CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Olive
fought the headache as she rode the trolley home. It was early afternoon. If
she packed a small suitcase and hurried to Mary Jane's house, she knew she
could stay there until she figured out what to do. She had to decide exactly
what to say to Jimmy when she saw him again.
But that was just it. She didn't want
to see him now that she knew his secret. For Pete's sake, he was running a
still in an abandoned warehouse in the middle of Joplin! How could he do that
and not have the law after his hide?
The trolley let off passengers, and Olive
walked the block to the apartment. But another surprise awaited her. The scene
before her was shocking when she entered the room. Thick air with pungent
scents of tobacco smoke and the heady aroma of whiskey and beer hung like a low
cloud. Boisterous laughter and clinking of glasses mingled with the small crowd
who invaded her home. A couple of men in rumpled suits stood at the makeshift
bar where liquor bottles and glasses holding the amber liquid lined up.
Olive looked around the trashed room
and caught sight of Lloyd. His eyes met hers, and he nearly dropped his drink.
Surprise and apprehension flickered on his face. Olive caught them red-handed.
A woman with a brown cloche hat covering her blonde hair chuckled, put her
painted fingernails to her ruby-colored lips, and stood beside him, but he
pushed her back. The woman held out her hand and smiled, but Lloyd stepped
away.
Slamming the door, tears threatened to
overtake her. A mixture of fear and betrayal raced through her heart. Could the
day get any worse? At that moment, Olive knew she was quickly becoming
entangled in Jimmy's web of illegal activities. She pulled her father's knife
from her pocket, but kept it hidden.
"Lloyd! How dare you! What are
you doing?"
With the slamming door, the room fell
silent as all eyes turned to watch her.
"Olive! You're supposed to be at
work!" Lloyd recovered and advanced toward her. A Smith and Wesson Triple
Lock revolver, known for its strength and accuracy, was in a shoulder holster.
Seated at a small table near the
kitchen, three men were involved in a card game. "Hey, what's going on,
Lloyd? What —" The voice was loud, boisterous, mean, and angry. The man
was a murderer, one who should have been held responsible years ago, but was freed.
Olive’s head throbbed, and she grew
lightheaded. Joe Tanner, with his flushed face, sat before her. His disgusting
body invaded her house! As shock turned into anger, she wished she had a gun.
But the only weapon she had was Pa's knife.
"You!" Olive’s voice held
contempt as she flashed the knife.
"Olive, let me explain. And give
me that knife!" Lloyd reached her and tried to take her arm.
"Where's Jimmy?" She shrank
back from him, wanting to hear the lie Lloyd would surely make to cover for her
husband.
"He's doing some business. He
told me to stay here until he returned." His lips curved into a weak
smile.
"Well, well, well," Tanner
sneered, his lips twisting into a cruel smirk. He sized Olive up with predatory
eyes. "What do we have here? Looks like the little missus stumbled into a
hornet's nest." He shook his head. "What the Sam hill are you doing
here? Looking for your brother?" His laughter smacked her face.
Olive shoved her emotions aside and
swallowed hard, steely determination replacing fear and anger.
Aware of the danger, she refused to be
intimidated by the blackguard and held the knife for all to see. "I'm
going to talk with Ben soon! And you're in my home; get out now!"
At that moment, the door crashed open,
and Jimmy strode through, pulling his Colt .45 from his waistband. Slamming the
door behind him, he glared at everyone in the room. His face darkened with
anger, his eyes narrowing into an icy glare. With a clenched jaw, the muscles
in his neck tensed as he struggled to contain the brewing fury within. He saw
the knife and moved to stand beside Olive.
"What in blazes do you think
you're doing? Why aren't you at work?"
Ignoring his question, she accused,
"There's a murderer in our home!" She looked at Tanner, "You’re
going to admit that you killed Dan Winters, and I'm going to the police with your
story!"
As she yelled at Tanner, Lloyd moved
back to the kitchen counter near the woman with red nails.
Tanner pushed the cards aside on the
table and flattened his beefy hands, hoisting himself up. "Looks like the
game's over, boys." He eyed Olive with a mean stare. "What are you doing
here anyway?"
At that moment, Olive knew that their
lives would never be the same again, and she prepared to face the challenges
ahead, even if it meant confronting the darkest corners of his secret world.
"Do you want to tell him, or
should I?"
"She's my wife." Jimmy
jerked the knife from her hand and pocketed it before Olive could
retaliate.
"Wife?" The roar of Tanner's
voice rushed through the room. At that, he downed his glass of moonshine.
"Ah, the kick of bottled sunshine." He laughed again, menace lacing
the words. "Good medicine!"
Lloyd positioned himself with his back
to the kitchen counter. A whiskey bottle made a good club if needed.
"Maston, you married this little
dame?" Tanner's smirk widened into a malicious grin, and his gaze darkened
with undisguised contempt. Sudden thoughts lit his boozy eyes. "She's Ben
Johnson's sister!"
"Joe, it's time to leave,"
Jimmy said, gripping the Colt and placing it in his waistband.
Laughter shook the ceiling.
"Smart move, Maston! Using her to get to old man Johnson's stills. I'd
never thought of that!"
His words sent a chill down Olive’s spine.
Her throat constricted, but she stood her ground.
Surrounded by menacing figures, she
forced herself to meet their gazes and refused to show weakness. Her breath
caught as she took in Tanner's remark. The truth was glaringly real, and it hit
her heart. Was Papa involved?
"I hate you, Joe Tanner! If I
never do anything else, I'll see you are locked away forever!"
"Olive, shush," Jimmy
hissed.
"You think you're too good for
the likes of me and my family. I remember how it all went down. Yeah, I shot
Winters for what he did to me. Blackballed me from the Farmer's Union! He had
it comin'." Tanner's voice dripped with venom. "But now, since you're
in our town, we're callin' the shots. You'll keep your mouth shut if you know
what's good for you."
Jimmy took Olive by the arm and shook
her, "Quiet, woman!" Looking at Lloyd, he commanded, "Clean this
mess up and clear outta here, Lloyd." He eyed the other two men drinking
quietly at the counter. "Jerry, Beefer, out."
Lloyd's eyes met Olive's; then he
moved to obey. The woman with him grabbed a crate and placed the bottles
inside.
Tanner laughed, taunting Lloyd,
"Ain't he pullin' those strings a bit too tight, Lloyd?"
The two men at the card table rose and
gathered their belongings. "We're outta here, Maston."
Jimmy grunted. "Tanner, time to
leave. Now."
Running a hand through his dark hair, Tanner snorted. "Make sure your little lady doesn't spill the beans on the operation, Maston. 'Course your daddy'll take care of her if she decides to talk."
He ran his wide hand across his face. "I don't want trouble. I've got a job to do." Gathering the cards, he put his suit jacket on and threw his cigar stub in the sink as he eft.
The apartment cleared out within
minutes, and Olive and Jimmy were alone among the evidence of a mid-day party.
The smell did not help her headache. Olive’s mind raced with the information she had just discovered from Tanner. He admitted to killing Dan, but it had been a few years ago. Would the information hold up now?
***
When the door closed behind the last
man, Jimmy whirled to glare at Olive. "What are you doing here? You're
supposed to be at work!"
"I've got a headache, and Mr.
Parker sent me home!" she explained. You've got a lot to explain,
Jimmy!" She reached out her hand. "I want my knife that Pa gave me."
Jimmy moved to pour a drink from an
open bottle on the counter, and he downed it in a gulp. Sensually smacking
his lips, he savored the taste, "My, that's good and smooth."
Pouring another glass, he settled in
an easy chair, leveling his gaze on his wife. "I saw you at the warehouse,
O. But you're going to forget what you've seen."
"Is it true that Pa and Ben are
supplying you booze?"
Jimmy crossed his legs and blew out a
noisy breath. Rubbing his hand over his mouth, he shook his head and smirked.
"If this doesn't beat all…" He pulled her knife from his pocket and
lay it on the table.
Olive moved to scoop it up. "I
thought you were better than this!"
Her husband's lips curled into a sneer as a bitter laugh escaped his throat. "You have no idea what it takes to survive in this world. No idea what it takes to fight for what's yours. Money is king, O. And I'm the prince of money. You don't know the danger you'll be in if you don't lay low and keep your mouth shut. Tanner is dangerous."
"I know about Tanner! What I want to know is if Papa is involved. Answer my question!" She picked up the knife and hid it in her coat.
"No, your father has no idea
what's going on. But your brother's paying off a debt to Tanner by supplying
him with some of your father's moonshine. From what I heard, it's a done deal
now, paid in full." He looked at her, his eyes a light red, haunted,
drunken.
"How did you find the
warehouse?"
"I was walking to catch the
trolley when I saw you drive by and followed you. Jimmy, your business isn't
something I want to be involved in. And I'm not bringing my son to live here
with this going on. You've got to stop, or…"
Jimmy scoffed; his voice grew loud.
"Or what, O?"
How handsome he was! With his dark,
good looks and immaculate clothing, Maston was suave and debonair. From his
sleek raven hair to the shine on his shoes, Maston knew how to play the world.
He truly thought of himself as a prince.
"I may not know what it takes to
survive in your world," she declared, her voice rang with a quiet
strength. "But you won't drag me into darkness and deceit." Her words
hung in the air like a challenge, daring him to defy her resolve.
"This is my world, it's all I've
known, born and raised in it. And you're right about one thing. Your boy can't
come here to live."
The sting of his words pierced her
inner being. If her son wasn't welcome with him, then she wasn't either. All
she was doing in life was for Peter. Peter needed her, and it wasn't right for
her to depend on her parents to raise him forever. In that instant, she knew
what was going to take place. Jimmy Maston was another mistake she had made.
Another wrong decision and a bad choice.
"Where
Pete's not welcome, neither am I." She squared her shoulders and met his
gaze.
The harsh realities of life in
Joplin's shadowy underworld settled around her. Her heart sank like the
Titanic, taking her hopes, dreams, and happiness to the depths of despair. She
was such a failure! To think that marrying a man would bring love and happiness
when all it did was cause more trouble. Her second marriage was ruined and
sinking like the great ship that struck the dreaded iceberg.
"There’s always the Children’s
Home for your boy,” Maston smirked as if he was being clever. He hung his head
and sighed deeply, swearing under his alcohol-soaked breath. "You
shouldn't have married me…"
"How dare you talk about my son
going to an orphanage!” Olive screamed. Tears gathered, but she swiped at them.
Taking a quick drink, he choked, wiped
his mouth, and his next words were calm. "I shouldn't have bothered
marrying you. You're no fun."
She stepped forward, a surge of
confidence bolstering her against his words despite the tears. “You’re the one
who talked about us having a life together.” Emotion spilled from her lips as
she accused him. “It's all lies. I can’t believe I fell for it!”
“You’ll be gone by morning?” Maston
asked, hope rimming the words.
“Way before then.” Marching to the
closet, she reached high. Pulling the mustard yellow suitcase down, she filled
it with her clothing. Despite the ache that racked her forehead, somehow, she
had the strength she needed to stand up to this man who was acting insane.
The clock on the wall chimed four
o'clock. She wanted to get to Mary Jane's house quickly. When she carried the
suitcase into the living room, Jimmy stood at the kitchen table surrounded by a
pile of money, two guns, and a fresh bottle of whiskey. He tossed a bunch of
bills at her. "Here. You're going to need this."
She didn't catch the money; instead,
it dropped to her feet. "I don't want that dirty money!"
Jimmy rolled his eyes and smirked.
"Get a divorce, woman! Go see Horace Bingham. His firm is over at Alba.
Best lawyer I know."
A hot rush ran the length of her, and
she felt her stomach knot. Her breath caught as the words sank into her mind.
She was a bother to him! To this man who insisted they get married, have fun,
and enjoy life together.
Tears of shame washed down her cheeks.
Another mistake.
Another man who made her a fool.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The next morning, the Golden Maiden
was set to open in half an hour, and Charlotte was supplying ice for the ice
boxes. George held a dishpan with an ice chunk and iron tongs, while Charlotte
placed the chunk inside the ice box and shut the door. Repeating the action,
the iceboxes were ready. Turning away, they saw Olive walking toward them.
A grin covered George's chubby face as
he greeted her. He placed the last dishpan into the sink and rubbed his hands
on the white apron covering his ample front.
"Olive, it's so good to see
you!" Charlotte cried out. Her voice was as cheerful as ever, and her
green eyes sparkled with mischief as she turned to the side, showing off her fresh
new hairstyle. Her ruby curls were cut to chin length, and a crystal headband
circled her hair. Bobbed hair was all the rage.
Olive stopped midstride, and her mouth
opened. Charlotte was adorable in her new look. A short sheath dress covered by
the work apron silhouetted her figure. "My, don't you look gorgeous! Are
you going out on the town?"
Charlotte laughed and twirled once
more, then grabbed Olive’s arm. "Perhaps tonight. I've met a man! And oh,
I do believe he's captured my heart." Her coy look said it all. She
whispered in Olive’s ear, "And perhaps my soul!"
"Well," Olive said dryly,
"we do need to talk. I have news." Her brow lifted, and she looked at
George.
"On break, I'll tell you all
about my adventures." Charlotte gushed.
"And I'll tell you mine."
George added, "Any chance I can
join you and hear your happy news?"
"No!" Both women chimed in at
once.
George's grin dropped like a walnut
falling from a tree. "Happens all the time." He turned and went to
the kitchen.
When Charlotte unlocked the Golden
Maiden's doors, the tables and booths filled to capacity, one by one. The lunch
crowd was boisterous on this day. Loud laughter and murmurs and hushed whispers
mingled with the clink of silverware, glasses, and patrons walking on the
wooden floor. George bussed the tables, helping the girls out with their
duties.
When the last customer, a couple
celebrating a special occasion, left, Olive and Charlotte threw their soiled
aprons in the dirty bin and headed outside for a break. Olive carried a plate
of carrots and celery, and Charlotte brought a bowl of roasted chicken.
Olive crunched on a carrot stick to
hopefully soothe her rumbling stomach. She hadn't eaten a bite since yesterday
when she became ill. Sitting on the benches under the shade tree, they began to
eat and talk.
"Do you like my new cut?"
Charlotte asked, eyeing her friend as she took a bite of chicken and then a sip
of water.
"You're a dilly, Charlotte."
"Thank you. I had such a great
time with Mama. She had a copy of The Saturday Evening Post, and when I
saw the picture of Clara Bow with her sweet hair, Mama insisted that I go to
the salon and do it. I feel free!"
Olive nodded. "I bet it does feel
nice not to have all that hair to care for." She drew a breath.
"Charlotte, I'm going to leave Joplin. Jimmy and I…" Tears misted her
eyes and she put a handkerchief to her mouth. She waited to speak again for
fear she'd choke.
"Oh dear, what in the world has
happened? Can I do something?" Setting her plate aside, Charlotte took one
of Olive’s hands.
Olive looked her friend in the eye.
"Yes, you can do something for me. Tell me the truth about Jimmy. And I'll
be honest with you, I now know enough about him to know if you are lying to
me."
She saw fear spark in Charlotte's eyes
and color blush her cheeks.
Charlotte looked down at her shoes and
slowly lifted her gaze to Olive. Swallowing and licking her mauve lips, she
said, "What do you want to know?"
"I saw his operation in the
warehouse on Wall. And I walked in on a little social gathering in my house
yesterday!"
"His operation…oh."
Charlotte drew a deep breath, swallowed, and avoided Olive’s eyes.
"Where is Jimmy from? Where does
his father live? And are you involved with his illegal activities?"
"Tulsa," Charlotte swallowed,
then answered. "Jimmy actually lives in Tulsa with his family; Joplin is a
waypoint for contacts to hook up. He rents the apartment here to have a place
to stay while he's on business. His brothers work in Oklahoma and points south,
while he works north to Kansas City. And no, I'm not exactly involved."
Charlotte's eyes grew misty and round.
"I relay messages to those who come in and need to know."
"I
see," Olive remembered the paper Charlotte placed in her apron pocket that
day when Lloyd came in the Golden Maiden. She told Charlotte what transpired
but stopped when she almost told her about Claretta Brier's phone call. She
thought better of it; that way, Jimmy, Tanner, or any of the gang would not
know where she was. Staying in Joplin was dangerous.
Last night, William called Lydia, and Olive
explained the situation to her. She planned to pack her belongings and catch
the train to Kansas, where Lydia would be waiting for her.
"But that does involve you,
Charlotte. If you talk to any of the gang, aren't you afraid one of them could
hurt you?"
"Olive, it's the family business,
darling. I will never be hurt. And if for some reason I am, there'll be dead men
for sure." She swallowed and changed the subject. "So, what are you
going to do?"
"Jimmy begged me to stay, but I
said no. Then he told me to get out, gave me money for a divorce, and I'm going
home as soon as I can." The lie sounded good.
Tears ran down Charlotte's cheeks.
"I'm so, so sorry. I never thought Jimmy would do this to you. I feel
responsible. Please forgive me. Is there any reason to hope you were both just
angry and that you two can work this out?"
"No way, Charlotte. Money is
necessary to live, and I understand that. But I draw the line when you're doing
illegal things to get it. I'm not sure I've had enough time to fall in love
with Jimmy anyway." Olive paused, drank some water, and bit into a chicken
leg.
"I hate this!" Charlotte
drew a breath. Her perfectly pretty face drew into a frown, and she pouted,
"And I'm going to miss you!"
Olive swallowed the meat. "Then
Jimmy told me Peter's not welcome; that pretty much said it all. I intended to
bring him here to live with us. In fact, can I be honest with you?"
"Of course!"
"That's why I married Jimmy. He
has money, and I needed it. I needed the money for Pete's doctor bills, not for
me. And I wanted to bring my boy to live with me and relieve my folks of the
burden of caring for him. He's my responsibility, but I've failed."
Charlotte grimaced. "Don't say
that! It's not your fault you don't have your son with you. You've been dealt a
bad deal since your first marriage. And I'm sorry Jimmy's not working out. I
wish I could change things. I thought you two would be good for each
other."
"I don't blame you, Charlotte.
But it's my fault for deceiving myself by thinking that marrying for money
would make my life all rosy and sweet. When you sin, there are consequences.
I'm going to straighten out my life. I let Henry dupe me into marriage when all
he wanted was his inheritance. I did love Henry, and he hurt me awful. And now
marriage number two is ruined."
She looked at Charlotte, a little smile rimming her lips. "No more marriages for me. I'll tell Mr. Parker this afternoon I'm leaving. I'll be gone as soon as I can."
***
Mary Jane took Olive into her home
once again. Olive continued to work at the Golden Maiden while she waited for
the divorce to be declared. She never saw Lloyd or Vince again in the
restaurant. She figured Jimmy told them to stay clear of where she was at all
costs.
Maybe that was Jimmy's way of
protecting her and letting her know she needed to forget what she saw and move
on with her life. And she was relieved and thankful. She did want to forget
what she witnessed and wanted no part of the trouble.
Lydia and Ansel made trips to Joplin to
see Olive. They were a great comfort to her, sitting with her, keeping her
spirits cheerful, and distracting her from Lizzie's death. The family missed
Lizzie, and life was not the same now that she was gone.
William and Amy lived with Mary Jane,
and Olive made fast friends with William's beautiful new wife. William bought a
Ford Model T motorcar, and the family enjoyed outings both in the country and
around town.
Amy asked Olive to teach her how to
cook. She tried new recipes, and Olive taught Amy the magic of baking bread, pies,
and egg noodles. Most days, the kitchen looked like a flour bomb had landed on
the counters.
On of her days off, Olive found Horace
Bingham, Jimmy's lawyer, and filed for divorce. Bingham advised her it might
take a while as the courts had a backlog of cases. Bingham chatted with Olive about
her side of the story, told her he would contact Jimmy, and then made an
appointment with them. Bingham knew the Maston family, having worked with Jimmy
on business matters.
A few days later, after interviewing
Jimmy and Olive in the afternoon, Bingham pushed the case ahead, declaring the
grounds for the dissolution uncontested and amicable. Bingham knew the Mastons
desired trouble-free dealings as much as possible.
After the interview, Bingham declared
Jimmy and Olive were state residents. Since there were no children for custody
rights and no property division in Missouri, and Olive didn't request alimony,
it was an open-and-shut case.
Olive paid Mr. Bingham his attorney's
fee and the court costs and, on a bright sunny afternoon, walked out of the
courthouse, a single woman with her maiden name restored.
Two months had passed since Claretta called Olive about the job in Kansas. Would the job still be open, or had it been filled? When she talked to Lydia, Lydia assured her that the job was still available, and Claretta's cousin looked forward to meeting her. From the cash Jimmy gave her, Olive had enough money in her pocket to start a new life. She bought a ticket and said goodbye to Mary Jane, William, and Amy one morning.
***
Olive watched the countryside pass
through the window on the passenger train ride to Kansas. Although she hadn't
slept last night, today she was too busy thinking about what she would need to
do once she arrived at her destination. She was calm and excited to leave
Missouri behind. Last night, while awake, she prayed for God's forgiveness for
making such wrong choices and bad decisions. She knew what the Bible said about
forgiveness. But especially, she had to forgive herself. That was hard to do.
She desperately needed to forgive many people and those things she had
experienced in the past years. She wanted to find a church and start attending
services.
Henry came to mind first. She did not
know where he was or what he was doing, and she didn't care. But she did care
about finding it in her heart to forgive him and leave the past behind. In her
way, Olive still loved Henry because they had a child together. She decided not
to tell her parents anything until she had settled and had more information.
Jimmy came to mind next. She learned a
hard lesson about him. She allowed him to woo her into a situation that could
have ended badly. Still, she forgave him and vowed not to think about it again.
The world was changing with new
inventions, innovations, the war, motor cars, telephones, and corruption. She
was appalled by the way women were suppressed and taken for granted. Money
ruled lives, and people would do almost anything for it. She was thankful for
those people who watched after her. Now, she was embarking on a new way of
living.
Olive opened her eyes when she heard
the train whistle and the conductor calling, "Next stop Lakefield, Kansas!"
While praying and thinking, she had
taken a needed nap. Now, she was at her destination. She closed her eyes,
quickly said a prayer, and mentally prepared for a new day.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Harvest time in Kansas, 1915
As the Chicago, Rock Island, and
Pacific train chugged its way into the bustling town of Lakefield, Olive leaned
next to the window. The rhythmic clacking of the wheels against tracks echoed
mile after mile of travel.
The train depot came into view, its
gray arched facade front with the town's name, Lakefield, etched on the
curve dominating the September skyline. The block building adorned with ornate
trimmings stood like an imposing protector of the town against the endless
prairie. Clusters of people gathered on the platform.
When
the train slowed to a stop, Olive adjusted her hat, pushed her hair under it,
gouged the glass jet-black hatpin through it all, gathered her bag, and walked
the aisle to the open door.
Stepping onto the platform, she looked
for Lydia and Ansel, but they were nowhere to be seen. Glancing up at the sun,
she guessed the time to be about two o'clock in the afternoon.
The Lakefield Depot bore signs of the
community's patriotic spirit. An American flag hung above the open doorway, and
red, white, and blue bunting adorned the tall windows. The air was alive with
scents of freshly cut hay and horses and mingled with the faint tang of coal
smoke from the locomotive. Birds chirped merrily in the distant trees, their
cheerful melodies adding to the warm welcome that enveloped the small town.
A group of people walked past Olive as
steam hissed from the train. A little boy cried out to his father, running into
his arms as his mother hurried to keep up. Olive moved closer to the station
house, scanning the crowd, hoping for a familiar face among the strangers.
"Olive! Olive Johnson?" a
voice called from behind her.
Relief flooded her, and turning, she
expected to see her friends. Instead, Edward's brother waited a few feet away.
Dressed in a white Navy uniform, Will Brier waved heartily, a big smile
spreading across his face as their eyes met. A dark neckerchief tied around the
collar of his uniform waved with the breeze. He moved toward her.
"Yes, I'm here!" She pulled
her bag tightly to her as if that would stop her racing heartbeat. Relief
spread through her at his friendly face.
Will stepped to her, shaking her hand. "It's good to see you again! You do remember me; I'm Edward's brother, Will Brier."
"Yes, it's been a while since we last spoke. But I'm expecting Lydia and Ansel Fitzhugh." She looked around. "They don't seem to be here."
"I guess it's sort of a
mix-up," Will explained. "Ansel and Lydia are out of town and asked
Edward to fill in for them. But then Ed’s little boy fell off their porch and
he and Claretta rushed him to see the doctor. I apologize for all of
them."
"I see. I hope the baby's going
to be okay." Olive stepped back from Will.
"I'm sure he will be. You know
how children are. Running around like chickens with their heads cut off!"
A smile framed Olive’s face at his
choice of words. She envisioned the scene of killing chickens at home, where
you either chopped off the chicken's head with an ax or wrung its neck,
throwing it to the ground and letting it bleed out. The yard was always filled
with flopping chickens, blood spattering everywhere. She could almost smell the
wet chicken feathers and dripping blood. She grimaced at the memory and
replied, "Yes, well, killing chickens is something I won't soon
forget."
Will laughed. "Let's get your
luggage, and I'll take you to Ed's to get settled."
"Oh, I'm staying with Lydia and
Ansel," her voice faltered. "I…think." When she saw Will's look,
her heavy eyebrows rose in amusement. "Unless they've changed that,
too."
"I have no idea. But I'm sure
it'll be straightened out." He started toward the luggage hold. She
followed him.
"Will, are you in the Navy?"
She noted the faint tremor in her voice. Now was not the time to panic, so she
tamped it down. She could trust Will Brier. Couldn't she? A niggling voice
reminded her she had trusted Henry and Jimmy and look where that had led her. Olive
chided herself, shooing the voice from her head.
Will’s eyebrows gathered together, and
he nodded, looking down at his uniform. “That’s me, Sailor Will. Most of us got
called when the U.S. joined the fighting. Edward and I went to the Navy. I’m a
gunner’s mate and just graduated from gunner school. I’m home on leave for a
few days to get the crops in.” He gathered her luggage from the baggage hold
and put it in the buckboard wagon.
Olive
settled on the wagon seat, spreading her calico day dress so it would not
wrinkle.
The day was ending with big surprises.
Suddenly, her energy drained from her like a bucket with a hole in it. She
needed a cool cloth over her eyes, a nap, and something to drink. Her mouth
felt as dry as the landscape before her.
She watched Will load her three trunks
on the wagon, remembering the day in Arkansas in Rachel Hammontree's dress shop
when she met Ansel, Edward, and Will. Clearly, Will must have been taken with
her. And she had noticed him, too. Especially his impeccable manners and
overall demeanor.
She had not attended his brother's
wedding. But Lydia and Ansel had, and Lydia talked about the magnificent event.
If Rachel and Claretta Hammontree were involved, then the event would naturally
be over the top. Things might have been different if she had traveled here to
Kansas to attend the wedding. She glanced at Will's left hand; he was still
single. Lucky man, she kept the chuckle to herself.
Will climbed up next to her on the
seat and set the horses on their way. As they turned down Main Street in town, Olive
noticed the houses mixed with businesses that lined the streets. Lakefield, Kansas, was a small farming community in the southwestern part of the state. The
summer climate was windy, hot, and dry, while the winter brought heavy snows
but moderate temperatures, or so Lydia had told her during one of their many
phone conversations.
Southwestern
Kansas was a bit different than the Southwestern Missouri Ozarks.
Talking about the town's history, Will
told Olive all about it, from the early railroad days to the discovery of gas
west of the town. "Lakefield was the broom corn capital of the world until
hard winter wheat replaced it. The county boasted livestock and agriculture.
The town got its name from the man who settled here. He gave free water to
weary travelers along the way and they swam in the lake in a large field. He
built a general store and a post office near the railroad and named the town
for the lake."
Olive learned that Will owned a farm
near his parents. Edward's farm was close by on the edge of town, and Anna's
farm was located to the north. The Briers were farmers who came to the United
States from Germany in the 1880s. But Herman Brier, Will's father, died soon
after moving to Kansas, and Dora, his mother, had remarried to a man named
Charlie.
"Father spoke broken English, but
mother has never learned the language. However, she knows quite well how to
communicate. Charlie is a good husband, and I'm quite fond of him. Mother does
well in church and volunteers at all the functions, which is important to
her."
They rode along the long dirt road,
wheat fields bordering both sides and stretching for miles. The golden shafts
of wheat moving with the brisk wind seemed to welcome her to the great state.
The land was relatively flat where they were, and all one saw was the farm
fields with houses, barns, and silos setting along here and there. The wind
blew across the plains, pushing up piles of dust around anything in its way.
Will pointed down the road and to the
right. "See that windmill in the distance? That's Mother's farm. We aren't
too far away now. I bet Claretta can't wait to see you. That's all she's talked
about since you accepted the job offer in Edgar's hotel."
Olive was glad her hat was pinned into
her hair. The wind blew ferociously at times, lifting the edges of the hat and
threatening to send it bouncing down the dirt road. She drew in breaths of the
clear sunshine and breeze. She had no idea that the state of Kansas was so
flat. She was used to Missouri's rolling hills and deep hollows with caves,
tall oak trees, and walnut groves.
Was Kansas the place God wanted her to
be? Would she find her way in life with the promise of a new beginning? Going
to Joplin was supposed to be the new beginning for her, but that turned out to
be a disaster. Lizzie died, and her marriage was a farce.
And she still didn't have Peter with
her. As the years passed and her son grew up, would he want to live with her?
It had been a while since she talked to him. Homesickness reared its ugly head,
and she pushed away the tears so Will wouldn't see what threatened to spill out
of her.
As
they passed Will's mother's farm, a massive field of green and yellow caught Olive’s
eyes. The tall green stalks crowned by large yellow petals and brown centers
basked in filtered sunshine. One golden bloom after another regally stood tall
and straight. A field of sunflowers!
A gentle hum of bees flitted from one
golden bloom to another. Most of the flowers had turned, following the sun’s
path toward the light. The field stretched out endlessly; a sea of greens,
yellows, and brown centers popped throughout. The rich earth looked soft and
reminded her of coffee grounds. Olive could almost feel the sunflowers' joy as
they soaked up the sunlight. A delight skittered through her as she gazed upon
the serene haven where nature’s beauty took center stage.
Olive gasped and looked at Will, who was smiling as the horses plodded past the show of flowers. "I've never seen such a gorgeous sight!"
"Do you like them?" Will asked. He slowed the horses, and the wagon ground to a stop. "This is my field."
"Yours?" Olive’s eyes opened
wide, and her brows lifted at the revelation. "Sunflowers are my favorite
flower in the whole wide world." Her hand went to her throat as she gazed
over the sea of yellow. Will was certainly a farmer!
"A few fellows and I experimented
this summer to see how they grow and how easy or hard harvesting will be. I
decided to plant only one field until I know exactly what I'm getting
into." Will's eyes scoured the flower field. "They're beginning to
rest and dry now. See how wilted the petals are? It's a sign to harvest."
"Magnificent!" Olive gasped
again.
Will hopped down from the wagon and
sprinted to the edge of the field. Cutting a bloom with his pocketknife, he
returned to the wagon and handed the yellow stalk to Olive.
"Thank you!" She took the
prickly stalk in her hands and admired the beauty.
Climbing back onto the seat, they
moved toward the house. "I'm reporting to Virginia in two days, so I won't
be here to harvest them. I've been helping in the wheat and corn fields. Ed's
going to do the flowers for me."
A few minutes later, he said,
"This is my place." He stretched out his arm to the left as they
passed. A modest farmhouse with a screened porch stretched on the front sat far
from the dirt road. Behind the house, Olive saw two barns, two silos, a
windmill, a chicken coop, and a horse barn. Farm implements sat around the
barn. A garden stood to the left.
"Your barn reminds me of my Pa's
back home."
"I've got one hundred acres of
corn and one hundred seventy acres of wheat growing back in the back. We can't
wait to see how the sunflower crops do. I've been reading up on growing, and
while it's taking off overseas, it's relatively new here in the States.
Sunflowers are a rotation crop, so I have to have enough fields to support it.
And, since sunflowers are tasty, crop pests are abundant. I'm supposed to check
the field morning and night. We're working with the Kansas State Ag College.
Researchers are interested in finding out what all sunflowers will produce in
the way of food consumption."
"What will you do with them when
you harvest?" Olive listened as Will filled her head with lots of
agricultural information. Yep, he was an ag man for sure.
"My crop is oil seeds, so I'll
use them for silage for poultry this time. I'm not a gambler, so I don't want
to invest in something that might not turn out well. Although taking a risk for
this project didn't cost me much."
Olive’s face fell at the word gambler, and panic seized her chest, bringing back thoughts of what she had just gone through not too many weeks ago. What would Will think if he knew about her marrying a bootlegger and all the shady dealings he was involved in? She hoped her face didn't portray the feelings of utter devastation. Pulling the sunflower close, it hid her emotions.
***
The horses pulled into a yard where a
modest house sat, and Will stopped at the rail fence, setting the wagon brake.
Jumping down, he went around and helped Olive to the ground, then got her
luggage. Olive held the drooping sunflower in one hand and her bag in the
other. She felt like the flower, withered and dry, needing a taste of cool
water.
The door to the white clapboard house
opened, and Claretta came running down the porch steps with her arms open wide.
Her long dark gray skirt dragged on the dusty walkway and she
grabbed one side as she ran. Her cameo locket bounced from side to side as she
ran.
They met at the gate, both women
hugging and speaking at once. "Herman's sleeping now after seeing the
doctor. He has a slight summer cold, a stuffy nose, and all. But he checked out
fine," she explained. "How was your trip? I bet you're exhausted
after that dreadful train ride! I've got supper almost ready to serve."
Olive smiled as she listened to
Claretta chatter on. Weary from the trip, she wanted to clean up, redo her
hair, and change clothes. She looked at her black shoes. They were covered in
dust. She ignored the dirt, and with a cheerful smile plastered on her mouth,
she answered, "I can't tell you how grateful I am for your hospitality,
Claretta. And for your cousin's invitation to work at his hotel."
"I believe in God's
intervention," Claretta's chocolate eyes snapped with sassiness. "He
supplies all of our needs just in the nick of time."
Edward took her baggage into the
house, and Will came around the corner leading his quarter horse, a chestnut
mare with a white star between the eyes.
Olive went to meet the horse. She
extended her hand and gently patted the side of the horse's face.
"Beautiful." She breathed in the smell of hay and horse that tickled
her nose.
"Her name's Star," Will
said, holding the leather reins with gloved hands.
Olive spoke softly, patting and
caressing Star. Her fingers smoothed Star's neck as she whispered nonsensical
words to the beautiful beast.
Will's smile lit his eyes. "She
likes you."
Olive snuggled her muzzle. "I
like her; she's a gorgeous horse!"
Star whinnied softly and flecked her
tail, moving into Olive’s embrace.
"You might lose your horse, brother,"
Edward said and laughed. "Looks like they're a pair."
Claretta stepped closer. "Lydia
told us you like horses, so we have chosen a couple you can get to know and
might choose one for yourself. But first, let's get you settled in for the
night."
Taking Olive’s arm, they stepped
toward the brick walkway.
"I bet you're exhausted from the
travel," Edward said, "Mom's made some chicken and her special egg
noodles." Turning to Will, he invited, "You might as well stay,
Brother. Tie Star to the fence. There's plenty to go around."
"Yes, stay!" Claretta
offered, looking between Will and Olive.
"As much as I love Mom's egg
noodles, I need to get back and check the sunflowers. I'll be over in a day or
two before I have to leave out." Will mounted Star, and the horse danced
around in the squishy dust as if she were happy.
"Welcome to Kansas!" Bill called. He saluted and then rode away.
Olive answered, "Thank you,
Will!" and watched the horse and rider grow smaller and smaller as they
rode out of sight. She was glad that Will Brier had come to meet her at the
train station.
The ride to Edward and Claretta's had
been enlightening as he talked about his family and the new ag project he took
on. Smiling, she thought of the briars back home that were prickly thorns;
folks called them stickers. Will Brier. Willy Sticker was a good nickname for
him. She smiled, and the anxiety she experienced earlier melted away.
The reason that brought her over four
hundred miles away from her home was long gone. She could relax. Jimmy nor the
gang did not know where she was.
She needed to contact her mother soon.
She had promised Mary Jane and Amy she would call when she had time. There was
much to do.
She couldn't help but wonder how much
the Briers knew about her. That was the first question for Lydia when she saw
her again.
