Percival Everett - Wounded

“We’re sorry,” I said.

“Well, you got that right.”

“My mother always gave the horses carrots on Christmas.”

Gus softened. “And a fine tradition it is.”

The phone rang. Gus answered it. “He’s right here,” he said.

Morgan looked worried.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I said. I took the phone from Gus. “Hello.”

“Hi, John, it’s me, David.”

I was thrown. It took me a second to realize it was Howard’s David. “David, how are you? Happy holiday.”

“Merry Christmas,” he said. He sounded subdued.

“So, how are things?”

“Okay,” he said. “Well, not so hot.”

“I’m sorry. Problems with your folks?”

“No, nothing like that. John, would you mind if I came out there and worked at your place next semester? I’m going to take some time off.”

I was really caught off guard now. “Hold on for a second,” I said. I slapped my hand over the mouthpiece. “It’s David,” I said to Gus and Morgan. “He wants to come here for the semester.”

Gus made a face.

“Is he okay?” Morgan asked.

I put the phone back to my ear. “David, are you all right?”

“Robert and I broke up,” he said.

“You broke up?” I repeated for the benefit of Morgan and Gus.

“He cheated on me. He slept with one of our friends.”

“That’s awful.” I could hear his pain. “It’s cold as hell out here, but you’re welcome to come out. I do need to build a shed and put up some fencing.”

“I’ll work hard.”

“I know you will, son,” I said.

“I thought I’d fly into Denver and take the bus up to Highland on the 28th. I don’t have it all figured out.”

“Of December?”

“Is that too early? It’s just that I really want to get out of here.”

“No, that’s fine. Just call and tell me when to meet you,” I said. He agreed to that and I hung up. “Is that okay?” I asked Morgan.

“What happened?” she asked.

“That Robert-boyfriend-guy slept with someone else, one of their friends. He sounded awful. Love trouble.”

“Of course it’s all right if he comes here,” she said.

“He can’t talk to his father?” Gus said.

“I think it’s great that he thought he could call you,” Morgan said. “He needs to be able to talk to somebody.”

“I suppose.” I sat at the table, slouched, and stared up at the ceiling. “I guess this is okay. Sure, it will be fine. I should give Howard a call, though, let him know where his kid is going to be. That sound right?”

“Yes,” Morgan said.

The first thing Howard said when he was apprised of the situation was, “Why did he call you and not me?”

“You two have had your problems,” I said.

“But I’m his father.”

“That’s true and maybe that’s what makes it so hard. I don’t know. I just thought I’d let you know he’s going to be here.”

“What exactly happened?”

“I don’t know,” I lied. “He said he needed to take some time off from school and said he wanted to work here on the ranch for a while.”

“He didn’t say why?”

I couldn’t bring myself to lie again or didn’t believe I would do it effectively, so I said, “He’s arriving later this week.”

“You think I’ve pushed him away by disapproving of his lifestyle?” he said.

I didn’t lie this time. “That’s probably true.”

Howard was silent for a few seconds. “Thanks for calling to let me know. You’re a good friend, John.”

“Sure thing.”

Dinner was wonderful, even without the glazed carrots. The moose steaks were sweet and tender, Gus’s dressing was moist and peppery, and the sweet potatoes were covered with little melted marshmallows. Then there were the Brussels sprouts. Gus made up small plates of moose meat for Zoe and the puppy. The dogs finished their treat in a matter of seconds and looked up for more.

“If the horses can have their Christmas meal, then so can the dogs,” he said. Then he sat down and lowered his head.

Morgan glanced to me. It looked like Gus was praying before his meal, but he never did that.

“Gus?” I asked.

He raised his head and looked at us.

“Are you all right?” Morgan asked.

“A little dizzy, queasy all of a sudden,” he said.

“Have some water.” I handed him his water glass.

“Maybe it’s the wine I drank earlier,” he said. “I shouldn’t have had any, but I sneaked a sip.”

“Still dizzy?”

“A little.”

“That’s it, we’re going to the hospital,” I said, pulling my napkin from my lap and putting it on the table.

“No, it’s going away,” he said.

I looked across the table at Morgan. She was terrified.

“Gus,” I started.

But he cut me off. “I’m going to stretch out on the sofa. If I don’t feel better in a few minutes, then you can take me in.”

“Okay,” I agreed.

I helped him up and he walked fairly steadily into the den and to the sofa. I stood there staring down at him, feeling useless.

“You go finish dinner,” he said. “I didn’t toil over that damn stove all day so no one would enjoy it.”

“I’ll come back in a few minutes.”

In the kitchen, Morgan was pacing. I knew that she was reliving that last day with her mother. “We have to take him in,” she said.

“Let’s give him the couple of minutes he asked for,” I said. I wasn’t certain it was the wisest course, but I didn’t want to upset him. “Just a couple minutes.”

We sat down, but we didn’t eat.

Gus came into the room. “I said for you two to eat.” He walked, fairly steadily on his own, to the sink where he poured himself a glass of water. “I’m an old man. These spells happen. I feel better now.”

“You’re sure?” Morgan said.

Gus nodded. “You eat. I’m going to go upstairs and rest.”

“Need help?” I asked.

“Eat!”

“Okay, but tomorrow, we’re going to see the doctor,” I said.

“All right.”

All Gus told me after his visit to the doctor was that there had to be an adjustment in his blood-pressure medication and that he’d have to go down to Laramie for tests in a couple weeks. He’d also been prescribed a few other things, but as usual his dealings with his physician were kept close to him. While we waited at the pharmacy for the drugs, the sheriff walked in.

“Bucky,” I said. I didn’t rise from the green vinyl seat.

“Hey, John. Merry Christmas. How you doing, Gus?”

Gus nodded. The old man had always been cool when it came to the sheriff. I thought at times that it was simply the badge, at others that there was in fact something about Bucky that put him off.

“Did Daniel White Buffalo give you a call?” I asked.

“He did. And I drove out there and I saw it and I don’t know what the hell to do. That’s the skinny.”

“What do you think?”

“What is there to think? I hope they’re passing through. I hope lightning strikes them.” He looked over at the sound of the bell on the door. “All I know is this is going to be my last term.”

“Daniel’s pretty upset,” I said.

“I don’t blame him,” Bucky said. “What about you?”

“What about me?’

“Are you upset?”

“Yeah, I’m upset,” I said. “Don’t you think I should be upset?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

The pharmacist came over, and Gus got up to talk to him.

“How’s Morgan?” Bucky asked.

“She’s okay,” I said. “She’s at her place trying to close it up. We moved her animals to my place a couple weeks ago. I have to tell you, this stuff scares her.”

Bucky nodded. “I’ll have Hanks swing by your place periodically. I’ve got someone doing the same thing at White Buffalo’s.”