The Seer And The Stetson

A Place Called Home

The parcel of land boasted wide open green pastures that went on for miles. Worn wagon tracks mapped serpentine paths that disappeared beyond the lining of trees. Rolling hills of green enclosed the dense crush of trees in the shallow valley. The morning dew reflecting against the radiant light, making the space appear ethereal. 

Ellie stood in the wagon to survey the land. 'Papi chose a spot right outta heaven' She thought. 'The Sweetens are finally home.' She dropped her hands to her hips. Thank goodness they had a flat clearing to build upon with a water supply that wasn't far off. 

She ruefully conceded, she was glad River, Maskwa, and Jolene were with them . The task of establishing a new home would be near-impossible alone. She couldn't simply ask her friendly neighbors because; firstly, her past made her wary of others, and secondly, no one lived near them for at least ten miles.  

When they came to a stop, Maskwa and River approached the rear of the wagon in unison. Maskwa stepped in front of River, nearly pushing him aside, and offered his hand to assist Ellie from the vehicle. She smiled placing her smallish hand in his. The action provoked River's chagrin. Narrowed eyes focused on Maskwa with obvious displeasure.

 "Hmmm...this is good land," Maskwa murmured as his large hands encircled Ellie's waist. Her hand found his shoulder. He carried her with little effort, placing her gently on her feet. River glared angrily before turning to stare in the distance. 

"Yes, it sure is." Ellie smiled. Her hand remained on Maskwa's shoulder and her eyes fixed on his handsome face. She was grateful that she'd found a new friend in him. 

Lately, she was starting to feel that there were very few people on her side. River and Jolene seemed to be growing closer. A fact that didn't involve her in any capacity, still, it gave her reason for pause. 

Maskwa eyed Ellie as he began, "I suggest we gather our tools and start preparing this land." 

"I suggest you watch dem hands, Hoss," River cautioned, his eyes darted to the Maskwa's hand which firmly grasped Ellie's slender waist.

Maskwa stiffened, "Mistanask has a voice. She can tell me when she no longer wishes my hands upon her." 

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa, fellas. Let's all step back for a minute," Jolene said smiling, her dainty hand tapping the center of River's chest. "We got plenty to do without y'all fighting amongst yourselves."

Ellie hated to admit it but she was right. She gently peeled Maskwa's hands from her waist. 

"She's right," Ellie grumbled. "We gotta get wood to start building the cabin and setting up camp. Plus we gotta dig up a pit for the outhouse, start the barn, till the farmland, and make a pen for the horses." 

Abigail crept silently from the wagon to join them, "We can't thank y'all enough for helping us out." 

"Think nothin' of it, Sug. Any friend of River's is a friend of mine. Why don't you come with me River? Let's go find us some food." Jolene winked suggestively at Ellie before tugging River by the wrist back to the front of the wagon. He went along reluctantly but maintained his glare at Maskwa until they disappeared around the bend.

The afternoon sun began to disappear behind the hills to the west, but Jolene and River still had not returned. Ellie couldn't say she was worried but it was getting dark and that could get dangerous. 

Ellie squatted at the riverbank near their land. She tipped a bucket into the water to fill it. As she made her way to the shore, she heard the clopping of hooves just beyond the bushes. And  Jolene's sickly sweet voice echoed in the quietness. 

"I know damn well how I look, but I ain't interested in bein' easy on the eyes. So stop fussin' about the way I live my life," Ellie couldn't see her but she heard Jolene as she exclaimed. "I want them to flinch. Think twice before they raise a hand to me. I wanna be that constant reminder to men that not everything is theirs for the taking. When you abandoned me-" 

River abruptly began, "Goddamnit Jolene, I already told you why I never came for you." 

A pregnant silence ripened between them. Ellie could only imagine what was going through Jolene's mind. She knew she shouldn't be eavesdropping on their private conversation but she was curious. 

Jolene gave a humorless chuckle, "You did. And at first, I wanted to kill you. I meant to kill you but I made my peace with that and I forgave you. You made a promise to me, River Collins and I'm holdin' you to it. When I heard you left the Utter Gang, Maskwa and I left to find you. And find you we did. I stayed with you and your negro family-"

River's voice hardened with his retort, "I'll ask you only once to address the Sweetens with respect." 

"Is that the reason you won't be with me? Is that the reason we're out in the middle of nowhere? Is that the reason that you won't leave even though you should? The Sweetens?" Accusation lay heavy in Jolene's words, "Or is this about Ellie?"

Ellie folded her bottom lip between her teeth and leaned forward, desperate to hear his next words. 

Emotion bled through River's words as he said, "You leave Ellie out of this."

"How can I when the whole reason for you being here is 'cause of her! She's as bitter and hard as a worn leather shoe-"

"Jo!" He bellowed. "I'll not hear another word about her. You and I may not have had it easy but we were never slaves. And when you're born in a burnin' house you tend to think the whole world's on fire. But it ain't." He spoke with awkward tenderness of someone who had never been loved and forced to improvise.

"You...You care about her." Jolene's voice dropped almost to a whisper. "But you...you're gonna leave without tellin' her." 

River laughed bitterly, "Someone has to leave first. Ain't no story older than that and there ain't no other version of this story that'll win out with Clyde gunnin' for me." 

"What you gonna do, River?" Jolene questioned.

Ellie startled when River's horse whinnied loudly. She clamped her hand over her mouth to stop a cry of alarm. She prayed they hadn't heard her. 

She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard River continue, "Those are good people and I wanna help 'em if I can. Once I know she'll be alright then I'll leave." 

"You said she." Jolene perceptively pointed out. 

"It don't matter." He said, his voice sounding more hopeless with each word. "She thinks I'm a no-good scoundrel and she'd be right. So long as Clyde never gets to her. That family don't deserve none of the hell that's followin' me around." 

"So you just gonna let them think you leavin' them out to dry and walk away without a word?" 

His voice changed sounding colder more distant as he said, "I'll do that and more if I have to. You well know, I can resort to all kinds of savagery when needed. Those good people would never stoop so low. I'll kiss Clyde's boots if it means I get to stick a knife in his throat later. Either way, this thing is gonna come to a head."