Like Waiting on Your Train to Come
Chapter Six: So Stay with Me?
Gentle sunlight slowly flooded the room through open curtains, dust floating in the morning haze. Rolling over, Ray slowly woke, his eyes opening to the cozy room he had been given. He lay under the comfort the sheets and quilt provided for him, nestled snuggling between in a mound of pillows. He splayed his hand out across the downy mattress, reveling in the comfort. Homemade things suited him.
Finally he rose, looking at his clock to find it projecting an earlier time. He frowned, still not certain why he could not sleep in. Perhaps it was all the early DR Sessions… He shrugged and donned a hoodie, pulling up his pajama pants as they trailed on the ground, Then, he shuffled out of his room, careful to be silent as to not wake up the other inhabitants of the plantation home.
He finally made his way to the kitchen, shuffling out the back door to go sit on the porch that wrapped around the house. But the west side gave an impressive view of the rolling fields and mountains beyond. It also made for incredible sunrises. But Ray found himself not to be alone on this morning.
Sitting in a rocking chair was an elderly man of sixty or so, with an unlit cigar between his fingers. Wearing overalls and a jacket, a hat sat on his knee. He was staring off at the land he still owned, the land his father had owned, whose father's grandfather has established. Generation upon generation, and it was his turn, soon his son's.
This was Ulysses DeBonte, but kindly called "mule" for his stubborn, caring nature. He looked up only when Ray shuffled past and sat down in the adjacent rocking chair, glittering grey eyes filled with a father's love. He alone had been quick to accept Ray into the family fold, being one of his few defenses here on the farm. Ray was fro ma scene scorned and unheard of in the tiny town. But Mule had welcomed him as a fresh breeze of change.
"Get a good sleep?" Mule asked after a time of silence, lifting the cigar to his mouth. It was not lit, he never smoked them. He chewed them.
Ray nodded, coughing; "Best sleep yet," he said, laughing quietly; "Never thought."
Mule laughed; "Homemade things are best," he said; "What's got yew up this early, 'nyhow? Woulda thought ya'd be dead 'til noon!" another raspy laugh, contagious.
"I couldn't sleep in, sir," Ray replied.
"Damn you boy I told you call me by mah name!" Mule exclaimed; "This 'sir' stuff's got a man feelin' old!"
Ray laughed; "Sorry," he said.
Mule laughed as well; "Ah, no shame in manners," he said; "Got more 'n most down 'ere, no how."
Ray laughed again. He was a fool for the dialect Meg and her family spoke in. Soon though, a peaceful silence reigned, Ray thinking whilst Mule just gazed off in admiration.
"How old is this place, anyway?" Ray asked quietly, reverently.
"Bin 'round since afore the Civil War, I kin tell ya that," Mule replied; "Hasn't left the DeBonte family yet."
"Oh," Ray said nodding; "Sure is something…"
"What?" Mule asked.
"How nothing's really changed," Ray explained; "Maybe it's because I'm a city kid, but I can't get enough of this place. Time doesn't matter here…" his voice trialed off.
Mule looked at him with a knowing grin; "Butchew got a lot more on yur mind than this here farm," he said.
Ray nodded, and Mule sighed as he settled back in his chair; "Ah'll tell ya this, Ray," he said; "An', if Ah'm wrong just tell me. I bet yur thinkin' 'bout how yur feelin'," Ray looked up in surprise; "Take it Ah'm right," Mule said; "You'll know when yur hooked. You wonder what thur up to alla time, you wanna breathe the air they breathe… when yur away, they keep yur head up and yur face smilin';" he looked at Ray then; "Lemme tell you somethin', kid.
"I went through two wars, World Ward Two, 'n' then 'Nam. Both times I was gone fer two years. Two years wit'out seein' this farm," he paused; "Marge kept me from dyin' more times 'n she'll ever know. If anything, I fought fer her an' my son. Her smile, her laugh, her voice. Hell, even all the times she beat me for bein' out late an' not tuckin' our son in. Alla that, it kept me alive. If bein' caught up in death and mayhem an' war is what I needed, all it did was make me realize how much I loved her…" he looked away then, gazing off; "Yup, sometimes it's hardships like that that make a man realize what life's worth livin' for."
Ray nodded. He felt proud to be privy to such a fact, Mule's little confession. He knew Meg's grandmother to be one of the most selfless and thoughtful people he'd ever met. She was a lot like Missus O, if not a lot older and with more children under her wings. And Mule was certainly a decent man; simple and with a strong spiritual core.
"What does Meg usually eat for breakfast?" Ray suddenly asked, perking up and looking at Mule expectantly.
Mule was taken aback by the sudden question. He looked at Ray in amusement, and shook his head. Boy should know, he's been livin' with her for a couple months. "Eggs, fried," he said; "An' toast. Cider, too, if I 'member rightly."
Ray nodded and got up, thanking Mule for the talk before shuffling into the house again. He had a lot of work to do.
After breakfast, Ray and Meg set about exploring the farm. Ray was still adjusting to needing a jacket in the morning, a shirt in the afternoon, and a sweater in the evening. Being acclimatized, Meg wore a simple long sleeve T-shirt all day. Ray had to be complicated. After they ran back to get his jacket, Meg took his hand and led him off through the woods.
"Where we goin'?" Ray asked, eyes darting everywhere to take it all in.
"You'll see…" Meg said.
"Ooh, taking me to a love shack?" Ray asked with a laugh; "Well I never…!"
"Haha, you wish!" Meg said with a coy smile, "No, this is better."
"What's better than sex?" Ray asked; "More sex?"
Meg laughed again; "Come on, horn dog," she said, making her way through to tall shrubs.
Ray looked down as his feet began walking on old stone. He looked up and saw an old barn ahead of them, music coming from the open windows and open doors. Venturing in, he found it to have been converted. The stalls had been taken down and there were couches and chairs, there were two pool tables, a juke box. There were two ladders and a set of stairs leading up to the second floor. There were around twenty kids here and there, kids Ray had seen in town hanging out at the diner and grocery store.
Meg led him over to a select group who sat on couches and barrels. She introduced him to them. Sarah, Reggie, John, Mary, Ann, Regina (Reggie's twin sister) and several others Ray didn't catch. While Meg sat him down on a couch, he saw Reggie ask to talk to her off to the side, And Meg did, John and Mary left to play pool, and that left Ray alone and defenseless. At once three girls descended on him, Sarah, Ann, and Regina, if he remembered.
"What's up, Reggie?" Meg asked as they stood by the juke box.
Reggie smiled; "Jus' wanted t' talk to you," he said; "Like old times."
Meg smiled; "Didn't expect you t' bring some'n down witcha," Reggie commented.
Her smile faded; "Yeah," Meg said slowly, looking back for a moment; "He's somethin' special, Reg," she said, looking at him again.
"Oh Ah'm sure 'e is," Reggie said; "Guy's gotta be if'n you picked 'im."
Meg laughed; "so, what d'ya think?" she asked; "An' don't lie t' me, Reg. Yur opinion's important."
"Ah always think you deserve better," Reggie said.
"Well, I can't marry Jesus, Reg!" Meg said with a light laugh; "Why, who ya got in mind?"
Reggie looked down; "I dunno," he said, looking at her; "Me, Ah guess…" her eyes grew wide and Reggie regretted what he'd said immediately.
"Oh, Reggie…" Meg said, wanting to touch his shoulder, but stopping at the last minute. She didn't know what to think, what to say. She was with Ray, and had never thought… It was too confusing for her, a concept so far off she didn't dare try to grasp it.
"So… yur from up North?" Ann asked, sitting a little to close for comfort.
Ray nodded and scooted away, only to collide with Sarah and Regina. "Y-yeah," Ray said, surrounded; "I am."
"Ooh, lookit!" Sarah exclaimed, grabbing Ray's wrist. Pushing his sleeve back, she revealed his tattoo; "Whur'd you get this?" she asked.
Ray jerked his arm out of her grasp, hiding the tattoo; "At a parlor," he replied, trying to stay civil.
"Most boys who got them bin in trouble," Regina muttered; "You ever bin t' prison?"
"No," Ray said flatly. He tried to get up; "It's bin nice talkin' to you, ladies, but I'm…"
"What's the rush?" Ann asked, her hand on his chest as he pushed him back down; "Sidown 'n' stay awhile."
"Yeah, Meg's a prude," Regina said with a light laugh; "You could have a lot more fun with us…"
"Sorry, I'm out of ones," Ray grumbled dispassionately, getting up quickly.
He walked over to Meg, pulling her away from her conversation. With all his courage, he kissed her, never having done so in public before. When they parted, she looked up at him, shocked.
"What was tha' about?" she asked with a small smile, though it was not necessarily a happy one.
Ray glanced at the couch he'd escaped, seeing the heated stares. He looked back at Meg; "I was just making things clear," he said; "I love you."
Meg gasped. This was too much; "Why… why Ray!" she gasped, that being all she could come up with.
Reggie watched on, anger brewing in his heart. He pursed his lips and crossed his arms, turning away.
Meg was about to reply, but a shot cried out through the air. The jukebox was shut off, then there was a scramble for cover. Several people screamed, and Ray heard John cry out; "Toute le monde duvet!"
Ray didn't understand him, but Meg dragged him down to the ground as they hid behind an old stall wall. There was another shot, Ray flinched and felt Meg stiffen. He wrapped his arm around her, his other hand at the ready. He peered over the wall, having a clear view of the doors and outside world. He heard something coming through the woods, heading for the barn.
"it's Adele!" Ray heard someone whisper.
"Who?" he whispered.
"Town drunk," Meg replied; "Lives up inna mountains, only comes down fer food 'n' booze."
Ray nodded; "I'm gonna check it out," he said, rising.
"No, Ray, don't!" Meg said, grabbing his hand; "It could be somethin' more 'n Adele!"
Ray simply gave her a reassuring grin, and she was forced to let go as he stood up fully and walked to the doors.
Ray was tense; his shoulders already knotting up. He walked out into the open, popping his knuckles. He flinched as yet another shot rang through the air, cringing as his ears rang. The bullet had been in his general direction, he heard it imbed itself in a tree.
He gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and shouted; "Who's out there? Come on, show yourself, you coward!"
"Who's a-callin' me a coward!"
Ray looked over to see a grizzly, drunk man come out of the woodwork, shotgun in one hand, whiskey in the other. He staggered a bit before standing still, looking at Ray with contempt.
"Whoa, take it easy, man," Ray said, hands up.
The situation had gotten a lot worse. Leave it to Ray for his ego to get the better of him.
"Who're you?" the man asked in a slurred voice.
"Who are you?" Ray retorted.
"They calls me Adele," he replied, holding the bottle up to look at the contents lazily. He threw it aside, laughing as it shattered on the ground.
"You're wasted," Ray said.
This angered Adele. He cocked the shotgun with both hands, swaying slightly; "Don'tchu make a durned move!" he shouted.
His aim was cockeyed, to the side, no doubt aiming for Ray but certainly not close. Yet Ray wouldn't take his chances. In the end a gun was a gun and he was just flesh and bone. Besides, if he used his abilities, the other kids would freak out and his cover would be blown. Somehow, he felt Meg's eyes on him, worried and frustrated he'd yet to make a move. She always expected that of him; to never back down.
And he wouldn't.
"Go home!" Ray shouted.
"You go home!" Adele retorted, taking a cautious few steps forward; "This be my property! Isa sick o' you kids blastin' that rubbish you call music!" he hiccupped then, blowing the threatening façade.
"You fire that gun you'll miss and mess up 'your property'," Ray said; "Go home and sober up!"
Adele frowned, "Get a-goin'," he warned, finger on the trigger.
Ray was backed into the corner; "Shoot me," he warned, and you'll end up fried like chicken," he snapped his fingers then, drawing a spark from the friction.
Adele noticed. He gawked at Ray, who smirked at the sudden flux of power. He snapped again, a bolt coursed over his arm. Adele's gun hung slack in his hands.
"No, you get going," Ray said, advancing.
Adele glared at him, backing up. He muttered something Ray didn't catch, and then he sank back into the folds of the forest. Ray was still as he listened, hearing Adele recede deeper and deeper, not to mention farther away. When the coast was clear, he made his way back into the barn, finding people crowded and waiting.
Meg left the throng and he caught her up in his arms. He swung her around once and set her down, but only saw her frowning. Meg then proceeded to smack him lightly, enough to turn his head, though. Ray stared at her in surprise.
"Don't ever do that kinda shit again, ya hear?" Meg asked; "Liked to kill me!"
Ray smiled apologetically; "I'm sorry!" he said; "I got rid of him though!"
"You sure?" John asked.
"Yeah," ray said, nodding. He looked at Meg; "Can we go? Not to be rude, but I'm kinda strung out now," he added with a little laugh.
Meg looked at him and smiled; "Sure," she said.
They said their goodbyes and began to head off, and Ray saw Meg look over her shoulder. He did as well, and saw Reggie watching them go. He suddenly grew very territorial, and wrapped his arm around Meg, eyes locked with Reggie's. He had just issued a primal statement of ownership. Meg was his. No one else's.
Reggie gave him the one-finger salute in response.
A challenge.
The block party was actually held between two farms, the DeBonte's and the Madison's. Meg's father, Matthias, a round, aging man with a graying head of hair, made sure everything and everyone was taken care of. The houses were lit up to suit the holiday, and a good section of the porch had been sectioned off for the younger people. Nearly the entire town was there, down to the youngest of babies to the oldest of elders. They sat on the front porch, reminiscing as the generations met and played along the front lawns.
To say things simply, there were cars parked all up and down the old dirt road, from city square to last farm.
Ulysses made Ray change out of his sweat shirts and jeans for the occasion, saying a little bit of culture would do him good. Meg's mother had bought him a navy blue sweater and a pair of khakis, but she made a deal that if Ray could wear the sweater, he could wear blue jeans. Still, Ray felt alien in the new set of clothing. Sweaters weren't his thing, but if it made Meg's family happy, he could put up with it.
Ray made his way through the crowd, looking for the head of red hair. He found Meg out in the back yard, playing with some toddlers. She picked the youngest of the group up, a little one-and-a-half-year old angel girl with curly blonde hair and big blue eyes. Meg held her to her hip, while a little boy tugged at her sweater. Ray watched as she went over and took the little boy to his mother, but kept the angel child. She turned and saw Ray, and waved. Ray smiled, and walked over.
"Well, somebody can clean up after all," Meg said, smiling.
"Yeah, I tried," Ray said, "Who's this?" he asked, smiling to the little girl.
"Oh, this is Patience," Meg said, shifting the girl from one hip to the other. The little girl laid her head against Meg's shoulder; "She's a little tired," Meg said to Ray quietly.
"Did you used to baby sit her?" Ray asked.
"No, she's my niece," Meg replied.
"…Huh?"
"Yeah, my older brother Chris, I thought I told you I had siblings," Meg said; "I'm the youngest. She's Chris's. He and his wife Angie are missionaries, and they're in for the holiday."
Ray inwardly sighed, "Oh," he said; "Wait, how many brother do you have?"
Meg laughed quietly at his look of fear when she said, "Five."
"F-five?" Ray stuttered, coughing; "And you're the youngest?"
"Yeah," Meg replied slowly; "Ray, yur a'ight. Nothin's gonna happen to ya. 'Sides, no one's gonna ever hurt my Shock Tart."
"You know how that sounds?" Ray asked, wrapping an arm around her; "Really good. But please, only when it's just us."
Meg giggled; "Yeah, well," she shifted Patience from one hip to the other, and the little girl giggled as the soft fabric of Meg's sweater tickled at her delicate legs.
"Ooh la la! What is this?" John called as he approached with a warm smile on his face. The teen clapped Ray on the back, saying; "Knew you two were up to something!"
"John!" Meg gasped, holding Patience to her with a hand over the child's ears; "I do declare!"
John laughed; "Perhaps I'll take this little girl to her dad?" he held his hands out. "Ya know, let you two have some fun."
Meg handed him Patience, who reached out to her for a moment before deciding to tug at John's glasses. Ray and Meg watched him depart, then Meg gasped.
"Ooh, they're playin' BS!" Meg exclaimed, taking Ray's hand as she went for a table.
"Say what?" Ray asked.
"BS! You know, Bullshit?"
"Never heard of it…"
"Really? Poor thing!"
So she had him sit down and partake in the card game. Ray understood it, but he was not one for games, or for lying. He was not a great fan of either. Eventually, he excused himself to get more tea from the kitchen.
He shuffled in, yes, shuffled, and found that a new pot was already brewing, He decided to wait on it, content with watching the party through a window. It was much warmer in the kitchen than outside, but somehow, it was comforting.
"Hey yank…"
Ray spun on his heels, and saw Reggie standing in the doorway, scowling.
"That's not my name," Ray muttered, leaning against the counter, arms crossed.
"It's what y'are, though," Reggie said, walking a little closer to Ray; "besides bein' a freak."
Ray glared at him; "Watch what you say, hick," he said through gritted teeth, fists clenching.
"Well what else are you?" Reggie asked, "Y'ain't human, ain't a man…" his voice trailed off as he looked up and down; "Ain't fit to be with Her, neither."
"So you say," Ray seethed.
"So Ah know," Reggie snapped. Then, he was suddenly standing in front of Ray, threatening, up close and too personal. He was glaring, his eyes seeming alight in some feral glow.
"When you get back up from where you came…" Reggie whispered, and Ray heard a click; "Yur gonna end it, what you got goin' on wit' Meg. She don't need no Yankee holdin' her hand."
Ray wasn't sure if he should speak, shoved Reggie, or shock him. So, he just glared, and pursed his lips. "Who the hell are you to say that?" Ray finally spoke, quiet, dull, seething with hostility; "I'm as good as anybody."
"She don't need anybody," Reggie muttered, and Ray saw the knife, close to his heart, flat but easy to turn.
"Who does she need, then?" Ray asked, eyes hooded as if he were bored; "you?" he laughed quietly; "C'mon, Reg, be real."
Reggie's eyes narrowed into something Ray had grown to anticipate, frustration. As Reggie pulled his hand back Ray ducked, hearing the knife collide with the countertop. He kicked Reggie's feet out from under him, and rose to pull the knife from the counter. But Reggie was up and they grappled for the knife, ending up fighting with each other. Reggie threw well-aimed punches, catching Ray in the side twice and once in the gut. But Ray was quick to retaliate. He caught Reggie's jaw, his side, and his chest. They were all around the kitchen, knocking things over, it was a wonder someone had yet to intervene .Finally, Ray lost control. His hands lit up, he threw them out and took hold of Reggie's arm. As he threw him to the ground, He sent a good thousand volts into the other boy.
Ray fell to his knees then, gasping. His cheek was bleeding, his knuckles were raw, his fingertips raw. Reggie was in no better state, still though his chest rose and fell in frantic breaths. Ray saw the knife lying on the ground, and picked it up. He held it in Reggie's face, loosely.
"Threaten me with this kinda shit again," Ray said through his breathing; "And I'll light you up so bad you could see your ass from space." And he meant it.
Reggie stayed silent, glaring at him heatedly. Ray then did something Reggie didn't expect: he helped him up; "You're feet are probably numb," Ray said; "Walk around and get the blood flowing. I didn't mean to make it that strong."
Reggie just stared; "I'm not heartless," Ray said; "Now help me pick everything up before Meg's mom comes around…"
Ray left the kitchen some ten minutes later, bumping into Meg as he walked down the main hallway. She gasped when she saw his cheek; "Ray, what happened?"
Ray instantly covered the wound with a hand; "Nothin'," he said, "It's just a scratch."
"A scratch my ass," Meg said as she took him by the hand and led him to a bathroom.
He sat down on the commode as she rummaged through a cupboard, pulling out a small little wooden box. Opening it, he saw a collection of new and old age medicine. It made him uneasy.
"Uh… Meg…" Ray began.
"Chill, chill," Meg said, getting out a tiny jay filled with opaque goo. Meg walked over and sat down on a small little stool in front of him; "Move your hand."
"What is that?" he asked, motioning to the jar.
"Aloe, hun," Meg said flatly.
Ray frowned, hand dropping to his lap. Meg wiped his face with a cloth, and the dabbed the aloe; "Get this fro ma pocket knife?" she asked.
"How could you tell?" Ray mumbled, not wanting to move as she worked.
"It's a clean cut," she explained; "Ain't jagged, means the blade's not dull, and kept in a sheath…" she looked at Ray; "you an' Reggie get into it?"
"Yeah, after he threatened me with a switchblade," Ray grumbled.
"He's good wit' that thing," Meg mused; "Yur lucky."
Ray was about to speak, but Meg continued; "Reggie's folks got a lotta influence on the town," she said; "Just… if anyone asks ya, say it was a misunderstandings'. I don't want the farm under any other pressure."
Ray studied her eyes, and then finally nodded. "No one came in, did they?" Meg asked.
Ray shook his head; "Just me an' him," he replied.
"Keep it that way," She said firmly.
TBC
A/N: hey, if anyone reads to this chapter please tell me what you think. I need to know!
