Authors: JEAN AVERY BROWN
There was a rap at the door. There stood Juan holding an over filled plate of food. Ella unlocked the door. Juan scooted passed Ella putting the food on the counter.
“Dinner was delicious Ms. Ella. I tried to keep it warm for you? You gonna need me for anything else Ms. Ella?” Juan asked.
“No, Juan you go home and be with Maria and Jose.”
“I’ll do just that if you don’t need me.” .
“Scat, get outta here you hear me.” Ella said showing Juan to the door and again locking it.
The town was quiet for the most part. Occasionally a car drove down Main Street. After Ella finished her dinner she buried her head in her books. Thoughts of what might have been or what could have been raced through her mind. Where was Phil Young, is he still married, where does he work? Questions that often run through Ella’s head.
A sudden knocking on the door brought Ella out of deep thought.
“What! Who can that be? She turned the switch off on the lamp at her desk. The knocking didn’t stop. Ella’s father taught her how to handle a gun when
she was young. She always carried a small ‘22’ pistol in her purse. Where’s my purse, she looked around grabbed the purse and found the gun at the bottom. The knocking stopped. Her body shaking she walked to the door and didn’t see anyone. In the distance she saw vehicle coming her way. A red truck pulled up in front of the shop. Ella was relieved when Juan jumped from his truck. Juan started up the steps when he heard a voice coming from the dark of the night.
“Sir, can you help us?” A voice without a face asked.
“Who’s there?” Juan said as he turned toward the voice.
“My friend and I escaped from a van. We came here from Mexico. Carlos said.
“Stay out of sight, just a moment.” Juan instructed as he knocked on the door…..”Ella! He called out.
Ella made her way to the door allowing Juan to enter. “Juan, someone was knocking on the door before you drove up.” Ella said as she opened the door locking it behind him.
“No, Ma’am it was two Mexican men. They told me they escaped from the ’coyotes’. They need a place to hide.” Ms. Ella can we help them?”
“Yes, of course let them in.”
Juan opened the door and called into the dark. “Come in here. We will help you.”
Carlos and Luis ran into the shop a place of refuge.
“Thank you so much.” Their hearts were pounding from running scared.
The young men were totally exhausted and the stench from their bodies filled the shop.
“Which way did the van go?” Ella asked looking up and down the street through the front window.
“We saw the green van go down the street a couple of times. The last time it went that way.” Carlos said pointing up Main Street.
“Juan you stay here with the men. I’m going to drive around town and to see if I can spot the van.” Ella said.
“You want me to go looking Ms. Ella?” Juan asked.
“No, they won’t suspect me in the old station wagon.” Ella assured him.
“As you say, Ms. Ella. Don’t do anything foolish.”
“Don’t worry about me; I’m the biggest chicken ever.” Ella said.
Ella got in her station wagon driving the streets she looked at each cross street. She couldn’t find the green van. There’s a section of run down homes on the outskirts of town. Ella decided they might be there. She made a U-turn. As she turned on Ninth Street her lights caught the reflection from a tail light on a van in the distance parked in a driveway. She turned her lights off and let the car idle its way up the street. She stopped about three house lots from the house and turned the engine off. She got out of the car. What I am doing, she thought. All common sense faded from her mind. A spurt of adrenalin rushed through her body. She took the gun from her purse and tucked it in her waist and scurried across the street. She quietly moved in closer. There was yelling and begging coming from the house. One window had slit in the shade. Ella
stepped closer to the window. There lying on the floor was a Mexican man tied like a steer at a rodeo.
A man with a beer in his hand was kicking and cursing the defenseless man. Ella could only see the man from the waist down. She could see his belly hung over his waist and his hands belonged to a white man. He repeatedly kicked the poor man.
“I should blow your ‘friggin’ head off for letting the two men escape. You should have told Pedro or Jorge when they jumped from the van.” The husky man said.
Another Mexican man walked into the room. Ella got a good look at him from the slit in the shade. He assaulted the defenseless man and walked out of the room.
As Ella started to move back from the window she stepped on a dry branch and it snapped. She couldn’t move she was frozen to the wall of the house.
“What the hell was that?” The husky man yelled.
The adrenalin kicked in and Ella ran as fast as lightning streaking across the night sky in a storm. A couple lots away she fell in a muddy hole and didn’t move. A flashlight shined across the empty lots. The light didn’t spot Ella. The man cursed and turned the flashlight off. Ella managed to pull herself from the muddy hole. Limping she made her way back to the station wagon. She started up the engine and slowly backed away from the drop-house.
Ella drove back to the shop wondering why Juan returned after dropping off her dinner. The shop was dark when Ella drove up front. She knocked at the door.
“Juan, open the door.” Ella yelled. Juan opened the door letting Ella in and immediately locked the door.
“Juan, where are the young men?” Ella asked.
“They are sleeping in the back room. What shall we do?” Juan asked.
“I don’t know, let me think.. They can sleep here tonight. Do you know when the farmer’s truck will be here?” Ella asked Juan.
“Day after tomorrow I think.” Juan said.
“Okay, we have to keep them safe. It’s best we take them to the house. They can sleep in the garage. Tomorrow you can stay at home and do some yard work. I wouldn’t leave them there with Maria home alone. We don’t know them.” Ella told Juan.
“Ms Ella, why are your jeans so dirty and why do you have that gun in your waist?” Juan asked.
“Oh my god, I forgot it was there. She pulled the gun from her waist. Put it in her purse and didn’t answer Juan. “I have lots to tell you, Juan. Ella locked up shop and the four headed to Ella’s.
Ella found two sleeping bags to sleep in and a couple of blow up rafts in the garage for Carlos and Luis to sleep on. Ella had them come in the back through the wash room to clean up. Juan brought two sets of clothes down for Carlos and Luis.
“I’ll throw their clothes in the washer.” Juan said.
While the young men were getting cleaned up Maria fixed them a plate of leftovers from the pot roast dinner she and her family enjoyed earlier that evening.
“Thank you so much ma’am.” The two young men told Maria. “This food is very good.”
Carlos and Luis retired for the night. Not knowing what their tomorrow would bring. Day after tomorrow they will catch the farmer’s truck and go on to the farm?” They were very thankful for Juan and Ella’s help. They will spread the word about the good people at the flower shop in Coopersville.
Ella and Juan talked into the wee hours of the morning. Wondering what they should do. Ella shared with Juan the activities going on at the drop-house she found that night. She knows Sheriff Brady hasn’t done much about finding out what happened to Paul and Nellie. She doesn’t feel they can turn the drop-house location into the sheriff.
FOURTEEN
The next morning Maria prepared a nice breakfast for everyone.
“Senorita Maria, this is very good, we really appreciate your kindness.” Carlos said.
“You’re welcome.” Maria said as she passed the jam around the table.
“One night we like you were knocking on Ms. Ella’s shop door she took us in. She’s an angel sent from heaven to help us.” Maria told the young men.
“I believe that is true, she is an angel.” Luis said between bites.
“It is true, you can count on that.” Juan agreed with the others.
“Enough of that talk,’ Ella said. “I just do what I think is right. Carlos, you and Luis spend the day here. I suggest you stay mostly in the backyard in case someone drives by. I don’t want anyone to see you. They might have too many questions.” Ella told them.
“We understand Ms. Ella.” Carlos said. “We will be on our way tomorrow morning to the fields. We’re excited about being in this country. We plan to work hard and make a better life. There is no way we can repay you for your kindness.” Carlos said.
“Carlos, Luis remembers this you can pay me back by helping someone you see in need.” Ella said as she pushed her chair back from the table. Ella dabbed the corner of her mouth and laid her napkin on her plate. Politely excusing herself she stood up and asked Juan to walk her to the car. Juan and Ella made their way to Ella’s car. When they got to the car Ella leaned back on the fender and asked Juan. “Why did you come back to the shop last night?”
“It was sorta a gut feeling. You know how you feel when you have a feeling you should do something. I was having the truck serviced at the truck stop. I overheard a couple guys talking about a new drop-house. I remembered back when my family and I were in need, you took us in. Something just came over me to get back to the shop.”
“I’m glad you came back. I was so scared my body was trembling. Do you mind tomorrow morning early taking Carlos and Luis to meet the farmer’s truck?” Ella asked.
“I would be happy to Ms. Ella, they are my brothers. They come from the same life I came from. Not knowing if tomorrow there would be food to eat. Or, where we can find work. Some of the people’s homes have dirt floors; some don’t have a bed to sleep on. Many don’t have electricity or even a bathroom. We took showers with a hose in the back yard. We are poor people looking for a better life. We know it is wrong to come without the proper papers but we could never afford to get the paperwork taken care of. We just hope we can be a part of this great country. We don’t want a hand out we want to work and make our own way.” Juan said choking back the tears.
Ella put her arm around Juan’s shoulder and said. “You’ve made it to the promise land. It’s up to you what you do with your opportunity.” Ella said giving Juan a pat on the back.
“I must get to the shop, there is much to do.” Ella remarked
Ella made her way to the shop just in time to meet a delivery truck. A young man put his hand out as he introduced himself.
“Hi, I’m Tony and my boss told me to stop and get acquainted with the owner. Are you the owner?” Tony asked as he reached to shake Ella’s hand.