread along with the ham and placed them together. It wasn't fancy, but I had survived on less. I placed them on the table along with some canned peach juice that the twins brought me. I looked out the door and Chet was walking towards the house. His boots made a crunching sound as he walked across the yard. I stepped to the door.

  "Wash up before you come in. I’ve got a little something to eat before you head back to town." He came in wiping his hands on his trousers.

  "It looks delicious. Thank you."

  "Sit down and eat it. It isn't all that much."

  "Um. This is delicious." We didn't talk as we ate. I could feel his eyes watching me.

  After a bit I looked up and said, "Stop it!"

  "Stop what? I'm not doing anything."