Redwood Nine: Season 02 Ch. 12

"Oh, a motorcycle club. Wally is a member too, but Moon isn't."

"That must be you guys I hear coming along the road at night sometimes."

"You hear us way over here? We're like two roads over from here."

"Oh, I know where you are. You're out at the MacDonald farm on 10th."

"Yeah. Did you know them at all?"

"Oh sure, know most everybody within ten miles of me. They were a nice couple, real nice people. Shame what their kids done to them."

"What do you mean? What did the kids do?"

"Guess the granddaughter hasn't said much about them, I take it?"

JT and Wally looked at Moon, wondering how much he knew and hadn't said, but he looked just as interested in knowing as they did.

"The kids apparently came up a few times and caught the two of them wandering around the fields in God's clothes. Thought they'd lost their minds and had them put in a home for old folks. Lindsay, poor guy, he couldn't take it and died not even a year there. Eloise, she didn't want to live without him and just willed herself to be with him, so I was told. The granddaughter, poor thing, she was devastated."

"You mean, Golden?"

"Golden? Don't know who that is. I'm talking about Christine. She was thirteen when it happened and from what I hear, she took off from home and hated her folks for what they done to her grandparents. She loved them more than her own, I think. I know they just adored that little girl. I liked her too, sweet girl, always happy and wanting to talk about things. My missus, God rest her, she loved her too. She'd come through the fields yonder, picking wildflowers usually and end up in our yard. Jessie would always bring out some lemonade, or such and sit with her for a bit. Never had kids of our own, so she was might special to the both of us. Really kind of miss her, you know, never did end up knowing what happened to her."

"She's back at the farm, Walter. That's who Golden is now. She doesn't go by Christine. Her grandparents left it to her and now Moon and a bunch of the others are there and really fixing it up again. Me and my crew are helping them out, with building an addition on it and fixing the barn. Moon and his guys have readied some of the fields for planting again and even managed to save some of the crops from this year."

"You're all out there now? That's a pretty small house. How many of you, are there?"

"Right now, twenty four and we just had a new arrival, so twenty five, but me and my guys are temporary right now until we can find a new place to live in Charming."

"Charming, nice little place. Don't get there much, but it's a nice drive in. Heard about some ruckus going on lately, something about a shooting."

"Yeah, but that's all over with. Figured out who the guy was and the cops are looking for him, so it won't be long."

"Yep, can't have things like that happening. So, I got to ask. Why do they call you Moon?"

JT and Wally were interested in knowing too and listened up. Moon saw them and smiled faintly.

"My eyes. They're such a pale blue, they look like blue moons, sort of. That's why I have the name."

"Yeah, yeah, I see that. So, that your real name, the one your folks gave you, I mean?"

"No, it's just a name I go by now. My name is Mark, but I haven't been called that in.....fifteen years now."

"Moon suits you. So, want to buy my tractor do you? Want to hear it too, so let's get her started up then."

Walter left the trio agog with the information, as he climbed up and primed the Massey-Ferguson to start. The engine fired up easily and belched out black smoke, then cleared and ran almost clean,

"Good motor, PTO is good, tires ain't too bad, another couple seasons left in them. Give her a greasing and she'll work smooth as silk."

He stopped it and climbed down again.

"Well, you want her?"

"Six hundred, right?"

"That'll put the keys in your hand, son."

"Won't even haggle on the price."

"Mighty nice of you, JT. Hate letting a good thing go for less than its worth."

"My pleasure. Is this okay to drive to the farm?"

"Sure. I'll drive it over for you. I can show you how everything works on it. Give me a chance to say hello to Christi again, maybe."

"Okay, but we better make sure everyone is decent."

"Still wearing God's clothes, are they?"

"What do you mean, God's clothes? I don't get it."

"Naked, boy. God brought you into this world naked, not a stitch on you."

"Ah, got you. Never heard that before. Yeah, Golden likes that sort of freedom thing."

"Guess she got that name for her hair and eyes, I take it."

"Not too hard to figure out."

"So, we going? Need a ride back though."

"Sure, no problem there."

The guys got back in the car, while Walter started up the tractor and followed behind. Walter motioned for them to go on ahead and he'd be along, the tractor barely going more than twenty five MPH. Moon thought that to be a good idea and have a chance to talk to Golden about her past and let her know it caught up to her again. JT couldn't help but think back to his visions of her grandparents running around the fields naked and wondered if he had imagined it, or had a vision of them somehow.

Everyone was outside by the new gate, holding it in place and admiring it, as the the car pulled up. JT stuck his head out and shouted to them.

"Looks great, but you better move it, we got a tractor coming through here shortly."

Cheering and hollering prevailed, as the gate was moved to the side and Wally drove up to the barn. Golden's look said she knew something from her past was coming, knowing the three guys were in the car. Moon got out and went straight over to Golden and took her aside. Her smile continued to fade, until it was gone all together, JT could see that her past was something she wanted to forget, at least what had caused pain and suffering. He watched, as Golden held onto Moon and he could tell she was weeping, feeling the memories of what happened, must be haunting her. She turned and stood with Moon, looking at the gate through tear soaked eyes and seemed to be dreading the arrival of Walter on the tractor.

JT stood with Suzy, quietly whispering what he knew to her, Wally sharing the same news with Azure, letting her know more about the person she wanted to spiritually marry. The sound of the tractor could be heard coming down 10th line, the steady drone of the engine getting louder and louder as it came nearer. The tension in the air was almost palpable, the news shared causing a growing concern.

The red machine appeared, with Walter bouncing slightly on the spring loaded seat, his eyes searching the crowd of people in front of him. His face showed the recognition they were expecting, as his eyes found Golden, next to Moon and Spirit. A smile weakly came to his face, unsure if he was someone she would want to see again. He pulled to a stop not long after the gate and shut it off, letting the air around them quiet again. He climbed down and looked around at everyone, nodding a hello to them all.

He finally looked at Golden and everyone looked at her for her reaction. There was a thickness in the pause of time between them, both looking at each other, then Golden left Moon's side and ran to Walter, tears beginning to stream down her face.

"Oh, Walter."

Walter took her in his arms, as she ran into them, hugging him tightly. He held her as a father would hold his daughter, loving on her greatly, the longing from separation coming to an end.

"My little Christi, I'm missed you so much girl."

"I missed you, too."

The two stood and held each other, rocking side to side, as tears came equally and freely from both of them. The commune felt the relief of seeing their re-connection, the unknown vanishing to leave them with feelings of empathy and sympathy for the pair. No one moved, letting the scene play out the way it should. Golden stood back and wiped her eyes several times and sniffled.

"I really missed you, Walter and Jessie too. I felt so bad not being here when she died. I found out when I was in San Andreas, when I saw the lawyer about this place and he told me. Walter, why did that all have to happen?"

"I don't know, Christi, I don't know. Some folks just can't understand why folks do what they do and can't accept it. Just isn't right, to their way of thinking. Your folks couldn't understand why they were like that and thought they were loco, or something. We tried to tell the doctors they were good folks, but they wouldn't listen to us, no matter what we told them. Your parents thought they were doing the right thing, that's all I understand, but I can't abide their decision. Lindsay and Eloise never hurt nobody doing what they did, no sir."

"I loved them so much."

"I know you did, Buttercup, I know you did. We'll all miss them."

Moon motioned for everyone to leave them alone in privacy and to go inside. They left the couple alone in the lane, still unwilling to break the connection between them. As the group sat and got comfortable, every face had the same expectation of knowing what was going on. The club and the commune were rapt with attention, as Moon calmly explained what had happened to Golden's grandparents. Names that were anonymous before, became spoken knowledge, bringing the past into the present. They all felt their pasts come back to them, who they were and who they wanted to be and who they had become, by leaving parts of themselves behind.

Golden's past was upon her and Walter was a part of it, that had any ties to the part she treasured. The pair had walked aimlessly about the property, before coming into the house and seeing everyone looking at her.

"I guess you all know what happened here and what happened to my Nana and Papa. I hated my parents for what they did to them. That's how I ended up in San Francisco. I ran away and never spoke to them again and I never will. You are my family now and that's all I'll ever need."

The tear stained face showed the truth of her words, everyone knowing how heartfelt they were. Walter stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders, still acting the way a father would stand with his daughter. Azure broke through everyone and dashed to her, her own tears streaming down her face and sobs hitching in her breath.

Walter looked at them, his face a show of regrets, as he took responsibility for stirring up old emotions and raising ghosts from the past. Moon saw him and went over taking him and leading him aside from the girls.

"It's not your fault, Walter. Don't think for a second you did anything wrong. Spirit knew there was something still eating away at Golden, no matter how much she became immersed in peace and love."

"I still feel bad about upsetting all you young folk. If it wasn't for me coming out here, Christi would be fine and putting this behind her. Now it's back in her life and I know how much it hurts her."

"It would have come out sooner or later, Walter, it had to. Fate wouldn't let this lie unanswered and unresolved in her, it had to come about. Fate just decided today was the day."

"Fate or not, Moon, it still tears at the heart to see that little girl like that."

"I guess she reached her limit to hold it all inside and after seeing you again, she knew she couldn't continue to live a lie. I'm glad it was you, Walter. If she needed anyone right now to let this go, it's you."

"If she needs me, I'll always be there for her. My missus and I hoped she'd come stay with us, after it happened, but she let out as fast as she could, the moment her folks turned their back to her."

"I always thought something was bothering her, but she hid it so well from us. Only Spirit could truly sense something in her, but she kept her thoughts about it secret."

"Spirit, I take it that's one of those girls in there.?"

"Yes, the one I was just standing with. Long, dark, brown hair and slim, her, right over there."

Moon pointed out Spirit and Walter saw who he referred to.

"Nice looking girl."

"My life's companion, my soul mate."

"Yeah, know what you mean there. Jessie was my soul mate. Like peas in a pod, we were, two peas in a pod."

"Say, Walter, would you like to stay and have supper with us? We have more than enough, because we're always feeding an army every night."

"You sure? You don't think the others will mind an old bugger like me hanging around? Can't say as I shared a meal with someone in a while."

"You're not the only person over thirty here, Walter. Marlene is too, I believe close to fifty herself, but please, don't ever and I mean ever, tell her that."

"That the pretty redhead over yonder?"

"That's her."

"She looks sorta familiar, not sure why."

"Not really a secret, Walter, but that ruckus you called it, over in Charming, the shooting."

"Yeah."

"That was the woman who was shot. She's a friend of everyone's and we're looking after her for awhile, at least until she knows what she wants to do."

"You're right, nice folks yourself, you know that?"

"Thank you, Walter, that's really nice of you to say."

"Don't see what all the fuss is about, all over this hippie thing you kids are doing these days. All I'm seeing, is you wanting the war to end, the riots to stop and you're all going around talking about loving one another and such. How's a body supposed to object to that?"

"Yeah, we feel the same way. One day they'll listen to us and stop the killing and hating. Maybe we'll get someone who'll listen and they won't shoot him, if he agrees with us."

"Ain't that the truth. So, let's go in and meet these nice people of yours."

"Sure Walter, come on in and make yourself at home. Anything we have, you're welcome to it."

"That's right neighbourly of you, Moon, right neighbourly."

Moon put his arm over Walter's shoulders and walked him back in the room and took the time to introduce him to everyone. Golden shared in it and recited some past moments they shared together, when she was a young girl. Laughter became more pronounced, as the past expressions of hatred and remorse were put aside and left alone. The house was filled with humanity of all kinds, the harmony of love making it a place to feel at home in. Smells of dinner cooking had yearnings for it being called out, the girls calling back out to grab a plate and utensils and line up. Walter was served first and given a comfortable chair, a fresh beer opened and brought to him. He smiled with great happiness at being treated with such kindness and care.

The boundaries of age and the barriers of acceptance, were challenged and broken down by them, as they shared stories of the past and present, of what was and what it is now. One thing that was certain, was the commune had a new friend and someone who would make sure they were taken care of so they could make the farm work properly.

JT took a moment to study Marlene and see how she was doing, if she was fitting in or not. She was laughing along with everyone and not really showing her sexual side, which made him happy to see she was truly trying. What did make him take a bit of interest, was how she and Phoenix seemed to be getting along. They weren't acting like a couple, but a like of each other was there between them.

After dinner, they took Walter for a tour of the house and the addition. They were showing him the new bathroom and the spot where three tubs would go. Walter asked if they had the tubs yet, to which they said no, it was hard to find free standing tubs anywhere. As a stroke of luck, Walter had seven or eight back at the farm, that he used for feed troughs, but he was only using two now for his cows since he downsized. The girls were excited beyond belief that he had just what they were looking for and they were free to take.

It was close to midnight, by the time they went to take Walter back home, who promised to be back out soon to show them how the tractor worked and help pull the broken gate post. Golden hugged him with great love and affection, kissing his cheek and laying her face against his chest. Azure came over and did the same, joining her spirit twin in expressing their love.

Wally pulled down the lane and stopped in front of Walter's house, a big hound getting up off the porch wagging his tail, as he saw Walter get out. He stood with his dog and waved goodbye, as Wally drove back to the farm, the tail lights red glare getting fainter with distance.

Walter went inside and sat in his armchair and switched the table lamp on. He reached in between a group of pictures and took a small, framed picture out of it. He held it under the light and looked at it, seeing Jessie and eleven year old Christine sitting together in the chair beside his. He looked at the empty chair, remembering seeing them there so many times, Christi sitting in her lap, while she read stories to her about princesses and fair maidens. He looked at the picture again and held it to his heart, feeling the tears come to him. It was hard for him not to let the feelings of being with her again affect him. Seeing her with his loving wife and how many years she was gone from their lives, never knowing where she was, or how she was doing. Now here she was again and as he looked at the picture, he knew she would never leave him again, without saying goodbye and staying in touch.

Golden was the centre of attention with everyone around her, listening to her explain in more detail, everything that happened to her grandparents and what her parents had done to them and why. Once she finished, no one could fault her for wanting to hate her parents. They would have sold the farm as well, but the will prevented it from happening. Everything else was sold off and spent on new cars and a bigger house for themselves, while her mother's parents were committed to a senior's residence. She only went once to see them and that was to let them know they would never go back to the farm again.

Golden left home less than a week later and never said another word to her parents and swore she never would again. Her limitations on her love, wouldn't allow her to accept what they had done and no amount of apologies could erase it from her heart. Before everyone went to bed, it was agreed on by the girls, that Golden needed a circle done for her in the morning. Bodies were happily snuggled up with, as the chilly night air set in.

Only two things were up and busy, starting the day at six o'clock and that was nature and Walter. He had the chain attached to the post and was shovelling around it a few feet down to make it easier to pull out. When the M-F diesel came to life, so did the sleeping people inside the house. Guys came out and looked at Walter on the tractor, easing the post out slowly, as girls watched from bedroom windows. The bottom of the post came out and Walter dragged it a few feet, before stopping and getting down.

"Sorry, couldn't wait all day for you folks to decide to get out of bed. Figured most normal people would be up and done most their chores by now."

"And we came across as normal people when,Walter?"

"Got a point there. Still, you want to run a farm right. Got to start as early as the day will let you."

"That's true, Walter and hey, thanks for pulling the post out for us. That looked pretty easy the way you did it."

"Why not? I'm the one put it in, in the first place."

"You did the posts?"

"Posts and fence. I helped with that barn yonder and that porch you sit on."

"Wow, no kidding?"

"Christi, I guess I should start calling her Golden now, knows. She was sitting with Eloise and Jessie watching Lindsay and me put them in. They painted the fence white, once we were done a section. Fast as we got one up, they were painting it."

"Lot of memories here for you, eh Walter?"

"Sure are, son. Spent many a night playing cards and having a party or two to celebrate a birthday or some such thing, you know?"