SO FAR:
Divorcee and short-term prostitute Jilli Drummond has endeavored to escape from her sordid past and on the coast meets a young man Joe Wright who has taken a month off to recover from the aftermath of his divorce. Joe takes the former hotel restaurant manager into his mini RV on the homeward leg of his circuit. 'Home' is a 26,000 cattle ranch in South Dakota. Thus begins a cultural shock including some exciting times for the refugee from the city.
On her first morning on the Wright's Narrow J Ranch Jilli was stirred from sleep pre-dawn by a cock's crow that also woke Joe who introduced her to a new day's cock. After it was over he kissed and patted her before weaving off for a pee and returned to sleep back some energy.
She dressed in her traveling shirt and shorts that had dried from being washed in the shower the previous evening. She walked out on to the front porch and looked out into the direction of the brightening light in the sky.
"Best time of day."
She came close to peeing herself in fright, having another male's voice behind her, just off to the right. Of course, Joe's dad. Fuck he'd scared her as she'd set her mind free to greet the new dawn.
"Yes, it's lovely; away from the city the first light air seems to wash one's skin."
He snickered. "Hopefully it's free of agricultural chemicals."
She'd have turned to him and smiled; she guessed in the strengthening light he'd catch the smiled answer if her were looking; being a man and watchful of his son's pick-up babe he'd be watching.
"How was the sex under my roof?"
Time to show he wasn't the only toughie around here. "Astonishingly good – your son is masterful at it Abe. I hope for his sake he's equally good at ranch chores or whatever you call them."
Abe was grinning and patting the chair beside him. "Sit down here young woman – about the only thing I lack around here is lip and you seem to have a can of that."
"You'll have to knock me down to stop me Abe," she smiled. "I've inherited my smart-ass mouth and my grit from Irish and Scottish forebears."
"We claim white South African and Scottish ancestry and pretend we are untainted by English blood, just like your family I suspect."
She chuckled and said the English were not all moaners or prissy brats.
"What would you like to do today?"
"Go to the nearest large center to buy a car. Would you take me Abe?"
"What kind of car do you want me to buy you?"
She flushed with embarrassment. "Oh no, you don't understand; I have money and shall earn my keep while I'm here. It's just that I don't know much about vehicles and don't want to feel I'm isolated out here during my stay as I really am a city girl."
"You don't much worry about what kind of vehicle – just that it must have four wheels and only require gas and then it takes you anyway at anytime?"
"Yes, exactly. You're the man Abe."
"Go fetch us coffee Jilli and we'll take the mugs for a walk."
* * *
They entered one of the huge barns; it was filled with vehicles and machinery. Jilli saw with affection the RV was lined up with other road vehicles. There were no cars, only Dodge pickups, one an extended cab; she assumed that was Abe's and also served as the family chariot.
He walked to the last vehicle and pulled off a dustcover. "Will this do you?"
"Perhaps," she said doubtfully looking at the lowered old Ford pickup. "Does it go?"
"Faster than any other four-wheeler in this barn," he grinned.
"But it's old."
"Jess is putting on the years but you wait till you see her dressed up, very much like the transformation you hit us with last night. This baby has been re-engined with all-new running gear with permanent four-wheel drive. Can you drive – I mean really drive?"
"I think so. I received my grounding as a teenager being a member of the V8 Boys Gang, as a driver, not as a groupie."
"What's a groupie?"
"I'll tell you when I think you're old enough to learn about groupies Abe."
He roared with laughter. "I was just trying you on; I read car, truck and motor-cycle magazines – it's a hobby. I drove Betty a couple of weeks ago so she'll start fine."
"Betty?"
"Betty Ford. Get it?"
"No."
"You'll a real smart-ass Jilli," he grinned as she'd been able to hold back her smirk.
Abe drove it out and Jilli fell in love with the burble of the motor – saw the twin exhaust tail pipe endings under the driver's door and when Abe turned the vehicle she saw two more under the passenger's door. This was a wolf under sheep's clothing although the narrowed depth of the windscreen indicated a cut-down body with properly excessive power under the hood. The white body and grille indicated a 30's something model but Jilli was sure much reworking of the body lay hidden under the ho-hum exterior.
As she approached Abe alighted and waved her into the lowered seat and that's all – no instructions, no warnings about overpowering into turns or to drive carefully to get the feel. He watched as she buckled up the double harness without fumbling. She smiled beautifully at him and winked and drove off as if Miss Daisy was in the back seat.
Jilli went down the dusty gravel main access road and then turn-off into the dusty paddock at the first gateway and went back towards the barn over the rough terrain, assuming this was the horse enclosure when they were kept near the homestead. Joe had said they carried fifteen horses as from June to October people paid to stay Friday to Monday in the modernized original bunkhouse with its communal kitchen and ride over the property that in its heyday spread over 224,000 acres.
The ride was stiff, as she expected, but with no apparent handling difference than driving on the graded track she knew the engineering underneath her was superb. She returned to the access road and headed back to the barn at a higher speed and circled it, waving to Jess and Joe who were now standing beside Abe. She went off and circled the house, staying clear of the poultry shed and the more distant kennels where the inmates were in frenzy. She barreled around the end of the house climbing rapidly from 15 mph to 60 and keeping the four-speed manual box in third gear shot past her waving spectators and returned at the same speed weaving between the two water tanks and the elevated diesel and petrol tanks without dropping speed and halfway between her spectators and the house slowed and spun the vehicle into twin 360's and ambled back to them at 15 mph.
She looked at Abe first to be greeted by a very toothy smile. Jess looked worried and Joe wore a 'that's-my-girl' smile.
Abe opened her door as she unbuckled. "What do you think?"
"Made for me."
"Betty is yours for as long as you live on this ranch."
Jilli alighted and kissed Abe for his generosity.
"You drive safely in this thing Jilli, it's no toy."
"Yes Jess, I have been known to show responsible behavior at times."
When Joe drove off to join three ranch hands to shift cattle to new pasture Jilli prepared to spend a boring day with Jess who said she would be sewing new cushion covers. Abe said goodbye and as an after thought said to Jilli, "Wanna come?"
Anything was better than sitting inside or lounging on the patio so she jumped at the invitation. "Where are you going Abe?"
"Over to the Zimmerman's."
"God, you can't take Jilli over there looking like this – take her into town and buy her a shirt, Stetson and girl boots."
Abe looked pained. "I know nothing about girl clothes."
"True," Jess sighed. "But Jilli does." She went over and kissed Jilli and said, "Mae acts as if she's the First Lady in this community and unfortunately her daughter Grierson is going the same way. We can't have you going into their home looking like a waif from the city."
"Community?" Jilli asked looking out through the windows in three directions without another house in sight.
"I know what you're thinking dear," Jess smiled. "You probably have the feeling of being isolated but we do have neighbors and I grant you there are some distance away. The population of Butte County is about four persons per square mile. Oh, and another thing when we make an offer it is polite to accept; I realize you're huffing wanting to tell me you can afford to pay for your own clothes. We don't doubt that; we just are being friendly and want you to feel welcome during your stay."
"You drive," Abe said, pointing to the black quad cab diesel. Once they were underway he called his neighbors; the phone was answered by Mae Zimmerman, She said Sly was over at the barn without his phone, bawling out someone. Jilli grinned hearing the plumy voice.
"He was expecting me over for coffee and a yarn, but we have a sweet city girl staying with us and I need to drop into Belle (Belle Fourche) to pick up some suitable clothing. She's wearing little black dresses up to her hips or shorts or jeans so tight her ass almost splits through when she sits down."
The plum dropped from the voice as Mae went into a hee-haw laugh and told Abe he was incorrigible. "How old is this city girl?"
"Twenty-six."
"Ah, I'll drag Grierson out of bed; she's bored to tears and would love company of her own age – I think that's her crying now. You'll be far too late for mid-morning coffee, come to late lunch. That will give you time to take your young women through to Rapid City to top stores – there are eleven shoe outlets in Rushmore Mall alone."
"As you say Mae, over and out."
Abe said to Jilli, "We have limited cell phone coverage at our houses, but only just; out on the range its CB radio or nothing beyond shouting distance."
At the road bounding the ranch, Abe directed Jilli to Rapid City. She purchased two Stetsons and four pairs of boots and sneakers, two pair of jeans, three dresses and a variety of shorts and tops, belts and jewelry.
Abe's wearily patient face burst into motion, Jilli saw, as she walked toward where he was sitting. She wore a button down collar white and blue traditional western shirt, loosing fitting boot jeans, brown oiled anklet length boots and a brown Stetson that made her look both tough and beautiful.
He said something that sounded like "You're the daughter I never had" but he was wiping his nose so she thought it was a comment not meant for her. She just apologized for taking so long and handed Abe the receipt for the Stetson she was wearing and the boots and handed him the shopping to carry except she held on to the white Stetson with a white fine plaited headband that had cost her – ouch! It was for weddings and rodeos if any invitations came her way.
He'd left a small package on the seat and as they both eyed it he said, "It's for you."
It was kindda cute – a belt with a silver buckle with the inset 'J' in rhinestone. Although not something she'd buy for herself she would now wear it so yelped with delight and kissed him – Abe was so pleased he forgot to look around and be embarrassed at the attention they were receiving in the busy mall.
Jilli reached into the side pocket of his jerkin without comment and hauled out his phone, redialing the last number called.
