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Bartle pulled up in front of the General Store and Hardware at Riles Crossing. A hand-painted sign in the front window advertised “Fresh Bait - Cold Beer”. Another announced “Home-Made Jam”. The screen door banged shut on its rusty spring behind the two of them as they walked in. Maggie sat outside in the cool sunlight between the old Coke bottle cooler and the empty newspaper rack.
The only other customer in the store at the moment was Eizer Griggs. He was poking through a large bin, looking at cabbages. He had a couple of cans of Spam in his hand. Bartle smiled at him. “Eizer,” he said, ”How are you doing today?”
“Doing good, Bartle,” he growled. “You?”
“Having a fine day myself, my friend. Let me introduce you to my daughter, Ayla.” Eizer shook her hand, nodded and ducked away back into the world of produce.
Lonnie, who was behind the counter unpacking a case of Heinz’ canned pork and beans, looked up to see who had come in. “Bartle Clunes!” he said. “I was just thinking about you. We’re sure looking forward to that turkey dinner you promised us! How are you and Louvina doing? You two still married?”
“As a matter of fact, we are. Louvina has not yet thrown me out, which is a daily wonder to me. We are both of us doing well, thank you for asking. I just came by to make sure you Riles men are coming on Thursday and to introduce you to someone. Ayla, this is my good friend, Lonnie Riles. Lonnie, my daughter Ayla. She has come from Idaho Falls to live with us now.”
Ayla reached to shake his hand, saying politely, “I’m pleased to meet you.”
Lonnie took her hand with a startled look and stammered, “A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He held onto the girl’s hand a bit longer than what would be considered polite and he was aware of it. Turning to her father he gulped, “Bartle, I know this usually only happens in the pictures, but I swear to God, I am sure I have just met the woman I am going to marry and that’s a fact!”
Bartle laughed. “Is that right? Well, you just let me know when that ceremony is going to take place, Lonnie. I believe I should be there - at least as a witness.”
“I will as soon as she says she will have me!” he said, looking at Ayla, a shy spark in his blue eyes.
Ayla extricated her hand from his. “If I were you, Lonnie Riles, I would not be getting my hopes up. I won’t be marrying you or anybody else any time soon.” It was an unqualified rejection, but said with a smile.
The Clunes’ bought two grape Popsicles, a can of linseed oil and a length of insulated electrical wire. Bartle shook hands with Lonnie, calling him “my future son-in-law” and said they would see him in two days and to please come with an appetite, because Louvina was already planning to bake too many pies.
Bartle drove the narrow, winding, unpaved road out to his own house. How he earned his living had not yet come up in his conversations with Ayla, and he wanted her to know something more about who he was. He wanted to show her his studio and his work. Twenty minutes later, they walked into the rustic house, leaving their muddy boots standing side by side near the door. The afternoon sun slanted through the window making a pool of warm light on the braided carpet. Maggie lay down in that pool and immediately dozed off.
“It is cold in here, I know, but we'll not stay long today so I won't make a fire,” he said. He went to the kitchen to put on some coffee and rummaged around in the cupboard, where he found an unopened box of Moon Pies. Ayla, looking around her father’s house, went straight to his bookcase and browsed through the titles.
“You bring any books you like back with you,” he said. She chose Melville’s ‘Omoo’, saying she had already read the first book. She also took Jepson’s 'Trees of California' and her father’s Webster’s English Dictionary.
Ayla stopped to look at the artwork hanging on the walls. “These are interesting paintings you have, Daddy. I don't think I have ever seen anything like them before. I sure do like them.” She paused and bent to look closer. “They seem to have a story, don’t they?”
Bartle laughed. “Oh, they have a story, all right.”
“Where did you get them? Who painted them?” she asked.
“They are mine,” he said.
“Uh-huh. But … where did you get them?” she asked again, not understanding.
“Here. Come along with me,” he said, taking her into the back room.
“Oh, Daddy!” Ayla gasped. Her eyes went to every corner of the room, taking in the easels, the paints, paper, the art on the walls. “A studio!” she said. “You didn't tell me that you paint, that you are an artist!” she said.
“I do paint. And some people are of the opinion that I am an artist, but it is, I fear, a matter still open for debate. But I do all right. I will be able to keep the three of us afloat for a while yet, God willing.”
“Can I come here to work, Daddy? I want to work here with you. I mean, if I would not disturb you. You could teach me to use watercolors, maybe, so I can make my sketches into real art.” Bartle thought his heart would burst.
They arrived home just after Louvina. She was bubbling over about the wedding snapshots she had just picked up. They were very stiffly posed and slightly out of focus, but she did not care - they were memories. She passed them over to Ayla and Bartle. Then she showed them what she had brought home from the market, pulling things out of the paper bags.
“And tomorrow we will make pies, Ayla - four pies,” she said. “And we will prepare the turkey tomorrow evening so it will be all ready to pop into the oven Thursday morning. The Riles men will come, won't they, Bartle?”
“Yes, Lonnie promised they would be here around four, and hungry as hounds.”
Ayla told Louvina about the marriage proposal she had received that day. “It was the first I’ve ever had! I hope my turning him down did not embarrass him too much,” she said, only half seriously.
“Not likely,” laughed Louvina. “Lonnie is a bit like Maggie - gentle in nature, optimistic, and not easily discouraged.”
I sold out the first printing of Bartle Clunes. Thank you, 🌿Leaves readers! I have just had a few more printed. The entire story will remain on line, chapter by chapter at 🌿Leaves, HERE . A brief introduction to Bartle Clunes is HERE .
If you would like a paper copy for your bookshelf or to give as a gift, send me an email. They can be ordered only from me, personally.
Two romances for the price of one! Enjoyable, as always.
Oh Sharron, I’m so hooked, I now read every Sat., Instead of a marathon to enjoy all.
It sure would be welcome to have MORE
Bartle Clunes to look forward to!!!
Thank you for all!