Dorothy Garlock - [Route 66] (15 page)

“No. My mother was seventeen when she had me. I was doted on by my mother and my grandparents. I had a happy childhood.”

“Humm—”

“What do you mean,
Yaimm
”

“I was wondering why are you so aloof.” The words were out before Leona could hold them back.

“Aloof? I've not thought of myself as being that way.”

“I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry.”

“No. It's all right. I've been alone for a long time. I've lost touch with how I must appear to people. It's a habit with me to plow ahead doing what I think is right without consulting anyone else. You've already bit a couple of chunks out of me.” His soft chuckle came out of the darkness.

In spite of not wanting to, Leona laughed. “At times you've irritated me.”

“I never meant to—I take that back: A couple of times I did.” His hand had moved to cup and squeeze her shoulder.

“Why?” She tried to hold herself away from him, but it was impossible with his hand grasping her shoulder.

“Meanness, I guess.” He laughed. “I knew you'd get your back up. I'd rather have you spitting and sputtering at me like a little cat than ignoring me.”

“I don't spit and sputter!”

“You got my attention that day when you thought I was bald under my hat.”

“I didn't think it… I hoped it.” Leona laughed and turned to look at him. She turned back quickly when she found his face so close to hers.

“Fooled you, though. Didn't I?”

During the silence that followed, Leona knew that it was time for her to go into the house. She didn't want to go …just yet. It was pleasant sitting here with him, his hand on her shoulder. She didn't feel in the least threatened even when his hand moved from her shoulder to the nape of her neck and he bent to hold a handful of her hair to his face.

“Vinegar. I thought I could smell vinegar.”

“I use it in the rinse water. It keeps my hair from being so tangled.”

“Tell me something. Is Deke the only fellow coming around here that wants to keep company with you?”

Leona was still for a long while. Suddenly his face was too close to hers, she felt his breath on her cheek. Her heart pounded in her ears. Her poise vanished. She croaked out an answer.

“Oh, no. From time to time a traveling man or a rowdy hears about the strumpet of Beckman County, Oklahoma, and comes calling.”

Leona sat in rigid silence after her outburst. Yates's arm tightened over her shoulders. He pulled her protectively close to him. For a moment she couldn't breathe. Her hip and thigh were against his, her shoulder beneath his arm. To her utter shame, she had to sniff to hold back tears.

“They better not show up while I'm here.” The hoarsely whispered words came against her ear. “You're not like that.”

“How do you know what I'm like?”

“I don't know what's between you and Andy. But I know you're not the kind of woman who would consort with just any Tom, Dick or Harry.”

“You've only been here a week. You heard what Virgil called me.”

“He'll not do it again in my presence or he'll wish to God I had killed him.” Yates paused, then said, “Why don't you leave here? Do you have any relatives other than Virgil?”

“I have an aunt somewhere in Kansas. But I'll not leave my sister's children unless Andy marries again and I'm sure the woman would be a good mother to them. I'm the only mother they know now. Andy works hard. He needs someone to cook, wash and do all the things a woman does.”

“Why didn't you and Andy marry?”

“To keep the tongues from wagging? No thank you. Andy is an honorable man. He offered when he heard the talk. I think the world of him, and I'll not tie him to me for the rest of his life. He may meet someone someday who will love him the way he deserves to be loved.”

“What will you do then?”

“I haven't thought that far ahead.”

They sat in companionable silence while several minutes passed. Calvin got up, stretched and came to Yates. A whining sound came from his throat.

“He wants to go to bed. He's been sleeping beside my cot in the garage.”

“I thought he was here under the porch.”

“He's one member of the family who likes me.”

“The girls like you.”

“And you, Lee?”

In lieu of an answer, she said, “Andy trusts you or he'd not have left us here with you.”

“Andy didn't have much choice. You're lucky that I'm such a nice fellow.”

Leona laughed softly. “Nice, my hind leg!”

“You're thinking I'm not nice because I kissed you. Would I be a down-right cad if I did it again?” He picked up her hand and laced his fingers through hers.

Leona jumped to her feet. “I've got to go in.”

Yates stood. “I wouldn't force you, Lee.” He refused to release her hand when she tugged on it.

“You did before.”

“It just happened. I didn't plan it.”

“Of course, it just happened. It's what a man does when he's with a promiscuous woman. He thinks she expects it.”

“You think that's why I kissed you?” His hands gripped her shoulders. “I'm more particular than that. I kissed you because you're sweet and pretty, and I wanted to kiss you. That's all there was to it.”

“You explained that. You said, 'a kiss between adults doesn't mean much these days.' I can't agree more.”

“Well, then?”

“You may be surprised to know that I don't want to kiss you, Mr. Yates. Goodnight.” Leona slipped out from under his hands and headed for the door.

“You liked it, Leona. You liked it as much as I did,” he said irritably, before picking up his guitar and stepping off the porch.

Yates cursed himself on the way to the garage. When he went to the porch he hadn't intended to sit down, much less touch her. Something in her tugged at him. She wasn't really beautiful, just quietly pretty and invitingly feminine, steady and capable. Added to that, he liked to be with her, liked her as a person. He liked to talk to her even when she was peevish. She'd had it rough, but through it all she had kept her pride.

His next thought jolted him. If he were ready to settle down, he'd think seriously of considering a life with her. He never expected to have with a woman what Blue had with Radna.

You stupid son-of-a-bitch! Forget it. In spite of what she says, she's probably in love with Andy, or she wouldn't have stuck it out here. She would have put as much distance as possible between herself and that crazy brother of hers.

Chapter 13

A
ALIGHT WAS ON IN THE KITCHEN
when Yates stepped out of the garage in the pre-dawn darkness to move his car up to the gas pump. The bobbing light of a lantern coming from the barn told him that Leona had been out to milk the cow. While Yates was filling the gas tank on his car, Deke drove his old Model T truck into the space beside the garage.

“Mornin'.” Yates greeted him as he came around the end of the car.

“Mornin'. Ready to go?”

“Not yet. Leona just finished milking.”

“Looks to be a fair day. Not much wind.”

“That's good. This car is a gas guzzler bucking the wind.”

“Listen here, Yates.” Deke crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the fender of the car. “Leona's not been to the city before. I'm trustin' you keep an eye on her. Hear?” Deke had a serious look on his face. The brim of the big hat shading it was almost as wide as his shoulders.

“I'll do my best.”

“Even if she's scared to death of the traffic, the streetcars and all, she'll not let on. That girl's got pride she ain't used yet. She won't want ya to think she's a country clod not used to the goin's-on in the city.” Deke dug in his pocket and pulled out a couple of bills. “Take her to eat at one of them places that has chili and hot tamales. She's real fond of hot tamales that's been rolled up in a corn shuck.”

“I'll take her if she's willing to go. You don't need to pay for it, Deke.”

“I want her to have a good time. She's not had many trips like this. Always havin' to watch out for that crackpot Virgil. I'm goin' to have to kill that Bible-thumpin' son-of-a-bitch someday.” He waved the bills. “Take the money and tell her the treat is on me.”

“All right.” Yates, realizing how important it was to the man, stuffed the bills in his pocket.

“Keep your eye on her. Some of them city people drive like they didn't have a lick of sense. She could step right out in front of a car and get run down by some boozed-up clabber-head. Watch that one of them jake-leg bums don't grab hold of her.”

“I'll watch her.” Yates hung the hose back on the pump and screwed the cap back on his gas tank. “Come on up to the house. Leona will have made coffee by now.”

Later while Yates was stowing the picnic basket and the box they were taking to Andy in the car, Deke stood beside Leona.

“You look mighty pretty, darlin'.”

“Thanks, Deke.”

“Is that a new dress?”

“No. It's one I made last summer.”

“It's pretty as a buttercup, darlin'. I've told Yates to keep an eye on you. Things move pretty fast in the city. You be careful, now.”

“We'll be careful. The girls are excited—”

“Another thing, darlin'. Don't you and the girls be wanderin' off by yoreselves. There's roughnecks, bums, drunks and crooks of all kinds loose in the city. Stay close to Yates. He gave me his word that he'll look after you.”

“Deke! I'm not an idiot!” Leona's face was red with embarrassment. She didn't dare look at Yates for fear he would be laughing.

“I know you ain't, darlin'. But I'll worry 'bout you till you get back.”

“We'll be fine.”

“If I didn't think Yates could take care of you, I'd take you myself.” Leona turned her head away lest Deke see how irritated she was. His voice droned on. “You have a good time, darlin'. Eat lots of hot tamales and tell Andy to not worry about things here. 'Tween me and Yates we'll run things till he gets back and look after you and the girls, too.”

“There's fried chicken and deviled eggs for you in the icebox. I made an extra large batch of biscuits this morning. I left some of them wrapped in a cloth on the table along with a jar of tomato preserves and one of pickled peaches.”

“Thank you, darlin'. Your pickled peaches are even better than Mama's.”

Leona looked down at the shaggy dog, who seemed to know that something was going on that he didn't like.

“You can't go, Calvin. Stay here with Deke. We'll be back tonight.”

“Can I sit up front with you?” JoBeth, in her freshly ironed dress and white knee socks, tugged on Yates's hand.

“There'll be more room in the back. Your Aunt Lee will sit up front.” He lifted the child up and set her on the seat.

“Oh, it's all right,” Leona protested. “I'll sit back there with Ruth Ann.”

“You'd better sit up front, darlin',” Deke said and opened the car door. “You can help Yates watch for cars coming off the side roads.”

Leona glanced at Yates. The corners of his mouth were twitching. He was trying hard to keep from smiling. It raised her hackles.
How dare he laugh at Deke?
Other than Andy and the girls, Deke was the only other person in the world who cared if she lived or died. She felt a rush of affection for the little man who had been her loyal friend for so many years.

“Bye, Deke.” She reached for his hand. Surprised that she had touched him, he squeezed her hand tightly and was reluctant to let it go. “You be careful. If a load of toughs come in, you know where we keep that old shotgun.”

“Don't worry, darlin. I'll be all right. Have a good time and give Andy a hello.”

Yates started the car.

Deke released Leona's hand and stepped back.

Leona waved.

The sun was a red glow just beneath the horizon as they headed east toward the city.

“When will we get there?” JoBeth stood and leaned over the back of the seat.

“Before dinner time.”

“The wind is blowing my hair.”

“I brought a comb so we can comb it. Sit down and don't lean against the door.”

Leona glanced at Yates. She could tell nothing of what he was thinking by his expression. She hoped the girls would behave. Yates wasn't used to being cooped up in a car with children. His car suited him and he handled it effortlessly with his elbow propped on the open window of the door. There was plenty of room for his long legs, and the seats were as comfortable as a rocking chair.

Who was he anyway? Where had he come from? There was a Texas license plate on his car, but that didn't mean he was from Texas. She didn't know any more about him or his connection to Andy than she had the day he arrived. Had she put herself and the girls at risk by going away with him into the unknown? What if they were not even headed for Oklahoma City? She had heard of men selling women into something called
white slavery.
She wasn't sure what it was, but she knew that it was something terrible.

Suddenly she wished for Deke—loyal, always the same Deke. Although he irritated her at times, she knew that if she ever needed a friend she could count on Deke. Lord, she wished that he could find someone to love him.

“Aunt Lee! JoBeth kicked me and put dirt on my stockings.”

“I didn't mean to.”

“You did so.”

“All right. Settle down.” Leona glanced at Yates to see if the girls were bothering him. He was looking straight ahead, and she would have been surprised to know his thoughts.

Lord, I've got to be careful. This is the first time I've had a woman and little kids in my car.

It was kind of scary being responsible for this family, but nice, too. Even now, with his attention on driving and the girls in the backseat, he was deeply aware of the woman beside him—of the way she sat with her legs demurely together and one hand in her lap, the other holding onto her small brimmed hat.

“Take off your hat,” he said.

“I may have to. I can't hold it all the way to the city. But my hair will be a mess.”

“Didn't you just tell the girls you'd brought a comb?”

He glanced at her again She removed her hat and placed it on the seat between them.

“We're going awfully fast.”

“Only forty miles an hour. This car will sail along at eighty without any trouble at all.”