Chapter 3

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As I stepped through the door, Nina asked if there was room for her to ride out to the ranch. I said there was. Amy and Amelia were eating Cheerios at the kitchen table. When we came in Junior started fussing and Terry asked if she could have a place to feed him. The girls were interested and wanted to see the baby being nursed so I asked them to take Terry into their room. Angelina came out and sat down while Nina poured coffee.

"You're letting Mam ride out with you?"

"Yes, there is room. My brother-in-law was bumped from the flight and won't be in until this evening. As busy as we are at the ranch, I hate to come back for him. Would you pick him up at the airport? I have their luggage. He has a cell phone and Terry will call you just as soon as the plane lands. She will give you his number too, so if you can't see him you can call."

"Still giving orders aren't you Mr. Duncan?" This hurt until I looked at her. There was a slight twinkle in her eyes. "I'd be glad to pick him up. Can you stay long enough for me to meet your," she paused, "sister?" She put up quotes with her fingers when she said sister. Nina was looking for clarification.

I kept it simple. "Terry used to be my wife. We were married for seven years. Then her dad married my mother which makes her my stepsister I guess. Either way we are friends. I know Terry's new husband and we get along okay. I'm really pleased they would come west at this time for the barbecue." Nina snorted.

The baby was blocked so he wouldn't fall off the couch while he was sleeping. Nina and I sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee. Terry, Angelina and the kids got acquainted in the living room. The phone rang just before I finished my coffee. It was Pete. "Junkin, can't you hurry up and get back out here? The carousel and the rest of the rides were here when we got up this morning. The hay crew leader wants to start cutting hay. Damn it boy we need you here."

"Okay Pete, I'll be there in an hour. It may take an extra ten to get your grandson loaded up as he is sleeping. He's a cutie. You got something to be proud of. Oh and tell Ezra that Nina showed up and she is with me."

Just as I got into the car and after I had Terry, Nina and the baby loaded, Angelina asked to see me for a minute. "Thanks Mr. Duncan for warning Pa that Mam is coming. You know I think your ex-wife still likes you a lot. She whispered to me that she is the one that left you and you have been terribly nice and understanding about it. She also said that now you and she were sister and brother, it was going to make it that much easier to get past your previous relationship."

"I think it will too. Thank you for having me to dinner last night and letting me stay over."

"Anytime Junkin." It took a minute and I was halfway to the car before how she had addressed me sank in.

It was a mad house when we reached the ranch. Nina hadn't said very much. Terry was interested in the scenery. Some of the fields were green but overall the landscape was brown. She couldn't get over the differences in the houses in the two little villages we passed through. There were very few two-story houses and many were small. "Wait until you see where we live. The ranch house is huge."

Pete was outside waiting for us as we pulled into the yard. Terry went to him. "Dad, I'm so glad you let me know you are alive. You're looking great and so brown too. See your grandson. He will be four months old in two days."

"God Terry, it is wonderful to see you again. Did Junkin tell you I've stopped drinking? He arranged it so I could get back out here where it is home to me. Nellie helped me through the worst of going from drunk to sober. I asked her to marry me and she accepted. I know that complicates your relationship to Junkin, but he is fine with it, I think."

"We discussed it. He is being really nice."

Mom was coming toward the car as Terry was getting little Bill Junior out. She cooed over the baby. Suddenly this was no place I wanted to be. The baby was mine and I couldn't claim him. Nina was standing beside me looking uncertain. Ezra hadn't made an appearance.

"Come on Nina, Mom always has the coffee pot on. I'll chase up Ezra. Everyone will be here for lunch. Paco and Juan will be glad to see you. Oh, they have a brother, a boy named Izzy that Ezra has adopted. Izzy has a woman named Jenny Berkley and they live in the house. Paco and Juan have women friends too, who will be leaving next week. They all stay in the bunkhouse together."

"I bet the women are something. I can't imagine either one of them attracting anyone except something they have to pay for."

"Maybe not, but you may change your mind when you meet them." I went to Ezra's door, knocked lightly and entered. He was lying on the covers, awake. "She here?"

"Out in the kitchen."

"What's she want?"

"I have no idea. Are you going to talk to her?"

"S'pos I'll have to. She ain't coming here and worming her way in. You're my manager and you may have a job to do getting rid of her. I can take care of her bastards, but I ain't takin' care of her no more."

Nina spoke from the door. "I'm not asking you to. I heard about this barbecue you are putting on. I wasn't even sure you were still alive. I come up here looking for my boys. I understand they are here with you."

"Yeah, they're here. Good men too. You saw Angelina?"

"Yes, I spent the night at her place. She wasn't happy to see me."

"S'pect not. I finally told her about our breakup. She thought for years I kicked you out. Damn it woman, I begged you to marry me. I begged for a whole week and you told the kids it was my fault you had to leave. Well you are gone now and I got all three of them back with me. That's the end of it and us."

"Okay I can accept that. I'm married now, Ez. I'm only here to see my kids. You've got two beautiful granddaughters. They make me think of Angie when she was that age. Ezra, I've come back to say I'm sorry about how I treated you all those years. I came a day early before my husband gets here just to say that to you. He'll be here tomorrow. We'll leave after he gets here, I promise."

"Okay, I won't drive you away tonight then. Look around the place to find Paco and Juan. I think they are up on the lease moving the fence for the cattle. Junkin, you stay. I'll fill you in on what's going on. Pete ain't been of no use to me. He's been too excited about seeing his daughter."

Nina backed out of the door into the kitchen. I expected things had all gone to hell, but nothing great had happened. The main thing was the hay crew wanted to start haying immediately. Ezra had told them they weren't to start cutting until I said so. "I'll find the crew chief."

When I went out, I gathered Nina from the kitchen. I told her I'd find Maddie or Mazie to drive her up to see her sons. Mazie was just coming from talking to the crew that was setting up the barbecue. "Mazie, this is Paco and Juan's mother. She hasn't seen them for a couple of years. Drive her up to the lease to see them."

Mazie stood there. Tall, long blonde hair, full busted and Colorado tanned. "Hi, so you are Paco's mom. He looks like you a lot. He told me just the other day he didn't think he would ever see you again."

"Why would he think that?"

"He said you always left everyone that loved you. Come on, get in Angel. That's the name of the pickup. Junkin claims he named the pickup because it drives like an angel. We all think it is because he is in love with Mrs. Betite. We suspect she likes him too, but she chopped him off at the knees the second time they met and she doesn't know how to apologize.

"You know I hope I'm as pretty as you are when I get to be your age. My Daddy always said blondes wash out when they get to be fifty. If you want beauty to last, you have to have dark hair and white skin. I do run on, don't I? You do know Maddie and I are sleeping with Paco and Juan. It's all over next week when we go back to school, but we have had a lot of fun this summer. Paco says he is going to miss us, but would never marry me. He's going to find himself a wife now that he has a steady job and a home here with his father. Juan probably will too. That's all Junkin's fault."

I stood there listening to Mazie talk to Nina. I finally shook my head and walked off as she was still talking. I went looking for the hay crew. When I found them I said, "Here's the deal. How many days have you had off this summer?"

"Three days because of rain and two because of broken equipment. Why?"

"I don't want you to start haying until next week. We are going to have thousands of people here Saturday. They will be all over the place. If you are haying, they'll be down watching you guys work and be in the way. I'll give you what I gave you the last time. Four hands if you will hold off until Monday before starting. If you want to round up your families they can come and I'll feed you all at the barbecue, and your kids can ride the ponies or the carnival rides for free. It will be a vacation for you."

"Deal. It looks like we are in for a spell of good weather, so I'm okay with that--and thank you."

I was leaning against the kitchen door when Angelina arrived. Amy and Amelia came busting out of the back seat and ran over to me. "We're home! I didn't think we would ever get here. Wow look at all of the people already. Who are they?"

"Just people that are going to be setting up today. You guys got something for me?"

"High five!" I gathered them into my arms and went to meet Angelina and Bill Boyle.

I set them down and shook Bill's hand. "Bill, welcome to the ranch. Did you have a good flight out?"

"Not really. I was worried about Terry and Junior. Are they okay?"

"Fine. Terry is putting the baby to bed. Cute baby you have there. Congratulations. Makes me think I want to get married again and have one just like him."

"Junkin, sometime before Terry and I leave, we should talk."

"Terry and I have talked some. I guess this was quite a surprise to find me out here with Pete. Hey man, I'm glad you and Terry are so happy together--and Junior too, of course."

"You mean that?"

"Yeah, I do. Go find your wife and baby. She was worried about you getting here." I turned to face Angelina. "No trouble picking up Bill at the airport?"

"No, none at all. He found me right off. Your sister had called him. Amy and Amelia, stop hanging onto Mr. Duncan. Go find your grandpa."

After they left, I started being questioned. "Did Pa kick Mam out?"

"No, she said she was leaving tomorrow when her husband comes so he let her stay the night. She wanted to see Paco and Juan. She is up on the lease with them now. Did you get all the kids clothes you needed?"

"She's married? She didn't tell me. No I didn't get all of the clothes yet."

"Why not?"

"I'll get the rest before winter. I talked to Mr. Boyle on the way out. He tells me you are a pretty good person. I could tell he was worried about you over something. Was what you said to him a few minutes ago what he was worried about? He seemed to relax after you talked."

"Could be. Come, Nellie saved you some supper. I imagine the kids are eating by now. Tomorrow is going to be busy. I'm giving orders tonight so everyone will be up and on the run first thing."

"More orders for me, I expect?"

"You did say you would help."

"I did, didn't I."

Terry, Bill and the baby were offered my room by Mom. I was to sleep in the bunkhouse with Paco, Juan, Mazie and Maddie. Ezra said Nina would have to sleep there too. Angelina wasn't happy over this arrangement, but couldn't do much about it. She didn't want Nina sleeping with her Pa so that mollified her some. Maybe she was a little afraid that I might snuggle in with her mother if I had the chance. This was something I suspected when I saw her give her mother a distasteful look and then turn and give me the same.

Everyone was present when I opened the meeting I had called for 7 p.m. "Okay, tomorrow is important. Mrs. Berkley and Izzy, are you all set? How many pounds of jerky do you have to sell?"

"We have a hundred pounds in one ounce strips. We think we can give most people a sample and still have eighty-five pounds to sell. That should net us about $1500. The beef, the spices and most of the cost of the dehydrator will be paid for with that amount left over. Of course that is the pound rate. If people want amounts smaller than a pound we will take in more."

"Do you have the packaging ready?"

"Yes. We are putting the paper on the scale and then weighing the strips, rolling it up and then stuffing it in some small paper bags. Takes about a minute. Izzy has been practicing. I'll be writing orders if people order for delivery."

"Sounds good. You move everything in early tomorrow morning." I ran through what everyone's assigned duties were to be. I concluded with Ezra, asking, "Would you tell everyone about Mrs. Berkley's mother and her coming to live here. She wanted to come today, but she understands if we don't have time to get her. She will be staying with your dad in his room indefinitely. Do you want to explain, Ezra?"

"Yes. I met Grace Lincoln a couple of years ago and we became friends. That's where Izzy and I have been going when we go to town. She is disabled with arthritis. I've wanted her to come live here since I have known her. Since Junkin came and freed me up from worrying about the ranch and its management, she can now come and I can take care of her. She will be my responsibility and mine only, although Jenny and Izzy will take over if anything should happen to me.

"Touching on a couple of other things. I'd like to welcome Pete's daughter and her family to the ranch. I hope you are comfortable while you are with us. Nina, you told me this afternoon that you are married and your husband will be coming here to get you. Please stay long enough for me and all of your children to meet him. In fact if you are comfortable sleeping in the bunkhouse, you might as well stay until the festivities are over."

The meeting was over and everyone drifted away from the kitchen. I was working on a list of reminders of things still to do. "Mr. Duncan." I jumped, not realizing Angelina was still there. "Did you get what Pa said to Mam?"

"No, what did he say that I missed?"

"He was telling her that he knew she would be comfortable in the bunkhouse, for he knew that Paco and Juan were conceived there. Enough of that. Saturday and Sunday are going to be really busy. You didn't give me any specific orders. What will I be doing?"

"I've got the information booth I want you to man if you would. You will have a phone and a bunch of numbers of people to contact if there is some trouble. The police will take care of anyone drunk and disorderly. The fire personnel if there is any trouble with parking. If any kids get lost, you are to contact both units. There will be a rescue unit if anyone gets hurt or sick."

"How many people do you expect?"

"I don't know actually. There is no way to tell. The barbecue maestro has enough beef and pork for at least ten thousand meals. If he thinks he needs more he will have it on hand for Sunday. The church group will be serving the salads and beans and they say they have enough for twelve thousand. I'm going to have a thousand half chickens in the refrigerator truck for insurance and another couple hundred I can get if I need them. The weather is going to be nice. It is going to be sunny and cool for August."

"You can't do it. That's too many people. You'll have a riot if things don't go right."

I turned really serious. "Mrs. Betite, please have faith in me--in us. Sometimes I have my doubts about this thing I have started. Then I think of how your father, your brothers, your daughters and the others are depending on me. I have to pull this off."

"Is it the money you would lose? You have put up all of it so far."

"No, I can find more money. I'll share something with you. My father ran a junkyard and I was looked down on. I bought it from him and was as successful in the same business and I was still looked down on. I lost a wife because I dealt in junk. That hurt me more than I have ever let on. I came out here. Even you said the people here on the ranch were a bunch of losers. Well I don't think they are no more than I am, for I am one of them.

"Right now, here today, we are having a great time. They have faith in me and I have given them all a chance to have faith in themselves. All of the people I mentioned a minute ago are waiting for you to have faith in us. It would help a lot if you would go around and encourage your father and brothers. Believe it or not they look to you as the one that is ultimately going to own this place. They are working to make everything a success. They aren't doing it for themselves but for you. This is home to them and they want it to be home to you as well, for you belong here."

"You are very eloquent, Mr. Duncan. You have given me much to think about. You know Nellie was asking me when I was going to finish that bottle of wine. Maybe I'll go out and sit on the seats tonight when the moon is up. I enjoyed that the last time. She paused as if to say more, but then changed the subject. "I'll leave you to finish your paperwork. It is almost time for Amy and Amelia to get ready for bed. I'll see to them."

I watched as my Angel turned and went into the living room.

This evening was much different than the last time Angelina and I had sat on the benches. For one thing the carnival workers were busy putting up the rides. They had their own generators for the lights and for the rides needing electricity to power them. I met her at the kitchen door as she came out. Angelina had a basket in her hand--the same basket I had filled the last time.

I took it in my hand when she passed it to me. The moon wasn't full but still brilliant enough. We passed down in front of the concession cubicles and went near where the beef was being spitted. A tractor had spun around on the ground and it was uneven and we both stumbled. Righting myself I took Angelina by the arm. Not pulling away, she let me lead her to the seats.

When we were seated and the wine and beer poured, she spoke. "I want to know more about you. Everyone likes you even when you make them work hard all of the time. You even boss me around and I do it and I don't know why. Your ex-wife is out here with her husband and both speak as if you are their best friend. I do know one thing about you that you have misrepresented about yourself."

"What would that be?"

"You have maintained all along that you are only here for a few short years because you are committed back where you came from. Mr. Boyle says there isn't much for you to go back to. He tells me that the city has an agreement with you that you will turn your former place of business over to them when the superfund cleanup is completed. Is that true?"

"Yes."

"Why did you tell me and everyone else different?"

"I am only leaving myself an out in case I don't reach a goal I set for myself."

"What goal would that be?"

"Too early to explain."

"Okay I won't pry. Seems as though when you and I are alone I have questions I want to ask. Tell me more about Jenny Berkley and how she could end up with someone like Izzy. She certainly is more intelligent than him."

"It is a sad story. She and her husband were border agents together. A few years ago they were on patrol and ran into some members of a drug cartel. In the ensuing battle her husband was killed. I guess her husband was a John Wayne type and made some foolish moves leading up to the confrontation. To keep his record clear, she told her superiors she was the one that made the decisions. This was to save her mother-in-law from knowing the truth about her son.

"Long story short, her mother-in-law won't speak to her at all and the unit she was with, told her there was no future in the border patrol for her. She ended up having a mental breakdown. The day she came home from rehab, Ezra was there talking to her mother. Izzy was with him. The rest is history. I know one thing, she is a dead shot with most weapons. That is why the money we take in tomorrow and Sunday will be placed as surreptitiously as possible in her booth."

"Do you think that is a possibility? That scares me."

"Not likely with Sheriff Robbins and his deputies here, but you never know. Maybe I read too many of Louis L'Amour's books. Mrs. Betite, you know a lot about me. Tell me something about you."

"Oh, let's stop this formality with our names. I was wrong to chastise you. I knew it as soon as I said it. Pa sure let me know sudden enough. Call me what you want and I'll do the same to you. I always think of Junkin when I see you."

"Don't get all tore up if I tell you how I think of you. Angel. Some day I'm going to call you Angel and don't ask me to explain that. For now I'd like to call you Angelina."

"I can live with that." She skipped back to answer the question I asked just a minute ago. "You wanted to know about me. You know Mam and Pa were never married. It didn't bother me much until after I was married. My husband used to throw it in my face all the time. More after I caught him cheating. Then when he became aware of Mam and her sleeping in the bunkhouse away from Pa and producing Paco and Juan, he made my life hell. The only good that came from him is Amy and Amelia.

"Sometimes it seems as if the whole world knows about Pa and Mam and are just waiting to throw it at me. I bet you knew it soon after you got here."

"Yes I did. It is a fact that can't be changed. It is like Terry, whom I loved and she left me for another man. That's a fact and I can't change it. It is funny, but except for that, I still like Terry and I like Bill too--that's another fact. So how is your life now that you don't have a husband?"

"Not too bad. I work or study all the time. I hope to finish and get my diploma before the first of this year. By next spring anyway, if I have the time."

"Is there a problem?"

"Some, but I'll make it. Child care is expensive and I have to watch my pennies. I have to work more than I would like and my studies are pushed back. If I could just study I'd be done shortly."

"What are you going to do when you graduate?"

"Find a doctor to be a nurse for. I think I can find one as everyone says I am very good. The clinic where I work lets me do things already as if I had the paper that says I can. So tell me what your future plans are for the ranch? You must have some."

"I do. If this weekend is a success, it will take some time to put the place back together. If you don't tell anyone, Ezra has given me a list of people he knows that like to play poker. That's what his job is Saturday--to contact some of them for a date here at the ranch in October. The sheriff is on board with him already. That will net a few thousand.

"I talked to one of the schools in the area. The sports coach says there is no place for people to ski. I had him out here to look over the place. He agrees it would be a place for beginners or old folks to come and ski. The lay of the land isn't steep enough to attract people that want a great amount of speed or a death defying run down a mountain. If someone wanted to ski a gentle slope over a great distance this would be fine.

"The biggest problem would be getting the skiers to the top of the lease and I'm working on that. Years ago some friends of mine rigged up a rope tow. We had fun for a few years. One of my friends that was in with me on that is coming out in a couple of weeks. He is an engineer and can figure out if my idea will work. If it will, there would be money from a couple of food concessions. For a steady income we have the beef jerky. I think that is going to be a big deal. I'll know more about that tomorrow after the samples are given out."

Angelina and I hadn't touched since we sat down. We both had a long day and many things had filled our minds. The wine that my Angel was drinking was finished. I had only nursed one beer. My alcohol was the nearness of the woman next to me. We arose together and walked back to the ranch house.

As we neared the path to the bunkhouse and the door to the house, Angelina paused. "Mam has my room tonight. She wanted to get to know the girls better. I'm sleeping in the bunkhouse. Nellie brought out bedding for the bunks in the corner. I get the top bunk. I'll be out when I get my nightclothes on. I may need a foot up, if you would be so kind." She whirled and went into the house.

I supposed I would lie awake thinking of Angelina above me. When she made her way to the corner, no lights were on, just the moonlight coming in the window. She made her way to me and I did just as she asked. I couldn't see her very well, but I could sense her when she put her little foot in my hand and I gave her a boost up. Surprisingly I went right off to sleep.

Paco, Juan, Maddie and Mazie were on the other side of the room in double bunks, just as Angelina and I were on this side. It was just getting light when I rolled out. As I stood up I turned to face Angelina. She lay there in the top bunk facing the edge still sound asleep, I thought. God, she was beautiful. The blanket that covered her had been pushed off during the night. I stood staring at her and then I let my eyes drift down her form. Her charms were hidden by her pajamas, but I had an active imagination.

When my glance returned to her face, her eyes were open. "Good morning Junkin. Is it time to get up?"

"Good morning to you, Angelina. No need for you to get up yet. Do you need help getting down? If you do one of your brothers will help. I'm going in for coffee and then taking a quick run up to the lease to see how the cattle are."

"Put coffee in a thermos. I'll meet you in the truck. I want to see the sunrise." How the situation between us had changed in the last two days.

Angelina was sitting silently in the little truck when I slid into the driver's seat. I handed her the thermos, cups and a bag of sweet buns that Mom had just taken out of the oven. Angelina didn't look at me as we traveled across the home ranch to the upper land. I parked the truck and got out to inspect the fence and the grass where the cattle were feeding.

I came back to where Angelina was sitting on the tailgate. She had poured the coffee and opened the bag of sweet things. Handing me the coffee, she put the buns onto a napkin. "Junkin, do you find me attractive?"

I almost choked on my coffee, I was so surprised. I looked at her and could see she was serious. "Yes, I do. I find you very attractive. Why do you ask?"

"Before I tell you why I asked, let me say some things. One time a few years ago I was sick for three weeks and couldn't get out of bed. I watched soaps on television all that time. Do you realize that the life here is one big soap opera? Pa and Mam, never married. Only one child would be legitimate if they were married while the other two were sired in a bunkhouse by unknown persons.

"We've got a teenager that is seriously challenged mentally, hooked up with an older woman who is admittedly unstable. We've got the niece of the owner who married someone who is an alcoholic and he has a daughter that cheated on her husband. The husband shows up here to see his mother and finds she is married to the father of his cheating wife. That makes the cheating wife now his stepsister. Soon the husband steps in and manages the ranch and upgrades it.

"The owner still claims the two bastards as his sons and puts them to work. They live in the bunkhouse with two college chicks that are little more than whores. The owner's whore who is now married, so she claims--the one that gave him the two bastards and one daughter--shows up and finds that her man has got him another love interest.

"By the way, I'm going to town after his new love interest this afternoon and I hope she will make Pa happy." Angelina paused. "This manager saves the daughter from being raped and robbed and takes a bullet. He acts as if it was inconsequential. In return all he gets from the daughter is resentment and nasty remarks. It does sound like a soap opera doesn't it?"

"I suppose, but you should continue. This daughter has two beautiful little girls that the manager thinks the world of and they feel the same about him."

"I know they do. They keep telling me so. I know this is going to be our busiest day ever and we only have a few minutes before we have to go back down to the ranch. You asked me why I asked the question if you were attracted to me. Junkin, I'm ready to answer. Would you kiss me?" I stood up and turned to face my Angel. She never hesitated. She jumped down and came into my arms.

By the time we reached the ranch it was a beehive of activity. The firemen and the sheriff and deputies were already here. The rescue squad would be here at ten. The parking area was slowly filling with campers and pickups. We could smell the beef and pigs that were slowly rotating over beds of charcoal. People were three-deep standing around the pit watching.