Authors: More Than Memory
Dorothy Garlock (11 page)
“I’m not that busy. Come for lunch.”
“You don’t have to feed me.”
“I want to. It’ll not be anything fancy.”
“Then I’ll be there about twelve-thirty.”
She was glad Linda was coming out. She opened a can of chicken and made salad for sandwiches, then a can of peaches to eat with cottage cheese. After making a pitcher of tea, she put a cloth on the round kitchen table and set it with her grandma’s colorful Fiesta pottery.
Lute came by shortly before Linda was due to arrive. Nelda heard the rumble of a pickup approaching the house. Ervin Olsen had already made one of his “driveway visits,” as Nelda had dubbed them, early that morning. She went to the porch and
saw the pickup parked at the gate leading to the corncrib. Her heart hammered in anticipation when Lute swung down from the pickup and strode toward her.
saw the pickup parked at the gate leading to the corncrib. Her heart hammered in anticipation when Lute swung down from the pickup and strode toward her.
“Hi there,” she sang out cheerfully.
“How’s the patient?” Lute asked, his blue eyes looking not at her but at the level of her knees.
“Fine. He’s out to lunch right now. I’m sure he’d like for you to join him. This way,” she concluded, trying to keep the conversation light as she led the way through the porch to the kitchen.
Lute looked at her with a curious mix of amusement and exasperation before he knelt beside the dog.
“Hey there, fella.” Kelly’s ears pricked up, and he turned from his dish with a half wag of his tail. He limped over to Lute and nuzzled the hand that descended to pat his head, then he slowly circled around and returned to his chow.
“His appetite’s certainly none the worse for his injuries,” Lute commented. “And he seems to be getting around pretty well. What does Gary have to say about him?”
When Lute didn’t lift his gaze to her, for a moment Nelda found herself wishing she were an Irish setter—then at least she would get some attention from him.
“He expects him to be back chasing motorcycles in a few weeks.”
“Good.”
He finally looked up at her, and, over the sound of her galloping heart, she said,
“Linda is coming for lunch. I’ve made sandwiches. Would you like to stay?”
“Thanks, but no. I’ve got to get back to work.”
She listened for regret in his voice, but heard only what sounded like a subtle accusation.
“Okay. I just thought you’d like to take a break and have some lunch.”
“You may be used to long lunch breaks in Chicago, but here we’re sometimes forced to skip the martinis and grab a sandwich while we work,” he said tightly.
With the emphasis falling heavily on his last word, Nelda had not a doubt that she’d interpreted the accusatory tone correctly. Miffed, all she could think of to fling at his retreating back was,
“I don’t even like martinis!”
The phone rang, and she jerked the receiver off the hook.
“Hello.”
“How’s my babe?”
“Oh, hello, Aldus—”
Nelda heard the screen door slam.
Lute had stayed hoping to find out who was calling
. She hoped he got an earful!
Lute had stayed hoping to find out who was calling
. She hoped he got an earful!
“Babe, I’m havin’ a problem with the lights over the bar—”
“Aldus, you’ll have to call Elite Decorators, and someone will be out right away.”
“Dammit to hell. I don’t want them. I want you!” he shouted into the phone.
“I’m sorry, Aldus, I’m scheduled to go into the hospital tomorrow for an exploratory operation. I can’t help you.”
Here I am lying again, God
.
Here I am lying again, God
.
“What’s the matter with ya?”
“They won’t know until they operate.”
“Well, that’s a hell of a note.”
“Isn’t it?”
“’Bye, puss. Let me know when ya know somethin’.”
“’Bye.” Nelda hung up.
Maybe that’ll take care of Aldus Falerri for a while
.
.
She went to the door to see if Lute’s truck was still there. It was, and the barn door was open. She looked at her watch. Linda would be here in fifteen minutes. Deciding not to let his boorish actions intimidate her, she marched out the door and crossed the yard to the barn. After all it was
her
barn!
her
barn!
She paused in the doorway to allow her eyes to become accustomed to the gloom.
“I see you bought a new mower.” Lute’s voice came from the back of the barn.
“Yeah, I did.”
“I’ve been mowing the yard and the ditches.”
“Well you don’t need to do that anymore.”
“Suit yourself. You going to take care of the snow, too?”
“If I can’t, I’ll hire someone.”
“I want to rent your barn.”
That was a dumb thing to say. When he rented the land he rented the outbuildings.
That was a dumb thing to say. When he rented the land he rented the outbuildings.
“It’s your corn in the silo, isn’t it? Weren’t the barn and the silo included when you rented the land?”
“The silo was. I’ll have to check with Hutchinson about the barn.”
“You can use it.”
“I’ll bring over a couple of my horses. I’ll have to do some work on those stalls.”
Nelda shrugged. “Be my guest.”
“I’ll also fill the hay mow.”
“Be my guest,” she said again, then changed the subject suddenly. “I think someone has been in the garage. Does anyone come around here besides you?”
“My hired man. Why do you think someone’s been in the garage?”
“I found a blanket and candy-bar wrappers when I cleaned it out.”
“They could have been there a long time.”
Nelda went to the door and looked out when she heard a car coming down the lane.
“Linda’s here. Excuse me.”
“Yes, ma’am. Your boyfriend coming out?” he said to her back as she walked away.
“I don’t know yet,” she answered without looking around.
Take that and chew on it, Mr. Lute Hanson. Damn him. He can make me so mad! If he hates me so much, why hasn’t he cut the wedding ring off his finger?
Take that and chew on it, Mr. Lute Hanson. Damn him. He can make me so mad! If he hates me so much, why hasn’t he cut the wedding ring off his finger?
• • •
Nelda would have enjoyed Linda’s visit more if Lute hadn’t been hammering out in the barn.
“Are you and Lute getting back together?” Linda asked.
“No. He’s renting my barn and fixing the stalls for his horses. Have another sandwich?”
“No, thanks. But I will have some more tea. I love iced tea, but I seldom make it. Kurt doesn’t like it.”
“You could make it just for yourself.”
“Yeah, I guess I could.” Linda’s shoulders slumped.
“Tell me about your little boy.”
“He’s smart as a whip. Of course, that’s a mother talking. But he really is. He can already read a little and write his name.” She dug into her purse and brought out a picture of a smiling dark-haired child with two front teeth missing. “He was so cute when he lost his front teeth. I just had to have a picture.” Her eyes were sad when she looked up. “He’s the joy of my life.”
“I can see that he would be.”
“You’re so lucky, Nelda. You’ve got a home here, a career. I wanted to take nurses’ training, but . . . well . . . things happen. I was so anxious to get away from my family that I said yes to the first man who asked me to marry him.”
“You still could go back to school. Lots of women do after they have children.”
“Ah . . . Kurt would have a fit if I even suggested it.”
“Explain to him that someday you may need to support yourself and Eric and—”
“—Kurt believes that the man is the head of the family, and the woman stays home and does what he tells her to do.” There was bitterness in her voice. “He hasn’t had much luck holding jobs. I guess that’s why he has to prove he’s the boss in his own house.”
“You were the smartest girl in our class, Linda. I think you’d make a terrific nurse.”
“Oh, I’d love to do it.”
“Then make a start. The hospital gives scholarships. Find out how to go about getting one.”
“I’ll do it.” Linda stood, her face beaming. “I’ve got to get Eric. Nelda, I’m so glad you’re back. You’ve been to so many places, done so many things. You give me courage.”
“Promise you’ll come back and bring Eric.”
“I promise.”
Lute, followed by Kelly, came out of the barn when Nelda went to the car with Linda. Linda waved to him and stooped to pat Kelly’s head when the dog came to her.
“He’ll let me pet him now.”
“Out of the car, he’s friendly. The car is his territory.”
“Good boy.”
Nelda watched Linda drive away, then, ignoring Lute, went back into the house. If he wanted to talk to her, he knew where to find her.
He evidently didn’t want to talk to her. He got into his pickup and drove out of the yard. Several hours later, the lumber-company truck came with a load of lumber. The man opened the barn doors and piled it inside.
The next morning, before Nelda was out of bed, Kelly barked. She got up, slipped on a robe, and went downstairs expecting to see Lute’s truck. Two men were taking tools from a panel truck to the barn. Nelda let Kelly out. He hurried to them, his tail wagging.
“Heck of a guard dog, you are,” Nelda fumed. “You can just stay out there until I take my bath.”
Several days passed. The panel truck came every morning at eight o’clock sharp. It left at twelve noon and returned at one o’clock. During the time the workmen were there, she heard constant hammering or the buzzing of a power saw. There was no sign of Lute.
One evening after the men left, she went to the barn to see what they were doing. After all, she reasoned, it was still her barn even if she had rented it to Lute.
Three horse stalls had been built in the back of the barn: one large one and two smaller. A window had been installed in each stall. A grain manger had been built into one corner of each stall and, in the opposite corner, a watering bowl.
What’s going on here?
she thought as she surveyed the extensive remodeling.
He’s spending quite a bit of money on someone else’s barn. What if I decide to sell the farm. The man must be out of his mind
.
I’ll tell him so the next time I see him
.
she thought as she surveyed the extensive remodeling.
He’s spending quite a bit of money on someone else’s barn. What if I decide to sell the farm. The man must be out of his mind
.
I’ll tell him so the next time I see him
.
Telling him about the barn didn’t even enter her mind when next she saw him.
• • •
The days slipped by. One morning Nelda discovered the trees were bare of leaves and among the dead vines, yellow pumpkins dotted the patches. When she and Kelly took their daily walks, the dog liked to frolic in the piles of dry leaves. Fall was in the air. She loved being in the country and had no desire to return to the city.
Saturday night she went to town for groceries. With a week’s supply in the trunk of her car, she
walked up to the Corner Drug and bought a new lipstick. She was surprised at how long her hair had grown when she saw herself in the mirror at the cosmetic counter. She’d had it cut just before she left Chicago. Could that be three months ago? Of course, it was the middle of October.
walked up to the Corner Drug and bought a new lipstick. She was surprised at how long her hair had grown when she saw herself in the mirror at the cosmetic counter. She’d had it cut just before she left Chicago. Could that be three months ago? Of course, it was the middle of October.
After leaving the drugstore she walked past the Oluf T. Hanson department store. It looked just as it had when she and her grandma went there to buy fabric for her prom dress.
On an impulse she turned in at Halford’s Cafe to treat herself to dinner instead of going back to the farm and eating a sandwich. The brightly lit cafe was half-filled with diners and a delicious aroma filled the air.
Walking down the row of booths to a vacant one halfway along the side, Nelda’s eyes collided with those of Lute sitting in a booth with a dark-haired girl. He nodded. She continued on, not sure if her steps had faltered. Sliding into an empty booth, she found herself looking across at the woman Lute was with.
She was pretty, with brown hair shaded with red and beautiful dark eyes. It was easy to see that she was giving Lute all her attention. Nelda felt sick. She had known that a man as virile as Lute would have female friends, but knowing and seeing were two different things. She picked up the menu that was propped behind the paper-napkin dispenser. When the waitress came for her order, she chose the first item that caught her eye—a hamburger with everything on it.
There was one booth between where she was sitting and where Lute sat with the dark-haired girl who was laughing and talking nonstop. Nelda had never felt lonelier in her life.
It seemed to Nelda that she sat there years before the waitress returned, but it could only have been a few minutes. She longed with all her heart to be home, but she didn’t dare leave with Lute sitting there. She had cut her hamburger in two and taken a bite when she saw a familiar face coming toward her.
“Hello.” Earl Hutchinson stopped beside the booth. “I see you’ve discovered Halford’s. This cafe is an institution here in Clear Lake.”
“I can understand why, if all their food is as good as this hamburger.” It was lip service, of course. She was too numb to taste a thing.
Other books
Beloved by Bertrice Small
Keep Dancing by Leslie Wells
Spectacular Stranger by Lucia Jordan
The Sandcastle Sister by Lisa Wingate
The Seer by Jordan Reece
Sixes Wild: Manifest Destiny by Tempe O'Kun
The Stranger I Know (Dark Romance) by Isan, Amy
Bella... A French Life by Marilyn Z Tomlins
Emma's Baby by Taylor, Abbie
Knit Your Own Murder by Monica Ferris