The Girl. (6 page)

Dana paused, turned around saying, “Oh I meant Wiley boys”, and walked away giggling.
Standing on the porch watching Dana walking across the lawn, Ella said, “Hey”, and Dana
turned around asking, “What?”
“You did not have sex with that boy, right?”
Smiling, “Maybe, stop worrying about it”, and Dana walked away.

Ella shook her head mumbling, “Gee is she desperate for affection”, and went inside and that
night had plenty of sweet dreams.

Determined to know Saul Wiley really well, and tossed and turned in her bed restless all night
thinking of him.
A few weeks go by.

Chapter 3.

Ella had not been back in town for a while, until one day, Ella knew her parents would be
working late, her older brother Kevin was never home and she had the bus drop her off right on
the west side of town.

She got off thanking the driver, as he smiled she did too heading to the bar happily.
Furthermore, it was a Friday and she knew that Saul would be there working, as she was
completely smiles and walked by a store in town and saw these cool boots in a shoe store
window.
Pausing looking into the store window, she said, “Awesome, those are neat, but I have no
money, or a life”, as she now hung her head and kept walking then reaching the bar.
Ella was radiant, when she saw the big sign above the bar that read, “Wiley’s Pub”.
Noticing another sign in the window, inquiring for dishwasher help Ella glowed and headed
inside Wiley’s.

Entering the front of the bar noticed it was not crowded at all during the day when she spotted
Shane behind the counter and asked him where his mom was.
“Oh hey there little girl”, giving a smile.

Frowning, “Great, little girl this might be harder than I thought”, mumbled Ella.
Clearing her throat asking, “Your maw, Shane where is she?”
Holding a stack of papers in his hand, “Right out the back door of the bar, you’ll see a big old
house”, replied Shane getting back to work.
“Thanks Shane”.
“Aw no problem little darling”.

He also told her, “Knock at the door and go in saying hello”.
“Okay”, smiling brightly and headed out the back door to the bar now.

Reaching outside, Ella walked down a long driveway that was right behind the bar, and she
noticed a huge white house a few feet ahead.
It looked three stories high, as she just kept walking down the driveway cheerful.

Suddenly, Seth said, “Hey what’s up Ella?” Kneeling by the open garage, she paused noticing
him, smiled and said, “Oh hey there Seth, what’s up?”
“Nothing really working on my bike”.
“Wow a dirt bike”. Eyes big watching him.
“No motorcycle if I get done”, as he held a hammer, his extremely long bangs covered his eyes.
“Oh neat”, frowns wondering how he can even see to work on the bike.

“Is your maw here?”
Tightening screws onto the rim of his bike said, “Of course she is, heck maw doesn’t go many
places”.
“Okay, I thought she would be working or all you”.

Working on his project he added, “Nah the bar don’t open till 6:00 PM”.
“Oh thought their open all day Seth?”
“Yeah some are, but that’s how paw runs it, his way of things”.
“Well I’m going to go see your maw”, as she pointed to the big house.

Hammering away on his bike he replied, “Yeah she is cooking probably, because it’s Friday and
this family will be very busy”.

“Oh okay, thanks Seth”, said Ella rather loudly and holding her ears, from the horrendous
banging. “No problem Ella”, smirking and thought girls are lightweights, as he saw her gripping
her ears and just kept working on his bike banging.
Ella went up onto the porch knocking on the door.
“It’s open,” yelled Brenda.

With her eyes large Ella said, “Hello”, opening the door going in.
“Oh I know that sweet little voice”, coming from around the corner into the kitchen, she greeted
Ella.

“Hi Brenda, I was in town and remembered what you told me to stop in, so I did”, said Ella
smiling.
“Oh sugar hello, I’m glad you did”.
She actually hugged Ella that smiled and after embracing her a few seconds.
Brenda said, “I missed you darling”.
Smiles big, as Brenda added, “Shoot I got boys around me always”.
Ella thought, for owning a bar; they are the nicest people she ever met and their mom is
always home was sure nice.

Giving the fact that Ella since the age of thirteen was on her own.
Standing by the stove, Brenda said, “Darling you’re in time for some good hometown cooking”.
Ella was looking around the kitchen and there were many knick-knacks of roosters with farm
animals.

Even the kitchen curtains were of cows and it was sure very country the whole house seem to be,
as she glanced into the dining room off the kitchen.
There was a big painting of Indians hanging on the center wall and right below a big wooden
hutch and setting on top of it was pictures of the boys.
Some were from school and others of sports they have played.

Now Ella takes a longer look onto the hutch and gives a curious expression.
Since one picture that sat right in the center surrounding all the others, was a picture of the
Wiley boys.

However, there were actually eight longhaired boys; naturally, they had those curls and waves
all through the long length.
Where are the other four boys that sure appeared to be Wiley’s?
Ella though, did not ask as she figured something bad must have happened to them and they
probably were in heaven.

Furthermore, the family does not even mention any other boys, as the picture obviously showed
there were more boys at one time when Ella picked up a picture of Seth that had to be around
eleven or twelve, as she gasps mumbling, “Oh my the boy?”

Setting it back down she stopped looking around and never pry, but seems the Wiley’s do hold
many secrets?
Brenda asked, “Will you join us for supper?” Closing the lid on a big kettle cooking on the stove.
“Oh no Brenda, I didn’t come to intrude; I need your help in a way”.

“Sure sweetie what’s wrong?”

Standing by the counter, “Well I am getting older”, said Ella and Brenda smiled for she was a
baby yet and could tell.
Ella continued telling Brenda, “I saw you need help with dishes”.
Raising her eyebrows, Brenda now interrupted her and said, “Oh darling that’s a very hard job”.
Suddenly Seth walked in looking for the wrench as he hunted through a drawer making a mess.
“Shoot it's hard on him”, pointing to Seth.
“What is?” With his long curly bangs hanging directly into his eyes and raising her eyebrows,
“Nothing boy forget about it”, said Brenda annoyed.
“Sure”, grabbing the wrench out from the drawer.
“Hey Seth I wanted to mention something to you”.
“What maw?” Shook his hair to hang down covering his face more on purpose.
“That’s what I want to mention to you”, said Brenda pointing at his hair.

Grabbing a soda out from the refrigerator replying, “My hair is fine maw”.
Heading back outside, as she yelled to him, “Gee Seth are you in there? Because I don’t know
what color your eyes are anymore?”
From outside,
“Brown maw, dark brown”, yelled Seth hammering away.
Ella smiled as Brenda said, “Sugar I know he is under all that hippy hair and lays his pretty
browns”.
“He is a very tall young boy”.

Putting vegetables into the big kettle now and stirring the food that was cooking Brenda said,
“Yep tall and lanky”, as she smiled.
Closing the kettle lid Brenda remarked, “Well hard part of dinner is over just has to come to a
boil”.

Then coming back to the long wooden table sitting down, giving a large smile she said, “Let’s
chat”.
Glancing out the back screen door, Ella asked, “Has Seth ever fought in the bar?”
“Yes he sure has dear, I don’t like fighting at all”, frowning Ella’s eyes got big.
“With the bar Ella it’s a given trouble will arise”.
“Wow”.
“Was it bad because he is so young?”
Putting her one hand against her face, Brenda said, “Oh yes there were a few incidents that
involved Seth sad to say”. Curious, Ella sat quietly and listening.
Making a squinting face Brenda said, “Some were awfully bloody, it’s a given because my boys
just don’t give up”.

Ella’s eyes are big as they could get, “My boys will honestly stand taking a beating before ever
giving up, pure pig headed”, shaking her head, Ella put her hand up by her face saying, “Woe”.
“Seth did not start them or planned on it either”.

 

“Wow you must have hated seeing him fight”, remarked Ella interested.

Putting her hands up and motioning across the kitchen Brenda said, “I walked right out of the
bar, was gone”.
Getting up from the table, Brenda went and got Ella a soda, as she made herself a cup of coffee.
Ella thanked her, “You’re very welcome”, said Brenda holding a coffee mug.

She sat back down by the table taking a sip of her coffee, shrugging and making an awful face
about fighting.
“He won them, right?” Ella asked very curious.
“Oh yes, of course after some time with a few”.
Taking a sip of her pop, “How terrible”, said Ella expressionless?
“Yes I leave the bar very fast if a bad fight happens with one of my boys, I just can’t handle
watching their face get punched”. Ella shrugs, as Brenda continued about her boys.
“Seth was just three his paw bought him a pair of boxing gloves, because that boy always had his
little fist clenched”.

Brenda was smiling as Ella did too, Brenda then said, “Ella we come from Kentucky good old
fellows and my youngest Seth was enrolled in karate at four years old”.
Ella giggled as Brenda talked away, “Shoot from young on them stubborn boys done the
unthinkable”.
“From young on they have hunted and doing everything on our farm”.

Ella listened and Brenda continued, “The boys drove our tractors plowing the field, shoot even
playing a game of chicken on tractors”. Ella wide-eyed, “Aw they wrecked a few times”,
remarked Brenda sipping on her coffee.
“Yep, Saul had a broken arm over one bad wreck, gave Shane a black eye over it”.

Listening wanting to know about Saul when getting up from the chair now Brenda went over by
the stove turning the flame low under the big kettle that was cooking on the stove.
“My stew smells kind of good”. Smiling Ella added, “Yes it sure does”.

Brenda now grabbed a plate of homemade cookies from the counter before she come sitting
back down.
She told Ella, “Help yourself”, Ella took a cookie and said, “Oh these smell real good”, taking a
bite.
“Yeah I mix peanut butter in the batter”.

Ella smiled eating a good tasting cookie; Brenda grabbed one and continued on telling Ella a
little about their family.
“Very heavy and hard things they done and liked too, because they are true boys, alright”.
Ella thought, “Wow what a turn on, Saul’s strong hands.

Brenda with a frown then said, “Well the bar was actually Paul Gene’s daddy’s bar and he passed
away last spring”. Ella gives a sad look too and Brenda kept talking.
“We been here two years now, taking over the family business, my boys seem like they were born
to run the bar”.

Ella thought they are like real cowboys from the old western movies and then
asked, “Gee they sound like really rough boys?”
“Yes dear they really are too rough sad to say”.

Ella took another homemade peanut butter cookie and Brenda holding her coffee cup said,
“Many fights had been bad; I thought my older boys were a punching bag, I have many reasons
about not liking fighting at all”.
“I don’t blame you”, said Ella shrugging her shoulders and added, “Yuck”, making a face.

With her eyes large, “Those boys of mine of stubborn”, said Brenda shaking her head holding the
locket around her neck and added, “Fighting don’t solve anything”.
“What’s the bad fight’s mostly about?”
“Over darn girls”, said Brenda smiling and Ella giggled and asked, “I heard it’s the hottest bar in
town”.
Giggling Brenda replied, “Oh yes dear always was the best, but became more popular with the
females, because of my boys”.

Noticing Brenda playing with the heart locket around her neck now Ella pointed saying,
“Wow that’s a nice piece of jewelry?”
With tears filling her eyes Brenda said, “Yes it was a gift time back.”
“It is beautiful”.

Brenda added, “It’s my special guardian angel inside the charm and for the boys also.”
Looking at the locket Ella smiled and said, “That’s nice to have a good luck charm”.
Smiling Brenda continued talking about the boys, “I am thankful with the way things are now a
day, none of my boys drink even though we own a bar”.

Holding the cookie Ella asked, “Never?” Taking a bite.
Shaking her head Brenda replied, “Not a drop, they must be aware of what’s going on in the
bar”.
“Yes guess that could distract them”, said Ella glancing out the back door where Seth was on the
porch, now hunting through a toolbox.
Furthermore, making a mess tossing tools on the porch Ella giggled.

Brenda told Ella that was listening. “The sad thing about my one boy Saul is that he never stays
with a girl”.
Ella thought, this may be hard to get his attention and Brenda continued, “The other boys seem
like they will follow in their paws direction”.
“How it should be”, replied Ella reaching a cookie from the dish.
“My boy Shane has had a steady for two years now”.

Ella just smiled as Brenda said, “Shane, is rather silly and the comedian out of them, but can be
the very calm level headed one out of my boys”.
Eating her second cookie listening to Brenda that continued, “Well Sebastian, I don’t know
about honestly, if he is serious with anyone, because he is real silent about his love life and
perfect word to describe that boy is extremely moody”.

Putting her finger up Brenda added, “Actually that boy of mine is very coldhearted,
grumpy”, laughs Brenda.
Ella really giggled and asked, “They all just work the bar?”
“No sugar, they work on houses for a real living, doing roofs showing off their muscles”.

Giggling along with Ella who was glad to know some about Saul.
Then asked, “What is Saul’s middle name?” Crossing her leg shaking her foot.
Getting up again Brenda went pouring more coffee, and smiled replying,
“Saul Raymond Wiley”

“Shane William Wiley”
“Sebastian Scott Wiley and Seth Allen Wiley”, stirring the spoon in the mug.
“Those are nice middle names and their first all with the letter S”, said Ella taking a final cookie.