Chapter 12
After a night of drinking pink ladies with John, Ella was driving home early one morning, half asleep. As she drove, she saw headlights shining across a long horseshoe curve, the last thing she remembered seeing before her eyes drooped shut. When the brushed scratched the car, she was jolted awake. Desperately, she wrenched the steering wheel to avoid the cliff, but despite her efforts, the car plunged over the edge.
"Oh my God, I’m going to die!" she screamed as the old Hudson somersaulted end over end, scraping and banging against the side of the cliff. The car continued to fall with her legs flying over her head, dropping, plummeting, careening until it finally stopped at the bottom of the ravine with a shattering crash.
The booming of the surf aroused her back to consciousness but she was confused. When her mind cleared, she remembered the accident, thinking, my God, it’s a miracle I’m still alive. Gingerly, she checked herself for broken bones, finding no major injury, only scrapes and bruises. She carefully crawled from the demolished car and sat on the sand, thinking, Jesus, how am I going to get back up that cliff, but if I stay here, no one could find me.
She staggered to her feet and began the treacherous climb, but half way up she fell and stabbed her thigh on a broken shaft of brush. She pulled off her blouse and tied it around her leg to staunch the bleeding, thinking, if I don’t get help, I’m going to bleed to death. Resolutely, she inched up the cliff, pulling herself by gripping the brush. When she finally reached the top, she fainted and fell at the side of the road.
A short time later, a livestock truck bore down on her, but the driver saw her in the headlights and slammed on the brakes, causing the sheep in the back too loudly bleat. He jumped from the cab and ran to her still form. When he saw blood oozing from her leg, he quickly removed the blood-soaked blouse and used his belt as a tourniquet; and then shook her gently, saying, "Ma'am, wake up! Wake up!"
When her eyelids fluttered open, she heard him say, "Ma'am, you're hurt. I need to take you someplace. Where do you live?"
When she mumbled, he leaned closer to hear better, but the stench of her alcoholic breath made him turn his head away. She whispered, "The arch. I live by the old arch."
Frances woke up to the rumble of a big diesel engine. After she pulled on a robe, she opened the door and saw Ella stumbling up the stairs with the help of a stranger, covered in blood. She gasped, “Oh my God Ella! What happened?"
The truck driver stepped forward and said, “She’s been in an accident, Ma'am. Her car went over the cliff, and she's bled a lot,"
Frances took her daughter’s arm, saying, "Oh Honey! Come with me; you need to lie down. Mister, would you please fill that kettle with water from the pump outside and put it on the stove?"
Rico came into the living room, rubbing his eyes, but when he saw his mother covered in blood, he cried out, "What's wrong with Mama?"
Francis pushed him away, saying, "Rico, your mother's all right. You're just in the way. Go back to bed, but don’t wake up Kenny."
He ran to his mother’s side, crying, "Mama, Mama! Why are you all bloody?"
She patted his head and weakly said, “I’m all right, baby. I just fell down and cut my leg. Grandma will fix it and make it all better. Go on back to bed now. Be a good boy."
He reluctantly returned to his room.
In the privacy of the bedroom, Frances helped her daughter undress while she lamented, "Oh Mama, I wrecked John’s car!"
"Honey, you don’t have to think about that right now; just lay still, and I'll take care of everything."
After she cleaned Ella’s injuries, applied iodine and bound the wound tightly with strips torn from a clean sheet, she returned the bloodstained belt to the truck driver, asking, “Mister, can you tell me what happened?"
He shrugged. "I don't know that much, Ma'am. I just found her lying on the road, but there's a car all busted up at the bottom of the ravine. Is there anything more I can do to help?"
Frances pressed her hand to her heart, saying, “Oh dear! John needs to know what's happened, and so do the Mueller’s. Mister, if I tell you where John lives, could you go to Jenner and explain what happened?"
The truck driver pulled on his cap and replied, "Yes, Ma'am. I'll sure do that. I hope that young lady in there is going to be all right. It's a good thing I found her when I did. When she’s feeling better, tell her it’s not a good idea to drive on these dangerous roads when she’s been drinking."
Late the next afternoon, John, wearing work clothes, banged on the front door.
Frances pulled the door open, saying, “Hello John; I’m glad you’re here. Ella’s been asking for you”
“Hello Mrs. Schultz; how is Ella? I came as soon as I could.”
After she took him to see Ella, he swallowed and asked, “Are you all right Ella?"
Looking battered and bruised, she weakly replied, "I’m good enough, but I can hardly walk. John, I feel so bad about wrecking your car."
He pushed his work-stained hat back. "Hell, don't worry about that car. I saw it all smashed up at the bottom of the gully. You're just damn lucky to be alive. I'm sorry about my dirty clothes. I just got off the truck."
She lowered her eyes. "Thank you John for not being angry. Did you get a chance to talk to the Mueller’s?"
"Yes, I saw them this morning before I went to work, those bastards!"
"John, what did they say?"
"That old bitch screamed at me, blaming me for keeping you out so late. Maybe she's right, but anyway, she said she’s going to replace you with a more responsible person."
Tears came to her eyes. "That's not fair. I need that job!"
She noticed her mother and the children standing in the doorway, looking worried. They all depend on me now. Mama, Rico and Kenny. Mama’s old and frail and can’t work. How in hell are we going to survive? she thought, twisting the sheet. Maybe I could go back to that cheating bastard, but I would rather eat dog shit!
John gave Frances a pleading look. "Mrs. Schultz, would you mind if I talked to Ella alone for a few minutes?"
"Oh, yes, of course," she replied and quickly ushered the children out of the room.
When the door was closed, he struggled for words, blurting, "Ella, I want you to live with me."
She opened her eyes wide, but he quickly said, "Wait. Before you say anything, I want you to hear it all. There's a little cabin for rent just up the street from where I live. Your mother and Kenny could live there; I’ll pay the rent. You and Rico could move in with me. I make enough money to support all of us, so you wouldn't have to work. Another thing, the rainy season is here. Without the car, you would get soaked walking to work. Instead, you could live with me. What do you think Ella?"
She pressed her knuckles to her face, saying, “Oh John, I don't know what I think. I'm still married in the eyes of the law. How would it look if I lived with you? What would people say?"
His face darkened. "I don't give a damn what people say. Most of those hypocrites wouldn't walk across the street to help you. If you want, I'll pay for your divorce so we could get married and make a home together."
She stared through the window at the black clouds gathering on the horizon. After several moments, she replied, "John, I have to think about it. It's my mother’s life as well, and we have to talk it over. I can't say right now, but thank you for being concerned."
"Okay Ella, I'll let you think about it. I'm going to leave now, so you can rest, but I’ll be back tomorrow."
The storm arrived with shingle-rattling winds and slashing rain. Ella anguished through the night, trying to sort her life, but was unable to reach a decision.
The next morning, the storm broke and the clouds parted. Ella limped into the kitchen and joined her mother who was sitting at the table. "Mama, John wants me and Rico to live with him in Jenner. He said he would pay for a little cottage for you and Kenny, but I don't know if that’s the right thing to do. I'm so confuse
d."
"Honey, that's something you'll have to decide for yourself, but in hard times, people do things they wouldn't ordinarily do. I won't criticize any decision you make."
She clasped her mother’s hand. "Thank you Mama. I have to think of what's best for the children as well. It would be wonderful if I could be with them all the time. Are you willing to move to Jenner?"
"Honey, I'll go along with anything you decide. To tell you the truth, those little guys are becoming a handful for me. I just don't have the energy I used to have."
“Ok Mama, I’ll try to make a decision. Now, I’m going to check on the boys.” When she went outside and called the children, they came running from the barn with something in Rico’s hand. He yelled, "Mama, look what we found!"
"He didn't find it. I did!" Kenny shouted.
Ella examined the object and said, "Tommy, this is an old harness. It goes on horses."
With wonderment showing in his eyes, He asked, "Mama, can we have a horsey?"
"No, honey. We can't get a horse. We're moving to Jenner."
Francis nodded. "All right, Ella, I guess you've decided on the direction of our lives."
Rico kicked the ground, yelling, "I don't want to go. I want to stay here. I want a horsy!"
She handed the harness to Kenny and knelt down by her son, saying, "Honey, we’re going to live with John. He’s going to be your new father."
"I don't want John for my father. I don’t want John for my father!" he screamed.
Kenny yanked Ella’s skirt, asking, "Will John be my father too?"
She picked him up, saying, "No, Kenny, John won't be your father. You and Grandma will live in your own little house, but you’ll be real close to Rico, and you can play with him every day."
Tears came to his eyes. "I want to live with you."
Rico began to dance on his toes, screaming, "I don't want to go! I don't want to go!"
Francis shook his shoulders, saying, "Rico, stop that this minute!"
He wrenched free and joined his cousin who also was piteously crying.
Frances said, "Don't worry Ella; they just have to get used to the idea."
That evening, Ella, wearing her best dress with makeup covering her bruises, waited for John. Presently, she heard his footsteps crunching on the gravel and stepped off the porch, saying, “Hello John, Would you like to walk down to the beach where we can talk in private?"
"Hi Ella, is your leg good enough to walk that far?" he said, giving her a hug.
Taking his hand, she replied, "It still bothers me, but I think I can go that far."
At the beach, they stood in the moonlight and watch the waves lapping at the sand, glowing eerily with phosphorous. She gave him a playful kiss on his cheek, but he grabbed her roughly and began to fondle her breast.
She pushed him back, saying, "John, not now! I have a question. Do you still want to marry me?"
He stopped groping and lit a cigarette. "Ella, I've always wanted to marry you. I told you that on our first date."
"Then I accept your offer; I've talked it over with my mother, and we're ready to move this weekend."
He cracked his knuckles. "That's great! I have to work this Saturday to fill the kerosene flares, but I could use the truck early that morning to move your things."
"All right John, we’ll be ready," she replied, expecting a kiss, but he pulled a red handkerchief from his pocket and blew his nose, saying, "The fog is beginning to come in thick, and it’s getting pretty cold. I better get you back to your house."
As they were crossing the old wooden arch, Ella thought, I’m disappointed with John. If only he were more romantic. Every time I touch him, he wants sex. He's never told me he loves me. I wonder if he's still in love with his first wife. I guess that's not important. What matters is that he's willing to take care of me and my family. I should be grateful.