Eventide - Kent Haruf [90]
You think you could make a rancher of him? Victoria said.
Raymond stopped eating. I don’t know, he said. He looked at her. I guess he might make one. He did pretty good this morning.
Did you have him drive the tractor?
Yes, ma’am. He did pretty good at it too. He turned to look at the boy. Course I can’t say much for that earring he’s wearing. I guess that hole in his ear might grow in after a while, but I haven’t had no experience with that kind of thing.
The boy’s face went red and he touched his ear. He grinned across the table at Victoria.
I think he should just keep it the way it is, she said. I like it.
ON FRIDAY OF THAT WEEK VICTORIA AND DEL GUTIERREZ decided to go to the movie in Holt. They didn’t care what was being shown, they wanted only to get out of the house and to do something on their own, and Raymond encouraged them to have dinner at the Wagon Wheel Café before the show, and he gave the boy forty dollars for helping him with the ranch work. Before they went out, he drew Victoria into her bedroom and pulled the door closed. What’s wrong? she said.
Not a thing, he said. Then he told her in an old man’s loud whisper: He’s a pretty good hard worker, isn’t he.
What are you talking about? she said.
That boy’s been doing pretty good this week. Working pretty hard.
Do you think so?
Yes I do.
He told me about the trouble he had driving the tractor that first time.
He didn’t have to tell you that.
He said you weren’t much upset about it. That you didn’t yell at him or anything.
Well, it didn’t break nothing, and everybody has to do that once. He did all right. Anyway, you just might want to think about keeping him around.
Victoria looked at Raymond. He was watching her closely. Now what is it you’re saying? she said.
I just mean you might want to keep this one. He’s okay with me. I kind of like him.
That sounds like you’re trying to rush me, she said.
I’m not rushing you, he said. Hell, I ain’t rushing a thing. He looked a little hurt at such a suggestion. I’m just saying he’s not a bad young fellow. I ain’t saying anything else. Now you two go on out for dinner and I’ll take care of Katie. It’ll be my pleasure. All I’m saying is this boy and me, we might get on together. And I’ll tell you something else. It looks to me like he flat thinks the world of you too.
Maybe he does, she said. But I’ve already made a fool of myself once. I’m in no hurry to do it again.
I know, honey. You’d have to feel that way. Of course you would. But that don’t mean you got to end up like me, either.
What about that woman you were seeing?
What woman?
Linda May. The woman that was here for New Year’s dinner.
That’s what I’m talking about, Raymond said. I don’t know nothing about this kind of thing. Maybe I sort of thought I was seeing her, but she sure as hell had no idea she was seeing me. No, all I want is for you to be happy.
I am happy, she said. Don’t you know that? And so much of that is because of you. Now do you suppose I ought to get ready so Del and I can go out tonight?
Yes, ma’am, I believe you should. I’m just going to get out of here and leave you to it.
VICTORIA PUT ON THE SOFT BLUE CASHMERE SWEATER that set off her black hair and put on a short gray skirt, and the boy was wearing a pair of good black jeans and a plaid shirt, and they drove out in her car to Holt to eat dinner and to attend the movie. After they were gone Raymond and Katie were busy in the kitchen. He warmed up some leftover ham and gravy, with mashed potatoes and creamed corn, and the little girl sat on her box on a chair at the table, and while they ate he looked across at her and listened. She was taking regular bites as she talked, and she went on without stop, talking about whatever came into her mind, with no need for Raymond to remark