Bent Creek (9 page)

Lily covered her mouth. “You quit, yer gonna make me laugh when he comes in. Jest hush,” she giggled.

Nevers pushed open the door and dropped his canvas bag and boots on the floor. His eyes traveled around the room looking for anything out of place. “You two do okay?” he asked. “Anybody come by? How bout them coyotes, any of them been around?”

“We did fine,” Rachael replied.  “No one come by and not even a sign of a coyote. All yer livestock is safe, except one chicken. It had blood feathers and the other hens were pickin’ on it. So I put her out of her misery.  She’s a cookin’ in the pot right now.”

Nevers sat on a chair and took off his dirty socks.  He picked them up and padded across the floor to the bedroom. “Jesse’s outside warshen up, he done fell in a muddy hole.”

With Nevers once again at home, Lily became the meek, young woman, afraid to even move when Nevers was in the same room. At first it was difficult for her.  There were times when she wanted to talk to Rachael but she couldn’t be sure that Nevers wasn’t lurking around some corner. She knew he was always spying on them. It was only when he was out of the house that Rachael and Lily had snatches of conversation. After awhile it became a game and the girls began to enjoy their secret. Rachael and Lily made up signs for certain words. Holding up two fingers meant that Nevers was being an ass again and they tried hard not to laugh aloud. Wiggling one’s nose meant that they could meet outside in ten minutes.  Within two weeks they had developed a language of their own.  They had to be careful. Nevers had a keen eye and when he saw Rachael wiggling her nose he said, “What’s the matter with you, Girl. You got a tic or somethin’?”

Even though Rachael was happy with her newfound friend, it was Jesse who was miserable. When he wasn’t doing chores, he spent most of his time in his room to stay out of Nevers way. After returning from the mountain he pulled Rachael aside. “Come on, walk down to the river with me. Grab that bucket in case Nevers is watchin’ us.”

“What’s wrong?” Rachael asked as she tried to catch up with him.

“I’ll tell you what’s wrong. Nevers ain’t jest a mean bastard, he’s teched in the head, too.  I don’t want to go back to that mountain with him and I know he is gonna make me. When we got almost to the top of the ridge, he pulled the wagon over in front of an old lean-to bout ten feet from the edge.  It was a smelly place with two old cots and a buck stove.  He told me that was where we was gonna stay at night.  Then we walked part way up the path. He stops me and makes me sit down on a big ole rock. I’m supposed to stay there and if anyone comes up I’m supposed to whistle for him.  He says the animals are used to his smell and if’n I go with him they won’t come round his traps.”

“I never heard that one,” Rachael said.  “Is that true?”

“I’m thinkin’ its bullcrap, but I got no choice but to do what he says. Bout six damn hours I waited with the woods crackin’ all round me. I’m sittin’ thar with no gun, not even a slingshot. I’m jest waitin’ for some cougar or bear to come make me thar dinner.  I was really scart. I didn’t even git up tah take a pee. When he finally comes down, I tell him I was scart and he jest laughs.”

“That sounds like the old coot,” Rachael interjected.

“Yeah well, when we was in that lean-to he opens two cans of beans and hands me one.  Cold beans and water. That was dinner. Then he lays down and goes to sleep.  I tell you Rachael between his snorin’ and fartin’ I never got a lick of sleep. The next day I fall asleep sittin’on that rock and I didn’t heer him a comin’. He hits me in the back of the head and knocks me clean off that rock. I ain’t goin’ up thar no more, Rachael. I’m gonna go home at the end of the month.  The following day, Nevers announced that they were going up the mountain again. Jesse gave Rachael a pitiful look, knowing that he had no choice but to go with Nevers.

It had seemed like forever before Nevers and Jesse were ready to leave again and only seconds for Lily and Rachael to begin talking nonstop. Sitting on the porch shucking a bushel of corn, Lily hummed softly to herself.  “I like it when Jesse plays his guitar. Sometimes I jest wish I could sing along.  I gotta warn myself not tah do that.  Tell me about Jesse, Rachael.”

“What do you want me tah tell you? Him and me are twins. I’m the smart one. Sometimes I think that Jesse is just plain dumb, other times I think he jest puts on a good act tah git out of doin’ things he don’t like.  He’s always getting’ himself into the damdest messes’ cause he never stops tah think about what he’s doing. My momma always says he ain’t got the sense he was born with. Why you want tah know about him?  You see him all the time.”

“I think he’s kind of cute.  You know, when he smiles. Yep, he’s real cute,” Lily said.  “He ain’t never tried tah talk tah me, but sometimes I catch him lookin’ at me. I’m guessin’ he’s real afeared of Nevers.”

“You better believe he is. You jest watch yerself, Lily. You go hangin’ round my brother yer likely tah get both of yer
self kilt. Nevers would do you both in without thinkin’ twice.”

“I know that. But, a girl kin think, can’t she?  She can think about somebody with smooth skin rather than a wrinkly old body and a shriveled up weenie.”  Both of the girls howled with laughter. This time Nevers and Jesse were gone for just one night.

The next afternoon Jesse knelt on the ground, cleaning fish on a flat rock.  Lily leaned against a tree watching him. Knowing she could no longer keep her secret from him she blurted out. “I kin talk, Jesse.”

“Well, damn, when did you git yer voice back?”

“I ain’t ever lost it.  I jest been pretendin’ fer a long time. It’s a long story and I can’t tell you it now, but you got tah make sure you don’t tell Nevers.  Me and you and Rachael is all that know. You promise?”

“Yeah, sure, I promise.”

“Do you think I’m purty, Jesse?” she asked.

He glanced up at her. “Well, I’m not sayin’ yer ugly.”

“If we was livin’ back home, would you give me a sec
ond look?”

“Maybe,” once again Jesse glanced toward her, this time staring at her breasts. “Why you askin’ me all these questions?”

“I never had a chance tah have a real boyfriend.  Alls I had was Nevers.” Lily ran her finger down the bark of the tree. “You ever kissed a girl?  I ain’t never been kissed.”

“You mean you and Nevers don’t kiss?” he asked.

“No! He’s got them green teeth and nasty breath.  I ain’t gonna let him kiss me, besides he ain’t interested in kissin’.” Lily walked over and kneeled down in front of Jesse.  “Do you want tah kiss me, Jesse?”

“What’s the matter with you, Lily, you gone nuts?” Jesse scrambled to his feet. “You get away from me. You gonna get us both kilt.” He reached for the bucket of fish and took off running up the hill.

“Dammit,” Lily cursed and stomped up the hill toward home.

Nevers was standing in the shadow of the house. When Lily passed by he grabbed her by the arm.  “What you been doin’ down at the river with that boy.  You lettin’ that boy tech you?” Lily shook her head and tried to release his grip. “I’m tellin’ you right now. You stay clear of that boy. Yer mah woman.” Lily pulled harder on his fingers.  His free hand reached up and slapped her across the face.  She staggered backward and fell to the ground.

“You leave her alone,” Jesse shouted. “She ain’t done nothin’ wrong.”

Nevers glared at Jesse. “Oh yeah, well when I’m through with her yer next. I catch you lookin’ at her agin, I’m gonna knock yer eyes right outta yer head.  You understand me boy?” Nevers held his fist up and Jesse took off out of sight.

“That’s right. You go on and run boy.  I bet you wouldn’t save yer momma if the pigs were after her. Yer a chicken-shit, yellow coward.” Nevers howled at his own joke.

Lily ran into the house and into the bedroom. Nevers came in after her. Jesse steeled himself for what was going to happen next. Instead of coming after him, Nevers went to the sink and began to wash his hands. “If’n I didn’t have somethin’ to tell ya, I’d knock yer teeth out right now.  I got news this mornin’ when I was up at the store. One of yer neighbors come by and said that you two need to come home. Seems like yer folks got a visit from some men in uniforms from the govern
ment. I’ll bet it ain’t good news, but I’ll let them tell you. You get yer sister and git. You kin take that brown mare.”

When Jesse told Rachael the news she ran to the barn. “Hurry on, Jesse, we got tah git home. That damn ole Nevers, I wonder when he was plannin’ on tellin’ us?”

After a bumpy ride on the old horse, Rachael hopped down and ran up the front stairs.  She opened the busted screen door. Her mother and Emma Jane were sitting at the table cry
ing.

“Momma, what happened? Who is it?”

“It’s Ben,” her mother said. “He’s had an accident. He’s in the hospital. They ain’t sure he’s gonna make it.  They was doin’ some trainin’ with ammunition and he got blowed up.”

“Let me talk tah daddy first. Where is he?” Rachael asked. Her mother nodded toward the bedroom.

Rachael walked into the darkened room. “Daddy. Is it all right if I come in?”

Roy sat up in bed and looked at Rachael with red-rimmed eyes. “It’s my fault. I told them boys it was okay for them tah go and now lookee. My last good son is fixin’ tah die. We was gonna open a sawmill when he come home.  Now he ain’t never comin’ home. He’s
got somethin’ called a coma.”

Rachael knelt next to the bed.  “It ain’t yer fault, Daddy. Ben wanted tah go. He could have been killed in the mine.  I’m sorry, too, Daddy. But, he ain’t dead yet. Ben is strong.  We’ll all get down on our knees and pray he makes it.”

Some of the neighbors came by when they heard the news and there was a lot of bible reading and wailing. The women sang mournful hymns as they rocked back and forth. The strains of Amazing Grace went on for hours.

Later that day, Roy and some of the other men shared a jug of corn liquor. They cursed the war and the government and poverty and their lot in life. Rachael sat by her mother and tried to comfort her. “Momma, if you want me and Jesse tah stay here, we will. We can halp out a lot.”  Ida Mae put her hand on Rachael’s head. “I know that, Rachael.  I need fer you and Jesse tah keep workin’ at Nevers. Who knows what’s gonna happen. That money will halp tah keep us from starvin’.  Specially now with the baby comin’ we need the money. What if’n Emma Jane’s milks no good? We need tah buy a cow and maybe a goat.”

“What happen
ed to our cow, Momma?”

“Oh, Rachael girl
, we done butchered her bout a week ago. We had nothin’ tah eat.  Neither Emma Jane or me have got shoes tah wear when the weather turns.  And right now other than the food the people brought when they come tah visit, we ain’t got a lick of nothin’ in this house.  I surely hope yer daddy gets work soon.”

“Maybe Jesse could stay here. He is so miserable over at Nevers’ place. I can go back.  But maybe he could stay here and help out. This house is falling apart, Mama. It ain’t gonna hold together much longer.”

“You know yer daddy wouldn’t allow you tah go back tah Nevers’ place without yer brother. It ain’t proper and we don’t trust Nevers Bains. You both got tah go.”

Rachael laid her head on her mother’s lap. She felt sorry that it was so hard for her mother. “Okay, Momma, me and Jesse will go back for a while.”

Two days later Nevers showed up to collect Rachael and Jesse. He said he had been patient but he had work to do and needed them right away. Rachael said goodbye to her family knowing that it might be a long time before she would be home again. Jesse once again begged his father to let him stay home, but his pleadings were in vain. “I’m settin’ here wonderin’ if’n Ben is gonna live or die and you want tah give me trouble.  You know yer ma and me need that money. It’s done a heap of good and with winter coming soon, we’ll be needin’ it even more. Now you go on and git back over tah Nevers and stop complai
nin’,” Roy said in an angry voice.  “You got it damn good over thar. You got inside plumbin’ and two meals a day. More than you git here. So go on git in that truck.”  Roy slapped Jesse across the back of his head and the conversation was over.

Rachael held on to her mother’s hand for the last few minutes. “Now, Momma, when the baby comes you send someone tah fetch me. You promise? And most important, if’n you hear anythin’ about Ben you let me know right away.”  Her mother nodded and walked away.

Chapter Twelve

No one knew all the reasons why Jesse was so unhappy at Nevers. There were the obvious ones like being scared of Nevers, hating all the work he had to do and spending time up on the mountain. There was another reason why he was misera
ble. At night he would lay in his bed in the small room off the kitchen, just a few feet from Never’s bedroom.  The walls were thin, and Jesse would listen to the noises coming from that room. He knew what was going on. He could hear Nevers plain and clear, but never even a moan from Lily.  Jesse was almost nineteen and had never been with a woman. It was weighing heavy on his mind and his body.  Sometimes he felt as if he was going to burst wide open. Since his daddy told him that if he didn’t leave his weenie alone he would go blind, he suffered even more. And now he had to go back once again and be tortured by something he wanted so desperately. The other reason that nagged at him constantly was his fear of being alone on the mountain while Nevers was off trapping. He hated it more and more each time.