MERCIFUL HEAVENS,
By Celia Jolley
Ami could not get comfortable nestled in her own bed. That's why she climbed into her sister's, dipping under her covers. Rue rolled over asking grouchily, "What's the matter? I was almost asleep."
"How can you sleep with all the goings on through the wall? It's disgusting! Ma hardly waited for Pa to head off to bring the cattle down from the high pastures before she invited this fella in. It turns my stomach! How could you not notice?" Ami whispered.
"I noticed, but what else is new? As long as they don't bother us, we need to leave it to Pa to deal with," Rue shrugged it off.
"That's what I'm afraid of. If he comes home and finds her with somebody else again, he'll kick her out for sure," Ami observed. "Then what would happen to us?"
"We haven't caused Pa trouble. He won't kick us out along with her, surely," Rue reasoned.
"I hope you are right," Ami worried. She finally fell into a fitful sleep.
However, before the moon slept behind the western mountains, a terrible disturbance woke the sisters. They hugged each other crying. Pa had unexpectedly come home early only to find somebody else in bed with his wife. The sound of a fist fight, flesh pounding flesh, and furniture overturning didn't last long before the front door slammed. Someone had left in a hurry as a horse galloped away. Then the shouting escalated.
"I should have known better than marrying such a..." The girl's couldn't hear what he was calling their mother above his growl, but could only imagine. "I've given you chance after chance to change, but you keep going after your lovers. Git out now! You need to leave and ply your trade somewhere besides my home. I don't want to see your face again!"
"Well, I'm tired of you leaving us way out here on your ranch with no friendly neighbors," she grumbled.
"It's 'cause you've made us the laughing stock of this entire county! Just remember, there will come a time soon that yer beauty will wither up and die leaving you without anything to attract your lovers anymore. Then you'll have to pay men to come to you, rather than the other way around. Understand this: there will always be somebody younger, somebody prettier than you."
"What about the girls?" their mother sneered. "They're of an age that they can begin entertaining men and make some money for me. Wake 'em up so they can go with me," she slurred.
"She's drunk and doesn't really mean that," Rue whispered to Ami as she gasped. "She doesn't know what she's saying."
Ami put a finger against her lips, "Shh. Listen."
"They may not be my blood--for who knows who their fathers are--but you leave 'em be. I won't be responsible for corrupting innocent gals, no matter who they belong to," he gritted out.
The girls sobbed. Up 'till now, they had not known that Pa was not their real father. Yet at the same time, the two were immensely grateful that he had nevertheless stood up to their flagrantly unfaithful mother to protect them from a fate worse from death.
It made them wonder about their brother Jezreel who had taken off a few years back because he was sick and tired of their ma's escapades. "Do you think our brother had a different pa like us or was Pa his real father?" Ami whispered, but Rue could only shrug.
It wasn't as easy for young women to go off on their own like that. Because of their ma, their own reputations had been tainted. They were used to being shunned in town, but then had dropped out of school because of all the snide remarks and whispered accusations. Rue and Ami begged their pa not to make them go back. He didn't. Instead, they helped him as much as he let them on the ranch.
The next morning, Ami had a huge stack of hotcakes, fried eggs and bacon ready for her pa along with a steaming cup of fresh coffee. Rue was out hanging up laundry wanting to get it done before it got too hot later on. Waking up while it was still dark was nothing new. It was like priming the pump to begin their chores right early.
"Thanks, darling," their pa said before he took his first slurp of coffee. Rue walked in and sat down as Ami plopped their plates in front of them making the yellow yokes of the eggs jiggle.
"Morning, Pa," Rue said as he buttered his pancakes and poured syrup slowly so it would soak through before dripping down the sides. Ami licked the runny eggs off her lips and tried to smile at him.
He took his first huge bite, chewed slowly, and swallowed before taking another sip of his coffee as if he was seriously pondering something. Then he looked up at the girls staring them in the eye making them nervous. "I suppose you heard yer ma and me fighting last night. I want you to know that just 'cause I made her leave doesn't mean I'm kicking you out too. I don't know how I could give you up. I remember the way I taught you to take yer first steps, how I held onto yer leading strings on those little gowns ya wore, how I took you in my arms, how I bent down and fed you when you were just knee high to a cricket. I don't want ya to fear that I'll be taking my anger out on you too."
"Thank you, Pa," Rue smiled wiping the syrup off the corner of her mouth. "That makes us feel heaps better."
"Is it alright if we keep calling you Pa?" Ami timidly asked.
"Of course, little darling. I'm sorry you had to listen to all that last night. I probably sounded like a snarling, snapping mountain lion a-roaring. Just 'cause I said you aren't my people, or that yer ma thinks I won't have compassion on you, it's not true. No matter which of yer ma's lovers got her pregnant while I was off herding cattle, you'll always be my little gals. Just remember, as long as you listen to me, you won't go wrong."
"Yes, Pa," they both answered almost simultaneously.
"Thanks for the good grub, Ami," he said with his mouth full of his last bite a few minutes later. "When you saddle up and ride out, keep a look out for newborn calves and make sure they're alright. Let me know if you think any pregnant mamas are having trouble dropping their calves, alright girls?"
"Yes, sir. We'll be out as soon as the dishes are done up and dinner is simmering on the stove," Rue promised.
"Yes, sir," Ami mumbled between bites as she hurried to finish her small stack of hot cakes as fast as she could.
As soon as she washed and Rue dried the morning dishes, they both peeled potatoes and onions to begin a soup. Rue added some cabbage she'd quartered into the pot of water as well while Ami cooked up more bacon to crumble on top later.
"Making yer Bubble-Squeak soup sure pulls the Scotch-Irish out of us, doesn't it?"
"Ma boasts of having some of that blood, but we can't count Pa's lineage any more," she sighed. "Pa must have had some of that in him on his father's side even though his mama was Mexican naming him Jose."
"Buck up, little sis. At least we know Pa loves us and won't make us leave. Look on the bright side now since we won't have to hide from any more of Ma's string of grubby men knocking at our door."
Ami grinned, "You're right as rain, Rue."
The girls saddled their horses and took off looking for cows who were calving.
After hefting up a calf who was rejected by its mother to lay across her saddle, Ami mused as she remounted behind it, "I'll never know how a mother can refuse her own offspring. It breaks my heart every time."
"It isn't natural," Rue replied. "But look at it this way, we get to give the poor thing a few bottles until we find a mama who has lost a calf and is willing to take it on. Then all will be rosy-posy. To me, that's beautiful enough to make up for some cranky, no-good, rotten mama."
"Yep," Ami grunted trying to make sure the gangly calf didn't slip off her patient cow horse. I think it's the second calf she's done that to, so I hope Pa sells her off in the next shipment."
"He doesn't have any patience with bad mothering whether it's a calf that's ignored or kids like us," Rue snorted. The girls just grinned at each other.
"Our pa is a good man," Ami agreed. Just then they heard a gun shot blast. After whipping out her pistol, she shaded her eyes when they heard a horse coming. "I've never seen that cowboy before, have you?"
"Thankfully, it's not one of those skirt chasers that ma entertained," Rue remarked as she squinted to see who was coming.
"No, I'm sure I haven't seen him before," Ami agreed as she cocked her gun. It was more for shooting an occasional rattler or a rabbit to roast over a fire. Yet Pa told them they should feel free to use it on a snake with two legs to run him off if it appeared he didn't have good intentions.
"Stop right there, mister," Rue growled. Ami hadn't realized that her sister had drawn her pistol as well.
"Why do you have your rifle out?" Ami demanded.
"Just shot a coyote who was circling a newborn calf," he answered. "I wanted to be ready if another showed up."
"Why do you have your rifle out?" Ami demanded.
"Just shot a coyote who was circling a newborn calf," he answered. "I wanted to be ready if another showed up."
The man still had his hands raised up. "Don't mean no harm," he said looking back and forth between them with surprise. "Yer pa told me he needs one of you back at the barn. He has a cow having trouble delivering and our hands are too big to reach in, well, you know where."
Rue took off shouting, "Take yer time coming in with that calf, Ami. I'll go on and help Pa out."
That left Ami alone with this stranger. "Who are you?" she asked warily while allowing him to put his hands down. At least he put his rifle back in his scabbard.
He took off his hat swiping the sweat off his forehead, then placing it over his heart in a gentlemanly fashion before he stated, "My name is Benjamin, ma'am."
"And how come you are on the Broken Bow Ranch?" Ami wasn't ready to trust him yet.
"Yer pa hired me on yesterday. He said that he's short of cowhands."
"What'd he tell you to do after finding us?" she asked still eyeing him with suspicion.
"He told me to herd the pregnant mamas along as gently as I can so they're closer to the barn. He also wants me doing what you've been doing, checking on the calves which have dropped since last night."
Ami knew those instructions. She'd heard her pa say them every spring in just those words. "Alright then, I'm taking this one in so we can bottle feed it. That brown cow over there isn't worth the hooves she's standing on the way she neglects her young." Ami felt her cheeks warm knowing she'd just said that with a little too much venom since she felt that way about her own ma.
"Mighty nice to have met you. I've been hearing about Jose's pretty daughters for awhile now." But Benjamin bit back saying how the descriptions couldn't compare to seeing them in person. Neither did he believe the loose chatter concerning them, soiling their names. Until he learned differently, he'd consider them as pure as the driven snow. He was just the new drifter in the bunkhouse and knew better than to open his mouth until he'd earned their respect, though he'd not keep quiet if anyone dared to sully these girls' reputations.
She nodded then galloped off towards the home place with a weakly bleating calf in front of her.
By the time she got there, Rue had helped deliver the calf in the barn. Her pa took Ami's calf off her horse for her and put it in a clean stall while she fixed a bottle.
"Rue said she's from the same one who rejected her calf last year, the one with the broken horn," her pa stated.
"Yep, the worthless thing."
Their pa grumbled, "I for sure will be selling her off. I don't take kindly to a female of any kind not taking interest in her offspring."
Ami and Rue looked at each other with a half smile. After feeding the eager calf, she went to the house and soon called to her family, "Let's eat!" The Bubble Squeak was ready now. They happily hurried to the house, washed up and sat down. Ami dished up their bowls and sprinkled crumbled bacon on top. "Here's the leftover cornbread to go with it."
They were all quiet, hunger driving them to shovel in their dinner quickly. After being sated, Rue brought up the new cowboy. "I'm kind of surprised that you hired on a new hand, Pa. You forgot to tell us, you know."
"Poor man, we both drew our guns on him," Ami giggled.
"Glad you didn't shoot him," their pa said with his eyebrows raised. "Don't be too hasty with those pistols, girls."
"Yes, Pa."
"But I didn't just hire one new cowhand, I hired two."
"What!" Rue asked.
"Why?" Ami queried.
Their father sighed. "Jed wasn't pulling his load. I found him sleeping under the shade of a tree up a canyon yesterday. Why should my two little gals work their tails off while he sleeps off his weekend drunk on my payroll. That's why I came down unexpectedly yesterday and went straight to town since I needed to hire somebody else on. Then I came home late and discovered more of your mother's shenanigans. I wasn't so shocked that yer ma was still selling herself again, I just didn't expect to find Sam there in bed with her. It was the last straw."
"Sam?" the girls said together.
"We loved Sam," Ami said in shock.
"Well evidently, so did yer mother," their pa scowled. "I ran him off last night. That no-good double-crossing cowhand had worked for me a good seven years," he growled. "I wonder how long they carried on like that."
"I never saw him come to the house before, honest, Pa," Rue declared. "We would have told you if we'd known."
"Hopefully, they'll both stay away," Ami mumbled under her breath.
It was quiet for awhile as they sat sipping their coffee.
Finally Rue asked, "But who's the other cowboy, Pa?"
"He goes by the name of, well let me think. It was some kind of Indian name since he's a half breed. Oh I remember now. His name is Ishi."
"You know he might run into trouble if he goes into town, Pa, even though we haven't had any trouble with Indians in quite some time."
"I know it, and he does too. The fella says he doesn't want to go in much anyway. He prefers to stay in the barn and work leather in his free time."
"That sounds interesting," Rue said pondering. "What kinds of things does he make?"
"If he did the fancy work like I saw on his belt and his hat band, I'd venture to guess that's what he makes. It's nice work."
"I could use a new hat band. Mine broke. I'll ask him when I see him," Rue said.
That night while Ami was bottle feeding the bawling calf, the new cowhand named Benjamin came in lifting his saddle and blankets off so he could brush down his horse.
She remarked, "Your horse is pretty sweaty. You must have ridden him hard."
"Yep. I didn't realize how late it had become while I was trying to untangle a stupid mama who thought a patch of mazanita bushes was a good place to bed down in. I didn't want to come home in the dark, so I rode in fast," he answered then nodded at her. He asked, "Is that the only one you have to bottle feed?"
"So far. Have you come across a cow whose calf died? We need to try to find one who can adopt this one for their own. The longer it depends on me to feed it, the harder it will be for it to adapt to his new mama."
"I haven't come across any yet, but I'll ask Ishi and some of the others in the bunkhouse."
"Thanks. Have you known this Ishi before now?"
"You bet. We worked together on the big Hijinks spread. Some of the cowboys there were roughing Ishi up for no reason more than he's part Indian. When the foreman did nothing about it, I got mad, and we both quit. "
"I don't think you'll find any of that here, not if Pa hears of it. But it might be different in town. Some of them have family who were massacred several years back. Even though it has been years ago, some still don't take kindly to any native no matter what tribe."
"Yeah, there's still bad blood between some Indians and settlers both."
Just then Rue came walking in alongside of Ishi who was leading his horse and talking. He was saying, "Sure, I can do that. Do you want plain leather, tooled, or beaded?"
Rue stopped and looked down at her boots contemplating. Then she lifted her eyes to the man and said, "You choose. Make what you think will suit me best."
"You have blue eyes, so a hat band with blue beads will bring out more of your color," Ishi said with a hint of a smile. Then he turned to take care of his horse.
"You ready, Ami? Pa sent me to get you saying he's hungry enough to eat a mean mama cow."
"I know where he can find one," Ami grumbled.
Rue laughed. "It wouldn't be a bad choice to put that thing out of its miserable life since we need meat anyway."
"I'd bet she'd be downright tough to chew though."
They could hear the cowboys chuckling as they left the barn. Cookie was ringing the iron triangle from the bunkhouse.
The girls sat down with their pa and ate leftovers with warm biscuits. Ami had even made a peach pie from some fruit they'd canned last year.
She remembered one time when their ma had tried to help. But she'd been drinking and had only managed to spill a whole sack of sugar all over the floor. Then she'd started cussing." Ami shook her head trying to rid herself of unpleasant memories.
"Thinking back to when you canned these peaches?" Rue asked quietly.
Ami just nodded and poured a little more cream on her warm slice of pie. No matter, this was delicious.
"This is mighty fine, girls. Thank you for the treat."
Just then there was a knock on the door. Ishi and Benjamin stood there holding a bloody cowboy between them. Their pa hurriedly ordered, "Bring him in and lay him on a pallet in front of the fire."
Ami swiftly grabbed some old quilts to put on the floor. "What happened?" she asked.
"Looks like poor Judah got on the wrong side of a horn," Benjamin grimaced. Rue was already putting pressure on the wound. Ami ran in to put water on to boil.
"He rode in just now barely hanging on," Ishi said quietly.
"Looks like he's lost a lot of blood," their pa commented frowning. Judah was unconsciousness. "Send Slim in for the doctor, will you, Benjamin?"
"Sure, boss," he ran out the door.
"Ishi, help me get his shirt off while he's out before the blood dries and makes it stick to him."
Rue still kept a clean rag on the wound as much as she could while both men worked, barely glancing up as Benjamin returned from the bunkhouse.
"He'd already left to get the doctor," Benjamin said.
Pa grunted, "Good." He took Rue's hand off for a moment saying, "Let me see, darling." He quickly examined the wound before nodding to her to continue adding pressure. He sighed, "I've seen worse. It's bad, but hopefully he'll pull through." Their father ran his hand over his face."
When the doctor came, he gave the poor cowpoke laudanum to put him to sleep. As soon he was sure the cowboy was out, he poured whiskey in the wound before sewing it up. Judah struggled some as it must have hurt like the dickens. The men held him down until his eyes rolled back again, and he was out. "All we can do now is watch for infection," Dr. Meadows sighed.
Ami chewed her lip. She hated for the doctor to suppress any hope there was. "All we can do now is pray," she countered.
Every eye turned to her. "His life is in God's hands, but He will hear our prayers," she said with her chin lifted.
"You're right, darling. Let us pray," her pa said bowing his head. Ishi and Benjamin swiftly took off their hats and closed their eyes.
"Dear Lord, you know how this man is suffering. As you said in Hosea, 'When Judah saw his wound, we find we are unable to heal him, or to cure him of his wound...But You say, 'Come, let us return to the Lord. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us, He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day.' So, Lord, just as you revived your Son on the third day, we humbly ask that you revive Judah in your time. In Your Son's name we pray, Amen."
All the deep voices in the room chimed in saying their own, "Amen," after he finished.
Ami was grateful that her pa was so full of Scripture, that it poured out of his heart in prayer at times like this. "Thank you, Pa," she whispered though choked up.
Rue began picking up the bloody bandages, yet it was Ishi who spoke softly, "Let me get these for you so you can go wash your hands and change your apron."
Rue gave him a sweet smile in return saying, "Thank you, Ishi."
Ami looked between the two of them and felt a hitch in her heart. Was Rue taking a shine to this half-breed Indian? Ishi appeared to be a good man, but it would be a more difficult future knowing the prejudice that still existed in their community. But goodness, the girls certainly knew how it felt to live under prejudice with judging eyes upon them because of their mother.
Just then Benjamin was beside her touching her arm softly to say, "Don't worry. He is a good Christian man. Your sister would be safe with him."
Ami turned to look into the serious eyes of this cowboy. His eyes had melted with concern for Judah and warmed her heart as well. "I would wish them well then, I guess."
He gave her a tender smile and put his hat back on his head before saying, "I'll take the first watch beside Judah. The doctor is leaving more of the medicine that can put him out of his misery for now."
"I'll get you some coffee then," Ami responded. She brought him a piece of peach pie as well when she returned.
"My, oh my! I haven't had this kind of treat since I left home all those years ago. Bunkhouse cooks aren't famous for being able to bake desserts. Thank you!" he said before he took his first bite.
"Ishi and Rue are eating some in the kitchen while Pa went out to the bunkhouse to tell the others what had happened."
"It's a good thing that your pa hired me and Ishi after losing Sam and Jed, especially now that Judah won't be much help for awhile."
"It's just you two, Slim, and Joe now. My sister and I help all we can, but Pa won't let us go on the roundup."
"Somebody needs to stay home and care for the animals left behind. Cows can't milk themselves nor are horses able to clean their own stalls."
She grinned. and teased, "Just like cowboys aren't able to bake their own pies."
Benjamin chuckled. "Maybe I'll take up baking after roundup. You never know," he said winking.
After a few days, Judah did seem to be healing. Pa had left Rue and Ami home to do the nursing. What infection was there responded to their ministrations, but mostly it was God's miraculous doings. Ishi and Benjamin carried him out to the bunkhouse after a week in their front room saying they could take it from there with Cookie's promised help. The cook had done his share of doctoring, though usually it was on a roundup when the doctor was too far away to be much help. Now Rue and Ami were free to get back on their horses to go check on the cattle.
But one day Ami rode further than she usually did, and heard singing coming from the old line shack. "What on earth?" she gasped. The one room shack had curiously been surrounded with barbed wire. However, the fence was built much higher than usual, strung on tall posts that had been sunk into the ground. There was a tall gate that had been left open with the padlock dangling.
But the shocking thing was that way out here in the wilderness, Ami was sure it was her mother's singing. It was something she'd not heard since she'd been a very tiny little girl at a time she remembered her mother as young and beautiful. Though the barbed wire was sharper than thorns, it seemed to be a door of hope with wild grape vines climbing the fence.
However, the sound of her pa's voice could be heard in the shack as well. He was speaking kindly to his wife, alluring her saying, "I somehow find I still love you, sweetheart, and want you as my wife again. I bought you back from that awful place because I want you to be mine and mine alone. But you'll have to stay here for a time for your own good. I'll find a nurse to help you go through your deliriums tremors. I know it will be tough, but I'm convinced that all that drinking led to your bad choices. Remember though, no man can come to you and you will have to decide to put your cheating ways behind you. I will tolerate no other lover but me."
Ami could not hear what her mother said, but she was in shock. She turned her horse back towards home. She had to talk to her sister as confusion was clouding her mind, as if sometimes the sun was shining through while at other times storm clouds threatened.
She found her sister alright. Rue and Ishi were in a draw with blue bonnets blossoming at their feet. She was kissing the man. Ami felt very alone at that moment and kept heading home by her lonesome.
Benjamin was in the barn when she got there. "Here, let me put your horse up for you," he offered kindly. But she dismounted and quickly turned away.
"Hey, wait. What's wrong, Ami?" he asked turning her around to face him.
"Everything. Everything is wrong!" she choked up before waving her hand back where she rode in from. She spit out, "First I find my parents in the line shack on the far forty acres, and my dad seems like he's thinking about letting my ma come back. Then when I went to find my sister, she was, they were..." she couldn't say it, but could only blush like a rosy sunrise.
"They were kissing?" Benjamin asked but barely kept from chuckling. "Rue and Ishi, you mean? I noticed they've been meeting here in the barn come evening quite a bit lately. I don't know what his name means in his tribe, but in the Bible it means 'husband.'"
"What!"
"Your sister's of an age to think of love and marriage, and Ishi is a good and godly man. Rue couldn't find a more trustworthy fella. But what about you?"
Suddenly Ami wilted, and her legs wobbled like a newborn foal.
"Hey there," Benjamin rushed to hold her up with his arms around her. "Are you going to be alright?"
Ami looked up into his concerned eyes and tried to plumb their depth, but they flared up getting darker and more intense. "Ami?" he asked in a deeper, husky voice. She stared at his lips now as if trying to read his unspoken thoughts. But he bent down and put his forehead on hers with their warm breath mingling, waiting.
He waited some more before she sighed and melted into his arms. It sure must be a day for kissing, she thought while surrendering to the new experience. Kissing him was sweeter than peach pie, and being held in his arms was like kindling to a fire.
Finally, she stepped back and cleared her throat not daring to look at him. "Thank you," she mumbled and fled to the house.
Ami clattered around in the kitchen checking on the roast and putting potatoes on to boil she could mash later. The garden produce was piling up. She should take some to the bunkhouse for Cookie, but she would not step within ten yards of the place. Too much stirred within her to take another step that direction where Benjamin might be.
She forcibly snapped beans and put them on to cook before harshly slicing the plump red tomatoes fresh off the vine. Ami couldn't help snatching one slice up and biting into its deliciousness letting juice drip down her chin. She finally sighed and released her pint up mixed emotions.
That's how her sister found her. "Did you hurt yourself, Ami?" she asked alarmed before looking down at the tomatoes on the platter. "Oh, don't mind if I do," she chuckled and shoved a slice of her own in her mouth with juice a dribbling.
Their Pa came in with the screen door slamming behind him. "What's this? A garden party?" he laughed before grabbing his own slice, then two, to chew grinning. When done, he wiped his face off with his bandana. Ami noted how happy he seemed. She decided to be bold.
"Pa, I rode out to the old line shack today. I heard you and ma talking," she braved saying noting his face paling. Then she turned to her sister confronting her adding, "And then I found you and Ishi kissing."
They both got over their surprise enough for her sister to sputter, "Were you spying on me?"
"No, just out looking for cows, only to find lovers wherever I went."
"Even in the barn?" her sister snickered. "I was about to bring my horse in when I saw you kissing Benjamin."
"What!" Ami exclaimed.
"I heard you when you found us in the blue bonnets and rode after you. That's when I found you with Benjamin."
"Both of you? Do I need to run off my new cowhands?" their pa demanded exasperated.
"No, pa, please don't. I love him," Rue pleaded.
"I think Benjamin's attentions are honorable, and he assures me that Ishi's are as well," Ami added quickly. "But are you truly going to let Ma come back, Pa?"
"I'm giving her time to think on it. I don't want her here until she's good and ready and has figured out that her old way of life has left her stripped of everything she thought she loved. I've been praying a hedge of protection around her, but I thought barbed wire might do it just as well," he confessed. "She'll be plenty sick while her body learns to do without her drink."
Then h
"Truly, Pa?" Rue practically squealed. "Ishi had wanted to get your permission to ask for my hand. Are you really going to give us permission?"
Their Pa nodded. "If you think God will give His blessing, who am I to deny you?" Then Rue was out the door to find Ishi. "But what about Benjamin, Ami?" her pa turned to her after the door slammed shut behind her sister.
"Hmm, he seems to be a fine fella, but we have just started down that road. He says he likes working here, working for you, so I'd guess he'll want to stay on. Besides, his best friend is Ishi, so I doubt Benjamin would leave if he stays."
Their pa grinned. "I'll speak to him to make sure his intentions are honorable, all right?"
"Be nice, Pa. Don't scare him off," she chewed her lip nervously. "I think you should keep him here even if he's not really wanting to be sparkin' me after all."
"Why would I want to run him off when I believe we've found two good men who seem to be keepers. In fact, I think the men and I need to start building a new cabin or two."
Ami and Rue chose to get married where the blue bonnets bloomed. When the minister came for the combined ceremony, he quoted from Hosea...
By the time she got there, Rue had helped deliver the calf in the barn. Her pa took Ami's calf off her horse for her and put it in a clean stall while she fixed a bottle.
"Rue said she's from the same one who rejected her calf last year, the one with the broken horn," her pa stated.
"Yep, the worthless thing."
Their pa grumbled, "I for sure will be selling her off. I don't take kindly to a female of any kind not taking interest in her offspring."
Ami and Rue looked at each other with a half smile. After feeding the eager calf, she went to the house and soon called to her family, "Let's eat!" The Bubble Squeak was ready now. They happily hurried to the house, washed up and sat down. Ami dished up their bowls and sprinkled crumbled bacon on top. "Here's the leftover cornbread to go with it."
They were all quiet, hunger driving them to shovel in their dinner quickly. After being sated, Rue brought up the new cowboy. "I'm kind of surprised that you hired on a new hand, Pa. You forgot to tell us, you know."
"Poor man, we both drew our guns on him," Ami giggled.
"Glad you didn't shoot him," their pa said with his eyebrows raised. "Don't be too hasty with those pistols, girls."
"Yes, Pa."
"But I didn't just hire one new cowhand, I hired two."
"What!" Rue asked.
"Why?" Ami queried.
Their father sighed. "Jed wasn't pulling his load. I found him sleeping under the shade of a tree up a canyon yesterday. Why should my two little gals work their tails off while he sleeps off his weekend drunk on my payroll. That's why I came down unexpectedly yesterday and went straight to town since I needed to hire somebody else on. Then I came home late and discovered more of your mother's shenanigans. I wasn't so shocked that yer ma was still selling herself again, I just didn't expect to find Sam there in bed with her. It was the last straw."
"Sam?" the girls said together.
"We loved Sam," Ami said in shock.
"Well evidently, so did yer mother," their pa scowled. "I ran him off last night. That no-good double-crossing cowhand had worked for me a good seven years," he growled. "I wonder how long they carried on like that."
"I never saw him come to the house before, honest, Pa," Rue declared. "We would have told you if we'd known."
"Hopefully, they'll both stay away," Ami mumbled under her breath.
It was quiet for awhile as they sat sipping their coffee.
Finally Rue asked, "But who's the other cowboy, Pa?"
"He goes by the name of, well let me think. It was some kind of Indian name since he's a half breed. Oh I remember now. His name is Ishi."
"You know he might run into trouble if he goes into town, Pa, even though we haven't had any trouble with Indians in quite some time."
"I know it, and he does too. The fella says he doesn't want to go in much anyway. He prefers to stay in the barn and work leather in his free time."
"That sounds interesting," Rue said pondering. "What kinds of things does he make?"
"If he did the fancy work like I saw on his belt and his hat band, I'd venture to guess that's what he makes. It's nice work."
"I could use a new hat band. Mine broke. I'll ask him when I see him," Rue said.
That night while Ami was bottle feeding the bawling calf, the new cowhand named Benjamin came in lifting his saddle and blankets off so he could brush down his horse.
She remarked, "Your horse is pretty sweaty. You must have ridden him hard."
"Yep. I didn't realize how late it had become while I was trying to untangle a stupid mama who thought a patch of mazanita bushes was a good place to bed down in. I didn't want to come home in the dark, so I rode in fast," he answered then nodded at her. He asked, "Is that the only one you have to bottle feed?"
"So far. Have you come across a cow whose calf died? We need to try to find one who can adopt this one for their own. The longer it depends on me to feed it, the harder it will be for it to adapt to his new mama."
"I haven't come across any yet, but I'll ask Ishi and some of the others in the bunkhouse."
"Thanks. Have you known this Ishi before now?"
"You bet. We worked together on the big Hijinks spread. Some of the cowboys there were roughing Ishi up for no reason more than he's part Indian. When the foreman did nothing about it, I got mad, and we both quit. "
"I don't think you'll find any of that here, not if Pa hears of it. But it might be different in town. Some of them have family who were massacred several years back. Even though it has been years ago, some still don't take kindly to any native no matter what tribe."
"Yeah, there's still bad blood between some Indians and settlers both."
Just then Rue came walking in alongside of Ishi who was leading his horse and talking. He was saying, "Sure, I can do that. Do you want plain leather, tooled, or beaded?"
Rue stopped and looked down at her boots contemplating. Then she lifted her eyes to the man and said, "You choose. Make what you think will suit me best."
"You have blue eyes, so a hat band with blue beads will bring out more of your color," Ishi said with a hint of a smile. Then he turned to take care of his horse.
"You ready, Ami? Pa sent me to get you saying he's hungry enough to eat a mean mama cow."
"I know where he can find one," Ami grumbled.
Rue laughed. "It wouldn't be a bad choice to put that thing out of its miserable life since we need meat anyway."
"I'd bet she'd be downright tough to chew though."
They could hear the cowboys chuckling as they left the barn. Cookie was ringing the iron triangle from the bunkhouse.
The girls sat down with their pa and ate leftovers with warm biscuits. Ami had even made a peach pie from some fruit they'd canned last year.
She remembered one time when their ma had tried to help. But she'd been drinking and had only managed to spill a whole sack of sugar all over the floor. Then she'd started cussing." Ami shook her head trying to rid herself of unpleasant memories.
"Thinking back to when you canned these peaches?" Rue asked quietly.
Ami just nodded and poured a little more cream on her warm slice of pie. No matter, this was delicious.
"This is mighty fine, girls. Thank you for the treat."
Just then there was a knock on the door. Ishi and Benjamin stood there holding a bloody cowboy between them. Their pa hurriedly ordered, "Bring him in and lay him on a pallet in front of the fire."
Ami swiftly grabbed some old quilts to put on the floor. "What happened?" she asked.
"Looks like poor Judah got on the wrong side of a horn," Benjamin grimaced. Rue was already putting pressure on the wound. Ami ran in to put water on to boil.
"He rode in just now barely hanging on," Ishi said quietly.
"Looks like he's lost a lot of blood," their pa commented frowning. Judah was unconsciousness. "Send Slim in for the doctor, will you, Benjamin?"
"Sure, boss," he ran out the door.
"Ishi, help me get his shirt off while he's out before the blood dries and makes it stick to him."
Rue still kept a clean rag on the wound as much as she could while both men worked, barely glancing up as Benjamin returned from the bunkhouse.
"He'd already left to get the doctor," Benjamin said.
Pa grunted, "Good." He took Rue's hand off for a moment saying, "Let me see, darling." He quickly examined the wound before nodding to her to continue adding pressure. He sighed, "I've seen worse. It's bad, but hopefully he'll pull through." Their father ran his hand over his face."
When the doctor came, he gave the poor cowpoke laudanum to put him to sleep. As soon he was sure the cowboy was out, he poured whiskey in the wound before sewing it up. Judah struggled some as it must have hurt like the dickens. The men held him down until his eyes rolled back again, and he was out. "All we can do now is watch for infection," Dr. Meadows sighed.
Ami chewed her lip. She hated for the doctor to suppress any hope there was. "All we can do now is pray," she countered.
Every eye turned to her. "His life is in God's hands, but He will hear our prayers," she said with her chin lifted.
"You're right, darling. Let us pray," her pa said bowing his head. Ishi and Benjamin swiftly took off their hats and closed their eyes.
"Dear Lord, you know how this man is suffering. As you said in Hosea, 'When Judah saw his wound, we find we are unable to heal him, or to cure him of his wound...But You say, 'Come, let us return to the Lord. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us, He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day.' So, Lord, just as you revived your Son on the third day, we humbly ask that you revive Judah in your time. In Your Son's name we pray, Amen."
All the deep voices in the room chimed in saying their own, "Amen," after he finished.
Ami was grateful that her pa was so full of Scripture, that it poured out of his heart in prayer at times like this. "Thank you, Pa," she whispered though choked up.
Rue began picking up the bloody bandages, yet it was Ishi who spoke softly, "Let me get these for you so you can go wash your hands and change your apron."
Rue gave him a sweet smile in return saying, "Thank you, Ishi."
Ami looked between the two of them and felt a hitch in her heart. Was Rue taking a shine to this half-breed Indian? Ishi appeared to be a good man, but it would be a more difficult future knowing the prejudice that still existed in their community. But goodness, the girls certainly knew how it felt to live under prejudice with judging eyes upon them because of their mother.
Just then Benjamin was beside her touching her arm softly to say, "Don't worry. He is a good Christian man. Your sister would be safe with him."
Ami turned to look into the serious eyes of this cowboy. His eyes had melted with concern for Judah and warmed her heart as well. "I would wish them well then, I guess."
He gave her a tender smile and put his hat back on his head before saying, "I'll take the first watch beside Judah. The doctor is leaving more of the medicine that can put him out of his misery for now."
"I'll get you some coffee then," Ami responded. She brought him a piece of peach pie as well when she returned.
"My, oh my! I haven't had this kind of treat since I left home all those years ago. Bunkhouse cooks aren't famous for being able to bake desserts. Thank you!" he said before he took his first bite.
"Ishi and Rue are eating some in the kitchen while Pa went out to the bunkhouse to tell the others what had happened."
"It's a good thing that your pa hired me and Ishi after losing Sam and Jed, especially now that Judah won't be much help for awhile."
"It's just you two, Slim, and Joe now. My sister and I help all we can, but Pa won't let us go on the roundup."
"Somebody needs to stay home and care for the animals left behind. Cows can't milk themselves nor are horses able to clean their own stalls."
She grinned. and teased, "Just like cowboys aren't able to bake their own pies."
Benjamin chuckled. "Maybe I'll take up baking after roundup. You never know," he said winking.
After a few days, Judah did seem to be healing. Pa had left Rue and Ami home to do the nursing. What infection was there responded to their ministrations, but mostly it was God's miraculous doings. Ishi and Benjamin carried him out to the bunkhouse after a week in their front room saying they could take it from there with Cookie's promised help. The cook had done his share of doctoring, though usually it was on a roundup when the doctor was too far away to be much help. Now Rue and Ami were free to get back on their horses to go check on the cattle.
But one day Ami rode further than she usually did, and heard singing coming from the old line shack. "What on earth?" she gasped. The one room shack had curiously been surrounded with barbed wire. However, the fence was built much higher than usual, strung on tall posts that had been sunk into the ground. There was a tall gate that had been left open with the padlock dangling.
But the shocking thing was that way out here in the wilderness, Ami was sure it was her mother's singing. It was something she'd not heard since she'd been a very tiny little girl at a time she remembered her mother as young and beautiful. Though the barbed wire was sharper than thorns, it seemed to be a door of hope with wild grape vines climbing the fence.
However, the sound of her pa's voice could be heard in the shack as well. He was speaking kindly to his wife, alluring her saying, "I somehow find I still love you, sweetheart, and want you as my wife again. I bought you back from that awful place because I want you to be mine and mine alone. But you'll have to stay here for a time for your own good. I'll find a nurse to help you go through your deliriums tremors. I know it will be tough, but I'm convinced that all that drinking led to your bad choices. Remember though, no man can come to you and you will have to decide to put your cheating ways behind you. I will tolerate no other lover but me."
Ami could not hear what her mother said, but she was in shock. She turned her horse back towards home. She had to talk to her sister as confusion was clouding her mind, as if sometimes the sun was shining through while at other times storm clouds threatened.
She found her sister alright. Rue and Ishi were in a draw with blue bonnets blossoming at their feet. She was kissing the man. Ami felt very alone at that moment and kept heading home by her lonesome.
Benjamin was in the barn when she got there. "Here, let me put your horse up for you," he offered kindly. But she dismounted and quickly turned away.
"Hey, wait. What's wrong, Ami?" he asked turning her around to face him.
"Everything. Everything is wrong!" she choked up before waving her hand back where she rode in from. She spit out, "First I find my parents in the line shack on the far forty acres, and my dad seems like he's thinking about letting my ma come back. Then when I went to find my sister, she was, they were..." she couldn't say it, but could only blush like a rosy sunrise.
"They were kissing?" Benjamin asked but barely kept from chuckling. "Rue and Ishi, you mean? I noticed they've been meeting here in the barn come evening quite a bit lately. I don't know what his name means in his tribe, but in the Bible it means 'husband.'"
"What!"
"Your sister's of an age to think of love and marriage, and Ishi is a good and godly man. Rue couldn't find a more trustworthy fella. But what about you?"
Suddenly Ami wilted, and her legs wobbled like a newborn foal.
"Hey there," Benjamin rushed to hold her up with his arms around her. "Are you going to be alright?"
Ami looked up into his concerned eyes and tried to plumb their depth, but they flared up getting darker and more intense. "Ami?" he asked in a deeper, husky voice. She stared at his lips now as if trying to read his unspoken thoughts. But he bent down and put his forehead on hers with their warm breath mingling, waiting.
He waited some more before she sighed and melted into his arms. It sure must be a day for kissing, she thought while surrendering to the new experience. Kissing him was sweeter than peach pie, and being held in his arms was like kindling to a fire.
Ami clattered around in the kitchen checking on the roast and putting potatoes on to boil she could mash later. The garden produce was piling up. She should take some to the bunkhouse for Cookie, but she would not step within ten yards of the place. Too much stirred within her to take another step that direction where Benjamin might be.
She forcibly snapped beans and put them on to cook before harshly slicing the plump red tomatoes fresh off the vine. Ami couldn't help snatching one slice up and biting into its deliciousness letting juice drip down her chin. She finally sighed and released her pint up mixed emotions.
That's how her sister found her. "Did you hurt yourself, Ami?" she asked alarmed before looking down at the tomatoes on the platter. "Oh, don't mind if I do," she chuckled and shoved a slice of her own in her mouth with juice a dribbling.
Their Pa came in with the screen door slamming behind him. "What's this? A garden party?" he laughed before grabbing his own slice, then two, to chew grinning. When done, he wiped his face off with his bandana. Ami noted how happy he seemed. She decided to be bold.
"Pa, I rode out to the old line shack today. I heard you and ma talking," she braved saying noting his face paling. Then she turned to her sister confronting her adding, "And then I found you and Ishi kissing."
Then h
"Truly, Pa?" Rue practically squealed. "Ishi had wanted to get your permission to ask for my hand. Are you really going to give us permission?"
Their Pa nodded. "If you think God will give His blessing, who am I to deny you?" Then Rue was out the door to find Ishi. "But what about Benjamin, Ami?" her pa turned to her after the door slammed shut behind her sister.
"Hmm, he seems to be a fine fella, but we have just started down that road. He says he likes working here, working for you, so I'd guess he'll want to stay on. Besides, his best friend is Ishi, so I doubt Benjamin would leave if he stays."
Their pa grinned. "I'll speak to him to make sure his intentions are honorable, all right?"
"Be nice, Pa. Don't scare him off," she chewed her lip nervously. "I think you should keep him here even if he's not really wanting to be sparkin' me after all."
"Why would I want to run him off when I believe we've found two good men who seem to be keepers. In fact, I think the men and I need to start building a new cabin or two."
Ami and Rue chose to get married where the blue bonnets bloomed. When the minister came for the combined ceremony, he quoted from Hosea...
"I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me in
righteousness and in justice,
In lovingkindness and in compassion,
And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.
Then you will know the Lord."
He went on to say, "I believe marriage is a symbol of the kind of love God has for us. Marriage is to be held within the bounds of faithfulness, compassion, lovingkindness, and yes, even righteousness and justice."
As he went on, Ami looked at how happy her sister was with Ishi beside her; likewise, he was staring at Rue with a deep abiding look of love in his dark eyes. Then she looked back over at her parents; her ma was leaning on her pa as they were holding each other's hands and having eyes only for one another. Finally, she turned back to her groom to soak in all the love that her soon-to-be husband was offering her as seen in his adoring look. No one could ever say again, "not my people," because she was chosen and loved. Thereto they pledged their faithfulness.
This is a loose retelling of the old story of Hosea (Jose) who God told to go marry a prostitute. His daughters were named Ammi and Ruhamah, my people, and she has obtained compassion. Then he was told to name them Lo-Ammi and Lo-Ruhamah, not my people, she has not obtained compassion. Finally, he was told to buy his wife back. All this was to illustrate Israel's unfaithfulness to God while he extended His love for His people time and again.
This is a loose retelling of the old story of Hosea (Jose) who God told to go marry a prostitute. His daughters were named Ammi and Ruhamah, my people, and she has obtained compassion. Then he was told to name them Lo-Ammi and Lo-Ruhamah, not my people, she has not obtained compassion. Finally, he was told to buy his wife back. All this was to illustrate Israel's unfaithfulness to God while he extended His love for His people time and again.
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