Once Upon a Misty Bluegrass Hill

by Rebecca Bernadette Mance

  And she fully intended to get it all back someday though she didn't yet know how.

  When she arrived at the back pasture fence, behind the new big brick fancy house put up by the new owners who bought her family farm when her parents died, she stood up and looked across the misty blue-green hills. Her breath caught. Was there anything more beautiful than this? Green, green grass with the mist rising. Just like in a novel. You just knew something magical was going to happen.

  "Yoo-hoo, Storm," she called out softly. Her faint whistle hit the wind and kept going. A few seconds later the young big gray horse pranced out of the mist and toward her, delicately neighing his greeting. Finnegan and Oliver plopped down in the grass next to her panting from their run and smiling as if they too felt the ease of the world.

  "So how is my big boy then?"

  Jolene held out the apple for Storm. His lips gently pulled the apple from her hand and he gave her a soft blow of approval.

  Finnegan and Oliver shot up and pointed their long noses to the air sniffing the wind then began to bark sharp and furious.

  "He is just fine except he dus'na want to be ridden." A dark accented voice touched her from somewhere within the mist behind Storm. Her dogs barked harder and sharper dancing on their paws. Jolene squinted into the mist while slowly backing away from the fence. Storm reached her and neighed softly against her retreat. Apparently Storm was not concerned about the strange accented voice behind him.

  A tall man with hair as dark as coal from her granddaddy's coal mines emerged from the mist wearing jeans and a blue knit sweater that was just the color of his eyes which were the exact color of her mother's morning glories. Jolene had never seen anyone so fine in her entire life. His skin was light, but not pale and his dark purple-blue eyes were fringed with lashes that should have been given to a woman. The image of the Angel Gabriel from St. Mary's Church filtered through her head.

  Her father's magic shirt had not worked on this creature. Even though it had worked on repelling Travis so far….

  She patted Oliver's head. "Hush now and sit." The dogs sat down but kept their eyes fixed on the approaching Angel Gabriel. He smiled and it was like the most beautiful sunrise, lighting up the world around him.

  A glowing light framed him making Jolene believe for an instant that he must be an angel.

  Her Mamma and Daddy had sent an angel.

  Jolene shook her head to clear the nonsense. He was not an angel even if he looked like one.

  He must be one of the new owners of her family's farm.

  He was satan ... the devil who took everything.

  No wonder the magic shirt didn't work!

  Her heart contracted then moved to cold hatred. He was the one who took everything that was left, everything her parents had worked for, even Storm. He was the one that Aunt Paula had sold out to for nearly nothing. He was the reason she lived in a run-down shack with nothing of her old life except Finnegan and Oliver.

  It was his fault she had to live with Paula and the horrible Travis.

  The lovely-hated man came closer, his eyes glowing and sparking with mischief and humor. "I cannot' get him to come to me at all, but I see he has found a fine friend here at the edge of the pasture. I don't want to break him too hard, but he almost leaves me no choice." He winked at her and smiled wide. Jolene gasped and stepped back further from the fence. Her dogs growled low.

  "I could ride him just fine."

  The man reached the fence and parked his leg and one elbow on the post. "Could yer now? And how might that be beings I consider myself an expert horseman?"

  "It's probably the funny way you talk."

  He laughed a rumbling pleasant laugh. "I thought horses were known to like the Irish lilt, at least all the Irish horses did."

  Jolene felt herself flush around her meanness and his glowing scrutiny. "You should have stayed with the Irish horses in Ireland then. Storm doesn't like foreigners."

  "Doesn't he now?" His glowing azure colored eyes narrowed, sizzling her with their intensity.

  Jolene didn't know why she was so angry and bitter because surely it wasn't this man's fault her parents were killed. However the fury bubbled up higher and higher in her heart.

  "And I don't like no Irish neither."

  His eyes hit her intently and her heart accelerated with each passing second. "Well, little miss, yur looking a little Irish yourself with that red hair. Beyond that, you have a colorful mouth on you, so you do. And you seem to know a lot about this horse. Apparently, he even has a name other than "Big Gray Monster" does he?"

  "That is a dumb name."

  His mouth went flat and his eyes smoked violet-blue. "You need a good spank'in to talk to an adult like that. How old are you little miss? Where are your folks?"

  "I am 18, and my folks are here. And that is all I have to say to you. Go home to Ireland and let us be."

  "I think you and I need to have a talk with your folks, so we are going to take a walk to wherever you live."

  He started to climb the fence and Jolene's bitter anger disintegrated into panic. Her dogs barked fiercely but that didn't stop the beautiful Irishman from scaling the fence.

  "Run pups." Jolene turned and started to sprint with her dogs bounding after her barking their warnings back to the Irishman.

  "You got away this time missy, but mark my words, I'll find out where yer live and have a fine talk with your folks about the way you behave yerself, with no manners at'all."

  Jolene stopped at the end of the road and brushed back her hair that had escaped the pony tail and stuck out her tongue. "I hope Storm tosses you right on your butt and you break your neck!"

  With a drumming heart she flounced away from him and began to run again in case he decided to give a determined chase.

  Behind her she heard his rumbling laughter.

  "Mark my words missy, I'll be finding yer."

  Chapter 2

  Mountain women have lived through grave hardships, facing their problems in isolation. They bore and raised children and grew their own food. They have developed their own Mountain Mamma medicine. They live by faith and a lot of superstition. They endured through life in crowded coal camps, covered in black dust. They found happiness in the eyes of their husband’s alive after each day and their children. They nursed babies and mended broken hearts. They lived through tremendous mental and physical hardships. Mountain women carried the burdens of the world, and the hopes for future in their songs. They lived by principals few could match.

  Jolene frowned at her made-up face in the mirror. "I don't want to go and smooch up with no stuffy old men at a party at the Derby. I just want to go watch with my Coke from the infield…if I can get a ride and sneak in."

  Travis scowled from the doorway to the bathroom. "I agree…she don't need to fuss up to bunch a o'l men. I don't like this Paula."

  Jolene shivered and her stomach roiled. She refused to meet Travis' gaze in the mirror.

  He was so creepy.

  Aunt Paula popped the side of Jolene's head hard and Jolene yelped but stayed in place lest she get burned with the curling iron Paula was using on her hair. "Well, we are runn'in out of money and if you don't go I'll sell those pooches of yours. They are eating us out of house and home."

  Panic hit Jolene swift and sure. "No! Please Aunt Paula. I could not live without Finnegan and Oliver."

  Paula glared warning into the bathroom mirror. "Well then you need to stop your bitching and let me finish your hair. My friend Danny says that if you will agree to go they will pay us a tidy sum. Though why they didn't ask me to go is insult'in. You ain't nothing but a skinny kid, but he says they like skinny kids."

  Jolene was immediately suspicious. "Like them for what? And Mamma would not like that word 'bitch' so you should not say it Aunt Paula…you might go to hell for saying those kinds of words."

  "Shut up about your mamma....always thought she was a goodie-goodie with that religious stuff.

  "Don't talk that way abo
ut mamma."

  Paula blew a suffering sigh and continued on her mission. "All you gotta do is just some sweet talking. Those rich guys'll just be giving you a few kisses and maybe just feeling you a little."

  Jolene's heart accelerated. Would they smell as horrible as Travis? "Aunt Paula, please don't make me do this. I don't want to be kissing no men…and having them feeling ... My what?…What do you mean?" Jolene's voice dropped to a whisper, "You mean the nasty-girl way? Now wait a minute Aunt Paula."

  Aunt Paula smiled wide and batted her mascara coated eyes in the mirror's reflection. "Don't be silly Jolene, nothing nasty, just maybe a rub on your arm or back or something."

  Aunt Paula unrolled the curling iron tilting her head and letting a spiral copper curl drop to Jolene's head with a satisfied grin. "You mighty pretty so I think I am going to tell Danny they gotta pay you an extra price. Besides, I had to buy you that new dress and red pumps at Wal-mart. You should appreciate all that I do and return in kind."

  Jolene's chest tightened in shame. Her mamma and daddy would never accept charity from anybody. The tears of frustration and worry stung behind her eyes. But she could not cry. If that sticky mascara ran Aunt Paula would be super-mad. "I do appreciate it, but it is just that I am scared. I don't know what to do with a bunch of old men wanting to kiss me like they do in the movies."

  Travis cackled.

  Aunt Paula sent him an angry glare. "They are not old! Travis is filling your head with stupid ideas. Lots of them are young and handsome. Besides, we need you to go. Maybe if you would work for a change rather than studying all the time, we might could afford a new big screen TV from the Wal-mart Store. If you ever watched TV. you might learn something. You could see that the young girls are kissing and loving on men all the time."

  "Are the men clean?"

  It was Aunt Paula's turn to cackle. "A lot cleaner than Travis!"

  "Hey, what is that about?" Travis yelled punching the door jam. "Shit. What do you want from a man who works all the time?" He turned and stomped back into the living room where the television was blaring. Jolene heard a beer can pop a second later.

  Opening a beer made him sweat. He considered that hard work?

  "I want to go to college Aunt Paula and my counselor at school says we can fill out applications and get money to go to school. Besides, I do work at the farm store cleaning up at night."

  Aunt Paula pulled out the hairspray that came in a purple can that she used when she was getting ready for a party and sprayed it liberally all over Jolene's head, causing Jolene to sputter in the sticky cloud.

  Aunt Paula glared at her in the mirror. "You don't need college and never do I see a dime of that money you earn at the farm store."

  "You know that I use it to buy food for Oliver and Finnegan and for their vet visits. You get the money from daddy's service in Vietnam Aunt Paula."

  Aunt Paula's over-plucked brows came together in a frown. "If you don't do a good job today at the races, I'll be giving those mutts away. We need to keep the money from the farm store for other more important things than feeding those pain in the ass dogs."

  Jolene gasped in horror and Oliver and Finnegan growled as if they knew their names on Paula's lips meant bad things.

  "Aunt Paula, you know I'll not stand for you doing something with my pups."

  "Get on with you then, if you want to keep those mutts. Danny is here to pick you up and take you down to the Gates of Churchill Downs. He has a special ticket he will give you and directions on where you are to go."

  ****

  Jolene had a little trouble finding the "box" where she was suppose to go. But her trip there was difficult on her quaking ankles trying to support her on the high heels.

  After she passed through the crowded gate several nice attendants directed her along the way. There was even an attendant in the elevator who knew which floor she should go to by looking at her ticket.

  She found the door that matched the number on her ticket and cautiously opened it to a very big room with a giant plate glass window that offered a stunning view of the finish line of the track.

  She wobbled in to the crowded room on her tall red heels that matched the red Wal-mart dress that was way too short in Jolene's opinion. She just wasn't used to wearing tall pumps and her knees kept hitting together when she walked, pushing the heels outward. Jolene pulled on the skirt every so often in the back to make sure it was not hiked up any higher. She received a great deal of attention as she came in, especially from the men. She went pink under the close inspection of so many eyes.

  She pulled the dress down again with shaking fingers while she attempted to stilt-walk further into the room. She knew her shoulders were slumping. The fake pearls that Aunt Paula let her wear swung back and forth as she attempted to walk.

  The "box" as they called it was a fine room indeed. The furnishings were all brand sparkling new. Everything looked clean and smelled heavenly. Comfortable leather chairs and a few hard wood tables teaming with food of every variety were scattered liberally throughout the room. Countless red roses in gleaming vases appointing the room completed the Derby Magazine look. Jolene was dizzy just from the luxurious perfume that drifted from those big red buds.

  A very handsome young blond man approached her smiling. "Come on in and join the fun." He was dressed in a white suit with light blue pin stripes and sprinkled with little embroidered horses. "My name is Chad."

  He took her hand into his perfectly manicured fingers and pulled her forward on her quivering legs. "You must be new at this." He winked at her. "What is your name?"

  His hands were so soft.

  Jolene's heart patted fast in her chest. She was not sure if it was because he was so handsome or because she was so scared. "I am Jolene and I have never been to the Derby like this before. I mean, I used to go with mamma and daddy…but we never had a box seat. It is a wonderful view from here…can I go see out the window?"

  Anything to put a distance between her and those aggressive light eyes that were assessing her as if she was an apple pie at a Fourth of July picnic.

  A tall, athletic graying man stepped forward also shining with a big smile and took her other arm. "Of course, come and get a close look, the races are just starting. Some sparkling wine? Or wine?"

  Jolene shook her head. "No thank you."

  "My name is Mel." He purred close to her ear.

  Slow panic and an urgency in her chest increased as they moved her closer to the window. Under the smothering gaze of her two companions she looked around the room for some other escape and her eyes clashed with eyes the color of morning glories blooming full on a summer morning…so blue they were almost purple. They were eyes she would never forget.

  It was that Irish that owned her family farm!

  He was not smiling this time. His eyes flashed angry-blue-fire as he took in her attire with something akin to disgust that ended with her wobbling legs and high heels as she progressed toward the window. She no longer heard her companions' words.

  Mel leaned down and peered at her with eyes the color of Coca Cola and framed with crinkles. "Can't you talk beautiful?"

  "Oh…of course, I just thought I saw someone I knew."

  Chad followed her gaze to the Irishman at the end of the room leaning against a tall table with an increasing frown. "Patrick McCabe, yes, all the girls are certain they know him."

  Jolene noticed in another glance that the Irishman was indeed surrounded by women. Very pretty women. Two blondes, one dark haired and one with long sable hair. They were dressed in sleek dresses and stood tall and proud in their pumps. She tore her gaze from his and smiled at Chad. "You didn't tell me your full names."

  He grinned, his eyes twinkling charm. "I am Chad Cartwright and this is Mel Ableton."

  They were at the window now and the horses were making their final turn for the first race so everyone else in the room pressed forward to the glass and began shouting. "I am Jolene," she said loudly.

  "
That is a nice name," Mel purred rubbing her hand that rested in the crook of his arm while his gaze fixed on the horses as they came out of the turn.

  At least he was not as horrible as Travis…and he smelled good. Still, Jolene shivered and fought against the instinct to pull her arm back, run to the bathroom and throw up.

  Instead, she focused on the magnificent animals as they rumbled toward the finish line, her pulse and spirit catching and charging with them. She, her daddy and her mamma had watched many a race together at Keeneland and at Derby. It never failed to stir her to her very soul.

  A big red horse named Gabby's Grand tipped his head across the finish line ahead of the others leaving some curses and other shouts of joy in his wake.

  In the seats below them tickets fluttered and then rested on the floor as forgotten hopes. Other tickets were clinched in hands of those who raced to the betting booths to collect winnings and wager for the next race. Bobbing hats of every conceivable color moved below her like a garden of flowers in motion.

  "Come on, if you won't drink then how about food?" Chad suggested, tugging her away from the window.

  The epicurean aroma of foods drifted around her head and made her stomach growl. She cleared her throat to cover her rumbling-rude tummy.

  They arrived to a bountiful table, laden with finely shaved pork, roasted chicken, thin-slivered roast beef and beautifully prepared potatoes, vegetables and pasta.

  Jolene shook off the men's clutching hands to pick up a plate and heap it with food.

  Could she sneak some back to Finnegan and Oliver?

  Mel laughed beside her. "What an appetite you have for such a petite young lady."

  When they were seated at a small table with two other couples who were already nibbling, Jolene immediately dove into her food. "My Aunt Paula says I eat too much and that I will eat her out of house and home," she offered between bites.

  Chad chuckled leaning forward over his own sparsely filled plate. "Well, you may eat as much as you want here sweetheart because you will certainly need your energy later."