Mystics of the Tuolumne

Recompence #

Albert tried every day to reach out to Dahlia through the gifts.  Nothing worked.  Half his psyche had been torn apart and lay shattered in his mind.  There was no one for him to turn to.  No solace anywhere. He knew what he had to do.

"Pablito, will you please saddle my horse and bring him to the back door?"  Next was a reckoning with his mother as to who he was.

"Mother, I am going for a ride.  I may not be back for supper."   He was imperious.

"Where are you going, dear?"  His mother sweetly cooed.

"I don't know all my itinerary as of yet but, one will be to ride over a visit with Dahlia and her family where I hope to eat supper."   He sounded like a Crocker.

"You are not going to that...that uncivilized redskins house.  You are to have nothing more to do with her."  Mrs. McKinley was shocked and appalled by the insolence of her son.  What would the gentry of this town think?  Worse, what would they say behind her back?  She knew she could not face the indignity.  She followed him out to the mounting porch.

"Don't wait supper on me, Florita can heat up something if I'm hungry.  I will brook no further conversation on this and no more insults to Dahlia.  Her name is Dahlia, not redskin, digger squaw, or any other hateful term you can stoop to call her."  Albert was regal in his new found morality.

"Albert ...uh...uh..." She sputtered as he rode off at a trot.

Albert rode to his family's big storage barn on the edge of town, dismounted and opened a small door at the bottom of the side wall.  He reached in a drew his hand back with a beautiful black and white kitten.  He tucked the kitten into his waistcoat, remounted, and rode to Dahlia's home.

"Hiho Albert."  Joel greeted him.

"Is Dahlia home?"  Albert inquired?

"Yep." Joel quipped.

"Will you ask her if she will see me?" Albert enjoined Joel.

"What...you want her to bite my head off?"  Joel reacted defensively.

"Is it that bad, Joel?"  Albert was tentative.

"No, it's worse,"  Joel said.

"Maybe I better go myself."  Albert was smiling.

"It has been nice knowing you, my friend.  Don't bring down the fires of hell onto me."  Joel bowed and made a sweeping  motion with his arm.

"What are you doing here?  Aren't you afraid you'll lose your scalp?"  Dahlia was spitting venom.  "Run home to Mommy.  She might spank you."

"Stop it, Dahlia. "  Albert issued his dictum.  He pulled the kitten out of his vest and extended it to her.

"So sweet, so cute, is it for me?" Dahlia was completely enamored with the kitten. 

"Of course, it is.  It's for my best girlfriend."  Albert smiled lovingly at her.  He began to feel her again.  It gave him goosebumps.  The empty ache was filling with warmth.  It made him feel weak-kneed and light headed.

"I missed you, I love you so much."  She flung herself at him.  Holding the kitten in one hand she threw he arms around his neck and pulled herself up to his lips and kissed him.

Albert drank her into his soul.  The kiss was so intense he thought he would wet his pants.  They both came up for air and turned completely red.  They were both so light headed that they had to cling to one another in order to remain standing.  They didn't care.  He held her up to him and kissed her again.  It made Dahlia's toes curl upward.  She felt her heart was being squeezed like an orange.  Albert put her down.  "Am I invited to supper?" he asked.

"Forever," she smiled so brightly it out shown the sun.  The misunderstanding and blame she placed on Albert were melted away by his embrace.  She took his arm like the lady she was and escorted him to the kitchen table.

"I want to bring Albert to supper," Dahlia announced proudly to her family.

"Hijole! Albert is still alive," Joel brayed.

"Callete!"  Ericia demanded of Joel.  "I apologize, Albert.  We are overjoyed to have you as Dahlia's guest."  BJ walked to him and shook Albert's hand and guided him to a place at the foot of the table next to Dahlia's place.

"Senora, this food is wonderful.  I have never had this before.  I only eat bland Yankee food at home."  Albert was sincere in his praise.  He was also sincere as he pressed his knee against Dahlia's knee under the table.

"Thank you, Albert you are a gentleman." Ericia was flattered.

"Are you and Dahlia getting married?  BJ came to supper and married my  Mamma." Joel obnoxiously explained.

"Young man you mind your own business and manners while you are at it,"  BJ said sternly.

Dahlia and Albert just gazed at each other starstruck and did not react to Joel's ejaculations.

After supper and small talk. "I greatly appreciate being invited to supper.  The food was excellent.  The conversation made me fell welcome and comfortable.  I hope I will be permitted to return sometime."  Albert stood and shook hands with everyone except Dahlia, whose hand she kissed.

Albert rode through the chilled night air.  He started seeing scenes to paint even the darkness.  The town was deserted with the exception of the three saloons.  It was too early in the evening to have the miner's and ranch hand's discord to come tumbling out onto the street.  All the lights were on at the mansion.  That was not a good sign.

Albert inhaled deeply and rode to the barn, unsaddled his horse, rubbed him down and gave the horse an extra bag of grain for remaining silent.  He could have had Pablito do it, but Albert thought that was boyish and it  did not behoove him as a man to ask Pablito to care for his horse.

He walked to the side porch and opened the door to the well lit but unoccupied parlor.  He reached the foot of the stairs.

"Albert, your father wishes to speak to you."  His mother was cool and clipped in her manner of speech.

"I'll be in my room."  He can come when he chooses.  He heard a "Harumph" from her and he continued up the stairs, tossed his hat on his writing desk and lay on his back facing the ceiling with a smile that could melt glaciers.

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