Harmony (39 page)

The buggy continued along the dirt road and she followed. As soon as she parked the others arrived and circled the car. When she opened the door several of the women gasped, covering their children’s eyes from looking upon her. The stranger spoke to the alarmed people and whatever he said seemed to calm the crowd. Three men hurried to the car and they worked together to bring Vinnie out. Harmony stood there remembering her gun. She hoped on one saw it. It could turn the situation bad. The men carried Vinnie up the stairs of the house and inside.

“
Does anyone speak English?” she asked the crowd.

A girl in the group raised her hand. She was small in stature with clear blue eyes and hair so blonde it looked white. She glanced over to the older man, as if she sought his approval for her to approach.

“
Tell him I’m grateful. I only wanted help, I don’t want any trouble. We just need help.”

She looked to the older man who stared at her with hard eyes. It was clear he helped Vinnie because of his being with her. They all looked at her skin as if she had arrived from another world.

“
He’s my, my friend.”

The girl stepped out of the crowd. She walked over to the older man and bowed her head when she spoke. She said something to him in a hushed tone. His gaze went from her to Harmony. He nodded. He spoke and Harmony knew his words were addressed to her.

“
His name is Ishmael. I’m Mary. He says I’m to clean you up. They will look after your friend.”

“
Thank you! Tell him thank you!”

The girl did as she was asked but the older man had already started to walk away. Harmony swung her gaze back through the cloud of staring faces. Many refused to make eye contact with her. Only the children stared at her with open awe.

“
Come with me.”

“
I can get my things.”

“
No. I will give you something to wear. It’s expected. Leave your car and things. No one will touch it.”

The request was odd, but she was in no position to argue. The others gave her wide space, making sure she didn’t pass close enough to touch them. She didn’t care what any of them thought, she just wanted to get to Vinnie. Instead she followed the girl to her home. When she entered the tiny house made of wood and logs she was asked to stand near the door. The girl reappeared with a large washtub and headed out past Harmony. She followed her to the well and under her instruction pumped water. Harmony hadn’t eaten or slept and had no idea what time it was, or how far in Pennsylvania they had driven. But she waited for the girl and tried not to seem like a nuisance. She was then led the short distance to a barn carrying one end of the tub while the young woman carried the other. Harmony realized they wanted her to clean up in the same place relegated for the livestock. She swallowed her pride and did so quickly. The girl gave her a calf length plain-cut dress with a white apron.

“
Are you hungry? It’s time for Jacob to return from the fields and I’ve already prepared dinner.”

“
Yes. I would like to know about my friend, if he is okay?”

“
They will tell us when there is news.”

Harmony followed her out of the barn. They headed back to her tiny home with Harmony in bare feet. “How did you learn to speak English?”

“
My father, he felt strongly that we should know. Ishmael granted it for me but not the others. I translate mostly. We do get strangers at times. So it’s useful.”

“
Oh. Okay.”

That was the last of their conversation. She was brought into their home and even welcomed at the table. She sat with them and ate in silence. Jacob looked to be as old as her. Mary however couldn’t have been any older than fifteen. When dinner was done a knock came. A young man spoke briefly to Jacob and he then addressed Mary. Her eyes turned to Harmony with sympathy.

“
Your friend has a fever. He also has severe injuries. They are not sure if he will live, but they will continue to try to help him.”

“
Can I see him?”

“
No. I’m sorry you cannot. Ishmael forbids it. He says we are to give you an area to sleep. In the morning we will know more.”

Harmony swallowed her objections. They stared at her waiting. When she nodded her acceptance she could see them visibly relax. It was strange, their community. Though they regarded her as the foreigner, the simple lifestyle and singular thinking made her a bit nervous. How long could she sit with these people and just wait?

After the visitor left Harmony was led to a room and given a blanket and pillow to sleep on the floor. Exhaustion got the best of her and she slept for the rest of the night. And so it went for two days. She worked in the yard with Mary and tended to the animals. They were very kind to her, but denied her even the simplest of conversation. Mary would only speak to her when spoken to, and offered shy smiles when Harmony tried to press for more details about her life.

The solitude gave her time to come to peace with her conflict over the things she’d done. She regretted nothing. Still she refused to justify any of her actions. Vinnie rested behind doors, locked away from her. At night she’d leave her room and sit on the porch, staring out at the stars. He’d wake soon, and he’d demand answers. She prayed he would set aside his pride to see the blessing they had with this second chance she bought them. However, she was prepared if he didn’t. Life held much more promise than ever before and she wouldn’t give up on her dreams for anyone.

On the third day, while carrying a bucket of water to fill the troth she thought she heard her name. Harmony glanced to the left and squinted at the sun blaring in her face. A man walked stiffly toward her. He balanced his steps with a cane. It was Vinnie. The bruising around his eyes had healed enough for him to open them, but his face was covered in ghastly bruises, the left side of his jaw was a bit swollen and protruded. Harmony dropped her water bucket.

“
Vinnie? Vinnie!” She ran through the tall grass for him. Mary glanced up from where she led a horse into the stable and others within distance stopped to observe. She stopped herself from throwing her arms around his neck. But he surprised her by bringing her to him. He held her as others that were around stopped to watch.

“
They wouldn’t let me see you. I knew they were helping you so I didn’t push. But I was so scared.”

“
Don’t be. I’m fine.” He let go of his cane to hold her to the best of his abilities. “I’m fine.” She lifted her face and the soft press of their lips made the past two days of torture worth it.

“
We’re leaving. Today.” He lifted her chin. “Can you be ready?”

“
Are you sure? You aren’t a hundred percent.”

He glanced up and she looked behind her to see Jacob had joined Mary and was staring at her. He then lowered his gaze to her matronly dress and white head bonnet. “We aren’t really wanted here. Besides, I need to talk to you. To understand… how this all came to be.”

Harmony bit down on her bottom lip and her stomach fluttered with nervous energy. “I guess I owe you an explanation. I just don’t want you on the road if you aren’t ready for the drive. It can be tiring… we have such a distance left. We’re in Pennsylvania somewhere.”

“
I made sure I was able to sit upright without much pain before I left the bed. What I want to know, Songbird is how you managed it?”

Tears slipped down her cheeks. “You won’t be happy about what I did.”

“
I’m happy to have you again.” he kissed her forehead. “Get our car, and change out of these clothes. We need to go.”

They said their goodbyes with Mary’s help. Ishmael seem relieved to have them leaving. He did come out and wish them well. They drove off the land and headed back to the main road before she got the nerve to speak. She told him everything, starting with the plan she concocted with Paulette. She confessed what she did with the fifteen thousand he gave her. He cut her a few looks but didn’t interrupt. She explained how she found him. How she got him out and why they ended up with those people.

“
Stop the car,” he said.

“
Why?”

“
Stop the damn car!” he yelled.

Harmony veered over and off the road. Vinnie threw the door open. He got out of the car and limped away. She turned in her seat to see him behind the vehicle pacing on his bad leg. Releasing a deep sigh she opened her car door and got out.

“
Don’t!” he warned, turning from her in anger.

“
Sorry Vinnie. I know you’re angry. Guess you think there’s some honor in dying. Well I say it’s bullshit. I love you dammit. I wasn’t about to let them have you, and I’m not sorry for it! I had to kill someone! Do you hear me? And all you can do is blame me? After everything I’ve done for you!”

He turned on her and the glare he fixed her with shook her confidence. He stepped to her and the rage on his face had her paralyzed. “You think this is about my ego?”

“
Isn’t it?”

“
NO! For fuck’s sake! You could have been killed. Dammit Harmony, I did all of this to protect you and you go to them and into a gun fight, for what?”

“
For you! You asshole! I did it for you.”

He heaved a deep sigh. “If you had died.”

“
I didn’t. I’m here, and so are you. Frankly I don’t give a shit anymore about the reasons we are. We’re here, and I’m not sorry for anything I’ve done to save your life.”

With his strong arm he reached for her and drew her to him. She went into his arms careful of the one in the sling. “I’m sorry, Songbird. Of course I’m grateful, relieved to have you again. I’m sorry. It’s the thought of you being hurt, it makes me bullheaded.”

“
You’re angry. You wanted me to leave you there to die? Just walk away? How could I do that?”

“
I’m angry because I was too stubborn to leave with you. I won’t make that mistake anymore.” He walked her back to the car and held the door for her. He returned to the passenger side and they drove off together. Her heart lifted when he reached over and ran his hand over her thigh and relaxed back in the seat. From that day forward they never discussed the events of that night.

“
To the very end?” Harmony asked.

He cut her a sly smile. “Who says it has to end?”

Epilogue

Heart Song

9 Months Later

Romano paced. John Red Horse smoked his pipe and tracked him with his large brown eyes. “You are sure to wear a hole in those shoes from the back and forth,” he warned.

“
How long does this take? They’ve been in there for six hours.”

Harmony cried out in agony again and his stomach dropped. He felt physically ill.

“
Suggest you take a seat. It may be awhile. Maria is with her. Women have babies every day.”

“
Not my woman! Do you hear how she screams in there? I’m going in.” Romano marched toward the hall.

“
I wouldn’t advise that!” Red Horse yelled to his back while rocking in his chair. Romano reached the door just as a small Native woman named Etoya stepped out of it. Harmony took to Etoya the day they arrived. It was the old woman that told her that she was with child. Her name meant The Greatest. She was from the Comanche tribe. Red Horse and her had been together since they were in their early teens and runaways from the camps in 1865, towards the end of the Civil War. Etoya had more wisdom than any man or woman he’d ever met. She pointed to the front of their house and he had no choice but to turn around.

When he walked back out Red Horse chuckled and blew out a stream of tobacco. “Told you. White man never have patience. Think it’s in your blood.”

Romano waved him off. He tried to calm himself. He had to stop believing their happiness was on borrowed time.

“
Baby wake up.” Harmony eased her warm thigh over his leg and the velvety feel of her curves pressed into his body and stirred his arousal. He turned his head on his pillow and squinted against the soft light cast over their bed from under a glass lampshade. Her brown eyes were moist enough to reflect his image within their depths. There were times when she looked at him with such love he couldn’t speak. No woman had ever captured his feelings as completely as she had. Harmony’s lips connected with his and his lids fell shut once more. “You awake?” she asked running the tip of her tongue over the seam of his pressed together lips and slipping him a deep kiss.