Johnny Mike and Branndon Read online

  Suddenly Kathleen was scared, petrified of being on her own in a room in this strange to her town.

  “Yes, a double for one night,” she said, glancing at Johnny, who didn’t question her. He pulled out his wallet. “No, I can get this,” she said. She pulled out her purse.

  “That will be twenty-two dollars and includes a free breakfast which is served in the café next door starting at seven a.m. Could you fill in this card for our records?” said the woman.

  “I can do that,” said Johnny.

  “You play guitar?” the woman asked him.

  “Yes, but I promise I won’t be playing tonight and disturbing any of your other guests.”

  “That’s not why I asked. The bar down the street’s been looking for someone to perform on Saturday nights.”

  “Really,” said Johnny.

  She nodded. “Just go in there tomorrow and ask for Will. Tell him Noreen sent you.”

  “I’ll definitely do that,” said Johnny, sliding the card back to her.

  “Okay, you two, here’s your key. There’s an ice maker machine out front and vending machine if you need soda.”

  Kathleen took the key. She lifted up her suitcase, before they headed outside.

  “Hope you didn’t mind me doing that,” she said.

  “What? Paying?”

  “No, the double room. I got scared about being on my own. I know these places have two beds.”

  “It’s fine. Guess I could do with some company, and I’m just happy that you trust me enough to share a room for the night.”

  “You have kind eyes. My grandpa always said you can tell a man’s character by his eyes. They show your soul.”

  “Really, never been called kind before so thank you.”

  “Here it is, number nine,” said Kathleen. She put the key in the lock and opened the door; the smell of stale cigarette hit her nose. Johnny followed her inside.

  “Phew, guess we should crank open a window for a bit and get rid of that stink,” he said. “That okay with you?”

  It wasn’t the warmest of evenings, but she’d rather be cold than have to sleep with the lingering nicotine odor.

  Johnny put down his bag laid the guitar on the bed, the only bed, so much for a double having two, before sliding open one of the windows. He turned around, obviously seeing Kathleen staring at the one and only bed.

  “Geez, just the one, never mind, I can sleep on the floor or even pull two chairs together over there. Hell, I can even sleep in the bathtub if you want.”

  “No, there’s plenty of room on the bed.”

  She was still a virgin. She’d only had one boyfriend, and they’d never gone really much farther than kissing.

  “I’ll keep my clothes on and sleep on top of the covers,” said Johnny.

  “I think I’ll go brush my teeth and then go straight to bed.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Kathleen moved by him and took her suitcase into the bathroom.

  He was cute and maybe when she knew him better she would invite him to take off his clothes and get under those covers. She looked in the mirror. Less than twelve hours out on her own, but she was already thinking of men and sex.

  Chapter Three

  Johnny woke at the same time he had since he’d been a teenager when he’d taken on some of the chores to help out his dad and older brother. It was the crack of dawn. By now his parents would have found his letter. He’d promised to contact them once he’d gotten settled, but was suddenly feeling guilty about up and leaving so abruptly. Maybe he should have told them, but he didn’t want to be talked out of his plans. His dad telling him he was crazy to even think he could make it in the music business and his mom persuading him to stay just a year or two longer.

  He turned over and remembered he’d slept beside Kathleen all night. Even though he was on top of the quilt and she underneath it, he could feel the warmth of her body. She was so beautiful and she’d brought him luck — the lady at reception telling him about the bar looking for a singer. If he hadn’t come here with Kathleen, he would never have known about it. He had a feeling he was going to get the job. He knew exactly what song he was going to sing for the audition which they were bound to ask him to do.

  Kathleen stirred, her leg kicking out and touching his calf through the covers. He felt her sit up.

  “Geez, I forgot where I was,” she said.

  “You okay?” asked Johnny.

  “Yeah, just seemed strange feeling someone lying beside me that’s all. What time is it?”

  “I haven’t looked, but I’m guessing if I’m awake that it’s around five a.m.”

  “You always get up at this time?”

  “Yep, seven days a week. That’s life on the farm.”

  “Do you still think you made the right decision coming here?” asked Kathleen.

  “I sure do. How about you, you okay now?”

  “I guess. I want to look for a job today and see about someplace to live.”

  “How about we go check out the farm, well to be honest, they call it a commune, together?”

  “You mean it’s full of hippies?” asked Kathleen.

  “I guess there might be some of those. I think it’s mostly people who want to pursue their dreams, and that includes me. I bet it’s you too.”

  “I don’t know what I want to do with my life.”

  Johnny nudged her with his foot. “Maybe the commune will help you decide. Maybe you’ll find your true calling.”

  “You’re saying I should give it a try?”

  “If you don’t like it you don’t have to stay. In fact, if I don’t think it’s for me I’ll be leaving too.”

  The thought of having someone like Kathleen there with him made him less nervous about the whole prospect. Right at this very second he realized he might have bitten off more than he could chew. Apart from the times he’d been to summer camp, he never been away from home before. Maybe his mom would have been right about him staying at home just a tad longer.

  “Okay, I’ll give it a couple of weeks,” said Kathleen.

  Johnny smiled. “I’m going to get showered and ready for breakfast. All of a sudden I’m starving.”

  ****

  Johnny sure could eat. But then he was a big guy. It was a set breakfast of two eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, and a beverage. He was almost done with his, and she was only buttering the toast and eating her second egg.

  The sun shone through the window of the café and in the daylight, Kathleen could see some freckles across Johnny’s nose. She smiled as he ate the last of the bacon and washed it down with the remaining orange juice. He leaned back in his seat and patted his stomach.

  “That was almost as good as my mom’s,” he said.

  “Are you going to miss her cooking?”

  “I am, but for everything in life there’s some sort of sacrifice.”

  “You know how to get to the commune?” asked Kathleen.

  “This guy told me it’s about two miles north of town.” Johnny reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper with what looked like a telephone number written on it. “He said to give them a call when I arrived, and they’d send someone to come pick me up. Now you’re sure you want to come too?”

  Kathleen had made up her mind. She’d rather be with a group of people than be on her own. It might be a temporary thing, but that was fine with her. She nodded. She finished her food, and Johnny dug through his wallet for a tip.

  They walked back to their room, gathered up everything, and she held his guitar while he fed coins into the phone by the front of the motel. She heard him talking to someone, and then he put the phone back in the cradle.

  “They seem really nice. The girl said to wait outside the hardware store and someone will be by for us in about twenty minutes.”

  “I thought I saw that down the road a bit when the bus pulled into town last night,” said Kathleen.

  “Let’s start walking there. Maybe I can see where
the bar’s at. I can come back with my guitar and see about that gig on Saturday nights.”

  Kathleen followed behind Johnny as they crossed the road. The bar in question was just a few yards up ahead.

  “Live music every Saturday night,” said Johnny, reading the sign over the door.

  “How long have you been playing guitar?” asked Kathleen.

  “Since I was ten. My grandpa bought me it for me. It’s the same one I still have. Just a secondhand one, but I’d never part with it.”

  “And you taught yourself?” asked Kathleen.

  “Well, sort of. My parents did pay for a few lessons to help me learn the chords.”

  “That’s great, Johnny, and I hope you get the job.”

  “Me too.”

  They arrived at the hardware store and put their bags down just as a truck slowly pulled up and a young man rolled down the window.

  “Johnny and Kathleen?” he asked.

  “That’s us. Johnny Marshall and Kathleen Paul,” said Johnny.

  “I’m Mike Saunderson. It’s great to have you joining us. Do you want to put your bags in back?”

  “I’d like to hold my guitar if that’s okay with you,” said Johnny.

  “Sure thing, enough room up front for us and the instrument,” said Mike.

  Johnny took Kathleen’s bag and put it in back with his own and then opened the door for her. Kathleen climbed up and slid over next to Mike.

  “Hi, Kathleen, I’m real pleased to meet you.” He held out his hand to her. He smiled and she noticed the cleft in his chin. Johnny slipped in beside her, resting his guitar on his lap.

  “Hi, Johnny, hope you’re both going to be happy at Riker’s Haven,” said Mike.

  “Riker’s Haven,” said Kathleen. “That sounds like an ideal place.”

  “Oh it is,” said Mike, putting the truck into gear.

  “How long have you been there?” Johnny asked him.

  “About year, just after I got back from Vietnam.”

  “My brother and two cousins were there too,” said Johnny.

  “There are five of us at Haven that served there. So are you two a couple or what?”

  “No, we met on the bus coming in from Great Falls,” said Kathleen.

  She realized she’d said that quickly and she didn’t mean any offence to Johnny. It was a spur of the moment thing and not because she didn’t want Mike to get the wrong idea about her and Johnny. Yes, she did think Mike was cute, but there again, she thought the same thing about Johnny. She tried to slow her mind down. Second day on her own, going to a commune, and she was sandwiched between two equally attractive young men.

  Kathleen remembered the books she’d read about young women who crossed the country to become mail order brides in Montana. Right now she felt as nervous as they must have been when they arrived.

  “It’s not too far, just about a mile down here,” said Mike, turning onto a dirt road. “All this land belongs to the first family of Riker’s Creek.”

  Kathleen looked to the left. A stream ran down by the edge of the road, and they were heading into a valley with a mountain range to the left. It really was beautiful and even greener than the land around Great Falls.

  “Everyone is really nice and friendly. The whole place is laid back and as long as you pull your weight, no one cares what you do,” said Mike. He turned the truck down another dirt road, and Kathleen saw a whole bunch of buildings up ahead.

  “So what’s your dream?” Johnny asked Mike.

  “I want to have my own building company one day. Anything you need building or fixing around here, I’m your person for that. I’m guessing you play guitar.”

  “Sing too,” said Johnny.

  “We have social evenings so I think you’ll fit in perfectly. And how about you Kathleen, apart from being so damn pretty, what’s your dream in life?”

  She knew she was blushing and hoped neither man saw. She knew she wasn’t ugly but no one, not even her father or brother, and certainly not her mother, had ever told her she was pretty.

  “I’m not sure yet. I’m hoping I can figure something out soon.”

  “Everyone has a talent for something,” said Mike. He pulled into what looked like a large parking lot. “Here we are. I know you’re both going to love this place. Let me give you a quick tour and introduce you to some folks, and then I’ll let you settle in.”

  Johnny got out and then Kathleen slid out of the truck. Mike carried their bags while Johnny cradled his guitar like it was going to run away.

  “This is the main hall. We have social events here, movies and popcorn night. They’re showing The Exorcist next week,” said Mike.

  “Really,” said Johnny. “I heard that was pretty scary.”

  “I saw it and it’s not as bad as you’d think,” he said. “Through there is the laundry and main kitchen. You can eat in the communal dining room or in your room. We also have a nurse on staff, and a doctor stops by once a week.”

  Kathleen looked at the murals on the wall.

  “You like those?” asked Mike.

  “They’re really good,” said Kathleen.

  “All done by residents, and we have art and pottery classes if you’re interested in creative pursuits.”

  She’d never picked up a pencil or a paintbrush, but maybe it was something to try.

  “Over here is the board where you can sign up for the chores of the week. Everything from cleaning to cooking and also mending fences.”

  A woman in her thirties, clearly pregnant, walked through the entrance holding a little boy’s hand.

  “Hi, Jenny. Meet two new residents, Kathleen and Johnny. This is Jenny, she and her husband have lived here for five years, and this is their little boy, Saxon.”

  “Hi,” said Kathleen.

  “Welcome. I hope we’ll be spending lots of time together. I’m just going through to get the lunches started,” said Jenny.

  Mike nodded. “Lunch will be served in an hour if you want to eat after you settle in.”

  “Sure,” said Johnny. “And where’s the accommodation?”

  “You two want to be in the same building?” asked Mike.

  “That okay with you, Kathleen?” asked Johnny.

  “It’s fine.”

  “Why don’t’ I take you to my building. It’s fairly quiet, some have lots of families with children and babies, and it can get noisy for us single people,” said Mike.

  She and Johnny followed behind Mike as he led them outside and across the walkway. Some children were playing outside, and two women sat on chairs watching them. They waved to Mike. He opened a door to what looked like a one story apartment building. Johnny let Kathleen enter first.

  “The apartments for the singles aren’t the biggest, but I really like them, and there’s a communal meeting room down at the end there. Let’s see number three and number eight are vacant. Either one of you have a preference to looking out over the community gardens?” he asked.

  “I think I should let Kathleen take that one,” said Johnny.

  “Number three it is.” Mike opened the door, and Kathleen went inside. It was basic but clean. There was a bed, small kitchen, and a door to the left she could see was her bathroom. He put her bag on the bed.

  “I’ll show Johnny to his place and let you get settled in. Then maybe we’ll see you at lunch.”

  “Sure, that sounds great,” said Kathleen.

  The two guys walked away and Mike shut the door. Kathleen sat down. She was all alone yet not alone. Her mind was spinning. She’d done the right thing. Her mom’s drinking was getting worse, and their relationship was deteriorating fast. She was twenty, not a child. Time for her to stand on her own two feet and figure out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, go to school, maybe train to do something worthwhile in life.

  She didn’t have much to unpack, which was a lucky thing because the closet wasn’t that big. She opened up her case and took out her one dress. Yeah, everyone needed one of
those. Jeans, sweaters, t-shirts, and her shoes came out next. She’d forgotten that winter in Montana was never that far away, and she hadn’t brought along her heavy coat. Maybe she’d find a job and buy herself a new one.

  There that was done. She walked to the window. Men and women were tilling the soil.

  Someone knocked on the door, making her turn around to look at it. She glanced in the mirror as she made her way over to it, hoping her hair looked okay. When she opened the door, she was happy to see Johnny standing there.

  “You settling in okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah, got all my stuff unpacked.”

  “Wow, you’re way ahead of me. I thought we could walk over to get some lunch and then see what chores we can sign up for.”

  “You think they have one for a Riker’s Haven singer?” she asked, closing the door.

  “I don’t know, but I suppose I could create such a position.”

  “I can’t wait to hear you play and sing,” said Kathleen.

  “Hey, you want to come to the bar with me when I go to see about that gig?”

  “You want me to?”

  “I’m nervous. I’ve never done that sort of thing before,” said Johnny.

  “Sure. I’ll come along.”

  “Mike said we can take the truck if we like. Anyone can use the vehicles that are parked out front as long as you refill the gas you use.”

  They walked into the hall where about twenty people were in line for what looked like sandwich fixings and salad.

  “Wow, this is going to be sort of different. Like one big family,” said Johnny.

  Yeah, maybe the sort of family she’d never had.

  ****

  Johnny decided to sign up for outside maintenance, and Kathleen, without hesitation, opted to be part of the kitchen crew because she’d said it would be like being at the café again.

  “I’m going to the bar to see about the singing job and you said you’d ride with me,” he told her when he knocked on the door later that day.

  “I’ll just grab my jacket and be right with you.”

  They walked out the truck. He’d signed for it and wrote on the check-out form that they’d be gone for an hour, maybe two.

  “You want to hold my guitar while I drive?” Johnny asked her.