Go West Serial Novel – Page 4

Go West~Chapter 45

Go West

by DiVoran Lites

Chapter Forty-five

Aldon

Everyone settled in as Enrico and Lia began to sing an aria, which Aldon thought sounded like cats fighting. When he and Ellie played music they had created, however, he knew that his heart was going to burst right out of his body.

Nancy had a piano piece, though none of the other, older folks participated. The German girls and the two-man, oomph band drew raves of applause and laughter as they played, “She’s too Fat For Me,” an old traditional they all knew and thought was hilariously funny.

Some of the people filed into the kitchen, but Aldon and Ellie were inundated with compliments and handshakes. Eventually, more people stepped between them, separating them until they were no longer in the same room. After seeing that all the chairs had been replaced, Aldon went looking for Ellie, but he found Molly instead. She lay in wait in the hallway and when she saw him, she motioned for him to follow her to the door between the kitchen and the back porch. She pointed at the window.

Aldon stared at a scene that he had never expected to witness. There, pressed against the coats, hanging from their pegs, stood Ellie with Enrico leaning against her and holding her wrists above her head. Ellie stood as still as a rabbit with her eyes closed tight. At the sight Aldon turned and made his way out the front door without hesitating or looking back.

The next thing he knew, he was on Chief, urging him to run, which his obedient horse was happy to do. They scrambled up the mountainside until it got so steep that Chief had to slow down. Aldon wanted to ride forever, trying to cool the angry fever inside, but he calmed himself enough to realize he could ride the horse to death. When they arrived at the cabin, he tied Chief to the porch rail and strode through the front door, slamming it behind him.

It was now two A. M. and the night was so dark he wondered why he hadn’t fallen off the shelf road or got stuck in a gully on his way here. He knew he had no chance of sleeping, so he found matches in a tobacco tin, struck one, turned up the wick on the kerosene lamp and lit it. As he laid the King Albert container on the table, he wondered how long it would be before the pack-rats returned and stole it. Was there no safety for anything or anyone? He sat at the table with his head in his hands. Then looking up he saw the Bible tucked under a shelf, picked it up, and opened it to the middle. He began to read Psalm 51.

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin,” He paused, calmer now, knowing His heavenly Father was near. Suddenly he recalled Pastor Rudd’s suggestion that people who had something on their minds could write letters to God, who is always waiting to hear from them. That’s it, Aldon thought who better to talk to than my heavenly Father?

He opened a drawer again and found a piece of scratch paper and a stub of pencil. One side of the paper had a list on it. He recognized the writing immediately. It was Ellie’s. She had written the names of the wildflowers he had told her about at round-up: Glacier Lily, which they’d seen growing near an old snowdrift, Monument Plant, that grew only in moist years and then waited between twenty and sixty years for a full rainy season to bloom again. She had listed lemon, rose, and red Indian Paintbrush. She had written down everything he had told her! He felt a tightness in his shoulders as the anger boiled again. Why did she write it all down as if she cared when all the time she planned to run away with Enrico?

Go West~Chapter 44

Go West

by DiVoran Lites

Chapter Forty Four

Aldon

Now that they were home from round-up, it was time for Signora Solano’s musicale. While the ladies primped, Aldon asked Ellie’s grandfather to help take the dining room and kitchen chairs into the big front parlor. Seraphina, who had been roaming the house looking for something to do, asked if she, and the kitten she clutched to her chest, could help. Aldon glanced at the older man who grinned and winked. Aldon could read Mr. Morgan’s heart then, and knew he was remembering his granddaughter’s childhood.

“Sure you can. Dust with this.” Mr. Morgan took a large white handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to Seraphina, who put the kitten down and began to run the cloth over the baseboards. The kitten, doing his part, crouched, wiggled, and pounced making Seraphina’s giggles tinkle through the room like a merry brook.

Loud voices alerted Aldon that his cousins had arrived with Eva and Olga from town. When he heard the chiming of the young women against the roar of the men, he thought back to two small pigtailed girls arriving for the beginning of school not knowing how to speak English. As he strode to the back door to greet them all, he recalled that the girls had worn home-made traditional German costumes for school plays. They’re wearing them still he thought as he approached. But bigger sizes and more filled out. From the way the girls clung to Dieter’s and Joe’s arms, Aldon sensed that their bachelor days were limited. Instead of teasing with a knowing look, he stifled his envy.

Dieter, who was as tall as Aldon and much beefier, jammed his shoulder against his cousin’s, delighting in putting him off balance so he’d have to take a step. Dieter had been doing that since they were ten years old and Aldon had never thought it funny.

“Did you call Sheriff Oates?” Dieter asked.

“Come out here, for a minute,” said Aldon knowing there would be no talking to the boys as long as they were showing off in front of the girls. Joe followed telling his date to go on in and take his tuba with her. She hefted it willingly, as a stout housewife would hoist a basket of laundry.

The men followed Aldon to the barn where he turned suddenly and said, “I wish you’d keep your mouth shut, for once.”

“What are you goin’ on about? We got to bring in the Sheriff or get up a posse to go up the mountain after them squatters. Somebody coulda got hurt, plus they’re don’t you know they’re the ones what stole those five cattle we’re missing.” Dieter always spoke his mind. Aldon only hoped none of the other men would hear him. If they did, and formed a posse, he could see a lynching in the future.

“Yeah,” said Joe. “We got to do somethin’ ”

“Okay, here’s what I’ve been thinking,” said Aldon. “Number one, we can’t do anything about finding those fellows in the dark. Number two, they aren’t going anywhere; they’re not what you’d call adventuresome types. They’ve been on that mountain their whole lives, I doubt if they’d know how to read a map or buy a train ticket.”

“We goin’let them go?” Joe asked.

“No, I’ve already told you, we’ll let the sheriff deal with it. We are not going outside the law and we’re not going to tell anyone. You got that? So don’t’ say another word about it.” He felt better after making sure they wouldn’t stir up trouble he wasn’t ready to handle. To change the subject he asked where they had found the tuba and the accordion they had brought.”

“Ma took it in her head to clean the attic and when she found the instruments, she told us to get rid of them, but instead we fixed them up. We had to order some new bellows ‘cause the mice had been at them, but then we didn’t have no trouble putting them back together.”

As they went through the kitchen and into the front parlor, Aldon wondered where Ellie was. He hoped she was all right and that she would be down soon. He tried never to worry, but the thought that she was leaving dug worry holes in his brain. Knowing nothing in life would ever compare with the simple happiness of being in her company, he was overwhelmed with grief and an awful helplessness.

Finished with their conversation they went back to the parlor where last-minute practicing and tuning of instruments were almost deafening. As Mrs. Fitzgerald and her son, Kenny, settled themselves at the piano the room grew still. Coleen and Kenny both played by ear, and they had practiced together most of the boy’s life. Their duets were now the sensation of Clifton. When they began the lively, “By the Sea,” everyone began to clap.

Ellie came in as the piece ended and Aldon, who had been standing by the piano checking out the crowd, rushed over to greet her. He wanted to hug her, but didn’t dare for fear that she would be angry with him for making another scene.

DiVoran’s Promise Posters, Paintings from Go West as well as other art can be purchased as note cards and framable art

Creative Arts

Go West~Chapter 43

Go West

by DiVoran Lites

Chapter Forty Three

Aldon

The trip down the mountain was easy until they got into a sloping meadow where the herd fanned out. There, without warning two horsemen came over a rise yelling and shooting their side-arms. The Herefords took off in a stampede, leaving no time to go after the hecklers.

Riding fast on both sides of the herd, the men set themselves to stopping the stampede. First they had to get them into a mill. It wouldn’t do for them to fall into a draw and break their bones or get lost and have to be rounded up all over again. Kenny and Aldon rode next to the head of the stampede slowly forcing them to change their course and double back. After a few heart-stopping moments, the beasts melted into a swirling, red and white tornado, and were forced to slow to a standstill. Eventually they settled down and began to graze. Aldon took the first deep breath he’d had since the stampede began.

“You can start on down again, Mr. Morgan,” Aldon rode to the wagon with Summer in tow. Do you mind riding Ellie’s horse, Mr. Morgan,” he said. He dipped his hat in thanks to the older man who got down off the wagon and mounted Summer.

Aldon tied Chief to the back of the chuck wagon, and took his place on the seat next to Ellie.

“I’m glad everyone is safe.” She touched his face with her warm, slender hand and all at once Aldon felt as full of ginger as a day old colt.

“Who were those men?” Ellie asked.

“Probably the squatters that were at the ranch with Enrico the other night,” Aldon gave the reins a shake to remind the mules they weren’t allowed to graze along the way.

Why would they do something like that? We could have been hurt or killed.” Ellie leaned against him as though seeking reassurance.

“Nah,” he shook his head and then looked directly at her. “It’s all in a day’s work.”

“But, what if one of us had died?” Her eyes pooled with unshed tears.

“That would have been a shame, don’t you think?” He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze.

“Why would it have been a shame?” He guessed maybe she was looking for reassurance.

“We’ve got a lot of living to do.” He clicked his tongue at the mules to move along now that they were on more even ground.

“But what’s the use of living if you’re not happy?” She asked.

“You’re not happy?” He hadn’t known that. He’d thought she was just mad at him.

“Not really,” she answered rubbing her hand on her jeans.

“Don’t you know? It’s, it’s…” there was a sob in her voice…because we’re at odds with each other.”

“You may be at odds with me, but I’m not at odds with you,” he said.

“You’re not?” She found a handkerchief in the jacket pocket and dabbed at her eyes.

“Haven’t you noticed who has been doing the ignoring?” He pulled the brim of his hat down a quarter of an inch.

“You walked off when I was trying to talk to you after church.”

“All right, I’m here now. What did you want to say?” Aldon pushed the hat back a bit and gave her his full attention.

“Having men fight over me was embarrassing.” She put her hands over her face.

“Didn’t I tell you I was sorry?” He thought he had explained how he felt, but obviously he hadn’t said the words she needed to hear. Would dealing with this woman ever become easy and commonplace? He doubted it but he knew he’d keep on trying.

“Out here we call a man responsible for his own actions even if he’s sick or drunk.” Aldon, shifted and wrapped his hand around hers. He pulled it to the region of his heart which seemed to be fluttering in his chest.

“Besides, you could have hurt him.” Ellie’s hand cuddled into his.

“There’s no harm in a bully getting hurt if he’s misbehaving, especially toward a lady like yourself.” He knew he sounded gruff.

“Is that what you think he is… a bully?” She tugged, but he held on to her hand.

“Maybe, but I have to be honest with you, I wasn’t sorry about interfering with that young man.” She tried again to pull away, but he went on talking. “I was, though, very sorry it upset you. I know fighting isn’t right or good, but sometimes men must look after women and…

“Are you saying I don’t know how to look after myself?” Ellie’s voice rose slightly.

“Anyhow, I never hit him. He passed out while I was dragging him away.” He tried to tell her the truth, hoping she’d listen.

“You didn’t hit him? But he was unconscious when you threw him in the pick-up.”

“No ma’am, I wouldn’t hit a shrimp like him. You ever heard of, pick on somebody your own size?” Aldon shook his head amazed at her lack of understanding. “Besides, why do you care what other people think?”

“You don’t care what people think of you?” She asked.

“I care what you think.” He gently rested their joined hands on the seat.”

“Why?” She sighed.

“First ‘cause you’re a good woman.”

“What else?”

“You’re easy on the eyes.” He flashed her a smile.

“You like the way I look?” Ellie, who was sitting hip to hip with him scooted a bit closer. Knowing he’d fall off if he budged, he sat as still as if he were watching a butterfly hover over a flower.

“Sure I do.” Maybe they were getting somewhere now. He held his breath.

“And?” Her voice went up on a singsong note.

“I got fond of you.” He gently squeezed her hand.

“Why did you stop talking to me, then? People can’t read each other’s minds. We’ve got to communicate.”

“Everything I said seemed to make things worse.”

She thought and nodded. He wondered if she might be getting angry all over again.

Aldon turned loose of her hand, removed his hat, scratched his head, leaving tufts of champagne colored hair sticking up like bull horns on the front of his head, and put the hat back on over them. Silence fell and after a long haul to the ranch, the mules pulled the wagon into the barn.

Go West~Chapter 42

Go West

by DiVoran Lites

Chapter Forty Two

Aldon

Aldon leaned back supporting himself with a hand on the warm rock. Because Ellie was already peeved with him, he didn’t interrupt her to point out the beaver swimming toward its lodge with a stick in its mouth. He had a hunch something was going to happen soon that would either make his life better or ruin it forever, and it all depended on Ellie.

“It’s warm in California in winter and I figure I could get a job.” Ellie wasn’t looking at him which showed that she knew he was hurting, but he certainly wasn’t going to show it in any way. He’d be as polite as a stranger and then they’d go back down to camp and he’d begin preparing to lose her forever.

“Can’t blame you for that. My brother, Bill, loves it out there.” He forced his words past the lock in his throat.

“Why don’t you go too?” Now she looked quickly at him and away again as if she’d said something unseemly.

“Somebody has to stay here and look after the ranch. Aunt Gertrude’s got a gentleman friend now. New man in town, lawyer, widower. She’s going to get married, and Nancy doesn’t want to be in their way, so she’s coming back to the ranch. But she and Molly can’t run the ranch by themselves. If we didn’t have the Solanos, we wouldn’t be able to pay off the loans we’ve been forced to get…” Aldon paused. When he resumed, his voice was low and gravelly. “Maybe you’ll run into Bill out there. He’s right there in Hollywoodland. Is that close to where you want to be?”

“I think so,” she answered. “I did some reading. Los Angeles has a good climate. There seems to be plenty of jobs.”

“What would you work at then, doin’ hair?” he asked.

“Probably, something like that.” Her blues eyes looked into his and he clenched his teeth to keep his feelings at bay.

“Maybe Bill could help you get a job in the movies. They need people to do hair, don’t they?” He forced himself to smile.

“Yes, and they might need more wranglers and stunt men. Is there any chance Bill would want to come home any time soon?” Now, Ellie’s eyes held pleading that threw him as if he’d been bucked off a mean stallion and was going to get stomped. He decided to speak reasonably, rationally, as if her questions didn’t affect him in the least. It was like trying not to scare a frightened filly away.

“I don’t know. I suppose he might. He could run the ranch, for sure. He’s got a girlfriend now. But I can’t ask him to do it. He’s been sending money right along.” Aldon heard the faint sounds of the cow bell and knew it was time for supper.

“I guess we might as well head back.” Ellie said.

“Yep,” Aldon wiped the back of his hand under his cheek bone and started back down the trail. Ellie followed, meek and quiet.