Montana Morning (34 page)

“You should see
all the things piled up at the grange hall.” Will told them over dinner. 
“The auctioneer came by when we were there. He said he’d found another guy to
help him so they could run two sales at once.”

“That much? 
Where did it all come from?” Addy asked, as she poured the coffee.

“Lots of places
you wouldn’t think of.  Addy, did you know Red had an antique car?”

“His dad left it
to him when he passed away.  He’s never done much with it though. Why?”

“He put it in the
auction, and you know Mike Simpson’s wife, Helen? She donated a whole bunch of
antique furniture.”  Will sounded as surprised as they were.

“You are kidding
me, right? Helen Simpson?” Jack was in shock.

“That’s the lady,”
Will assured him.  “You know, Jack, I was having a little trouble
accepting this benefit auction.  Kind of nicked my pride a bit, yours too,
I imagine.  But now that I’ve seen the outpouring of love and concern . .
. well, it’s mighty nice to know all those folks are our friends.  If a
man’s wealth is measured in friends, this family is rich.”

Jack sat staring
into his plate for a long time.  Everyone around the table sat
quietly.  “You’re right, Pops.  We are rich; a lot of good people are
on our side. The least we can do is pray this rain ends by Saturday.” 
They joined hands and prayed next Saturday would be a wonderful sunny day with
friends and family.

 As Addy read
the Bible story that evening, Jack looked around him and smiled.  He
wondered how many men in this world felt as blessed as he did at this moment ,
not many he imagined.  He prayed for Mike Simpson, who in trying his best
to protect his family, was going through such torment, both personally and
professionally. He watched his dad and Scotty as they sat together on the couch. 
His dad was still going strong, and he prayed Will had many years left to share
with them.  Andy, his friend in war and peace, was now a member of this
family as surely as if he’d been born to it; and Addy, his dear sweet Addy, how
truly blessed he was.  He would go to the auction with his head held high
and his heart full of thanksgiving. Jack Kilbourne was one very lucky man, and
he knew it. 

***

It rained all that
night, all day Thursday and on into Friday.  The ground was saturated and
everything around them was green and lush. 

“Looks like the
coast out there,” Andy said, as they sat down for lunch.  “I remember,
when I was a kid, it was like this all the time.  The rain came down, then
when the sun came out it was like a steam bath.”

Scotty came running
in the back door. “Come see the rainbow.  It’s right over the high
meadows!”

The rain was now
only a mist and the rainbow was deep and rich.  “The end is right about
where the line shack is,” Will pointed out to Scotty.

“Suppose there’s a
pot of gold?”  Scotty asked.

“I think we’d have
found it by now, if there was, with all the scrubbing and cleaning we’ve done
up there,” Addy told him, as they returned to the kitchen.  “I’ve been
meaning to ask, Jack, I have all the vegetables frozen and canned we will need,
and there’s still a lot left in the garden.  How would you feel about
cleaning out the garden this evening and taking the extra to the auction
tomorrow?  We could put it on a ‘gleaning table’.”

“What’s a gleaning
table?” Scotty asked, as he took his second sandwich.

“It’s a place you
put your surplus, to share with others who have less. It’s free for the
taking.”

“That is one fine
idea,” Will said, as he smiled across at her.  “I’ll help you clean out
the garden.”

“Me too,” Scotty
chimed in.

“We’d better get
started right after lunch,” Jack suggested.  “I was out there the other
day and there’s a lot of produce.  Scotty, you and Addy grew one heck of a
garden; I’m real proud of you.”

***

When they arrived
at the auction early the next morning, a large crowd was already on hand.

Andy and Scotty
unloaded the produce from the truck, putting up a tarp style tent to shade it
from the sun. Scotty hung the sign he had made, and Will took a note from Addy
explaining the ‘gleaning table’ to the auctioneer so he could announce
it.  Jack and Addy headed for the kitchen.

“Oh Addy, all
these baked goods?  We didn’t expect so much,” Shelley said, as she took
the pies from Addy’s hands.

“I know.  I
wanted to,” Addy assured them as Jack sat the big box on the counter. “Now,
what can I do to help around here?”

“I’m heading back
to see if Andy and Scotty have gotten that tent up.” Jack squeezed Addy’s hand
and left.

The half dozen
women standing in the room looked at each other and then John Tompkins wife
stepped forward.  “Addy, there is not one woman in this room who hasn’t
been, at one point or another in her marriage, in your shoes.  It’s really
hard for our men to accept help from their friends, and I suspect harder for
Jack than most.  We can handle things here just fine; today your place is
with Jack.” 

Addy could feel
the tears sliding down her cheeks. These women were true friends.  She
looked around the room as she wiped the tears away. “I don’t know how to thank
you.”

Shelley gave her a
hug.  “Go stand by your man,” she sang.  The women burst into
laughter and Addy left shaking her head.
Hearts of gold and sense of humors
too.   What a wonderful bunch.’

Addy and Jack were
wandering around the grounds visiting with folks and thanking them for coming
when a hush fell over the crowd. They turned to see Mike and Helen Simpson
walking towards them, hand in hand.  Addy smiled so broadly she thought
her face would break.  She and Jack called to them and went to meet them.
“I’m so happy to see you!” Addy exclaimed and looked down at their clasped
hands.  “Especially like this.”

“Helen told me
about your visit, Addy.” Mike said, as he reached out to shake Jack’s hand.
“Right after she told me about the affair I was having.”  He grinned at
Helen and shook his head.

“What on earth are
you talking about?” Jack asked the others.  They were sharing a joke and
he wasn’t in on it.

“The friend who
made me late to lunch,” Addy explained, “was Helen.”

“Ah!” Jack was
beginning to understand.

“It’s a long story
and Addy can explain it to you later, but right now I have something very
important to do, if you’ll excuse me,” Mike said and turned to his wife. 
“Honey, do you want to stay here?”

“No, my place is
with you, especially now.” Helen said, and she winked at Addy as they turned to
walk away.

“What was that all
about?” Jack asked quietly.

“True love and
misunderstandings.” Addy smiled, as she watched the Simpsons approach the
auctioneer.  “I’ll explain later,” she said as she slid her arm around his
waist.  “Do you mind? In public, I mean.”

Jack gave her a
squeeze. “Not at all; I kind of like being the envy of every man here.”

“Honestly!” she
smirked.  “You’re impossible.”

“Ladies and
gentlemen, if I might have your attention please.” Mike Simpson had the auctioneer’s
microphone in his hand and a murmur ran through the crowd.  Helen stepped
forward and took his hand in hers.  “My name is Mike Simpson, and for
those of you who don’t know, I’m the area manager of  Western Pacific Meat
Packing.  I arrived home late last night from a trip back to our home
office; while I was there, I leveled with the top brass about this boycott and
the reason behind it.  I can’t imagine why, but they have asked me to stay
on the payroll, and given me permission to proceed with my plan to bring this
boycott to an end.”

The crowd was so
quiet you could hear nothing except the meadowlarks in the surrounding
fields.  The ranchers turned and glanced at Jack and back to the man
speaking to them.

 “As of ten
o’clock last night, Randy Mueller is no longer working for Western Pacific; he
was fired with no letter of recommendation.” Mike glanced down at Helen and
continued, “I’m sure you can all appreciate, that while this has been a very
trying time for your families, it has been for my family as well. The ranching
community plays a major part in the economic well-being of this area, as does
Western Pacific.  It is time to move forward.  I propose to meet with
the ranchers as early as Tuesday and am willing to pay top dollar for livestock;
Top dollar to all producers of quality livestock, regardless of the size of
operation.  What I’m saying is this,  this auction is a worthy cause
and now you can really afford to support it.”

 The crowd
roared. Addy and Jack watched as folks hugged, slapped each other on the back
and celebrated unabashedly.  “I can’t believe it’s over,” Jack said
simply, as they walked away from the crowd and down the gravel road. “I’d begun
to think it would never end.”

“Sometimes
standing up for what you believe, what you know to be the right thing, is very
difficult.”   
              

“We all knew that
when we took our stand, but somehow I think we gained more than we lost. 
The ranchers have a sense of community we haven’t had for a long time.  We
stuck together and not one place went under, at least not for the third and
final time,” Jack chuckled. 

They stopped
walking and looked back at the crowd.  “I suppose we should head
back.  I just wanted some time alone with you, to sort things out in my
head.”

“I’m glad.  I
want to be here, walking by your side.”

***

The auctionee’rs
voices rang loud and clear.  The sale went on and on, breaking only for
lunch. By the time the last trailer was loaded and folks were heading home, it
was almost dark. 

“I don’t suppose
there’s a thing left to eat around here,” Will groused.  “My big guts are
starting to eat on my little ones.”

“Sorry, there
isn’t even a crumb left.” Shelley said, as she looked around the kitchen. 
“What a crowd.  What a day.  I haven’t worked this hard in years.”

“Look what I
found!” Jack came through the door with a box of apples.  “The only thing
left on the ‘gleaning table’.”

“That was a
special idea, Addy,” Jeff told her, as he polished an apple on his shirt. “You
gave away a whole pickup load of food, and a lot of people love that fresh home
grown taste.”

“Let’s go sit at
the tables under the trees.  It’s still hot in here,” Seth said, as he
grabbed another apple. 

 They all sat
enjoying the quiet and watching the sunset; the only sound was the apples crunching
and the meadowlarks singing in the background.

“Couldn’t believe
Mike Simpson today,” Will broke the silence.  “Takes a mighty big man to
admit when he’s been wrong, in front of that many people, and he did it with
style.”

“He’s basically a
nice man,” Addy said as she bit off another piece of apple.

“Well, a whole lot
of folks have a heap more respect for him, after today,” Andy mumbled as he
swiped Scotty’s newly polished apple.

“Hey.”

“You’re younger
than I am, and I’m a whole lot of tired,” Andy explained, as Scotty got up to
get another one.

“A lot of folks
will be relieved to get their cattle sold before fall.  We sure didn’t
want to feed them through another winter.” Jeff glanced over at his wife.

“Couldn’t afford
to,” Seth put in, “and Simpson knew it.”

“All I know is
I’ll be mighty relieved to have those critters sold and off the place.” John
Tompkins admitted and then turned to Jeff, “How much do you think we cleared on
this auction?”

“No idea. 
The auctioneer said he’d deposit the money in Jack’s account on Monday. 
Biggest auction in years, he said.”

“You know,
fellows,” Jack got up and stood behind Addy.  “I’ve been dreading this day
every day for the past two weeks.  Goes to show you, doesn’t it?  I
think I’ll look back on this day as one of the best in my life.”

“And one of the
longest, I’m pooped.  Can we head for home?” Will sighed and rubbed his
legs.

“I’ll second that
motion.  My feet hurt.” Addy winked up at Will.  “I think I could
sleep for a month.”

“And sleep through
our wedding day?” Jack teased. “No way, Woman.”

Addy sat in the
window seat watching the first rays of sunshine creep over the mountains. 
The first day of September had brought the first frost and the trees were
turning color.  The nights were cold and crisp, the days filled with warm
sunshine.  Jack had asked Mike Simpson to deal with all the smaller
ranches first, figuring he had a better chance of having enough feed to last
the winter than they would have. Mike and Helen had been here yesterday, and
they had a wonderful visit. Thankfully, Mike had contracted for all the cattle
Jack wanted to sell and at top dollar. They would be shipping cattle in about
two weeks; around the same time Fred started the logging. 
‘Maggie is
right, there is never a dull moment around here,’
she mused as she sipped
her hot chocolate.

“Morning Addy,”
Will said, as he poured a hot cup of coffee and joined her in the window seat.
“I called the jewelers like you asked; the ring you ordered is done.  I’ll
pick it up tomorrow morning.” Will sat and studied her face. “Tomorrow is the
big day.  Are you ready?”

“I’m ready, Will,”
she assured him as she took his hand.  “Do you know how much I’ve come to
love this family?”

“You’re a part of
us, Addy.  You know, I knew you would be, that first day when I saw you
walking up the sidewalk with my son, laughing and smiling up at him; and when
you fixed up my room,” the tears welled in his eyes, “I knew I’d love you as
much as I’ve ever loved any woman, except Emily.  You’re the daughter I
never had,” Will said, as he drew her into his
arms.           

  Jack
stopped at the bottom of the stairs and watched them hold each other, with
their tears flowing freely, unashamed.   He gave them a few minutes
and then roared, “Unhand my woman!” as he walked into the kitchen.