Odd Billy Todd (32 page)

“He painted Tweety on the hood!” Mary exclaimed.

“Mary, can we come in, now?” Rhonda asked, shooting Billy a smile. “We won’t hurt you. We really did just come to clean this place up. And you don’t need to be living here alone, any way.” There was a long hesitation, and a longer minute of nothing. Then, the door opened hesitantly.

“I reckon you can come in.”

*****

“How long have you been here, Mary?” Rhonda asked, looking around the dimly lit house. There were empty cans on the counter, where the girl had apparently been about to prepare a meal. There were two gallon jugs of water there as well.

A sleeping bag was laid out in the far corner of the room, surrounded by mouse traps. Two large coolers were next to the bag, one of them with a battery powered lantern atop it. A bible lay beside the light.

“I don’t know,” she shrugged helplessly. “Long time. ‘Least a month.”

“Why in the world didn’t you come down to the house and ask for help?” Billy all but demanded, and the girl shrunk back, grasping the heavy Mini-14 tighter.

“Shut up!” Rhonda scolded. “He has got a point, though,” she added, turning back to Mary. “What didn’t you just come down and see us?”

“Scared,” Mary replied softly, still looking at Billy.

“Of what?” Billy asked, perplexed.

“Ever body,” the little voice admitted.

“Honey, how old are you?” Rhonda asked, kneeling next to the girl.

“Twelve,” Mary replied. “But I’ll be thirteen soon!” she added, with just a hint of challenge.

“Really? How long?” Rhonda asked.

“Um,” Mary bit her lip. “I. . .what day is it?” she asked.

“Oh sweetie,” Rhonda said softly. She looked at Billy and saw with relief that he was finally ‘getting it’.

“Girl. . .Mary,” Billy said easily, “this here ain’t no way to live.”

“S’all I got,” Mary replied stoically. “Gotta make do.”

“No, you don’t,” Rhonda stood. “Billy, you start loading her things into the truck.”

“Huh?” Billy asked.

“What?” Mary demanded at the same time, backing up a step.

“Listen,” she told Mary. “You need to be somewhere safe, honey. And this ain’t it. You need clean water, and better food than you can get from a can. You’re comin’ to live with us!”

“I am?” Mary asked, trying not to let her hopefulness show.

“She is?” Billy asked, again at the same time.

“She is,” Rhonda told him firmly. “And you ain’t gonna get this stuff loaded standing here talkin', neither.”

Billy grunted at that, but dutifully went to get one of the coolers. He picked it up with little effort, and trekked out to the truck.

“Don’t let him fool you,” Rhonda smiled. “He would have been up here himself, if he’d known you was here all alone. Ain’t a better man nowhere than Billy Todd.”

“I don’t think he like’s me much,” Mary said quietly.

“Well, you did almost shoot him,” Rhonda chuckled. “Billy takes a dim view o’ that sorta thing.”

“Oh. I did, didn’t I?” Mary asked, wincing a bit.

“He’ll be fine in a while,” Rhonda assured her. “Now, start getting your things together. When we get to the house, you’re taking a nice hot bath, while I fix you something good to eat. Deal?”

“Deal!” Mary smiled.

Mary’s few things were loaded quickly. Billy took the sprayer, and their flashlight.

“What are you doing?” Rhonda demanded.

“Gonna spray the house,” Billy told her, as if it was a stupid question.

“I’m not keeping that child out here in the cold for you to spray that house!” Rhonda informed him.

“Don’t ‘spect you to,” he told her calmly. “Take her on down to the house. ‘magine she needs some time with just a woman for a bit. I’ll be along once I’m done here, and unload her stuff.”

Rhonda was taken aback by that. She smiled at him suddenly, and kissed him soundly.

“You are so getting lucky tonight,” she whispered in his ear.

“Yeah, yeah,” Billy shooed her off, laughing. “You’re just tryin’ to bribe me into lettin’ her stay with us.”

“Ain’t you?” she demanded, surprised.

“Oh, for. . .of course I am!” he exclaimed. “Good Lord woman, what kinda man you take me for?”

“A really good one,” she said softly, and kissed him. “Be careful coming home.”

With that she loaded the girl into the truck, and headed for home. Billy watched her go, and then, shaking his head, went to work.

*****

Rommel was instantly suspicious of the new person Rhonda brought home. Dottie, far more friendly, ran to the girl, and started sniffing and licking.

“Rommel,” Rhonda warned. The big dog looked at her, but reluctantly backed down. He eased closer, and Mary watched him with trepidation.

“I don’t think he like's me either,” she whispered.

“Well, it’s Billy’s dog,” Rhonda laughed lightly, and Mary had to giggle at that.

Rommel sniffed slightly. She smelled wrong, but not untrustworthy. He caught several different smells, all of which he could identify, yet he couldn’t. He didn’t like mysteries. He edged closer, nose out. Mary carefully lifted her hand, palm up, and let Rommel sniff her.

“Friend, Rommel,” Rhonda told him sternly. Rommel looked at her, as if to say are you sure?

“Yes, I’m sure,” Rhonda interpreted the look correctly. Rommel sniffed again, and then again.

“That’s enough,” Rhonda told him finally, and led the girl toward the house.

Where, true to her word, Rhonda drew Mary a steaming hot bath.

“These clothes need a serious washing,” she declared. Mary blushed a little.

“I. . .I tried to clean them in the creek, but without soap, it just wasn’t. . .I didn’t do a good job. And I had. . .I mean. . .well, you know,” she trailed off, blushing deeper.

“Don’t worry,” Rhonda told her. “I can help you with that. Now, settle in, and soak a while, and get clean. I got some clothes that should fit you fine. I’ll dig them out, and then get started on fixing some supper. Okay?”

Rhonda went and rummaged through her things, finding the things she wanted. Pants, shirt, socks, and underwear. She frowned as she thought about a bra. The girl wasn’t developed enough for one of her’s, and the others were out in storage. She didn’t want Mary to feel uncomfortable, so she grabbed a t-shirt, and a large sweater. As an after though, she also got one of Billy’s shirts for the girl to sleep in.

After leaving these things for her, and making sure she was okay, Rhonda went to the kitchen.

She was just finishing up a pot of chili when Mary appeared in the kitchen, wearing the new clothes. Rhonda smiled at her.

“How do you feel?”

“I done forgot what it was to be clean,” Mary admitted. “Thank you so. . .so much,” her voice faltered. All at once the realization that she wouldn’t spend tonight alone, cowering in the dark, hit her, and she almost collapsed. Rhonda grabbed her, and guided her into a chair. She held the girl while she cried.

Dottie edged into the mix, huddling between them. Rommel refused to do so, but did sit stoically near them, between them and the door, while Mary cried herself out.

“I’m. . .I’m sorry,” she sniffed, raising her head finally. “I. . .”

“Don’t be sorry, honey,” Rhonda told her, stroking her hair gently. “You been all alone for a long time. I was too, but I’m a lot older’n you. I can’t tell you how relieved, how happy, I was when Billy found me.”

“He found you too?” Mary asked, eyes wide.

“He’s got a habit o’ picking up strays,” Rhonda smiled. “Ain’t he, boy?” she asked Rommel.

Woof!

The bark startled the girl, which startled Dottie, which of course made Rommel stand up, looking for what was wrong.

“Easy, big boy,” Rhonda said, gently rubbing Dottie’s coat. “Take it easy, girl,” she soothed. Dottie responded well, and ‘allowed’ Mary to pet her as well.

Rommel wasn’t so easy.

Rhonda fixed Mary a bowl of hot chili, with some bread and a soft drink.

“Hope you like Coke,” Rhonda asked. “Only kinda soft drink we have.”

“Oh, I haven’t even seen a Coke in. . .well, forever!” Mary gushed.

“All yours,” Rhonda smiled, handing the open can to her. Mary chugged on it, then returned to the chili. She was on her second bowl when Billy came in.

Rommel ran to him at once, turning to look at the girl, then back at Billy, as if to say do you see that stranger in our house?

“Yeah, I know, boy,” Billy said easily, and ruffed the dog’s massive head. Rommel accepted this attention with gusto, satisfied that he had done his job. If Billy wasn’t worried about the girl being here, then neither was Rommel.

“Somethin’ smells good!” Billy said, coming into the kitchen.

“Homemade chili, and fresh bread,” Rhonda smiled, setting him a bowl on the table, then one for herself.

“You look better,” he told Mary. “Ain’t nothin’ like a hot bath to make things better, I say,” he added, sitting down. “That was how I conned Rhonda into comin’ to live with me, ya’know,” he winked. “Offered a hot shower.”

“Billy Todd!” Rhonda slapped him on the arm. “Well, that was an enticement.”

Mary couldn’t help but laugh. Billy had put her at ease in just a minute.

“You’re not so bad as I thought at the other house,” she told him.

“Yeah, well, you didn’t shoot at me when I came in, either,” he grinned. Mary blushed, but knew that he wasn’t serious. Billy had calmed down on the walk home. One of the reasons he’d wanted to walk.

“I put your stuff on the porch,” he told her. “We can go through it in the morning.”

“Thank you,” Mary said quietly.

“Welcome,” Billy nodded.

“Okay, let’s eat!” Rhonda ordered.

Afterward, Rhonda led Mary to the bedroom near theirs, and made her comfortable.

“You can relax here, sweetie,” Rhonda promised. “Nothing will hurt you here, I promise.” Dottie jumped up on the bed, curling up on the foot of the bed.

“Traitor,” Rhonda accused, and the sensitive Rottie looked down shamefully. Rhonda rubbed her head, and scratched behind her ears to let her know it was in play. Dottie licked her hand, then settled in.

“Looks like you got company for the night,” Rhonda laughed. “Good night honey.”

“Thank you,” Mary said for at least the hundredth time.

“You’re more than welcome. Sleep well.” Rhonda went out, and eased the door closed. She turned to go back downstairs, and nearly tripped over Rommel, who had laid down just outside and to the side of Mary’s door.

“You old faker,” Rhonda chided. Rommel sniffed at that, but made no other response. He curled back up on the floor, just a step away.

“No monsters tonight, little one,” Rhonda smiled, and went back downstairs.

*****

Mary started awake. She lay perfectly still, looking at the ceiling over her. It was strange. She didn’t recognize it. And she wasn’t alone.

Warily she raised her head, an inch at the time, until she could see down near her feet. Laying alongside her leg was a dog. A large black dog, dozing comfortably, warming her as she lay in bed.

Bed. She didn’t have a bed. All she had was. . . .

“It wasn’t a dream,” she said to herself. Hearing the girl speak, Dottie roused herself. Crawling up the bed, she licked the girl’s hand, and then her face.

“Eww,” Mary laughed, pushing Dottie gently away. “Doggy breath! But I’m so glad to see you,” she hugged the dog tightly. “I thought it was all a dream!”

Her raised voice prompted another, much larger dog to enter the room, investigating. He sniffed the air, looking at the girl. Puzzled.

“Rommel!” Mary jumped from the bed, racing to the big dog and enveloping him as well. The normally ill tempered dog allowed this hugging with a snort, sensing that the girl wasn’t a threat. He remembered meeting her, last night. And, unlike the girl, he had the advantage of knowing that last night had not been a dream.

“Looks like someone’s up early,” Mary heard a voice say. She looked up to see Rhonda smiling down at her.

“Oh my God!” Mary leapt to her feet, bounding the few steps to where Rhonda stood and throwing her arms around the older girl.

“I thought it was a dream!” she exclaimed yet again, holding Rhonda tight. “I thought it was all a dream!”

“No, sweetie, it wasn’t a dream,” Rhonda promised her, returning the girl’s hug with enthusiasm of her own. “You’re safe.”

“Oh my God,” Mary repeated, her eyes brimming over with tears. She cried, then. Cried and cried, until Rhonda wondered how many tears her little body could hold. Or spare.

“What in the name o’ tar-nation is all. . . .” Billy cut himself off as he saw the scene before him. Rhonda’s glare didn’t hurt.

“Sorry,” Billy muttered, heading for the bathroom.