Chapter 3

Erin and I went to have breakfast the next morning and found Kate and Mom helping Tammy into a coat. Mom told me to help her to the truck, so I put my arm around her and walked her outside.

She was so weak that she couldn’t get in, so I lifted her up and slid her onto the seat.

Mom was shaking her head, “She’s exhausted, we have to get her to a doctor.”

Kate said to me, “We may be gone for a while. Grab a couple of horses and go for a ride if you and Erin get bored, just be careful.”

I told Erin what Kate had said and she said, “Oh, great! Can Clete come too?”

I said, “Sure” and we saddled some horses.

We were just leaving when the phone rang. I picked it up thinking that it might be Mom or Kate. It was Mrs. Torres.

“Have you seen Della?”

“No, I haven’t, why?”

“Desi said that she left early this morning. She and I were supposed to do some shopping today and she hasn’t come back”

I told her that we’d mention it to her if we saw her, then the three of us rode out toward the foothills.

It was a beautiful day, so we rode the trail all the way up to the tree line, and looked out over the valley. We could see all the way to the town and farther.

At least Erin and I could. Clete was too busy staring at Erin.

We were on our way back, when Clete suggested that we ride into town and get a burger. Erin said that it would be fun, doing it on the horses, so we got off the trail and were picking our way down a wash that would lead us toward town, when Erin pointed up and said, “Look.”

Someone was hanging from a crevice in the rocks, and it looked like Della.

I said to Erin, “Quick, ride down and get Mrs. Torres” and Clete and I spurred our horses and worked our way up toward her.

She was hanging onto a scrub tree on one side of a crevice between two large rocks, and was hanging about 50 feet off the ground. She had apparently slipped into the crevice and started sliding down, and at the last second, just before the crevice widened, she had jumped and grabbed a tree.

I shouted, “Are you OK?” and she answered with a frightened “YYYes.”

Clete and I grabbed some rope from the horses, clambered up the rock, and got above her.

We weren’t far from her, but there was an overhang above her, and no way to see her or climb down to her. So I sent Clete back down and told him to watch me, and try to tell me which way to swing a rope to her.

I tried to calm her as he was climbing down, so I leaned over as far as I could and said, “This is a hell of a way to get out of going to the dance with me”.

Her voice came back, “You get me out of here and I’ll go to your damned dance.”

I said, “Do you realize that these are the only words you’ve ever spoken to me, except for ‘let me go you son-of-a-bitch’?”

“Don’t make me laugh, I’m having a hard enough time trying to hang on to this damn tree.”

“How did you get yourself in this predicament?”

“I was climbing on the rocks, and I just slipped.”

Clete yelled up, “OK, start swinging the rope,”

We tried it a number of times. Clete kept saying “A little to the left, A little to the right” but we couldn’t get the rope close enough so that she could grab it.

Then a couple of cars roared up and skidded to a stop below us.

Erin and Mrs. Torres were in one and, Mr. Torres and a couple of guys were in the other.

Mr. Torres saw what we were trying to do, and scrambled up the rock to where I was. His face was ashen.

He called down to the other two, “Get up here now” Then he threw himself down on the rock as close as he could to her and said, “Are you OK, Honey?”

A voice, sounding weaker then before, replied. “Sure, I’m fine.”

The two guys he brought joined us. One was a huge fat guy, the other was an old man. Mr. Torres gave me an agonized look.

I said, “I can grab her if you tie a rope on me and lower me over the edge, Mr. Torres.”

He looked over the edge at the floor, so far away and said, “Too dangerous.”

I said, “We don’t have a choice, she’s getting weak,” and I started wrapping the rope around my waist. He grabbed it from me and started tying something.

He said, “I was in the Marines, I know knots,” when I looked puzzled.

He made up a sling, slipped it around me and pulled it tight. It went around both my legs and around my waist.

He grabbed the end of the rope and told the other two guys to do the same.

We went to the edge of the rock and he said, “Are you sure that you want to do this?”

I said, “C’mon, Mr. Torres, we have to hurry,” and I lay down on the rock and they lowered me over the edge.

I could see Della as soon as I was clear of the edge.

Then I looked down. I was hanging free, over what seemed like a mile of nothingness, and suddenly I was very scared.

They kept lowering me until I was level with Della.

She was hanging by one foot and her arms. I can’t imagine how she was able to hold on for so long.

I didn’t want her to know how afraid I was, so I said, “Hello there, come here often?”

She said, “Please hurry” and I could see her arms shaking.

I started swinging like I was on a park swing. I was a little closer with every swing. I got as close as I could, but too far away to grab her. I tried a couple more swings but I just couldn’t get closer, so I said, “ Throw yourself at me the next time I get close. Don’t worry, I’ll catch you.”

I wasn’t nearly as confident as I sounded.

I shouted up, “Get ready” and I swung out as far as I could.

She closed her eyes and threw herself at me when I got close.

It seemed like time had flown by up until that moment, but it suddenly was as though I was stopped in mid-air.

I could see her body trembling from exhaustion, and could see the fear in her eyes, but a strange expression came over her face when she saw how close I was. It was almost a peaceful look. I saw her muscles tense, I saw her close her eyes, she let go of the tree limb, and pushed herself away from the rock with what strength she had left.

Her body seemed to float at me, and she was completely free, and frozen in space for a split second.

She was wearing a man’s shirt and jeans. Her legs were slightly apart and her arms were reaching for me.

I was no longer afraid of where I was. All I could think of, was wanting to catch and hold this beautiful creature against me.

Then she slammed into me!

One of her arms was around my neck and her legs were wrapped around me, and I hugged her to me as tight as I could.

Then the pain hit me. The sling was cutting into my legs and back, and I knew that I couldn’t hold her for long.

I yelled, “Bring us up.”

I know it only took a minute, but it seemed like a long time. My legs felt on fire because of the ropes, and the rocks dug into my arms when they pulled us over the top.

Mr. Torres grabbed her.

He was crying like a baby and hugging her, as he picked her up in his arms and scrambled down the rock with her.

I untangled myself from the sling and was rubbing my legs, when Erin came running up and threw herself on top of me.

She was crying, and said’ “Please don’t do anything like this again, you’re the only brother I have.”

I laughed and hugged her back, and we climbed down the rock.

The cars were gone when we got to the bottom, so we rode into town and got our burgers.

Mr. Torres’ car was there when we got back to the house.

Clete, Erin, and I went into the house, and everyone was in Tammy’s room. They had chairs pulled up and some were sitting on the bed.

Mr. and Mrs. Torres got up when they saw us come in, and Mrs. Torres gave us all hugs and gave me a huge kiss. Mr. Torres started to shake my hand, but he wrapped his huge arms around me and hugged me so hard that I was afraid he was going to break something. They stayed for a while, and they asked me to walk to their car with him when they got up to leave.

“We have to get back and see to Della, but we rushed off so quick before that we wanted to come by and thank you properly.

“Is she OK”, I asked.

“She’ll be fine. She’s tired, bruised, and still plenty scared, but she’s OK thanks to you.”

“Do you think she’ll be OK for the dance Saturday night? She sorta promised that she’d go with me.”

“Did you blackmail her while you were up there?”

“Uhh, yeah, maybe a little.”

They both laughed and said “Good for you”, and Mr. Torres slapped me on the back.

Mrs. Torres leaned toward me and said, “She’ll be ready for the dance,” when they were getting in the car.

It was still early, so Erin, Clete, and I took turns riding his minibike.

Erin was flying back and forth as soon as she got used to it. She made a great picture with her trim figure and her blond hair flying behind her. Clete was obviously captivated.

He shuffled around for a while and I knew that something was up. He finally got up enough courage and said to me, “Do you think it’d be OK if I asked Erin to go to the dance on Saturday?”

I did the big brother thing and strutted around with a serious face for a while, then I smiled and said, “Sure, has she said OK?”

“Uhh, I didn’t ask her yet.”

“Well, you better ask her!”

“OK, I will” and he went over to Erin when she rode in.

I went inside. Mom and Kate were fixing dinner and Mom said, “Exciting day, eh?”

“Yeah, Mom, we rode all the way into town on the horses and got a burger. It was really fun!”

Mom and Kate broke up laughing, they both hugged me, and told me how glad they were that I was OK.

I smiled to myself, and thought, ‘It’s OK to let them think that you’re still a kid at heart.’

Mom asked me to tell Erin and Clete that dinner was ready, so I went out and called them.

Erin ran in the house, but Clete stood there looking glum.

I said, “C’mon in and have dinner.”

“I gotta go home/”

“Why.”

“Cuz, she’s already got a date” and he jumped on his minibike and took off.

I went back to the kitchen, and was heading toward the table, when Kate said, “Look who’s joining us.”

Mom was helping Tammy to the table. She looked a hundred percent better. She was dressed in slacks and a nice blouse.

I guessed that they were Kate’s because they were slightly big on her.

Her hair was brushed and she had some makeup on.

She surprisingly actually looked very pretty.

She was walking steadily but slowly. She beamed at everyone when she sat down.

Kate said, “The doctor said that she’s going to be fine. He gave her a complete checkup and some medicine, and she’ll be back on her feet before you know it. As a matter of fact, she feels so good that we’re moving her into the new room next to Pete.

There was a lull in the conversation during dinner, and I said to Erin, “I hear that you’re going to the dance Friday. Who with?”

Erin was chewing on something and didn’t look up. “Carl asked me.”

I frowned, and said, “Did you ask Mom?”

“Not yet, it’s OK, isn’t it, Mom?”

Mom stopped eating. “Are you going there with Della and your brother?”

“No, Carl has a car.”

Mom frowned, “Let me think about it”

Erin dropped her fork and said “MOM!”

Mom shrugged “Well, I guess it’s alright.”

Erin said, “He’s coming over to watch TV tonight.”

We finished dinner and I helped Tammy to a chair in the living room while the girls did the dishes.

I looked her up and down and said, “You look really nice. It’s good to see you up and around”

“Did I tell you how grateful I am for what you did for me?”

“Yes you did, and you’re welcome.”

“I hope that I don’t get you in trouble with the girls and their boyfriends.”

I laughed, “I met with them and we worked things out.”

She leaned over and started to put her hand on mine, and I quickly stood up, patted her hand and turned the TV on. Erin came in and we all watched a game show.

I heard a car drive up a little later, and walked to the door. It was an old Pinto. Carl and Desi got out and it looked like they were arguing. Erin and I went outside to meet them, and Desi rushed over to me.

“I heard what happened today, I’m really glad that you’re OK.”

“Yeah, I’m fine” then I motioned to Carl and asked, “What were you two arguing about?”

“He didn’t want me to come here with him. He said that I’d cramp his style.”

“What style? What’s he up to?”

“I don’t know, forget about him.” She took my arm and we started to walk toward the creek. I looked over and Carl was holding Erin’s hand and they were walking the other direction.

We sat down by the creek, and Desi said, “I heard that you asked Della to go to the dance.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Why didn’t you ask me?” she said, in a small voice.

“Because your sister seems sad. We went through a lot today, and I think that she needs someone to lift her spirits.”

She put her arms around me, said “I need you too” and she kissed me. It was a great kiss. It was tender, yet urgent, and it went on for a long time. The she pulled me to her. I could feel her breasts against my chest, and I started to rub myself against her when I heard a loud “OW”, then a splash. It came from where I had seen Carl and Erin walking, so I got up and ran in that direction.

Erin was walking toward the house, and I ran to her and asked what happened.

“He tried to kiss me. I said no, and he put his hands on my butt, so I kicked him in the shins, punched him in the nose, and pushed him in the water.”

Carl came up just then. He was all wet and holding his nose. There was blood all over his hand. “I think that you broke my nose!”

Erin started to run at him and I caught her.

She yelled “You better get out of here, or I’ll break your damn neck!”

He ran to his car and drove off.

I hugged her. “I’m glad you did it, I don’t like him much.”

She said, “Well, he did invite me to the dance.”

“I know someone else who would love to take you to the dance,”

“Hmm, you’re right, I’m gonna go call him,” and she ran into the house.

I looked over at Desi, and she said, “I don’t care if he is my brother, I don’t like him much either.”

I started to say something, but I yawned.

“You’re tired, aren’t you?”

“Yes, very. Is it OK if I walk you home.”

“Sure.”

We walked to her house arm in arm. I kissed her goodnight and walked back.

The lights were on in the house. Kate was on the porch smoking, so I sat by her.

I said, “I’m tired.”

“I’m glad,” she said with a grin, “We’ve had a couple of busy nights and I need some sleep.”

“Who was that in your room last night, Kate.”

“It was a friend of mine.”

“Will we see her again?”

“Would you like to?”

“I would just like to go to sleep right now.” She laughed and kissed me goodnight.

The house was empty when I woke up the next morning, so I grabbed a glass of milk and walked outside. Tammy was sitting by the corral, so I went over and sat next to her.

Chapter 4 »