Long Road Out of Eden
Chapter 7 – De-Zert
They sat at 'Mamie's' until almost half-past five and still no Pappy. Finally Bret and Bart apologized, paid Jenny for the coffee and the breakfast they should have gotten, and left. "Back to the 'Horseshoe'?" Bret asked.
"Back to the 'Horseshoe'," Bart responded.
They walked back down the street to the saloon and went inside. There was one drunken cowboy sleeping it off in a chair in the corner and two others standing at the bar talking. No Pappy. The bartender, named Cecil, looked up at them. "Mavericks?" he asked.
"That would be us," came Bret's reply.
"Looking for Beauregard?"
The brothers exchanged looks. "Yes, sir."
"He left you a note," and Cecil handed it to Bart, who got to the bar first. He read it out loud: 'Dear Boys – There isn't a damn thing wrong with me. And I'm not dead yet. Go home. Pappy.'
In years to come there would be a never-ending debate about who laughed first and who laughed loudest. It didn't really matter; when they'd stopped guffawing they thanked Cecil and left. "Are you done worryin' now, Brother Bret?"
"For the moment. He coulda just told us."
Bart slapped his brother on the back. "Ah, but it's much funnier this way. Pappy's sittin' someplace laughin' his butt off at us."
"I wonder if that's all he's doin'."
"He's a big boy, Bret. Maybe he was tryin' to teach us that he'd tell us if there was somethin' wrong?"
"Oh yeah, because this family is so open and honest with each other?"
Bart pretended to look indignant. "We are."
"Are we?"
"Sure we are. What's that look?"
"Nothin.' Just nothin'."
Bart knew exactly what the look was for, but also knew his brother well enough to assume, correctly, that Bret wouldn't say anything about his coughing if he didn't. "Let's go home," was what Bart offered instead, and Bret nodded.
"Good idea."
When they exited the saloon and crossed the street it was immediately apparent that Pappy's horse was gone. "Well, wherever he is, he's not alone," Bart commented.
XXXXXXXX
It seemed odd, yet somehow perfectly right, to be riding to the Walker Ranch. Bart hadn't been there since he and Bret left Little Bend to fight in the Confederate Army, not their idea, but it looked almost the same to him. All the changes made to the house were done in the back, so the differences weren't visible until entering the house. Bret knocked on the door, and it was immediately pulled open by George Walker, affectionately known by one and all as Papa George, no matter the age or relationship of the person addressing him.
"Well I'll be danged, my Winnie was tellin' the truth! Bret and Bart Maverick, as I live and breathe. Come in, boys, come in. Bret, good to see you again. Bart, my God, let me look at you! You're sure not the gangly young man that left Little Bend all those years ago. Girls, look what finally showed up at our door!"
The whole time Papa George had been talking he was shaking hands, first with Bret, then Bart, and ushering them into the house. Both were now taller than George Walker, but they both remembered a time when he towered over them. They were scarcely in the door when two whirling dervishes known as 'Little Trouble' and 'Littler Trouble' came flying at them. Though now grown women, they were easy to tell apart. Sally, Little Trouble, was still freckled and the taller of the two, with soft dark auburn hair and bright blue eyes. Her sister Jo, Littler Trouble, was petite and porcelain skinned, with her father's brunette curls and Blueish-green eyes. They squealed just as much as they had when small, only at a slightly lower volume.
Winnie stayed further in the background, next to a man that had to be her husband Will Neary. They made a good looking couple, Winnie being the tallest of the three girls, with soft brown hair and kind eyes. Will was tall like Winnie and blonde, and had his arm wrapped around her. There was no sign of the twins, or the girls' mother, Nell Walker.
The changes and additions to the house soon became apparent. An entire third story had been added on in the back, and that was the floor that belonged to Winnie and Will. It kept them in the house with the rest of the family but gave them complete privacy. After all the hugs and kisses and greetings had been exchanged, Bret asked about John and Jesse. "Already put to bed," came Winnie's answer, "although I doubt they'll stay there. You think my sisters were trouble when they were young, they were nothing compared to the boys. The only good thing is they're so full of energy that they wear themselves out every day. You two don't know what you're missing out on."
"I think that's the way we'll keep it, Winnie," Bart explained. "Wrestling a deck of cards is about the most difficult thing either one of us wants to do."
"But that's not what we heard," Sally offered.
"We heard about adventures in Mexico, and Montana, and Arizona. But your pappy sure is stingy with details," added Jo.
"Remember, ladies, not all things in life are meant to be shared," Bret explained.
"Like getting married?" Jo asked.
Winnie spoke up. "That's none of your business, Josie Walker. Leave the man alone."
"No, Winnie, it's alright. Yes, ladies, I was married. It's a very long story about a very short marriage. But I'm not married now, and it's gonna stay that way." And Bart laughed, just to show that it really wasn't a forbidden subject.
Bret asked the next question, and it was one that caused a pall to descend on the room. "Where's Nell?"
All noise stopped. Nobody said anything for a minute or two and the answer became painfully obvious. George finally cleared his throat and explained. "About two years ago somethin' we'd never seen before swept through this valley. It took about twenty people away from us, and Nell was one of 'em. God bless her, she fought it to the end, but she never stood a chance. It was cholera."
Bret broke the silence. "I'm sorry, Papa George. Nell was almost like another mother to us. I never will forget the time Beau and Sally got into the hornet's nest and got all of us chased back here. Nell must have been goin' crazy with six of us stung all at once, but she took care of everybody and never lost her composure. She was a sweetheart."
"Yeah, mama was somethin' special," Winnie added. "At least she got to see John and Jesse born. I'm thankful for that."
"Just when do I get to meet the tiny terrors?" Bart asked.
"Oh, they usually show up right about the time suppers done and dessert is on the table," Will explained. "They seem to know just when Aunt Sally's pies are ready to eat." Everybody laughed, and Winnie got up, along with Sally and Jo.
"Speaking of dessert, ladies, I think we should serve supper. Gentlemen, go find yourselves a seat at the table."
Bart and Bret looked at each other, then at George, and all three laughed. "Yes, I remember the mad dash for the table when it came time for supper," George told them. "Do you still eat the way you used to, Bret?"
"You mean everything in sight? The answer is yes, he does," Bart explained.
"You didn't do so bad yourself, Bart, if I remember correctly," George recalled.
"Yeah, where did that appetite go?" Bret questioned. "Wait till you see him now. I don't know how he stays alive some of the time."
"That tends to come in handy when you're out of food in Mexico and the Federales are looking for you." Bart tried to defend himself.
"Were they really lookin' for you?" Will was curious.
"Oh yeah," Bart answered. "And I had a bullet hole in my back to show for the seriousness of their interest in me."
"And a hole in his head for takin' the job in the first place," Bret added.
Bart glared at his brother but said nothing. Supper was served and the conversation was steered towards more mundane things until the topic turned to the cattle drive. "How many drovers have you got so far, Bret?" George asked.
"Twenty-two, counting the two of us. Plus a wrangler. We need another one of those."
"So if we sent three more with you – "
"I think that would do quite nicely, Papa George. Unless you've got another wrangler you could spare."
"I can go as a wrangler," Will offered. "You told me I should get some cattle experience, Papa, besides just roundin' up strays. This is a good chance."
"No," Winnie was adamant. "I don't want you to go for that long."
"Winnie, it's not that long. And we'd take real good care of him," Bart promised.
"Yes, Mr. Maverick, I've heard just how you take care of people. If I was lucky he'd come back alive. If I wasn't – "
"He has a point, Winnie. It's Bart that gets hurt, not anybody else. Well, unless you're name is Doc Holliday and you run into a rock slide. In Arizona. Will should be in good shape. And we could use his help." Bret understood Winnie's reluctance, but he could see how eager Will was to join them on the drive.
"Thanks, Bret, I appreciate the support. Winnie?" The eagerness was in Will's voice as well as his eyes.
"I don't want you to go, Will. What if Papa needs help here?"
"Then I've got twenty or so ranch hands that are on the payroll. Let the man go, Winnie," George told his oldest daughter.
Winnie sighed, and the twins picked just that moment to come running down the two flights of stairs."Zert, Mama?" babbled John.
"De-zert, de-zert, de-zert, de-zert," chanted Jesse.
"Well, at least they know what they want," Bret remarked.
"John, Jesse, pay attention. If you want dessert you have to behave. Come over here, both of you. Stand still, John. I want you both to meet some friends of Mama's and Aunt Sally's and Auntie Jo's. This is Bret Maverick and his brother, Bart Maverick. I've known them since I was just a little older than you boys," Winnie told her sons. Both boys stood very solemn and extended their hands to the Maverick brothers.
"Howdjado," John managed.
"Howdy, partners," Jesse articulated.
After the hand-shaking was finished, John turned to his brother. "They don't punch cows," John stated.
"Nope," Jesse agreed. "They hands is soft."
"Sheep herders?" John speculated.
"Gamblers," Bart explained.
"Whazzat?" Jesse asked.
"We play cards for a living," Bret answered.
"Hmmpf, card sharps," from Jesse.
"Tin horns," John stated flatly.
"No, gentlemen," Bart explained. "Honest gamblers."
"Like Uncle Beau!"
"And Uncle Ben!"
"That's right," agreed Bret. "In fact, Uncle Beau is our Pappy. And Uncle Ben is our uncle, too."
"They're okay then," John told Jesse.
"De-zert, de-zert, de-zert," Jesse repeated from earlier.
"I give up," Winnie said. "De-zert it is, and then back to bed with both of you."
John said, "Yes, mama," as Jesse nodded his head. Winnie handed each of them a cookie and they both ran to their father.
"Daddy, daddy, daddy, you come tuck us in." John grabbed one of his father's hands and Jesse grabbed the other and pulled. Will got up and went with them, back upstairs to their bedrooms.
"I'll be back," Will called back over his shoulder.
"Winnie, what do you say?" Bart asked. "You gonna let him go?"
"Of course," Winnie gave in. "You give me your solemn word you'll keep him safe."
Bret crossed his heart with his fingers. "Yes ma'am, we promise."
Bart started to say something, but instead he got up and hurried out the front door.
"Is he alright?" Sally asked.
"I'm sure. Excuse me for a moment," and Bret followed his brother outside. Bart stood on the porch, leaning on the rail, his head down. "Bart?"
Bart didn't say anything, just looked up at his brother. There were tears in his eyes.
"What is it?"
'A dream," Bart choked out. "Caroline. And twins. But ours were a boy and a girl. Bret and Belle. And another baby on the way. We were so happy." He stood up and walked away, out across the porch and down the steps. Bret waited and watched his brother's back as he walked into the moonlight. Bart hadn't told him about the dream. Funny the things they still kept from each other.
He stood there for a few minutes before Bart finally turned around and came back. His eyes were clear. "Sorry. I need to go explain."
Bret shook his head. "No. You don't. Just come back inside."
"Alright." Bart climbed the steps and stood, tall and straight. With Bret's arm draped over his shoulders, they walked back inside.