Chapter XCII
“Butch?”
“Hmm?”
“Did all the other men that were with you have a way to get home?”
“Stop fretting Dovie and focus on your own business,” he told me. We he saw I was going to just continue to wonder about it he told me, “Those that didn’t were being driven to the last check point by those soldier boys. They can walk or bum a ride from there. I just wanted us to get gone ‘cause I knew you and Jude would have a wagon load. Don’t want anyone knowing family business that doesn’t need to.”
Jude muttered, “I hear that. Dang thing is a hard pull too, think that axle work is going to have to be done sooner than later like Dad thought it could go; it’s going to be a bit ‘til we get to the house because of it. Dovie, cover Butch up so he don’t catch a chill. The mood ‘Chellie is in, he don’t need a cold on top of all the other damage. Between her and Faith, Butch might wind up like one of them Egyptian mummies.”
Butch groaned theatrically in agreement and I saw they were grinning. I swear. Guys. Throwing my two cents in I said, “The way Butch is looking I wouldn’t worry about the girls too much and I’d start worrying about River. She seems nice and sweet but I saw her take a broom to that bull that wandered into the field behind the barn when it took after Travis. She’s plenty capable doing her fair share of damage if put in the mood for it.”
Butch groaned again but this time he wasn’t exactly playing. “She had three older brothers and two of them worked in the oil fields … that’s how I met her. And her mom was in the Army. You don’t want to know … you just don’t want to know.” That was an interesting bit of information that I filed away.
The remainder of the ride was quiet except for when we started being overtaken by those that had been in the city and were able to make their escape. A few asked us if we had heard what was going on but we played dumb the first time. After that we just said someone had told us already but added up all the dribs and drabs of what Jude and Butch called intel that came our way.
Then we met Clewis heading towards us. “Thank Gawd. Dad is in a state. We got word of Butch getting carted off then right on top of it we heard about the riot.” He got a good look at Butch’s face and then asked, “You ok Bro?”
“I’m fine,” Butch growled. “Ride back and make sure River …”
“Frankie has her. Dad said if I met up with y’all to give you some coverage in case things got nutty on the road.”
About the time the words left his mouth we heard gunfire back from the direction we came from. “Next time knock on wood or something,” Jude muttered in Clewis’ direction. “This we didn’t need.”
Jude picked up the speed regardless of the axle and by the time we got home we were all rattled worse that a bunch of empty jars being drug across a gravel road. My brain still felt like it was bouncing around and my teeth hurt as we tossed off the purchases we had made for the family and then headed up to the house to unload.
“Uncle Roe looked relieved,” I mentioned. “Wait, that was a stupid thing to say. Guess my brain cells are shaken but not stirred.”
“That a comment on my driving?” Jude asked.
Nervously I looked over but he was grinning so I did too. “Actually it was a compliment. I could be still stuck in town if not for you.”
Jude grunted. “We need to talk about all this.”
“I know it, but if you are worried that maybe I want to go back to town anytime soon then you can unworry it. After today I’m more than happy to stay where I belong.”
Jude shook his head. “Don’t say that Dovie. You should be free to travel the same places as anyone else. But just for now …”
“Just for now I don’t want to get into trouble or bring any down on the family. The kids and I will stay on the farm. After today I’m not even sure if it is a good idea if we go to church until we see how the wind blows.”
Troubled he said, “Don’t run too far with your fears Dovie. I don’t want to agree with that church business so let’s just wait and see. Making assumptions can be a bad business.”
We got home, unloaded everything on the porch and while the kids and I carried in what we could lift Jude returned the wagon and animals down to Uncle Roe. He took a while walking back so I figured he’d done a little talking while he was down there. Turns out Uncle Roe doesn’t really want to know what Jude and Clewis are up to but Butch wants in. I suppose we need at least one person in the family to have plausible deniability and since Uncle Roe tends to be … well too honest sounds stupid but it might just be the truth too … he’ll continue being the straight man.
So other than all the concerns I have over the DN crud I ran into in town, the cold weather that is still with us, and the latest news that the draft is definitely back on the table which could mean any one of us could get yanked into military service of some type everything is just hunky dory. Good thing married life evens the scales out or I would not be living in my skin too comfortably.
