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“Ma, he’s here!” Cody shouted as he burst into
his house with Stone on his heels.
Not wanting to seem rude, Stone lingered outside the
doorway until he saw Cally. Though she still looked beautiful and kind, no one
had bothered to tell Stone that Cally was seven months pregnant. Her face
brightened when she saw Stone; she ushered him in and hugged him warmly with
tears swelling in her eyes.
“I can’t believe it’s been so long,” she said.
“You look as pretty as ever,” complimented Stone,
but there was no denying the subtle look on Cally’s face that said she was
tired and worn from her share of disappointments and worry.
“I’m sorry, but Jake’s not going to be able to
make it. Sometimes he’s so busy working that claim he forgets all about us.”
There was a heavy truth in that statement, and an awkward silence filled the
room until Cally realized that she hadn’t introduced Stone to the rest of her
children. “Oh, where are my manners? Children, this is Mr. Hawkins, the man
I’ve been telling you about. Stone, this is the rest of my family: this is
Annie, she’s 3; Sarah, who’s gonna be 14 soon; this is Rachel, she’s 12;
that’s Sally, she’s 6, and ‘course you already know Cody; he’s 10.”
Cally beamed with pride.
“Well, it sure is nice to meet all of you,” Stone
said. He had no idea that Jake’s family had grown so.
“Rock!” exclaimed Annie as she pointed a finger up
at Stone.
“Now what’s that all about?” asked Stone as he
stooped to her level.
“Cody taught her that. He said your name was Stone,
like a rock,” said Sarah, who was the spiting image of her mother at that age.
Stone scooped her into his arms and placed his hat on
her head. Of course, it sank down well over her eyes, making Annie giggle and
inspiring a game of peek-a-boo.
Cally spread a hearty feast for her family and their
guest. While Stone sat and played with Annie and Sally, the other children
helped their mother set the table. Throughout the evening, Cally and Stone took
turns sharing stories from their past, laughing at most of their recollections.
“So what are you planning to do with your new
farm?” Cally asked.
“I’d like to plant about 30 acres of corn if I
still can. But mainly, I’m gonna raise horses. Then I can sell them to the
likes of the army, the railroad, stagecoach circuits…you name it.”
“Oh, isn’t that what you use to…” Cally
paused, worried that she might make Stone uncomfortable. As a young man Stone
had the same aspirations, but he’d sacrificed his dreams in hopes of an
easier, faster payoff.
“You remember. Yeah, it’s what I talked about doin’
before I went to prison.” To Stone, there was no need to pretend that the past
didn’t happen. Though he wasn’t proud of it, it helped keep him humble and
in check.
“What was prison like?” Cody asked, like a child
who’d heard of such a place and the myths and legends that surrounded it.
“Cody, mind your manners,” Cally said with
embarrassment.
“It’s all right. To tell you the truth, prison is
very lonely and borin’. They had us out workin’ a lot on new trails and
railways, but when we weren’t workin’, we were just sittin’ in our cells.
I don’t think I would’ve gotten through those years if it hadn’t been for
my Bible. I’d spend time readin’ the word and hope would rise up in me, hope
that one day I’d finally get out of that place and do somethin’ meanin’ful
with my life.”
“Think you’ll ever get married?” Rachel asked,
causing the other girls to laugh.
“That’s all in the Lord’s hands, darlin’.”
Stone didn’t mind laughing with them. Of course, he thought of Josie, and how
she was the only girl he’d ever had intimate feelings for. Cally looked at
Stone as if she could read his mind, and a sly smile lit up her face.
“So what do you say, Ma—Can I work for Mr.
Hawkins, please?” Cody suddenly pleaded.
“Now hold on there a minute. I think you might want
to hear my conditions before you go beggin’ for anything,” said Stone.
“What conditions?” Cody asked with that same
smart-alec tone that Stone had heard before.
“You can work for me if you go to school everyday,
like you’re suppose to. And, I want you to behave and get good marks while
you’re there.”
Cody gave this some thought. He’d never enjoyed
school much, especially when he could just run off with Buck and Rowdy, but he
had a feeling that Stone would probably make them go to school too.
“Okay,” he agreed. Cody’s face looked solemn,
like he’d just endured a dose of foul medicine.
“Now if you think you can handle all that, go ahead
and ask your ma.”
“Well, Ma?”
Cally was in awe. It seemed there was nothing she
could do lately to persuade Cody to stay in school. She’d tried everything,
from whippings and threats to bribes; but Cody was only interested in doing
whatever pleased him. So to see the influence this perfect stranger had over her
son made her heart beat wildly, and she thanked God for it.
“You may work for Mr. Hawkins, as long as you stick
to his conditions, and mine.”
Cody scrunched up his face and let out a moan, as if
he could hardly bear such torture.
“I expect you to be up, dressed proper, and
attending church with us on Sunday mornings,” Cally said. Knowing how
uncontrollable Cody had been lately, Sarah and Rachel looked at each other and
wondered if their mother’s demands had any hope.
“Oh, Ma. Pa doesn’t have to go, why should I?”
“I didn’t say you had to like it, I just said you
had to go. Think you can handle all of that?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Cody murmured.
“Good. Girls, why don’t you get the cake and start
serving up some.” Cally’s expression was elated with the sweet taste of
victory.
Pleased to see Cally so happy, Stone shared a smile
and a wink.
After a cheerful round of good-byes, Stone was
escorted outside by Cally. She threaded her arm around his as they strolled
slowly in the moonlight. They both breathed in the crisp night air and seemed to
have renewed spirits.
“Thank you, Cally, for a wonderful evenin’. I
didn’t think I was ready to be around folks yet, but I’m glad I came,”
admitted Stone.
“You’re welcome. I’m so happy you came back
here, Stone. But you sure have stirred things up a bit.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed. Seems most folks aren’t too
pleased to have a former thief walkin’ around among them. I bet this town is
just a-buzzin’ with all sorts of gossip about me. But I’m not ashamed.
Getting caught and doin’ my time was the best thing that could’ve happened
to me. Otherwise, I probably would’ve ended up dead or hurtin’ someone.”
As Stone spoke, he thought of Pastor Tom and of his harsh comments.
“Your old pal Emily Henderson sure has been giving
Pastor Gaines an earful about not welcoming you into the church. She’s right,
you know. You belong there as much as anybody else. Would you like me to have a
word with the pastor?”
“Nah. That’s one of those things that just needs
to work itself out. You and Em shouldn’t be bothering folks about me. The less
that’s said the better.”
They walked leisurely and in silence for a moment.
“I heard you saw Josie,” Cally said delicately.
“She mentioned that you were in the store yesterday. You should’ve heard her
talk about you, Stone. She tried to put on like she was upset, but I could see
right through her. She was acting like a little school girl again; I’m sure
she’d never admit it though.”
Cally looked at Stone for a reaction, and it suddenly
occurred to her that perhaps his feelings for Josie had changed. For a moment,
Stone seemed distant, and he wasn’t sure if he should let Cally know that his
love for Josie was still alive.
“I was told that she’s getting married,” Stone
said.
“I’m sure her pa would love nothing better, but
don’t believe everything you hear. I don’t think she ever got over losing
you.”
“Now, Cally,” Stone said while stopping in his
tracks, “don’t get any wild ideas in your head. I plan on leavin’ Josie
alone. I already hurt her once, and I can’t ever make up for that. Besides,
I’m sure she could never forgive me.” He almost choked on the words.
“It’s best that she just forgets about me and moves on with her life,”
Stone insisted. He didn’t want to cause trouble in her relationship and be
blamed for breaking them up, no matter how strongly he felt.
“You really think she should marry someone she
doesn’t love?” Cally raised her voice in frustration.
“I just know it ain’t none of my business,”
Stone said calmly.
Though Cally wanted to disagree, she couldn’t; Stone
had no say in Josie’s life.
“Josie’s got a good head on her shoulders, and
I’m sure she knows what’s best for her.” He looked at Cally, hoping he
hadn’t upset her. After he managed to coax a smile out of her, he said,
“Speakin’ of love, how are things with you and Jake? This is a pretty
strange set up you two have.”
“Jake is obsessed with the idea that he’s going to
find gold and be the richest man that ever walked the earth; it’s all he cares
about now. He thinks that once he’s rich, everything will be perfect. I think
all the hardships and failed crops just got the best of him. He thinks he’s
failed as a man, and mining for gold is going to change all that.
“I pray and pray for him to come home. I’d rather
be dirt poor, with bank notes up to my ears, than have all the money in the
world, and see my children grow up without their father.”
“From where I’m standin’, Jake’s already the
richest man in the world. But don’t lose faith, Cally. God will bring him
back.”
After having met Jake’s children, and after seeing
Cally again, Stone couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. It was a life he
could’ve had, if only his choices had been different.
“Having you here is like a God-send. Look what
you’ve already done for Cody. Why, I can’t remember the last time he sat in
school. I know he likes to pick on Wesley Murphy though. Wesley and his pa are
very close; they do everything together. So Cody’s jealous because Wesley has
something that he’s aching for—love and attention from his pa.” Cally
fought the urge to feel discouraged and sorry for herself, knowing that
self-pity was a waste of time.
“Well, I know I’m a poor substitute for Jake, and
I’m not trying to walk in his shoes or anything, but I will keep the boy busy
and hopefully out of trouble for a while. Don’t give up on Jake. Deep down,
there’s a good man in there tryin’ to get out.”
“Believe
me, I know better than anyone that with each new day, there’s hope.”
©2003 StoriesByEmail.com
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