Andrew Valencia - Lord of California

Well, of course. They ran the farms in his absence. No way we could compete with that.

I picked up the wine bottle and refilled her glass. It was good that she was feeling resentful. Rather have that than tears. No one’s going to squeeze you out if I can help it, I said. You’ve got as much right to a share as any of them.

I know. But how do I get the others to agree?

You don’t need to worry about it right this second. You’ve been through an ordeal you didn’t deserve. Right now you need to rest up and get your strength back. You have another glass of wine and get yourself a hot bath. There’s a lock on the bathroom door, so no one’ll disturb you. I’ll bring your suitcase in from the car so you have something clean to change into. Tonight you’ll sleep in my bed and I’ll bunk with the girls.

Dawn drew her lips into a straight line and wiped the corners of her eyes. How old are you again, Ellie?

Thirteen. Fourteen in September.

She shook her head. Thirteen. Lord. If I was already as grown-up as you when I was your age, I don’t think I would’ve ended up in this mess. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, and don’t let anyone tell you different.

I don’t intend to.

Dawn took the wine bottle with her into the bathroom. I waited until I could hear the water running in the tub before making my move for the telephone. It was an old landline model with a cordless receiver—the last of the cell phone towers in the valley had shut down around the time I was eight. I took Mama’s address book out onto the porch and dialed Katie’s number. It rang three times before one of her sons answered.

This is Ellie, Sandra’s girl. Is this Logan?

It’s Will. How you doing, sis?

Fine. Is your mom at home?

Sure. Just a sec.

I heard Will call for his mother, and then a muffled exchange of words leading up to Katie’s voice coming through on the line.

Morning, Ellie. How’s it going, babe?

Hi, Katie. Sorry to bother you, but this couldn’t wait.

It’s no trouble. What happened? Is your mama all right?

She’s fine, but Dawn is here trying her damnedest not to break down crying.

I explained everything to her the same way it had been laid out to me, about Daddy and the loans, the squandered deposit, the severance pay, and Dawn’s painful trip down the valley. Katie didn’t say a word, just listened with her slow breathing rustling in my ear. She even waited a few seconds after I was done talking before jumping in.

That poor girl, she said. I wish she’d come to me with this. Tried my hardest to prove to you all that you could trust me.

She trusts you, I said. She’s just afraid of what’ll happen when the others find out.

So am I to be honest. Jennifer and Claudia are already on the fence about going in on the co-op. This is only going to discourage them even more.

We might have bigger problems on our hands than what to do about Dawn.

If you know something else, honey, then spill it.

I glanced through the kitchen window and carried the phone down the steps to the drive. Way I see it, if Daddy could take out loans on the Merced farm without Dawn finding out, he could’ve done the same to all of us. We could be sitting on a pile of debt and not even know it.

Lord, Katie said. That’d put a wrench in everything.

I know it. That’s why we’ve all got to check to see how much of our deposits are left intact. I’ll find a way to do it without Mama knowing, you work on Claudia and Jennifer.

You mean to say you haven’t told your mama any of this?

No, and I don’t plan to until we know for sure what there is to tell. I’ve already got one worry-sick widow to deal with, I don’t need two.

Right. I guess you should do what you think is best.

I will. And you should get on the others right away. Sooner we know how much we have to work with, sooner we can plan our next steps.

The ag bureau opens tomorrow at nine a.m. Should be able to check the balance before noon. I’ll make the calls to Jen and Claudia tonight.

Good. And there’s something else I’d like you to keep in mind.

What’s that, hon?

I was walking down the drive to the Mitsubishi, the sun already stinging my face as early as it was. It was going to be one of those dry, miserable summer days in the valley, with a cloudless blue sky faded partly white, where even the breeze on your skin felt hot. I opened up the backseat and heaved Dawn’s suitcase onto the ground. There were so many stones leading up to the house, I knew the pullout handle and wheels wouldn’t count for much.

Do you take my word seriously?

Sorry?

I know I’m young. But do you care about what I have to say?

Another long pause on the line. Of course I do, Katie said. As much as I care about what anyone has to say.

All right. Then you should know that, whatever happens, I won’t stand by and see Dawn cut out of the deal. You may think it’s not my place to decide, but I’ve been hurt by Daddy as much as any of the women he was married to, and I say Dawn deserves a piece of whatever we manage to get. It’s not her fault that Daddy left her without a leg to stand on. Nor is it to our credit if it turns out he left us flush. This co-op idea wasn’t supposed to be about money and company shares. It’s supposed to be about raising ourselves up alongside the only other people in the world who know where we’re coming from. If I’ve got the wrong idea about that, then I’m not sure I want Mama getting us involved with it. And you know I could probably persuade her either way.

Yeah, honey, she said. I know you could.

All right. Just so we’re clear.

We’re clear. You look after your mama and Dawn, let me worry about Claudia and Jennifer. I’ll be in touch when I have their answers.

Sounds good. Talk to you soon.

Bye, honey.

Goodbye.

I pulled the suitcase up to the porch one step at a time. The house was dead quiet when I came in, which likely meant Jessie and Gracie had been making too much noise right up to the moment they heard me open the door. I left Dawn’s luggage outside the bathroom and went to check on Mama. Even with the ceiling fan on at full blast, the air in her bedroom was muggy and stagnant. I was opening the window when Mama poked her head out from under the comforter.

What time is it?

Little after ten, I said. Already hot out.

Did you find something to eat for the girls?

You know I did.

Thank you.

Mama rolled over onto her side. I slipped off my dusty sneakers and climbed into bed next to her.

I love you, Mama, I said, spooning her from the outside.

She took my hand and squeezed it gently. Love you too, kiddo.

Dawn is going to be staying with us for a little while.

Mama lifted her head and turned to face me. What are you talking about?

It’ll only be for a few weeks. She can help look after Jessie and Gracie, and when we get ready to move she can follow us to the new place. It won’t be any trouble.

But why is she here? I don’t understand.

Because sometimes, when you’re learning to stand on your own, you trip and fall instead. That’s when you need a little help getting back on your feet.

Her crusty and bloodshot eyes stared back at me. She scrunched her face together and massaged her forehead like she had a headache. I don’t know what’s happening around here anymore, she said. I just don’t understand it.

I know, Mama, but please trust me. You’ll see. Soon we’ll be living at the new place and everything will get a whole lot easier.

Mama rolled back over and nestled her shoulders against my chest. I folded my hands over hers and rested there with the smell of her hair seeping in with each breath. Mama, Jessie, Gracie, Anthony, and now Dawn. We hadn’t even moved yet and already the list of people I had to look out for was getting longer by the day. Pretty soon it might encompass the entire Temple clan. All those years being dragged to Sunday service, I’d never felt any kinship with the other Baptists assembled in the pews. It took becoming a heathen for me to find my true congregation.