Yankton

Chapter 50

Chapter 50 Home Time

That night, as Montana and I snuggled, we caught each other up on more news of the day.

"In all the excitement today," said Montana, I forgot to tell you Charlie finally delivered that piano we ordered two months ago."

"Charlie?"

"Yeah, Colorado Charlie," she added. "He was hoping to meet you but I told him you were running gold for O'Rourke. He said he's pay his respects another time." I sighed, and then quietly said,

"I've got to tell Caleb his mother's dead, poor little guy, she wasn't much but she was all he had."

"Why, what happened?" asked Montana, her voice full of concern.

"Bullock rode with us down to Sidney; he had a prisoner by the name of Albert Kiggens. The sheriff told me he stabbed one of the whores at the Bella Union, turned out it was Caleb's mom."

"I knew of him," replied Montana, "Nasty sort, the kind that enjoys tormenting helpless women."

"Well his days of doing that are over," I replied, " We got into a shootout with a gang bent on taking our gold north of Sidney, Mr. Kiggens was listed as "Killed in action." Montana sniffed,

"That's the very thing Melonie and I worry about, every time you haul gold for that O'Rourke fellow you set yourselves up for every shootist, and highway man in the territory, the odds are against you Brian."

"That's why Mark and I have been wearing our Kevlar vests lately, I know it's a weak excuse but if they can stop modern rounds they'll stop black powder .36's and .44's." From the sounds of her breathing, I could tell Montana was starting to get pissed,

"Is there any way I could convince you to stop working for O'Rourke? And I don't want to hear that excuse about needing the money."

"Well if I don't get it from hauling gold, where else? Don't forget, most of it goes to you and Mel, or are you forgetting the deal we made?"

"I'm not forgetting, Brian, did you know Melonie's started drinking, that poor woman worries herself sick every time Mark goes off with you on one of your little adventures." This was shocking news; I didn't know what to say.

"I've handled loss before," said Montana, "Melonie hasn't, she worries something is going to happen to Mark, and she won't be able to finish her studies, if you won't stop for me, at least do it for her sake."

"So we're back to square one," I replied, "We need money to complete Purgatory, it's just a fact of life."

"Well that's what I was doing when you came into my office, trying to figure out how to finish things up with what we've got coming into Purgatory, while you slow down working for O'Rourke."

"And?"

"Tomorrow, just the four of us sit down and go over the whole thing, we need to talk."

Mornings, I usually helped Sockie prepare breakfast; the saloon didn't officially open until ten, so it was just employees, although lately, we were allowing the kids to sit at the employee table for breakfast only. I liked to make the pan cakes, and eggs which meant an Aunt Jemima buttermilk mix, and scrambled eggs. Once in awhile, someone would ask for "sunny side up" then either Sockie would make them, or they did it themselves,

"No complaints in the chow line," I was fond of saying. On this particular morning I was talking with Craig about progress on the boarding house when Annie squeezed into the kitchen and grabbed the box of pancake mix.

"What's this?"

"Pancake mix, what does it look like?' She began to read the packaging, then asked.

"Where did you get this?"

"At the grocery store,"

"Grocery store, what's that? Hey look you're burning the damn eggs; don't you know how to cook?"

"He usually does fine until you came in here," shot back Sockie. Annie refused to take the hint and leave, but just kept reading the box.

"You didn't get this at no general store, where'd it come from?"

"Why do you care?" I replied, "But if you must know, it's a pancake mix, everything you need but water in which case I like to use milk, Frazier Moss has a couple cows now, that's who we buy the milk from."

"Well if you won't tell me, I know Montana will," snipped Annie.

"Fine, go ask her but don't be surprised if she doesn't."

Caleb came in and announced that his chores were done but that Kitty and Annie needed to go to town, then later it would be Mrs. Yancy, and Montana.

"Looks like you're going to need a chauffer's license with all this ferrying back and forth Caleb." He didn't get the joke and apparently thought I was upset,

"Well they've all asked me to take them Mr. Yankton!" Grinning at him I replied,

"I'm just kidding you Caleb, as long as they are paying you." As he started for the table I quickly added,

"Before you go Caleb, I need to talk to you for a moment, stop by my cabin.

Breakfast was always a good time in Purgatory, everyone always had something to say, issues and problems were discussed stories told, although since the children had been coming to the table, Montana had asked her "girls" to refrain from talking about their "customers." I'm sure there would be those would object to children sitting next to whores, but this was the west, it's just the way things were. Kitty, Maggie, and now Annie, never swore or said anything out of place when Inge or Steinar were around. Caleb was a little different story, everyone knew by now his situation, but even around him they watched their mouths. At one point, during the meal, Maggie asked me,

"When is your sister coming back, we miss her jokes." I was trying to keep my sister out of any discussions as I didn't want Annie becoming curious, but that wasn't to be. I could see Annie start to ask Maggie and Kitty about her, then Narcissa had to get into the act and ask questions of her own, it wasn't long before demands were being levied against me.

Montana and Melonie were smirking at me, Mark was grinning, and Jake wasn't here to stand up for his "Dear Melinda."

Standing up, I announced,

"Melinda won't be here for at least another couple of weeks, Craig tells me we've got to wrap up the foundation and brickwork on the boarding house. I wouldn't worry though, she'll be missing Jake, so she'll be around." It was no good, Pandora's Box had been opened, this time however it was Narcissa who spoke up.

"I take it your sister is back east, still two weeks seems like a long time to travel here."

Well, she asked for it, now she was going to get it.

"My sister isn't back east, she lives down in Deadwood." Mark, Montana, and even Melonie had that look'

"Well you've put your foot in it now; let's see you dig yourself out of this one!"

Holding up my hand, I announced,

"Annie, Narcissa, I can tell you both have questions. Well, they'll have to wait, everyone else knows why my sister can't come, you two are unfortunately out of the loop. When she does come, all your questions will be answered…Maybe, but like I told Melonie here, prepare to be scandalized, and that's all I've got to say on that subject for now." This didn't sit well with the two women only making them even more curious about my sister, pestering me with more questions, until Klara held up her hand calling for attention.

"Please you two just be patient I was as you are once, I had questions as well, I still do, however a certain leap of faith must be acquired before anything makes sense. Be patient ladies, the answers will come."

This seemed to shut them up, and with breakfast being over, people started to projects and tasks of their own. I then called Mark and Melonie into Montana's office along with Montana, where I apologized to Mel.

"I'm so sorry Mel, Montana told me of the anguish you've been suffering, I had no idea…"

Mark immediately spoke,

"It's not your fault Brian, I'm probably more to blame here, but Mel and I got it all out in the open last night, but it looks like I won't be going with you on anymore gold deliveries. Although as I told Mel here, it doesn't mean that if something unusual comes up I wont go, but I explained to her the bond we have, and why I do these things." Looking at Melonie who had tears on her cheeks, I said,

All the same, I'm sorry Mel, I just didn't know, are we friends again?" Melonie started smiling,

"We always were friends silly, it took me awhile to understand my own feelings towards Mark, I don't want to tie him down, or smother him…I" Montana then broke in.

"Melonie, Brian and I had our own talk last night, I think Brian and Mark realize they have responsibilities now, people who love and depend on them. Without putting too fine a point on things I believe we now have a simple understanding."

Basically what Montana was saying was,

"You're off the hook for now, but no more running around acting like irresponsible boys."

"Well the reason all this has come about is because in order to get this place to a point where we can make money is making money. Unfortunately, buildings cost money, and a lot of it. The good news is that all we have left to build is the single men's barracks. Everything else is now covered; however you ladies must realize that if we don't bring in the kind of money required, you two are going to make less money. Now that will have no bearing on your accounts in the future, but we've been over that before."

"It doesn't matter," replied Melonie, "We'd rather have you two near us, we'll get by."

"Very well," I said, "Just so we all understand each other." Montana then went over the expense report indicating we were at the break even point.

"With Narcissa and Annie here," she explained, "we should slowly start showing a profit. I haven't factored income from the boarding house and men's barracks until we actually see how many boarders we actually get, and rents can be adjusted."

"As long as everyone fully understands what the loss of income from these gold runs will mean I'm comfortable with it." We seemed to have a consensus, so the meeting broke up with Melonie announcing to Montana,

"Sorry Montana, I'm going to give your man a big hug and kiss." With that, she swept up to me wrapped her arms around my neck and planted a big kiss on my cheek.

My next stop was a meeting with Caleb, something I wasn't looking forward to. He was already waiting for me at my tent cabin.

"Let's go inside some, got some things to talk about,"

"Am I in trouble Mr. Yankton?" He asked.

"No Caleb, you're just fine, get enough for breakfast?"

"Yes sir, you make good hot cakes!"

"Well thank you Caleb. Caleb, I've got some bad news for you son." Caleb sat on my bunk, looked at me, then put his head down.

"It's about my ma isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so son, your mom is dead, that man sheriff Bullock had with him was the one who murdered her, but he's dead now, let the dead bury the dead, son." Caleb put his face in his hands or a moment, then softly started humming a song, before breaking out into words.

"Sorrow and care,

Frowns and grey hair. So smile my baby bonnie,

Laugh my baby beauty, what will time do you?

Furrow your cheek, wrinkle your neck, so laugh my baby deary, laugh."

She used to sing that to me," said Caleb, tears in his eyes.

"I can remember her crying a lot." I put my hand on his shoulder,

"I'm so sorry son, really I am, if you just want to be alone I'll understand."

"I'll be alright sir," he sniffed, "We didn't see much of each other anymore, ma's in a better place now."

"I'll tell you what son, we'll go find her grave, I'll make sure she's got a good stone, and we can put some flowers on her grave." Caleb looked up at me,

"Thank you sir, I'd like that."

"Caleb, you're on your own now son, and everything I told you earlier, still stands. Life is what you make of it, do your parents proud, I think you have the makings of an exceptional young man; you've got friends here, people that care a lot about you. One thing though, all I ask is that you promise to never lie to me, or anyone here. You might get into trouble, but nowhere near the trouble you'll get if I find you're lying to me, is that understood?"

"Yes sir, er I mean Mr. Yankton." Smiling, I tussled his hair,

"Caleb, I will never lie to you either, if you ever have a problem, or need someone to talk with I'll be here for you, by the way, did you apologize to Steinar?"

"Yes sir,"

"That's good, perhaps now you can understand how he feels loosing your mother, to understand how another feels is one of the marks of growing up. Your having to do it quicker than most, but we're all here for you Caleb." We then talked about me taking him out shooting, making money doing extra jobs, and the horse I promised him.

"Well I won't keep you son, you've got a bunch of women wanting to get to town," We both laughed at that one.