Chapter 4 Dazed and Confused
The wild brawl was extremely brutal. Excruciating pain throbbed under the cold pack making me wince. At some point during the ruthless fight, someone callously slammed something so hard in the back of my head, that it's possible I passed out. Everything seems a bit fuzzy, and I'm not exactly sure that I'm one hundred percent. The world just doesn't feel right, I feel like a stranger in my own skin.
Lord knows, I've always been a little abnormal, but right now, it feels like I shouldn't be here. Stirring in the back of my mind a fleeting memory seemed to be trying to make its way to the surface. Telling me that I belong somewhere else, and that place is very important. Gently rubbing my neck with my fingertips and dismissing the nagging feeling, I just needed to rest up. This ice pack sure wasn't helping any.
Groggily, I shook my dazed head, counting my many blessings, and very relieved that I finally got those uncivilized wild hell raising boy's outta here. They were sure rowdy, ever since that no good gunslinger Victor Dashkov and his brother Robert rode into town with the rest of his outlaw gang; my saloon has taken a real beating. Those Dashkov brothers are a real pain in my ass! They're causing trouble all around these parts and they made one hell of a mess for me to clean up.
There hasn't been much need for the long arm of the law around here, but now, sitting here at three in the morning looking at my Saloon… some broken chairs, tables over turned, glass and bottles scattered all over the floor. It's gonna take me and my bar keep, Eddie, quite a few hours to clean up Rosie's tonight. Nevertheless, this isn't the first time and it sure as hell won't be the last mess I clean up.
It used to be a quiet, peaceful loving, place; or it was until those no good scoundrels got into town. Unfortunately, I'm gonna have to call in some major favors to get out of this mess. I guess I don't have much choice anymore, since it's getting quite bad around here. I really didn't want to use up my favors for that. It's good having "friends" in your back pocket, especially for a young lady like me, if ya know what I mean.
Just barely turned 19, and I've had one hell of a life. My mama left me on the doorstep of my best friend's family home when I was just a little one, right about 5 years old. Ya see, she basically left a brief letter and me in the middle of the night, wrapped up in mama's quilt sleeping on the front porch. I'm not quite sure where my mama went, but in her short letter, it said she was going to make a better life for us and she'd be back. Well, I haven't seen neither hide nor hair, or heard from her since. My new family took very good care of me, as if I was one of their own. Until they were murdered, that is. Sitting here staring at the broken bottle on the floor, the long lost memory seemed to surface in a flash, sucking me right back there.
Flashback
"You girls stay where I can see you." Mrs. Dragomir shouted. "Yes Mama" we said together in a singsong voice. Lissa and I were only 10 years old; Lissa just asked mama if we could go play by Bitter Creek. Mrs. Dragomir was doing the wash in the washtub right by the creeks edge. Chasing butterflies as they fluttered through the trees and flowers over the hill, we were laughing, giggling, and singing "On top of Spaghetti." We skipped, played, and danced through the really tall grass. I could barely see Lissa's head bobbing over the tops of the swaying green sea. A warm breeze blew our long hair all around us as it was floating at our backs.
We had only been playing for a short time when we heard mama scream. I took Lissa's hand in mine and we ran as fast as we could to the top of the hill. We could climb on a big tree with long branches to see the whole Dragomir Horse Ranch from the top of the hill and we could see mama. She was screaming because a large group of the barbaric Strigoi Indians was attacking her. The Strigoi Indian's were bloodthirsty savages! I looked at Lissa as fear surged through me. Tears were flooding down her horror struck face and she was about to scream and run to mama, but I reached out and grabbed her by the shoulders pulling her down so we were squatting in the grass. I put my finger to my lips to shush her and shook my head to tell her not to make a sound. She was still crying, but she was staying quiet now.
As we watched from the top of the hill, the Strigoi grabbed mama and dragged her back to the ranch. Daddy came running when he heard her screaming and Andre was right behind daddy. The ranch hands were all running in that direction too. But just as daddy came around the backside of the house a Strigoi shot him with an arrow in the center of his chest. He heroically tried to keep fighting, but he was bleeding badly and there were too many Strigoi. We watched in complete horror, shaking, sobbing, and holding on to each other on top of the hill as the Strigoi killed them all. Every last one of the only family Lissa and I knew were dead.
After they killed our entire family along with all the ranch hands and left them lying in a heap on the ground, the Strigoi went to the stables horse corrals and chased all the horse out. I was so mad! My horse Buttercup was roped and pulled away. All they wanted was the horses! Why did they have to kill my whole family just for horses? I love Buttercup, but I would give her up in a heartbeat to have my family back. Lissa and I watched as they gathered up all the horses and started herding them towards Bitter Creek. They were coming right towards us! I grabbed Lissa's hand again and practically dragged her behind the big tree with the long branches hanging low to the ground. We were in the shadow of the tree, crouched down as far as we could, so they couldn't see us. Lissa buried her head in her arms shaking and crying silently. We stayed really quiet as they rode over the hill and through the creek away from the ranch.
When they were gone and I couldn't see them any more we finally dared to move. The sun was high in the bright blue sky. There were puffy white clouds floating by and I could hear the birds chirping and bees buzzing. No other sounds were coming from anywhere. It was dead silent. "Lissa we need to go back to the house to see if anyone is alive. They might need our help." I whispered.
"But Rose, I'm really scared what if they come back." She asked, as her voice shook with all the pain that was now ripping her heart to shreds.
"I know Liss, but we have to go see if we can get help. I'm scared too, but we gotta go help." I said urgently, not sure of what else to do or even how two little ten-year-old girls could possibly help.
"Ok Rose. I'll go… help." She whispered in a strangled whimpering cry, swallowing hard as large distressing tears streamed from her big green bloodshot eyes down her small pale face. Lissa's pouting bottom lip and chin was quivering and her hands shaking. She scrunched her eyes tightly and took in a weak trembling breath.
My knees were really shaky as I stood up. "Come on lets go do what we can." Lissa nodded her head and we slowly walked down the long hill toward the ranch. As we approached the house, we heard something and froze mid-step. I couldn't move a single muscle as the fear gripped ahold of me, I didn't know what to do. Then all of a sudden, Ms. Alberta came running out of the house at us.
"Oh… Thank GOD, are you girls ok!" She cried out with a shrill wail. "Did they hurt you at all?" We both blankly shook our heads "no" and instantly started weeping. Big sobbing gut wrenching rip-your-heart-out tears. Alberta fell down to her knees grabbing our small trembling frames and hugged us both tightly against her body.
"What happened to mama and Daddy Ms. Alberta?" Lissa said in a tiny sad voice.
Alberta just squeezed us a little closer "I'm sorry baby, but they're gone." She paused and leaned back to look deep into our eyes. "Don't you two worry about a thing, I'm right here and I promise that I will take really good care of you!" we just continued to weep and cry. Nothing would ever be the same again. I remember how scared we were, how lonely it seemed with everyone gone.
Ms. Alberta was the housekeeper and nanny for the Dragomir's. She stayed to raise us until we were eighteen. It was not easy for us to keep the Ranch. We all worked our fingers to the bone to keep it going. We grew a big garden, spending many a days tilling the ground, planting the seeds, weeding, watering and picking vegetables, so we always had lots of good food for the summer. Then night after night, we worked to can all those vegetables so we would have them for the winter. We traded some of our canned goods for other foods and supplies. When times were tough we would go stay at Alberta's big house that she turned into the Inn. The towns' visitors paid her enough rent for us to have food and other supplies during the long winter. That's how we survived, she was a hard working woman and took care of us the best she could. But she was true to her words, she was always there for us.
End Flashback
"You alright there Rose?" Eddie said pulling me from my memory. Since Lissa and I had no family, we made our own little family with our friends. Eddie was like a brother to me and we would do anything for each other.
"Yep" I said popping my p….."Let's get this place cleaned up so I can go rest." I said tiredly. He just nodded his head at me and we got to work. As I cleaned up the trashed saloon my mind was going through my options, how could I fix this. The need to protect my crazy mixed up family and this little Montana town surged through me, making me more determined than ever, as I realized that we would need some help.
The bustling little town of St. Vladimir is a great place to settle down. The General Store was well stocked, having a Post office, a telegraph, and even one of those newly invented phones. Mr. Stan Alto, the owner and manager, is the man to see for any goods you need. He and I have never seen eye to eye on to many things, but I've never been good with people that think they know it all. A small building, next to the General Store, houses the bank run by Mr. Voda and next door to the bank is Doc Olendzki's office. Directly across the street from the Saloon, was the St. Vladimir Inn, but I always knew it as Alberta's massive beautiful home with what seemed like a million rooms. Alberta runs the Inn now that Lissa and I are all grown, but most of the time she lived with us on the ranch.
When Lissa turned eighteen, she inherited the ranch, all the land, and all the money. I didn't know this when I was young, but the Dragomir's owned the Saloon too. They had arranged for it to be mine, some time before they died. When I turned eighteen, I was shocked to find out that I had inherited it. I was happy that they wanted me to have something that I could make a living doing. I wasn't certain what I was going to do with my life so this made my decision easy.
One of the men who stayed at the Inn all the time had become quiet helpful to me over the years. I don't know why he took a liking to me, but he was always there when I need him. His name is Abe Mazur. He is the man to talk to when I need help. He will know what to do. Only thing is he was supposed to be back last week sometime and he hasn't arrived yet. Not quite sure what's keeping him.
Funny how things work though, because about the time I thought that, I heard a swing of the doors behind me. I turned ready to say, "We're closed for business," but speak of the devil, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was Abe himself, but he looked like he was in a brawl of his own. He was lookin' rough. "Abe?" I said a little taken back as concern washed over me.
"Hello little girl." He said with a warm tone. His eyes crinkled up as he genuinely smiled at me.
"Hey old man, what the hell happened to you?" I asked bluntly, scanning him from top to bottom. He looked bad… black and blue and holding himself in that way that says, "I'm in pain."
He laughed sincerely. "I could ask you the same, too, Kiz." He did a once over around the bar seeing all the devastation and destruction. Then scrutinizing me up and down, his eyes lingered for a few extra seconds on the bump that was no doubt shining like a beacon on my forehead. Abe's big brown eyes aligned with mine as his eyebrows furrowed. I could tell he was trying to figure out what happened here.
"You look like something the cat dragged in." I accused with true conviction watching him as he walked in my direction with a bit of a limp.
"Long story, but can I tell it to you later…. maybe tonight at dinner?" he asked hopefully. He walked to me and put his arm around my shoulder giving it a little squeeze. I smiled at his show of affection. We had always had that relationship, he was the closest thing I could call a dad.
"Sure old man, I can wait for your tale, I'm sure it will be as good as mine." I said with a smirk and a wink. He grinned warmly at me and nodded, but we heard the swish of the doors swinging open again catching both of our attention.
Abe spun us to face the swinging doors and greeted the really tall man that strolled in with a firm nod and turned to look back to me once again. His facial expression had changed to a bit more serious as he walked me forward to stand in front the towering hulk of a man. "Rose I have someone for you to meet."
I stood there looking the lanky visitor over. Covered in dust from head to toe as if he had just ridden in from a long hard ride, the tall dark stranger was wearing a dirty brown leather cowboy hat, a black and white bandana around his neck, a long brown leather duster, long tattered leather gloves, and filthy brown cowboy boots. As I watch him, he began to shed some of the heavy clothing layers.
He slowly pulled off the long leather gloves and laid them on the table next to him. Reaching up, he removed the bandana that was covering his face, protecting him from the dust of the trail, and then took off his hat. As he looked up to me he nodded with a courteous "howdy ma'am." He had a rich deep voice with a little accent that I couldn't quiet make out with the brief words.
Stepping forward, he reached out with a hand in a friendly sort of way with a beautiful smile on his lips. When he was only a few feet away, I got a chance to see the rest of his beautiful face in the dim light. His shoulder length dark brown hair was tied with a leather strap behind his head. Strong cheekbones and sharp slightly square jaw outlined his face. Deep rich eyebrows, the same color as his hair, framed the most beautiful brown eyes I have ever seen. Somehow, those eyes seem familiar like a glimmer in the back of my mind.
Those intense eyes felt like they were piercing right through me into my soul. Mesmerized by them, I couldn't seem to form any words, reaching my hand out to take his in mine. First feeling the warmth as his large hand engulfed mine. Then a sensation of heat covered my whole body as we locked eyes. My breath hitched, as I felt this incredible tingle and pull towards him. A moment of froze time passed while we stood there with our hands connected. The whole world just disappeared except his eyes and his hand in mine. He stared at me with a look of surprise and confusion; he must have felt it too.
I don't know how long we just stood there locked in motionless space, but from beside me I heard a faint noise. It was enough to bring me back to my surroundings, blinking rapidly and swallowing hard I found it difficult, but I manage to pull my eyes away from him to look towards the noise. "Rosemarie Hathaway, I would like you to meet Dimitri Belikov." Abe said as I looked back to the beautiful brown eyes and smiled. My hand still in his, the only words that came to mind was "howdy stranger" with my typical Rose smirk.
Once again, he gave me the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss."
All I could think was… wow. He is the most striking man I have ever seen. I couldn't even seem to pull my eyes or my hand away from him. I wanted to move closer, drawn to him like a moth to a flame. "I'm sure the pleasure is mine." I softly replied. I heard a throat clear again next to us. Reluctantly letting go of his hand, taking my eyes away to look to Abe, I felt a slight blush rise in my cheeks. I was blushing? Really?
"Dimitri here is going to be staying around for a while. I have offered him the job of Sheriff for our little town." He said rather confidently.
"Really?" Surprised by the information, but happy to hear it, I beamed at Abe. "Great minds think alike Abe, because I was going to come to see you as soon as I heard you were back, to talk to you about the need for a Sheriff around here."
"Is that so?" Abe asked with curiosity crossing his face. "Did something happen while I was gone?"
"Two words, Dashkov Brothers." I muttered bitterly.
Abe and Dimitri grumbled at the name, it seemed they both understood. The Dashkov brothers were known to cause trouble wherever they go. So it was no surprise to get that reaction from them. I looked towards Dimitri to see his face had hardened. A look of anger crossed his eyes. For most people it would have been intimidating, but for me, I felt camaraderie, I know how he feels and I think he saw the same in my eyes.
"Is that who caused all the mess you got here?" Abe asked gruffly. I just nodded, reaching down to pick up another broken bottle and righting a chair. "Well then, it's good that I am back and brought Belikov here with me."
"What makes you think one man will make that big of difference, old man?" I grumbled with my skepticism clearly coming through my tone of voice.
"Good that you asked Rose. I have a story to tell you tonight at dinner….remember? Would you mind if Mr. Belikov accompanies us for dinner?"
I glance over to Dimitri again. He was watching me closely. I hesitated… "You don't …" he started to say, but I waved my hand to cut off his words.
"I would be glad to have you for dinner, Mr. Belikov." I said genuinely.
He smiled and nodded his head. "Thank you, Miss Hathaway."
"Oh please, you must call me Rose." I replied to his formality.
"Then I insist, Rose, that you call me Dimitri." he countered with a deep warm tone and looking right in my eyes.
"Not a problem Dimitri, where are you staying?" I ask curiously wanting to hear him speak more. His voice was like warm chocolate, giving me a warm fuzzy feeling. When he said my name, it seemed to slip from his soft lips like music to my soul; I wanted him to say my name repeatedly. I could feel my heart rate speed up in my chest as I heard it fall from his mouth.
"I am staying across the street at the Inn. I will be setting up the Sheriffs office over the next few days." He responded in his rich deep voice. Wow…His voice made me feel like floating, surrounding me like a warm blanket on a cold night. My stomach felt like I had butterflies in there. Trying to maintain my composure, I just nodded; afraid my voice might give me away.
How could a stranger do such things to me? I have never felt like this before. The overwhelming urge to touch his soft lips as he spoke, to see if they are as soft as they look, washed over me. The sound of his Russian accent was like music. I found myself staring at his lips. As I licked mine, wishing I could taste his. Wondering what that would feel like. A sudden loud crash behind me made me jump back to the conversation.
"I'm sorry…. you alright there Eddie?" I called over my shoulder.
"Yep, just fine Rosie." he yelled back.
I turned my head back to Dimitri, "So is that a Russian accent I detect?" He smiled again and bobbed his head.
"Yes, my family, and I migrated from Russia about 3 years ago."
"Oh" I said hoping by family he didn't mean wife. But why wouldn't this beautiful man have a wife.
He looked at me intensely for a moment giving me a small smile. "Yes, my mother, grandmother, and 3 sisters and their children all came with me."
"How wonderful!" I reacted enthusiastically with a happy voice. I was very happy to hear that it didn't mean wife and that brought a big smile to my face.
"Well…" Abe says rather loudly. "We must be getting some sleep we have had a long hard ride, but I wanted to come see you since I saw you were still here."
"Yes, I need to finish up and go to bed myself. How about we meet back up at five this evening to have our dinner and we can share our stories then." I said, looking to Dimitri "And Dimitri… I expect you to be here too." He smiled another warm smile to me.
"Yes Ma'am." That was just what I wanted to hear.
Abe gave me another hug and Dimitri picked up his hat and gloves; they strolled out the door. I stood there for a minute watching the double doors swing back and forth on their hinges. I had an urge to follow him. It's silly really, I shook my head and spun back around to continue my clean up. Eddie was watching me from behind the bar. "What?" I questioned sarcastically.
"You know what." he retorted with a big grin.
"No, I don't" he just snorted, shook his head, and walked away. I didn't want to continue that conversation anyway, not wanting him to see that he has something on me.
An hour later Eddie and I finally got the Saloon all cleaned up. "Good Night Rosie." Eddie called to me as he slipped out the swinging doors.
"Night" I hollered back.
Upstairs above the saloon I have a small living space. Nothing fancy, but it's warm and comfortable. I don't live here; I usually live with Lissa at the Ranch. But after last night I'm too tired to ride out to the Ranch now. So I crawled into my warm and comfortable bed. I lay there thinking about Dimitri. Wondering what it was that was happening to me. I was so drawn to him as if he was my home, where I belonged. It was the strangest feeling I have ever felt. I closed my eyes and in my head repeated the sound of his voice saying my name.
As I drifted off to sleep, I was suddenly jolted awake by a voice I heard. It was a man's voice it sounded so familiar he said "Roza, I love you, please come back to me, wake up." It rang in my head almost as if it was bouncing through my mind repeating those words over and over. I woke up to my dark little room above the saloon, sweat soaked and breathing hard. What was that? It made me want to cry. It was so tender and full of love all I wanted was to find him.