29 comments/ 27335 views/ 72 favorites Give My Love to Rose By: Myhands316 Author's notes: I'm sorry that it has been so long between stories. I'm still finding things I have to fix around the house. Unfortunately, I also had to spend the past holiday season dealing with my mother's death and estate. It was while driving on the very long trip across country to get back home when I listened to some of my old favorite songs from my childhood. This is the story that came to my mind after listening to Jonny Cash's version of this title. I have tried to update it from the late sixties to something more current and bring it to a logical conclusion. This one is a bit long, even for me. Once again, this is a copywrited work of adult fiction and all legal disclaimers apply. Please take the second to vote or a minute to comment on this story. Enjoy. You know you life sucks when it resembles a country music song. Not even a new upbeat song, but one of those slow sappy things, full of remorse and depression. How I got to that point, I haven't a clue. I moved out of Hicksville, Backwoods, USA; before the ink was dry on my diploma. I wanted the lights and action of the big city. I worked very hard to lose my 'country' accent while completing my two years of College slash Trade School. I mean really, it's not like I'm some kind of 'broke dick dog'; as my dad would always say. I have plenty of money in the bank. I swore on my grandmother's grave that I would not end up dirt poor, like so much of my family has. I saved every dollar I could. Besides, I would always room with someone else. Just to keep the bills down. Hell, I didn't really need a car, that's what public transportation is all about. All I needed was my handy case that held my laptop and tools and the clean clothes on my back. My life was going along just fine. I got laid on a semi-regular basis. I was smart enough not to let any of those bar flies trap me into fatherhood and stayed away from married women altogether. Since I didn't have that much overhead, I poured at least half of my paychecks into my savings accounts. I gave decent gifts for the holidays, but other than seeing my family once a year, I'd become an urbanite to the core. I finished my Master's Degree while on the road, and never really looked back. How I ended up in place like Folsom California, I still wonder. My boss said it was an emergency. He said the company paid for my ticket, and supposedly for the room. As far as I knew, everything was normal. Bouncing all over the country for work was the norm, not the exception. I mean I was the childless, single one. Who else where they going to send bouncing across country at a moment's notice? When I went to check in to my room, I should've known something was fishy, when I had to use my own credit card as a second payment option, just in case. The next day I started work, just like so many other jobs. I knew going in it was a long winded project and dove right in. I kept thinking about how much overtime I'd be getting to get this job done in time and on budget. A few more jobs like this, and I just might go out and buy that truck I started wanting. I was getting tired of the cheap rentals work paid for on my trips, when they paid for them at all. And, let's face it. With the cost of airlines, I could travel just as cost effectively overland. So, there I was, on that fate filled morning that changed my life forever. I walked up to the granite faced building, waved at the guard as I went to my temporary office so I could fix the server banks, getting them ready to switch over to the new system. I won't bore you with the techno-speak. It always grates on my nerves anyway. "Good morning Pete." I called as I passed. "Morning...." The guard grunted his eyes never stopped moving as watched the flow of people walking past. I took the time to savor the scenery while I entered the big glass elevator. There were women a-plenty to peruse, with their tight tops and skirts almost exposing everything. I was in heaven as the buxom blonde entered the lift. "Morning...." I said brightly, trying to look into her blue eyes and ignore the abundance of soft cleavage that was thrust into my vision. "Yes it is." She snapped back in a tone that clearly said I was beneath her notice and to keep my eyes where they belonged. "Her G-string must be wound a bit tight." I murmured and shrugged as I made my way to the desk I was using. Yes, I glanced back as she turned away from me to take a good long look at those legs that made a perfect ass of themselves. So sue me, I'm male. I logged onto my laptop and turned on the computer at the desk. I typed in my password and was astonished as it came up with an error message. I tried again, to no avail. I was just reaching for the phone when I heard the voice behind me. "What are you doing?" The blonde from the elevator asked with a hiss in her voice. "I'm trying to logon so I can set up the bridge between the new and old servers. I might want to be able to go home sometime this month." I barked back as I typed furiously. "You need to stop that right now... You've been locked out!" She reached over and shut off the computer. "Why...?" I asked irritated. "Security will be up here to take the laptop and insure there is none of our files on it." She said snidely. "Like hell they will." Oh, this was going nowhere fast. "That's my personal property and I don't give it to anyone." I stood up to face the bitch. "What the fuck is going on here?" "Will you keep your voice down...." She looked over my shoulder. "Take the laptop and escort this person out of here." She said to the big burly security guy as he walked up. "Touch it and I'll call the cops and have you arrested for theft." I stepped in between him and my very expensive computer. "As a matter of fact, why don't you just call the police, your boss and my boss? I'm not moving until I know what the hell is going on!" I pronounced my judgment, like I actually could get away with it. "Sir you need to come with me."The guard flexed his over developed arms. I sat down and pulled out my cell. After punching my boss's number at the office, I heard. "The number you have dialed is no longer in service...." I punched it in again and heard the same message. "What the hell...?" I asked confused. "Look," I said to the two people watching me like I was a bug. "there has to be some kind of mistake. I'm a paid sub-contractor sent here to set up the new server banks." My stomach started sinking. "It's your mistake, and that job was finished last night by someone else." Blonde spit out. "Your firm was released, after we received notice that they filed for bankruptcy, as you should well know." Her arms were crossed and her eyes were shooting darts at me. "They what...? They can't, they owe me like ten thousand dollars... and who is going to pay for the almost two hundred hours I've put into this job?" I was shocked, I was pissed, but I was also smart enough to know I was the one being left out to dry. "We've paid for services rendered and notified your company that your services are no longer needed." I was really getting to dislike the silicone stuffed bitch and her superior tone. "The issues you have with your employer are not our problem. We've paid your company as per the contract. Now, we want to make sure all our files have been erased from any computers you have had access to. We'll forward your computer after our IT department has cleaned it." She snapped her fingers at me like I was a dog. "Like hell. I have over five grand in programs on that thing. You aren't stealing them from me. If I'm fired, then fine... I'm out of here like a herd of turtles. But, it will take more than you and Brutus here, to even think of taking my computer. If you want me to clear my work file, then great; I'll do it here in front of you and your boss. But, you are smoking some good dope, if you think I'm letting your IT geeks get their hands on my computer and fuck it up." I picked up the phone and dialed 911. "What are you doing?" She asked shocked and appalled. "Calling the cops." I refused to back down. "911 what is your emergency?" I heard over the phone. "I'm being robbed!" I got out before the security guy slammed his ham sized fist down on the receiver. I just looked at him. "They'll be here in about five minutes. Touch me and I'll add assault to the charges." I sat back and waited. Okay, okay... that was a bit over the top, but hell, I was blindsided with all this and my shocks were just starting. Yes, I deleted their file. Hell, I do that after every job anyway. Yes, I was walked out of the building like some type of criminal. But, it wasn't like I was ever coming back, no matter what type of money they offered me when their servers crashed in two days. How did I know about the crash? Because I set up test program and didn't get to complete my work. The test program will only work the servers for two days before shutting them down and parking itself, while it does a complete diagnostic. It won't restart until it receives the final run code, which I just erased. Sucks to be them in two days, but I had bigger problems to deal with. I went to check out and found out that the company had used my card to charge almost six grand of past due bills at the hotel chain. I called my bosses house and got his wife. "Wendy, what in the world is going on?" I asked, after she told me Bill wasn't there. "I was going to ask you the same thing Trenton. Bill left yesterday, cleaned out the accounts and I haven't heard from him since. I've had agents from every agency with all those initials, at my door looking for him. They repossessed my car, and the school I had Christy in, has informed me unless I can pay the twenty thousand in tuition owed, she is not welcome back and they will not forward her records until they've been paid." She vented at me. I hated being called Trenton... I much prefer Trent, but it was the name my mom saddled me with, so I sighed and took it in stride. "You've got to be kidding me...?" "I wish... I don't know what I'm going to do. Bill took care of the finances and now I find that I'm in a big mess and he just walked out on me. Patty, my neighbor, just told me that Bill and his new assistant have been coming over here or a regular basis while I was at my charity meetings." She babbled on. I did feel sorry for her, but I had personal issues to deal with myself. "Have you talked to Steven?" I interrupted her tirade. "He's gone too. The guys in the suits said he fled to a non extradition country with all the profits from the business. They took everything and they showed me where they put me as a responsible party for all the debts. I can't pay over five million dollars. I don't know what to do....." She was crying, and I hate when women cry. Hell, listening to all this, I was ready to cry myself. I'm not stupid, but I was left holding the bag, as it were. "We've both been screwed over." I told the distraught woman. "Wendy, Find whatever money you can and get yourself a good lawyer. You're going to need it." It was the best advice I could give her. "Why...? I haven't done anything wrong." She said shocked into silence. "Neither have I, but I have a feeling that Steven and Bill had this planned and we're the ones to take the fall for it." I sighed. "When you get that lawyer, let me know. I'm going to have to sue the company for my lost wages and stuff. You need to know if the house is part of the business. If it is, you need to start protecting yourself and Christy. A good lawyer will know what to do. I have a feeling this is all going to go south real quick." Okay I am human and I've always had the hots for Wendy, so it didn't hurt me to be nice. It might even pay extra dividends in the long run. "Do you really think so?" I could hear the fear in her voice. "Yeah, I think so. Sorry Wendy." I answered forlornly. Just as she was saying something, my phone beeped, telling me I had another call. Glancing at the display, I saw it was my roommate. "Sorry Wendy, but I have to go. I have another call I have to take. I'll call you when I get back in town and maybe I could come over and go over things with you."Like I said, I am male and I wouldn't kick Wendy out of bed for eating crackers since she was suddenly single. "Sure, Trenton, I'll talk to you later." I heard her sniff back more tears as I flashed over to the other call. "Hey homey, give me some good news." I exclaimed, knowing the day couldn't get any worse. "Hey Dude, Um, sorry; but I ain't got none." He said in his false suffer dude accent. "Like there was this party, and someone knocked over one of the torches and like dude threw his drink on it and it like exploded." He rambled on. "That sucks dude...!" I interrupted his story. "So whose house was it at?" I asked trying to get to the point. "Like, I was hosting and stuff. It was our pad...." He huffed like I was being dense. "Like Dude, you think you can send your part of the rent early. I need to find a new place, man." "How bad was it?" I asked, wondering why he needed my rent to get a new place. "It's like totaled man. Like to the ground... but no one was hurt. It just took awhile to get the fire people here and stuff." He stammered on. "WHAT...?" I screamed. "Hey Dude... Don't need to yell at me, man. It wasn't my fault. I like, well you know, need to find a place and I'm like broke. I shot my wad on the party and need some cash. So whatdoya think?" He acted like this was my problem. "So, let me get this straight." I rubbed my head in frustration. "My house is destroyed by a fire at a party you put on. Everything I own is ruined. I have no place to come home to, and you want me to pay you my part of the rent so you can get a new place?" My head was pounding. "Exactly... I knew you'd understand, Dude. I'm like desperate man. I mean like, Missy is all over me, like to get a place to like get together and stuff... so we can take it to the next level. So, you doing the wire transfer or what dude?" I could hear the relief and joy in his voice. "I don't think so Dude." I was ready to explode. "Your housing issues are not my problem. Mine are!" I slammed the phone shut, breaking it in my anger. I mean really, what the fuck else could go wrong? In less than a day, I've lost my job, had my ex-employer steal over five grand from me, had to console my boss's wife, and found out my idiot roommate burned everything I owned if a fire that made me homeless. I needed to get somewhere to start figuring some things out. I hate small cities. No taxi service to speak of and I hate walking more than to get from the front of a building to the pace I sit. After walking father than I ever wanted to walk again, I ended up at the cell phone store. I stood there flabbergasted as I was being told that breakage is not covered... and it would cost me to get a new phone... and, would you like to upgrade while you're at it...? Yeah right, let me take two to go! Anyway, hours later and a couple hundred bucks lighter, I was walking out of the store just as it was getting dark. I looked around and knew I was going to have to find another hotel to stay at, since I was ever so nicely asked not to come back to the place I was staying at. I looked at the map-app on my new phone and found that there was a West Bestern only a few blocks away. I shrugged my shoulder strap into a more comfortable position, grabbed my overnight bag and took the shortcut behind the strip mall that had a set of tracks behind it. I made it maybe a half a mile when I saw a lump next to the tracks. As is got closer, I saw that it was a man hunched over, grabbing his chest. I walked as fast as I could to see if I could help the poor guy. When I got there, I rolled him to his back, trying to move the small cheap overnight case he had clutched to him. His eyes fluttered open. I saw his red rimmed, yellowed eyes and wondered if he was going to die right there. He started talking, and I leaned down, wondering what he might have to say. "Do you want me to call for help?" I asked reaching for the new phone, forgetting the actual phone service wouldn't be turned on for another day. "No..." He croaked. "I'm glad you found me mister. I'm done in and I know it." He gasped out. "What can I do for you?" I asked not knowing how to respond. "I have to trust you. Don't have a choice... but mister, if you could, please take my stuff to Rose. Tell her to buy something pretty, please mister." He panted. "I spent ten long years paying for my crime... I was trying to get back home Louisiana, to see my Rose and to get to know my son, but I won't make it." He grabbed my shoulder and looked me in the eyes before going on. "Give my love to Rose won't you mister. Take her all my money; tell her to buy some pretty clothes. Tell my son his daddy is so proud of him. And don't forget to take my love to Rose."I looked around to see if anyone was around who might be able to help me. I didn't want him to die like this. No man needed to die like this. He went on. "Tell them I'm thankful they waited for me. Tell my boy to help his mom at home. Tell my Rose to try and find another. It's not right that she be left alone. Mister... here is a bag with everything I own... it won't last them long, they way it goes. God bless you for finding me today. Now don't forget to give my love to Rose." I could see the life leaving this poor man and he kept repeating. "Give my love to Rose... tell my son his daddy is so proud of him and don't forget to give my love to Rose...," as his breaths became labored. "Hey, what are you doing there?" A voice called out. "Call an ambulance...!" I shouted back. I picked up his small bag, amazed at how heavy it was. I put it with my stuff and waited beside the dead man. ********** "So, is that all, the convict said?" The bored looking cop asked me an hour later. "Yeah, he just wanted his family to know he cared...." I shrugged. "Did he give you a name other than this Rose person? Did he give you a last name? Any other information as to who we can bill for the service and cremation?" He didn't look at the covered body as he took notes. "Nope, never got his name... can I go now? I have to find a place to stay for the night until I can catch a flight tomorrow." I was getting mad at the insensitivity. A man just died and this cop acted like I was the problem. "Yeah, we have your information... if you remember anything important, call and let us know." He handed me a card and turned away. I trudged to the hotel and paid for the room. I dropped everything on the dresser and flopped down exhausted by my day. I called for Pizza delivery and had cold Pizza and warm beer for dinner. I took a shower and tried to get the dying man's words out of my head. I looked at the clock as it blinked over to one in the morning. Sighing in agitation, I tossed off the covers and stomped over to the bag that was staring at me. Running my top lip through my teeth, I worked the broken zipper back. On top I saw some out of date clothes. I pulled them out as a letter fell to the floor. I went to pick it up as wads of money started falling out of the bag. There were bundles of tens, twenties and folded over bundles of mixed cash. There had to be a small fortune there in that bag. My first instinct was to declare myself rich, but his words came back to me. 'Take her all my money; tell her to buy some pretty clothes.' I knew this wasn't my money and I wasn't a thief. "Damn it to hell...." I muttered as I picked up the letter and read the address. It was to a Rose Greek of 271 Broken Oak Drive, Elizabeth, Louisiana. After a quick search, I found I was headed right back to a place like I ran from so many years ago. It was a tiny town of under ten thousand people, in the heart of Allen Parish, back-woods America. Give My Love to Rose "Maybe I could just cash all this in and send her a money order." I mused to myself as I thought of a way to be done with this. 'Tell my boy I'm so proud of him.' Rang in my head and I knew that plan wouldn't work. "Shit...! Looks like I'm taking a trip to mud-spot Louisiana." I huffed and tossed everything down so I could try and get some sleep. I didn't sleep worth crap. I swallowed the burnt hotel coffee, while I waited for the Airport Shuttle to pick me up. I made my reservations on my computer to get a flight into Alexandria and reserved a rental car. I looked at my haggard face and wondered how in the world I ever got to this point. I mean I was reasonably good looking, if on the average side of things. At five ten I wasn't a giant by any means. I was in okay shape for my age. I had been able to stave off the beer belly other guys in my line of work had by their thirty third birthday. I kept my brownish blonde hair cut in a normal business trim, and I knew how to buy my own clothes. I was single by choice, since I was a rambling man and liked it. Oh, sure I always figured I'd finally meet someone worth staying in one place for. I just hadn't met her yet and to be honest, I wasn't really looking. So, why in the hell was I traveling over halfway across the country to meet some woman and give her a bag of money from a man I never met until he died in front of me? Hell, half the guys I know would take the money and run. I can't honestly say I wasn't tempted. But, every time I closed my eyes, red rimmed ones would be looking back at me. 'And don't forget to give my love to Rose.' When my plane landed and I left the airport, I wasn't ready for the heat and humidity. It hit me in the chest like a hammer. I was drenched with sweat by the time I got to my rental car and could crank up the air conditioner to full blast. It wasn't even summer yet and I was wilting like a pampered lily. I was drinking my third oversized soda by the time I hit the edge of Elizabeth. I wanted to toss the GPS out the window after I made my third trip around the small town square. I found every tree named street in existence. I even found Live Oak Lane. But, I couldn't find Broken Oak Drive. I pulled into the filling station and headed in to buy a local map. I figured I was a reasonably intelligent person and this town was only so big. I knew eventually, I'd find it. I walked to the drink section, hoping to feel the breeze from the cold air. "Kin I help you?" I heard behind me. "You lost or sometin...? Tain't says I ever saw you before...?" The voice, that I finally recognized as female, asked. "Hi, yeah, I've been looking for a Broken Oak Drive. I have a delivery to make." I smiled at the tiny teenager, hoping to illicit some local help without looking like a goober. If she wasn't so young, my tongue would have been dragging the floor. "Oh... yous must be lookin for the Greeks... They's the only ones livin out that a-way." She tilted her head at me. "I hope yous expected... them's private type folks." "No, I don't think I'm expected, but I still have to make my delivery." I told the girl as I untangled her word usage. "Can you please give me some directions?" I pleaded, almost to the point of begging. "Tit's not far... just take Main to Long Leaf. Just as it starts to curve south, there's a drive. Pull up and make sure you honk, or yous apt to find your backside filled with pork rind and rock salt." She nodded, making things wiggle and my head bob. "You don't be telling them I gave you direction either. Mrs. Rose has enough trouble without me a helpin." She wrote down my tag number and took my cash for the gas and drink. "You hurt Mrs. Rose, and I'll set my coon-dog after ya quicker that you can dust them fancy shoes." "I ain't here to hurt no one little'un... just gots me a job to do." I slipped back into a speech pattern I had worked so hard to forget. I walked back to my car shaking my head and the slip. I hadn't been around these people for an hour and bad habits were already surfacing. So anyway, I followed her directions, as much as I could, and found myself parked in front a dilapidated gate chained to an oak tree. The tree looked like it had been struck by lightning sometime in the past, with one half of it dead and broken. It was literally a driveway next to a broken oak with a faded box that had the remnants of numbers. The only one I could see was a seven and what looked like a two. "How in the name of glory, did I end up here?" I asked myself as I approached the gate. "Most likely you gots yourself lost!" A voice startled me. "Why don't you take them fancy shoes back into your fancy rent car and head back the way you came. We don't want no visitors." The voice said not too kindly. I turned my head and was stunned. I looked into a set of golden hazel eyes. That was once I got past the sawed off shotgun in her long fingered hands. She was wearing a pair of jeans that had to be painted on, if a bit ragged. Her top, what I could see of it, stretched over her bust, but was just as worn. "I'm sorry Ma'am...." I tried to get my tongue to work. "I'm not your Mammy...so just get!" She added with a wave of the gun. "Momma, who is it?" I heard a young male voice, call from in front of the house. "No one important.... Get back in the house Joey." She scolded automatically. "But mom...? I'm not a baby anymore!" the voice became petulant. "I said, get in the house!" She added, never taking her eyes off me. "Do as your momma says... you can look out the window and keep the phone handy if she needs any help." I said firmly, trying to let the woman know I wasn't a threat. "I'm looking for Mrs. Rose Greek. I have some stuff to give her. If I'm in the wrong place...." Hey, I was honestly trying. "I told them other fancy dressed fellers. I'm not selling my land for some damn Piggly Wiggly! I might be hard pressed, but I'm not bowed... so you can just get back in that rental car and head back to wherever you came from... I mean it!" She racked a shell into the chamber. "Just you wait until my man gets home... he'll take the starch out of you." She warned all business. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to tell her like this. If she was Rose Greek, was I to say her husband was dead, and toss the bag of money at her feet. And I could see she knew how to handle that gun she was toting. I figured it was time for a strategic withdrawl. "Mrs. Greek, I'm not here about your land... I have a message from your husband that I promised to give you. I'm going to leave my name and cell phone number, so when you want to talk, you can get a hold of me. I'll be close by." I scribbled my name and number on the back of a receipt and tucked into the leaning mail box. "Don't try that on me... I might have been born in the middle of the night, but it weren't last night!" She looked a bit uncertain, as she aimed the business end of that gun at me. "I'll be staying at a local hotel until you can call me. I mean you no harm." I added as I got back into my rental. "I hope to hear from you soon." I smiled, put the car in reverse and backed out. I shook my head at the scene that just played out. On one hand I could see why he was so insistent on getting back to her. She was a drop dead, knock out, natural beauty. I also knew there was something else going on. Not even out here, did most folks greet you with a shotgun unless they were doing something illegal or had some very unwanted visitors. As I drove back to the gas station, visions of her reddish brown hair, blowing in the breeze and the curves that rounded her shape teased my mind. She wasn't a tall woman, but everything was in the perfect place and proportion. "So, where is there a decent hotel?" I asked the sexy pixy standing behind the counter, and wondered what was in the water to have so many good looking females in such close proximity. "The Wagon Wheel tis a bit country, but they keep the rooms clean and the water hot." She answered automatically. "The Country Kitchen has the best food, if'in yous looking for a home cooked meal. Nothing fancy, but it hits the spot." She gave me a sidelong look. "You ain't from the city original, is you? You gots a bit of county dirt under them fancy clothes don't you?" She might be small and young, but there was nothing wrong with her brain. "Yes, a bit. Can you tell Mrs. Greek that? I mean no harm, but what I have to tell her might hurt a bit. I do have a life that I would like to get back to fairly soon." I answered hoping to get her on my side. Every Rose has her thorns; Rose watched the stranger pull away and sighed. She was tired of having to deal with this all by herself. She wadded up the paper and tossed in the rubbish pile. If it wasn't for her promise, she'd sell this piece of dirt and find someplace far away to make a new life of herself. She'd do it for her son Joey, if for no one else. She never blamed her husband for going to prison. He was doing what a man had to do to take care of his family. She didn't care if the government thought raising some green grass and boiling some corn mash was some type of great sin. It put beans on the table and clothes on their backs. Her teaching salary only went so far. Rose was an educated woman, even if most of the men in town didn't realize it. She also knew from her Grammy's knee; that you couldn't help who you fell in love with. She loved her husband with her whole heart and couldn't wait until he could get home. She was a committed, loving, honest, woman; who took her vows as a proclamation from God Almighty. Why they had to send him to the far corners of the country was beyond her. There was a perfectly good prison within an hour's travel. But, it seemed that place was only for them rich fancy government types. Not hard working men who had dirt under their fingernails. "Momma, who was that man?" Her son asked her. "I don't know and don't rightly care. Have you done your chores and homework?" she ruffled his hair. "Yes Ma'am... what did he want?" He asked, as only an inquisitive child could. "Most likely to try and take our land from us... just like the rest of them. Just because some city feller thinks this would make a good place for their store, don't mean they have the right to take what's not theirs." She sighed as she took out her pot and pans for supper. "But they said the bank was going to sell it to them. Can the bank do that?" Joey asked wondering if they were going to be homeless, like the Parson's, who lost their land to the bank. "No. Not without taking me in front of the court. We're a bit behind is all... nothing for you to worry about." She didn't want him to have to worry about the bills. She had been able to keep the place and them fed so far. "But momma, I thought you said you'd stop treating me like a child...." He whined. "I hears things...." He had his father's stubborn chin. "I know Mr. Wilson is sparking after you. That if you don't settle up, he'll pay the note and take the land." Joey started repeating the gossip from the playground. At eleven, his view of the world was still black and white. "Joey..." His mother sighed. "There is no way this side of heaven, I'd hook up with that no account Mr. Wilson. He might have all the money in the world, but he is still two layers lower than a snake's belly." She took out the chicken for dinner as her son watched her. "But... everyone says you ain't got no choice, with daddy in prison and all." Joey went into the pantry and pulled out some potatoes and started cleaning them. "I've told you, your daddy will be out of prison anyday now. He wrote me and said he has enough money to pay off the bank and get us on our feet again. We just have to wait until he gets home." She looked at her son and the last of the black eye. "And you need to stop fighting about it. Your daddy is a good man who has paid for what they said he done. He's a hard working man who loves us very much." "But they call him a convict... and other things." Joey had the same fire in his eye as his father had. The same temper too. "They can say whatever they want, it don't make it true. Yes, he was convicted of a crime in the eyes of the law. But he owed up to it and took his punishment like a real man." She was going to say more, but stopped at the knocking at her door. "Damn it!" She cursed under her breath. "Who can it be now...?" She grabbed the scatter gun out of the corner and walked to the door. She sighed when she saw Mr. Wilson standing there. "Miss. Rose... I know you're in there." He called out. "I need to have a word with you." He demanded. "What you want?" She called through her door, without opening it. "You just put that ting away and open the door like a good woman. You know you need to stop treating me this way. I do hold your future in my hands." He gloated. He knew all he had to do was bring the stubborn woman to heel, and she'd be warming his sheets and he'd still make the money off her land. Everyone knew he was the king in this Parrish. "I don't want to talk to you. I have supper on and you're not invited!" She pulled back the curtain and showed him the scattergun. "If I open this door, your prat is going to be shot full of rock-salt or lead... depending on what shell is in this here thing." "I heard some city feller was visiting you." He interrupted her. "Just you remember, no one but me, gets this here land. You just remember that. I'll see you in town and we can discuss it more fully!" He said with a leer as he tried to see down her shirt. He knew all she needed was to be broken and he'd be handling the reigns when she broke. "You got ten seconds to get off my land." Rose told the obtuse, arrogant man. "I wouldn't do that Rose... Joey already has one parent in prison. What will happen to him, if you were to go there too? Don't make me call my brother." He warned, reminding her just who he was, and connected to. "Say another word and I'll be calling my kin to take you past the line and dump what's left in the swamp for the gators." It wasn't a hollow threat and they both knew it. "Just you remember what I told you." He said, as he stepped off the porch. She turned around as saw her son fighting with his father's gun. "Joey, you put that thing away. That is more gun than both of us can handle." She took the gun from him and made sure it was on safe, before going back and finishing their meal. ********** Trent was tired and intrigued by the time the portly Mrs. Parrett had showed him to his room. She warned him against loud noises after ten and told him that breakfast would be served at seven thirty sharp, or he could go out and find whatever was available. He knew of course that meant a hockey-puck sandwich at the fast food place on the main street. He also thought of the dinner conversation. Most people were just naturally curious. He was a stranger in town, and they wanted to know more about him. Then this one guy pushed it a bit farther than that. He almost went to the point of warning him to stay away from Rose Greek. He wondered what was going on. He saw that she still wore her wedding ring and he didn't think she was the cheating kind. That is if you could get past the shotgun that seemed to be part of her left hand. Not that she wasn't worth trying to get that gun out of her hand. Was just about ready to settle in for the night when the old style phone rang on the nightstand. "Hello...?" He answered. "Yes, I'm sorry about the conversation at the restaurant Mr Moore... I didn't even get your name." the voice said all but dripping honey. "Yeah well if your mother had raised you better... you might have taken care of that." I was instantly on alert. What was this guy fishing for, I wondered. "I'm Brian Wilson." He said ignoring my response. "I thought it might be a good idea for me to get to know what brings you to our little town." He asked like it was his right to know. "Sir, not to be rude, but my business, is just that... mine!" I answered, getting pissed. For some reason this guy set my teeth on edge. "Not if it involves Rose Greek and her property. I'll be handling any business that concerns her or that land." He hissed, not liking my answers. "Let me be plain spoken on this matter. My bank holds the note to the land and you will not cut me out of any deal to purchase it." "And what is Mrs. Greek to you?" I asked playing his game for now. "She's mine! Just as soon as she realizes her no account husband is never coming back... she is mine." He declared like he was putting dibbs on a new car or something. "I just thought we should clear the air about this, so you can go back to wherever you belong and let me get about my business." Now his voice held a threat. "Have you informed Mrs. Greek about your intentions?" I asked baiting him. "Don't you worry none about our women folk! Just take some friendly advice and deliver your papers to me and leave town. Let your betters deal with me on this. I don't have the time to be dealing with some flunky on a multi-million dollar deal!" the line went dead. "Very interesting...." I said to the empty room. I wondered what the hell I got myself in to. I figured it was time to do some research. I set up my laptop and plugged it into their, ever so slow, phone line. I knew that was going to take some time, but I needed to know the lay of the land. It was I don't know how many hours later, when my cell phone rang. "Hello...." I answered automatically. "You rotten son of a bitch...!" A voice screamed at me. It took me a minute to place the voice and the tits that went with it. "Well hello there... what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked pleasantly. "You knew... I just know you knew, you snarky bastard." She yelled. "We need the command code to get the servers back up. You need to get back her by this afternoon or I'll...." "One... talk to me like that again and I'll hang up. Two, I'm three thousand miles away. So, even a concord couldn't get me there this afternoon. Three, I don't have the code. Remember that file you watched me erase off my hard drive when you kicked me out of the building? It was in that file." I leaned back and stretched from the cramped position I was in. "You didn't keep a back up?" She asked incensed but in a lower tone. "Not on my computer... I removed all your files, as per your request." I informed her with great satisfaction. "Look my employer might have been crooks, but I'm not... and to be honest, unless you want to replace everything again, I'm your only hope of getting those servers back up. So lose the tude!" I was getting tired of everyone treating me like shit. I could hear her breathing. "If I lose my job over this, I'll hunt you down and..." "I'm sorry, but what the hell did I ever do to you?" I snapped back. "You're just like every other man on the face of the earth, blinded by my tits and thinks with his dick!" She spat out. "Sorry sweetheart, but this line has been disconnected. Call back when you can get a grip. Bye!" I hit end and then turned off the phone. I looked at the information on the screen and knew I needed a break. I walked out of my room and locked the door. I walked down the street. I ended up at the gas station again and walked in to get some munchies. "Hey, yous still around?" The perky teenager said from one of the isles. "Yep, until I can have a talk with Rose, I'm going to be, if the people around here like it or not." I smiled. "Stubborn one isn't cha'?" she smiled back at me. "What can I get for ya?" She asked all business. "Well... I need something to munch on and maybe some information?" I asked hopefully. "Well I can't refuse a customer anything in the store, as long as they pay for it, and it depends on what you want to know." She said as she went behind the counter. I watched her step up on a platform so she could see over the register. Give My Love to Rose "Who is Brian Wilson, other than one of the Beach Boys, and who is Ruff Taylor?" I asked as I put a bag of baked chips and some jerky on the counter. "Mr. Wilson is the town's banker... thinks he owns the place. Officer Taylor is what passes for the town constable. Took a run at Parrish Sherriff once, but was beat out by some city-slicker with lots of money. Why?" She tilted her head at me. "Just wondering." I said, as I paid for my stuff. "Tell Mrs. Rose I've some mighty important information for her, please." I shrugged, figuring this little girl had her tiny fingers right on the pulse of the town. "Like yous the first white shirt who asked for that message to be passed. It won't do you any better that the rest." She shrugged. She turned and called. "Hey Rufus, get you good sniff of this here feller." The biggest hound dog I'd ever seen lumbered up and sniffed my leg and crotch. "Now he's got you'uns scent... he can track you no matter how far yous run." She smiled and snapped her fingers calling her dog to heel. "Mighty fine bluetick, you got there." I waved to her and walked out. "Yep... scrub hard enough, and I'll find some country dirt on that one." I heard her tell the dog, who woofed and put his nose on the glass as he watched me. As I walked back to the hotel, I was met by the same man from the diner, who I now knew he was, Mr. Wilson, town banker. "Hello Mr. Moore, I thought I'd save you a trip to my office. Why don't you get them papers we were talking about and you can get back to more important things." He said all importance in his mid-priced store bought suit. "Sorry Mr. Wilson, but I don't have any business with you or your bank at this time. Have a good day." I smiled at him and had to add. "Should I send my regards to Mrs. Greek when I talk to her next?" "Look you... I told you that I will be handling Mrs. Greek affairs!" He put his hand on my arm. "It will be a cold day in hell before you handle anything of mine!" Rose Greek said loud enough to be heard in the next county. "I'd take my hand off me before you come back with a bloody stump." I warned him as I looked at the offending hand. He stepped back and looked at Rose. "I've tried to be nice... but if you don't have the money to pay off the note by the end of the week I'll be foreclosing on the property!" He hissed at her. "You can't, no matter how high and mighty you think you are... I owe less than twenty five percent on the note, as my attorney told you in the letter. You might have the right to ask for the complete pay off, but you can't foreclose and we both know it. Now you get, so I can talk to this here feller and see why he is all fired up to talk to me!" She brushed him off like a pesky fly. If she looked nice in her knock around the house clothes, she was simply stunning in her going to work clothes. Any man with a pulse would be affected. I know she sure affected me. 'Give my love to Rose' rang in my head and I pulled my thoughts back to where they belonged. I was here to do something that needed to be done, not lust after the woman who I was supposed to give the message too. "I'm warning you Rose Greek. Don't tangle with me! You know where it landed your husband." Mr. Wilson threatened as he walked to his ten year old Lexus and drove off. "What an asshole...." I said as we watched him drive off. "Does your momma know you eat with that mouth?" Rose looked at me with fire in her golden eyes. "I call them as I see them." I told her unrepentant. "Um, can we find a place a bit more private? I have some news about your husband." I said very awkwardly. "What's his name?" She asked me with disbelief in her eyes. "If you asked me that yesterday, I wouldn't have known." I told her honestly. "According to the records, his name was Harold... he preferred Henry or Hank." I said looking at her waiting for her reaction. "What do you mean was?" She asked me getting instantly defensive. "Damn it... can we please go some place we can have some privacy? A public place, wherever you want, but not out here in the middle of a parking lot." I hated knowing that I was about to crush her. "Fine... Meet me with whatever you have, on the far side of the park, in fifteen minutes." She said and turned without a backwards glance. I stood there and watched as she walked away. No matter how noble my intentions, my body had other ideas as he hips swayed and her dress billowed in the wind. "Damn it... why does he have to be so fine lookin? And, not afraid of the town bully either!" Rose sighed as she tried to get her emotions under control. "Ten years is a long time for a woman to be alone. Peggy is right. There is a bit of country pride under that damn white shirt." She monologued. She knew she needed every second before she could deal with the handsome stranger, who had hurt and kindness in his eyes. "Henry, you need to get your butt home... I can't take much more of this." She hissed under her breath as she slammed through her back door. ********* Back in the hotel room, Trent was looking at his other two shirts. He knew he needed to go to a store and get some more clothes, but he had other things on his mind. "What is it with the white shirt thing around here?" He asked as he pulled on his polo shirt. At least it was green. Trent sighed. "What to wear to crush a woman's hope of ever seeing her husband again." He buffed his shoes against the back of his pants and looked at his watch. He turned on his phone and saw he has five messages. He was tempted to listen to them and see what they wanted now. "Just putting off the inevitable...." I closed my door and locked it. I held the small torn bag and walked to the park. I wondered what Rose was doing. Rose was trying to calm herself and answer her son's questions. "Momma, what's wrong?" Joey asked as his mother stormed upstairs. "Nothing you have to worry about." She told her son. "I have to go meet that feller who was here the other day and get him off my case." She tossed off her dress and looked for something less alluring. She didn't want him to get any ideas. She put on her frumpiest clothes and pulled her hair back in a simple ponytail. "Momma, why does this guy worry you so much?" Joey asked feeling the tension in the air. "He doesn't... I'm just tired of all these people bothering us. Your daddy will take care of everything as soon as he gets home." Rose tried to convince her son. "But when is that going to be? We've waited forever already." Joey only knew his father from the old pictures in the big white book in the living room. "We'll wait as long as it takes.... It's the proper thing to do. Doing right is never easy, but necessary, if you want to make you way in the world." Rose told her son in her best teacher mode. "But what if...?" Joey started to ask. "If nothing Joey... I don't have time for all your ifs and buts right now. I have to go meet this man and get him out of our hair." Rose looked at her son, not liking having to put him off. She preferred answering all his questions so she knew he'd never ask the same question twice. "Okay momma... let me know what happens." He said forlornly and headed to his room. "Give your momma a kiss... I won't be long." Rose kissed her son and headed back out the rear of her house to take the five minute walk to the Park through the woods. Trent sat under the big tree and waited for Rose to show up. He expected her to drive and was surprised to see her come walking for the opposite direction. Rose brushed her hands down her pant legs to get any dirt off them before she reached out to shake the man's hand. "I'm Rose Greek; I thought it was time for a proper introduction." She said all business. "Trent Moore." Trent answered and shook her hand. "I'm sorry we have to meet this way, but it can't be helped." Trent dreaded what he had to do, it showed on his face. "You look like someone just shot your dog. It can't be all that bad." Rose tried to smile. "Just tell me your offer and what you have to say, so I can tell you no, and we can get about our day." Rose sighed, resigned to the game that had to be played. "Ma'am, I'm not from a bank... I work on computers for a living."Trent looked frightened. "I don't know how to say this, but I met your husband in California. He was dying by the railroad track and gave me a message for you." He tried to tell her. "No...! Don't you dare say that...! NO!" Rose looked at Trent and wanted to slap him. The underhanded man was trying to tell her Henry was dead to get his way. "I'm so sorry... I didn't know what else to do. He gave me his stuff to give...." "No, you're lying to me... He can't be dead I just got a letter from him tell me he was coming home." Rose screamed. "NO...!" and fled the park. "I have to give you...." Trent tried. "I'll be at the Wagon Wheel when you're ready to talk." He called out, as she ran away from him. ********* I felt lower than gum you scrape off your shoe. I could see the hurt and anger in Rose's eyes and didn't want nothing more that to take that hurt away. I knew she didn't believe me, but I was telling her the truth. I knew in time she would realize I wasn't a liar. "Did you just hurt Mrs. Rose? Rufus...!" The pixy from the gas station called to her dog. "No, I just gave her some bad news. I hated doing it, but it had to be done." I sighed and squatted down as the big dog came up to me. "Good dog... you go to your mistress and take care of her." I said as I scratched his ears and got thumped by his tail. "Well I'll be... Rufus never took a shine to no man before." The little girl said shocked. "I'm Peggy by the by. Peggy Richards. My ma'am and pap own the fill station. They's sickly right now so I'm filling in for'em." "Well Ms. Peggy, if you know a good friend for Rose, she could sure use one right about now." I said as I stood up and started walking to my car. "Yous sure a strange one, for one of them city fellers." Peggy looked at me. "I might just have to get to know more about you." She snapped her fingers and the dog stopped following me, woofed, and went to her side. As he sat there looking at her with adoration, his head was up to her shoulder. "Tell Rose I'll talk to her when she's ready." I got in my car and left. Back in my room, I listened to my accumulated messages and wondered if I did the right thing. It took two days before the blonde from California's, voice to finally taken a better, if pleading tone. I hadn't heard from Rose yet, and I knew I had to either renew my rental agreement, or go out and buy a car. It was hard to believe I had been there for over a week already. I answered some of my messages after I finished paying for and registering the dodge truck I always wanted and found for the right price. I figured it had to be easier than running up an astronomical rental bill. I was thankful for having the foresight to put so much money away over the last ten years. In the first message, I heard. "Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot." The blonde's voice echoed on my phone. "Please call me so we can resolve our issues and get the servers we purchased from the company you used to work for up and working. My number is...." I wrote down her number and programmed it into my phone. After giving it some thought, I pushed the send button. "Hello Danville, Lawson and Roberts. This is Susan, how can I help you?" Her voice came over the tiny speaker. "Hello Susan, this is Trent Moore. I received you message and was wondering what is it you would like me to do?" I started out pleasant enough. "Oh, hello Mr. Moore... I was hoping you would've called earlier." I could hear the coldness in her voice. "Look Susan... I've been thinking." I started with my proposal. "I am an independent contractor, and we don't have to like each other, but...." "But what, Mr. Moore?" He tone went from cold to frosty. "But, I cannot, in good conscience, do any more work for your company until I've been paid for the work I've already done. I know you paid for services rendered, but you didn't pay me. Now, you want more labor at no cost and I'm sorry, but I do not work for free." I told her without a hint of good humor. "You are obligated by the contract...." She started. "You signed a contract with my past employers, not me. That company is now defunct and I am no longer their representative. We can bat this back and forth for a year and your servers will still be locked up. You can't reboot the old servers, since that have been tied to the new ones." "This is blackmail!" She spit out. "No sweetheart, this is business. I don't know who pissed in your coffee, but it wasn't me!" I was done with her attitude. "I've worked over two hundred hours on your system and haven't received a dime. I'm not trying to hold this over your head, but let me ask you if you wouldn't be doing the same thing. By the way, I bill out at one fifty an hour and the clock is ticking." "I am not your sweet anything!" She hissed. "I'll present your offer to the board...." "Don't get confused... this isn't an offer or up for negotiation. This is what will happen if you don't want to have to keep using shared servers or start from scratch. I've tried to be professional, but for some reason, I must remind you of an ex or something and you've done nothing but insult me and treat me like dirt. That stops now! This is strictly business and will remain so. And trust me, you rather have me call you sweetheart, than what I really think of you." I ended the call before she could start spouting the profanities I knew that were trapped under all the silicone. Little did I know what was happening at the other end of that call? "So Susan, is this about Doug?" Her boss asked irritated. "No... not really." She saw the disbelief in her boss's eyes. "Remember, you father might be one of the partners, but your contract says that there will be no favoritism." He warned Susan. "He looks and acts just like that slime-ball Doug... okay! I can't stand the way he kept looking at my tits and ass." Susan spit out her frustration. "Then let me be the first one to tell you that you might think about covering them up. If you keep them on display, men are going to look." He stood up. "You have a week to fix this or I want your written and witnessed resignation. I'm not losing my job over some bimbo who couldn't keep her man happy at home, so she decides to become a man hater. Do what you have to. Pay what needs to be paid, knowing it comes out of your bonus." He walked out of the room and left her fuming. If I knew that was what was happening, I might have felt vindicated. But I didn't learn of that until later. The next phone call was made to Wendy. She had left a frantic message, so I thought I'd see what she needed. "Trenton, what took you so long to call back?" she pounced soon as she answered. "I'm dealing with some other stuff Wendy. What's wrong?" I asked and stretched out on the bed and wondered what she was wearing... or not. "The attorney needs you to give a deposition, or they're going to arrest me for fraud and collusion." She was about in tears. "They say I had to know what was going on since I was one of the board members. I didn't know I was on the board. I'm a stay at home mom, not some business mogul." She babbled, frightened. "Wow... sorry Wendy. Bill really did a job on you. Have you filed for divorce yet?" I asked. "I can't get a divorce. Christy will lose her insurance and she goes in for braces next week. I don't have twenty thousand dollars...! I can barely afford the ten percent co-pay. I had to borrow money to get my car back." I could hear her desperation. "Yes you can, and you need to." I told her seriously. "It will be a first step in distancing yourself from Steve, Bill, and the company. You can keep the insurance as long as it is paid for and until the Judge says otherwise... have your attorney look into it." I told her, rubbing my head against the building tension. "I can't do this alone. When are you coming home? I need your help with all this. You seem to know just what to do. I need you!" She begged. "Wendy, I'm kind of in the middle of something myself. I don't have a home to come to anymore. My roommate burned down my house." I tried to let her know she wasn't the only one up shit-creek and don't even mention the paddle. "You can stay here with me... I have the room; well I'll have it until the bank takes back the house, if I can't get on top of this. Did you know he took out a second?" Once upon a time I would have loved to take her up on the invitation. "It doesn't surprise me with everything else they did." I side-stepped her obvious invitation. "Tell your lawyer that I can do a video deposition, but I can't leave what I'm doing right now. I don't know what good it will do, but I'll do what I can." I told her, trying to ease her desperation and not fall into the trap of becoming her surrogate husband. "Well that is a start... I was hoping for more from you, but I guess you don't like me as much as I thought you did. Christy was looking forward to seeing you too." She hung up before I could respond. Great, I thought I had problems before. Now, I had women all around me, but none of them were even interested in... well maybe one, but still. Of the others: One hated me, another thought I was a liar, and another wanted to sick over a hundred pounds of dog on me. My life almost resembled an old Eagles song. But, I was far from being able to take it easy. ********** Rose Greek ran back to her house and ended up bawling in her room. She didn't know what to think or do. She knew the stranger had to be lying. Her husband couldn't be dead. She'd feel it in her heart if he was. He was coming home to her. He'd promised. "Momma, why you crying?" Joey asked through the door. "Nothing sweetie... I just need some time... okay?" She refused to believe it. She swore she wouldn't tell Joey until she knew it for a fact. He didn't need this. He needed his father. "I'll be okay in a minute." She promised and wondered if she would ever be okay again. "Okay momma, I'll fix you some grilled cheese and noodle soup." Joey went to make their favorite comfort food, letting his mom alone. Rose didn't see the stranger's rental car in front of the Wagon Wheel as she went to work over the next few days. She almost convinced herself that it was all some kind of cruel joke. She did see a newer pick-up and wondered when the Parrett's had bought it. It was a really nice truck, something like she always hoped her and Henry could one day afford. She swore when she felt better, she's stop by and ask. She kept sane by going to work, teaching the children in her class, and walking through the world like a zombie. She didn't even slap back the suggestive comments her male co-workers made, and unfortunately that would cause her problems later. She just wanted her nightmare to be over. She wanted her husband home so he could straighten everything out. A week later, her world came crashing down. She looked at the letter with trepidation. She knew where the City of Folsom, was. She looked it up on the map when Henry had been sent there, just like she knew every time they transferred him to a new prison. She was torn. Should she wait until Joey got home in case it was good news, or open it to see first. She carefully pealed back the glued edge in the hope if it was good news, Joey wouldn't know she had opened it first. Her hands started shaking as she read the opening sentence. 'We regret to inform you that Herald AKA Hank, AKA Henry, Greek; was found dead next to a local railroad track....' Her tears started to fall. So, the stranger hadn't lied to her.