Questions and Peas

I was alone when I woke again, and it was sometime in the afternoon. I got out of bed and cleaned up some with the intention of going to Maude's for a while and getting some work done. My mother-in-law has been very understanding of my rather erratic schedule lately, but I still felt like I needed to do something to pull my weight at the business I was part owner of. Even if I took some time off from working the floor, there was plenty of paperwork to keep me busy for a few hours.

After I shaved and dressed, I went into the kitchen where I found Doralice shelling peas. Jack was helping her, and the twins were playing on a pallet on the floor. Well, they were playing as much as infants their age could play. One was chewing on the edge of a blanket, and the other was watching Doralice. Doralice was talking to both of them as she worked, explaining the whole process of growing and shelling peas in a cheery tone. I smiled taking in the scene before me. It was the times like this that made all the sleepless nights and all the struggles worth it; I would need to remember this tonight when Maudie started screaming.

"Afternoon," I called stepping into the room.

Doralice looked up from her work. "Well, look who decided to join the land of the living," she said with a smile.

"What are y'all up to?" I asked after I gave her a kiss.

"Getting peas ready for supper. Jack's been a great help this afternoon."

"Really?"

"I've never got to shell peas before," Jack said quietly.

I sat down across from him and picked one of the peas. "I used to have to do this every summer."

I remembered all too well the days me, Bret, and Beau were conscripted into shelling what seemed to be an endless supply of peas by Uncle Ben's housekeeper. It was always fun for about thirty minutes, then we would spend the rest of the season trying to dodge the dreaded task. We usually weren't too successful.

"I'm sure Doralice appreciates your help," I told him deciding not to tell him it would lose its appeal rather quickly. He'd figure it out soon enough. Jack sort of shrugged in reply.

I was trying to do as Doralice had suggested and be gentle and welcoming, hoping to convince him I wasn't a complete ogre. Well, after the shrug I almost got a smile out of him, but as soon as his eyes met mine all traces of it vanished, and the bowl of peas in front of him got his full attention again. I shot Doralice an I-told-you-so look and went to get a cup of coffee. My wife gave me an encouraging nod just the same. Maybe she thought that was progress, but to me, it didn't seem any different than what I had been getting.

"Going to Maude's?" Doralice asked noticing I was dressed to go out.

"As soon as I finish this," I replied holding up my coffee. "I want to get some paperwork done. I'll be back home for supper."

"Are you going in tonight?"

Unless I was mistaken, I heard a note of distress in Doralice's voice. I couldn't blame her; despite her positive attitude when we'd talked earlier she was still worn out, and I could imagine the idea of being left with three children, two who were still very needy, was overwhelming. "No. Bret offered to cover for me if I needed him and I plan on taking him up on it, so I'll be around to help with Maudie if you need me."

I saw some of the stress leave Doralice's eyes. "I'll need you."

I meant to leave when I finished up with my coffee but before I did Belle got fussy and it didn't take Doralice long to surmise that she was in need of a fresh diaper. "Can you keep an eye on Maudie while I get her changed?" Doralice asked picking up our youngest.

I was only too happy to take up what I considered to be the easier of the two tasks and sat on the floor by Maudie as Doralice took Belle back into the nursery. I picked our other daughter up, the blanket she'd been sucking on coming up with her. "Hey, sweetie." Her answer was a grunt, and she blew out a few spit bubbles before she discovered the blanket was still in her fist. She seemed to study it a moment before both the blanket and the fist were shoved into her mouth again. "Is that good?" I asked smiling as she seemed to focus all her energy on to gnawing that blanket.

I continued to talk to Maude but watched Jack out of the corner of my eye. He looked a little lost now that Doralice was gone and I was guessing that after this morning he probably wasn't too keen on being left alone with me. I hated that. I didn't want him feeling like he couldn't move or speak in my presence. He'd been withdrawn before, but I'd seen enough of his interaction with Doralice to know he wasn't just shy. Doralice was right; I did need to square things with him. Maybe an apology would at least keep him from looking like I was about to beat him, anyway.

I took a breath and once again reminded myself to keep things nice and easy, he was just a kid. "Hey, Jack."

He jumped at my voice then turned to me warily. "Yes, sir."

I smiled. "I think I owe you a proper apology."

He suddenly went from wary to curious. "You do?"

"I scared you today; I'm sorry. I'm also sorry I didn't believe you about the vase the first time you told me about it."

Another one of those half shrugs. "I'm sorry I broke it."

I nodded. "I know. I was tired and cranky before and I made a mistake because of it, but I believe you. We can replace the vase easily enough."

"I was tryin' to be quiet. I didn't mean to wake you or the baby up."

"It's alright, even if I didn't act like it before, accidents happen. I just want you to know you don't have to be afraid of anything bad happening to you while you're here. Okay?"

Jack seemed to consider that and regarded me for a long while with those dark eyes of his. He finally nodded. "Okay."

I got to my feet and went over to the table hoping he would be comfortable enough to have me that close. I saw him go on the alert, but it wasn't as bad as before. I felt like I was approaching a skittish colt as I sat down across from him. "Jack, I don't want you to feel like you have to have permission to do something like getting a drink, but I do want you to know that if you need help with anything you can ask. Me and Doralice will be happy to help you."

Jack nodded again. "Okay."

"I want you to feel like this is your home as long as you're here."

Jack looked like he was about to say something but stopped short. Instead, he stared at me for a while before he went back to shelling his peas. I couldn't think of anything else to say, so I turned my attention back to Maudie. She was still engrossed in her blanket so I tried to help with the peas. I soon discovered shelling peas one-handed was no easy task. I could have put Maudie back down, of course, but I didn't get much time with her when she was happy like this and I knew I'd be leaving soon, so I decided to give up on peas and enjoy her.

A minute or so went by, and then I heard Jack quietly say my name. I would say I was surprised but actually stunned would be a better word, and it took a second for me to answer. "Yes?"

Jack pushed the bowl that had been in front of him away and looked up at me. "When's my daddy comin' to get me?"

I wasn't expecting that and didn't know how to answer. "Umm, I'm – I'm not sure, Jack. Mister Winters didn't tell me that. He's taking care of some business in another town."

"And he's coming to get me when he's done?"

"Yes." I desperately hoped I wasn't lying to him even as I said it.

"What town?"

"He told me St. Louis."

"Is St. Louis very far?"

"It takes a few days to get there."

Jack dropped his eyes to the tabletop and he started tracing the wood grain patterns with his finger just like he had with my desk yesterday. "What kind of business?"

"I don't know, Jack. He – he didn't tell me."

He looked up again. "You're friends with him, right?"

That question threw me off just a bit. Jim had come to me for help, and Jack's presence here was a testament to the fact I'd been willing to give it. Even if there was some remaining tension between us due to that saloon business a couple of years ago, I guess Dandy was still a friend. I still thought of him as one anyway, I hoped he still thought of me as one. "Yeah, I am."

"So what does . . . . " Jack stopped talking when Doralice came back into the room, and I've never been so happy to see someone. I felt like I was being backed into a corner with all of Jack's questions. I had no way of telling him the things he wanted to know, or the ability to explain why I couldn't give him answers. Like the cowered I've always claimed to be, I decided to get out while I was still ahead and jumped up to meet Doralice.

"Well, my girl looks much happier now," I said.

"She ought to be," Doralice told me. "She's clean, dry, and full."

"Good. You'll be all right for a while?" I wanted to make sure I wasn't running off when Doralice needed me.

She nodded. "Yes, go on. I'll see you at supper."

I kissed both her and Belle, then Maudie as I put her back on the pallet. "'I'll see y'all in a bit." Before I walked out the door I patted Jack on the shoulder. "Bye, Jack."

The reply I got was still mumbled and barely loud enough to hear but he didn't flinch back when I touched him, so maybe I was making progress after all.

I took my time walking to the saloon enjoying being outside. I wouldn't take anything for the changes that had come to the Maverick house this summer, but there had been no small amount of stress since the girls were born, especially the last twenty-four hours. It was nice just to have a few minutes outside to myself. Of course, the walk from the house to Maude's isn't that long, and I was at my destination almost before I knew it. Truth be told, when I did arrive at Maude's I didn't really want to go inside, but I reminded myself I had responsibilities to the saloon and to my mother-in-law. Like it or not, there was work I needed to do. Sighing, I pushed through the batwing doors into my home away from home.

Afternoon's at Maude's are never really busy, and today was no exception, but there is always someone around. A handful of men were scattered around the barroom and Little Bend being the town it is I knew most of them. A few said hello and a couple asked about Doralice and the girls and I exchanged the obligatory pleasantries with them before going over to the bar. Willie was tending and I let it be known that I was there and would be around if I was needed, but I would be in my office and would rather not be disturbed if it wasn't absolutely necessary.

"Sure thing, boss," he answered with a smile. "Want a pot of coffee?"

I thought about the paperwork that was waiting for me and decided that wasn't a bad idea. Not that I ever think coffee is a bad idea. "Sound great, Willie, thanks."

Willie said he'd bring it back as soon as it was ready and I went to get started on the mundane task of bookkeeping. Despite my best intentions, however, I'd no sooner sat down than my mind started to wonder. I caught sight of the settee out of the corner of my eye, and I couldn't help but think about the boy that had sat there yesterday, more specifically the questions he'd been peppering me with earlier. He'd been here a day and the questions were already coming; I could only assume more would follow, especially when his father didn't show up in a timely manner. Granted, I wasn't sure that would be the case but given this was Jim, and given that he'd snookered me into this whole thing to begin with, I wasn't hopeful he would be turning up in the next couple of days. But how was I supposed to explain that to Jack?

It was obvious from Jack's questions that Winters had told him his father was coming for him, but beyond that what did Jack knew about Jim? Did he know anything? I couldn't see myself telling the boy his father had a tendency to be selfish and had a real penchant for lying. I certainly couldn't tell him that Jim Buckley was one of the last people on earth I could imagine rising a child. However, I couldn't lie to him either. But what if Jim really didn't have any intention of coming back? That thought alone was enough to nearly send me into a panic, but I kept reminding myself that I had no reason to think that would be the case. No reason except the fact I was dealing with Dandy Jim that is.

I sighed and dropped my head onto my desk with a groan. Why hadn't I tried to get more information out of Jim? Why had I not noticed Jim was being vague with the answers he was giving? Well, I probably knew the answer to that. I'd been so concerned with whether or not what Jim was asking me to do was legal I hadn't given much thought to anything else, and honestly who would have ever thought Jim's package would be a child? One thing I guess I could take comfort in was the fact that this was all legal. I guess one could say him telling the truth about that was proof that he was telling the truth about coming back too. Or not; Jim's pretty sneaky. None of that was helping me figure out how to address the questions I knew would, sooner or later, come my way again.

I was brought back to the present by the knock on my door and Willie bringing in my coffee. I thanked him as he put the tray down and then sighed as he walked back out. Forcing all thoughts of Jack, the girls, and Dandy Jim from my mind I turned to my books determined I would get something done, and surprisingly, I did. By the time I was ready to head home I was actually pleased with what I'd managed to get done and knew I wouldn't feel any guilt about not being here tonight. Putting on my jacket and hat, I got ready to go home and enjoy a meal with my family, and face whatever the two youngest Mavericks would throw at us tonight.