Return to Holliday Creek (11)

The Shields Come Down

                                   -By Robert Faulkender ©

Wichita Falls Railway,

Leitha laid her hand affectionately on Ted's arm. “I really hadn’t intended to leave Holliday Creek permanently, but one evening, just after you had taken the sheriff job, my dad and I had a violent argument.  His plans for me were to marry you, have grandchildren, and for you to take over the business when he retired or followed a political path.  I was so angry! My father had dared to plan my life this completely. I wasn’t sure I even liked the new sheriff.”

     The remembered anger brought color to her cheeks. “I threw a daddy’s-little-girl tantrum and flat ran away. My Aunt Angela finally helped me see that I really was enamored with this handsome young cowboy, and that my father’s plan wasn’t such a bad idea after all.”

     Ted was studying her again: so lovely, the slight blush. Without thinking he leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips.

    She laughed at his impulsiveness--so out of character. Then her face dissolved from joy to sadness.

      “I’m trapped, Ted.” She stood. “I am partners with my aging aunt in a St. Louis milliner shop, and now, I have father’s store to run or sell. Millie and I are making an inventory just in case a buyer shows.”

     Leitha picked up the coffee pot, warmed their cups, and returned the pot to the stove. The shields were down; they talked for hours. Ted took his turn at confession. “In the back of my mind I wanted to find you. But, I had nothing to offer you, and my first thought was, find a job; or better, learn a trade in the machine age.”

     Suddenly, it occurred to Ted that he didn’t have a room at the hotel, and he should go over to the boarding house before it locked up.

     Leitha smiled coyly, “Afraid you missed that round- up, cowboy. But, Jim Samuelson left his daughter this comfortable two bedroom bungalow. You can stay in Dad’s room, provided you stay in Dad’s room.” 

     He promised to stay in Dad’s room.

     When they parted for the night, passionate as their embrace was, he went willingly to separate bedrooms. This was not a cute little senorita in some boarder town. This was the girl he wanted to marry; he needed to think this thing through.

     At daybreak he awoke and lay there a few moments luxuriating in the joy of having Leitha in his life. As he swung out of bed, corduroy trousers and flannel shirt lying on the foot of the bed caught his eye. He smiled.

     She’s already taken charge. 

     A short tender greeting at breakfast and the conversation quickly turned to business. The immediate problem was to spring Leitha’s trap: find a buyer for the store. In Leitha’s mind no one interested had the money, and no one with the money had any interest. 

Yet, by the time they were finished and the kitchen cleaned, they had come up with two names: Clara Maud over at the cafe and the cowboy, Howard, who used to help Jim Samuelson in a pinch. Could those dogs hunt?