General Fiction posted March 19, 2013 | Chapters: | ...16 17 -18- |
End of Story
A chapter in the book The Curse of 'Gator Bayou
Chapter 18 New Beginnings
by justjo66
Marie had traveled a long hard road since leaving her mama and siblings in Bayou Cane. However hard the lessons had been; she had indeed learned them. Finally, Gator had been captured and bled to death on the way in to town. Marie had tried to save his life by wrapping a tourniquet around his leg but the blood loss was too great. Why she had done this was a puzzle even to her. She had been terrified of him to the point he had seemed indestructible. Now he seemed only a horrible nightmare. The scars were left both physically and spiritually but she would survive. She had gotten back some of her spirit on the day she was able to see him for what he was, ‘a very evil and sick man.’ Now she was determined to go on with her life. It had been a year and a half and every day she was more and more like herself. Renee and Nell’s wedding had been beautiful and now they expected their first child. Marie was grateful for all that Renee and Nell had done. However, it was time for her to move on with her life. The war had ended with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, August 6, 1945. Gas rationing was the first to be stopped. Now with a vehicle she would be free to go anywhere. Marie sat drinking coffee and thinking about the past and what she was going to do next.
“Can I join you, Marie?” Nell sat down slowly at the kitchen table. “I’ve been wanting to talk with you about a plan I have.
“Sure, what is it?” Marie inquired.
“Well, do you remember me talking about the six hundred acres in Texas next to my brother that I planned to buy someday?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I bought it some time ago when I left New Orleans and came to live here with Renee. It is a nice place with an old house that needs some work but would be okay with just a little loving kindness. Would you be interested in moving to Texas and managing it for me? I would pay you well and it would really help me out. My brother does not know I bought it and I would want it to stay that way for personal reasons.”
“I don’t know Nell. I don’t know anything about ranches, horses, or cattle.”
“I have the perfect person in Canyon to hire as your foreman. She was raised up on a ranch and knows everything about it. She would teach you everything you need to know. How about it? You would start out small with a few hundred head and then hopefully we could both make a profit. Please say yes.” Nell implored. “I have been in contact with Alice and Miss Moselle and they both tell me they would also be interested in the venture. So, you would not be there without friends. Come on…say yes.”
“How would I even get there…I don’t have a car?”
“Oh, that’s no problem. Renee and I have already talked about it and you could have my old Ford. You could consider it our first payment to you as Ranch Manager. Please don’t say no.” Nell pleaded. “It would make me so happy to have you succeed on that ranch next to my brother. Give him a little run for his money.” Nell smiled.
“Okay! I’ll do it. You have talked me in to it.” Marie smiled the first time in a very long time. “Texas, here I come. I’ll need to go see my mama before I leave and say goodbye to my brother and siblings.”
“Good, we’ll make the arrangements and I’ll contact Jesse, that’s the girl I have in mind for your foreman. You’ll love her. You have made me so happy.” Nell got up and hugged Marie. “Of course I’ll write you and you can keep me up on all the goings on…especially with my brother.”
Two weeks later Marie had visited with her mama on Bayou Cane and told her she would write often and send her money. A new phase of her life was beginning. Alice and Miss Moselle had showed up three days ago all packed and ready for their new adventure. The ‘Three Musketeers’ off to see the world.
As the three ladies drove off into the sunset giggling. Nell had thought it would be a hoot to place a sign on the back of their car. “TEXAS or BUST”
*This has been 18 condensed chapters of my first novel. Later, I will go back and fill in the ‘meat’ of the story. My plan will be to continue the story with Marie as a second book after I write, re-write, edit, and edit this one some more with hopes to publish someday. :O). I want to thank everyone who has faithfully followed along with my first attempt at a novel. If not for the encouragement from my reviewers and Fanstory; I would never have tried to do this.
Thank you
Jo Shoemake
(justjo66)
Marie had traveled a long hard road since leaving her mama and siblings in Bayou Cane. However hard the lessons had been; she had indeed learned them. Finally, Gator had been captured and bled to death on the way in to town. Marie had tried to save his life by wrapping a tourniquet around his leg but the blood loss was too great. Why she had done this was a puzzle even to her. She had been terrified of him to the point he had seemed indestructible. Now he seemed only a horrible nightmare. The scars were left both physically and spiritually but she would survive. She had gotten back some of her spirit on the day she was able to see him for what he was, ‘a very evil and sick man.’ Now she was determined to go on with her life. It had been a year and a half and every day she was more and more like herself. Renee and Nell’s wedding had been beautiful and now they expected their first child. Marie was grateful for all that Renee and Nell had done. However, it was time for her to move on with her life. The war had ended with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, August 6, 1945. Gas rationing was the first to be stopped. Now with a vehicle she would be free to go anywhere. Marie sat drinking coffee and thinking about the past and what she was going to do next.
“Can I join you, Marie?” Nell sat down slowly at the kitchen table. “I’ve been wanting to talk with you about a plan I have.
“Sure, what is it?” Marie inquired.
“Well, do you remember me talking about the six hundred acres in Texas next to my brother that I planned to buy someday?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I bought it some time ago when I left New Orleans and came to live here with Renee. It is a nice place with an old house that needs some work but would be okay with just a little loving kindness. Would you be interested in moving to Texas and managing it for me? I would pay you well and it would really help me out. My brother does not know I bought it and I would want it to stay that way for personal reasons.”
“I don’t know Nell. I don’t know anything about ranches, horses, or cattle.”
“I have the perfect person in Canyon to hire as your foreman. She was raised up on a ranch and knows everything about it. She would teach you everything you need to know. How about it? You would start out small with a few hundred head and then hopefully we could both make a profit. Please say yes.” Nell implored. “I have been in contact with Alice and Miss Moselle and they both tell me they would also be interested in the venture. So, you would not be there without friends. Come on…say yes.”
“How would I even get there…I don’t have a car?”
“Oh, that’s no problem. Renee and I have already talked about it and you could have my old Ford. You could consider it our first payment to you as Ranch Manager. Please don’t say no.” Nell pleaded. “It would make me so happy to have you succeed on that ranch next to my brother. Give him a little run for his money.” Nell smiled.
“Okay! I’ll do it. You have talked me in to it.” Marie smiled the first time in a very long time. “Texas, here I come. I’ll need to go see my mama before I leave and say goodbye to my brother and siblings.”
“Good, we’ll make the arrangements and I’ll contact Jesse, that’s the girl I have in mind for your foreman. You’ll love her. You have made me so happy.” Nell got up and hugged Marie. “Of course I’ll write you and you can keep me up on all the goings on…especially with my brother.”
Two weeks later Marie had visited with her mama on Bayou Cane and told her she would write often and send her money. A new phase of her life was beginning. Alice and Miss Moselle had showed up three days ago all packed and ready for their new adventure. The ‘Three Musketeers’ off to see the world.
As the three ladies drove off into the sunset giggling. Nell had thought it would be a hoot to place a sign on the back of their car. “TEXAS or BUST”
*This has been 18 condensed chapters of my first novel. Later, I will go back and fill in the ‘meat’ of the story. My plan will be to continue the story with Marie as a second book after I write, re-write, edit, and edit this one some more with hopes to publish someday. :O). I want to thank everyone who has faithfully followed along with my first attempt at a novel. If not for the encouragement from my reviewers and Fanstory; I would never have tried to do this.
Thank you
Jo Shoemake
(justjo66)
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