Old Stone Chapter 5

Author’s Note: If you would like to read previous chapters of “Old Stone,” you can find them here:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

The characters are as follows:
Vera Rose – mother
Erin Rose – 17 year old, daughter and oldest sister
Charlie Rose – 14 year old, daughter and middle sister
Kyree Rose – 10 year old, daughter and youngest sister
Tobin Lindor – old friend of Vera’s

I hope you will enjoy the story…

POV: Erin Rose, 17 years old

Days flew by, and Mama and Mr. Lindor seemed to get closer and closer. I didn’t like it, but I didn’t know what I could do about it either. Charlie and Kyree never seemed to find any fault with him.

When he invited us to his mountain house, Mama looked like she was floating on air and told him yes before she even talked to us girls about it. What was it about the toupée-wearing man that made her so happy? I just couldn’t fathom it. He was nothing like Daddy.

I tried a couple of things to get out of it. The first idea I had was to tell Mama we must have caught him in a lie.

“How do you figure?” she’d asked, her brow furrowed as she kneaded some bread dough. Her fingers were crooked, knuckles swollen, with arthritis, but somehow, her hands were still strong.

“Well, he invited us to his mountain home? He told me he had a ranch not even three miles down the road from our farm.”

Mama smiled at me, her expression the same as someone who has to explain something obvious to a little baby. “The mountain house is his vacation home.”

Grrr… Vacation home? He was rich enough to eat his laying hens, I guessed. That would be hard to compete with.

So I switched gears.

“What about the Fall Festival?” I demanded. “I have responsibilities.”

Our school was having a fundraiser, and my classmates had wrestled me into reading palms at the festival. I would have been happier missing the festivities and not having to do something that involved me actually speaking to people. But if doing so meant I didn’t have to spend time on this brief trip, then so be it. But I couldn’t get that lucky.

“We’ll still attend the festival. Don’t worry,” Mama said as she fixed a pin in her hair, then washed her hands. She held them under the hot water to soothe her joints. “We’ll just start to town earlier than normal, is all.”

Well, that figures, I ruefully thought. So, not only did I have to read palms, I had to spend more time with Mr. Lindor at his vacation house.

Before we realized it, the night before the Fall Festival had arrived and we were on our way to Mr. Lindor’s mountain house. He picked us up in his fancy car, and I thought I heard Mama giggle a little when he opened the door for her.

Personally, I didn’t cotton to that. It was a secret rule I had that I didn’t giggle under any circumstance. I’d never had a boyfriend, though. Or any friends. So I reckon I didn’t really have any reason to act so ridiculous.

Even so, I decided not to be caught giggling. Ever.

Kyree sat between me and Charlie in the back seat because her legs were shorter, and she chattered the entire way. As she was wont to do.

“It’s hotter outside than a honeymoon hotel,” she declared.

I think everyone in the car had to pick their jaws up off the floor.

Mama turned as far around in her seat as she could to gape at her youngest daughter.

“Where in the world did you ever hear something like that?”

Kyree’s eyes teared up as she said, “At school, Mama.”

Mama’s eyes narrowed. “And who did you hear saying that?”

Kyree’s lower lip trembled. It was no fun being under Mama’s scrutiny, especially when you didn’t know what you’d done wrong.

“Bobby Evans.”

“Do you know what that means?” Mama asked.

When Kyree shook her head “no,” Mama told her never to say it again, to which she readily agreed.

Poor Kyree let out a staggered breath, and clasped her hands together in her lap. For once, she was quiet.

I could tell Mama only addressed Mr. Lindor now even though I could hear her plain as day, when she said, “If brains were leather, that nasty Bobby Evans couldn’t saddle a flea.”

“Now, now,” he chuckled a little, taking her hand and kissing it.

“Why, when I see him tomorrow at the festival, I’m gonna sandpaper his tail end until-”

“-I’m sure you will, Vera,” Mr. Lindor interrupted, with more of a laugh.

Mama’s cheeks flushed pink and she smiled at Mr. Lindor with bashful eyes. Why, she was almost pretty in that moment.

Closer to sundown, we finally arrived at Mr. Lindor’s mountain house. Despite my growing anxiety and irritation, I couldn’t help but admire not only the house, but the setting.

There were beautiful, mature trees, and the house looked like a mansion! It was so pretty, I wanted to cry. But, of course, I didn’t let myself.

Mr. Lindor told us to leave the bags outside and ushered us inside. He said he’d bring them in later.

I could tell Charlie and Kyree were just as excited about everything as Mama was. Kyree Sheriff Rose skipped ahead and was the first inside as Mr. Lindor held the door for us.

I ignored looking at him as best I could. Sure, the house was wonderful, but I didn’t have to let him know I thought so.

“Tonight will be really special, ladies. We’re going to dine on a nice salad and lasagna, complete with garlic bread. Then, I’ll show you around. I’ve got you two to a room, if that’s all right.”

“That’s just fine, isn’t it, girls?” Mama gushed.

Charlie and Kyree both grinned, nodding their approval. I shrugged, and gave Mr. Lindor the stink-eye.

“Let’s wash our hands and help Mr. Lindor fix supper,” Mama said.

“Kitchen’s that way,” Mr. Lindor said with a grin as the girls squealed and raced off. “The lasagna is all made and ready to bake.”

Mama hesitated, glancing at me with an uncertain smile, then followed the girls.

“Your mama tells me you like to read, Erin.”

I shrugged again, trying my best to look bored.

“Why don’t you take a look around? There’s lots of bookshelves everywhere and maybe you’ll find something you like.”

“Okay,” I said.

After he went to the kitchen, I began an exploration. I hated to admit it, but I was curious.

There was a half-bath. Nothing special.

And the kitchen, which I had to admit looked nice, clean, and bright.

Then, what appeared to be a study with some comfortable old seating and books. Running my fingers along a shelf, I could see a lot of the books were about trees, flowers, and gardening. Then, I found an assortment of paperbacks that looked more interesting.

Maybe I would bring “Creators of the Forsaken” or “Heirs and Enemies” to bed with me. Both sounded like great reads!

Setting the books aside for later, I stepped back into the hallway. Mr. Lindor was in the kitchen with the girls, and Mama, telling them about his son, Jude.

“Would we like him?” Kyree asked.

“Oh, yes, I’m sure you would, dear,” Mr. Lindor answered.

I moved along to avoid anymore talk of Jude Lindor. Apparently, he was a freshman in college, and we were all going to meet him when he came home for Thanksgiving. Yay. I bet he was just as “great” as his father. A real chip off the old block.

I stopped in my tracks in what appeared to be the living room. There, right in front of me, but behind the couch was my daddy’s room partition! The one with the fancy ladies on it that Daddy had given Mama as a wedding gift. And then Mama had sold to Mr. Lindor.

I don’t know how much time had passed that I was standing there, but it had to have been a long while because I slowly became aware Mama was behind me, staring in exasperation.

“Erin, didn’t you hear us calling? Dinner’s ready.”

By then, my stomach was so tight, it was like there was barbed wire wrapping around it, squeezing until my chest heaved with each and every breath.

“Erin?” Mama’s voice had grown impatient.

I whirled on her, my voice two octaves higher than normal, my hands shaking as I tried to control myself. And failing miserably.

“Well, there it is! Are you happy?”

“What are you talking about?” she asked, her hands naturally resting on her hips.

“Don’t act like you don’t know, Mama! The screen! The wedding present from Daddy! The only thing we had left of him! There it is, in your boyfriend’s living room like it was never important at all!”

Mama’s eyes narrowed at me, but I didn’t have the good sense to stop myself. Once the dam broke, we were all gonna drown.

“Now you listen to me-” she began.

“-No! You listen to me, Mama! I’ve just about had it! You never appreciated Daddy, and you sure didn’t appreciate this gift he gave you neither!”

“You had best lower your voice and mind your tone, Erin Renee Rose.”

Hearing my full name should have been the obvious signal to shut my mouth, but my pent up anger had possessed me like a demon. “Or what? What are you gonna do?” Tears sprung from my eyes and rolled down my hot cheeks. “You know what he used to say about you? He said you was so contrary, you floated up stream! And he meant it, too.”

Mama’s mouth was a hard, thin line by then, making her look like she didn’t have any lips at all. “It’s no secret your daddy said that and worse about me. It’s time you faced the reality of it, young lady!” When I just kept glaring at her, she continued, “You know as well as me that your daddy was drunk as a skunk most of the time. That’s what caused the accident that killed him. He left us in a terrible place, didn’t he? Do you think I wanted to sell all the horses? No, I sure didn’t! But he left us so much debt! I want you girls to have nice things! I try my best to provide and we all work hard! But your daddy didn’t leave us with nothing but bills! Your father was far from perfect, Erin.”

My eyes stung as my throat constricted with pain. How could she say these things? If only he’d been there to defend himself.

But Mama didn’t stop there. “Do you want to end up like me? Old before your time and worked to the bone? I sure hope not! But if you don’t get your head out of the clouds and see life for what it really is, that’s right where you’re headed. You’re old enough to understand this!”

“Mama?” Charlie said from the doorway where she was standing. Her voice was small and uncertain.

Mama let out her breath like a deflating balloon. Her shoulders slumped forward and she wiped a dampened eye with the back of her hand.

“Charlie, I will be with you directly. Go back to the table. Tell Mr. Lindor and Kyree to go ahead and start eating before it gets cold.”

Charlie was the only one of us with any sense. Without saying a thing, she left. A moment later, I heard a chair sliding across the wood floor as she pulled it out to sit down back at the table.

“Erin. I’m sorry. I should not have lost my temper or said those things.”

I gritted my teeth, then turned my back on her. The truth was, I felt like I should have apologized, too. But I was too full of pride.

Mama waited there a minute, then I heard her shuffle out.

Dropping onto the nearest chair, I held my tears in for as long as I could, but turns out, nothing could stop them that night.

Special thanks to Bee (Stories by Bee / Poses by Bee) for editing this story.

Thank you so much for reading, liking, lurking, and commenting! I hope you have a terrific weekend!




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Citations:
1. Dingus, A. (1994, December 1). More colorful Texas sayings than you can shake a stick at. Texas Monthly. https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/more-colorful-texas-sayings-than-you-can-shake-a-stick-at/

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