The Girl. Page 5

  Ella’s family worked many hours and she was alone most of the time and her brother Kevin was much older, twenty-five.

  Brenda told them, “If you’re ever in the area and west side, please stop in say hello”. Standing on the porch smiling Ella replied, “Thanks Brenda”.

  Walking over by the van, “Hey after all, it’s my bar girls and I will never allow you to drink”, said Brenda opening the door.

  With her eyes large Ella said, “Maybe I will see you again”.

  “Sweetie that would be nice”, then pulled away in the big white van, as Ella was happy, and Dana saw her friend all smiles.

  Walking down the porch steps, Dana said, “Well I better get on home before my dad goes searching”.

  “Yeah hasn’t he caught you a few times”, Dana walking through the yard yelled, “Don’t get bent Ella, because I don’t want you’re Wild boys”.

  Dana paused, turned around saying, “Oh I meant Wiley boys”, and walked away giggling. Standing on the porch watching Dana walking across the lawn, Ella said, “Hey”, and Dana turned around asking, “What?”

  “You did not have sex with that boy, right?”

  Smiling, “Maybe, stop worrying about it”, and Dana walked away.

  Ella shook her head mumbling, “Gee is she desperate for affection”, and went inside and that night had plenty of sweet dreams. Determined to know Saul Wiley really well, and tossed and turned in her bed restless all night thinking of him.

  A few weeks go by.

  Chapter 3. Ella had not been back in town for a while, until one day, Ella knew her parents would be working late, her older brother Kevin was never home and she had the bus drop her off right on the west side of town.

  She got off thanking the driver, as he smiled she did too heading to the bar happily. Furthermore, it was a Friday and she knew that Saul would be there working, as she was completely smiles and walked by a store in town and saw these cool boots in a shoe store window.

  Pausing looking into the store window, she said, “Awesome, those are neat, but I have no money, or a life”, as she now hung her head and kept walking then reaching the bar. Ella was radiant, when she saw the big sign above the bar that read, “Wiley’s Pub”. Noticing another sign in the window, inquiring for dishwasher help Ella glowed and headed inside Wiley’s.

  Entering the front of the bar noticed it was not crowded at all during the day when she spotted Shane behind the counter and asked him where his mom was.

  “Oh hey there little girl”, giving a smile.

  Frowning, “Great, little girl this might be harder than I thought”, mumbled Ella. Clearing her throat asking, “Your maw, Shane where is she?”

  Holding a stack of papers in his hand, “Right out the back door of the bar, you’ll see a big old house”, replied Shane getting back to work.

  “Thanks Shane”.

  “Aw no problem little darling”.

  He also told her, “Knock at the door and go in saying hello”. “Okay”, smiling brightly and headed out the back door to the bar now. Reaching outside, Ella walked down a long driveway that was right behind the bar, and she noticed a huge white house a few feet ahead.

  It looked three stories high, as she just kept walking down the driveway cheerful.

  Suddenly, Seth said, “Hey what’s up Ella?” Kneeling by the open garage, she paused noticing him, smiled and said, “Oh hey there Seth, what’s up?”

  “Nothing really working on my bike”.

  “Wow a dirt bike”. Eyes big watching him.

  “No motorcycle if I get done”, as he held a hammer, his extremely long bangs covered his eyes. “Oh neat”, frowns wondering how he can even see to work on the bike.

  “Is your maw here?”

  Tightening screws onto the rim of his bike said, “Of course she is, heck maw doesn’t go many places”.

  “Okay, I thought she would be working or all you”.

  Working on his project he added, “Nah the bar don’t open till 6:00 PM”. “Oh thought their open all day Seth?”

  “Yeah some are, but that’s how paw runs it, his way of things”. “Well I’m going to go see your maw”, as she pointed to the big house.

  Hammering away on his bike he replied, “Yeah she is cooking probably, because it’s Friday and this family will be very busy”. “Oh okay, thanks Seth”, said Ella rather loudly and holding her ears, from the horrendous banging. “No problem Ella”, smirking and thought girls are lightweights, as he saw her gripping her ears and just kept working on his bike banging.

  Ella went up onto the porch knocking on the door.

  “It’s open,” yelled Brenda.

  With her eyes large Ella said, “Hello”, opening the door going in.

  “Oh I know that sweet little voice”, coming from around the corner into the kitchen, she greeted Ella.

  “Hi Brenda, I was in town and remembered what you told me to stop in, so I did”, said Ella smiling.

  “Oh sugar hello, I’m glad you did”.

  She actually hugged Ella that smiled and after embracing her a few seconds.

  Brenda said, “I missed you darling”.

  Smiles big, as Brenda added, “Shoot I got boys around me always”.

  Ella thought, for owning a bar; they are the nicest people she ever met and their mom is

  always home was sure nice.

  Giving the fact that Ella since the age of thirteen was on her own.

  Standing by the stove, Brenda said, “Darling you’re in time for some good hometown cooking”. Ella was looking around the kitchen and there were many knick-knacks of roosters with farm animals.

  Even the kitchen curtains were of cows and it was sure very country the whole house seem to be, as she glanced into the dining room off the kitchen.

  There was a big painting of Indians hanging on the center wall and right below a big wooden hutch and setting on top of it was pictures of the boys.

  Some were from school and others of sports they have played.

  Now Ella takes a longer look onto the hutch and gives a curious expression. Since one picture that sat right in the center surrounding all the others, was a picture of the Wiley boys.

  However, there were actually eight longhaired boys; naturally, they had those curls and waves all through the long length.

  Where are the other four boys that sure appeared to be Wiley’s?

  Ella though, did not ask as she figured something bad must have happened to them and they probably were in heaven.

  Furthermore, the family does not even mention any other boys, as the picture obviously showed there were more boys at one time when Ella picked up a picture of Seth that had to be around eleven or twelve, as she gasps mumbling, “Oh my the boy?”

  Setting it back down she stopped looking around and never pry, but seems the Wiley’s do hold many secrets?

  Brenda asked, “Will you join us for supper?” Closing the lid on a big kettle cooking on the stove. “Oh no Brenda, I didn’t come to intrude; I need your help in a way”.

  “Sure sweetie what’s wrong?” Standing by the counter, “Well I am getting older”, said Ella and Brenda smiled for she was a baby yet and could tell.

  Ella continued telling Brenda, “I saw you need help with dishes”.

  Raising her eyebrows, Brenda now interrupted her and said, “Oh darling that’s a very hard job”. Suddenly Seth walked in looking for the wrench as he hunted through a drawer making a mess. “Shoot it's hard on him”, pointing to Seth.

  “What is?” With his long curly bangs hanging directly into his eyes and raising her eyebrows, “Nothing boy forget about it”, said Brenda annoyed.

  “Sure”, grabbing the wrench out from the drawer.

  “Hey Seth I wanted to mention something to you”.

  “What maw?” Shook his hair to hang down covering his face more on purpose. “That’s what I want to mention to you”, said Brenda pointing at his hair.

  Grabbing a soda out from the refrigerator replyi
ng, “My hair is fine maw”. Heading back outside, as she yelled to him, “Gee Seth are you in there? Because I don’t know what color your eyes are anymore?”

  From outside,

  “Brown maw, dark brown”, yelled Seth hammering away.

  Ella smiled as Brenda said, “Sugar I know he is under all that hippy hair and lays his pretty browns”.

  “He is a very tall young boy”.

  Putting vegetables into the big kettle now and stirring the food that was cooking Brenda said, “Yep tall and lanky”, as she smiled.

  Closing the kettle lid Brenda remarked, “Well hard part of dinner is over just has to come to a boil”.

  Then coming back to the long wooden table sitting down, giving a large smile she said, “Let’s chat”.

  Glancing out the back screen door, Ella asked, “Has Seth ever fought in the bar?” “Yes he sure has dear, I don’t like fighting at all”, frowning Ella’s eyes got big. “With the bar Ella it’s a given trouble will arise”.

  “Wow”.

  “Was it bad because he is so young?”

  Putting her one hand against her face, Brenda said, “Oh yes there were a few incidents that involved Seth sad to say”. Curious, Ella sat quietly and listening.

  Making a squinting face Brenda said, “Some were awfully bloody, it’s a given because my boys just don’t give up”.

  Ella’s eyes are big as they could get, “My boys will honestly stand taking a beating before ever giving up, pure pig headed”, shaking her head, Ella put her hand up by her face saying, “Woe”. “Seth did not start them or planned on it either”.

  “Wow you must have hated seeing him fight”, remarked Ella interested. Putting her hands up and motioning across the kitchen Brenda said, “I walked right out of the bar, was gone”.

  Getting up from the table, Brenda went and got Ella a soda, as she made herself a cup of coffee. Ella thanked her, “You’re very welcome”, said Brenda holding a coffee mug.

  She sat back down by the table taking a sip of her coffee, shrugging and making an awful face about fighting.

  “He won them, right?” Ella asked very curious.

  “Oh yes, of course after some time with a few”.

  Taking a sip of her pop, “How terrible”, said Ella expressionless?

  “Yes I leave the bar very fast if a bad fight happens with one of my boys, I just can’t handle watching their face get punched”. Ella shrugs, as Brenda continued about her boys. “Seth was just three his paw bought him a pair of boxing gloves, because that boy always had his little fist clenched”.

  Brenda was smiling as Ella did too, Brenda then said, “Ella we come from Kentucky good old fellows and my youngest Seth was enrolled in karate at four years old”.

  Ella giggled as Brenda talked away, “Shoot from young on them stubborn boys done the unthinkable”.

  “From young on they have hunted and doing everything on our farm”.

  Ella listened and Brenda continued, “The boys drove our tractors plowing the field, shoot even playing a game of chicken on tractors”. Ella wide-eyed, “Aw they wrecked a few times”, remarked Brenda sipping on her coffee.

  “Yep, Saul had a broken arm over one bad wreck, gave Shane a black eye over it”.

  Listening wanting to know about Saul when getting up from the chair now Brenda went over by the stove turning the flame low under the big kettle that was cooking on the stove.

  “My stew smells kind of good”. Smiling Ella added, “Yes it sure does”.

  Brenda now grabbed a plate of homemade cookies from the counter before she come sitting back down.

  She told Ella, “Help yourself”, Ella took a cookie and said, “Oh these smell real good”, taking a bite.

  “Yeah I mix peanut butter in the batter”.

  Ella smiled eating a good tasting cookie; Brenda grabbed one and continued on telling Ella a little about their family.

  “Very heavy and hard things they done and liked too, because they are true boys, alright”. Ella thought, “Wow what a turn on, Saul’s strong hands.

  Brenda with a frown then said, “Well the bar was actually Paul Gene’s daddy’s bar and he passed away last spring”. Ella gives a sad look too and Brenda kept talking.

  “We been here two years now, taking over the family business, my boys seem like they were born to run the bar”.

  Ella thought they are like real cowboys from the old western movies and then asked, “Gee they sound like really rough boys?”

  “Yes dear they really are too rough sad to say”.

  Ella took another homemade peanut butter cookie and Brenda holding her coffee cup said, “Many fights had been bad; I thought my older boys were a punching bag, I have many reasons about not liking fighting at all”.

  “I don’t blame you”, said Ella shrugging her shoulders and added, “Yuck”, making a face.

  With her eyes large, “Those boys of mine of stubborn”, said Brenda shaking her head holding the locket around her neck and added, “Fighting don’t solve anything”.

  “What’s the bad fight’s mostly about?”

  “Over darn girls”, said Brenda smiling and Ella giggled and asked, “I heard it’s the hottest bar in town”.

  Giggling Brenda replied, “Oh yes dear always was the best, but became more popular with the females, because of my boys”.

  Noticing Brenda playing with the heart locket around her neck now Ella pointed saying, “Wow that’s a nice piece of jewelry?”

  With tears filling her eyes Brenda said, “Yes it was a gift time back.”

  “It is beautiful”.

  Brenda added, “It’s my special guardian angel inside the charm and for the boys also.” Looking at the locket Ella smiled and said, “That’s nice to have a good luck charm”. Smiling Brenda continued talking about the boys, “I am thankful with the way things are now a day, none of my boys drink even though we own a bar”.

  Holding the cookie Ella asked, “Never?” Taking a bite.

  Shaking her head Brenda replied, “Not a drop, they must be aware of what’s going on in the bar”.

  “Yes guess that could distract them”, said Ella glancing out the back door where Seth was on the porch, now hunting through a toolbox.

  Furthermore, making a mess tossing tools on the porch Ella giggled.

  Brenda told Ella that was listening. “The sad thing about my one boy Saul is that he never stays with a girl”.

  Ella thought, this may be hard to get his attention and Brenda continued, “The other boys seem like they will follow in their paws direction”.

  “How it should be”, replied Ella reaching a cookie from the dish.

  “My boy Shane has had a steady for two years now”.

  Ella just smiled as Brenda said, “Shane, is rather silly and the comedian out of them, but can be the very calm level headed one out of my boys”.

  Eating her second cookie listening to Brenda that continued, “Well Sebastian, I don’t know about honestly, if he is serious with anyone, because he is real silent about his love life and perfect word to describe that boy is extremely moody”.

  Putting her finger up Brenda added, “Actually that boy of mine is very coldhearted, grumpy”, laughs Brenda.

  Ella really giggled and asked, “They all just work the bar?”

  “No sugar, they work on houses for a real living, doing roofs showing off their muscles”.

  Giggling along with Ella who was glad to know some about Saul.

  Then asked, “What is Saul’s middle name?” Crossing her leg shaking her foot.

  Getting up again Brenda went pouring more coffee, and smiled replying,

  “Saul Raymond Wiley”

  “Shane William Wiley”

  “Sebastian Scott Wiley and Seth Allen Wiley”, stirring the spoon in the mug.

  “Those are nice middle names and their first all with the letter S”, said Ella taking a final cookie.

  Holding her coffee mug tight, Brenda said, “Well my Father’s nam
e was Shilo and my mother Ama, Indian names”. Ella remarked, “My middle name is Irene very old fashion, it was my grandmothers name”.

  Brenda smiled saying, “I think that’s real pretty”, waving her hand added, “Good lord mines Gail, southern bell it sounds and is”.

  “I like it”, smiles Ella and eyes large Brenda added, “My grandmother’s name was true Indian, Yona, means bear”, as Ella’s eyes are large saying, “Gee never heard that name before”.

  Smiling Brenda said, “Saul has a best friend such a great person that works the weekends only with my boys, Rodney is his name and they are very close, shoot been friends since the day we got to Tennessee”.

  Ella was smiling as Brenda continued, “At first thought they were enemies and fought each other, Saul’s brothers all got dragged into the fight”.

  “Rodney was with some other boys and they were calling my boys names and poking fun of them”.

  “Wrong move, they all fought for it was one big free for all and Rodney with my boys became best of friends after that big run in”.

  “They have been best pals ever since and for life he became an extra Wiley”. Ella then told Brenda she seen Rodney, he is African American. “Yes that’s Rod our family”. The phone rings and Brenda said, “Excuse me a second dear”, got up from the table walking over to the phone answered it, “Hello”, “Anyone there, Hello?” Hand on hip.

  Brenda hung up the phone really raising her eyebrows told Ella, “Lately we been getting many of these crank calls”.

  Ella shrugged her shoulders saying, “Yes most people do get crank calls”.

  “Strange thing is though, I can hear somebody breathing, like they want to say something, but never do”. Putting her hands on her hips looking at the rooster clock on the wall, “I better get the dinner plates out, I hear my old man’s rattling pickup, it’s bad Seth should work on it”, said Brenda giggling.

  Ella smiled again, because Brenda sure had that affect and she reached into the cupboards grabbing dishes out when Ella got up from the chair saying, “Here I’ll help”, and grabbed some dishes setting them onto the long wooden table.

  Holding a dish Brenda said, “Well thank you sugar”.

  Furthermore, she and Ella talked more like two cackling hens setting the table for dinner and holding the dish smiling Brenda said, “Sure is nice having a girl around”.