Bad Luck Can Be Lucky

By Bakerj

“In the Springtime, a young man’s fancy likely turns to thoughts of … well … many things.  Anything, in fact, that will make them forget the long, hard winter and think of all the fun and good times that lie ahead—”

“Ow!”

Adam looked up from the paper and gave me a pained look for interrupting his recitation.

“Little Joe, stand still and I no stick in pins.”

“I am standing still.” 

Kneeling on the floor at my feet while I stood on the low table, Hop Sing yanked on the pant leg he was working on.  “You no argue!  You want pants ready for tomorrow, you no keep moving.”

Snorting, Adam remarked, “If you’ve eaten your greens like we told you, you mightn’t need your pants turning up.”

Pulling a face at that old joke, I stayed still.

Pa removed his pipe and pointed it at Older Brother.  “Go on, Adam.  Read the rest.”

Adam raised one eyebrow.  “If there are no more interruptions from the mannequin?” 

I pulled another face and rolled my eyes when he made a big show of shaking out the paper and clearing his throat.  He was about to begin when the front door opened.  I grimaced at the blast of cold air that swept in with Hoss.  We called out greetings while he shed his coat and, skirting Hop Sing, came to the fire. 

Hop Sing gathered his pins.  “All finish.  You take off pants, and I sew.”

Ignoring us, Pa fixed his gaze on Hoss.  “How’d it go, son?”

“Fine.  I got all those telegraphs off and got the replies.” Hoss snapped his fingers.  “Shoot!  I took them out of my saddlebag and dadburn if I didn’t leave them in the barn.”

“I’ll get them.” 

Jumping from the table, I dashed toward the door.

“No.  No.  Not in new pants!”

“Joseph!  Put your boots on.”

“Watch out for—”

The door slammed, shutting off the rest of what Hoss was saying.  Who cared about new pants and boots?  One of those wires was about the Kentucky thoroughbred that Pa had offered to buy.  That was one animal I wanted to get my hands on. 

The explosion that struck my toes stopped me dead and drove the air out of my lungs and through my teeth in a loud, long hiss.  I lurched and doubled over into the pain, clutching my foot.  Goddam!  Bullet wounds were less painful.

Stumbling back, I fell into the rocking chair.  My hand squeezed around my foot, trying to hold back the agony that rolled off my toes.  I leaned forward and let rip a string of words Pa would never approve of.  My breath whistled, and my gaze searched the porch, looking for whatever the heck I walked into.

The door opened, letting light flood onto the porch.  My eyes popped wide at the lump of wood sitting there.  Pa and Hoss filled the doorway.

“What’s going on?”

“I’ve broken my damn toe, that’s what.  On that!  What the hell is that doing there?”

“I tried to warn you,” Hoss said.  “I was going to move it in the morning.”

“Move it!  Why the heck would you leave it there?”

“I didn’t want it getting mixed up with the firewood.”

“Goddammit, Hoss!”  I groaned when a spasm shot through my foot.  “Damn, that hurts!”

“Okay, that’s enough.  Let’s get you inside and take a look.”  Leaning on Pa, I hobbled back into the house.  “Hop Sing, we need a bucket of water.”

“What did he do now?” Adam asked.

“Joe thinks he’s broken his toe.”

“Why wouldn’t I, after smashing it into a massive lump of wood?  Who leaves that on the porch?”

At the look I gave him, Hoss mumbled something that sounded like another apology. 

Adam rose from his chair, dropped the paper onto the low table, and raised his arm with a flourish.  “But, soft!  What toe through yonder doorway breaks?  It is Little Joe’s, and Hoss is to blame.”

“Laugh it up, brother.  You’re not the one with a broken toe.”

“All right.  Let’s calm down.  After all, Joseph, if you hadn’t run outside without your boots, this wouldn’t have happened.”  I clamped my mouth shut and glared.  Pa eased off my sock.  “They’re already starting to swell.”

I groaned anew.  Hop Sing appeared with a bucket, and Pa rolled up my new pants.

“Careful of pins,” Hop Sing cautioned.

What would a few pin-pricks matter?  My foot throbbed like the devil, and I almost howled when I lowered it into the ice-cold water.

Satisfied, Pa nodded before asking Hoss, “Now, why did you leave that wood out there?”

“It’s special, and I didn’t want it mixed with the firewood.”

“Special, how can wood be special?” I demanded.

“Well, you see, I ran into this fella in Virginia City—”

“I might’ve known.”

“Joseph!  Go on, son.”

“He was an artist and selling his sculptures.  You shoulda seen them. Animals that looked like they were alive.”  Lit up like a kid, Hoss turned to Adam.  “You’d have loved them.  We got talking, and I told him I wouldn’t mind trying some sculpting.  He sold me a piece of cherry wood.  He says it the best wood ‘cause of its color and grain, and it’s not soft like pine.”

“You mean you rode all the way home with that on your saddle?”

There was no mistaking Pa’s tone and his obvious feelings about Big Brother’s latest piece of foolishness.  Hoss’s hands disappeared into his pockets, and the tip of one boot twisted into the floor.  “It weren’t that much trouble.”

“Not for you.”  I ducked the look Pa shot me.  What does everyone expect?  “My foot’s killing me.”

“There speaks brave Horatio, even as just a man.”

My top lip curled.  I had about enough of smart alec Older Brother.  “Do that again and see what you get.”

His smile broadened.  “Though he is but little, he is fierce.”

Pa’s hand dropped onto my knee, and he looked from me to Adam.  “That’s enough of that.  Both of you.  Let’s look at that foot.”

I pulled it out of the bucket, and my heart sank.  The tightness I’d felt was swelling and not just on one toe.  “Pa?”

His gaze was filled with pity.  “Looks like you’ve broken three.”

“How am I gonna dance tomorrow with broken toes?”

“I’m sorry, son.  But dancing is out.”

Those words hurt more than my red, ballooned toes.  My chest tightened under a familiar flash of anger.  I  cut a dirty look at the one responsible.  “Thanks a lot.”

Hoss looked even more upset.  I didn’t care.  But Pa had had enough of my mood.

“Your brother has already apologized.  There isn’t much more he can say.”

“No.  There sure isn’t.”

I was being an ass, but the grinding pain was pushing its way through my body, stripping my forbearance.  Pushing up from the sofa, I limped to the stairs.

“Where’re you going?”

“Bed.”

“But supper.”

“I’m not hungry.”

Hop Sing called from the other side of the room, “You take off pants, and I’ll come get them.”

“Why bother?  I don’t need them now, do I.”

I didn’t wait to see how this latest shot went down.  I pulled myself up one step at a time and shuffled down the hall to my room.

Lying on my bed with my foot propped on a pillow, I tried to ignore the constant background melody of the thrumming agony.  The only change to this dirge came when I forgot myself and moved my toes, sending a splinter of pain up my leg so sharp I jerked and sucked in air.

Still angry, I cursed Hoss’s stupid lump of wood.  But what an idiot I was!  None of it would have happened if I’d put on my damn boots.  Now I’d miss the first big dance of the year and Effie.

I closed my eyes, conjuring her before me.  She was like her name.  All soft, rosy-cheeked, and plump in the places that mattered.  My insides tightened again, remembering how she curled that lock of blond hair around her finger while she gushed about the new dress she was having made for the dance. 

“And I shall have matching ribbons.  Don’t you think I’ll look nice?”

I’d raised my eyebrows.  Her soft pink lips and the little dimple that quivered at the side of them, tantalizingly appearing and disappearing, had captured all my attention.  “Oh, yeah.  Real pretty.”

The memory turned to ash in my mouth.  For two weeks, I’d been looking forward to that dance.  And now, I wouldn’t get to hold Effie close in a waltz or steal a kiss.  And this wasn’t even a real injury.  Being shot or breaking my arm doing something heroic would be different, but broken toes!  I squirmed and slapped my hand over my face.  Could it get any worse?  Apparently, it could.

A knock was followed by Pa coming through the door.  I stifled my groan, but the last thing I needed was a lecture.  Before I had a chance to say anything, Pa brandished the tray in his hand.  “Thought you might be hungry.”

I was in for the soft approach.  The hole in my belly overcame the temptation to refuse the food.  “Thanks.”

“How’s the foot?”

“I’m trying not to think about it.” 

After helping to prop me up, Pa laid the tray on my lap.  Any hope that he might leave ended when he turned and pulled up a chair.  I decided to get it over with.  “I’m sorry about what I said.”

Pa lifted a hand.  “We understand.”

Damn.  Why couldn’t he be mad?  Now, I felt five years old and ashamed of myself.  “I’ll apologize to Hoss.”

“He’d appreciate that.  We know how much you were looking forward to the dance.”

I sighed.  “Can you apologize to Effie for me?  Explain?”

“Sure.  And maybe we won’t tell her exactly how it happened, huh?”

A smile crept out.  “Thanks.”

Another knock was followed by Hoss poking his head around the door.  “Can I come in?”  I waved him through.  “I brought some fresh water.  The longer you soak that foot, the quicker the swelling will go down.”

Pa took the tray, and I moved to my desk chair.  I gave Hoss a look and a smile to let him know I regretted my meanness, but sometimes you hav’ta say the words.  “I’m sorry ‘bout what I said.”

“You were hurting, is all.”

“Don’t make it right.”

“Yeah, but I’d likely have done the same.”

The smiles we gave each other settled the matter.  Picking up the plate of sandwiches, I offered Hoss one.  He settled on the bed and took a bite.

“Can I join?”  I canted my head to let Adam know to come in.  He raised the newspaper in his hands.  “You know I never did finish.”

“Read it now, son, from the beginning.”

Sitting next to Hoss, Adam opened the paper and began to read, “In the Springtime, a young man’s fancy likely turns to thoughts of … well … many things.”

***

Since Adam was taking the buggy to collect his girl, Pa had offered to hitch up the surrey for me.  “You can still catch up with friends and watch.” 

My scalp turned cold at the suggestion.  No way was I gonna be seen around town wearing one boot and a sock over strapped-up toes, so I was steadfast in my refusal and determined to look happy about my decision.  I plastered the smile on my face, intending to keep it there while I waved my family off. 

Due to snow still being on the ground and the nights closing in early, they held the spring dance in the afternoon with a buffet luncheon laid on.  All the ladies in Story County brought their favorite dishes, keen to impress everyone with their skills.

Hoss slapped me on the back.  “I’ll bring you back a slice of Mrs. Clark’s apple pie.”

Pa had given the ranch hands the day off, and they’d headed out straight after breakfast.  They were closely followed by Hop Sing, who took the opportunity to visit his relatives.  I’d have the place to myself.

Hoss and Pa mounted, but while Big Brother headed off, Pa hovered.  “You’re sure you’ll be all right now?”

“Get along, Pa.  Enjoy yourself.”

Raising my hand, I told myself, ‘Smile and wave, Joe.  Smile and wave.” 

Looking smart in their dress suits, they rode out of sight.  My own lay over the chair in my room, a cruel reminder of what I’d be missing.  With slumped shoulders and deflated chest, I limped back into the house.  Thrusting the door shut harder than necessary, satisfaction ran through me when the latch rattled into place.  Boy, was I feeling sorry for myself.

It wasn’t as if I had trouble occupying my time, but it was amazing how broken toes limited what you could do.  From now on, I’d always appreciate the idea of getting my boots on.

Cleaning my guns filled the time until lunch, and I ate the plate of food Hop Sing had left in the kitchen.  Hobbling back to the living room, I hesitated.  Sitting on my butt again held no appeal.  I should’ve been out busting a bronc, wrangling a steer, or dancing up a storm with Effie.  Don’t think about that! I decided to pay Cooch a visit.  I paused, snagging a couple of apples from the bowl before grabbing another. 

Sport lipped the fruit from my palm.  Scratching behind his ear, I grinned.  “Don’t tell Adam.”

Cooch crunched his while I ate mine.  That passed a few more minutes.  I returned to the house and tried not to think about the party, and the fun everyone would be having.  Or Effie and that new dress she’d be wearing with the matching ribbons in those curls.  Damn these stupid toes.

Time dragged, and even the latest dime novel I’d bought when the first supplies came through didn’t help.  A sense of boredom crept over me, reading the same familiar story on the page.  I tossed it aside, scuffing my hand through my hair.  It was gonna be a long afternoon.

Waking up with a start, I sat up, letting my gaze search the room.  Had I dozed off?  The noise snapped my head around.  Someone was outside.  I swung my legs to the floor, forgetting my toes, and winced.  Cursing, I hobbled to the sideboard to grab my revolver and pulled open the front door.

“Hello, Joe.”

“Alma!”

This was the last person I expected to see.  Surprise and delight thrilled me.  We’d struck up a friendship last year.  Her confident walk and tilt of her head, sure in the knowledge that every man would turn to watch, had caught my attention the first time I’d seen her.  I felt like the luckiest man in town when she made her way to my side.  Buying her a drink, I let her know she was the best thing to happen to the Silver Dollar.  Before we could develop our acquaintance further, it was cut short by the snows.  But here she was, like a late Christmas miracle.  My bare feet and bandaged toes forgotten, I moved toward the buggy to welcome my charming visitor.  If I exaggerated the limp a little, who would know?

“What’re you doing here?”

Heavy lids drooped over eyes dark with depths I longed to explore, and her lips curved into a smile that made my insides clench.

“I heard you were injured and stuck here all by your lonesome.”

“Yeah.  I banged up my foot some.  It’s not bad, but I can’t dance.”

Alma sighed.  “Everyone’s at that dance, and I wasn’t working.  I got bored and thought I’d come out and say hello.”

My smile broadened, and I let my voice drop a mite deeper.  “Well, hello.”  Her eyes gleamed in response, and I put out my hand.  “Let me escort you inside.”

Pa treated every woman like a lady, no matter her occupation, and insisted we did the same.  But still, Alma wasn’t the kind of lady you brought home for supper.  Knowing that just added to the exhilaration.  I settled her in front of the fire and offered coffee.  

“Or would you prefer something stronger?”  Lifting the decanter, she nodded, and I poured her a glass of Pa’s best brandy.  “Give me a minute.  I’ll go put the horse in the barn.  Then, you won’t hav’ta rush away.”

She smiled her approval, and I did a fast hobble through the door.  She’d discarded her hat, coat, and gloves by the time I returned.  For a moment, I was startled to see she wasn’t dressed in the gaudy, spangled outfit she wore while working.  Instead, a long-sleeved gown made from a deep red velvet clung to her shapely frame.  She looked different and yet the same.  The rich color accentuated the creaminess of her skin, and the bodice was cut low around a pair of breasts that could heat any man’s ardor.  Dreaming of those succulent mounds and the possibilities of her full lips had kept me warm throughout the long, cold winter nights.

I refilled her glass, poured myself another, and settled on the sofa next to her.

“Y’know, I was going out of my mind with boredom, too.  You’ve changed all that.” 

Her eyes twinkled over the top of her glass with the promise of what was to come.  I tried to contain my excitement. 

Glass drained, she set hers down, and I did the same.  In a practiced move, I slipped my arm along the back of the settee and moved in closer.  My fingers glided across her cheek and came to rest under her chin. 

“I couldn’t have imagined a nicer surprise.”

She lifted one eyebrow, and I leaned in.  Brushing her lips with the lightest touch, I let her come to me to press the kiss home.  We deepened the exchange, and heat rose from my gut.  Moving again, I pushed her back and let my lips flutter to one of those enticing mounds flowing over the top of her dress.  I itched to undo the buttons of the bodice that kept those beauties from me, but I wanted to take this slow.

Her breath warmed my ear. “We’d be more comfortable in bed.”

Dare I?  I’d never taken a woman to my room.  But then, I’d never had the opportunity, and who would know?  I grinned, stood, and put out my hand.

I led her up the stairs with teeth clenched tight behind my smile so she couldn’t see how my dumb toes were paining me.  Reaching my room without making an idiot of myself, I opened the door.  Standing back, I looked down into those sensual eyes.  “After you.”

Her smile had me catching my breath.  I closed mine for a fraction of a second and felt the surge of the season rise within me.  Following her in, I shut the door.

***

Spreadeagled on the bed, I dragged in air while my chest rose and fell.  Sweat trickled down my neck to pool in the crevice at the bottom.  Nothing I’d dreamed had come close to what we just shared.

“That was amazing.”

Alma rolled onto her side, propping her head upon one hand.  Her breasts squeezed together, reminding me of Hop Sing’s dumplings. 

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“What would you like to do now?”

Her eyelashes fluttered, and I bit my lip.  “I’m kinda hungry.”

Stifling my disappointment, I sat up.  “I can fix that.”

***

Taking her hand, I turned it and kissed her palm.  Long, slow, and sensuous.

“Thanks for coming.”

She winked.  “I had fun.  See you soon, Joe.”

She shook up the horse, and the buggy sped away.  I waved and watched her go until the wind’s chill on my bare chest reminded me of the temperature.  It hadn’t seemed cold when I’d gone to fetch the horse and buggy, but now my flesh began to numb.  Pulling my shirt closed, I shuffled back inside.

The remains of the meal we devoured lay on the table.  I pulled on my ear, remembering Alma’s face as we’d sat across from each other, eating fried chicken, drinking wine, and laughing before taking another trip upstairs.  The chime of the long clock was the burr I needed to break me out of my sweet reverie.   I grabbed the plates and platter off the table and headed to the kitchen sink.

Setting the washed glasses back on the tray next to the decanter, I heard my family and Hop Sing returning.  Just in time!  I spun in a rush to get back to the sofa.  Too fast and too careless, my damaged toes whacked against the leg. 

“Goddam!  Not again!” Grabbing my foot, I hopped to sit down.  The door opened.  Blinking away the moisture that had flooded my eyes, I forced on a grin and turned. “Hey!  How was it?”

I caught the looks they exchanged.  Pa’s answer was restrained.  “It was fine.”

“Oh, c’mon!  You must’ve had a good time.  I wanna hear all about it.”

“Really?  Even though you missed it.”

I waved a hand, dismissing Hoss’s reluctance.  “Sure.  Tell me.”

“It was great.  They had the best bunch of fiddlers you ever saw.  I danced ‘till I thought my feet would fall off.”

I laughed.  “What about your partner?  Did her feet survive?”

Hoss grinned and punched me in the arm.

“Good to see your mood has improved.”  I glanced at Adam, and alarm bells went off.  He had that look when he caught me doing something I shouldn’t.  “I thought I spotted Alma, from the Silver Dollar, on the road as we rode in.”

“Really?  Guess she must’ve been out for a drive.”

Under Older Brother’s cool gaze, I could feel the heat under my collar and prayed I wasn’t turning red.  “Guess so.”

“Little Joe!”  We all turned toward Hop Sing, who came through from the kitchen.  “You eat all leftover fried chicken?”

“Oh, yeah.  Sorry.  I was hungry.”

Hop Sing pulled a face.  “Leftover beef for supper.”

“Guess you won’t want that piece of pie I promised?”

My eyes lit up when I saw the small parcel Hoss held.  “I’ve got room.”

Pa laughed.  “Come on, you two.  Let’s wash up, or Hop Sing will really be mad.”

Hoss followed Pa, but Adam stayed where he was.  After a few anxious seconds, I put a smile on my face and met his gaze.  His fingers flicked toward me. 

“You might wanna do those buttons up properly there, fella.”

Watching Adam saunter away, my fingers fumbled over the buttons I’d rush to do up.  But he knew, and I was in for it!  When I heard him chuckle, I relaxed.  Ratting each other out to Pa wasn’t the way we did things.  I rubbed the end of my nose with my finger.  I’d pay somehow, but that was a worry for another day.

That night, I slept in sheets that held the lingering smell of roses and lavender and relived our afternoon again in my dreams.  It was the best night’s sleep I’d ever had.

***

It took over a week before I could get a boot on again, and it hurt like hell, but I didn’t care.  I was free!  The very next Saturday, I headed for Virginia City.  My first call was to Effie to apologize in person for missing the dance.  She was nice about it, but I felt the cooling between us.  Sometimes, chance and timing were everything, and I missed mine.  As I rode away, I wondered who the lucky fella was.

Joining Adam and Hoss in the Silver Dollar, I scanned the room for the other gal I was keen to see.  The place was packed to the rafters, and it took time to check every table.  Elbow on the bar, I glanced over my shoulder at Sam.  “Where’s Alma?

The cloth in the glass he was wiping began to turn with more vigor at my question.  “She gotta letter from the fella she used to work for in Reno.  Told her he wanted her back.  She left three days ago.

I fixed the barkeep with an agonized expression.  “Couldn’t you have made her a better offer?”

“Not one like she got.  She went back to become Mrs. Willy Tate.”

My mouth dropped.  Sometimes, a guy’s luck is really out.  I’d miss that little beauty, but I raised my glass to Alma with a smile.

***

Stripping off my mud-soaked clothes in the washhouse, I glanced at my filthy expression in the mirror Hop Sing had thoughtfully nailed to the wall.  Clearing the waterhole was a mucky job and the one Adam hated the most.  But it was a small price to pay for his silence over Alma’s visit, which still occupied my dreams.  Having washed and changed, I wandered to the woodshed to find Hoss perched on a stool outside.

“Adam said I’d find you here.”

“Hey, Joe.  What d’you think?”

He moved to reveal what he’d been working on.  A mountain lion poised, ready to pounce on some unsuspecting prey, had been carved from that lump of wood.  The details were rough, but he’d caught the power and raw energy of the beast.

“That’s fantastic.  Can I … can I touch it?”

“Sure.”

My fingers ran over the worked wood, feeling the muscle and sinew edged from it. 

“You’ve done a great job.”  Hoss smiled that shy smile of his.  “Whatcha gonna do with it?”

“I ain’t decided yet.”

“Could I have it?”

“Would you want it?  I mean, won’t it remind you about missing the dance?”

“Nah.  ‘Sides, I don’t mind being reminded of that day.”

Hoss wrinkled his nose.  “Sometimes, Little Brother, you’re a plain … what’s that word Adam uses?  Oh, yeah.  Enigma.”

“Hey!”

“It just means I don’t understand you sometimes.”  I mouthed, ‘Oh,’ and grinned.  Hoss patted his sculpture.  “You really want it?”

“Yeah.  I really do.”

The sculpture took pride of place in my bedroom.  Every time I looked at it, I thought of that darn lump of wood it started life as, and the afternoon it brought me with another beautiful creature.

** The End **
[March 2024]

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