Chapter 3

"What time do you get home?"

"Yesterday was early, so today is late. I'll be back, about dark, sometime after eight."

"Do you eat supper in town or do you want me to fix something? That's the least I can do. Tell me what you want, it might be the only thing I do all day."

"I'll wait until I get home, just surprise me. I'll eat anything that doesn't eat me first."

As the sun was setting, Gail mixed crushed, dried garlic with some butter and spread it on the inside of the tops and bottoms of her hamburger buns then filled a pot with water, putting it on a burner to boil. When she heard Howard's truck rattling down the road she put the spaghetti in the boiling water and was still trying to get the gas burner to light so she could use the broiler to toast the bread when Howard walked in the door.

"Show me the trick to this broiler."

"Yum, I smell spaghetti." Howard walked over to the stove and lifted the lid on the meat and sauce. "That ol' thing doesn't work half the time. That's why I cook the steaks in the fireplace. If that's garlic bread, just turn it butter—side down in the skillet."

"Oh, I didn't think about that. I love pan toast, at least that's what Tincha called it."

Howard looked around, "Gail, not that I don't appreciate it, but my goodness, you've been busy today."

She laughed, half—heartedly and said, "Well, I pulled my food box inside. I usually just put it in the truck before I start filling it. It was too heavy to carry. I pulled leaves and dirt inside and, well, one thing led to another. I didn't have anything else to do, and I wasn't going to sit around all day and feel sorry for myself. So I swept the floor."

"Yeah, I see. And you dusted everything. And you polished the tops of the tables. Hey, you even washed the kitchen window."

"Yeah, I told you, one thing led to another. Go wash your hands. Supper's almost ready."

During supper, Gail asked about the trail she followed and was not surprised to learn the trail was made by people illegally entering the country, coming across the Mexico border and going farther inland. Most were looking for jobs.

"Gail, I don't want to frighten you, but don't go anywhere near those trees again. I'm not the Border Patrol or Homeland Security, but not all of the people who cross the river are looking for jobs."

"Yes, okay, I know. I just wasn't thinking. I won't go that way again. Maybe I should just leave tomorrow."

"I think you need to stay. I have a lot of venison in the freezer. I'm ready to see what else you can make out of it. No, I'll be serious. You're fine here, unless you don't like my company."

It was one of those blushes she could not stop. She felt it rising, going all the way up to her hairline. Trying to hide her pink cheeks, she looked down at her lap, "I like your company. I just don't want to intrude. I enjoyed myself today. I felt good about everything I did and I guess like everyone else, I appreciate that you noticed."

Howard looked at her, knowing he might make her embarrassment worse, but he had to say what he felt, "You aren't used to that, are you?" Instead of answering, she just shook her head, so he added, "That's a shame. When someone does something nice for me, I want them to know I appreciate it. I'm sorry I embarrassed you."

"Oh, well, a grown woman shouldn't blush like that. You'd think I'd get old enough, eventually, so it wouldn't happen any more."

"I don't know. It's attractive, in a cute kind of way. Your cheeks get pink and that dimple shows. Any man who sees it would probably be encouraged to try whatever he has to, to make it happen again."

"Oh, please don't. Men do it to me all the time."

"You can't blame me. I'm a man, too. Come on, let's clean up the kitchen. I'm taking you to meet my brother."

"Your brother? I don't ... I'm not here to ... why?"

"In case you didn't notice, it's Saturday night. Frank and Melanie are going to meet us in about half an hour and we're going to drink a couple of beers, dance a few dances, and I'm going to get down on my knees and apologize for making a stupid fool of myself for hitting a loudmouth bully."

"But I'm not dressed ... I didn't bring ... Howard, I don't know how to dance."

"Great, I'm not very good at it myself, so we can just have fun. And if you were dressed any better, I'd have to wear my gun to keep the other guys away from you."

"So, you think if you apologize to the bully, he won't press charges."

"Yeah, I talked to the Sheriff today. He thinks it might work. I didn't really tear up anything at the beer joint, so maybe I can get off with no charges. It's worth a try."

"Okay, I'll help."

When they walked out of his house, Gail gave Howard her keys, saying since he knew where they were going, he could drive instead of trying to tell her how to get there.

Frank and Melanie had a table staked out, and after the introductions Frank and Howard started telling stories about the tricks they played on each other when they were younger. Melanie kept telling Gail not to listen to their stories—they would tell them again next week. The two couples drank a beer while the musicians warmed up and played a few songs. They started encouraging the patrons to fill the floor or they would go sit with their wives and let the jukebox take over.

Howard took Gail's hand and pulled her out to dance. He put his arm around her, pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "Put your head on my shoulder and just hold on. The first step you take is your left foot backward. After that, the rest is easy."

He kept her on the dance floor through the first three songs before he would let her go sit down. By that time she was tired from the unaccustomed exercise. The next one was a waltz and Howard said, he would teach her to waltz after she had at least two more beers. By that time she would be relaxed enough to follow a wooden stick.

Halfway through her third beer, a big man walked up to the table and said, "Josie," pointing toward their waitress, "said you wanted to talk to me if I came in tonight."

Howard stood up to talk to the man, "Yeah, Billy, I'm sorry about punching you the other night. I just wanted to apologize. I guess I had too much to drink and I didn't like you trying to beat up my brother."

"Yeah dammit, that Sue Ann, she shouldn't have said that to Frank. She was just trying to make me jealous. Tell ya what, you let me dance with that pretty little thing you brought tonight and I'll accept your apology."

Howard turned to Gail and grinned, "Hey man, that's up to the lady. Gail, do you want to dance with this man?"

Billy turned to Gail, gave her a gallant bow and asked, "Gail, may I have this dance?"

Shaking, as she had never shaken before, she took Billy's hand and followed him, telling him she was just learning and he responded, "Then you have come to the right place. I'm the best dancer in this joint."

When Billy took her back to the table, he leaned over and said to Howard, "Man, you better marry this 'un, or I'll have to ask her myself."

Howard stood and held the back of Gail's seat until she was comfortably seated then put a hand on her shoulder, "That sounds like a good plan to me."

Billy looked at Gail and asked, "You wouldn't think of marryin' an old lunk like Howard when you have a good lookin' man like me waiting for you, now would you?"

In the spirit of the joke, Gail answered, "I might Billy. He's a lot easier to dance with."

Howard sat back down in his chair and held her hand until she could stop shaking, and then leaned over to say, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that to you. If I had known you were so nervous, I would have tried to make some excuse."

Gail looked at him and blushed, "It's okay. I think I was just uncomfortable, you know, afraid I couldn't dance with anyone but you. Does that mean he won't press charges against you?"

"I hope so. Would you like to go outside for some fresh air? You look a little pale."

"Yes, please."

As they walked across the room, one of the men sitting at Billy's table hollered, "Kiss her for me too, Howard."

Howard turned and yelled back, "Not 'til I finish kissing her for myself."

After the door closed, he told Gail, "Hey, you can't pay too much attention to a bunch of guys having fun on a Saturday night." They walked a few steps away from the building to feel some of the fresh breeze blowing, and Howard asked, "Can you stand some more of that, or do you want to go back to the ranch?"

"I think I need at least one more dance lesson with my teacher, so I can forget the showoff."

"Then let's go do it. For a change, I'm having fun, too. I don't do this very often."

As soon as Howard opened the door and Gail walked inside, she heard one of the men from Billy's table holler, "Damn, Howard, she don't look kissed. You better let me do it for you."

Howard put his hand on Gail's shoulder and turned her around, held her face with both hands and kissed her, and continued to kiss her as he put his arms around her and pulled her close.

When he finally let her go, they stood and stared at each other, while the guy at Billy's table hollered, "Never mind, Howard. I don't think she wants anyone else to kiss her."

After Gail's fourth beer and that waltz he promised, Howard told Frank and Melanie that he and Gail were headed back to the ranch. He'd had his two beers and was calling it a night.

Halfway back to the ranch, Howard looked at Gail. Her elbow was on the armrest, and her forehead was resting in the palm of her hand. He stopped her truck, walked around to her side and opened the door.

"Come on, Gail. Come on, get rid of it." Howard stood behind her, holding her forehead with one hand, with his other hand on her stomach. Leaning over, Gail vomited, straightened up, then leaned over, and did it again, until the rest of the spaghetti and beer was out of her stomach. When she could stand up straight, he said, "I'm sorry. I didn't know. Damn, why didn't you tell me? You should have said something. Oh boy, what a dunce I am. Come on, let me get you home."

"Oh—h-h, I am never going to drink again," Gail moaned the next morning, as she sat at the small kitchen table.

"It's not just the beer though, it is?" Howard asked.

"What do you mean? I don't drink, or at least I've never had four beers before."

"Gail, don't lie to me. It's not just the beer, is it? You're pregnant, aren't you?"

"What makes you think... ?"

Howard was suddenly in her face talking so loudly it hurt her head, which wasn't feeling very well to begin with. "Tell me. You're pregnant, aren't you? I could feel you when I was holding you last night."

Gail raised her head and looked him straight in the eye, "Yes, I'm pregnant and it's none of your business."

"What are you, three months, four months? It can't be much more than that? What were you thinking last night? You can't do that. It's not good for the baby."

She stood and glared at him, "It's not a baby, yet. Besides, it's not your problem."

Thinking to give her something to hold onto, he put his arms around her. "Oh you poor thing, what asshole has done this to you and then let you get away from him?"

"Howard..."

"Sh-h-h-h, it's okay. We'll figure something out."

"Howard..."

"What?"

"Howard, it's not ... something is ... it's not right ... something is wrong ... it ... he isn't ... I can't feel ... he didn't move, all day yesterday, he barely moved at all."

He let go of her, pushing her toward the bathroom, "Okay, go wash your face. We're going to the hospital."

She didn't move, "Howard ... I ... I don't want ... I'm afraid, I don't want to know."

"Yes, you do. You're just afraid to be alone when you find out. I'm right here, and I'm staying. Go wash your face."

As she turned to walk toward the bathroom, she doubled over and groaned. Before she could straighten up, Howard had her in his arms, carrying her to her truck, and putting her into the back seat. Then he was driving down the road, trying to figure out how to turn the blinkers to flash. As soon as he was on the highway he started leaning on the horn, speeding through the light traffic.

At the hospital, all Howard could do was wait. Pacing, not caring about a single thing in the world except the woman on a gurney. The curtains were pulled around her and no one would let him anywhere near her. After what seemed like an eternity, an older man in the shirt and pants of green hospital scrubs walked up to him.

"Howard, I'm sorry, I couldn't save the baby. Your wife said she didn't feel any movements of the fetus for most of yesterday."

"Is she ... did you tell her ... does she know."

"Yes. She's not having an easy time of it. Very few women do at a time like this. I think she needs you."

As the man walked away, Howard asked, "Doctor Jackson, does she need to stay? I mean, here in the hospital, or can I take her home."

"Well, let's give her a couple of hours. If the bleeding isn't significant and you aren't too far away, we can let her go home in a few hours. She's not going to feel like doing anything but bed rest, and she can do that at home. She needs to be off her feet for a few days. I'll talk to you later. Go see her and then we'll let her rest a little before I decide. How's that?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

The doctor started to walk away, and then he turned. "Howard, you tell that woman you love her. Don't you dare let her believe this is her fault. Sometimes these things happen. She's healthy. You can try again in a few months. Right now, she just needs to know that you love her."

When Howard walked around the green curtain to the gurney where Gail was lying on her side with her eyes closed, he had no idea what to say to her.