Winter's Refuge
Chapter One Hundred and Three
Heyes
As I drove the wagon home, Chrissy sat next to me, arms crossed and silent. Auntie sat on the other side of her, nervously chattering away about everything and nothing. Turning up Curry Road, my eyes were drawn to the blacksmith shop. Ken has been working on repairing the back door lately. When I stopped to open the gate, Auntie drove through it and waited for me to lock the gate. Chrissy slid to the outside of the bench seat and climbed half jumped to the ground.
"Wait, Chrissy, I'll walk with you; there's a lot of holes and ruts on the road," I said.
Ignoring me, she walked quickly to the house
"Heyes, let her walk." Still driving, Auntie motioned me to get back in the wagon. We followed Chrissy, giving her some space. "She needs to think about what the doctor said. She's used to being active. She'll do the right thing." Auntie spoke to me but stared at Chrissy's back.
So, I resisted the strong urge to get down and watch over each of her steps. Inside the front door, she turned around and acknowledged us. "Auntie, please go Hortencia and bring Joy to me." She headed to the stairs. "Heyes, you watch Chrissy go up the stairs?"
JED 'KID' CURRY
Despite Juan's assurance that his parents didn't hate me, they should. I came into their life as a wounded, wanted outlaw and left Chrissy pregnant. That was my fault. She had been sassy and sweet…and innocent. And it was me and Heyes' fault that she went to prison for aidin' and abettin' our escape. When I visited Winter's Refuge later, I stole the picture of my precious twins. That's a whole lot to forgive.
Still, as Juan said, I got Jose Ortiz amnesty after twenty plus years of bein' wanted. I'm jolted out of my thoughts as the train pulls into our stop.
"Paul's picking us up," Juan told me, lookin' out the window for a glimpse of his oldest brother. We didn't see him, but Paul met us as we stepped off of the train.
"Thought you might look different now that you're married," he joked with Juan, who just smiled and turned their handshake into a hug. "Mr. Curry." Paul nodded at me when they broke apart. But I didn't like the look he gave me.
"It's Jed. Thank you for pickin' us up."
"That all the bags you got?" Paul said in reply.
"I'll ride in the back," I said, climbin' into the bed of the wagon before either of the brothers could object.
Durin' the ride to Winter's Refuge as I listened to the update on their pa, I reminded myself I was here for Juan…and Rudy, too. I'll do everythin' I can for this family that Chrissy calls her own to help them now. From Paul's attitude, I don't know if anyone but Juan will accept my help.
ASJ*****ASJ
Winter's Refuge had not changed in all the years I've been comin' here. It's always been well kept up; Lom saw to that when he was overseein' it for Chrissy. And the Ortiz family has been doin' the same. Despite my misgivings (have to tell Heyes I know that word) about Paul, Marina and Rudy greeted me warmly. But I could feel the sadness in this house. Marina pointed to the bedroom she shared with her husband. When Juan headed that way, Marina said, "You too, Jed. He wants to see you, too."
Paul grabbed me and turned me around. "Leave him be. You come here to take Winter's Refuge away from us the moment Pa dies. I know your wife owns it, but you could have waited until he passed instead of coming here like a vulture circling, " he yelled.
I was shocked. Chrissy had signed the ranch over to Marina and Jose Ortiz at Juan and Hortencia's wedding. Now I learned that they hadn't told their son.
Me and Juan looked at Marina. "No, Paul, you're wrong." She waved me and Juan into the bedroom. "Let them visit with your pa. I have something to explain to you."
The bedroom smelled of medicine and whiskey. A frail lookin' Juan Ortiz was propped up on pillows stacked up against the headboard. His eyes were closed but opened at the sound of our approach.
"Juan, Mr. Curry, thank you for coming." His voice was faint, forced.
"How are you, Pa?"
A weak smile escaped from Juan. "You know my end is near. Thank you for coming. I'm glad I got to go to your wedding and meet Hortencia. It's good to know you're settled before I go."
"Pa don't talk like that; you're not going to die anytime soon," Juan told him. I could hear the catch in his voice tryin' to hold back tears.
"Mr. Curry," Mr. Ortiz said.
"It's Jed."
He smiled. "Jed, per our agreement for Winter's Refuge since Chrissy insisted it was a gift, I want you to take Fall's Destiny for this year's payment."
"No, a yearling is enough." I didn't want their prize stud.
"Marina and me talked about it. Giving us this ranch was very generous"
"Chrissy told me her ma and pa wanted to give you half years ago."
"Yeah, we were too embarrassed and proud to accept what we thought was charity." Jose sounded apologetic. "Even though we said no, Laz and Martha treated us like partners."
"Still, there's no need to give us your prized stud."
"One horse a year, that's the deal we made," Jose said.
"One yearling was the deal …or maybe a promisin' two-year-old. Not Fall's Destiny."
"Let me do this for Chrissy before I die. She's the daughter we never had." Jose started coughin' and gaggin'. Marina came runnin' in. She picked up medicine from the table and forced a spoonful between coughs and gasps.
"Enough for now. Let him rest."
HEYES
Like the doctor ordered, Chrissy went straight to her room. The doctor's orders that she fought at first now seemed to be giving her strength. She settled into the big comfortable chair and started to cry. I'm not good with female tears. They make me uncomfortable. But this was Chrissy. She's family. I need to help her.
I knelt in front of her chair. "Everything is going to work out."
"But my baby. Jed's baby." Her tears became uncontrollable.
"Sweetie, you're doing what the doctor told you…and I'm going to make sure you do." I heard someone coming up the stairs and Joy's squeals of laughter. If anyone could make Chrissy happy, it was the baby.
JED 'KID' CURRY
Juan's ma coped by cookin'. She'd finish one dish only to start on another. Me, Juan, Rudy, and Paul sat at their kitchen table.
Paul looked at me sheepishly. "Mr. Curry, sorry about what I said earlier," he started.
Marina added a plate of fried chicken to the table. "Mr. Curry…Jed, that's our fault. We were going to wait until Paul's birthday to show him the papers. I have explained it all to him now."
A moan from the bedroom had her up and runnin' to her husband. Juan followed her. "Should I go get the doctor?" he asked.
I heard another moan and a gasp for breath. "Bring your brothers in here," Marina said.
I walked over and stirred the fire. Without thinkin', I picked up a piece of cornbread and ate it but I don't remember what it tasted like. I'm out of place here, intrudin' on their family's sorrow. I've seen people die, even killed a few, but those deaths had been sudden. This was different. This was a long goodbye to their father. On the train comin' here Juan had said, "Pas aren't supposed to die, you know. You always figure they'll live forever."
I had nodded. I had believed that too until one day my pa and my whole family was gone. That's how I think of death. Sudden and final.
I went out to the stables and fed the horses, admirin' them. Chrissy said that the one thing her pa did right was buy the best horses. He'd started this all…and their offspring had started Phoenix.
Just as I was finishin', Juan found me in the stables. I could tell from his eyes he's lost his pa.
"I'm so sorry, Juan."
He fell into my arms and cried. As we stood there, I patted his back. I didn't know what else to do and I don't have Heyes' silver tongue, so I was quiet.
Finally, he stepped back. "Sorry, I didn't mean to cry like this. Don't tell my brothers."
The funeral was held the next day. Marina told me she knew that her Jose was tryin' to cling to life until he could see Juan once more.
I just tried to make myself invisible and helpful. Found Paul in a shed, chiselin' words on a headstone. The neatly formed letters with a little flair looked familiar.
"Beautiful work," I told him. "Think I've seen letterin' like that before. Your pa teach you how to do that?"
Of all of them, Paul was the one I knew least. But now when he studied me before answerin', I saw his ma's eyes and his pa's easy smile.
"No, Laz McWinters."
"Chrissy's pa?"
"Yeah, it was a sideline of his. When his wife died, I watched him make her stone. And after that he taught me how to do the fancy lettering. You seen one like it? Where?"
"Some older graves at Devil's Hole."
Jose was buried in the small cemetery near a tree on a small rise overlookin' their home. Martha and Lazarus McWinters' graves were nearby. Martha's headstone was beautiful, done with skill and love. Lazarus' name was added later with not as much skill. I assume that was Paul's work when he was learnin'. Now his work rivaled his mentor's.
Juan's pa's epitaph was perfect.
Jose Pablo Ortiz
May he rest in peace a free man and
Find his final winter's refuge
We all sat around the kitchen table and I heard stories of Chrissy growin' up, the good and the bad. Now when my kids get into trouble, I can tell them their ma did the same thing. Still, I feel like intruder on their grief here. And my sense of loss for my parents, especially my pa, is strong tonight. I'm grievin' over how he died and how young he was and me havin' to live on without him.
HEYES
I learned today that Lom sent most of the same books to me, the Kid, and Chrissy when we were in prison. Books were my refuge and my treasures. I brought a few upstairs for Chrissy to read and was surprised she had read all but a new one. And we started to compare the books we got. She did get some romance or 'women's' novels that I didn't get. And we both knew that the Kid got some blacksmithing books that we didn't. She settled in to read the latest Mark Twain book the Kid bought me last month in Three Birds. It's only the second day and she's restless but she has a goal, a healthy baby. And I already know she's a fighter. Auntie brought her breakfast on a tray up to her room. Hortencia came and played with Joy in Chrissy's room. It was a good diversion for both of them.
Afterwards, Chrissy told me Hortencia said the Kid went to Winter's Refuge with Juan. His pa is worse than we thought and Juan's telegram said he might be dying. He asked the Kid to go with him. And of course he would have said yes. I should have asked her in the first place instead of worrying about what the Kid was doing. She got a telegram from Juan when we got the Kid's.
I'd wondered why Hortencia didn't go with them and stay in Cheyenne while they visited Matt. But Auntie answered that question for me when I came in for an early lunch. I'd rather eat with everyone else. It's a good time to catch up and make sure all the work is getting done, but this morning Miss Duhamel told Auntie she wants to talk to me about Michael after school. I'm not looking forward to that.
So, when Auntie had my lunch ready, I started to take it to the blacksmith shop to work on the books.
"Heyes, please sit down." Auntie sat down with her coffee.
"Good coffee," I told her as I sat next to her.
"Some things we need to talk about."
I'd never heard Auntie so forceful. Did I do something wrong? Had I offended her? I didn't hear what she was saying trying to figure out what I'd done to this lady who was part of our family.
"Heyes, are you listening to me?"
I heard that. "I'm sorry if I've done something wrong, Auntie."
"Didn't think you were listening. Heyes, you haven't done anything wrong. In fact, you've done a lot of things right. Chrissy is finding it hard to be inactive so bringing books to her was a good idea. She told me what you said about you making sure she does as she was ordered. That helped her focus. She's missing Jed right now…and she's worried about the baby. I don't know what the doctor told her to scare her into bed rest, but I'm glad he did."
I nodded my agreement. "What more can I do to help her?"
"Be strong for her until Jed comes home. She doesn't need much, just some reassurance. Oh or can you set up some kind of a writing board that she can use in bed? All that breeding business will keep her busy."
"I can do that today." Plans for the desk were already forming in my head.
Auntie continued, "Miss Hortencia and I will handle the children. It will be good practice for her with their own little one on the way."
Still thinking about the writing desk, I just answered, "Good." Then I realized what she said. "Miss Hortencia and Juan are going to be parents? Is that why she didn't travel with Juan to Winter's Refuge?"
"Now you're listening. Yes, she is with child. So see, nothing's wrong. Just want you to be there for Chrissy until your cousin returns."
"That I can do."
ASJ*****ASJ
Working with Ken, we had the writing desk almost done when I needed to leave to pick up the twins…and talk to Miss Duhamel. And I'm going to buy Chrissy a book and a journal like I kept in prison at the mercantile.
I was a few minutes early getting to the school and the kids were all inside. The playground was quiet so I left the wagon, took my book, and sat at a bench in the shade of a welcoming tree. But the moment the door opened, there was no more quiet.
Martha ran up to me. "Uncle Heyes, Miss Duhamel is waiting for you with Michael."
"Michael's in trouble?" I asked her.
I could see the debate in her mind whether or not to tell on her brother and plead his case to me before I talked to the teacher. Or should she be quiet and not tattle?
"Uncle Heyes, Michael didn't do anything wrong. When Pina got stung by a bee, Michael took the stinger out of her arm and then insisted she wash the arm. He was trying to help. And yesterday when Melissa cut her finger, Michael cleaned it out. He was trying to do what Dr. Aiden taught us."
"Thanks for letting me know." I gave her a quick hug,
"Can I go to the doctor's office and wait for you to finish?"
"Sure, pumpkin." Martha is curious about everything. But right now, Michael wants to be a doctor. It's all he talks about. The twins are close so she wants to be a doctor, too.
She tried to skip away, but her leg must still hurt because she started walking instead. I took a deep breath, gathered my courage, concentrated on keeping my words flowing and my thoughts firmly in my head, and strode casually into the schoolhouse.
Miss Duhamel is an authority figure. A tingle of fear ran down my back and into my arms and hands. I'm not good with authority, but I'm telling myself this is for my family. Michael was sitting at the front desk, concentrating on writing something.
Miss Duhamel stood from behind her desk to welcome me. "Mr. Heyes, thank you for coming."
I forced myself to look right at her, but looked away at Michael quickly. "Got the message you wanted to talk about Michael. What did he do?"
"Sit down, sir." She smiled and indicated the chair next to her desk. "It's what Michael doesn't do, really. He excels at math and science, far ahead of his class."
"Right now, he's interested in being a doctor," I answered, not knowing where she was headed.
"And he's on his way to that. Took a stinger out of Pina Gentry's arm when a bee stung her yesterday. He was very efficient about it. And when little Rocky sprained his ankle on the playground, he wrapped it very professionally."
I was confused but found I'm now able to control my facial expressions. I had no words to say to her right now so I just nodded and listened. Michael had stopped writing and was looking at her, too, with a guilty look on his face.
"Well, anyway, Michael will make a fine doctor, if that's what he wants, but right now he needs to study ALL his classes. He only participates in studies that interest him."
"Oh," I was starting to see the problem.
"He doesn't do his Grammar or Geography homework and never reads the books assigned. His printing is atrocious. If I am not teaching arithmetic or science, he's staring out the window thinking about doctoring. If he wants to study medicine, he needs to be a well-rounded student."
"I understand," I answered, looking at Michael who had overheard every word. He's only a little boy and school should be fun. There's enough time for the seriousness as he grows up.
"Do you understand, Mr. Heyes?" the teacher asked, batting her eyes and flirting.
I stood up and took some steps towards the boy. He's so much like the Kid. His pa only was interested in math when we were in school. He might have become a better student if we hadn't been sent to Valparaiso. There he learned nothing but fear.
Michael looked serious but I was smiling. I winked at him.
"Miss Duhamel, he's six years old. He'll change what he wants to do ten times before it's time for college. Given that, what do you propose we do?" I asked.
Michael answered her. "I'll pay attention, but that stuff is boring. I hate Geography when I can be watching the doctor in his office."
I squeezed into the desk next to him and spoke softly so his teacher couldn't hear. "What if you decide you want to be a doctor and an explorer? You'll need geography then. But I do understand and so will your pa. Ask him sometime about school."
"Really?"
"Yes, but you do need to learn everything you can while you are here so you can go to college and study whatever you want. You understand?"
"Yes, I'll be very good."
"Good, go on and catch up to your sister," I told him. "Miss Duhamel, does Martha have the same problem?" I stayed where I was, far away from her as I could tell she was about to flirt with me again.
"No, Martha is interested in everything, especially reading."
"Well, I think you'll find Michael will take all the subjects seriously going forward. I will personally oversee all his homework."
She took a couple of steps toward me. "Why, thank you, Mr. Heyes. I knew I could rely on you. If you have any questions, please come ask me." I didn't like the flirting sound of her words or the dreamy look in her eyes. I need to escape from here.
"You're welcome, Miss Duhamel. Have a good day."
JED 'KID' CURRY
The next mornin', I was preparing to leave when Marina approached me.
"Mr. Curry, please walk with me," she said, takin' my arm and leadin' me past the stables. I realized we were headed to the small graveyard.
"It's Jed."
"Jed, thank you for watchin' over my boys. Both Rudy and Juan have thrived at your ranch away from their pa's and Paul's shadows."
"They helped make it a success. I'm very thankful you let them work with me."
Lookin' at her in the sunlight, I could see her age and her grief. She smiled as we approached the cemetery. "Well, you know we sent Juan to watch over Chrissy. We were wary of you. Of course, we don't feel that way now. After a rocky start, you've become family."
Her simple words tried to overwhelm me. I started to walk faster. "Thank you," was all I managed.
While Marina sat on the ground by her husband's final restin' place, I walked to the other graves there, and found the ones for Martha and Laz McWInters. "I'm takin' care of your girl," I whispered to them. "I love her." My eyes wandered to another grave. I knelt and wiped the dirt from the words. They were in the beautiful artful letterin' that I know now was created by Laz McWinters. There were angel wings around each letter.
The epitaph was simple.
Ruth Ann McWinters
Our Beloved Baby
From the dates, she was just short of two-years-old when she died. The sadness of the last day's grief finally got to me. I cried for this little girl and the ma and pa who loved her. And I cried in relief that we had three healthy kids, vowin' I will always protect them.
"Jed?" I felt Marina's hand on my shoulder. "She was Luke's twin, beautiful child but always sickly."
Wipin' the tears that insisted in formin' in my eyes, I stood up. "Chrissy never mentioned her."
We walked away in silence. Marina surprised me by walkin' up the hill, not towards the house, but I didn't say anything until she was ready.
"Jed, I need help with the ranch," she blurted out quickly.
"You want Juan and maybe Rudy to come back?"
"NO! We can manage the ranch. But I can't….can't handle the books. Jose and me were…struggling with the breeding calendar and the record keeping. Lom did it for so long. I don't understand it." Her voice broke and she started cryin'. I wrapped my arms around her to comfort her. Sobbin' into my shoulder, she cried the tears she hadn't cried for her husband earlier. I patted her gently on the back and let her cry.
Finally, when she pulled away, I said, "I'll send a telegram to Lom today. Don't worry about it. We'll get you help."
"Not my boys. Juan's proud of his job with you and now that Hortencia is with child, it's good she's near her mom."
"I didn't know they were goin' to be parents."
"Yes, Jose was very happy about it. And Rudy must go back to college. Me and Jose are very proud of him."
"Good. Me and Lom will make sure you get help with all of the accountin'."
LOM
On the long train ride home to Porterville, I thought about Preacher. I hope the man I heard preach really is trying to reform. He was very impressive and convincing. When the train stopped, I bought six bibles and had them sent to him for his bible study group...and I got a self-help book that I had sent to Heyes and the Kid when they were in prison. Both said it had helped.
And then my thoughts turned to my darling, Susan. She looks beautiful pregnant. But the thoughts of what happened to Preacher's wife and daughter affected me more than I thought. He had told me he had no plans to become an outlaw. He was on a train that Heyes and Curry robbed and saw an opportunity to preach to a group that had no preachers…outlaw gangs.
JED 'KID' CURRY
Me and Juan headed home the next mornin'. I told Juan he could stay for a while but he wants to get home to his wife. And we left with Fall's Destiny. Marina insisted that was what she and Jose had decided as this year's horse in payment for the ranch. I gave up protestin'.
ASJ*****ASJ
I couldn't wait until I saw my family again. I need them in my arms. Heyes came out of the back room of my smithy and stopped us.
"Welcome back…who's this?" He rubbed Fall's Destiny's nose.
"Fall's Destiny. Where's Chrissy? I need to talk to her."
"Upstairs in your room…Dr. Arden put her on bed rest."
Fear rose in me. I turned Fall's Glory and raced for the house. Worry for Chrissy and the baby took over all my thoughts. Leavin' my horse at the porch, I ran inside and took the stairs two at a time, ignorin' Auntie's greetin'. Our bedroom door was open and I didn't stop until I was by her bedside. Bending' over, I hugged her tight then thought I may be hurtin' her.
"Heyes said you are on bed rest. How are you feelin'? The baby healthy?"
I realized I hadn't given her a chance to say anything. But she was laughin'.
"I'm good. Our baby's good. It's just a precaution because the doctor said I was overtired."
I took a deep breath of relief and sat down on the bed. "What's that?" I asked.
"Heyes made me a desk so I can work on the breeding paperwork."
I looked at the desk, it was well designed even openin' to hold papers inside and thought of ways a blacksmith could improve it. "You sure you're good?" It was comfortin' she was speakin' in full sentences.
"Yes, I'm good. Now that's settled, how's Matt?"
I told her about Matt and then about the Ortiz family. I thought about it but didn't ask her about her sister, Ruth Ann. She had a few questions about WInter's Refuge. Jose Ortiz was like a pa to her. I remembered what Auntie had told me that the baby will feel what she feels. It made me sad that our baby will feel this sadness.
"And darlin', I brought Fall's Destiny back with me. They insisted."
Her green eyes sparkled with excitement. "I want to see him. It's been over six years. Help me, let's go to the stable."
"Aiden ordered bed rest."
She leaned back. I've never seen her pout but this was close.
"I have an idea."
"Don't bring another horse into my house," she said firmly, grinnin'.
I love it when she laughs and it's better when we're laughin' together like now.
"No. Let me lift you into that chair by the window and I'll have him brought around. Will that do?"
"For now. First let's talk about Michael."
ASJ*****ASJ
I went to work in the blacksmith shop. Auntie picked up the twins. Heyes had filled me in even more on Michael, remindin' me of my early school days so I wouldn't be too hard on him. They stopped briefly to give me hugs before they were hustled into our bedroom to do their homework with their ma watchin' them. I only worked for four hours today. Heyes drove over to pick Ken up at his house. He's been workin' on the house a little every day.
Homework finished, Michael and Martha came runnin' down to be with me.
"You two want to go for a walk?"
"Yes."
"Where to?"
"Thought we'd try walkin' through the side pasture and see if we can come out near Marshal Ken's house. Find a shortcut. But it's a long walk. Would you like that?"
I walked and my kid's skipped and bounced through the pasture. It makes me sad that I can tell their dog bites still bother them. Aiden said they will heal fully; it will just take time. Right now, they are examinin' every bush, tree, and interestin' rock we pass. The world is an excitin' place when you're six-years-old. I hope their enthusiasm never wanes. The walk was longer than I thought but they didn't seem to notice.
"Papa, look," Martha exclaimed runnin' up a hill to our left. Michael had stopped at the top and was wavin' at us. There were two headstones under a tree with a view of the whole ranch.
"Look, Papa, the stones have names on them," Martha said wipin' the dirt away.
"Why are there names there?" Michael asked.
"They mark where people were buried." I read them silently. They had passed over twenty years ago. One said beloved wife and the other beloved son. I thought of the blacksmith who lived here before. He had left almost everything behind when he went to live with his family. It's a beautiful spot. When I have time, I'm goin' to make a small iron fence to mark this area.
I was still thinkin' of the graves, but the kids were off again, explorin' carefree. They'll sleep well tonight With Chrissy on bed rest, I need to spend more time with them.
LOM
I have hope for Preacher now. Before I left, I was able to tell him that and ask once more where he was getting the alcohol.
"Ah, Lom, where there's a will there's a way, even in here." He gave me a small grin. "Now I know that 'will' is not His will, I'll try my best to resist."
I think he was going to say more, but two guards were hurrying me out and to the train. "God bless you!" I heard Preacher yell.
"Be back in six months," I answered.
When I thought about that future visit, I hoped Preacher would continue on the path he started today. I never dreamed that I would come needing his lecture on the evils of alcohol and grief and guidance.