Posted October 9, 2021
It was almost two months ago that I'd left home, Pigeon Forge, TN, with my 5 year old son Joshua for Montana, in search of my sister Addy. My wife had recently passed from cholera and I was heartbroken. She and Joshua were the reason I got up every single day with no complaints to go out and put in hard work so that I could provide for them. Since the day she died everywhere I looked I could see her. Everything reminded me of her and I felt like I was slowly going crazy. So crazy that I had to get out of there. I couldn't take it anymore. My Pa tried to convince me to stay, saying I was acting on emotion and that I would regret it. Well I'd have to find that out for myself.
Josh and I had set out on our horses. Sure, there were other ways of getting there but this was my preferred method. It would give me some time alone, well besides the boy, to try and clear my head, get myself right. Nature and being outside was always good for my soul. It had taken us longer to get here than if I'd traveled alone, but finally I could tell that we were getting close. Had I known, the night before, that we were so close to Kalispell I would have kept trekking, but Josh was tired and hungry and well so was I. I'd done a pretty fine job of keeping us sheltered, fed and warm on the trip, but he sure was missing his Ma in many ways, and there wasn't much I could do to help him with that....that because I was hurting too.
When the sun rose the next morning we had traveled only about 2 hours when I first caught site of town and Josh and I's excitement couldn't be hidden. He hooped and hollered, waving his hat in the air and I laughed. I laughed. Well that had to be the first time I'd done that in a while.
We made our way into town and finally found Millegan's staging company. Tying our horses up outside I helped Josh down off his and we made our way in. It was bustling inside as I grabbed one of the workers and asked him for Adelaide. He'd informed me that she was out at the moment but would be back before long he supposed and we could just wait for her. After waiting almost two months for this day, waiting a bit for her to get here would be no problem. Josh and I made our way back outside to wait for her with our horses all the while Josh was begging me for something to eat. I had nothing at the moment to offer him and figured maybe we could find some food with Addy.
Oh, the cleverness of me!
Posted October 10, 2021 / Weedy
School was finally out for the day, and Weedy had run home to drop his books on the table -- he'd pick them up later, before Addy got home -- then headed to the barn to get his chores there out of the way before he tackled his homework...he'd much rather be mucking stalls than doing math and writing 'papers', and he wanted Addy to know that he would do his chores, even without her or Jay to make him.
When he got to the barn, he noticed the man out front with the little kid and he nodded as he came up to them.
"Hey! Can I help you with something?" After all, the man looked kind of lost. On the other hand, Weedy was ready to run if it turned out he was looking to take him away from Addy, although he doubted he'd bring a kid along with him.
Posted October 11, 2021
It wasn't long that Joshua and I were waiting when a young boy made his way over to us. I could see Josh's eyes light up at the sight of another kid. I inclined my head towards him, touching the brim of my hat as I did, smiling slightly.
"Just waitin' on Adelaid Chappel." I say to the young man, raising my brows as I spoke. "You know her?"
I had no idea that yes, he knew my sister very well, nor did I know that my askin' for her might make him nervous...make him think I might be here to take him away from her.
"I was told by someone inside that she'd be around soon, she was runnin' errands." I reach down and rest my hand on top of Josh's head as he stands beside my looking the boy up and down. I had no doubt he wanted to speak to him, but Josh was always slow to warm up to anybody new.
Oh, the cleverness of me!
Posted October 12, 2021 / Weedy
"Adelaide?" Weedy's nose wrinkled up, but then he remembered that that was Addy's real name, but no one used it because when they did...
"Call her that, Mister, and she'll deck you one!" The boy grinned. "Everyone here calls her Addy...and yes, she's out on a delivery, reckon she'll be back some time this evening."
Maybe that would make the man leave? But then, he seemed nice enough, and even a little familiar, and he didn't think a bad man would have a little kid with him.
Oh, right, he needed to be polite. "Oh, I'm Weedy, Miz Addy's my Ma. I guess you can wait here at the barn if you want to. Oh, and can I get you water or something?" Maybe he could get them some lemonade from Miz Jemima?
Posted October 12, 2021
This kid made me smile and I laughed outright when he said that Addy would deck me had I called her by her full name. I wasn't sure what she was going by in these parts but we too called her Addy back home. "I s'pose you're right about that." I chuckled imagining my sister doing just that....god I have missed her. Yes...yes this trip out west was a good idea. Even just this conversation with the young boy had me thinkin' of other things besides my late wife, Daisy. "Though I doubt she'd want to deck her big brother." I raise my brows as if to question if she would deck me; a smirk playing at my lips, as I let the young boy know who I was to Addy. "I'm Isiah and this is Joshua." I introduce us both.
Then the boy goes on to do the same and reveals that Addy is ....what!? his Ma?? I was normally a straight faced man, keeping a hold on my emotions, but havin' not heard from Addy is so long....had she gone off and got married and had a youngin'?! My mouth dropped open. "Your Ma?!" The shock showed on my face and in my tone. Addy had always been independent, fending for herself...I wasn't sure if I'd ever see her tied down to a man and a child.
I couldn't even respond to his offer for water as I stood there playing over in my head my little sister havin' a kid....that until Josh tugged on my arm. "I'm thirsty, Pa." I shook my head some...oh, right.... "Yea, Weedy...yea, we'll take some water." I nodded, the thought hadn't even crossed my mind of something so fine as lemonade to cross our lips. That would be a real treat, and a fresh cooked meal...it's a wonder Josh and I weren't skin and bones after this two month trek.
Oh, the cleverness of me!
Posted October 13, 2021
"Brother?" Weedy's nose wrinkled up as he looked more closely at the man, then he broke into a huge grin. "That's why you look familiar! Come on, we can go to the house. She just bought it a couple months ago so we could have a real place, now that I live with her all the time."
Suddenly, Weedy rushed forward and hugged the man, then stepped back and looked up at him. "Miss Addy's going to be real happy to see you, she said you're her favorite, even if you did push her in the crick that one time!"
Maybe Isiah was going to be his uncle? But he'd wait to ask about that.
Posted October 13, 2021
I was taken off guard by the hug, but I managed to lower my hand onto his shoulder and pat it a couple times before he moved back after his offer to take me to Addy's and his home. He seemed a delightful kid which was no surprise given my sisters personality. I was still trying to put all the pieces together with this but I just couldn't.
"Great, then you lead the way." I agree to go with him to Addy's. I reach over and untie my horse from the post and do the same with Josh's. I give Josh, who was still very quite, a lift up onto the saddle and look over at Weedy. "Need a ride?" I ask as I mount my horse. I couldn't help but ask almost immediately after. "Is your Pa at the house?" Maybe I shouldn't have asked. I know very well that there were any number of circumstances that could bring Weedy into my sisters life, but this seemed the most straightforward. She'd gotten married and had a kid!
Oh, the cleverness of me!
Posted October 14, 2021 / Weedy
Wow, Josh had his own horse? Weedy was hoping to have his own one day, but Addy kept saying he didn't need one in town, and if he went out to visit Wyatt, he could take Arabesque.
"Yes, sir, it's not far." He let Isiah help him onto the saddle behind him, then shrugged.
"Is your Pa at the house?"
"My pa's dead," he answered matter-of-factly, "at least that's what ma always told me, but I don't know for sure. After she died, I heard Miz Addy talking with the sheriff and she was worried Pa might come and take me."
It was all a lot for him to try to process, and now that Addy and Speed had decided that Addy was going to be his ma.
"Oh, unless you mean Jay...he's sorta my Pa, but he and Addy didn't get married yet, and he's gone doing something."
Posted October 14, 2021
As soon as the boy started to answer me I realize I should have just kept my mouth shut and not tried to get into his business. I feel terrible for him that both his ma and his pa were gone...well he thinks his pa is dead.
"I'm sorry to hear that Weedy." We start out on our horses once we are all in place. Josh rides along side me and I head in the direction that Weedy gives me. "I just lost my wife and Josh his ma." Of course I couldn't go long without her coming up in my conversation. Addy didn't even know of course, because neither of us could read nor write...not really. The only communication between us was whenever the other would visit.
Weedy goes on to mention a man in Addy's life named Jay...but he's gone off doing something. "I can't remember the last time I've seen Addy, Weedy." I say as I glance over my shoulder some towards him. "Sounds like you two have quite the story." My sister was always easy to get along with, she loved animals and kids the same and they loved her right back. He was lucky to have run into her; sounds like she's taken him under her wing. "I can't wait to hear more about it." That is if either of them wanted to tell me.
Oh, the cleverness of me!
Posted October 15, 2021 / Weedy
When he heard that Josh had lost his ma, Weedy looked back at him with sympathy...seemed they had that in common, although he hoped Josh had had a better ma than he had.
"Miss Addy's been real good to me," Weedy commented, "even when Ma was still alive, she made sure I had meals and a place to sleep if I needed it." Well, that made his own ma sound pretty bad, and even though she hadn't been much of a mother, she's still been his mother.
Before he had to explain more, they were at the little house that Addy had bought for them, only a block or so from the barn. "That's it!" He pointed to the small house nestled along the tree-lined street, separated from its neighbors by a short picket fence. It was in need of a coat of paint, but the stairs and porch were new and solid.
"Come on in, we can wait for her there." Weedy swung down from the saddle and ran up the front steps. "I'll get you some water, and there's some bread." The boy grinned widely. "Ma got it from the cafe, she didn't make it herself, so it won't poison you!"