BOOK ONE: DECEPTIONS
Chapters One to Twenty Six
Vignettes 1 - 140

BOOK TWO: YESTERDAY ECHOES
Chapters 27 to
Vignettes 141 -

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Vignette #68: Gifts

Janie and Kyle had come to the back porch as Ronnie Kyle waddled around the corner of the house screaming “Come Quick!”

“What’s all the fuss about?” Janie asked as she dried her hands on her apron.

“Mama, Mr. Ian brought me some stuff for the museum…” He placed the box, almost as long as he was tall, on the stoop and tried to open it. Reese bent down and slit open the tape and the boy tore into the box.

Ian helped him lifted the first piece out and explained as he stripped away the tissue paper. “These are what we call promo mock ups. I have one for every new TV show that the network is going to air this fall. Well…not all of them, just the one’s that I’m developing.”

“What’s a mock up?” He asked.

“It’s a blow up of the advertisements we are going to run in newspapers and magazines to tell people about the shows. They are very important because with one look we have to try and tell you all about the show and make you want to watch it.”

“Cool! And these are for me?”

“All for you, but you have to promise me that you won’t sell these to the newspaper or anything. You are the first person outside my office to see these.”

“Wow!” Ronnie pulled out each mock up and Ian explained it, how it the idea was formed and what they had decided to do. Ronnie even had a few suggestions.

“I don’t like this color.” He said. “This makes me think the show will be scary and I don’t like scary…”

“Hmmm…” Ian said. “I hadn’t thought of that, but you are right. See? I’m glad I gave these to you. You found a mistake. I’ll have to change this before my meeting next week. You’ll be a great television executive one day…”

Ronnie looked up at Ian and beamed with pride. His eyes got big. “You wanna see my kittens?” Before Ian could say no, Ronnie grabbed his hand and started dragging him toward the barn.

“Ronnie, we should start getting ready soon.” Janie said starting to put everything back in the box.

“This’ll just take a minute, Mama.” With that Ronnie and the two visitors were out of her sight.

Like it or not Ian quickly found himself in the old barn. The moment the door opened the smell wafted him back in time. Kyle had repaired and replaced much of the wood, but in Ian’s mind it was still the same place.

“Over here.” He heard Ronnie say.

Ian’s eyes scanned the walls, the smell of hay forcing his mind to scan the memories. His eyes shot to the left, the door was still there to the tack room. His head lifted to see the upper loft.

He wondered if the old corn chute was still buried in the bales there. It was his hiding place as a child, just big enough to squeeze down in and not be found. Ian had spent too many nights there, trembling in fear waiting for his Uncle Nate to either calm down or pass out.

“How many are there?” He heard Reese ask the boy.

“Just three now.” Ian finally focused on the child and his friend crouched down in the corner. “They was five, but one died and we give one away.”

When the cats heard the boy’s voice, they started popping out of a little hole the mother had made between bales. Very quickly Reese and Ronnie found themselves covered in the furry little critters.

“They old enough to give away now, and Daddy says we gots to find ‘em all homes.” The boy cuddled a smoky colored one with long hair in his arms. “This ‘ens my favorite.”

“What’s its name?” Reese asked as he scratched the ears of a yellow tabby, who in turn rolled his head to feel the scratching deeper and began to purr.

“I ain’t named him. I got to give him away, so tain’t fair to name him.” Ronnie looked up at Ian. He held the kitten out to him. “You wanna hold one, Mr, Ian?”

Ian smiled. “Uh, no thanks. I’ll just stand here and watch.”

Reese looked at Ronnie. “I think he’s afraid of cats.”

“That’s silly.” The boy said. “Are you afraid a kittens, Mr. Ian?”

“Of course not. I just never really cared for them much.”

“Aw, they ain’t gonna hurt’cha.” Ronnie reached for another flipped it over on its belly and rubbed. The little cat just rolled and purred loudly. “See? They’s as sweet as they can be.”

“I’m sure they are.” Ian said. “I just…they’re vermin with attitude. I just don’t care for them, but they’re very pretty.”

Ronnie shook his head and turned to Reese, who was enjoying playing with a little black and white furball. “That’n likes you Mr. Reese. You wan’ it? I’ll give it to ya.”

“Well, thank you Ronnie, but I’d better not.” He pointed at Ian, who was taking a step backward when the little smoky kitten bounced a step towards him.

“You just stay over there you little rodent. Nobody wants you over here.” Ian said to the kitten.

Reese leaned over to Ronnie and whispered. “It’s just me and Mr. Ian in my little plane. I think putting a cat in there with him might make him jump out the window.”

Ronnie giggled. “Well, we better go get cleaned up.” He stood, picked up the kittens one by one and dropped them all in the little hay hole. Ian watched him kiss each one and say goodbye.

“They’re beautiful Ronnie.” Ian told him. “Thank you for showing them to us.”

“Yeah, maybe next time, he’ll even touch one.” Reese teased.

“That’s not gonna happen.” Ian muttered. “Those things are nasty.”

“Well, com’mon then.” Ronnie headed toward the barn door, Reese helping him heft the sturdy wood. Ian held the door open as the two stepped through. Ian took just a second to look back.

For a moment he went back in time again. He had begun to tremble when he heard Ronnie’s voice. “Mr. Ian? You comin’?”

“Yeah.” He called back. Ian took one last look, sweeping his eyes over the walls and the hay. He nodded his head. “Just an old barn.” He said out loud.

The smoky cat poked his head out of the hole and looked at Ian. Ian stared at it a moment, and the thing popped out and headed toward him. Ian slipped out the door and stuck his head back. The little cat was quickly making his way toward him.

Ian looked at the cat. “Don’t even think about it.” And quickly shut the door.

Everyone was on the porch when Ian got there. Janie looked at him and smiled. “Ever thing alright?”

“Fine.” Ian said. “Thank you. You’ve done amazing things here, but memories still come back.”

Janie nodded her head and looked at the floor of her porch. “I know. It must be hard for you.”

“It’s fine, Janie, just fine.” Ian tried to assure her. “You’ve made a beautiful family here. It’s exactly what this place needed. Knowing the love and laughter here, it helps to wipe away…” Ian shook his head. “You understand.”

She nodded her head. “You boys can change in Ronnie’s room. Ronnie you go put these away and then change clothes.”

“Okay, Mama…” he grabbed up his box and ran toward the chicken coop…er...museum, but stopped and turned to Ian. “Oh thank you so much Mr. Ian…thank you thank you thank you.”

“You’re welcome…and thank you!” And the boy was off. Ian held up the painting so Janie and Kyle could see it. “Do either of you by any chance know how this ended up here?”

“The boy and me found it in the barn, in the old tack room all wrapped up and behind some old sheet rock.” Kyle said. “Why, isn’t it yours?”

“No…but I have a match to it in my home in L.A. That’s what puzzles me. Is it possible that it belongs to Jude?” He asked Janie.

“My Daddy? I doubt it…I know he lived in that room for a while, but…well you can ask him if he comes to the service…” She was just as puzzled now as Ian was.

“I’m sure he’ll be there…he and Miz Hilary were close, almost like two peas in a pod…”
Kyle added.

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