The Colonel
Copyright© 2026 by happyhugo
Chapter 15
It was Friday morning, and everyone was back at home from their trip to Wyoming. Alice Childs, Bonny’s mother, had gone back to her home after staying a week watching the Colonel. His comment about her was, “I’m glad that crazy woman has left; I was embarrassed by some of the stories she told me. Her man friend stayed one night, and I thought the whole house was coming down. Actually, though, I enjoyed having her here.”
“She is a wild woman, Sir. She knows how to enjoy herself. Grandpa, it will not be too many months before she becomes part of our family. Bonny and I; will be engaged around Thanksgiving time. We were talking about both me, Bonny, and Bradley, so soon after his death. We won’t be living together openly until we marry. We will meet discreetly beforehand. We hope you are okay with it?”
“Of course, Jim and Bonny. Congratulations. Good move. I miss Brad even now and how well we all got along together while he was alive.”
“If you will excuse me, I want to call my broker in Washington. I received an email from the firm, and I want to see what it is about.” I called, and it was the head of the office, William Serkin.
“James, we have a few clients here in our office. We are thinking of opening an office in your area. It will be small, with an experienced broker, a receptionist, and one trainee to learn how to be a salesperson and sell our product once the business grows sufficiently. Do you have any idea who might be a suitable candidate for that position? We thought of you, but knew you built on some property you owned and must have started a business by now.”
“Bill, I did build it, and it was a long time to complete; it finished up a few weeks ago. Am I too old to learn about selling stocks, bonds, and other products?”
“Jim; no, of course not! You and I have been collaborating on vehicles to increase your holdings during the market’s ups, and downs, and you have done well by getting involved in your portfolio. I believe you would do well if you had other clients’ money in your hands to manage. Can you take a few weeks off to come up here to DC and see what it’s all about? We are planning to open an office in your area by September 15. You could fly home on weekends from here to be with your family.”
“Well, I could fly up and see what the job is. I still have a few dollars I haven’t spent yet.”
“Jim, you sure have. You’re what, 38 or 39, right?”
“Yeah, I’ll come up and see you Monday morning.”
“Fine, Jim, I hope you sign on with us.
“Good, see you Monday.”
Amelia came and sat beside me. “Jimmy, let’s see Gertrude and see what she thinks about the bus money we gave her. I hope it was something to make her happy. We flew off and left her without talking about it.”
“I’m for that. Gertrude should be working on her sermon at home tomorrow. I want to find out how she is going to use it.”
“Sure, she has become a good friend. Bonny should be with us. Seeing as we all became friends at the time of Bradley’s funeral.”
“I’ll call her to meet us there at home.”
“Jim, you haven’t seen Bonny for what, three days? How can you stand being apart that long? What was the phone call you made a while ago?”
“It was a job offer. I’m going to fly to DC on Monday about a job offered by my broker. Amelia, do you want to go with me?”
“Nope, I left the Colonel last week, and I’m not leaving him alone again so soon. Will Bonny be mad if you go away on Monday?”
“I’m sure we will discuss it.”
I called Bonny, and she said she would meet me at the parsonage. Amelia and I packed up and headed to see Gertrude Mims. She was happy to see us. Bonny hadn’t arrived yet, so Amelia and I had a chance to talk about our time with my father, whom I hadn’t seen for years.
I explained that I had almost hated my father in the past, not only on my count as his son but also because he hadn’t taken to Molly, the child of his second wife. I also met a sister and brother that I hadn’t known from his third marriage. Then I explained about Molly and how Father hadn’t had a good relationship with her, showing her no love. That denial was resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.
Bonny arrived and was glad again to meet Gertrude, who had performed the ceremony at Brad’s funeral. After all this, Amelia and I began discussing what Gertrude was doing about finding a place to build a church. We found Gertrude had worked with this through the bank and the former owner of the small grocery store, who had the title but had lost it to the bank.
The little store was an eyesore with graffiti scribbled on it. The bank reduced the price considerably, and Gertrude now owned the property on the same street near the mobile home park. “Jim, there are two ‘Go Fund Me’ accounts set up. That will bring in a significant amount of financing. Yard sales are every weekend and Parishioners are scouting for serviceable goods to sell throughout the town.”
I knew there were some items that I hadn’t used in building the Colonel’s showplace that many carpenters would purchase. Bonny had Bradley’s tools and equipment to sell. Household goods, furniture, knickknacks donated, and requests made for items not on display.
Mims, and Bonny planned, and I missed some of it when I went up to DC to speak with the broker, Bill Serkin, who was interested in hiring me. Bonny was using a form of influence that made me feel slightly guilty, especially when she was winning. No woman had ever had such a hold on me as she used. I finally succumbed and told her that after enough money, raised to build the church, I would come into her office looking for some part of the insurance business that she sold in the company, and I would learn how to sell.
With so much going on during late fall and us living almost like husband and wife, we postponed our marriage until mid-February. It was a perfect time, so we went to Hawaii for two weeks on the day of our marriage. Father had come down from his home in Wyoming, bringing his family and staying in the empty apartments. He stood out on the balcony, watching Molly’s horses grazing out in the pasture. James, the Fourth, exercised some of the horses for his oldest daughter. They were companionable when he spent time with her, she, the child he had denied for years.
James, the Colonel, was so happy with this that he forgave all of the slights that James, the fourth, had put upon his father previously.
The Golden’s, father and son, still wanted to own the Colonel’s home so they could use it for the Golf Clubhouse. I was not taken at all by young Jeffery. I watched him with my youngest sister when he was flirting with her during our trip out west, and when he was living part-time with Molly. I felt Wendy was too young to counter what he might suggest. I knew he talked about being a couple with Molly, and she accepted him. They did argue some, though, about his flirting with other women.
The father, Alvin, was pushing Grandpa to sell the property to him for a Golf clubhouse. Alvin was offering more than the cost of building it. I shouldn’t worry about Molly, for she was worldly enough to decide on her own whom to live with, and I could see she wasn’t as serious about marrying Jeffery as it looked like he thought last summer.
I talked with Maggie about the ample space in the cellar. She said she thought it was an ideal space for a sizeable dining room. I had installed a commercial kitchen big enough to handle a crowd. “Jimmy, I’m satisfied with the place on Main Street, and I don’t want to change. I know most of my patrons, and all are my friends. I had contemplated creating a restaurant for the golf crowd, but I’ve decided to leave it and be satisfied with what I have.
A few days later, Molly and Avery’s attachment came to a halt. Molly and I had just come out in the evening and were sitting on the front porch. Bonny hadn’t come down. It was dark, but sometimes we enjoyed listening to the sounds of the night. “Jimmy, look at the exercise trail over there where it leaves the driveway. There is a car’s light traveling up the trail. That car will have to stop soon, right at that narrow place. You watch!”
We both followed the lights, and Molly was right when we saw the taillights come on. Molly giggled, “Whoever it is, is going to have a time backing down at least halfway before he can turn around.” Now, the headlights went out, and we could see that the passenger door was open when the ceiling light came on.
We could hear a woman screaming now to let go of her, and a man’s voice telling her to shut up. “Jim, I’ll get a flashlight, and we’d better get up there. It sounds like that woman is scared and maybe abused, and the man won’t leave her alone.”
It was only about 250 yards going cross-lots across the pasture, and we could hear what was being said most, untellable screams. We were running as fast as possible, and the woman was still screaming. The man was cussing her because, apparently, she had taken the keys and thrown them away when she exited the car. As we drew closer, we could see that the woman was trying to make her way back down the track in the dark. The voice was familiar, but I couldn’t put a name to it.
The man told her, “Betty, get back here. I won’t bother you anymore. We have to find the keys and get the car out of here. Molly will be pissed if she finds me here. She said one time she didn’t allow cars on this trail. I thought for sure it was passable all the way around and a great place to park.”
“Avery, I don’t do parking in cars. You’re on your own after thinking I would put out. You’ve ripped the buttons off my blouse.”
We now knew who both people were. I danced several times with Betty, who worked in the bank. She was a few years younger than I was, and I kissed her several times. I hadn’t attempted more, for she made it plain she wasn’t interested in having sex. She did hang out with a crowd of curious girls, but I never said who it was or that I had taken up such an offer after a dance. She was a date until I met Bonny after Bradley’s death.
Molly and I climbed over the fence and onto the trail. “Jim, I’ll go find Betty, and you can talk to Avery. I think he was trying to screw Betty, but it sounded more like rape. Luckily, she escaped, and she sure didn’t stick around to find out.”
One car door was still open. Avery saw someone approaching but couldn’t identify who until I came into the light. “Avery.”
“Jim, you heard me? I was trying to drive around the trail, but I found it too narrow. Now, I don’t know how to get out of here. It wouldn’t do for Molly to know I was up here.”
“What were you here for?”
“I had a woman with me, just to neck a little. I thought she might put out, but that was my mistake. When she said no, I let her go. She’s gone back down the trail, heading for home. Don’t get the idea I was forcing her, for I wasn’t.’
“I guess that’s between you and her.”
We heard a woman scream and then cry out. It had to be Betty who screamed. Molly shouted, “Jimmy, Betty has fallen while running from me when she saw my flashlight. She has at least twisted her leg or maybe even broken it. Why don’t you two come down? Avery won’t be getting his car out of here tonight. I’m calling the cops because the trail is posted against vehicles. I’ll call an ambulance to get Betty to the hospital. Avery, if you can hear me, don’t ever try to speak to me.”
Avery couldn’t keep his mouth shut, “Well, there goes my fucking for a while?”
Five minutes later: “Molly, Avery just fell, too. He is trying to get up, but he keeps falling. I’ll advise him to keep lying down until we get some light here to see how badly he is hurt.”
The Sheriff transported Avery home. His face bruised, and he lost some skin when he fell into the fence after tripping on some tree roots while staggering around in the dark. The moon was up partway, and soon, it would be light enough to see.
It took Molly and me a while to clear everything up. Betty was off to the emergency room to have her knee bound up. Her knee was twisted but not permanently damaged. It did take several weeks and many exercises to return to normal. There was a cast on it, so she didn’t lose any time from work. I visited her.
“Jimmy, lesson learned. If it were you with me out that night, the night might have turned out differently. I don’t expect that to happen.”
“Betty, Bonny is soon to be my wife. I’m more in love with her than any other woman I’ve ever known. It came to both of us at the same time. Bradley and I were friends, and I have always respected another man’s wife. Never thinking otherwise, I did look at Molly as someone I could love at first, and, I did kiss her a few times. Her Aunt talked to her and told her there might be some blood between the two of us. I learned a few days ago that we share the same father. I feel like I escaped a bullet when verified.
“I would like to have both Molly and Bonny as friends. Would you accept me in the same way? It is time I was getting serious rather than having good times.”
“Betty, I think my good times have arrived when Bonny and I are married. We are getting married, but the ceremony will take place in February.
“I’m happy for you.”
I moved in with Bonny, and we lived together as husband and wife. James the Third and Amelia were the only people who lived upstairs. Amelia complained that it was no fun without me living in the rooms next door to her and the Colonel. “We go to Maggie’s most days. The Colonel can’t see why you built this presumptuous monster of a house and are not living here. We love it when Molly comes up in the evening.
“Jimmy, you have an offer on the house property. Molly has rooms. You said, Molly, and you have an undivided deed for the total property. Split it up and deed Molly’s percentage to her. Even if she gets more than her share, she is your sister, so what?”
“Is this what the Colonel wants me to do? I built the monster for him to be proud of me at first, of what I built.”
“You miss the point, Jimmy. You aren’t living here, and he realizes that you will never return, now that you have moved in with Bonny. You often come into the middle of town on most days so that you can drop by to see us; you won’t have to call first. Maggie has room for us in her house down the street. James said he would be happy moving back to where he had a room before you came on the scene. Maggie said she would ask her other tenants to leave and that we could have three rooms. They won’t be like out here at the horse farm, but all the Colonel and I need is the bedroom, a sitting room, and a small kitchen like out here where I am now.”
“Alright, this place seems to burn money night and much more than I ever figured on. I’ll talk to Molly and see what she wants. Bonny will have preferences. We’ll see if we can come up with something to satisfy everyone. Gertrude will have enough money to build her church, so I won’t need to be involved in that. I believe I will continue attending church. Gertrude says that I am reading bible stories to the children, and that is why she hasn’t had any trouble with filling the children’s section when I read to them. Who would have thought it?”
“Jimmy, it’s just one more of your good qualities and why I love you so much. We do get along together and have from day one.” There was a pause, and I could see that Amelia wanted to say more. “Jimmy, what about your father and his family? Will James, the Fourth, feel cheated if you sell the home place?”
“Amelia, I talked to Edith, Father’s wife. She asked me not even to say anything about selling it. He wasn’t happy in the old house that burned, so he has no fond memories of living there. Edith’s ancestors have always lived in that section of Wyoming. She wants her family to stay in contact, except for weddings, funerals, and similar events. I liked her two kids, so I thought I might help with some of their college costs.
“But other than that, I don’t intend to help them out. They’ve been doing the same thing year after year. Wendy said that for some years, money has been scarce, but they always manage to get by. The kids are old enough to shoulder the work. I was with both and watched them, and I was impressed with their abilities. No, they won’t be returning here. I might plan to visit them once a year. That’s about it.”
“Jimmy, do you want me to approach Bonny about what the Colonel is thinking about the sale of your property? Bonny is like a daughter to me, and we are fast friends.”
“No, I had better talk with her first. I’ll have to talk to Molly as well to see if she is okay with selling. She might be; she has no love for either of the Golden’s, father and son. She still feels Jeffery took advantage of her, yes, and by Alvin, too. He continues to push for the purchase of the property. She feels he had a chance to buy back when Jeffery was her so-called boyfriend. It is a good thing Alvin loaded Jeffery into a vehicle, banned him from talking to Molly, and sent him away, telling him not to show his face around here again.”
“Alvin was smart in that, anyway. Molly was absolutely pissed. Jimmy, tell me how Jeffery got so banged up. I saw his face the next day. Did you have anything to do with that?”
I laughed, “Hey, I couldn’t help it if he was off balance and kept falling against the fence rails near the posts of the horse fence. He might have stumbled over my feet, and I might have tried to hold onto him when he was off balance.”
“Okay, so you pushed him a couple of times. Just deserts, in my opinion.”
Amelia left me and went back to their rooms. I stared after her. I was a little surprised that the Colonel thought I should sell. I headed down and went around to the racetrack behind the barn. Molly was stepping down from a sulky from where she was exercising a horse.
“Hey Jim, what’s up?”
“I just found out from Amelia that Grandpa wonders why we don’t sell the property. Alvin Golden still wants to buy. That would leave you out in the cold, wouldn’t it?”
“Not that much. I’ve moved on from any attraction this property holds for me. The horse pasture will sprout condominiums given the chance. Alvin’s attorneys have talked about it already. I didn’t figure Grandpa would ever let you sell, so I haven’t entertained the idea.”
“Amelia just told me that the Colonel thinks I should sell. He wants out of here and will be satisfied back in the house with Maggie and Amelia, where he had a room before I came here.”
“I can see his point. He and Amelia would be the only ones living here when we leave. I know you want to stay permanently with Bonny at the house she and Bradley lived in.”
“I don’t know about that; Bradley’s memory is almost a ghost to us at times. Bonny or I will mention his name at times, and we will have a few sad moments that we don’t need. I know this property isn’t that good a place to bring up children.”
“I thought you would have Bonny knocked up by this time. What’s the matter?”
I grinned, not saying anything. Molly read my face, seeing how happy I was now, “Jimmy, is Bonny preggo?”
Yeah, I’ll set it up with Amelia so that she and Grandpa are invited, and you can drive them.”
“Can I bring Maggie, too? She’ll want in on this; she was my Mom, and Maggie would want to be a grandmother to your kid, just as she was to me. I lived without my Father’s help all my life. I’m glad we resolved our anger with him, and it was finalized to both our satisfaction. Both when I visited Wyoming and when he and his family came here during the summer. I’m leaving it at that. Well, actually, I still resent him a bit. His feelings toward me at the time when he disowned me still hurt. I envy Wendy and Robbie, who had his love through their youth when I needed him.”
“I can sympathize with you, and Father knew I was his son. The Colonel was the person who helped the most at that age. Mother kept me aware. Yeah, I know what you felt. Edith corresponds with Mother but never mentions Father. She says she sees you as an older version of Wendy and me, and an older version of Robbie.”
“I guess I can understand that. I sometimes wonder if Maggie had a thing for our Father. I never heard them arguing as he did with my mother. Father is a handsome person, just like you.”
“Molly, cut it out; we are beyond that. I do have two pretty sisters, though.”
I felt that the Colonel thought it wise to sell the mansion I had built to restore, which showed how much I felt about Grandfather. Molly was wholeheartedly in with me on this. I was putting off deciding to sell to Alvin Golden. My thought, “What if Alvin brought Avery back to live on the place? The money was great, and I would have a great return on the cost of the building. I knew Molly was humiliated for sleeping with Avery, and I resented this.”
Bonny was a great cook and served a great meal. Maggie was upbeat from the time Molly picked up Grandfather and Amelia. Molly got me aside for a minute when they arrived. “Jimmy, I think Maggie has had a few drinks this afternoon. She is happy, as if she has a secret. I hope she will explain.”
“Maybe she has a man. It’s time for her to get one.”
“I know Aunt Maggie has had men before, but I never knew her to be this happy about one. She has kept that part of her life hidden from most people, but I knew. You can’t keep a kid like me from finding out. And I lived with her for many years.”
“Molly, if she doesn’t tell us, don’t push finding out.”
“I won’t, and I wouldn’t hurt her for the world.”
We were sitting in the Bonny’s and my living room, drinking a bottle of wine to finish off the meal. “Colonel, Amelia told me something a few days ago about the mansion that no one lives in except Molly. I know you have an offer from the Golf club, but you haven’t said anything to Jimmy or Molly about selling to them.”
“Maggie, it isn’t mine to sell; Molly and Jim own it. If they wish to sell it, they can do so without restrictions. I was proud that restoring it in my honor was a personal tribute to me. I don’t know when I realized what a bit of foolishness it was. I do know that Jim invested over $ 6.5 million in building the house. The racing business, which is Molly’s portion, is worth another $1,500,000. The Golf Club has offered Jim $ 7.25 million. I think he should take it. How many thousands is it costing you to support an empty building?”
“Grandpa, the racing business I own does pay for itself.”
“I know that, and it would sell at a profit. The thing is, Jim isn’t going to get what he paid for the house by itself.”
“Hey, don’t sweat that; I still have money left. I’m employed selling Annuities and make enough to support Bonny. I find Insurance is quite a racket.”
“Jim, first tell me why you didn’t take the Goldens’ offer.”
“Mostly, I don’t trust the outfit. Molly, what if Avery should show up here, working at the Golf Club again? He is a scumbag.”
“Jim, I agree; he is, but you saw him moving on once. He wants nothing to do with you or fence rails and posts.”
I smiled, and everyone laughed. “I suppose I could sell. I’ll think about it some more.”
Maggie spoke, “There is an alternative with someone I knew years ago if you would listen. I went up there and toured the house this afternoon. I wasn’t alone, and I had three men with me. The men were impressed with the property. They want to talk. They belong to a university, a one-of-a-kind cooking school, which is what I wanted to attend years ago. I can also tell you that I knew one of the men who was present here today and was a friend years ago.”
“But then, I had Molly to take care of it, so I opened a plain old restaurant. I had to be content with that for the rest of my life. I never had a man to love either.”
Maggie was quiet for the moment. “Maggie, is this man interested?”
“In me, or the property?” I looked intently at this woman. There was excitement in her expression. “Jimmy, the man I know, is named Max Canfield. Actually, he asked many questions about both my life and what it had been like since we parted. He then took the time to tell me he is widowed with two sons. Both are Chefs located in Scandinavia, somewhere where their mother was from. She died five years ago. He always maintained his connections here in the States.”
“So, is he interested in you?”
“He has asked me for a date for tomorrow night. I invited him to my establishment. I’m feeding him and the other two men to the best of my ability. Molly, will you help me?”
“You know I will.”
“Jim, I’m talking to you now. Max was impressed when I took him to the front entrance to see the curving staircases on each side of the room. I spent half an hour discussing the building’s contents and their significance. He shook his head when I mentioned that there was a small bar on the left behind some wall panels.”
Max stated, “I’m going to see if this place is for sale. The bar won’t be used if I buy it. Maggie, tell me how you are connected to this property?”
“I told him my Niece, Molly, owned 60 acres for her horse racing business and that the former owner’s Grandson owned the building and 15 acres it sat on. I also said there was a standing offer from the golf range next door to buy. He wanted to know what the offer amounted to and if he had an option. I said I didn’t know, but I guessed several million. I’m supposed to arrange for you to meet him.
“I took him up the stairs on the right, saying that Molly had an apartment on the end nearest the horse stable. When we reached the hallway above, I had him peer out the end in the rear to view the grounds and point out the boundaries. I walked toward the front and told him six rooms were going right and six to the left of the Hallway. Using that space would make several small apartments. I knew you kept the front enclosed for a reason with some furniture enough to relax on.”
Max commented, “Hey, pretty neat. Instead of a hallway enclosed for the apartments, it is open, and you can take advantage of inclement weather from the scattered seating and tables and still see across the driveway to the horses.”
Max could see the open room doors because no one lives up here now. “I had said that to Max while we were climbing the stairs.”
“Maggie, if Molly and I sell to Max, you will get a commission.”
“Jim, I don’t need a commission, but I will take Max in lieu of.”
The Colonel offered, “Go for it, Girl.”
Amelia hadn’t commented since we sat down. She did now, “Jimmy, you and Molly, you go ahead and decide what you wish to do with your property. We all are all very well settled in and happy with our current living situation. Bonny, you have a nice home, and you aren’t that far from us. Maggie will most likely hook up with Max Canfield, whom she has been talking about for years. She is twitching around in her seat, so maybe she remembers something special about him. I’ll bet he has some grandkids, and if he settles here, they will be visiting.”
Maggie heard this as intended to hear. “Okay, Amelia. I may be late in finding happiness, but I’m open to trying to achieve it. I know you all will back me on this.”
Molly and I agreed to meet Max and the two other men who had toured the house. This was after, The Colonel urged she and me to sell the house. “You two should sit down with our lawyers, ( MaCain, and, MaCain, )to talk over any part of selling that you want to reserve.”
“What did you have in mind with that?”
“After what Maggie said about what the buyers intended, Molly may have a chance to keep training horses like she has been doing, only on a smaller scale. I mean, the track behind the horse pens is out of sight; And, I would think she could keep on training and racing with a smaller number of horses. Jim, you still don’t know what these friends of Maggie’s expect to set up and get this culinary school going. I would expect they will need, dormitories. Having them built will take some time. It could be years, maybe.”
Molly had something to say, “Maggie, I’m not against selling if Jim wants to. He knows things got out of hand with the size of the house and all. He made Grandpa proud, and that was the point of the endeavor. Jim and I are brother and sister. That is entirely different than if we were a couple. Jim put me first when he started this, and I had a big hand in everything. I am as proud that he thought enough to include me.
“If these people are as serious as Maggie thinks they are, I can see their point as well. They have their gem of a showplace already constructed, so if they need to raise money, all they have to do is open the front door and let them in. I’m sure the investors will be impressed with what they see. When the kitchens are looked at, that will impress them, too. When they walk the length of the hall and see my horses grazing in the pasture, they may want to consider keeping a few animals on the premises.
“I know to a penny what the 60 acres cost to rejuvenate, and I won’t be embarrassed to ask at least that much, but I might come away with more than a few extra bucks.”
“Colonel, you think I should sell. Amelia, what is your take on the situation?”