Winter's Refuge

Chapter Two Hundred

JED 'KID' CURRY

Colin Apperson is visiting Phoenix tomorrow. He still manages Rocky's parole. And that gives him a lot of power over Rocky, and in some ways over me because of that. Rocky's room was the first one our contractor finished, and he's settled in there. It has no outside windows, only an inside one. And we lock it from the outside. We've done everything right. And I think Colin is a friend…a friend who takes his job seriously.

Rocky made mistakes on the first four horseshoes he made this mornin'. He's nervous about Colin's visit later today.

"Rocky, just work on shoein' the horses; I'll make the shoes today," I told him with a pat on the back.

"Sorry, Mr. Curry, just nervous about the visit today," he told me.

"Well, the wait is over. Here's Mr. Apperson's buggy now."

"Mr. Rocke, Jed." Colin greeted us as he climbed down from his buggy. He was talkin' to us but lookin' around the blacksmith shop.

Rocky tried to wipe the black dust off his hands but ended up holdin' up his hand and showin' Colin the black on them. "Sir, sorry I can't shake hands."

Smilin', Colin said, "That's fine. Need to talk to you both. Take your time, I'll meet you at the house. Stephanie and Steven around?"

"They're both in school right now," Rocky answered. I heard the shake in his voice because I know him well. I doubt Colin heard it.

We watched Colin drive to the gate, get out and open it, and close it after him before Rocky turned to me. "Mr. Curry, you're going to stay with me when he talks to me, aren't you?"

I washed my hands in the water bin and started to take it out to dump it. I need to word this carefully. "We'll go up to the house together. I'm sure he wants to see your new room." I refilled the water and handed him the borax.

"The room's good, right?" Rocky worried, while scrubbin' his hands.

"You know it is. I'm sure he'll want to talk to you alone." I knew he was nervous about this.

"What do I tell him, Mr. Curry?"

"The truth, Rocky."

ASJ*ASJ

When we got to the house, Auntie had Colin sittin' at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and a hot sweet roll in front of him. Ruth Ann sat across from him where she could read his lips. Nettie and Catherine had climbed up to sit on the bench next to him and each had a piece of a sweet roll in front of them. But the girls were interested in the visitor, not the treat.

With a sticky hand, Nettie pulled on his arm. "You a friend to Pa and Uncle Jed?" she asked.

Colin took a napkin and attempted to wipe off the sticky frostin' on his sleeve but quickly gave up. "Yes, I like to think that I'm a friend to all of your families. Which then are you?" he asked.

"Nettie Heyes and they're my cousins, Ruth Ann and Catherine. Everybody my cousin except Xander; he's my brother," she answered.

Colin laughed. "You're very lucky to have so many cousins. I only have one. What about Stephanie and Steven, are they your cousins?" he asked.

I held my breath not sure what she'd say. Little Catherine answered for her. "They're Stef and Teven; they're family," she said in her sweet little voice.

As I walked toward the table, I said, "Hope the ladies are takin' good care of you, Colin."

He winked at Auntie. "All of these young ladies have taken very good care of me. But now I think I'd like to see Rocky's room."

"I'll show you," volunteered Nettie.

I kissed her and then the others on their heads. "You finish your sweet rolls. Me and Rocky will show Mr. Apperson."

Colin's eyes seemed to be lookin' everywhere and into each room we passed as we walked down the hall. I showed him the outside lock on the door and the small room with only an inside window that Rocky used.

"Everything here meets the prescribed conditions," Colin said as we left the room. He opened the door of the next room. "What is this room?" he asked as he looked at the empty space.

I smiled. "Plannin' for the future. When Rocky finishes his parole, we'll take down that wall and this will be a big bedroom."

Colin walked into the empty room and looked out the window. "Seems like this room would be big enough for two."

"Yes, sir," Rocky answered, findin' his voice. "Well, me and Steve miss sharing a room and, well, maybe we were thinking we could do that again."

"You knew about this plan?" Colin asked me. I couldn't tell if he was mad or amused.

"I did. They discussed it with me," I answered.

"Good. I think you can go ahead and make that happen. Mr. Rocke will stay on parole, but I'm lifting all the requirements around his room. With his siblings here, I doubt that he is a flight risk," Colin said.

"Really, sir?" Rocky grabbed Colin's hand and shook it. "Thank you and yes sir, I mean, no sir. I mean, I'm definitely not a flight risk, sir."

Me and Rocky went back to work. Colin stayed until our little wagon appeared bringin' our school age kids home. Steven proudly drives the wagon with Stephanie, the twins, and Joy. Colin talked to each of our wards, and I was surprised when I saw him drivin' his buggy out our gate less than an hour later.

"You leavin' already, Colin?" I asked, as he stopped outside the shop.

"Yes, it only took a minute to see that Stephanie and Steven are happy and well-loved here. I'll send in my reports about them and about Mr. Rocke. You know, Jed, you've built Phoenix into something special," Colin finished.

HEYES

I did as KT wanted and asked around Three Birds for temporary workers to help with the building of a house and warehouse on Phoenix for Parrish Construction. I even placed an ad in Mike Loveland's paper in Bridgeport. KT and her crew arrived the day before.

"Heyes, I kinda like the idea of a female contractor. She had good ideas, and I checked her references with Mike Loveland and only heard the best things. But…" the Kid started as Vince was getting them settled in the bunkhouse.

We thought KT would take the unused foreman's room because Juan sleeps at home, not there. But we were not prepared for her team. We sat at the round outdoor table as we talked.

I nodded at the Kid's comment. I didn't know how I felt about the two female construction workers that were part of KT's team. "Never thought to ask if her team was all male. But nothing we can do now. Don't think she would have hired them if they couldn't do the job," I answered the Kid, trying to be positive.

KT Parrish walked toward us. "Mr. Heyes, Mr. Curry, I can tell from the looks on your faces that I should have told you that my sisters were part of my team. They pull their weight and do most of the finish carpentry on the job. May I sit down?"

Me and the Kid had both stood when she approached. "Please," he said, nodding at a seat across from us. I knew the Kid was thinking the same thing as me. The two women on the team were tall and stocky. KT is tiny.

"Sisters?" I asked.

And she smiled that smile that changes her from plain to cute and had stolen Dr. Crehan's heart. "Stepsisters. Our parents married when we were young. You'll find their work excellent."

"We hadn't planned on three women when we figured the er…the sleepin' arrangements," the Kid told her, looking past her as the two women and two large men approached.

We stood up again. "Mr. Heyes, Mr. Curry, I'd like you to meet my sisters, Cora and Gemma, and two of our brothers, Henry and Harry," KT said. "You'll find that they are excellent at their jobs."

We shook hands and welcomed each of them. "There's two more to my crew, Ray and Leo. They are unloading the wood and supplies at the building site."

"More brothers?" I asked.

"Just loyal employees," KT answered. "And don't worry about the sleeping arrangements. My sisters and I will share the foreman's quarters."

"We already moved two of the cots in there," said one of her brothers. I didn't know which was which, but they were both clean cut and polite.

"Very good," I told them. "How many more men…er… people do you need? I spread the word that anyone interested come here at eight to apply."

"At least four, six would be optimal, but willing to hire eight," KT answered.

Her brothers nodded and one spoke. "I'm Harry," he started with a sly grin knowing they had been introduced together and we had no idea who was who. "Did you mention that they would be working for a female contractor? She's the best in the business but some men have problems working for a lady."

"No, I didn't. Just said Parrish Construction building at Phoenix," I told him truthfully. So far, I liked this family of builders.

Nodding, Harry said, "Then tomorrow will be interesting. Good day, Mr. Heyes, Mr. Curry. We're going out to help Ray and Leo unload and Kim…er… KT can map out the site on the ground."

JED 'KID' CURRY

Harry was right. The search for help the next day was interestin'. Vince helped Rocky bring our kitchen table and put it in front of the house. Me, Heyes, and KT sat behind it with her in the middle. There were two chairs for applicants on the other side.

By eight o'clock, the line stretched to the gate.

"Long line," I said to my tablemates.

"I'm sure many of them are curious just to meet Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry. You mentioned Phoenix in your newspaper ad and many know that you are the owners. And now I'm about to make the line shorter," KT told us, as she stood on her chair then stepped onto the table. She looked more like a young teacher or seamstress than the owner of a construction company. "May I have your attention," she yelled.

The men closest to us quieted down, but her voice hadn't carried too far. Heyes stood up and with two fingers in his mouth whistled loudly. He winked at me. "The lady asked for your attention," he said into the now silent line. "All yours, ma'am."

For a moment, I saw her nervousness but confidence, real or feigned, replaced it immediately. "I am KT Parrish, the owner of Parrish Construction. I am the contractor on this job. So, if any of you think you'll have any problems working for a woman, just turn around and leave." The firmness of her voice surprised me.

Many of the men left right then and there, mutterin' about how women can't be contractors and that Heyes and Curry were gettin' soft in the head to hire one.

One of those remainin' yelled, "How many MEN you hirin' today?"

KT smiled, ignored his question for the moment, and yelled, "Two of my best workers are women. So, if you can't build side by side with a female, you should leave too. And, to answer your question, I'm hiring between four to eight committed workers." She turned and I held out my hand to help her down. She ignored it and stepped easily onto her chair and then the ground unaided.

When we actually got to interviewin', the line was less than a fourth of what it had been. I admired KT. She was used to talkin' to applicants and knew just what questions to ask. Once or twice, I even saw her flash that smile when she asked coyly, "You sure you don't mind workin' for a woman?" It either got her a suggestive answer like, "Don't mind working for a pretty lady like you, miss" and she rejected those men. Or it got her an honest answer like, "My ma always said women could do most anything and I saw her do whatever she set her mind to. Don't mind working for you at all." Those men were few and hired on the spot and told to stand by the corral. Either me or Heyes shook hands with every man that got interviewed.

As the line dwindled down, KT told us, "Got all I need."

Heyes whistled loudly again. "Sorry, fellows, all the positions are full," he said. There was some grumblin', but not many men are gonna grumble too loudly when Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry are sittin' at the table with the lady hirin'.

The line disappeared. Well, mostly disappeared anyway. The last man stepped to the table, hat in hand. "Miss Parrish," said Dr. Crehan. "I was hoping I could take you to lunch."

Me and Heyes stepped away to give them some privacy.

"Just where does Crehan think he will take her to lunch?" Heyes whispered to me. The only diner in town was destroyed in the tornado and the owners left the destroyed eatery and moved to St. Louis. No one stepped up to open the diner so when we eat out it's at the saloon. They have added tables and a waitress and a daily special as well as their beef stew. That's where Crehan took her to an early dinner the last time she was here.

Lookin' around, I saw Crehan had come in his buggy. "He came prepared. Look."

Heyes laughed. KT marched over and gave her new recruits their instructions. When finished, she walked to the waitin' doctor. While takin' her arm, he pulled a picnic basket out of his buggy. "I do hope you like fried chicken. Miss Denise makes some of the best."

LOM

When I got a telegram from Heyes and he told me he'd hired a female contractor to build my house, I screamed, "What?" into the quiet of the sheriff's office. But he said he had confidence in her and she was off to a great start. So, I took a couple of days off and Wayne and I went to Phoenix. The family was just about to start Sunday dinner when we arrived.

"Lom! Wayne! What a nice surprise!" Angie exclaimed as she opened the front door.

After hugs and greetings all around, seats were found for us at the table. After Chrissy said the blessing, the unavoidable question was the first asked.

"Lom, great to see you, but why are you here all of a sudden?" asked Heyes.

I looked at all the faces around the table, many of them young and female. I had rehearsed this answer. "Had time off coming and I wanted to see how our house is progressing."

"Oh, Uncle Lom, it's beginning to look like a real house! And Miss Parrish makes sure everything is quality!" Martha exclaimed.

"Well, tomorrow morning, we'll just have to go out and see it," I answered.

ASJ*ASJ

And when I saw it, I was impressed after I got over the shock of two female construction workers installing the windows.

Wayne fell in love with the picture window with the upholstered window seat that lifted up to hide his toys. "Papa, I don't need a bed. I can sleep on this and look at the stars!"

"Mr. Trevors? I'm KT Parrish," a petite girl, no, woman approached, hand held out to shake. "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to build your home."

All my concerns fell away when I saw the house. "You're doing a great job, and my son is excited about his room," I answered.

She smiled and her smile took her face from serious to pretty. "I'm glad he likes it. Are there any changes you would like to make from what you've seen today?

"Not a one."