Page 56 of Return to Telegraph Creek

“Albert was doing that, but it never amounted to much.So he’s…gone to find work.There’s jobs out there, if you can find ’em.”

“That’s true enough.”

“And I ain’t got the time, what with lookin’ after these three,” Cal said.“And we ain’t got any animals.We can’t afford to feed them, anyway.”

“There’s plenty of space for a chicken coop.Then at least you’d have fresh eggs.”

Cal gazed at Oscar like he was from another planet.“Whose gonna build a chicken coop?”

“We could,” Oscar said, glancing my way.“We built our own house in Port Essington—with some help, of course.But I reckon we could build a coop for you.We could even get you some chickens to start you off.”

Peter looked at Cal with hope in his eyes.“I could look after ’em, Momma.And Lizzie would help, I’m sure of it.”

Cal chewed her bottom lip.“I don’t know.I got my hands full already.”

“Come on, Jimmy,” Oscar said.“Let’s get these dishes cleaned.I’ll show you where the well is, and we can bring back a tub of water for washing.”

“Here,” Peter said.“This is what we use to get lots of water if we need it.”

He picked up a big pot from the floor beside the stove and passed it to me.’Twas clean enough, thank goodness.

“Thank you,” Cal said, though she seemed awful anxious for someone who had some unexpected help she desperately needed.’Twas so far from how I remembered her that it made me awful sad.Her life should have been better now she was married and not charging strange men for the pleasure of her intimate company.

Sure, she had the children, but they came with a lot of problems of their own.

Oscar and I walked together to the well and filled up the big pot.We could see Trick leading Willow along with Lizzie perched on her back.The child clutched the horn of the saddle as she grinned with pure joy.

“This is bad, Jimmy,” Oscar said, as we walked to the well.“Cal ain’t telling us the truth.I ain’t so sure this husband of hers is comin’ back.And maybe they don’t want him back.”

I frowned.“We gotta take her at her word, I reckon.Maybe Miss June can come and get the truth out of her.”

“Maybe.”Oscar kicked at the dirt.“I suppose, for women, marriage ain’t all sunshine and roses.”

I nodded.“I reckon that’s true.Not always, anyhow.”

We filled the pot and brought it back to the house, then set it in the sink and washed all the dishes with Peter’s assistance.When Trick and Lizzie came back, they helped, too.

Cal looked on with resigned acceptance while she kept Samuel busy and fed him peanuts from a bowl.

“You got food in the house?”I asked, worried Cal wouldn’t like my question, but knowing I’d hate myself if I didn’t ask it.“Enough for you and the children?”

Cal sighed.“Yes.You can look in that cupboard and see what I got.There’s a bag of potatoes in the cellar and some apples.You can check if you want.”

I was hesitant to do that, but Trick came right over and opened the cupboard Cal had pointed to.There was a loaf of wheat bread, a block of cheese, what looked like strips of beef jerky and a jar of pickles.’Twasn’t much, but at least ’twas something.

“All right,” I said.“We’re gonna be on our way then.But I reckon Miss June is gonna wanna come and see you and the children, now that we found you.”

“All right.”Cal seemed resigned to this, but she didn’t seem at all happy about it, which was another strange thing.

“When do you expect your husband back?”I asked.

Cal shook her head.“Don’t know.Maybe a week.Maybe a month.Ain’t much for him to do here, and he’s gotta get us some money.I expect he’ll wire some in a few days.”

Trick stared at Cal, and I figured she was trying to suss out if Cal was being straight with us.

“What’ll you do if he don’t?”

“He will.It’ll be fine.”