MONTANA BOUND

Chapter 1.

For Ashley, whose gray/blue eyes had only known the hard, straight lines of high-rise buildings and paved streets, the sight of deep green mountainsides with snowcapped peaks behind them was almost too much to believe. A clear sky, so big and very blue seemed so huge and so deep it was like trying to look into the ocean. She blinked against the brightness of it and felt a little shiver as the cool breeze brushed against her cheek. Clint was already moving like boys do, his worn sneakers barely touching the gravel of the circle driveway in front of Uncle Mike’s ranch house before Ashley saw him moving off toward the big round corral located in front of the stable and to the right of the big house. His round cheeks were pink from the touch of that same cool air, and his eyes searched every corner of this new and wonderful place.

“Well, Darlin’ whatcha think of our little place here,” the tall rancher said quietly as he pulled Ashley close to his side. “Clint—son—don’t wander off just yet, gotta get inside with your stuff and meet Pedro. He’ll be out here chasin’ me with the rolling pin if I don’t get you guys in there right quick for proper introductions!” Just at that moment a gravelly voice coming from the front porch reached them all.

“Welcome to the Circle G ranch! Senor Mike, you must bring thee chilrun inside Pronto! for a snack. Look at them, Senor—they must be starving!!” Nodding in the direction of the porch Uncle Mike spoke quietly just for Ashley’s ears. “Told ya, he’s been working and preparing for your arrival for two weeks now. Bet he has enough cookies, candy and other treats to ruin your appetites for a month! Clint—get off that corral fence and come over here. I have someone for you to meet, and he is not the patient type!”

Clint jumped down and ran back toward them, meeting Ashley and their host before they got to the bottom of the steps up onto the sun-bleached, shiny floor of a wide porch. A row of big rocking chairs sat just waiting for folks to sit down and enjoy the view of mountains and forest, there was a collection of firewood and kindling beside the big front door, and just to the side of the entry stood a stout black dog. His tail was wagging so hard his whole back end moved back and forth, his soft brown eyes and red tongue made it look like he was smiling at them. Neither Ashley nor Clint has ever been around dogs much, and this guy was the biggest and the blackest they had ever seen.

“This is Bear Boone, my best friend and as you can see, a vicious watch dog. . .not really. He might lick you to death, but otherwise he’s as harmless as he is silly. Bear Boone, come see the kids!” The dog walked—and wagged—over to his master as both boy and girl at once reached out to pet his big shiny head. Licking their hands and trying to welcome both at once, it only took a second or two for him to find their arms around his neck.

“YUK!”—cried Clint, his hand wiping a wet sloppy dog kiss off his ruddy cheeks. “Don’t be a baby, Clint, he’s just giving you a wet welcome to the mountains,” said Ashley, all the while keeping that sloppy tongue away from her own face.

“Well, you met the dog, now for the real boss of the place. Ashley, Clint, this is Pedro. He’s our cook, house guy and one of the best friends a rancher ever had. Makes a mean chocolate chip cookie, too!” The portly gentleman stepped forward and extended his hand to Ashley first. When she shyly responded with her own, he took it gently and, bending at the waist smartly, softly kissed the back of it.

“Ees a fine pleasure, Miss Ashley, to meet the acquaintance of such a lofly and mature senorita. I have seen your peecture, sent by your papa to Mr. Shannon here, but it could not do josteece to your beauty in person! Senor, she is lofly indeed—and this fine young rancher must be Cleenton, eh?” Clint was confused for a moment by the way the old Mexican pronounced his name, but when Uncle Mike put his hand on the boy’s shoulder and ushered him forward, he got the point. He straightened and, like a miniature adult, stuck out his hand. Pedro shook it vigorously but with a touch of the gentle nature that was already so obvious from his smile and the soft sound of his voice.

“Meester Cleent, what a pleasure. You are indeed a handsome young man and I am so happy to meet you! Come—we must get you inside and fill up those empty stomachs!” Then he turned toward the stable and barked an order to a young hand who was just coming out of one of the stalls while leading a horse. “Tom, there are suitcases and packages in Meester Shannon’s Suburban. Tie up that horse and bring them into the house please. Gracias!”

The man nodded quickly from a hundred feet away and did exactly as Pedro had instructed. Then, with a hand on their shoulders, he ushered them inside. They were at once stunned and captivated by the inside of the long house. A wide staircase greeted their gaze as they stepped through the broad doorway, highly polished dark wood steps covered with a rough, deep orange/red carpet up the middle to a second floor appointed with an equally shiny railing guarding the balcony invited them inside. Clint stood like a frozen statue, the smells of the kitchen mixing with the scent of leather and pine wood accompanied by the flood of soft, deep colors as he looked past the steps into the large living room. Ashley made a soft gasp that both the men could hear, causing them to stop quickly to see if she was alright.

“Oh Uncle Mike, it’s beautiful! It’s so big and so full of color and smells and—I just never thought I would ever see anything so beautiful and so big and so—“

“Now Ashley, I am glad you like our little place on the mountain, but hang with me, darling, we have much more to see. Clint, close your mouth, son, your teeth will dry out!” He laughed a huge, deep belly laugh that made both kids jump, then made them smile, then made them smile even bigger, then made them laugh with him. Pedro added his own voice to the chorus as all four moved together toward the kitchen.

A big rough table took up the middle of the room, itself a welcoming corner of the downstairs that offered windows on two sides. They could see the stable and the corrals out the side and the mountains from the back windows. But all those smells were too much. Cookies, fresh fruit, a whole loaf of bread just out of the oven and a big crock full of butter sat awaiting the new house guests. “Sit down here at these two chairs, muchachos, and let me see if we can get some nourishment into those tummies!”

Uncle Mike poured himself a cup of coffee from the big pot on the stove then pulled out one of the kitchen chairs to sit down with his new guests. A broad smile creased his rugged face as he shot a wink and a look at Pedro. Both Ashley and Clint had gone instantly silent as the cook set plates in front of them. Two big glasses of cold milk were the perfect fit for what turned out to be more of a meal than a snack. For long moments neither of them made a sound, their small hands moving quickly through the wonderful collection of goodies served up by their new hosts.

Uncle Mike talked with Pedro about upcoming chores and events around the ranch, outlining preparations for moving stock to the upper pastures as summer continued to thaw out the high country above the ranch. The kids’ eyes, although they were concentrating on their feast, darted between the two men as they tried to take in the meaning of what was being said. Mike Shannon’s ranch was a sheep operation that boasted over a thousand head plus an especially good crop of lambs that had been born earlier in the spring. A few late arrivals still pastured with their mommas in a field behind the house, and the children could hear the playful sounds they made as they raced around. The ranch also worked over 100 cows, mostly for meat for the folks who worked there and for surrounding neighbors, although Shannon sold about sixty head at the stockyards in town in the fall of each year. They provided cash for the long winter and helped keep the place running in years that failed to produce enough wool and lambs to keep things going.

As the two finished their snacks with a long drink of cold milk, Ashley suddenly realized that they had not spoken a word for several minutes while they were going after all the goodies on the table. She blushed, wiped her mouth on the napkin at her place, then looked up into Pedro’s smile. “Mr. Pedro, thank you so much for this food. I—we were hungrier than we thought! It was all so good—right Clint?!” She looked a hole through her younger brother, glaring at him until he got the point.

“Uh, yeah—I mean yes ma’am, I mean sir, er, Mr. Pedro, uh yeah—yes—it sure was great! Ashley’s right, I was really hungry!” He smiled through his milk mustache, Ashley released her scowl at him, and then both nearly jumped off their chairs as Pedro laughed out loud.

Muchachos, eet’s not Meester Pedro! I am your humble servant and friend, just Pedro. That’s what you must call me. And tell me whatever it is you need, and I will be sure to accommodate you! Right, Uncle Mike?” Mike Shannon nodded his approval, finished the last swallow of his coffee, then stood, pushing his chair back from the table.

“Time we got you two moved into your rooms and acquainted with the place a bit. Pedro, let’s see what we can do to get things where they belong around here!”

Montana Bound

Two Short Novels of the American West

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