She’d promised Nona a full report, and she delivered what she’d promised. But she was eager to share the good news with Paul as well. The man was Kyle’s father—he certainly deserved to be told that Kyle had finally broken through the barriers of memory. She was sure more memories would follow, and memories of his dad as well as of his mom.

Too, she wanted to tell Paul what else she’d learned: that Jenny had told Kyle that she and Paul were dead. No wonder the child had never stopped a policeman for help. In the first few months, they’d often wondered why Kyle hadn’t asked a policeman to get him back to his parents. They’d even gone through a period of being sure he was dead because otherwise he certainly would have gotten help from a policeman. Now it made more sense.

Brenna anxiously patted a few stray hairs into place in her bun, then picked up the phone and dialled Paul’s number.

“Are you sitting down? I have quite a day to tell you about.”

“Good or bad?”

“Some of each.”

“Is everyone all right?”

“Everyone’s fine . . . although the house is a little worse for wear.”

“Nona? The boys? You?”

“All fine. Listen, you want to come over? It’s really quite a story—a series of stories, actually.” There was the discovery of the root of Sammy’s problem, the fire, and Kyle’s memory-recovery to relate. “I know it’s kind of late . . . .”

“No, that’s fine. I wasn’t doing anything special.” He crumpled up the list he’d been working on—another list headed Why It Wouldn’t Work. The problem was, every time Paul thought of a reason why their getting back together couldn’t possibly work, he thought of something that invalidated that reason. Right now the list contained seven crossed-out items and only two that remained as still valid: “She doesn’t love me anymore” and “You can never go back.” Paul believed both those statements to be true, and if they were, then it didn’t matter how many of his other reasons weren’t valid.

Brenna said, “Don’t be alarmed at the outside of the house when you see it. We’re all fine.” Paul didn’t ask what she meant; he figured he’d find out shortly.

They hung up. Paul, who was in a terrycloth robe, got dressed again. Brenna fussed with her hair and makeup.

Paul arrived with a bottle of champagne he’d stopped to pick up.  Brenna had said it was both good news and bad news, but her voice had sounded joyous. The good news must be really good—maybe it was the sort of news that called for champagne. His mind raced over the possibilities. Naturally, his first thought was that Kyle finally remembered something from his earlier life with them. But if that were all there was to tell, she would have told him on the phone. What else might there be?

A sudden thought delivered its knockout punch to his brain: Maybe Brenna wanted to tell him she’d met someone and had begun dating? Or perhaps she’d been dating someone already and now was engaged? Lead settled in his gut. She’d said it was both good news and bad. Maybe it was good news for her and bad news for him?

He was so caught up in dithering between the various scenarios he could imagine that he failed to spot the fire damage till after he’d pulled into the driveway and started up the walk. Then he said, “My god!” and nearly dropped the champagne.

He caught the slipping bottle in time, just as Brenna opened the front door. She’d been in the living room, playing the piano, and had heard his car door slam.

“What happened?” Paul asked.

“I don’t know,” Brenna said, remembering all over again that someone obviously had it in for her and was still on the loose. “Someone tried to set the house afire, but fortunately they weren’t a professional and didn’t do a good job of it. I don’t know who could have done it.”

“I have an idea,” Paul said. He had spotted the silver Infiniti in his rear view that morning. And he remembered the incident leaving the restaurant, when Julianna had made short work of the spider that had upset her. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together.

Brenna lifted an eyebrow, but Paul just said, “I’ll call the fire marshal tomorrow. Are all of you okay? How bad is the damage?”

“We’re all fine—in fact, we’re all just dandy. The fire had an unexpected benefit,” and she told Paul of how Kyle seemed to have reached a truce with Sammy in the aftermath of the fire. “There’s a spot on the roof where an ember landed. I’ll have to call the roofers tomorrow. And of course there’s a lot of exterior damage. But nothing structural other than roof. And nothing inside. My biggest worry has been finding out who did it before they strike again.”

“I’ve got that covered.”

They were still standing in the entryway. “Come in and sit down,” Brenna said.  Paul proffered the champagne as they sat down in the living room, and Brenna immediately jumped up again and went off in search of glasses.

“Is Mom still awake?” Paul asked as she exited the room.

“I think she’s asleep already. It’s been a very wearing day,” she called over her shoulder. In a minute she was back. “What are we toasting?” she asked.

“You tell me. You’re the one with the news. I’m just supplying the champagne—you’re supplying the reason.”

So Brenna told him everything. Stopping for an occasional sip, she first recounted the story of Kyle’s remembering a fragment of his earlier life with them—thanks to Eddy Bear’s picture—and remembering the abduction as well. She told Paul of how Jenny had told Kyle that his parents were both dead.

“The bitch!” Paul spat the words in a white heat, angrier than Brenna had ever seen him.

Then Brenna told him of her discovery of the basis of Sammy’s fears. “An accident. Of course!” Paul said. He shook his head and chuckled, greatly relieved to know the mystery was solved and there was nothing physically wrong with the child. “Why didn’t one of us think of that? Sheesh—one of us should have realized it.”

“So you think you know who set the fire?” Brenna had to know who he suspected.

“Julianna’s been following me—I’ve caught her in my rear-view twice now. And she’s a wicked one. And she’s mad at me for leaving her. I think she’s even more angry that I haven’t come crawling back. I don’t think she expected me to stay away. And she’s capable of vindictiveness.”

“You’ve left her?”

“Old news.”

“I didn’t realize. Is there someone else?”
Paul’s silent pause lasted long enough that Brenna wondered if she’d asked a too-nosy question. She was just about to say, “Never mind,” when he answered, “Yes, although that’s not why I left her.”

“Oh?” One eyebrow went up, as Brenna fussed with her bun, straightening imagined flyaway hairs in the already-perfect coif. When Paul volunteered no further information, Brenna couldn’t help asking, “Are you getting married again?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Living-with?”

“No.”

Brenna hesitated, but her natural curiosity was strong. “Why not?”

“Because it’s you I love, and if it didn’t work the first time, why should I think it would work now. Besides, aren’t you dating someone?”

“Nick? No. I broke up with him. Same situation.”

“Same situation?”

“I’m still in love with you.”

“Love isn’t everything. It didn’t work for us last time.”

“I know . . . but we were under some extraordinary pressures.”

“In a good marriage, we would have pulled together, come through it stronger.”

“Maybe we learned something from the experience.”

“I learned something years ago. I broke up with a girl I was dating in college, but I went back to her later on.  It didn’t work. I learned that if you try to go back, it’s never the same. You just can’t go back. That’s how life is—you can’t go back.”

Brenna just sat there for a minute. She still loved Paul—but could they make it work? Should she try to persuade him . . . or was he right that you never could go back?

Paul sat there on the sofa, leaning earnestly forward toward Brenna and knocking his pipestem reflectively against his teeth. “No,” he repeated. “You can never go back.” And he slumped back against the sofa as if accepting defeat in this relationship.

Brenna moved over to sit next to Paul. Then she gently moved his hand away so his pipe wasn’t blocking his lips.

Just before she kissed him, she softly said, “It’s always too late to go back. But it’s never too late to go forward.”

END

Jake paced up and down the small hotel room. He’d been seeing Jessie McCarey now for several months and he knew without a doubt: She was the one. Jake had never been uptight about a woman before; of course, he’d not been anxious to marry one, either.

He’d been too busy enjoying his freedom. And, trying to drum up work. Finally, he tired of the pacing pattern around and around the room and decided to ride out to the McCarey ranch.

When Jake drew close to the house, he spied Tom and the twins reworking some sagging fences. I’d never take for granted what that woman thinks. Maybe talking to the boys, I can get a feel for what Jessie really thinks of me.

“Hi fellas, working hard?”

“Only when we hav-ta!” Jason joked.

“Yeah, it would be a lot easier to slack off if’n Tom wasn’t here,” Josh interjected teasingly.

“Well,” Jake suggested, “Why don’t you three slackers take a break and talk to me about something?”

Tom looked quizzically at Jake. “What’s up?”

“Well, I … Well, uh …”

“This must be about Jessie. Spit it out, man!”

Jake grinned, then grew a bit sheepish. “You’re right—it is about Jessie. How do you think she feels about me?”

Tom threw his head back and laughed out loud. The twins joined in, and soon they were all poking fun at Jake.

“What’d I say that’s so funny? Will ya let me in on the joke?”

Tom finally regained his composure and replied: “It’s just funny that you’d even have to ask, that’s all.”

“Well, I think she likes me and all, but I’m serious, I mean serious about her. I need to know, fellas.”

Josh interjected: “Well, I’d say she was plum crazy ’bout ya, wouldn’t you say, guys?”

Jason and Tom both nodded their agreement.

“Crazy, huh? Crazy enough to marry me, you think?”

“Marry??!!” three voices yelped all at once. “All right!!”

When Jake reached the house, he found Kathleen and Gus McCarey snuggled together on a swing outside on the veranda. He admired, for the upteenth time, the lovely wood-framed house Gus built for his family. Nothing like this back east, he thought.

He tipped his hat. “Good evening, Mrs. McCarey. Sir.”

“Good evening, Jacob,” Kathleen answered him with one of her beautiful smiles.

“How you been, son?” Gus asked.

Jake began to relax. These people always made him feel at home—they were good people. And until lately he hadn’t realized it, but he longed to be part of a real family. He’d felt an emotional distance from his father and brother for a long time.

“Oh, just fine, keeping busy drumming up work. Is Jessie around? I checked at the office in town, but they said she was home today.”

“Yes, she’s home. Around back, Jake.” Kathleen took Jake’s arm and strolled toward the back of the house. She pointed, indicating where Jessie vigorously brushed up a sheen on a handsome black stallion outside the barn. Kathleen discreetly turned back to continue her chat with her husband.

Jessie’s sunlit hair, haphazardly pulled up with combs, moist curls escaping on her forehead and down the back of her neck, emphasized how hot and dirty she was from working on the sweaty horses. Jessie’s expression showed complete surprise in Jake’s visit.

Jake strolled over to a large elm tree behind the house and motioned for Jessie to follow. He could fathom the expected exasperation on her face. But before she could chew on him for coming by unexpectedly and seeing her in such a state, he leaned over and quickly silenced her with a kiss. She looked up in astonishment as he touched her face, softly wiping away a dirty smudge on her cheek with his thumb, then gently caressing a wisp of curl next to her earlobe.

“You su
re look beautiful today, Miss McCarey,” he said, smiling down at her.
“Well, thank you, sir. I always appreciate receiving compliments from a gentleman—if they’re genuine, that is.”

“Oh, this one’s genuine, all right. I think you look so gorgeous, I think … I think I’d like to take you right into town and marry you. What would you say to that, Miss McCarey?”

He waited. Jessie stared at him for a long time. Finally: “You come out here to ask me to marry you, looking like this?!! I could just kill you, Jake Trenton!!”

“Will you marry me, first, Jessie? I need you and I don’t want to be without you anymore. I’m sick of that room in town and being alone, and waking up without you and ….”

“Okay.”

“What’d you say?”

“I said yes, I’ll marry you. When do you want to do it? How about half an hour? I have a few more chores to do around the house, by then I’ll be really good and dirty; we could do it right after the chores,” she teased.     ‘”Jessie McCarey, I love you, you wild woman.’ “You’d better, Jake, because I … love you, too.”

“Well, that’s what your brothers say!” Jake laughed.

When Jessie explained to Jake that it would take a little while to plan the wedding, he replied that he hoped it wouldn’t take too long. When she promised that she and Mama could probably get things arranged in a few weeks, Jake was pleased.

Each went on with their daily work routines, Jake stopping by the ranch to see her on the evenings he returned to Big Spring from his delivery routes.

Jake warned Jessie on more than one occasion about his ‘wanderlust’. “I’m infected with travel, Jessie; you sure you can live with a man who roams the earth? And sky?”

“I get pretty distracted myself, Jake, and sometimes tune people out. You’ll have a few of my bad habits to get used to!”

One rare relaxed afternoon, Jessie and MaryBeth examined fabric at Jeremiah’s store in Big Spring. Jessie fussed a bit, unable to decide what material would be right for her wedding dress. She looked through various muslins and a few silks, examining each swatch by holding it in front of her face at the long, oval mirror in the corner of the store.

Jessie picked up a different bolt and asked: “Ooh! MaryBeth! What do you think of this color?” She put a swath of shiny, apricot-colored silk next to her face.

MaryBeth nodded approvingly. “If you’re not going to wear the traditional white, that would look lovely on you; it accents your hair color.”

“Well, I think I should have my own traditions. It is my wedding. Of course, there is Granny Mary’s dress … For tradition’s sake, Mother probably would like me to try and salvage it. Perhaps I could adjust it a bit more to my taste. Really, it’s only those tight sleeves with the silly puffs I’m not fond of. What would you think if I replaced the sleeves with shorter ones, perhaps of this lacy ivory material …?”

When MaryBeth nodded, suddenly Jessie asked, “When are you and Ben going to do this, MaryBeth?”

Caught off guard, MaryBeth blushed. “He’s asked me,” she shyly and quickly dropped her eyes.

Jessie laughed. “So, when are you going to agree to marry him?”

“When I get enough courage to be a married woman, I guess.”

“What are you talking about? Ben adores you!”

“Well, you know, the..the….”

“The … what?”

MaryBeth motioned for Jessie to follow her outside. They walked behind the store and sat down on an old bench.

“Well?” Jessie questioned.

MaryBeth leaned close and whispered: “The … married part. I don’t know anything about it.”

“What’s there to know?”

“Intimacy, that’s what!” Then MaryBeth looked around anxiously, to see if anyone had heard.

Jessie was taken aback. She’d never heard MaryBeth raise her voice. “Are you afraid of se—?”

“Sh!! Jessie! Somebody might hear!”

Jessie exaggeratedly whispered: “Well, that’s what it is, you know.” After seeing the shocked look on MaryBeth’s face, she added: “Okay, ‘making love,’ is that better?”

“Much. Do you think it’s … difficult?”

“Difficult? Are you kidding?”

“Well, that’s what Mam-maw always says. That it’s something married women have to put up with. She makes it sound like men are beasts!”

Jessie threw her head back and roared with laughter. She laughed and laughed till she was nearly weak. MaryBeth waited for her to calm down and then said, “It’s not funny, Jessie, I don’t know what to do!”

Jessie got herself under control and put her arm around MaryBeth. “Okay, we’ve been friends for a long time and we’ve talked about a lot of things, right?”

“Yes, that’s what I like about you—you’ll tell me … anything.”

“You listen to me, now, and you disregard what that grandmother of yours said, you hear me?”

“I’ll try.”

“At first, it may be awkward for you. I’m not going to lie to you about that. The reason I say that is because I know how embarrassed you are about undressing in front of … even me. I’ve noticed it for a long time, but didn’t make a fuss; afraid it might make you more timid.”

“Well, I do have a little trouble with that.”

“Okay, after you get undressed, Ben will want to kiss you and touch you. In places I’m sure he never has touched you … right?”

“Oh, Ben’s always been a gentleman!”

“Well, you need to try to relax and let him kiss you or touch you wherever he wants …”

MaryBeth looked horrified. “Wherever?”

“Yes, wherever. I know Ben loves you, and he won’t be an animal, believe me. When you get used to it … you’ll love it!”

“Jessie!! You haven’t??!!!! … How … do you know?”

“Oh, silly goose, Mama told me. She said her great-granny had scared the be-jeebers out of women in the family about it, like your grandmother has you. But Mama believes that was probably because Great-Grampa was pretty much … well … a drunken louse.” She giggled.

MaryBeth looked down, blushing again.

“Don’t get prudish on me now. I’m telling you the truth.”

“Aren’t you a bit scared?”

“Sure. I guess.” She grew thoughtful. “Actually, no, to be honest, I’m anxious. It’s all I’ve thought about lately, especially when I’m spending close time with Jake. If you know what I mean …”

MaryBeth blushed again. “Oh my goodness! I don’t know if I can do this like you, Jessie.”

“You can if you’ll just trust yourself and trust Ben. You love him and he loves you.” She grew serious. “Mama says it’s the ultimate offering—the gift of yourself. And besides, you know it even says in the Bible: the two become one. ”

“Oh, Jessie, you make it sound so wonderful! I … well; maybe … it will be all right!”

Jessie noticed the look on MaryBeth’s face. “Oh, quit that blushing, right now! Trust me on this. Have I ever led you astray about anything?”

“Well … there was that time you got us into trouble for playing hooky and going for a dip in Miller’s pond.”

“Oh, other than that! You just can’t let that die, can you, girl? I’ll never live that one down!” Jessie chuckled and added: “I’m serious as death this time. You know I wouldn’t deliberately mislead you.”

When MaryBeth smiled, Jessie reached her arm around and hugged her friend again.

“We sure had some good times in school. ‘Member when Roger swung way sideways on that rope at the creek and broke his arm?” Marybeth asked, giggling.

“How could I forget? Miss Riley volunteered me to write out all his homework for him. He sure enjoyed bossin’ me around!”

Exchanging secret smiles, they returned to the store thinking the same thing:  It was so great to have a best friend. And now they’d be sisters.

A few days later, Ben approached Jessie in her office. “Have you been talking to MaryBeth?”

“She’s my best friend; yes, I talk to her all the time. Why?”

“She told me today she wanted to marry me, that’s what!”

“And … the problem is …?”

“I couldn’t get an answer out of her till that day after you two went looking at things for your wedding. What did you say to her?”

“You mad at me?”

“Heavens, no; I’m grateful! I just wondered why she had changed so much. She seems more relaxed and happy.”

“Well, I told her you loved her more than anything in this world, that you’d die for her, and that being married to you would be the most wonderful thing that ever happened in her life.”

“You said all that?”

“In a manner of speaking; yes.”

Ben kissed Jessie’s brow. “Thanks ever so much, Sis.”

“You just make sure you don’t ever let her down, you hear me? I know you love her, but don’t you ever hurt her! She’s so delicate, so fragile. You might be my big brother, but I’ll make you pay if you do …” Jessie made a fake, menacing scowl.

“I won’t, I swear.”

Ben smiled and Jessie softly answered, “I know.” Then she added: “How about making it a double wedding?”

“You mean it?! You wouldn’t mind?”

“She’s my best friend, remember?”

Jessie and MaryBeth talked their fiancés into setting the wedding date in May. The girls wanted an outdoor ceremony and felt that by that time, the weather would cooperate. It did. The twelfth of May was a gorgeous Oklahoma day. Trees and prairie grasses painted the landscape vibrant green, brilliant wildflowers sprang up everywhere, dotting the green with profuse colors. Unexpected but appreciated: little wind. Perfect day for a wedding.

Jessie’s brothers did all the expected mean things: wrote teasing little signs and left them everywhere, put rice in her bed the night before, poked their heads into her room several times to see if they could catch her in her underwear so she’d shriek at them. It went on all day.

MaryBeth brought her things to the McCarey home in the afternoon so they could get ready for the ceremony together. As the girls were giggling together, Kathleen gently knocked on the door. When Jessie asked her to come in, Kathleen told the girls how lovely they looked and hugged each of them.

As Kathleen was about to leave, Jessie quickly put her arms around her mother and drew her back. “I know I don’t tell you often enough, Mama, but I love you very much. Thank you for everything you do—you’re always here for me when I need you. Times like this make me stop to appreciate things … like you sewing the altered sleeves on my dress, playing the music, detailing the cake, flowers, all the lovely things you’ve arranged for this wedding.”

Kathleen replied: “I’ve so enjoyed planning this wonderful day with MaryBeth’s mother. It’s been such fun; we’ve become even closer friends. And, it’s the least I could do for my girls…now I’ll have two daughters!”

Kathleen kissed Jessie’s cheek, then turned and kissed MaryBeth. As she quickly wiped away a happy tear: “I better get downstairs to set up the piano arrangement while the two of you finish dressing.”

As Kathleen softly closed the door behind her, MaryBeth picked up some minuscule apricot-colored flowers lying on the dresser.

“I asked Matthew earlier if he could pick some wildflowers in the meadow down by the creek. I told him the colors I wanted, and he’s such a sweetheart…he was so excited, he flew off to help. See what Matty found … they are just perfect, so delicate.”

“Wow, you remembered that’s my favorite color!”

MaryBeth brushed Jessie’s long hair till it glowed and then gently French-twisted the silky sides, plaiting a few loose braids in the long curls in back, and then entwining tiny bits of the flowers into those braids.

Jessie helped MaryBeth adjust her veil, and stood back, awestruck at MaryBeth.

“You’re exquisite! With those golden curls and sky-blue eyes, you’re like a fragile, porcelain doll. No … an angel!”

“You’re the one who’s beautiful,” MaryBeth replied. She smiled adoringly at Jessie, who’d decided against wearing a veil. “Your hair looks like Gwenevere’s. You’ve such vibrant beauty; you don’t even need decoration, Jessie.”

“Well, we’d best get down to the two luckiest men in Oklahoma, before they change their minds,” Jessie teased.

The McCarey and Stockton families and many friends gathered outside. The men had set up rows of chairs and tables along the side, to hold the huge cakes, china, and arrangements of flowers Kathleen and MaryBeth’s mother had lovingly created. Jason and Josh acted as ushers, flirting outrageously, all the while escorting the ladies to their seats.

As the girls came down the back stairs, Gus took Jessie’s arm and MaryBeth’s father grasped hers. Gus pecked Jessie’s check as he escorted her around the corner to the back porch. There he nodded for Kathleen to start playing the piano.

The lively chatter quieted. Gus and Jessie walked down the aisle created by space between the rows of chairs, Mr. Stockton following with MaryBeth.

As they turned to watch the lovely sight coming toward them, Ben extended a handshake to Jake. When they reached the grooms standing under a trellis of flowers, Gus placed Jessie’s hand in Jake’s and Mr. Stockton tenderly kissed and laid MaryBeth’s hand into Ben’s.

Pastor Murphy beamed as ladies sniffed into their hankies. After a moment, he began:  “I have known the McCarey and Stockton families for a long time now. Ben, Jessica and MaryBeth have been like my own children—I’ve come to love each of them for their rare qualities. And it’s been a real pleasure getting to know Jake these past weeks—I already sense he is a fine man. Miss Jessie, here, is lucky to have him.”

The pastor winked at Jake. As the audience chuckled, Jessie wrinkled up her nose and then grinned at the minister.

“Jake, before you’re committed, you do understand Jessie is quite the wild one, don’t you?”

Everyone roared this time, MaryBeth fighting to suppress her giggle. Ben bit his lip. And Jake winked at the minister.

“It is always a pleasure to assist wonderful young people such as these engage in that practice God so highly esteems: the holy state of marriage. It is not something to be entered into lightly, but reverently. So now, I must become serious.” He paused.

“These two couples come before us today, of their own free will, to join in this glorious state. If there be any present who have reason why they should not be joined together, let him state so now, or forever hold his peace.”

After a short period of silence: “Then, let us begin. Would you bow with me?” The two couples knelt before the pastor. “Lord, please bless these fine young people. Give them Your love; send them the Spirit of Your Presence, to help them throughout all the days of their lives. We thank you for your blessings and ask this in the name of your beloved Son, Jesus.”

The congregation joined in: “Amen.”

Pastor Murphy indicated the couples should rise. Then: “Do you, MaryBeth, take Benjamin, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in heath, until death do you part?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Do you, Benjamin, take MaryBeth, to love and cherish, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, til death do you part?”

“Yes, Sir, I do.”

“And, do you, Sarah Jessica, take Jacob …”

“Yes.”
The minister looked intently at Jessie. “I hadn’t finished your part, Sarah. I wonder if I need to put in the ‘obey’ clause?”

“If you really think it’s necessary …?” She smiled innocently.

“Let’s just continue … do you, Jacob, take Jessica, to love and to cherish, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, til death do you part?”

“I most certainly do.”

The minister indicated to the best men, (Tom and MaryBeth’s brother, Harry) that they should extend the rings. After Ben slipped MaryBeth’s gently on her finger and Jake placed Jessie’s on hers:      ”I now pronounce that these two couples are … uh … men and wives. That seems a bit awkward. How about … man and wife … and man and wife?”

As the audience chuckled, Jake looked tenderly down at Jessie and whispered: “I promise I’ll always love you, Jessie McCarey…Trenton. Don’t you ever forget that!”

“You’d better, Mister!”

Jake smiled and watched Ben give MaryBeth a gentle kiss, as the audience clapped for them. But Jake roughly brought Jessie into his arms and gave her a rousing kiss that lasted a long few minutes. Everyone clapped again, whispered deliciously, and then heartily laughed before it ceased.

The following Saturday found Jessie exhausted. By four o’clock, she headed for home, a bath, and some sweet rest. A couple of miles before reaching the ranch in the car, she and Jason were intercepted by Jake Trenton on horseback.

“Hello, Jessie, I’m just on my way over to your place. Are you busy tonight?”

Jessie’s first reaction was to tell him that she was really tired, but instead she found herself answering, “No, not particularly. I was heading home to take a bath and just relax.” She glanced down at her filthy clothes. “As you can see, I’m in dire need of it!” She laughed at herself.

Jake smiled. “How about if I come over around seven o’clock and take you out for that ride in my plane? It’s not too far away, about a quarter-hour by horseback from your house. It’ll be light for quite a while.”

“I believe I’d enjoy that,” she heard herself saying.

“Okay. See you at seven.” He waved and rode off toward town.

Jessie turned and headed the car gingerly down the old trail toward home. “Too bad we don’t have roads in here.”

Jason cantankerously mimicked in a falsetto: “I thought you were ‘so’ tired … home tonight for a bath and bed.”

“Don’t make me whack you, silly boy.”

Actually, she wondered to herself why she had accepted Jake’s invitation. She needed some sleep badly. “Oh, well, maybe the bath will revive me!” She chuckled.

When she arrived home and eased into the tub, she found it indeed worked miracles. Changing into a clean riding skirt and a white cotton blouse, she felt relaxed and more energetic than she earlier had thought she would. However, she might just take off work at the rig tomorrow. Because she’d worked some every single day for months, she figured they could do without her.

Jake arrived promptly at seven o’clock, clad in freshly pressed pants and a nice blue shirt. As she answered the door, Jessie wondered to herself who ironed his clothes for him. She laughed at the thought – as if it were any of my business. Maybe I’d rather not know. She took Jake’s arm and led him into the kitchen, where most of the family still assembled, talking, after supper.

“You all remember Jake Trenton, don’t you?”

They nodded, and Tom came around to slap Jake on the back. “What’s happenin’ with you two tonight? Got a date?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I came to take Jessie up in my plane this evening. It looks like a good time—not much wind tonight.”

Kathleen looked anxiously at Jessie. Jessie immediately recognized the look, reassuring: “It’s perfectly safe, Mama, lots of people are flying these days.”

Before anyone else could object, Jessie quickly took Jake’s arm, telling him they probably should be leaving. They walked outside, where he’d left his horse tied to a porch rail. When Jake noticed Tom standing nearby, he mounted the horse, then extended his hand to help Jessie on behind. Tom cupped his hands and gave her a boost up.

“I’ll have her back home soon,” he said to Tom and the twins, who’d followed them out to the porch.

“Have fun. Next time it’s my turn,” grinned Josh.

“Me, too!” exclaimed Matthew.

“Sure, I’ll take any of you up that would like to go. Anytime I’m not working,” Jake promised.

They rode off toward the clearing where Jake kept his small plane. Jessie wrapped her arms around Jake’s waist and enjoyed the rhythm of the horse moving beneath them. Soon, they reached the clearing, and he helped her down from the horse.

When they climbed up into the plane, Jake asked: “You sure you’re up for this?”

“You bet! Why do you ask?”

“Well, I’ve had people chicken out on me before,” Jake grinned.

“Not this little chick,” Jessie teased back.

“Good girl.”

Jake explained to Jessie about the instrumentation and principles behind flying the plane. He showed her the fuel-tank gauges, oil-pressure gauge, speed indicator, and manifold-pressure gauge.

“This is the control lever. We call it a ’stick’. Up and back movements of this stick move the elevators up and down and change pitch. Side to side movements change the position to produce roll. When coordinated together, these movements give the control necessary to make properly banked turns.”

Jessie asked, “How does the plane stay up?”

“Good question. Here’s a cram-course in aviation training: airplanes take off and climb because the propeller system produces a forward thrust greater than the combined ground and air resistance. The result of that forward motion makes air flow over the wings, which, because of the shape and incline, generates upward forces greater than the total weight of the plane.”

Jake took Jessie’s hand and held it outside the window of the plane. “Feel the wind on your hand, Jessie. By inclining your hand with respect to the wind, can you feel the upward or downward force?”

She nodded. “Is this what they call the ‘lift-to-drag’ principle?”

“Yes … yes, that’s exactly right! Aviation enthusiasts have learned that up to a certain angle where turbulence is small, lift increases. Past a certain angle, though, the smooth flow breaks down and the lift-to-drag ratio lessens rapidly. About two-thirds of the upward reaction comes from suction air pressure over the top of the curved wing and about one third from the undersurface.”

Jessie asked, “How do you control the speed?”

“Air speed is a function of thrust, controlled by the engine throttle setting. This is the throttle.” He pointed to a lever. “Ready to try it?”

“Oh, yeah!”

“Okay, but first, buckle up your lap and shoulder belt. With this open cockpit, might drop you out on your head!” he chuckled.

“Done. Let’s go!”

Jake quickly tightened the slack on her shoulder harness, started the engine, and maneuvered the plane until it had turned around in the opposite direction.

“Got to take off with the right direction in the wind,” he explained.

Soon, they were airborne and Jessie felt breathless. Ooh … it feels so cool up here! She watched as they climbed higher and higher and was amazed at the look of the fields, houses and terrain below. It appeared like one of Grandma’s zig-zag quilts: a picture … a miniature model of everything.

Gosh, it’s incredible! She immediately understood Jake’s love of flying – it felt like lightly floating … and she did feel so free! On their turns, she watched the blazing red semi-globe of the sun slant against the horizon, exhilarated at the sense of the world tilting beneath her.

Because of the loud wind noise, Jake motioned to Jessie to watch his hand on the control instrument. She felt the movement of the plane as he moved the stick around. Jake turned to look at her and smiled as he watched her reaction: no fear whatsoever on that face; he instinctively knew she was having the same euphoric emotion he always experienced while up high like this. He began to feel a curious reaction about Jessie, one he’d not experienced with a woman before. It surprised and … disturbed him a bit.

After a short run, only a few miles around the countryside, Jake turned the plane around and headed back to the clearing. As soon as he touched down, he heard Jessie exclaim: “Golly, what a ride! That was absolutely thrilling!!”

As they rode back toward the McCarey ranch, Jake felt Jessie lean against him more heavily than on the ride out. Poor kid—she must be exhausted. He imagined how hard she must be working.

They reached the ranch just as the dusky sky began to concede to the dark. Jake slipped quickly off the horse and gently eased Jessie down. When Jessie asked if he’d like to come in for coffee and pie or just sit and talk awhile, Jake tenderly tilted her chin up and brushed her mouth with a soft kiss: “I think I’ll pass on that nice offer tonight. Another time?”

“Sure,” she smiled up at him.

Jessie watched Jake ride off, and then turned inside to find the twins and Matt waiting for her, snickering wickedly like a bunch of hyenas. She surmised they’d spied that kiss from behind the curtains. She sleepily turned upstairs to bed, the sweet sensation of it still caressing her lips.

Looking down over the banister, she called: “Oh enjoy yourselves, you little devils.”

Tom completed his errands in Big Spring and decided he sure could use a cool drink. He debated about a soda over at Jeremiah’s store, but finally thinking, What the heck, surrendered to a beer at Clinton’s Tavern. Sitting at the bar, he began to reminisce about the last time he’d been in here—the day Ben and Stephen brought Jessie inside this dump.

Tom glanced around, almost as if to check to make sure Jessie wasn’t here again. Guessing his mind, the bartender jokingly asked, “Whatcha doin’? Lookin’ for your little sister?”

“Who knows? What a pain in the butt she can be sometimes!”

The bartender laughed and brought him another glass of beer.  “Tom, she ain’t been back in here, so don’t worry. That day was fun. She give us all somethin’ to talk ’bout, anyhow. We gotta real kick outta her.”

Still grimacing at the thought of Jessie’s antics, Tom felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to find a tall, dark-headed man grinning crazily at him. Tom studied the man a moment before recognition spread across his face. “Jake, Jake Trenton! What in the world are you doing in Big Spring?!!” Tom grabbed the man’s hand and pumped it heartily, all the while vigorously slapping Jake’s back with his free hand. Tom was thrilled to see the friend he’d connected with while working for Uncle Duke in Pennsylvania a few years back. Though the two had become fast friends, Tom never dreamed he’d see Jake again.

Jake continued to smile at Tom. “I kept hearing about all the hubbub going on down in Indian territory, so I decided to come to Oklahoma and see for myself. What luck! I just got into town and was about to ask where I might find you, when lo and behold, I see you’re sitting right there.”

“You gonna be here long?”

“That depends. I’m trying to drum up some business in this area. Sick of the hassle back east and thought I might try my luck elsewhere.”

“What kind of business you lookin’ for?”

“Well, I finally got my pilot’s license and financed a small plane. I want to do some delivery work, barnstorming, crop-dusting … whatever I can find.”

Tom smiled again while asking, “So you went and learned to fly, did ya? I figured that was a just a pipe dream without your papa’s money.”

“It was tough, especially not taking anything from Father to do it. I worked hard and saved the money myself. Finally attended that school the Wright brothers set up. There are only a few registered pilots right now in the whole country, and I’m one of the few!”

“That’s great! Glad to hear it. I know a few folks around here; I’ll recommend you. Hey, you won’t believe it, but I’m kinda involved in a risky business myself right now,” Tom said.

“Really? What are you doing?”

“My family’s drillin’ for oil. Just got started and already brought in several good wells. Hopin’ for more. This seems to be a good area for it.”

“Yeah,” Jake replied. “I’ve been reading about the excitement of everything booming here in Oklahoma and Texas and decided this might be a ripe area for opportunity. Let’s have a drink and toast to successes for us both.” Jake raised his glass and clinked against Tom’s.

Tom was ecstatic about the thought of Jake doing business here in the area. He just couldn’t believe it! Tom told Jake a bit about his family and asked Jake if he’d like to come out to the ranch for supper sometime to meet them. “Mama would be real pleased to have you stay for dinner,” he assured Jake

The invitation touched Jake. He told Tom, “That would be really nice. Perhaps in a few days.” Then added, “I’ll be busy for a while, contacting those prospective customers you mentioned.”

Tom finally asked, “Hey, what you doin’ Saturday nite?”

“Probably busy hustling work every day, so I’ll get a room at the local hotel and turn in early. Why? Anything special going on?”

Tom responded that there would be a big dance in town and lots of people from the area would be there, especially mentioning pretty girls. “My sister Jessie should be there,” he added, “but I can’t make you any promises on getting a dance on her card.” Jake hesitated, replying that he didn’t know; he’d see how his schedule would be lining up later in the week.

Tom tempted, “Jake, can ya take a minute to ride out with me to one of the sites we’re drilling? I’m finished for the day, just need to drop off some papers Ben asked me to pick up.”

Jake responded, “I would definitely be interested in seeing how the work is done, but I probably should settle in for the evening. I want to make early contacts tomorrow.”

“Aw, come on, Jake … come on! You’ll be back before dark. I can borrow a horse for you from a friend of mine down the street.”

“Well … okay, it’s been such a long time since I’ve seen you, but remember: I can’t stay late. I’ve got to start making a living.”

“Won’t take long, and you can meet some of my brothers. They should still be at the rig. Let’s go!”

When they reached the site, Tom introduced Jake to Ben and explained that he’d invited Jake to see their operations. When Jake told Ben he didn’t want to be in the way and would stand off to the side, watching, Ben reached out a bear-sized paw and squeezed Jake’s hand. “Any friend of Tom’s is always welcome.”

Ben politely took time to explain to Jake how the drilling was done. He described ‘spudding in,’ cable tools, using mud for cooling the bit, etc. Always interested in learning new things, Jake was impressed with the operation.

Ben’s attention to explaining the parts of the rig was distracted by murmurs of some of the other men. The men began looking out toward the road, so Ben, Tom, and Jake followed their glancesin that direction.

Weaving across the dirt road at a good rate of speed, a Model-T furiously scattered dust. As the car bore down toward them, Ben thought that the driver would begin to slow down, but it kept coming at the same speed, directly at them. His crew looked anxiously at one another and jumped away from the car’s path. About ten feet from them, seemingly at the very last moment, the car swerved around the rig and hurtled a ditch to the side, finally bumping to rest against a soft mound of spewing dirt.

Ben strode to the car, prepared to direct a few choice expletives at the driver, when Jessie jumped out, a smile stretching the width of her face. “Hi, Ben. Jason’s giving me driving lessons! Isn’t it grand?! I already love driving!!”

Ben gave Jason a dark look as he exited the passenger’s side. Jason sheepishly shrugged his shoulders, as if to say, You try and stop her when she wants to do something.

Jessie recognized the look and quickly rattled:  “Oh, Ben, don’t lecture Jason; I kept at him until he agreed to teach me. After all, I’m sixteen months older than the twins, so I should be able to drive, too. It will be so useful, and now I can more-quickly run errands for you, which you know will help out here on the rig. The steering’s not too bad; but that ‘shifting’ and clutching is what I have to work on. What do you think of my first test drive—pretty good, right?!!”

Ben’s dark glance faded into one of mild annoyance. The other workers began to laugh and joke around with Jessie.

“Well, Jess, I wouldn’t exactly say you were ready for racing yet, but knowing you, you’ll get it. I won’t be surprised if perty soon you’ll be wanting to compete with the likes of Ray Harroun at the Indy.”

While she beamed up at Ben, excitedly chattering on, Jake’s glance appreciatively took in the slim figure (in an old shirt and worn pair of … looks like a cast-off pair of boys’ trousers), the windblown, shiny hair, and the animated expression. Jake decided this trip had been worth the time: Here was a woman he’d like to get to know. But that would have to come later.

Before he could become further delayed with conversation, he turned toward the borrowed horse. Jake quickly asked, “What time did you say that dance starts Saturday night?”

Tom smiled as he responded: “It’s still eight o’clock, like I told you. Did ya have a change of heart?”

“Believe I did. See you Saturday.” He grinned as he got on the horse and rode off toward town.

The weather on Saturday evening turned out to be the perfect complement for a dance. Open town hall windows enabled everyone to enjoy the cooler evening breeze. Conversation buzzed loudly, young men shyly talking with pretty girls, youngsters playing and running in and out, older people in groups talking about the town growing, or the weather, crops, and the latest problems with the farming. Oil workers, freshly scrubbed, admired the local girls. Streamers decorated the ceiling, and ladies busily arranged punch and cookies on a long table. The band musicians organized their materials in the far corner. There an old patchwork quilt covered the solid stacks of bailed hay that would act as their platform. Fellows began strumming their guitars, preparing for the evening’s entertainment.

The McCarey family all rode to town together in their wagon. Gus wasn’t ready yet for a drive in that newfangled horseless buggy. Besides, there was not enough room in it for everyone, anyway.

Gus slid his long legs over the side of the wagon and held his arms up to Kathleen. As she elegantly descended, he smiled proudly at how lovely she looked in a long, swirling white dress dotted with tiny blue flowers. She took his arm to enter the dance.

Ben helped Jessie down, and as they strolled in, he told her she ‘sure was pretty.’ She’d brushed her light, coppery-gold hair till it lay in a soft, shiny pageboy at her shoulders. In her nicest frock: an off-the-shoulder style in a color that nearly matched the sea green of her eyes, Ben knew she’d get plenty of attention, as usual.

Sure enough, as soon as they entered, the Bradford twins eyed them and headed straight in the direction where they stood. Ben offered to get Jessie something to drink, but she looked at him imploringly: Please don’t desert me here with these two. The Bradford twins, a year younger, always stuck at Jessie’s heels like little lost puppies. She liked them both, but they seemed so immature; she sometimes felt they were real pests.

Ben winked and said he’d be right back. Before he could return to Jessie with a cup of punch, he spied MaryBeth Stockton sitting with her family.  Now, Ben had been thinking of asking MaryBeth out for some time, but with being so busy at the site, he’d scarcely had time for anything other than work. Looking back toward Jessie, he pointed toward MaryBeth.

Jessie smiled and silently mouthed ‘O.K.’ to him. MaryBeth was Jessie’s best friend, and Jessie had schemed to fix them up for some time. Ecstatic, she watched Ben offer MaryBeth the glass of punch.

Tom was also pleased when Jake strolled in a little later. As they shook hands, Tom introduced him to the family members who were sitting nearby. Ben had already pretty much become enthralled with MaryBeth, and Jessie was surrounded by fellows requesting dances. Like a sentry, Tom observed Daniel Morgan across the room, staring intensely at Jessie.

Jake noticed Tom’s expression: “Trouble?”

“Not sure. Jilted ex-suitor.”

Jake laughed.

Shortly, Daniel caught Jessie’s eye and nodded politely. When Jessie smiled back, Tom relaxed and picked up two cups of punch. Tom then winked at Jake and indicated they should step outside the back door. There Tom poured a homemade concoction into their cups from a bottle in the wagon, and the pair went back inside.

Jake watched Jessie off and on, most of the evening. He courteously requested dances from a few of the girls Tom introduced him to, but in between, scarcely took his eyes off Jessie. He noted that practically every single man in the place had either offered to get her a drink or asked her to dance, even an old man named Red Stephens, her current partner. Quite the dancer for his age, probably about seventy-five, but still Red appeared a lively fellow. Jake found Jessie’s animated demeanor and good-natured laughing at Red’s jokes quite appealing. She seemed to be enjoying a break from the twins’ over-attentiveness. Red swung Jessie around and around, so she was actually doing a lot more of the dancing than he was, her skirt and blazing copper hair spinning. She soon became flushed from their quick pace to the two-step music.

After she’d danced with several local boys and each of the twins a couple of times, Eli Bradford headed toward her again. Jake noted Jessie’s grimace toward Tom: Oh no, not again!

Tom started across the room, but Jake tapped him on the arm and offered: “I’ll handle this assignment.” Tom chuckled and strolled over to a pretty brunette sitting alone.

Just as Eli asked Jessie for the next dance, Jake smoothly slid his hand under her arm and down toward her hand, clasping it in his.  “Sorry, fella, but I believe the lady promised this one to me.” Eli seemed disappointed but backed away in a gentlemanly manner.

Jessie looked up curiously at Jake but allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor in a slow waltz. “I suppose I should introduce myself—my name’s Jake Trenton.”

Jessie scrutinized the tall, dark-headed man she danced with. She thought him rather good-looking, maybe twenty-six, twenty seven …? “Oh…yes! You must be the friend of Tom’s I’ve heard so much about. I’m pleased to meet you and especially appreciative of the rescue.”

Jake smiled down at her upturned face. Cute little nose, especially with those sunny freckles splattered across. Not a classically beautiful face, but extremely pleasant to look at. He noticed a tiny crescent-shaped scar at the left side of her chin. Wonder what mischief wrought that …?

He thought it refreshing that she smiled often and bet she was a very good sport. Good-looking, smart and a pleasant personality, he mused. “My pleasure,” he responded sincerely.

When Jessie asked him if he was enjoying his stay in Oklahoma, Jake responded that yes, he liked this part of the country. “The people are so friendly, and I’m excited at the prospect of finding some regular work here.”

At the end of their dance, Jessie looked back toward the side of the room where young men had vied for her attention all evening. The twins and several other young men were sitting or standing nearby, waiting. Jake discerned her glance and asked if she’d like to go outside for a walk. She said that she was a little warm from the dancing and would enjoy some air. Jake led her outside, amusedly aware of the disappointed sighs from across the room (including that of the apparently too-late-in-acting ex-beau …).

Walking a short distance from the building, they came upon a sturdy fence. In a comfortable manner, Jake put his hands at Jessie’s waist and lifted her up to sit on one of the rails. He stood quietly next to her as they wordlessly enjoyed the clear night full of stars, a cool breeze and the faint strains of the music wafting from the town hall.

Finally, Jessie asked, “So you think you’ll be able to do some flying here, Mr. Trenton?”

“It’s Jake.”

“Oh. Okay … Jake. You think you’ll find work? Flying must be so exciting!”

“I’ve talked with some people here and in several other towns. I think I may be able to do some delivery runs for them. Could always do a little barn-storming and, if worse comes to worse, charge to take people up for rides. Yes, it’s fantastic being up there, high above the world. Makes me feel so free. Would you like to go up with me sometime?”

“Really? Are you kidding? I’d love to! I … just don’t know when, though; I’m completely swamped with work lately.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard about your family’s operation. You sound like quite a little businesswoman. But maybe you can work in a little free time.”

Jessie blushed at the compliment. “We’re giving it a try—I’m hopeful we’ll be successful. We’re incorporating the family business. I think it will be beneficial, especially having more investors to absorb some of the expense and responsibility.”

“Sounds like you’ve planned where you’re heading. That’s a rare, admirable trait—knowing what you want.”

He smiled down into those mesmerizing eyes. Jessie blushed again, and it confused her. She was normally very self-assured with people, even men, but this man was having an unusual effect on her.

Jessie grew quiet. Neither spoke for some time, but they seemed comfortable enough together. Jake looked down at her face, content from the music playing faintly in the background. He could hear the romantic lyrics: “How could I help … falling in love … with the prettiest girl in the county” and was stirred with the thought of kissing her.

That charming pair of big green eyes mirrored the moonlight’s illumination, seemingly beckoning to him. Her glance never wavered from his, and before she knew it, his lips touched her soft, moist mouth; she closed her eyes. It began gently at first, and then he kissed her more and more urgently. He bent his head and slid his mouth slowly down her warm, smooth neck, wisps of soft hair caressing his face. Exhaling a warm sigh of contentment, her fingers instinctively reached up, stroking the hair at the nape of his neck.

When her upper body pressed closer toward him, he lifted her from the fence, experiencing a rush of heat as the length of her slid down against him. She smelled so good, a little like violets. He kissed her again and again, till they were both nearly breathless, before he finally tore his mouth away from hers.

It took Jessie a moment to recover. She heard Jake say something about going back in with the others as he led her back toward the dance. To be perfectly honest with herself, she had to admit she was a little disappointed that he wanted to stop, but then she chided herself for allowing a stranger to kiss her —and so intimately: Shame on you, you hussy. It was really curious, though, how trusting she felt with him, as if it were natural for them to act this way.

They lingered just outside the door and listened to sounds of the dance ending. People milled around, talking and laughing as they were leaving.

Jake whispered, “Looks like we timed that just right.”

“Yes, I suppose so,” Jessie answered wistfully.

He looked down intently at her and laughed softly. “Don’t you think for a moment I’m through with you, Miss McCarey. I’ll be around to see you soon. If that’s okay with you …?”

“I’d like that.”

They stealthily reentered the hall. When they’d located her family, Jake turned to her parents: “It was very nice meeting you, Ma’am, Sir.”

“We’re happy to meet the friend Tom’s spoken so highly of,” Kathleen said, then added, “Come for supper soon, Jacob.”

“Thank you, Mrs. McCarey. I’d enjoy some home cooking.”

“I see you’ve met Jake,” Tom commented wryly in Jessie’s direction as he approached the group.

Jake smiled. “Yes, and Jessie has agreed to come flying with me. I’ll ride over next week to visit,” he whispered purposefully to Jessie as he turned and strode toward the door.

“Just like that?” Tom teased, pleased for a change in Jessie’s taste in a man.

“Yes, I suppose … just like that.”

Within a few days, Jessie rented cheap space in an old building in Big Spring. Soon it gained the appearance of an office—although pretty rough-looking: wooden crates for desks and chairs, but that was all right; like Ben, she didn’t want to spend money too quickly.

She easily persuaded Roger Clayton into joining them, and the two busily set up contracts and invoices with buyers and worked on procedures to account for and transport the crude oil. They daily pored over logging reports, expenses, all kinds of invoices and papers.

Roger suggested they propose a drilling contract with Willie Smithsom, who owned some of the adjoining property to the Manns’ place. That would prevent other wildcatters depleting the reservoir they’d discovered. Jessie agreed that would be a better legal asset than just a stay lease. Though Mr. Smithsom didn’t have money to drill, if they didn’t get that option, someone else would quickly buy it from him.

One evening after a hard day’s work, Jessie confided: “Rog, this is so great—us working together. It’s like the good old times at school! Remember helping me with my math? I’d never have passed without you.”

Roger agreed with a smile: “It is great, Jess. And … don’t give me too much credit—you paid me back, writing those danged essays. Man, I hated all that English stuff; but it just seemed natural for you—you knocked out those papers in record time. I’m glad you invited me in on this—it’s a great opportunity.”

“Do you suppose … in case we go belly-up,” Jessie asked hesitantly, “… that the Townsends would give you back your old job?”

“Well, you never know, but they can’t seem to find anyone who enjoys bookkeeping, so thy’d probably be glad to have me back. If not, I’ll find something else. Big Spring is booming.”

“Good! I’m feeling a bit guilty. But you were the only choice for this job, Roger. I’ve always admired what a good head you have for figures.”

Roger looked wistfully at her. For some crazy reason, he could never bring himself to say so, but he thought: I wish that weren’t all you admired.

Jessie beamed at him as they closed up the office for the evening. Roger had to smile back. He could never be sore at her, no matter how disappointed he felt. She was like a best friend.

He could kick himself for not having let her know earlier how he felt. Roger just sensed he couldn’t compete with the likes of that banker’s son. When he’d heard they’d broken up, he was initially ecstatic but couldn’t believe Daniel Morgan wouldn’t be back after his temper cooled off—she was special. If she didn’t make up with Morgan, Roger clung to the hope that sometime she might notice him for more than just a platonic friend.

Jessie’s hunches proved right. The next nine wells the family drilled came in before they ever struck a dry hole. The company suddenly looked very prosperous.

As Ben, Jessie, and Roger grew more and more involved in the administrative work at the office, Tom and Jason watched over most of the operations at the sites.

Once they were financially able, Jessie promised to hire a foreman to oversee the drilling work. Then, Tom would be able to return to the ranch (his real love) to help their father. Jason, quickly becoming quite the businessman, would assume drilling decisions along with their foreman.

All along, Josh and Matt spent most of their time at the ranch, as sales of horse stock, surprisingly, began to increase.

Stephen worked at the rig through the summer, and then headed off to law school. It was satisfying that the family could help with his tuition, and Stephen could fully concentrate on school rather than the expenses.

Roger was continually impressed with Jessie’s growing knowledge of the oil business. Not only did she quickly comprehend the financial statements he prepared for her, but he often marveled at her discussions with Ben, Tom ,and others about faults, traps, porosity, specific gravity, geology, etc. All he could think, as usual: what a woman!

In spite of Ben’s misgivings, within a few months Jessie, Roger, and Mr. McPherson completed the paperwork for incorporation of McCarey Oil Company, registered in Delaware, with Ben as president. Jessie knew it would be best for now if she appeared as Ben’s behind-the-scenes ‘assistant.’ Remembering how hard it had been to convince Sim of her ability, he finally agreed it would probably be easier that way, rather than Jessie needing to force her authority on customers, employees, etc.

It bothered Ben that he’d be getting the attention for their success, but Jessie assured him she was content (as long as he respected her judgment and involved her in the decision-making.)

“Ben, I’m realistic about what I can do. I’ve heard of women getting whipped for even asking their fathers or husbands about business or things like voting. Doesn’t matter what the legal papers state. We’re partners; that’s the way it’ll always be.”

“I could never have done this without you, Jess, believe me,” he assured her often.

Jessie was relieved the family was doing well financially. Soon, she and Ben agreed they could spend less time at the rig. They hoped their family could take turns working on Sundays, so each could get back to attending worship services. The drilling never shut down, so they committed to hire more hands and rotate daily assignments. Fully knowing it probably wasn’t a priority for most of the roughnecks, but that way, the others could attend if they wished.

Jessie knew Pastor Murphy was concerned about their absences. He often came to the site on Sunday afternoons for Bible study during the employees’ breaks. Though she gave their dedicated, good-natured pastor a bad time, she honestly wouldn’t impede him. Oklahoma was still so wild; a little moral influence couldn’t hurt any of them. She wouldn’t push religion on the men; that was their call. And besides, Pastor Murphy was such a good man, funny and witty, the workers just naturally responded to him.

Their parents, especially Gus, were enormously proud of their children. Gus knew some gambles were worth taking, and this one was paying off.

He often thought to himself: McCarey Oil! McCarey Oil Company! He just couldn’t believe it—what a legacy. Gus wistfully wished that his own father, their rock, who had slaved in the coal mines to feed his large family, could have lived to see his grandchildren’s success.

But the McCarey brood’s papa was far too hard on himself. Gus should have realized his father would have been proud of his bold adventure: the scary move to homestead in Oklahoma. And more importantly: that Gus and Kathleen were raising such a gutsy, yet honest family. The McCarey family had the kind of trustworthy reputation and respect that people envied—something not bought with money.

About three weeks into the drilling while the family’s crew was fully engaged ‘pulling’ the drilling bit, Daniel Morgan dropped by the site. Daniel scrutinized the situation, unseen from the side for some time, before approaching Jessie. Hauling away a bucket of dirt, she looked really hot and dirty. From his stance, he appeared obviously displeased with her appearance and particularly that she was the only woman around.

Finally, he strode over to Jessie, tapping her shoulder: “I’d like to talk to you— over there.” He jerked his head and pointed to a tree a short distance away from the others.

Jessie turned and beamed up at him. “Hey there! Did you come to see our operation? I’m so glad you stopped by.”

“Actually, I came by to see what you are up to, since you haven’t had time to see me for weeks …”

“I’m sorry, Danny, but we’ve really been swamped with work. I’ve been meeting myself coming and going, working in town, at home, and out here, too.”

“Just what exactly are you doing out here?”

“I would think that’s obvious—I’m working.”

“I can see you’re working, but what I want to know is, why?”

“Danny, you must know that we’re operating here on a shoe-string, so all of us have to help out. Hopefully, if we strike oil, we’ll have some revenue coming in and things won’t be so tight financially. When that happens, I’ll only have to oversee the work and keep the books.”

“Oversee the work? Why can’t you let Ben take care of that!?”

“Because this is my business; I want to keep my hands in what’s going on. You know me—I relish learning and trying new things. This is like an adventure to me.”

“Yeah, well, you’re always getting into things you shouldn’t be. Why can’t you just stay home and do the normal things a woman does—like help your mother?! I don’t think it looks good for you to be out here with all these men!”

Her brothers glanced in the direction where Jessie and Daniel were talking—or rather, Daniel yelling. They couldn’t hear the conversation too well but had a good guess of what was transpiring. The boys shook their heads, each thinking in his own way: Daniel sounds like he’s about to push Jessie into a very volatile mood, which won’t be advantageous for him. Jason grinned and winked at Ben, who shook his head and went back to work.

Secretly, Ben hoped Jessie would quit seeing Daniel Morgan. Ben was of the opinion that Daniel thought himself better than most other people, because he was the banker’s son and well off. Ben appreciated people for their good qualities; wasn’t impressed by how rich they were. To Ben, character was everything.

He’d stayed out of Jessie’s private business—Jessie must see something worthwhile in Morgan. After their night together in that barn … and apparently Daniel hadn’t tried too hard to have his way with her, [otherwise, Ben would’a had to kill him] … well, Ben had to begrudgingly admit: perhaps the guy genuinely cares for our sister. His thoughts were broken by a rise in the pitch of Jessie’s voice.

“You don’t think it ‘looks good’? You don’t think it ‘looks good’!! Well, I don’t give a flip how you think it looks! I’ve got work to do and I plan on doing it. If you can’t speak to me in a civil tongue, then leave!”

Daniel’s voice took on a dangerous tone: “If I leave, I won’t be seeing you again, Jessie. I wish you’d go on home and think about this.”

Jessie hesitated. She looked at Daniel for a curiously long time, as if she were seeing him for the first time. Finally: “There’s nothing to think about, Danny. This is something exciting for me, and I won’t change my mind. If you can’t deal with it, then perhaps we don’t have anything worthwhile between us.”

“So that’s it, just like that?”

She took a deep, deliberate breath to calm down, and then answered: “You’re the one forcing me to decide—you shouldn’t make me choose between you and having a life. I’m not going to stay at home and spend my entire life washing dishes and scrubbing floors. I know that’s important work—and I help Mama as much as I can—but there are other experiences I want to explore. I’ve got to have a life of my own.”

“Well, if that’s the way you feel, I guess we’re through. I want a wife that will stay at home and help me with a family.”

“A wife? You’ve never said anything to me about marriage.”

“I figured you knew. I thought we understood each other.”

Jessie hesitated. Finally she answered: “Obviously not, if you think I’d sit at home with no outside life.”

“You’d have a great life —I’ll need you to help entertain clients … important clients …”

“What … a waitress? Do you think that’s what I am? That’s just not what I want. I wish you’d cared enough to get to know me before you started planning my life.”

“I thought you were an intelligent woman. Guess that’s my mistake—I thought I did know you.”

“Obviously, you don’t understand me at all. When did you take the time to discuss this with me? I have to tell you, marriage is the furthest thing from my mind for a while—I’ve got a business to run.”

“You’ve got to be kidding!! Women can’t wait to get their hooks in a man. All women scheme to get married!” he growled.

Jessie could see this conversation was leading nowhere. She slowly and deliberately responded: “Not all. Goodbye, Danny.”

She calmly turned and started back to work. Daniel, furiously red-faced, stared for some time; then got on his horse. The others all watched as he lingered a moment, but Jessie never turned back to acknowledge him. Finally, he violently spurred his poor horse and rode off.

Ben and Jason grinned smugly at each other.

Shortly thereafter, Jessie had her first problem with the men at the rig. For the most part, the hands had begrudgingly admired her perseverance and endurance working tirelessly around the well. However, skinny, wiry Pete Ware began to make unwanted gestures and insinuations toward her, when he noticed her brothers weren’t close by. He became especially fond of playfully tugging at the buttons on the front of her shirt.

She tried reasoning with him: “Pete, don’t do that—we have to work together. This is distracting for everyone, and we can’t afford it—we’re on a tight budget and schedule.”

But he stubbornly continued; egged on by the other man he hung out with. They laughed and elbowed each other, mocking her, until Pete finally got bold enough to grab Jessie and try to get his hands up her under her shirt. He snickered: “Come on, sweet little honey, gimme a little kiss—I bets ya really knows how to treat a man.”

Jessie shoved him off and slapped him, hard. “Pete, I’m not going to put up with that, do you understand? So make up your mind if you want to work here.…”

Jessie stomped over to the water bucket to get a drink and calm down. Pete and a few of the others continued laughing and making jokes about her figure and snide remarks about what-all they’d like to do to her. Jessie ignored them, thinking they’d eventually tire of their game and leave her alone.

However, Tom heard part of what transpired and strode over to tell Ben and Jason: “I knew this would happen, having her out here! Can’t believe it hasn’t already. What are we gonna do?”

Ben sat, silent for a moment, then replied: “We’re not going to do anything, as long as she seems to be handling it.”

“Not do anything? It’s only gonna get worse. This is no place for a woman!”

Ben retorted: “And just what do you think we should do about it? If we fire those men, we won’t be able to keep up a crew.”

“I wasn’t talking about firin’ the men,” Tom replied quietly. “I think we should send Jessie home, where she belongs.”

“And just how do you propose we do that? If you will remember correctly, this operation is Jessie’s. She did all the legwork and is completely responsible for starting what’s goin’ on out here. As long as she can handle it, I think we should support her.”

“Support her, he–!”

Jason interrupted: “Tom, you ’member that huntin’ trip Papa took y’all on two years ago, up north?”

“Yeah, what has that got to do with this?” he demanded.

“Well, if ya think back, Jessie wanted to go real bad. But for once, Papa told her no; that he didn’t think it was the kinda trip she should be on.”

“And…?” Tom asked impatiently.

“Well, ya know as well the rest of us that Jessie can sit a horse for days, and she’s as good a shot as any of us. Jess would make a heck of a hunter, given half a chance. She wanted to go on that trip so bad, I felt guilty I turned it down.”

“So?”

“So … after you all left, she wandered around the stable, real quiet-like, and I followed after her, somewhat behind. Then she went down to’ard the creek and I wus worried, so I snuck down after her. When I got close’nuff to see her, she was sobbing so hard, it shook ‘er body. Man, it ’bout killed me to watch how sad she was! Went on for maybe half-hour! I was sure she’d be sick.”

“So, she felt sorry for herself and had a good bawling spell. Women do it all the time.”

“Not like ‘at, they don’t. She wus so disappointed, it scared me. If you’da seen ’er, you’d understand. Anyway, she didn’t pout and act up about it like a baby. She had a good cry, then splashed her face with water in the creek and headed back home. She went in and helped Mama with the warshin’ the rest of the day. Can you ‘magine bein’ the only girl in the family? Expectd to do warsh’in and iron’in all day, rather than bein’ outside enjoyin’ the countryside? Made me awful glad to be a man, ya know? I’d hate to be stuck with that kinda life, wouldn’t you…? Think about it!”

Tom grew thoughtful as he faced Ben and the others. Frustrated, he stared over where Jessie busily jotted notes. She glanced up and smiled at him.

“Well, maybe I am a little hard on ‘er, but you know, she’s kinda hard to take sometimes.”

They all nodded in agreement and, laughing, slapped him on the back. Ben nodded, hinting in Jessie’s direction.

Getting the clue, Tom ambled toward Jessie, who was taking a needed break with a drink of cool water. “Jess, I heard what happened earlier. You okay?”

“I’m fine, Tom, don’t be concerned about me.” She looked up at his worried expression. “Really. I can handle the likes of Pete Ware. You remember that shiner I gave Jason when we were about the same size? If Pete tries that again, I’m going to punch his lights out!”

He smiled down at the way her cute little nose wrinkled up—the sweet gesture of a little girl. “Yeah, I sup’ose you can. But if you find yourself need’in a hand, you let me know, okay?”

“Thanks, Tommie, I will.” Then she looked up at him with such a tenderness, he was forced to turn away before she saw the emotional turmoil in his face.

About two weeks into the work, Jessie and Ben critically studied her logging reports. They’d reached a depth that exceeded what Sim felt reasonable for continuing the drilling. Sim told them he thought they might be ‘throwing good money after bad.’ Jessie asked Sim to have the crew continue for a couple more days. If they hadn’t hit oil by then, they would discuss moving the drilling equipment and trying a new site before their funds ran out.

Ben looked worried, so Jessie admonished: “Cheer up, Big Bubba; we knew this wasn’t going to be easy! Besides, Tom noticed a rainbow sheen on the creek yesterday … a sure sign of some kind of oily stuff around here.”

“I know, Jess; I need more of your optimism. I just worry about the money and …”

He glanced over where one of the explosives shooters built a fire by whittling and burning sticks of dynamite. She followed his look and laughed out loud when he moaned.

“Makes it kinda excitin’, right?” she teasingly drawled.

“Oh yeah … oh yeah, … I just luv some of the stunts these guys pull. Can’t wait to see what they come up with next!”

Ben wearily resumed work and Jessie continued writing her notes.

During a later rest break, Jessie noticed Pete Ware stroll over to the area where they’d stored dynamite and sat down. Some of the others were off at a distance, smoking. Resting in the shade a further distance away, Ben and his brothers languished propped up against the supply wagon.

Jessie noticed one of the hands throw down his cigarette and soon after, a thin trail of fire licked down the pasture. She wondered if someone had spilled some powder there, or something else flammable. It suddenly occurred to her that the fire could spread down toward the dynamite. She yelled at Pete, but he was too far away to hear her. She waved and signaled to her brothers. Determining they were even farther away from Pete than she was, Jessie took off running toward Pete.

Tyrone spied Jessie frantically running and yelling, waving her arms toward Pete. Quickly sizing up what was happening with the fire, he took off at a dead run toward her. Because of his height and leg strength, Tyrone easily overtook Jessie; rather than waste time haggling with her, he shoved her to the ground, sprinting on toward Pete.
Pete finally looked up, but still hadn’t caught sight of the spreading trail of fire, so didn’t understand what Jessie had been signaling. Tyrone grabbed Pete, and, pointing to the spreading flames, ran with him in the opposite direction, where they flung themselves into a ravine.

Ben, Jessie and the others began running back. Finally discerning the problem, they also dove to the ground, covering their heads with their hands in preparation for an explosion. In a few seconds, the fire reached the dynamite and the expected, but still-terrifying noise resonated. The wooden shed housing the explosives burst into splinters, dirt spewing everywhere!

As soon as the dust started settling, everyone grabbed gunny sacks, beating at the fire, hoping to stop it before it could spread to the well. Finally, the fire extinguished; each dropped where they stood, exhausted.

Once he regained his breath, Ben screamed: “I’ve had about enough of this loose attitude around here! No one seems to think safety is important, but it will be now! Anything explosive will be stored properly! And smoking will only be done far enough away from operations that we say is safe for smoking, ya’ll got that?!!”

Everyone quietly nodded—they seemed pretty much still in shock.

Jessie spoke up: “Pete, that was an especially close scare for you. Don’t you think you should thank Tyrone for saving your life?”

Pete sulked off: “Yeah, whatever.”

Jessie added: “He risked his own life to help you. He didn’t have to do that. I think you should shake his hand and thank him like a gentleman.”

“Oh ya do, do ya? And just what’ll ya do if’in I don’t? Ya gonna fire me, ‘Boss Lady’?” Pete sneered.

Jessie hesitated and then looked squarely at Pete. “No, I’m not stupid. I could fire you, but I won’t. You’re too good a hand, Pete. I just won’t have any respect for you, that’s all.”

Pete looked around at the others; when most shrugged their shoulders, he glanced back at Jessie. He remembered seeing her frantically waving and running toward him before Tyrone had reached her. Pete had to know she’d risked herself for him, until Tyrone intervened. He gradually walked over to Tyrone.

“Thanks for what ya did.” Pete slowly, reluctantly, stuck out his right hand.

Tyrone hesitantly stared at Pete, and then extended his. “It’s okay, man. I done it for Jessie.”

The others smiled their approval, until Sim yelled cheerily, “Back to work, you slackers!”

Things went pretty peacefully for the next few days—the atmosphere seemed to be more cooperative and friendly. Tyrone finally warmed somewhat to Pete—and, unbelievably, vice versa.

-

Two days later, as everyone labored, an unexpected rumble reverberated from the ground. Suddenly, an explosive roar erupted that sounded something like … a tornado and a train mixed together.

Each looked around at the others, as oil came gushing out of the derrick! Quickly, the immediate area and the workers were covered with a fine mist of black stuff.

Jessie screamed maniacally, jumping up and down. She ran to Ben, threw her arms around his neck, and they danced like crazy people, round and round the rig. She hugged each of her brothers, as Jason and Josh did a mock Indian war whoop. They kept yelling: “We’re gonna be rich … we’re gonna be rich!”

“Doesn’t this stuff smell won-der-ful!??” she joked.

The other workers joined in the celebration. Tom uncorked a bottle of mash from the wagon and offered everyone a toast. They all poked fun of each other, especially Jessie, covered and grimy with the black liquid all over her hair and face. She laughed along, oblivious to the greasy oil—she thought it the loveliest stuff she’d ever seen!

As soon as they regained their composure, Sim and Tom yelled: “Grab those fittings! We’ve got to try and get this thing slowed down!” They began to instruct the workers on how to choke the exploding black gold.

Later, Ben and Tom thrashed out methods of loading the oil to transport it to buyers. A friend had earlier suggested some contacts, so the first obstacle: how to store and ship it.

The next few days were spent containing their prize. Tom had earlier recommended nine-inch diameter wooden pipe to move the crude from the working well to a large storage tank. The oil slowly soaked into the wooden pipe, preserving it and causing it to swell, which sealed the joints connecting the eight-foot sections. Soon, much of their prize was loaded in large wooden barrels, and they were ready to ship to buyers Stephen had earlier contacted.

Jessie sounded out Ben: “While you and Tom figure out the logistics of the supply, we really need to find some office space in Big Spring. I’ve been talking with Mr. McPherson about what we might do to become a company, perhaps a corporation, and maybe put shares of the business on the open market. Get more investors to spread around the risk of our working capital. Why don’t I go into town and do some preliminary search for a location?”

“Sure, you handle all the bookwork and details, Jess—we’ll worry about the operations out here.”

“Okay, I’ve got another idea, too; I’ve been meaning to ask you out about.”

“What’s that?”

“Hiring Roger Clayton to work with us. Now that we’ve got something to sell, we need to accurately account for everything—some better bookkeeping system for company assets, taxes, and sales. Roger would be the best person to help us with this—he’s familiar with the oil business from working with his cousins last summer.”

“You know, Jess, one producing well doesn’t make a company.”

“Yes, but I believe this is just the first of many. We’re on our way, now, Ben—I just feel it!”

A couple of days later, the McCarey family relaxed and talked after supper. Jessie and Ben had piqued both the twins’ interests in the drilling project. Jason and Josh were big for fifteen years old, so they would be handy. Since Matt was only eleven, he would be more useful staying at the ranch and helping their father for now. Josh offered to work a few hours a day at the lease, then head on home to see what their father needed done.

Jessie told the boys that she would help Ben oversee the activity and keep the business records, run errands, and the like, and still try to do some of the housework with their mother. She intended to tell Mr. McPherson that she’d only be available for research in his office a few hours a week, if at all. She so enjoyed learning about the law, it saddened her that she’d need to have that conversation—more than likely her boss would need to hire someone else for her job.

Josh posed the inevitable question: “Since we’ll be getting started building that rig next week, don’t you think we should tell Papa what’s going on?”

“How are we gonna tell him?” Jason asked skeptically.

Tom and Ben both spoke at the same time: “Yeah, Jessie? How you gonna tell him?”

“Me!!? “Why me?”

“Well, it’ll likely come easier from you—you know how he dotes on you,” Tom opined.

Jessie stared at each of them, exasperated. Finally: “Oh—all right. I’ve been sort of planning this out in my mind, anyway. How about this: I’ll get Papa laughing and talking about the old days, and once he’s relaxed, we’ll ease it in. You all be close by to lend moral support, and jump in when you see me floundering, okay?”

“O.K.” was all they could muster.

“Let’s head on into the sitting area. Papa’s just staring out the window. Don’t make a big production of us going in together. Let’s just take turns slowly sauntering in and sitting down.”

When Jessie and Ben strolled in first, she went over to her father and sat down next to him on the worn arm of his upholstered chair. He looked up at her and smiled. “Jessie, me darlin’, give your old papa a kiss.” Jessie tenderly kissed the weathered cheek and laid her head next to his, putting her arm comfortably around his shoulder.

When she noticed the others had settled in, she attempted a casual pose.  “Papa, tell us again about the land rush of ‘93.”

“I would think you’d be a-tired o’hearin’ that old story.”

“Oh, no, Papa, we enjoy it,” Jason put in.

They smiled in their conspiracy. Actually, their papa was such a descriptive storyteller, they honestly enjoyed hearing his tales again and again.

“Well, it was an excitin’ time,” Gus began. His intense blue eyes began to light up, dancing, as he spoke.

“It wus a hot, dusty day in September, 1893. I left your Mama and the little lads, Ben and Tom, with my own mother in Virginee. Several of us came in days a’fore the race, to ride around and decide which tracts of land seemed the best. That way, we’d have somewhere in partic’olar to ride when we started.”

“Mind you, we wern’t like those danged ‘Sooners’ who went out and staked ahead of time; me and Clyfford Patrick, a friend o’ mine, just rode around and looked things over! We stayed overnight in the dirty little hotel of a town within a mile of the border, several of us in one room.” He paused.

“Next day, trains, packed so full that men was riding on the roofs of cars and hangin’ onto the sides, pulled in for settlers to claim territory. I was told that more’n one-hundred thousand people scrambled for free land.

The race was undescribable! People and wagons, schooners, stages, buggies, trains—lined up forever on the Kansas border. Some even on bicycles and foot! Out in front wus soldiers, restin’ easy on their rifles, chewing over the line. I wondered how they would manage to dodge the onrush. Horses got more and more restless, and excitement pulsed to a high pitch way a’fore the cavalry gunshots to start at noon. When the sound exploded, so did the race! Horses was a runnin’ at breakneck speed; not long after … wagons overturned and some poor, pitiful people was trampled in the hot, dusty roar! But many of us just kept on a-ridin’.”

“Gosh, it all sounds so exciting, Papa! I wish I could have experienced it!” Jessie truthfully exclaimed. “A real adventure, right?” Gus nodded.

“And you got this nice portion of land and have done really well for your trouble. Built us a fine home here, right, Papa?”

“Yes, darlin’, we done all right. It was hard, ’specially on your mother, but we worked hard and made a go of it. My own dear mama came to live with us and helped us, too, God rest her soul. I can still picture her in her apron and bonnet, collectin’ eggs, milkin’ Whitey, out hoein’ the garden, singin’ whilst workin’ the land. And cannin’ ever’ little bit o’ thing she could get outta that dirt.”

“Yes, she was one-of-a-kind, Papa; I still miss her so,” Jessie agreed. “I don’t know anyone I admired more than Grandmother McCarey. She had a true pioneer spirit, and Mama does, too.” Jessie looked lovingly over across the room at Mama, and Kathleen smiled. Their mother had been quietly working, intent on her embroidery, spreading roses on a pillowcase.

The boys all started looking at each other in amazement; they began to see where she was leading with this. Jessie looked longingly at her father: “You know, Papa, a good adventure is always worth going after, don’t you agree?”

He nodded his agreement.

“And you know I’m never one to want to miss out on any action … right, Papa?”

Gus patted her hand. “No, darlin’, you never want to miss out, and I love you for your spirit.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that, because the boys and I want to tell you about a sort of bold little adventure of our own. And just like you did, we want to grab the opportunity at the best time.”

Kathleen looked up from her work, questioningly, at Jessie.

“What are you meanin’, Jessie?” Gus asked.

“Well, we know that a lot of drilling for oil is going on right now, especially here in Oklahoma and like down at Spindletop, Texas. And we’d like to try some drilling on our own. Right, Ben?”

“Yes, Sir, we think we can make some real money drilling for oil,” Ben quickly confirmed.

Their father grew thoughtfully silent. Jessie noticed their mother looked back and forth at all their faces with a worried expression, though she didn’t say anything.

Stephen added, “Yeah, Papa, we’re getting investors to help with the money, already have a lease on a spot we want to try, and hired a driller to start work as soon as we want to!”

Gus answered, “Sounds pretty loony to me, pokin’ holes in the ground.”

Jessie spoke up: “But Papa, there will be a big market for oil—they’re coming up with more uses every day.”

“Yes and we need to get started now, before all the good areas are used up,” Stephen added.

“Ain’t it a big gamble? Speculatin’? There’s no guaranteein’ you’ll hit oil.”

“We realize that, Papa, and as we get investors involved, we’ll be frank with them, right from the beginning. But sometimes you just have to gamble, particularly when you’re starting a business. And remember, you gambled when you came to Indian territory,” Jessie reminded.

“So, you got this all figer’ed out. When ya plannin’ to start?”

“Next week, actually. We should have a rig put together in a few days,” Ben answered.

“How long have you been plannin’ all this?”  Gus asked.

“A few weeks,” Jessie answered.

“That long? And you haven’t mentioned it to your old papa?”

“We didn’t know for sure if we’d be able to get everything to work out; didn’t want to get the rest of the family excited until we knew how to begin,” Stephen explained.

“And now you’re ready?”

“Yes, Sir, we think we are.” Ben answered resolutely.

“What about the ranch? I need ya some around here.”

“We figur’d you’d be worried ‘bout that,” Tom jumped in, “and we’re all gonna keep working here at the ranch, too, ’specially me and Josh. Me and him will only be helpin’ out at the drillin’ site part of the time. I’m still not sure about this whole deal, anyway, but if the others want to give it a go, I won’t get in their way. Josh and me will be here most of the time to help you, Papa.”

“This can be a real adventure for us, Papa, but it’s important to us that you approve,” Jessie pleaded. “Please give us your blessing.”

Gus looked tenderly at his daughter, then over at his wife. Kathleen shook her head, back and forth: I don’t like this. He hesitated for some time, but in spite of Kathleen’s negative reaction finally responded, “If you got your own money and think you can do it, go ahead. I’ll not try t’stop ya.”

Jessie looked around as they all breathed a sigh of relief—for now.

A few days later, Ben, Tom, and Jason completed building the platform for the rig. It sat over on Samm Mann’s property, waiting for work to begin. Jessie met again with the driller—a fellow named Simpson Whiting, recommended to them by Roger Clayton, Jessie’s close school friend. Good-natured, but ornery, Roger felt like another brother to her. Jessie trusted Roger’s judgment, so she felt confident Mr. Whiting would do a good job for them.

Sim Whiting was still hesitant about discussing business details with Jessie. Ben convincingly argued that Jessie knew what she was doing, so she was in charge of their family’s interest.

When Sim learned that several members of the family wanted to work on the rig, he wasn’t pleased about that, either. He told them it could cause problems. Jessie assured Sim that the boys all were strong, reliable, and worked well together. She accepted that they would all have to take orders from Sim, herself included. Because of Sim’s experience, Jessie emphasized that the family would definitely defer to his judgment. After talking awhile, he became more confident of her business sense, so he relaxed somewhat.

Whiting mentioned hiring of a few more hands. Because of the living conditions in the area and the harshness of the work, he told Jessie they would probably have to hire some rough and colorful characters. “They’re a breed apart. He…ck, some might even be outlaws.” He explained that he usually didn’t ask prospective hands much, except to find out what they could handle.

Sim knew that most of the men he hired would be accustomed to the ‘rag towns’ that had grown up overnight. Those places were so wild; people who had never experienced a boom town would never believe it. As Sim narrated lively incidents of girls-for-hire, fighting, theft, and a lot of bootleg drinking going on, Jessie chuckled.

He described the appalling living conditions—walls of hotels so thin and thrown together, they held back little of the cold. Rooms were usually furnished only with old mattresses, nails driven in for hangers and perhaps a piece of looking-glass to shave. Most had a shared wash pan, a towel, a bar of lye soap, and a pail of water with a shared dipper. The toilet? Usually a double-dipper hole in the back yard. So the men would likely be rough.

Ben gave him free rein to hire whoever he felt could do the best job and offered military-styled beds for Sim’s crew in their bunkhouse. Since the ranch struggled financially, their papa hadn’t hired any extra hands to work the horses in the last couple of years. It would be a little crowded, but at least it was clean, with a privy out back and a tub for bathing. Sim seemed genuinely impressed with the offer: “Much better than the men are used to; they should appreciate it.”

After discussing wages, Sim told them that he would see them at the site first thing Monday morning.

As the day dawned for the drilling to begin, Jessie was beside herself with excitement. She woke early, way before dawn. Before the others rose, she skipped down the stairs to fetch water to start coffee brewing. She hopped out the back door of the kitchen and vigorously pumped enough water from the cistern to fill all the cooking pots. Shortly, her mother came into the kitchen, twisting her hair up in a bun on the back of her neck with long hairpins.

“What would you like me to do, Mama?” Jessie asked.

Her mother looked hard at her before answering, “Actually, Sarah, I’d like you to stay home with me today, but I suppose that’s out of the question.”

“Mama, don’t be upset or worried by this. I’m not going to do any of the heavy work—that’s the boys’ job—but I need to keep the financial records organized. I know you don’t understand my interest, but please try to accept that I need different things in my life than you do. This is important to me.”

“I’ll try, dear,” Kathleen sighed, “but I don’t know if I’ll ever.…”

Jessie excitedly hugged Kathleen. “Thank you, Mama. All I ask is that you just try to understand.”

Her brothers quickly ate breakfast and loaded supplies into their wagon. Jessie jumped up next to Ben, and he reined up the horses.

Reaching Samm’s property, they found Mr. Whiting awaiting them with four other men. Jessie was pleased to see one she knew: a large-framed black man—Tyrone Jones, the good-natured brother of her friend, Maggie.

The Jones family lived a few miles from the McCarey homestead, across the wide pasture and a swirling creek. Jessie often incurred hostility because of her friendship with Maggie, but true to character, stubbornly refused to allow people to dissuade her. She’d done her best to bring Maggie books from school. But one day, when she was heading to Maggie’s home, a couple of angry young men snatched them away from her. She’d had to retrieve them from the creek and carefully lay them out in the sun to dry, continually pulling apart the pages with a patient, gentle hand. In spite of the difficulties, Jessie doggedly enabled Maggie to learn to read a bit.

Jessie smiled and waved over to Tyrone. “Good to see you. How’s Maggie?”

A big grin sprouted across Tyrone’s huge bear of a face: “She be jest fine, Mis Jessie, thankee for askin’.”

Jessie’s impression of the men: they looked pretty rough around the edges. Good! They should be able to work hard.

The men eyed her with a combination of appraisal, interest, and suspicion. “She gonna be hangin’ round here?” the one with stringy, dirty blond-colored hair falling across his eyes asked roughly.

“You got that right, Pete, she is. And what she and Mr. Ben McCarey here says, goes, you got that?” Sim was already annoyed at Pete Ware as Pete quickly griped about having to work with a black man. If he wasn’t known to be such an adept hand with the equipment, Sim wouldn’t have hired Pete at all. He just hoped the hard-head wouldn’t be too much trouble.

“Yeah, well, this ought’ta be interestin’,” Pete mumbled. He turned to the other man and winked. They clustered together with some others, snickering vehemently about this black-loving family.

“Let’s get to work!!” Sim yelled.

At Tom’s direction, the workers slowly set up the substantial sides of the rig, anchoring it with cross-bars. Then, all the men joined in to haul the cable up to the suspension at the top of the rig.

When they completed the rig, the equipment appeared large and enormously heavy (and therefore dangerous) to Jessie. The drill was a huge, flat metal thing that looked like a giant’s shovel on the end. Attached to a colossal metal rod about three feet in diameter and fifteen feet long, it suspended from a brace on the wooden rig tower.

Later that day, Jessie held her breath as she watched the first up-and-down motion of the lever, like a lance thrown against the rock, causing the bit to pound the ground and chip away the sedimentary rock. They were actually drilling! What an exciting day for the McCarey family!

The drilling proceeded for several days without incident. Everyone worked hard, including Jessie. Drilling had to be interrupted periodically to remove loose rock chips with a basket-like thing on the cable. Because Jessie wasn’t able to do the heavy lifting or straining, she tirelessly carried individual buckets of dirt and rock away from the hole, ran errands, brought food for the men, and generally helped out with whatever she could do. She labored over detailed notes in a journal every day about their progress so they would have accurate reporting to their investors.

Jessie cut down her time at Mr. McPherson’s office to one day every other week, but between that, helping her mother at home, and working on the lease, Jessie dropped into her bed each night exhausted, but exhilarated. Gosh, she loved the work! She couldn’t begin to explain it—just hoped the others felt the same.

Two weeks later, Jessie drove Ben and Stephen in the wagon down the rutted road toward the train station in Big Spring. The men bantered light-heartedly back and forth to each other, Jessie apprehensive, deep in thought. Over and over in her mind, she scrutinized the proposal.

For a little relief when they reached the busy station, she watched people saying their goodbyes. Jessie loved studying people. The differences were fascinating: some, excited; others, teary-eyed. She experienced sadness at one mother’s poignant goodbye to a son leaving for his army obligations. Others she didn’t know, so she concocted their stories in her mind. She often fantasized about what adventures they were off to. How she longed to escape with some of them, and see what existed outside this territory. Of course, if her plan came to fruition, she should have some exciting adventures right here!

She finally chided herself: This is it. We’ve done everything we can. All the preparatory work—they had written up a proposal showing where they thought good sites were located, estimated the initial drilling and start-up costs, and discussed a contract with a driller she felt confident in, recommended by a friend of theirs from school. She felt the figures were extremely realistic, so had faith that Stephen could sell their deal.

As her brothers took their luggage from the wagon, she began to interject a few last reminders, but Stephen cut her short: “I know, I know, get the ‘hook’ in them about Oklahoma being ‘the land of opportunity’ before we show the figures; make the point of the realistic expense versus profit ratio; don’t let them negotiate too high a percentage for their investment; blah, blah, blah! I’ve got this down, Jess. Don’t worry, Honey.”

“Stephen’s right, Jessie. He’s going to do real fine, and I can finagle the figures. It’ll work out,” Ben soothed.

“I know, I’m sorry. I’m just so excited. I wish,” she looked wistfully at them, “I could go, too, but … oh well; I’ve got work to do here, anyway.”

Stephen looked for a moment at her upturned face. “Next time, we’ll take you, Jess. Promise.”

She smiled, hugged them both, and waved them off on their adventure. Lingering until the train was no longer in sight, she knew she’d indulged in enough self-pity, so she headed home. Like she’d told her brothers, she had work to do. So she’d best get busy.

The next day, as soon as she finished chores around the house for Mama, Jessie rode Blackie out around the winding curve of the Sandy River bend to see Samm Mann. This time, rather than being seemingly oblivious to the raw Oklahoma natural beauty, she reveled in it, trying to prepare what she would say. Jessie innately breathed the special mystique of this part of the country. She couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. A spiritual love for this rich, red land was something she shared with Samm.

Sitting outside his small, lean-to house, sorting seed corn, Samm wasn’t expecting her, but he never seemed surprised any time she rode up. To an observer, it would appear that he disliked her; he said absolutely nothing all the while she tied up her horse and approached. But that was just his way; Jessie understood.

“Hello, Samm.” Jessie smiled, and waited patiently.

After a while: “Little bird … have you again flown away from the nest?” Samm tried to hide a smile. A reclusive man, perhaps because he was half Cherokee, he wasn’t the type to deal with most ‘outsiders’. But he had known the McCarey family a long time and respected Gus McCarey.

Though he’d never admit it, Samm was fond of Jessie. She’d ridden over to his place by herself ever since she was small. Samm hadn’t known what to think of her at first, always tagging after him like a little lost puppy, but her persistence paid off: finally, he warmed to her. She had been fascinated with his family history, respectfully asking him countless questions about them, all the while quietly helping with whatever he was doing without being in the way. So he came to think her ‘acceptable.’

“I have a present for you.” She handed him a wrapped bundle.

He breathed in deeply of the gift and smiled. He prized Mrs. McCarey’s fresh bread.

“And also a favor to ask.”

When Samm looked inquisitively at Jessie, she sucked in her breath. To many, he may have been ‘just an Injun’, but she recognized Samm as a man of penetrating intelligence. She knew she should just jump in—Don’t hem and haw around the bush; Samm can see right through people.

“Actually, the request is like … a business proposal.”

“Don’t have more horses broken yet, little one …”

“That’s not why I’ve come, Samm. It’s other business. And … right off: I want you to know I’ve thought hard and carefully about it. Wish it was something we could do on our property and not have to bother you, but I believe your land is more promising.”

Jessie hesitated awhile, but as expected, Samm wouldn’t ask anything. He went back to sorting the corn. Most times, talking to him was like pulling teeth. She must initiate and lead the conversation—she was on her own here. Taking a deep breath, she jumped in rapidly:

“Samm, I know you aren’t crazy about the idea of drilling for oil around here. But I’ve studied this area, and I’m convinced your property has a good pool beneath it. Ben and Stephen are trying to get investors to partner with us, and we want you to be our partner, too.”

“Little Bird, oil is dirty. Stupid white men tear up the land and leave it dirty.”

“Yes, some do. But you know our family and how we keep our property. We would respect your land, and once the drilling is complete, we’d pull the rig out, clean up all the mess, even attempt to plant something around the site. The area I’m interested in isn’t near your crops or your water supply—it’s over close to that bare ravine where nothing grows but scrub brush.”

“That filthy black stuff runs all over. After it’s outta the hole, can’t clean it up. Ruins the land.”

Jessie looked up at Samm with the pleading little pout she frequently utilized. “If I say we will clean it up, won’t you believe me? We’ll research it and find the best way. You know we’re good as our word.”

“I know your family is truthful. But you can’t stop the mess. I seen that filthy oil rise way into the sky for a long time. It’s too much dirty.”

Jessie responded: “But that’s if it isn’t contained. I promise … before we ever would begin to drill, we’ll investigate how to stop it and contain it, as soon as we can when it gushes. Perhaps Tom can experiment with some type of fittings. After all, why would we want to waste it? We’ve heard of that happening, Samm. I don’t want to ruin your property, or waste the oil. I can’t promise it won’t run onto the ground at first, but … if we do everything we can to minimize the spill, will you at least consider this?”

To Jessie, it seemed an eternity passed.

“I will need time to think.”

“Thank you, my friend; I completely understand. When Ben returns from his trip north, I’ll have him come over and talk to you more. And you know we’d give you a fair price. We don’t want to take advantage of you…or anyone else, for that matter. If we’re going to start this business, I want to do it right.”

Jessie again reassured him that they would clean his land, once they had finished with the drilling.

“Little Bird, why is this so important to you? You have a nice home, nice land, nice family. Someday you will marry and run busy, caring for your own hard-headed little ones.”

Jessie laughed. “Don’t marry me off right away, Samm. For a while, I’d like to see what it’s like to have opportunities like a man. I know that probably sounds like crazy talk, but I have this … uh, this.…”

“Fire?”

“Yes! That’s it — a fire inside me. I can’t explain it. Not to my brothers; and especially not to Mama. Perhaps Papa senses what I need. He lets me try lots of things most fathers wouldn’t put up with in their daughters.”

“It’s your spirit—wild, like fire in the wind.”

When Samm chuckled uncharacteristically, Jessie knew he’d eventually come around.

“And just think … with the money, you could build that extra room Asinka’s been wanting!”

A few days later, Jessie spoke with Samm again. He finally agreed, and they negotiated a fee for leasing his property that she believed reasonable from both parties’ viewpoints. If they were going to succeed, she was adamant that they shouldn’t take advantage of others.

By the time for Ben and Stephen’s return, Jessie was nearly beside herself, wondering how they had fared with the northern businessmen. She felt Chauncey Martin would be fairly easy to convince; he was a modern man and always looking for promising new business. But David Stockton was tough; he’d earned his money the hard way—starting as a stable boy, learning the horse trade until he made enough money to start his own ranch. Jessie admired Mr. Stockton’s conservative business acumen.

Jessie had also bantered with the driller again. Not because he was anxious to work with her, but because he didn’t presently have any work lined up, he reluctantly said he’d likely be available. But wanted to talk to Ben.

A lot of recent drilling had occurred north and west of Big Spring, over in ‘the Osage’. Osage County enclosed one of the richest areas for productive leases. However, due to Federal law, those had to be negotiated with the Indian tribe, and from what she had gleaned from other drillers, could be quite expensive.

Auctions were held outside the Tribal office in Pawhuska, under what was called ‘the million dollar elm’ because of the high demand for purchasing drilling rights on Osage leases. If her family successfully discovered a good site, perhaps later they could afford to bid for a lease there. That idea fascinated Jessie. However, drilling right here in Spring County, they could negotiate directly through the landowner. And Samm had finally relented! Now if her brothers’ trip was successful …

As she waited [way too early] at the train depot to pick up her brothers, Jessie’s mind raced, anxious. To bide the time, she grabbed the folded paper from her back pocket and began jotting down notes: -hire work hands, -talk to Tom about building the rig, – slow the oil??- how to contain it? -set up record books, -look over the proposed site again, -get Samm to come out to the area to see exactly what we do.

Finally, against a cirrus cloud, dazzling blue sky, the tell-tale billows of spewing steam from the train came into sight. It seemed to roll on forever, shouting its loud arrival, but eventually stopped. She examined the sea of faces departing. Soon, she recognized Ben’s tall frame jumping from the doorway exit, with Stephen following. They glanced up and down the tracks and located her, also. They waved. She anxiously watched their faces all the while they approached, to see whether they were in a positive mood.

Oh no! They’re not smiling; they’re not excited! She watched Stephen jerk loose the black ribbon tie at his collar but couldn’t detect any type of emotion.

When they reached her, Stephen embraced her, then proceeded to throw his beat-up old suitcase over into the wagon. Ben did the same. Not a word; it was driving her mad! “OK, you two. Tell me. Tell me right now!!”

Stephen glanced at Ben, who shrugged his shoulders as if to say, Go ahead and tell her. Then Stephen’s face broke into a huge grin as he pulled checks and contracts from his coat pocket. “Signed, sealed and delivered, Sis; we did it!”

Jessie screamed like a banshee and threw her arms around his neck in a fierce hug. Stephen swung her around, letting let her down beside Ben. She embraced Ben, and then hooked her arms into each of theirs. “This calls for a celebration! What ya say? Let’s go into town for a cold drink—my treat!”

Stephen responded, “I’m on.”

Ben retorted, “Only place to get something cold is the tavern – but it’s rough, especially lately, with all the riff-raff swarming into Big Spring. I don’t think we should take her in there.”

Jessie pleaded: “This is a special occasion for all of us. I persuaded Samm, too, though he seemed quite leery at first. I’ve got lots to tell you before we go home! Please, Ben!”

Ben stalled. “Drinking in the middle of the day?”

Jessie wrangled: “Would probably be quiet now; most folks are busy at work. Oh, come on, Ben. It’ll be all right. I’ve got two big brothers to take care of me. It’ll be a real adventure, please, please take me!”

Ben looked at her pleading face, understanding exactly why Papa had such a hard time telling her NO. Jessie was hard to refuse when she was acquiescent like this—a rare sight. Stephen laughed, so Ben finally relented, and she rewarded him by her snuggling his arm as they strolled down the dust-hazed bare street toward the tavern.

Jessie took great pleasure in coming to town; the initial reason (besides the spending money) that she had begun working for Mr. McPherson. She loved the ranch and being outdoors with her father and brothers but also relished the companionable buzz of conversation and contact with the townspeople.

They passed Jeremiah’s General Store, which now also housed the post office. A bustling, large, two-story building with a wooden porch built all the way around; they spied the busy storekeeper sweeping whittling scraps off the porch.

“Hey Jeremiah, you oughta stock some bottles of cold soda pop in your store,” Stephen suggested.

“Think so?”

“Sure, when it’s warm outside like today, would sell like hotcakes. You could get ice from Andy’s icehouse over on Second Street.”

“Might be perty expensive. But meybe I’ll think on it.”

People smiled and chatted to them as they passed: Mrs. Lowry and the three rowdy children she was failing to control; Melvin, the butcher from the end of the block; elderly men spitting and whittling on wooden porches; Carl, the town’s lone constable, tipped his hat to them, smiling all the while appreciatively eying Jessie.

“Carl,” Jessie cantankerously called to him, “You been catchin’ any desperate outlaws lately?”

Carl picked up on her teasing and blushed unexpectedly. “Miss Jessie, ya best behave yo’self, or I might have to lock ya up in that there jailhouse.” He jerked his head in a quick motion toward a barred window across the street.

She laughed: “I’ll try real hard to be good.”

“Yeah … right.”

The three siblings continued strolling down the street, Jessie visibly excited. Things are really coming together in Big Spring! She felt like pinching herself to make sure she was awake. Jessie watched as people passed by: shopkeepers, drillers, roughnecks, all sorts of new folks. She was fascinated by the eclectic scene before her: Here, a child’s wagon loaded with tools. Beside that, a plot growing tomatoes anchored to wooden stakes with ragged pieces of cloth. Only a few feet down sprawled the new bank, a stunningly beautiful example of large, limestone architecture contrasted with glistening glass windows. Across the road, horses were tied to hitching posts, right alongside a few horseless buggies ‘parked’ awkwardly at various angles.

What a boiling pot of diverse people! Jessie kept thinking: Such an exciting time to be alive. So much happening, and the town growing so quickly! Just think how great this street would look if it were bricked! She knew instinctively that more and more businesses and buildings would spring up all along its sides.

Oblivious to the attention she created when she walked inside the dimly lit tavern with her brothers, Jessie was too intrigued, taking it all in. The bar, made of crude wooden crates, had a thickly varnished wooden slab across the top, which the bartender used to slide drinks down to the customers. A huge mirror edged in gold-colored trim reflected the seated customers. To the right, a shelf stocked various bottles of liquor. The windows were covered with dark red velvet curtains. Jessie supposed that an attempt to make the place look elegant, but laughed to herself at the barkeep’s effort. It was all pretty crude and gaudy, but she was enjoying herself nonetheless.

Most of the occupants were dusty and grimy, probably roustabout employees of the wildcatters. Some were local ranchers and farmers. Not used to seeing many women coming into the tavern, mostly just the rough-looking girls who worked tables, a couple of the men stared unabashedly at Jessie in her girlish pale yellow blouse and riding skirt. Several appreciative gestures and murmurs occurred. Ben noticed right off and became nervously protective.

“Where do you want to sit? How about over there in the corner?”

Jessie shook her head. “Oh, no, it’s dark over there and we can’t see anyone; let’s sit here at the bar on these stools.”

She quickly hopped up, indicated ‘three’ to the guy behind the bar and excitedly looked around, taking it all in like a kid in a candy store. Before Ben could counter for a Sarsaparilla for her, someone came up behind him and roughly tapped him on the shoulder.

Glancing around, Ben faced their brother Tom, sporting an extremely irritated look in his eyes. Next to Tom stood Daniel Morgan. Tom and Daniel had been sitting, unnoticed, at the back of the room and spied Ben, Jessie and Stephen when they walked in.

“What are you two doin,’ bringin’ Jessie in here? Have you lost your minds?!” Tom demanded.

“She wanted to come; we’re sort of celebrating a little project the three of us are working on, so Stephen and I decided it was okay for a little while,” Ben retorted defensively.

“What sort of celebration justifies you bringing her into a sleazy dump like this?”

Ben hesitated, looking over at Jessie, as if to say: When are we going to tell him?

Jessie stepped off the bar stool and stood directly in front of Tom. “Don’t jump on Ben for bringing me in here! It’s just a lark. But … I’ll come in here by myself if I want to!” she insisted loudly.

“Well, don’t get your little temper in an uproar,” backing off somewhat. “It’s not very ladylike, that’s all.”

Daniel stood there, silently assessing the situation. His expression suggested his disapproval; obviously he, too, wasn’t amused by Jessie’s presence in the tavern.

“Well, I could care less of your opinion of my degree of ‘ladylikeness’. Besides, there’s no reason for fighting; we’ve got a plan to discuss with you, if you’ll settle down and just behave yourself.”

“A plan? What kinda plan?”

“How to make some money. Interested? No, wait a minute; before you say anything, you have to promise not to be pessimistic or have your usual down-in-the mouth attitude, okay?”

Daniel addressed Jessie in a condescending tone: “I’ve really got to run right now, and it looks like you probably have some family situation to discuss. But I’ll be talking to you later, Jessie.”

“Okay,” she absently responded, still preoccupied in her defiant stance at Tom. Daniel started to leave but turned and hesitated, glancing back. Jessie barely acknowledged her friend’s departure, which appeared to irritate Daniel even more. Finally, he sighed and strode out of the door.

She turned to Tom: “Come sit down with us, and we’ll tell you about our little venture.” Jessie motioned him to the bar but he firmly grabbed her arm, guiding her toward the back of the room, to the out-of-the-way table he’d shared with Daniel Morgan. Ben and Stephen picked up their cold drinks and followed.

“Okay, what’re you up to?”

Jessie had begun to look around again in fascination. Tom snapped his fingers in front of her face to get her attention.

“Oh! Well, the boys and I have come up with some investment money and we’re going to hire a driller and … start drilling for oil over on Samm Mann’s property. Now, whatta ya think of that?”

Tom scratched his head, dazed for a minute before answering, “You’ve got money already? And how you gonna get Mann to let you drill?”

Jessie explained to him about their brothers’ trip to St. Louis and Kansas City, about her plan for drilling, and her conversations with Samm Mann. Tom listened silently during the explanation, then asked, “Why haven’t you told me before now?”

Before Jessie could answer, Stephen broke in: “Because you would just shoot us outta the sky, like you do with everything else! We wanted to have a positive plan working before we involved you and Jason. Not that Jason would be as pessimistic as you; he’s just been so busy helping Papa with the ranch. We thought we’d tell him when we were sure we could do this.”

“Well, someone’s got to be realistic around here,” Tom defended.

Ben cut in: “Whoa, wait a minute there, ‘little’ brother. No one’s more realistic than I am. Who do you think has worried about Papa’s mis-management of the ranch for the last four years? I’ve had nothing but headaches, trying to pay the bills and keep us afloat. More than happy to show you the past year’s records, if you’d spare me the time.”

“No, sorry; I’ll take your word for it. Didn’t know things were that bad, but s’pected it wusn’t great. So, ya think ya can make a go of this oil drilling thing, huh?”

Jessie enthused: “Yes, we can. It’s a big risk, of course, but what isn’t? And Tom, you’re so good working around machinery and all, we’ll really need your advice with the operations.”

Ben interjected: “Sure we can make a go of this. Course, we’ll all still have to work at the ranch, but we want to get the family involved as much as we can; won’t have to hire so many hands. Let’s get on home and get the twins inspired. Jason should be game; not sure about Josh. He keeps talking bout joinin’ the blasted army when he’s old enough. And Matt’s a bit too young to be much help to us right now. Maybe Papa can use him to help feed horses at the ranch, anyway. Worst thing is telling Papa; don’t know how he’ll take it.”

They all silently nodded their heads in agreement. Jessie looked at each of them for some time, then started laughing. Soon they all joined in, amused that they actually agreed on something.

The next few weeks before Christmas were exhausting for Lauren. Between dealing with her insurance company, replenishing the wardrobes lost in the fire, and helping out with Cathy, she found scant time for rest.

Cathy moved around the house on crutches. Her face, though still swollen, was healing with only faint scars. Nothing makeup would not hide. She itched to continue making her craft items. Without being asked, Frank loaned her the money for new materials, provided his truck for transportation, and even joined in the cottage industry with Cathy and Jennifer. His entire garage became a workshop.

Cathy managed to fill the Christmas orders she took from Donald Arrington and several other customers with only days to spare.

Curiously, the four family members coexisted in relative harmony in the cramped confines of Frank’s home. Even Flo and Bobo put aside their instinctive rivalry, preferring instead an attitude of studied indifference.

Christmas dinner included Ben and Alice as guests. Gifts were exchanged at the table. Jennifer contributed fresh hothouse tomatoes for the salad, having no resources to purchase gifts. She leaned toward Ben, who sat to her right, and whispered. “Did you bring it?”

He whispered back. “Yes. It’s in my car. I hope you don’t mind, but I had a piece of glass cut for it. It’s beautiful, kiddo.” Scooting back from the table, Ben made a quick trip to his car.

When Ben returned, Jennifer tapped on her plate with a spoon. All eyes turned to her. She cleared her throat and spoke to her grandfather. “Grampa, I did something wrong. I took your favorite picture of Grandma.”

Frank’s forehead furrowed in question. So that’s where it went, he thought.

“I intended to bring it back, but it was lost in the fire,” Jennifer went on.

“Why did you take it, Jennifer?” Cathy asked, upset by her daughter’s confession.

Ben handed Frank a gaily wrapped package. “You’ll see.”

“Open it, Grampa,” Jennifer said.

Frank tore away the paper, saw the contents, and held it to his chest. “You did this?” he asked Jennifer.

She nodded, unsure of his reaction. “Is it okay?”

Frank turned the two-foot square portrait Jennifer had drawn, using the snapshot of Olivia as a model, so everyone could see. Lauren and Cathy gasped at the likeness. Perfectly enlarged and colorized in pencil and ink, Jennifer had captured Olivia’s smile perfectly.

The frame, made with her own hands, contained intricate carvings and filigree. Using stain and gold paint, she had antiqued the simple wood, transforming it into a treasure.

Frank’s fingers covered his lips. Mist appeared in his eyes. When he trusted himself to speak, he said, “There is nothing you could have given me, honey, more precious than this.”

Alice patted Frank’s arm, bearing no jealousy. She understood his feelings—felt the same about her deceased husband. She knew, regardless of where her relationship with Frank might lead, their former spouses would always be a part of them. “It’s truly beautiful,” she said.

“Oh,” Ben said, sounding surprised. “Here’s a gift I forgot to give Lauren.” He dug in his pocket, produced a small, unwrapped, blue velveteen box, and handed it to Lauren.

“You’ve already given me perfume. What’s this?”

“You won’t know if you don’t open it,” Jennifer said, looking on curiously.

Lauren lifted the hinged lid. Light sparkled from the diamond. She looked at Ben. “Will you marry me, Lauren?” he asked.

She turned off her mind and allowed her heart to answer. “Yes, Ben,” she said without the least hesitation. She pulled him toward her and kissed him long and lovingly, as everyone present applauded and offered their congratulations.

When the kiss ended, Cathy said, “Go wash your face, Sis. Your mascara is running. You look like a sad-eyed clown.”

Lauren excused herself and went to the bathroom to make herself presentable. The ring felt good on her finger. Natural. Proper. She had always imagined an engagement ring would weigh a ton. Anything so fraught with commitment and responsibility would be a burden. But this one, like her heart, seemed light as a feather.

Before leaving the bathroom she noticed the hand towel, haphazardly tossed over the rack. She reached to straighten it but stopped short. She thought of the many changes in her world over the past months: Coming to terms with Cathy. Falling in love with Ben. Losing her home. Nothing of her planning. She recalled Cathy’s words. “Life happens. You can’t always control it.”

Life then, Lauren thought, is like that towel. Slightly off-center—skewed. Imperfect in the way it drapes around us—but adequate in its chaos.

She saw her own smile in the mirror as she walked out, leaving the towel untouched.

The End

Cathy tried to walk, fell, then dragged herself across the lawn. “Jennifer!”

The young officer ran to her side. “What’s wrong?”

“My daughter . . . she went back inside!”

“I’ll get her,” he said. “Stay here.” Holding his hand over his nose and mouth, he rushed into the inferno.

Long moments passed before he carried Jennifer’s limp body out in his arms. The fire trucks and an ambulance rumbled up as he reached the street. A paramedic took the girl from his arms, laid her down, slipped an oxygen mask over her face, and began CPR.

Cathy sat on the frigid pavement, holding Jennifer’s blanched-white hand. She shivered from the cold and the shock of her injuries. “Come on, baby. Come back to me,” she moaned.

Jennifer’s body jackknifed abruptly. She coughed harshly, gagging, until her lungs refilled with oxygen. Her eyes fluttered open. After a moment she realized where she was. Her eyes searched the area around her frantically.

The policeman who had saved her life knelt beside her. “Looking for this?” He placed the object that had nearly cost her her life gently on her chest. “You didn’t let go of it, even when I picked you up. I figured it might be important to you.”

Jennifer decided then and there to marry a policeman some day.

The firemen knew their efforts were fruitless. The fire roared through the house. Neighbors gathered on their lawns to watch the action as the firemen directed their hoses onto the roofs of the adjoining homes. One neighbor coaxed Flo near enough to lift her into her arms.

Another ambulance pulled up. Its flashing light cast eerie splotches of red and white in a dizzying circle on the surrounding landscape. Paramedics helped Cathy to the ambulance and were closing the door when Jennifer tore away the oxygen mask and staggered toward the vehicle. “Wait! I’m going with her. I’m okay.”

They allowed her to ride beside her mother, who, now that the shock and adrenaline were slowly wearing off, drifted on a pulsing cloud of pain.

•

Even with dark smudges of soot on her face, and her hair a tangled mop, Ben recognized Jennifer immediately. Wrapped in a blanket, she trotted beside a gurney being wheeled into the Emergency Room by paramedics.

Ben rushed to meet them. He took one look at Cathy’s swollen, discolored face and eye, and directed the paramedics to an examination room. “What happened, Jennifer?” Ben asked, beginning his cursory examination of Cathy.

Between crying and coughing, Jennifer explained the terrifying events of the morning. “Are you . . . okay?” Ben asked.

Jennifer caught his meaning. “Yes. I . . . I poked him in the eye before he . . . he could—”

Ben squeezed the girl’s shoulder. “You did great.” To the nurse attending him, Ben said, “Let’s get Mrs. Radski to X-ray. I want shots of the left jaw, cheek, and eye orbit.”

“She hurt her foot, too,” Jennifer said. “Her right one.”

Ben pulled back the sheet covering Cathy’s feet. He manipulated the bones of her foot. “Yep. Get X-rays of the right foot, too. She has a broken great toe, for sure, but let’s make sure there isn’t anything in the foot or ankle,” Ben instructed the nurse.

Cathy’s eyes opened, slowly focused. “Hey, Ben . . . what’s up?” she asked, her mouth twisted, using only the right side to speak.

“How do you feel?” Ben asked.

“Like I went ten rounds with Mike Tyson,” she said weakly.

“Nah. You still have your ears,” Ben joked. “I’m sending you for X-rays right now. Do you need something for pain?”

Ever game, Cathy smiled lopsidedly. “No, thanks . . . “I’ve got plenty already.”

Jennifer took Cathy’s hand in both of hers. “I’ll be right here when you get back, Mom,” she said, as the nurse wheeled Cathy away to the X-ray laboratory.

Ben dropped his arm over Jennifer’s shoulders again. “What’s that leaning against the wall? You had it when you came in.”

“It’s supposed to be a surprise, but I don’t have any place to keep it, now,” Jennifer said, lifting the object into her arms.

“I have an office the size of a broom closet. I’ll put it in there for you, if you want. In the meantime, you probably ought to call Lauren. Ask the nurse at the desk over there to dial the third floor station for you.”

Jennifer entrusted her “secret” to Ben. Then she went to call her aunt. She wondered if there was a good way to tell someone you’ve burned down her house.

Ben put Jennifer’s bundle in his office. When he walked into the hall, another gurney came through the ER doors. This patient cursed and fought against the restraints holding his arms and legs securely on the gurney. A heavy gauze pad covered his right eye. He also had a police escort. “Where do you want this one, Doc?” the young officer who had saved Jennifer asked. His tone indicated euthanasia would be a good alternative to treatment.

Jennifer came up beside Ben. Scowled. “It’s Lloyd. Do the world a favor and put him out of our misery.”

Ben hid his amusement. Jennifer would be all right. She took after her mother when it came to rolling with the punches life metes out on a regular basis. He saw Lauren step from the elevator, waved, and led Lloyd and his contingent into the examination room.

Jennifer met her aunt halfway to the elevator.

They sat together in a small, littered waiting room.  Lauren held Jennifer’s hand as the girl retold her story. “Your house, everything you had, and everything you got for us is gone, Lauren. If we hadn’t been there this would have never happened. We brought Lloyd down on you,” Jennifer said, her lip quavering.

“Hush. Don’t blame yourself for your crazy father’s actions. I just thank God you weren’t harmed. And Cathy will have the best care available, here at St. Matthews.”

“But—”

Lauren drew the girl’s face to her breast. “I’m insured, Jen. Over-insured for that matter. My house and the contents can be replaced . . . you and your mother couldn’t be.”

“But where are we going to stay? I . . . I really liked having a home. Even if it wasn’t really mine.”

That, Lauren thought, was a good question.

Lauren called her father at work and broke the news to him. He insisted on coming to the hospital immediately and arrived in under an hour. Jennifer ran to meet him when he walked in. He took her delicate face in his rough hands. “Are you all right, honey?”

“I’m fine, Grampa. But Mom—”

“Where is she?”

Lauren stepped up beside Jennifer. “She’s in the OR having facial reconstruction. She got lucky. The blow shattered her cheekbone but not the orbit of her eye. And she has a busted big toe. She’ll be okay.”

“When . . . when can I see her?” Frank asked.

Lauren’s heart missed a beat. “You want to see her?”

“Of course I do. She’s my daughter.” Frank ran his palm over his balding head and stared down at the linoleum. “It’s been a long time since I thought of her that way. But when you called me . . . all I could think about was that my little girl was hurt.”

Lauren hugged her father. “They should have her in a room in a couple of hours. I’ve requested she be sent to my floor. We’ll go see her together.”

“Then there’s nothing I can do here?”

“Not right now, Dad.”

“Okay. I’ll go shopping. I can’t have my granddaughter running around in a blanket. Write down your sizes for me, Jennifer. Shoes on up.”

“We’ll have a lot of shopping to do tomorrow. I’ll have to get all of us new things. First, though, I’ll have to find us an apartment,” Lauren said, already tired just thinking about the days to come.

“Apartment? Bull! You can stay with me. Cathy and Jennifer can have my bedroom, you can have the other bedroom, and I’ll be fine on the sofabed,” Frank said.

“We’ll be like sardines—” Lauren began.

“Well, fish in this family swim together. No more discussion,” Frank said flatly.

Ben walked up behind Frank. “And now that the shark is going to jail, they won’t have to worry about being eaten alive. Mr. Radski will be facing numerous criminal charges once he’s released.” He offered his hand to Frank. “I’m Ben Tolson, Mr. Miles. Lauren has spoken of you often.”

Frank shook hands with the attractive man. “You’re the boyfriend?”

“I sincerely hope so. I care a great deal about Lauren . . . and her sister and this brat,” Ben said, ruffling Jennifer’s hair affectionately.

Frank saw the look that passed between Lauren and Ben. It reminded him of the silent way he and Olivia had conveyed their love, even in a room full of people. He liked Ben immediately.

Three hours later, after Lauren’s shift had ended and Jennifer was cleaned up and outfitted with a too-small blouse, too-large jeans, and sneakers no self-respecting teenager would be caught dead in, they all entered Cathy’s room.

Heavy bandages covered the entire left side of her face. Her foot hung from a pulley above the bed, elevating her splinted toe. Her unbandaged eye widened when she saw her father. “Hi, Daddy,” she said, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

“Can I hug you without hurting you?” Frank asked.

She spread her arms. “You can hug me even if it does hurt.”

Lauren and Jennifer watched self-consciously as Cathy and Frank remained in a long embrace. Frank’s shoulders shook with his sobs. Hearts, like dilapidated fences, could be mended. Instead of the cold wire fences required for rebuilding, these hearts were repaired using the warm, strong bonds of love.