Ella Read online

  Chapter 2

  Two weeks following the bull roundup, Ella was helping her mother prepare the traditional Sunday dinner. After she Finish polishing the silverware, she asked, “Momma, how many settings should I put on the table?"

  Frances counted on her fingers. “Well, let me see. There's you, Rico, Ansel, and our guests of honor Reverend White and his new wife. Danny and his mother are coming also, and of course, they’re bringing little Daryl. Counting myself, that makes eight adults. I've already sent sandwiches to your father’s workers."

  “Have you met the preacher's new wife?"

  "Yes, I met her at church. She's pleasant enough, but she's a little on the hoity-toity side.”

  “Golly, I hope she’s not too snooty!”

  Frances opened the oven and tested the roast with a long fork. “I think it’s ready. Lordy, it’s hot in here,” she said and placed the sizzling meat on the side table.

  “That chimney is cherry red!” Ella observed as she wiped her face with her apron.

  They went quickly into the dining room, where Frances removed her Sunday dishes from the china cabinet while Ella arranged the silverware around the table. Glancing at the mantle clock, Frances groaned, “My stars; It's nearly three o'clock! I wonder what's keeping your father and Rico. Reverend White is always punctual!”

  When Ella heard a car parking outside, she peeked through the curtains and saw a red Chrysler with winged ornaments. “Mama, I think they’re here!”

  They rush through the parlor while the mantle clock chimed three times. Ella stood on the porch and watched a fastidious looking middle-aged man with thinning hair get out of the Chrysler. He began to guide his wife up the path. Frances walked down the steps, saying, “Welcome Reverend and Mrs. White."

  "Why, Mrs. Schultz, how delightful! I believe you’ve already have met my wife, Mrs. White?"

  An extremely thin woman tapped Francis on her arm, saying, “It’s charming to meet you again, Mrs. Schultz, but please call me Claire; and you must be Ella. Thank you both for the invitation."

  "It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. White," Ella replied, uncertain if the minister's wife meant to include her in the offer of informality.

  Frances looked at the barn, but her husband and Rico were nowhere in sight. Heaving a sigh, she said, “Let’s go inside for a few minutes before we eat.”

  Suddenly, Ansel and Rico emerged from the barn, walking rapidly. Before Ella could shout a warning, her father ran head-long into Reverend White’s Chrysler. He fell back on his rear and shouted, "Goddamn it! Who the hell left this Goddamn car in my Goddamn way?"

  Mrs. White drew in her breath and covered her mouth with her gloved hand. Ella felt mortified, but she quickly explained, "He didn't mean anything. You know, he's blind."

  The Reverend ran to Ansel and tried to help him up, saying, "Oh, Mr. Schultz, I'm so sorry for leaving my car in your way."

  Suddenly red faced, Ansel blurted, "Oh Jesus, Reverend; I didn’t know it was you. I apologize for my language."

  The Reverend patted his shoulder, saying, "There, there, Mr. Schultz. It's quite all right. We understand."

  Ansel stood up unsteadily and brushed the dust from his pants. “Veil, anyway, I apologize."

  Ella heard Danny’s Hupmobile laboring up the road. “Oh look! Here comes Danny with his mother and little Daryl!"

  Frances clapped her hands. "Good, now everyone’s here, and the roast is ready. We can eat in five minutes," she said pointedly, scowling at her husband and Rico. Both men, aware of her temper, hurriedly went to the washhouse to clean up.

  After Danny parked his car next to Reverend White’s Chrysler, Frances held her grandson, saying, "My goodness Agnes; hasn’t he grown! I can tell he hasn’t missed too many meals.”

  Agnes laughed. “There’s nothing wrong with his appetite.”

  Upon seeing the baby, Ella felt a clutch in her heart, thinking about the night when her sister died giving birth. She remembered all the screaming and all the blood, so much blood. Little Daryl looks just like my sister with her dimples and her beautiful auburn hair, she thought. Not like my mouse brown mop.

  Frances gave Daryl back to Agnes. “Now, let’s all go in the house and have Sunday dinner."

  When everyone was seated around the dining table, Reverend White offered a prayer. "Our Father, we give thanks to you for blessing us with this comradeship and for the food you so bountifully provide. Also bless the soul of that poor man who died in an unfortunate bull accident. Amen,"

  Mrs. White unfolded her napkin and eyed the roast. "My world, Francis. That meat smells simply divine."

  "Why thank you Claire. Here, take this first slice." She turned to Danny, asking, "How is your search for a job going? I know finding work is hard these days."

  He grinned. "It’s good! I got on at the post office at Sebastopol. My Mom here takes care of Daryl while I'm working. She’s such a big help."

  His mother blushed, stammering, "Ah, shoot, son, he's no trouble. He's a little angel."

  Ella blanched at the reference.

  The minister heaped mashed potatoes on his plate, saying, "Babies are truly gifts from God. By the way, Ansel, I saw men loading your livestock. Are you selling out?"

  Ansel folded his hands in his lap, replying, "Yes, I guess you could say that. The banks are forcing me to sell everything, including Caesar and the rest of the herd."

  After several awkward moments, Ella changed the subject. “Guess what? Violet, my best friend is getting married. She and Pete are going to Connecticut right after their wedding."

  Frances exclaimed, "Lands sakes, all you children are growing up so fast, I can’t keep track of your comings and goings."

  A loud knock rattled the front door. Rico got up to see who it was, but he rushed back, saying excitedly, "One of the cows just had a two-headed calf!"

  Reverend White nodded solemnly, saying, "That could be an important sign from God. In the Bible, it says ..."

  "Oh, Reverend, let's not just talk about it. Let’s go see it for ourselves,” his wife demanded irritably.

  After they all got up from the table and went to the barn, they were startled to see a calf with a normal head and a second head attached to its neck, rolling its eyes and blinking its multiple eyelashes. One of the workers quip, "Ansel, you know what they always say. Two heads are better than one."

  The other worker said, "Hey, Ansel, maybe you can sell it to the circus for a lot of money and pay us some wages."

  Ansel ignored their comments and knelt down by the calf. After feeling its heaving chest, he shook his head. “I’m afraid this little thing won't live long. Its heartbeat isn't very strong."

  Ella felt nauseated and went outside for fresh air. Horrified, she saw smoke rising from the house. "Fire! Fire! The house is on fire!"

  Her mother rushed from the barn as flames leaped through a second story window, spreading to the roof. She gasped, "Oh my stars! There is a fire!"

  The men ran from the barn to fight the spreading flames. Ansel went to the washhouse to fill milk buckets with water.

  Rico, Danny, and the two workers frantically beat at the fire with wet sacks, but the intensity of the heat drove them back. Reverend White moved his car away from danger. Agnes held the baby. Mrs. White clasped and unclasped her hands. Frances, wheezing loudly, gasped for air.

  As the men futilely tried to contain the fire, Ella ran to the porch and entered the house. "Ella, come back!" Her mother screamed.

  Feeling compelled to salvage something, she ignored her mother’s screams and went into the parlor where she grabbed the mantle clock, but she was overcome with smoke and fell to her knees as she groped for the front door. A burning timber crashed on the stairs in a shower of sparks. The flames were coming close to her when she felt strong arms pick her up and carry her to safety. When they were outside, Rico lowered her to the ground, saying, "For Christ's sake Ella, you almost killed yourself. Never do a dumb
thing like that again!"

  She watched the flames consume her childhood home and wept. The neighbors were attracted by the smoke, but they came too late to save the house. By nightfall, the flickering flames of orange and red cast shadows across grim faces.

  When Ella looked at her father, she noticed the tears he was trying to hide. She went to him. “Papa, you and Mama Can move into your old quarry house with Rico and me."

  Frances wrung her hands, lamenting, "Everything is gone. My entire lifetime of memories are all gone, gone up in smoke! Now, we can’t even finish our Sunday dinner!"