Creation Ranch 7

Chapter 7:   Lois’ Mother

 

 

“What has your heart at the bottom of the quarry, Tom?”  Zoe asked but didn’t stop to hear his reply sidling up next to Lora instead and saying, “Very clever, if I might say so myself?”  But when it was clear both of them were going to object her strange wit, Zoe quickly turned the conversation to business.  “Lois seems to think she requires more than the Deag’s word she is in fact Zola’s daughter.  I want the two of you to take Havoll’s secret trail to Dhalb and find her mother there.  Surely she will be back sooner or later to that old shack to the south edge of town they are starting to call her whorehouse?  She might even be there now, if someone hasn’t burnt her out too?  I am sure she is not too proud to be there once in a while, and the trail should be dry enough?” she continued.

Then as they neared the edge of the fort where what looked like a large, well-traveled deer trail appeared to make its way into the thick brush common to more swampy areas Tom said, “Don’t let Eric follow us, we don’t need him, and the Ghalbans will only accept so many of us before they rescind their edict for every Havoll’s safety to be guaranteed so long as they are in the town less than a full day.  They’d be sure to think he was one of us.”

“He is one of us, my silly little brother,” Zoe said lightheartedly not letting Tom’s comment slip, but I won’t let him prevent the two of you getting some time together?” she asked as Tom looked down as in shame.  Then Zoe turned to Lora and gave her a hug and both Tom and Lora thought she was going to kiss Lora but she refrained when Lora stiffened her body in reaction to the obvious advance. 

Then Lora rubbed her arm and said, “It would have been so nice for you Zoe had Essie survived.”

Zoe’s eyes popped open wide, but she caught her surprise or her anger, even I was unsure which she might have conveyed, and said, “Essie?  You know I have really been thinking a lot about her lately, that and . . .”

And, it was clear she meant improving her relationship with Eli, but in the ensuing silence no one said anything.

“Well,” she said to Tom and added, “Good luck!” as she gave him a quick hug and a good natured peck on the cheek causing Tom to become embarrassed.

Soon then they found themselves in the swamps following a trail that followed the higher ground often with open water visible on both sides for nearly a quarter of a mile at a time.  Tom rode the lead for he did not want to be in any position to be distracted by the looks of Lora so that he might wander off the trail into the swamp, or even the occasional marsh.

Starlings made their particular noises accompanied by toads and the odd frog and the splash of unseen creatures as the mosquitoes stayed lower in the shade of the balsams and the presence of more than a few swamp poplars.  It was humid.  It was warmer than usual, and it was hard work continually watching for the many turns and twists in the trail but finally they rode to the top of a jack pine ridge out of the tamarack on one side and a small slough on the other, and travel was a lot easier from then on to where the trail broke out into the field south of Ghalb.

Easily recognizing the house Zoe had told them about they simply walked to the backdoor as if they were ordinary travelers who were following the ridge to the north, a somewhat normal thing for travelers from the south to do if they did not want to follow the open road.  That passed just east of where Tom and Lora came out.

“Maybe we could surprise everyone and have the sheriff here in Ghalb …”

Lora giggled.   “You are persistent, I’ll give you that!” Lora said to her business partner, but if I decide to marry either of you the Sheriff of Ghalb will not officiate.”  Then she smacked Tom a good hit on the right shoulder and knocked on the door, not just once, but several if not many times.

Soon a young man about Hap’s age when he lived in Ghalb opened the door and ran toward town, and, Lora and Tom started to watch him go because of his age when they heard, “Yeah?” being growled in their direction from inside the house. 

Lora opened the door which was only partly opened before by the boy.

“Well?” the woman inside, sitting on a filthy bed said, and began straightening up the bed as well as she could, “Which one is it going to be?  Not the both of you, I’m too old to wrestle and that sort of thing always seems to wind up more wrestling than it does sex.  If that’s what you’re up to, go somewhere else.”

Tom asked, “Like where?” as he silenced whatever Lora was going to say with a look and a loud voice fighting back a chuckle.

The woman was silent for a moment and then said, “Ain’t you a Havoll?”

Tom was surprised.

“Well?” she said and bounced herself on the bed, “For a Havoll I might bend my own rules,” she continued winking at Tom as she did.

“No!” Lora said.  “That is not why we’re here.”

“It isn’t?” the woman said, “Well then why are you here?  There isn’t much other reason to be here.   If you’re looking for souvenirs you best just get back to your legs and continue on to Ionica.  There ought to be some damn fool selling them there?”

“We’ve come for you, ma’am?” Lora continued and sat on the bed in order to put her arm on the woman’s shoulders.  “If we are right and all, you won’t ever have to live this way ever again?”

“Why the hell not … I ain’t ever done anything else … even when I was a little girl?” the woman said proudly.

“Tell me, are you or are you not …?” Tom broke in only to be silenced by a mere cross look on Lora’s face.

The woman looked at Tom, thinking some sort of legal inquiry was forthcoming, and then at Lora in order to confirm her suspicions.

“Tell us whether you would like a maid,” Lora said silencing the woman with a rush to the next part of her statement, “and let us know how you like your food.  We will make sure it is on hand, and cooked the way you like it.  Then just think about a nice, clean, soft bed, where you can relax as much and as often as you want without any … um … customers ruining your day ever again?”

The woman’s eyes lit up and she got out of bed and peeling off what little she had on without regard for Tom’s sensitivities causing him to turn toward the door, she got dressed in a gaudy but much more suitable attire.

“What the … in the worst of Hades, what do I have to say or do?” she asked thinking she would do anything to be given that.

“Do you know a little urchin … well; she isn’t so little any longer?” Tom asked.

“Do you mean that little liar, uh, Lois, or whatever her name is?” she said and stopped fussing over her presentable clothing.  “What is she trying to get me into now?”

“She says she’s sure you’re her mother?” Lora said but rising from the bed brushed the sand off her butt.

“So what?” the woman said, “She’s been saying that since I first kicked her out.  Damn kid, thinking I had to feed her forever like I was her mama?”

“Are you?” Tom said daring to turn toward the woman.

The woman looked at him in surprise.  Then she looked at Lora who was just as concerned she might not admit it even then.  Then she looked at herself in the mirror and shouted at the mirror, “It ain’t my fault.  Whoring is the only thing I ever did?  I don’t … hardly … know how to cook, but I’m the best damn trick in the territory!  And, you can ask anyone you want to, I am discrete!  And, if you come to me you don’t have to worry about no damn kids bothering you while I make your stay as pleasurable as I know how?”

She looked at Tom, who was amazed to think she just might own up to being Lois’ mom.

The woman then looked at Lora, whose look seemed to be one of pity more than any other kind of judgment.

“Yes!” she yelled acting like a trapped timber wolf as one neared the trap.  “Yes, she’s my damn kid!  Now get the hell out of here!  I know … you tricked me … but I don’t give a damn … I had to admit it sooner or later … someday anyhow?”

Her eyes now looked from one to the other of her guests with fear, knowing she had just surrendered valuable information, or at least information she deemed valuable; the kid was now old enough to maybe be blackmailed or strong armed one more time, but not if everyone knew?

“Yes, Mrs. Keycosa …?  Hyacinth…?  Whatever?  Everyone will know, but you will be taken care of at Creation Ranch the rest of your life, but you won’t …”

“Don’t worry, dearie?  I don’t want to … ain’t, wanted it for a long time … and you say now that I don’t have to anymore … ever?”

Tom and Lora looked at each other happily, and the woman said, “I’ll be damned by the Deag his self!  It’s even better than I imagined it would be!  How in the . . .?”

The three walked out into the sunlight where two more boys about the age of the one that had left so abruptly earlier waited patiently.  The woman turned and locked the door after staring at the boys a moment.  “Chicken feed!” she almost cackled and the boys began to run off.  “You boys there, you can have every damn chicken left in here!  I am not coming back ever again.  Take the chickens home with you!” and with that she flung the door to the chicken coup open and the boys wasted no time in catching as many chickens as they could manage, while the woman laughed a deep hoarse laugh and walked off toward the trail ahead of her guests she thought.

“Not that way, ma’am,” Tom said, “the swamp would be dark by the time we reached it.  You can either stay here, or room with us at Hey’s Inn.  It’s up to you?”

It took the woman no time at all to catch up with her benefactors while she hoped her old boyfriend would allow her entry this time, under these circumstances, which she planned to boast about to his face and confusing her youngest, Briana, and Lois for a moment, she said, “He’s her father you know?”

“Who is whose father?” Tom snapped.

“Uh, um, Briana!” she remembered the circumstances, “She’s mine and Hey’s …?  You didn’t think I-I meant Lois’s …?  Did you?” and this time she did cackle and lick her lips, thirsty for Hey’s special blend of grog and ale.