Charlie shook his head coolly. “Nah, I’m not asking that anymore. I don’t give a shit what you do.”
Hugh spun in a flash and slammed both his open palms against Charlie’s chest, shoving him to the ground. “You don’t give a shit what I do? What is this? Suddenly we’re enemies? Is that what you’re saying?”
Charlie held up his hands in a defensive gesture. “No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m just trying to tell you that I’m doing what I think is right. I can’t control what you do. If you have to tell people, then tell them.”
“I don’t give a damn about telling people, Charlie. I’m trying to keep you from making matters worse. I’m trying to keep you from getting yourself or someone else killed.” He heaved an exasperated sigh and helped Charlie up.
Charlie picked up his gear for a second time and fell in behind Hugh.
As he walked, Hugh spoke without turning. “I’m going to call a meeting of the minds tonight, Charlie. I’m bringing the families together. Gary’s folks, Randi’s, and Jim’s family. We’re going to talk about this. I don’t know what else to do.”
“Dude, that’s such a dick move,” Charlie complained.
“If it keeps us safe, then I’m willing to be a dick,” Hugh said. “Comes with the territory.”
Charlie was simmering. Though a part of him wanted to respond with anger, he had no choice but to take part in whatever Hugh had planned for him. Not showing up would put a rift between him and the people he cared about more than anything in the world. Everything he did was intended to help them and to secure his place among them. He had to make them see that.
65
Jim’s Valley
With Pete’s help, Hugh spread the word to the families that they needed to have a meeting after dinner that night. There would be a bonfire. Children were welcome but their attendance wasn’t required. Hugh did express his hopes that any adults not having to babysit could attend.
Everyone wanted to know what the meeting was about but Hugh said it was better they all learn at the same time. He expected Charlie to be angry with him, pouting and glaring, but he wasn’t. He went on about his chores and did all the things he was asked to do. Hugh really couldn’t figure him out.
He’d never dealt with anyone like that before. It had to be a consequence of the experiences the boy had gone through in the last year. Was this the kind of person that the event was creating? Children who would be violently decisive as adults? Children who would grow up to be wary and suspicious-natured?
Hugh wasn’t a psychologist but he’d seen kids in war zones and he knew they were changed by the experience. Charlie’s set of circumstances was unique and the result was a unique kid that he couldn’t get a handle on. Hopefully, the group could work together to reel him back in.
Ariel built the fire that night under Pete’s tutelage. She’d expressed an interest in learning how to do some more “adult” things and they’d all been involving her more. Ellen felt like it was an attempt to find things that would get her out of the kitchen because Ariel hated canning with a passion.
At around 7 PM people began showing up. Randi came with all her clan. Her daughters delivered the grandchildren inside to play with Ariel, then came back to sit by the fire. Gary did the same, his entire brood hiking through the field to arrive at Jim’s backyard. Everyone was pleased to see each other. Though they worked together all day, every day, these social moments felt different. There was an easiness to them that was different than the shared labor.
“So what’s this all about?” Pops demanded, a grin on his face. “I’m missing Gunsmoke.”
All heads turned in his direction.
“It’s a joke. I’m not senile yet.”
When he had everyone’s attention, Hugh began. “I need to talk to you all about Charlie.” He turned and looked at the young man.
Charlie looked directly back at Hugh without a trace of malice or anger on his face. He was ready to have this conversation.
“Charlie?” Randi asked. “There’s something going on with Charlie I don’t know about?” She looked from Hugh to Charlie, then around the circle.
“I think Charlie should tell us about it in his own words,” Hugh said. “It’s his story to tell. Charlie?” Hugh gestured to the position where he stood, the spot where Jim normally stood when he was addressing folks around this circle, then he went to take a seat.
Charlie got to his feet and took Hugh’s position. He was silent for a moment, looking at the expectant faces of his friends and family. It was a beautiful late summer evening. The heat of the day was beginning to fade with the evening light now and nights were comfortable. There was the sound of crickets tuning up for the evening and the murmur of the river in the field below them. Charlie cleared his throat.
“After the things that happened to me—that happened to my family—you all took me in with no questions. There was never a time that I felt unwelcome or unloved. I feel so lucky to be with you people because I feel like I’m part of every family here. I don’t have just one family, I have several families, and I love each of them in their own way.”
The faces around the circle began to darken with concern. Did Charlie have some devastating news? Was he sick? Was he leaving?
“I know Jim being gone has been hard on some of you. We all look up to him and we probably didn’t realize how much we depended on him until he was gone. Maybe that’s when I started to realize that I could do more to pull my weight around here. I felt like there were things I could do to cover for Jim while he was gone, so I did them.”
Charlie caught a flash of movement. He squinted and stared off into the field as a figure on horseback materialized with the haziness of a mirage.
“Well, what is it, Charlie?” Pete demanded.
“Yeah,” Gary added, “we’re dying here.”
“Must be a dramatic pause,” Randi said. “He’s building tension.”
The figure on horseback, a packhorse behind him, was closing on the gate, the sound of hooves muffled by the high grass. Charlie knew who it was now and he took off running.
“What the hell?” Randi said.
Hugh was on his feet, his first thought being that Charlie had chickened-out, deciding he was unable to face his clan. Then he saw where Charlie was headed—not to flee through the gate, but to open it.
Hugh pointed toward the approaching rider but it was too late. Everyone had already turned, their eyes following Charlie, and some were getting on their feet.
It was Ellen who broke the silence. She screamed, an expression of overwhelming exuberance that turned into his name. “Jim!”
One of Gary’s daughters rose to run inside and tell Ariel her father was home, then watch the children so Ariel wouldn’t miss the reunion.
At the gate, Charlie gathered the leads and held the horses while Jim took his wife into his arms. Pete joined them, unable to hold back tears of his own. He hadn’t expected his father back so soon.
In seconds, Ariel too was tearing across the yard at a dead run. “Dadddeeeee!”
Spotting Charlie shifting uneasily from foot-to-foot, uncertain of what to do with himself, Jim wrapped an arm around him and pulled him into the hug. Charlie grinned broadly, caught up in the excitement of the moment.
“What the hell is everyone doing here?” Jim asked. “I was getting worried. I passed Gary’s place and it was empty. Then I got to Randi’s place and it was empty too.”
He looked at Randi with a grin on his face and realized where her mind had gone when she saw him. He was alone. Lloyd wasn’t here and in this environment that could only mean one thing—Lloyd must be dead. Jim pulled away from his family and walked toward her, arms outstretched.
Randi recoiled, backing away from Jim’s approach, tears already streaming down her cheeks. “No. No. No.”
Jim approached her slowly, speaking in a soothing tone. “No, Randi. It’s okay. He’s fine. Lloyd is alive.”
Randi stopped in her tracks. “Excu
se me?”
“He’s fine,” Jim assured her. “It’s kind of a long story but we took a side trip to this music camp where he used to teach. We found out that a bunch of kids had been stranded there and his friend who owned the camp just died. Lloyd decided to stay over there and help them out.”
Randi’s hands flew to her hips. “For how long?”
“I don’t know. Maybe forever.”
“That son-of-a-bitch!” Randi spat. “How dare him. Is there a woman there?”
Jim hesitated.
“Is there?” she demanded.
“Well, there is.” Jim held up a hand. “But that wasn’t why he stayed. He wanted me to tell you that you were welcome to come stay with him. He’d love to have you there.”
Randi bobbed her head while she spoke. “I bet he would. That bastard! Make me think he’s dead and get all sad for his ass, only to find out he didn’t even care enough to come home to me. I might go over there just to kick his ass.”
Jim cringed. “We discussed that possibility. I don’t think he’d be surprised.”
Randi stalked off, fuming. She took a seat some distance from the group, crossing her legs and bobbing her foot as she lit a cigarette.
“What are you doing home so soon?” Ellen asked. “We expected you to be gone for months.”
“Oh, you want me to leave?”
Ellen wrapped her arms around Jim. “No!”
Ariel pitched in to help her mother restrain Jim, wrapping her arms around his waist. “No!”
Jim could see that the entire clan was interested in his response, everyone waiting expectantly. “Let’s go over here and sit down. We’ll talk about it.”
His family released him and Jim took a seat by the fire, his family at his side.
“I’m going to put the horses up,” Charlie said. “I’ll stack your gear in the barn.”
“Thanks, Charlie,” Jim said.
“Glad you’re back,” Nana said, trotting over to her son and kissing him on the cheek. Pops didn’t rise from his chair but gave Jim a thumbs-up to signal his agreement.
Jim couldn’t help but smile, his gaze sweeping around the circle of people he’d missed. “It’s amazing how difficult it is to think clearly when you’re buried in your life. You get so consumed by day-to-day tasks that you can’t always see your situation clearly. It’s like that old saying about not being able to see the forest for the trees. When I left here, I sincerely thought it was the best move. I’d just disappear for a while and give the community time to forget about me.”
“Something changed?” Ellen asked.
“I spent a lot of time in my head. At some point, it hit me that this was not the right way to handle it. I’m not going to hide from the community, I’m not going to hide from the government, and I’m not even going to hide from the damn neighbors. I’m going to be out there in their faces, doing the things I need to be doing. If that causes problems, I’ll deal with them as they come.”
“Meaning people leave us alone or we beat on them until they do?” Gary confirmed.
Jim smiled. “That’s the good thing about friends. They speak your language. They get you.”
“It’s not always easy,” Ellen admitted.
“Then here it is in plain language. I’m home to stay. The world can suck it. I’m ready to be easygoing with those who are easygoing with me. If there are people out there who can’t put the whole ‘flooding the power plant’ thing behind them, then that will have to be addressed. I’m no longer hiding and I’m no longer taking their shit.”
Randi rejoined the group in time to catch that last statement. “Oh shit, someone needs to call the undertaker and tell him to build more boxes.”
“I’m hoping it won’t come to that,” said Jim. “Maybe people are ready to chill out and settle down. They should be focusing on the things they can control instead of the things they can’t. I’m one of those things they can’t control.”
“So, not to interrupt this reunion, Hugh, but why are we up here again?” Gary asked.
“I was wondering the same thing.” Jim looked around. “Why is everyone in my yard?”
“Something to do with Charlie,” Ellen told Jim. “We were just getting to it when you rode up.”
“You want me to leave?” Jim asked.
“We’ve been through this, Daddy!” Ariel exclaimed. “The answer is no!”
“I’m sorry I brought you all up here for nothing,” Hugh said. “The things we needed to talk about were all relevant to Jim being gone. Now that he’s back, it changes things significantly. I hate to leave you hanging but that’s all I feel comfortable saying right now.”
Jim’s brow furrowed. It was good to be needed, but he’d hoped for a moment to settle back in before there were demands placed upon him. Perhaps that was too much to hope for. Had he walked into the middle of another crisis?
“Then we’re going to gather our kids and head back home,” Gary said. “Glad you’re back in one piece, Jim.”
There were more hugs and handshakes. Everyone except for Randi seemed to be in a good mood. Jim knew he needed to spend more time with her tomorrow and explain the situation in greater detail. He’d been around her long enough to know that if Randi wasn’t happy, no one was happy.
“Have you eaten?” Ellen asked.
“I snacked while I was riding but I’m hungry. Got anything easy to put together?”
“I’ll find something.” Ellen gave Jim another kiss and headed for the house.
“I’m going to head to the barn and get my gear. Pete, will you give me a hand?”
Hugh fell in alongside them. “I’ll join you.”
They got to the barn and found Charlie patiently brushing the horses. The saddles were sitting on racks mounted to the wall. The bridles and leads hung from hooks on the rough-sawn beams.
Jim stood in the door and sighed. “It’s good to be home. I’d like to drop my ass in a chair but I’ve sat in a saddle for three days so I’ll just stand. Now, why don’t you all tell me what the hell is going on around here.”
There were a lot of glances shooting between Pete, Hugh, and Charlie. Jim watched them with curiosity, his eyes bobbing between them like he was watching a ping-pong game.
Jim took off his hat and rubbed a hand across his sweat-soaked head. “Seriously? It was important enough to hold this big meeting tonight and no one can think of what to say?”
“Maybe Charlie should tell his own story,” Hugh suggested.
Charlie sighed. “You’re going to need a seat.”
Jim raised an eyebrow. “That bad?”
“I guess.”
Jim found an old kitchen chair and settled into it. “I’ve been gone less than two weeks. How much could I have missed?” The expressions on all the faces in the barn told him he’d missed quite a bit.
“It started with the farmer’s market in town…” Charlie began.
66
Jim’s Valley
Jim slept the sleep of the dead. It came from the accumulated exhaustion of his travels and the calories expended by his overworked brain. It came from being in his own bed, in his own house, and among the people he loved. There was nothing like it.
Back at home, he wondered why he’d ever left. How could he have been so stupid to think that it would have helped anything? But sometimes you don’t know and you do stupid things in an effort to make life better. Sometimes it even works.
Jim likened it to the structure of the human eye. There were photoreceptors there called rods and cones. The cone-shaped receptors are in the middle of the retina and help with vision during the bright light of the day. The rod-shaped receptors lie on the boundary of the retina and assist with vision in lower light. For that reason, you can often see better in the darkness by turning your head slightly to the side and forcing the eye to use the rods instead of the cones.
By comparison, sometimes you can’t clearly see the thing you’re looking directly at. You can’t always process your l
ife while you’re in the midst of it. That was one of the things Jim had learned about hiking, backpacking, fishing, and other solitary activities years ago. Getting that time away, looking at his life indirectly instead of staring right at it, could better help him understand it. That was exactly what had happened to him over the last week.
Charlie’s story had taken a long time last night. Since Ellen had prepared a meal for him, he took a break to eat it, then they returned to the barn to pick up where they’d left off. It was a lot to take in. Parts of what he heard provoked a reaction from him, but he withheld comment. In his exhausted state he wanted a night to process what he’d heard. He wanted time to overlay this new information on top of what he’d figured out while he was gone.
Thinking about it overnight had worked. In the light of morning, Jim had a plan. He was in the kitchen drinking a cup of bitter MRE coffee when Pete told him that Hugh and Charlie were outside.
“I’ll be right out, Pete.”
Jim drained the last of his coffee and rinsed out his cup. He pulled on his gear, grabbed his rifle, and stepped out onto the porch. “Morning, gentlemen.”
Like three stooges, the trio looked around curiously for any gentlemen who might have approached.
“Ha ha,” Jim said flatly. “Let’s take a walk.”
“Where we going?” Pete asked.
“Lloyd’s place. We’re going to check on it and we can talk on the way.”
“Road or woods?” Hugh asked.
“Woods.”
They exited the yard, went through a few gates, and got on the old logging road that would eventually deliver them into the woods behind Lloyd’s place.
“The way we’re living is not sustainable,” Jim said, talking as he walked. “I’m not hiding anymore. If people think they can find a way to collect a bounty on me, they can bring it. If they have a grudge, if they think I kept them from getting to live in an aid camp, they’re welcome to come discuss it. Word will soon get around that the topic is closed.”
Hugh grinned. “I like where this is going.”
The Borrowed World Series | Book 8 | Blood & Banjos Page 38
