Editor's Note - Coda

Editor's Note:Emmeline and Josephine - Born To Run
Having had only bits and pieces from which to work, I, Jacqueline Hackworth, have rendered what was left of the remaining notebooks of my long-lost sister, Josephine Hackworth, into these chapters of 'fiction', to protect certain innocent folk and to cloak any guilty parties in case of threat of prosecution,retribution,
or name-calling...
These events took place so many years ago that I am doubtful of the latter; most of the good people of 'Pankhurst' have long forgotten such ancient history. These chapters cover, although not necessarily in chronological order, roughly the years between 1896 - 1912.
They came into my hands from 'Jack' in the story, to whom they were left, by my sister Josephine, who stayed with him and his two friends at 'Crowley Place'. After Josephine's 'last curtain call',he had kept them for many years against her return. But, the final word I last heard from my sister was from
Mount Shasta where she and Ambrose had purchased some property near the small hamlet of 'Weed'.
As I have stated, this is entirely a work of fiction on my own part, although based upon certain actual characters and events. Although I do know that Jo and Ambrose took aliases after settling about Shasta, what their names were, and in fact, what ultimately happened to them, remains a mystery.
Knowing my sister, however, I believe I can finally say that she seemed to find at last the peace she was looking for at the end of her long journey, there in the high country with the Old Gringo. And, the efforts of her planting for peace can now be found throughout the land, in places, if one knows where to look.
All in all, a full life, one knowing both depths of despair and free mountain vistas, 'buena vistas' as she would say, a life which knew many strange and wonderful Things, events and people.
And, hopefully, with Time, a life in which she found peace and
where she could, at trail's end and at long last, take her boots off and sit a spell.
--Jacqueline Hackworth-Bowen, Editor
Quebec,  Canada
20 Avril 1929

Born To Run
by Paul Kennerley
sung by Emmylou Harris

Well I never did crawl and I never did toe that line
No man is a master to me I ain't that kind
I just put on my traveling shoes
If you wanna win you just can't lose the time
Or stay behind
Well I was born to run
To get ahead of the rest
And all that I wanted was to be the best
Just to feel free and be someone
I was born to be fast I was born to run
Well I take the chances sometimes I've made mistakes
But you don't get nothing unless you take the breaks
Living as dangerous as dynamite
Sure makes you feel nervous but it makes you feel alright
Makes you feel alright
Well I was born to run
To get ahead of the rest
And all that I wanted was to be the best
Just to feel free and be someone
I was born to be fast I was born to run
Nobody's gonna make me do things their way
By the time you figure it out it's yesterday
Well it comes to he who waits I'm told
But I don't need it when I'm old and gray
Yea I want it today
Well I was born to run
To get ahead of the rest
And all that I wanted was to be the best
Just to feel free and be someone
I was born to be fast I was born to run

view video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPq4LGzBVV0&feature=related

Fotos Lost In Time...

Jack and Em                                       Marta and Woody

                                                                          

                                 She's gone, Jack

Emmeline and Marco get acquainted

Epilogue

Epilogue
It had been 10 years ago since Emmeline had left Pankhurst on that midnight which seemed so long past to her now, it could have been a different lifetime.
There had been many changes since then, and Em herself had changed most of all. Youthful enthusiasm had banked down to a smoldering coal within her, no longer burning with such a bright, all-encompassing fire. She slept better, though, thanks to Marta's recetas...and, she must admit, she became exhausted sooner now.
Em rode alone down the same road that wound down to the valley from the dry hills that she and Jack had taken home from the hoe-down with the Guevara's on that long-ago evening. She smiled, recalling the good times...Jack and his Blue Suede Shoes! She sighed and pulled her horse up, and gazed out over the valley below as she took a sip from her canteen. There it was; Pankhurst. It struck her then that she was viewing it as though she'd never seen it before.
That, was a good thing.
'Well, not getting any younger just sitting here, eh, Pancho?' Her
bay horse snorted and was eager to head down to the valley where he could smell water. 'Yes,the Rio Americain! We can even swim!' She patted his dusty hide. Her own hide felt as dry and powdered with the road. Why not? A swim would be just the thing on a hot spring day...
                             . . . . .
Lying against a huge oak tree, Pancho tethered and grazing nearby, Em relaxed and ate her lunch as she dried off from her swim. No one about but hawks and turkey buzzards circling the skies, occasional quail and the odd wild turkey and squirrel. She munched her apple as she observed a lizard zip up the tree branch to share her space.
Little heat-seeker, she thought, smiling lazily. He was welcome...
She knew she was putting off heading into town proper. She'd discovered after all these years on the road, that she preferred her own company most of all, and craved time alone, out in the wild. She'd inklings that she had a hermit's soul before, she just never had time to find out for sure. She knew now that the Road Less Traveled was hers.
She'd seen and done much along that road. In the beginning, she'd return here, occasionally, in the first few years, after the Guevaras were sure it was safe. Their place, as well as Marco's was still in tact and finding not much more had changed than the gardens gone wild.
She'd seen Jack and Al and Yeats again, but she always kept her stay short, and was always eager to be off with Marta again.
She found she loved much about the deserts, and the high deserts in the mountainous regions of the southwest. The desert in bloom in spring, and the high pine regions and red rock country called to her. She couldn't bear life in the towns anymore...and she liked the folks out in the mountains and small villages. She and Marco had become close, having much in common, with their background helping Lev with his unionizing and activism. She was surprised at first, but not much, when she found that Lev and Marco had also been very close. Well, there was much to love about Lev! She knew that he and Alejandro were still together down south and quite content, as were Alice and Frank, still. Em would visit with Marco
when she went to see Marta...he was still a good friend. Her capitan, Keithcliff, had found a Canadian girl in B.C. and had settled there;well, whenever he was in port, that is...she knew that he couldn't give up the sea, just as she was made to follow that road which winds ever on...
And, she had seen la Revolucion! She'd seen more than she had wished to, there...and still had some bad dreams over things that had been burned into her mind's-eye. But, overall, she knew that
power had corrupted politics there to the point that a total revolucion was the only way to ensure any change. And change was required.
No, little Pankhurst had not been so corrupt. Not yet, Em reminded herself. She could see how small cracks in the liberty bell could allow power and despotism to gain control even here, though. She had no illusions anymore. What would it take to abolish greed? If change was ever to come; real, true and lasting change in the world, people themselves would have to change, intrinsically. Perhaps at a cellular level.
Pancho interrupted his grazing to snort as he lifted his head and
looked off over the river. Deer, Emmeline saw, two doe and a young buck, antlers just buds. These creatures knew how to live upon the planet. Unlike those others behind the closed doors of the town. Em sighed, well, there's no putting it off any longer. She had one last job to do here...
Saddled up again, Em and Pancho headed into town. '...Oh, Lost River, now I'm coming back...'Em sang softly to herself. As she gained the outer reaches of Pankhurst, she suddenly realized how
out of place she both felt and looked. She wore a wide-brimmed Stetson, and wore a light poncho over her dungarees and boots. She probably looked a right vagrant, and with her hair tucked up under her hat she didn't even appear to be female, which served her well on the road.
She hid her smile as she clopped through the streets, the well-dressed ladies in their walking suits, carrying ruffled parasols eyeing her with distain, the men looking at her with narrow gazes trying to figure her out, the children openly laughing at her and running. At least they weren't lobbing rocks, the little...rascals.
She came at last to the Guevara's fence and well-tended yard, with garden a riot of green and bordered by flowers that the bugs favored rather than the vegetables within. Dismounting, she opened the gate, and led Pancho in back. 'Hola!' she called, as she tied him to the shed in back.
'There you are!' was Marta's greeting as she came out the back door. Emmeline embraced her  old friend at last.
'Made it before sundown. And,' Em removed her saddlebag from her shoulder, 'I have your herbs! And, a little something extra.'
'Come in and have some cold tea! Relax a minute! Ole Pancho can wait and graze a wee while!' Em took his saddle off and replaced his bridle with a halter, then followed Marta indoors.
'Ahhhh...' Em sighed as she sat in an armchair and Marta handed her a cold glass of tea. 'The comforts of civilization!'
'Take off your boots and stay awhile?' Marta asked, as she joined Em.She looked at her young friend, not so young anymore, she had to admit. Emmeline had some lines upon her tanned face, like a road map, which is what happened to those who chose a travelling life.Her firey red hair was still thick and long though, and Em removed her hat and shook her hair loose, still damp from her swim.
'I'd never want to put them back on again.No, won't be more than a jerk-water stop this time, Marta.' Emmeline regarded Marta, who seemed, unlike Em, not much changed over the years.'Como estas? How is Tina and Leon?'
All was well with the Guevaras and Marco, as well as the Crowley House crowd. Woody's business had done well and he had opened a restaurant now, on the Pankhurst side of the river. 'He is nearly respectable now!'Marta told her, laughing.'Even the mayor goes there for his bar-be-que!'
'A little more popularity than he needs!' Was Em's comment. 'That's great, though...'She bent down and picked up an item from her saddlebag. 'Alright, Marta, this is for you.' And, she removed a small sack that was wrapped up in a woolen scarf. Opening the bag, she took out a white, ovoid object.
'Ooooh, that Thing!' Marta recognized it from the Night of the Blue Flames. 'I didn't know you still had that Thing! Big medicine, that.'
'Yes. It is.'Em agreed. 'I've kept it with me these many years. And, it is little changed, unlike the rest of us,'she mused. 'But,
recently, I noticed it was showing a faint line around it,here,'
She pointed along the side of the artefact, which now had a thin line running around the outside.
'I thought then, that it looked like it had a lid! And so...' Em took the top of the Thing, and pulled gently up. The Thing opened.
'Oh, my!'Marta peered within. 'What is it?'
'It's yours,'Em told her. 'It's a seed.'
Marta held out her hand, and Em tipped the small fat grey seed within her palm. 'Hm! So, do you know what it grows?'
'A plant.' Em smiled.
'Oh, very good, Senorita Smartypants!'Marta rolled her eyes and sat back eyeing her find.
'I've actually been planting them wherever I travel! And they grow well, in the roughest places!'
'Is this the last seed then?'Marta asked.
'No. There's always just one. Until I open it again. And then, there is another.'
'Big medicine, indeed!' Marta was impressed. 'Yes, Em, gracias! I will plant this magic bean! Will it grow to a castle in the sky perhaps?'
'Much better!' Em assured her, as she stood.'Well, I should probably be going soon...I told my friend to meet me here when he's finished with business in town...Ah! That may him now!'
Hoofbeats sounded outside the house, and the women exited to find a
large black Andalusian carrying a handsome silver-haired gentleman also clad in wide-brimmed Stetson and poncho, who made a sweeping bow from his saddle.'Buenos tardes, ladies! Forgive me for insisting, but I must insist we ride, my dear! It's Time...'
Marta turned to Emmeline then, and gave her a hug. 'Ah, you and Ambrose!' She smiled knowingly. 'I thought you and the old gringo would get along well!'She released Em then who saddled up
Pancho and got his gear together then Marta raised her hand to shield her eyes from the setting sun and regarded the Old Gringo. 'You don't bite, do you Ambrose?' She asked him.
'Only in print, dear lady.' He allowed, and Marta laughed.
'However, my captiousness grows less, with Time...'
Emmeline, now geared-up for the road, mounted Pancho and walked him over to Ambrose, who leaned over and kissed Em gently.'Ready, then?'
'As I'll ever be,'she sighed. 'Hasta luego, Marta! Take good care of your little seed. A seed of change.'
'Good,'Marta said,'Change is needed.We'll see you again, soon, though, no? Jack has been asking about you, as always!'
Ambrose looked at Em then. 'No, not this time,'Emmeline answered.'We're heading over to Lake Tahoe, then following the Sierra up into the Cascades and up north aways. We've much seed to plant!'
'I like that area up north,' Ambrose allowed. 'Maybe look around for some land up by Mount Shasta.'
'Well! Have a care! Strange goings on around that mountain! People  go missing and no one ever finds them! Strange lights in the skies! The Indians can tell you some stories like you wouldn't believe!'Marta warned them, then smiled. 'No stranger than the two of you, I suppose...'
'True,'Em smiled. 'Good to see you again, Marta. Tell Tina and Leon 'Hola' from us! And, say hi to Crowley House for me. And, tell Jack...'she paused, looking at Ambrose, 'Tell Jack I said...goodbye.'
'That's something, best said yourself, Em.'Marta raised a brow.
'Next time.' Em nodded, 'Well, let's vamanos! We'll stop by Homer and Jethro's later tonight...should get there before it's too dark.' And Em and Ambrose turned their horses back to that long and winding road.
'Adiosa!' called Marta. 'You don't take so long coming back next time! You must come see how your seed has grown!'
'That I will, Marta! Take care!' Emmeline called, as she and Ambrose waved from their saddles and headed off, into the sunset, together.
Marta watched them go awhile, then gazed at the odd little fat seed she held. 'So! A magic bean, eh? Where did you come from, little seed? And why are you here! Well, only one way to find out!' And she turned then and grabbed her hoe and began to dig a space in the far corner of her garden, next to the chilies. 'There,' she patted the seed into the ground and held her watering can over it, sprinkling drops. 'Now we'll see what you can do! Big medicine!'
She laughed and patted the dirt again. 'Grow tall and fat, little seed! The world is waiting!'
                          . . . . .
There's a lost river that flows
In a valley where no one goes,
Where the wild water's rush
Rumbles deep in the hush.
Gone far from there now,
Lord I'll be back somehow
To where the lost river winds
In the shadow of the pines
Oh, lost river, now I'm coming back
To the pot-belly stove, where the firewood's all stacked
Oh quebec girl, go with me,
Oh my belle, my fleur de lis,
Where the lost river winds
In the shadow of the pines
Now every body knows
Where that lost river flows
It's someplace he's lost
Behind bridges that he's crossed
Well, he'd like to return,
But his bridges are all burned
And he's much too far down
To return to higher ground
Oh, lost river, now I'm coming back
To the pot-belly stove, where the firewood's all stacked
Oh quebec girl, go with me,
Oh my belle, my fleur de lis,
Where the lost river winds
In the shadow of the pines
Oh lost river, far over ther ridge
Now is it too late for me to build me a new bridge?
To the bright golden time
When her love was still mine
And the world was still wild
Like the heart of a child
Oh, lost river, now I'm coming back
To the pot-belly stove, where the firewood's all stacked
Oh quebec girl, go with me,
Oh my belle, my fleur de lis,
Where the lost river winds
In the shadow of the pines
Where the lost river winds
In the shadow of the pines

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOhr48vevCY

Em and Marta's Scrumptious Lowfat Tamales

 Tamale Time! Ah, the delicioso scent of masa steaming away...nothing better! These are vegan and gluten-free AND ecstatically delicious!You must be prepared for tamale making, takes 2-3 hrs. If you cook filling the day before it can go abit quicker.

Ingredients: dried corn husks--a dozen or so. and first, after peeling them apart, soak in hot water about 20 min.for ez handling.
Vegan sour cream, if using.
filling:i made 2 different kinds 1.
sautee:1/4 c. chopped garlic, 1/3 c. ch. onion, ditto. chopped peppers, same amount of chopped mushrooms. add
1/2 c. corn kernels. & about 1/3 c. chopped cilantro..
i added slices of zucchini, can also use greens, about
1 cup. season with chilie powder, cumin, oregano & soy sauce. Sautee til near-done. Add abit of water to make stock to add to masa later. Save stock. Then, add chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, NOT MUCH, about 1 tbsp. to
about 1/2 c. tomato sauce. stir well into the vegie mix, & cook another 3 min.
2.also cooked up a yam & beans for an alternate filling using the sofrito above, w/black eye peas.When done, mashem up for the filling, add sr. cream.
the masa:
3 c.masa harina corn flour (not cornmeal)Maseca brand is good.
mixup w/ about 1 tsp. baking powder
1/3 c. vegan spread (i use Earth Balance, soy-free)
abit of'stock' from sautee above,to make wet, pliable, about 1/4 c.
Separate corn husks, tear some into strips to tie tamales.
laying husk out, spoon masa mix onto husk and spread to about 1 in. from all sides. Spoon filling on top making a thick line down middle. Add sour cream if using. taking 1 side of husk, fold over middle, then fold over other side, pressing together as much as possible. Fold up small bottom end of husk over top and tie with strip of husk. Can also fold over top and tie if you want.
Put enough water in steamer, & keep adding enough to steam tamales for about 55 min. Lay leftover husks on bottom of steamer tray, then layer tamales on top. Add a final layer of husks on top, lid on, and we're steamin'!
Note: when done, approach tamales carefully--they're hot!
Use tongs. Let sit a bit, first. But, oh, when you unwrap that baby and dig in...! Well we're in Tamale Heaven 4 sure.
Muy Bueno!

Dinner and a Movie Time! The following all go well with tamales:best choice: Like Water For Chocolate!!! (you go, Gertrudis!) or:
Frida, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Once Upon A Time In Mexico, any Zorro movies (Antonio Banderas is always worth a look, no?) El Mariachi, House of Spirits, Oliver Stone's South of the Border, Che, Motorcycle Diaries, Belle Epoch, Gaudi Afternoon and El sueño del héroe.

Ch. 15 Gone But Not Forgotten

Ch. 15 Gone But Not Forgotten
'Let me out.'
Jack stood staring down at the cornmeal boundary, breathing hard.
Yeats scuffed an opening with his foot. Jack ran from the room and up the stairs, two at a time.
'We may all exit the circle, it's safe now,'Yeats said.
                          . . . . .
Emmeline flopped down upon the sofa, still clutching the ovoid object. 'What just happened here, Mr. Yeats?' She asked, looking down at it, as the others freed themselves of the spell cast by the strange event that had marked this equinox as something rather from out of the Twilight Zone.
Yeats was staring at the staircase after Jack. He sighed gently.
'We had a visitation.' He said and turned to the others.
'Yes,' Marta agreed, sitting at last and taking a sip of cold coffee. 'But of what sort? From whom, or from what?'
Yeats took his time in answering. Aleister headed back to the brandy, and proferred the bottle to the company. 'I believe I shall join you, Aleister,' Em allowed, still staring down at the artefact.
Al brought a glass to Em, then headed for the kitchen with his. 'I'll just start some fresh coffee.'
Tina joined her mother beside Emmeline on the sofa and held her hand. 'Whatever they were,' Marta declared, 'I do not think that they were spirits from the other side.'
When Aleister returned, Yeats spoke at last. 'I believe, you are correct, Marta. Although the professor had supposedly perished in the fire which destroyed his lab, I believe that the body was never found.'
Emmeline drank a long sip of brandy. 'Yes. That is so.' She leaned her head against her hand, 'I...was much younger then, and upset of course. I simply took the police's word that nothing was found of the body, and believed him to be dead.'
'Apparently....' Yeats continued, 'He had gone for a last Time Walk. Possibly...he has been Walking ever since, or, like Frank, had been caught Inbetween, unable to exit.'
Em frowned at this. As upsetting as it was to hear this news, she did not wish anyone to be caught Inbetween, even her father. 'Why, then, did he not exit, as did Daryl? And Jack's uncle...is he also Timewalking?' She rubbed her forehead, 'So much of this, I don't understand. What had happened with Jack's parents, then?'
Yeats heaved a great sigh and sat in one of the armchairs. 'Is that coffee ready yet?' He enquired. Aleister nodded and went into the kitchen, reappearing with a hot pot on a tray, and he poured fresh courage around for all, then took a seat himself in the other armchair.
Taking a long drink, Yeats spoke at last. 'Jack is very close about it all. But, what we know is only this: Supposedly, ' he accented the word, 'Jack's parents and uncle were vacationing on Daryl's sailboat, off the coast of Bermuda. Jack, of course, was at school at the time. He spent much of his young life in boarding schools...anyway, there came a storm at sea, and the Caribbean can be a challenge for even the most experienced sailor. All, were believed to have been lost at sea. Even Daryl.'
'That, is why he blames his uncle for their deaths?' Em enquired.
Aleister spoke then. 'That, and for other things...but, he didn't really know his uncle well. They hadn't spent much time together.
After Jack was born, Daryl seemed to...absent himself from the rest of the family, especially Jack's father,Drake...' Al frowned into his glass. 'The two brothers did not get along well. But Sarah, Jack's mother, tried to patch up their differences and when Jack was older, Daryl made the occasional appearance, always with some extravagant gift or boon to bestow upon him. Anyway, they all were together somehow, for some reason, on this vacation far from home...from which they never returned. And, Daryl had named Jack as heir in his will. All very curious.'He concluded.
'I see.' Emmeline was trying to. She wondered if everyone there was thinking the same thoughts as she. Obviously, Jack favored his uncle...and Daryl had disappeared when Jack was born.
 And then became estranged from the family...and made Jack his heir. Then there was Daryl's parting remarks. Rather telling.
Yeats added, 'Jack is very receptive, like yourself, Emmeline. He absorbs energy, and ideas from the ethers. That, is why I keep things from him...it isn't that I do not trust him.' He drank down the coffee. 'You noticed that you were able to leave the circle, while I had to make an opening for Jack. He had absorbed some of Daryl's energy. He is an empath.Sometimes...he is not quite himself.Or something more.'
Emmeline believed she knew what he meant. Jack needed to learn to shield himself.'I think, I'll just see if Jack would like something to drink...at worst, he can just refuse...'
She put her brandy glass on the tray, poured Jack's mug with fresh coffee then paused, and poured a glass of brandy for him as well, She headed upstairs.
                               . . . . .
Emmeline passed the second story where Jack's room was. She knew he wouldn't be there.
Up to the third floor then, and she knocked upon his 'practice room', the turret room door, No answer. 'Jack?' She asked. 'It's me, Em. I brought some fresh coffee for us.'
After awhile, she heard movement behind the door, and it opened.
It was dark inside, but from the window outside, some moonlight showed through. 'I'll light a candle, Em, just a moment.' Jack did so and Em set her tray down upon a low table in one corner. The room was sparse, open floor ready for martial arts practice. Beautiful sets of katana hung upon the walls. Next to the low pine table were two large floor pillows against the wall with tatami underneath. Jack motioned Emmeline to be seated.
'There's brandy and coffee, Jack.'
He stood above her, gazing outside at the moon. He paced before the window awhile, then seemed to see her at last. Coming over to where she sat, he seated himself cross-legged upon the big pillow and looked down at the floor. Sighing then, he looked over at her, then took the brandy glass. 'There isn't enough cognac in the world to dull the pain tonight,' he said and drank.
Em said nothing right away. She sensed he needed some time and space. But, perhaps he didn't want to be altogether alone...'It's been...a challenging evening,' she allowed.
He gave a soft snort at that, and drank off the brandy.
'...It is odd, though...to see my father, and Daryl, together,' she mused.
'Yes.' Jack agreed, and frowned. 'I wonder what it means.'
'As do I. It's something I...did not wish to see,' Em concluded.
'Exactly, Em. Exactly.' Jack reached for the coffee then, drinking gratefully. 'I didn't need this...gods, no.'
Emmeline sighed. 'I don't know what to do, now, Jack! Can we do anything? Must we do something? And, what, or how?' Em rubbed her forehead again. 'I'm getting a headache just thinking of it...'
Jack frowned out the window. 'I just wish to forget that it happened.' Then, recalling himself, 'I mean...as far as Daryl goes...'he sighed, 'If you like, Em, I'll see what may be done for your father. Possibly...he's caught in a timestream and is having problems returning...'
'What of your uncle, though, Jack? Surely no one deserves to be caught out of time, as Frank was, for so long?'
Jack hung his head. 'Em...you don't know...'
She put a hand on his shoulder then. 'Jack, I did not get along well with my father. You know that. But I can't just leave him trapped in  limbo! Not if I could do something to help.'
He looked at Em. 'I just don't have it in me to help Daryl. Not now.' He looked down.
Em finished her brandy. 'There's just so very much to deal with just now!' She sighed. 'Let's focus on the present moment! Our chief concern is the safety of Marco and the Guevaras!'
'You're right, Em.' Jack took her hand then. 'Thank you. I was driving myself crazy up here, thinking only...' he frowned, '...only that I wanted to kill Daryl.'
'Jack, no.'Em knew this was serious. 'You don't. You're angry, and upset. You don't mean that.'
'Of course not, I...can't kill anyone. I don't want that weighing down my heart and soul. But if anyone deserved...'
Em put her hand on Jack's arm then, and then touched his face, a shadow on his cheek where his beard was returning. She felt it then, and smiled. 'An 11 o'clock shadow?' She asked.
'Is that the time?'said Jack absently, taking Em's hand that held his cheek, and kissed her palm.
'Perhaps,'Em said, 'It is.' And she took his chin in hand and turned his face to hers and leaned into his lips, pressing gently with her own. He held still, and when she released him, he kept his eyes closed, with his mouth open slightly, as if in midst of a dream from which he did not wish to awaken 
Em felt it had been a good kiss. Perhaps another would be as well... She tried it...taking the back of his head in her hand, her fingers in his hair, she pulled him down to her and took his mouth in hers again. Jack responded and held her shoulder, pulling her close, and pressing against her lips as though they held the secret of life itself. Em felt rather dizzy, but rather amazed, still. As they drew apart, she thought, now THAT was a kiss!
Jack drew breath, mouth open, eyes closed, still. 'Jack...?'
'Yes, Em...?'
Emmeline touched his face again. 'You'll be alright, Jack.'She pronounced.
'I think so.' he agreed.
He stood then, and pulled her up with him, holding her close. 'Thank you, Em.' He just held her awhile. Gods, what a night! But, she was right. The main thing to concentrate upon was their friend's more immediate problems, not some phantoms from the past...He took her hand, 'Let's head back down to the others.'
                          . . . . .

When they returned to the parlor below, with only  firelight illuminating the scene, their friends all lit by a warm orange glow, Em realized how much she cared for these people, all of them, even Jack. She took his hand at the bottom of the stairs and they walked together into the room.
'Ah!' Marta spotted them first. 'Come, join us! We have been 'telling tales 'round the campfire!''
Em and Jack sat on the rug together, and leaned back upon the couch, in the spaces between Marta and Tina, who lay back against the sofa's arm and was bravely attempting to keep her eyes open, Em now saw.
'Tina...you've been up early and working hard! I know! Let us head on up to your room, now! We'll alert you soon as we hear from Leon!Come!Tomorrow we can fight El Tigre...'Tina laughed, and Emmeline took her arm ,despite her protests, and woman-handled her friend upstairs and into bed.
Jack meanwhile, lay his head back and Marta caressed his hair. 'You have hair like my son, Leon...'
'The Lion,' said Jack who despite knowing he should protest, somehow simply couldn't. 'Oh, Marta...that feels so...so... a..ahh..mazing...'He loved it when women rubbed his head...and tugged his hair...and...oh...Em had kissed him! And, he felt that it was good! Oh, gods...that nearly took the sting out of seeing bloody Daryl. No, don't go there!
Just here, now....
One...'
Jack breathed in and counted to himself....out...two....in....three...out...four...
and Marta stroked his hair. Jack allowed himself to be soothed, something he rarely had a chance to do....Al and Yeats were playing a game of poker at the corner table meanwhile, and the fire seemed altogether normal now...even Alice had crept back inside and was seated on Al's shoulders as was her wont...
Gods, what a night...it was the best of nights and the worst...
The horror of seeing Daryl again, had been balanced by Emmeline's
concern for him and her kiss...whatever happened now, he would never forget that blessed kiss...
When Em returned to the parlor, she smiled. Oh, Marta, yes. thank you. That's good, Jack needs that touch now. She suspected that Marta was enjoying it as well...
'She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow! Oh, how I wish I could do that!' Em butted Marta to move over mejor on the sofa, pretending to be jealous.
'You cannot sleep, nina?' Marta asked, looking at Em. She still pulled Jack's hair though, to his delight.
Em sighed deeply. 'I never have, Marta. As long as I can recall.'
'Querida! I did not know! We can help with that.' She nodded and began massaging Jack's head in earnest with both hands. He made a noise like a buffalo orgasming...
'I...' Em laughed,herself, 'I...ah...'giggles...'Oh, what a night!' She saw Jack smiling, eyes closed. Good. He's had a shock, Em knew. He just wasn't ready to admit it to himself.
'I can't sleep! Oh, Marta it has been the bane of my life! I watch others sleep and think migods...such bliss! It takes me hours to sleep and then but briefly and I wake again! Oh Marta...' Em shut her piehole then. What was she talkin'!? And here Marta was worried about her son...'Marta, it's nothing...'
Eeesh, she talked when she was nervous. Not good. When she talked like this, Jack would just look at her, then away and say, 'That's the Chip talking.' whatever that meant.
Marta took Em's hand. 'We'll fix you up. No problem. I have a very good receta; both recipe and remedy, yes!' She rubbed Em's neck then, as well. 'But YOU! You two!' She shook her head. 'Both have the same energy! I could see it, hovering about the two of you. Now, I know who it is.' She rubbed and tilted Em's head back, pulling her hair, gently. 'Someone is trying to contact you both.Also...I think, maybe...you may have been together at some other place and time. In the far east perhaps' She let that hang in the air awhile. Blowing in the wind. 'And as to you, nina! Senorita Ocho!' She drew a diagram around Em's back, in a figure eight, then pressed her warm hand where the infinity sign intersected. 'There, no?'
'Oh, yes...' Em's head was back and she ached, especially her lower back, ever since she'd been working at the library, hauling heavy books about.
'So! To be born on the 8th day of the 8th month means...' Marta paused for emphasis. '...you have a backache!'
'True!' Em straightened. '...That's IT!?'
Marta laughed and rubbed her shoulders. 'No, my dear...there is a reason for that...it's because you carry a heavy load. It is a number of fate, of destiny. You are here to fulfill your karma. You know what is karma, si?' Em nodded, heavily. 'Old man Saturn, Chronos...and Ma-at!, The Balance, the weigher of souls, the Egyptians, the gypsies call her...the waning light, the golden sunset,..Libra...as in liberate, as in libros...'
Em's head nodded, her eyes closed, as Marta kneaded her sore shoulders...'...It's true, veridad en suenos!' she announced. 'Libros, books and libraries! And Libras, liberation and liberty!'
'Pancho Villa was a Libra...'Jack added, eyes closed still.
Marta paused a moment. 'You have heard of la Revolucion? Yes, Diaz must go, the cabrone...' She shook her head, 'To have exiled Teresita, es muy malo...we'll see what Ricardo and Enrique will do now!' She hugged Emmeline then. 'Be of brave heart, cara!
This could be your last incarnation! Most people of the eight
vibration have voluntarily taken upon themselves a  heavy load in order to free themselves at last,from the wheel of karma, and others as well.'
'Liberty...' Em thought of her captain's boat. Keithcliff had wished to name her 'Emmeline' and as flattering as that was, Em simply couldn't agree. Her captain loved America, the country and American ladies, especially. 'Name her 'Lady Liberty' for that lady in the harbor then!' Em had told him, and Lady Liberty she became.
'I would wager that you Jack also have an eight vibration. What is the date of your birthday?' Marta asked.
'May 26th...'Jack answered.
'Ah, you see? It adds up. But not quite so heavy...' Marta trailed off.'Gemini...' She said. 'There are two of you, Jack, at least! Sometimes, you feel split down the middle, no?'
'In some ways,' Jack answered, but then he thought of the earlier events of the evening and hoped that he hadn't an evil twin at loose in the real world in the shape of his wicked Uncle Daryl.
Time crept on toward the witching hour. The fire was burning low. Jack considered adding more wood, and wondered what the wee hours of the night would bring.
Suddenly Alice stood upon Al's shoulder, arching her back and a shudder rippled through her. Yeats looked out the window. 'Hoofbeats!' He was up in a flash and headed for the door, Marta directly upon his heels.
It was Leon. It appeared Marco was with him. Both horses were hitched to the cart, and one was tied behind it, following the rest, Mariposa, most likely. Whatever this meant, it did not look good.
Yeats, Al and Marta ran to them as they came into the yard. Leon tied the horses up and helped Marco down from the cart. 'Aleister! Marco has been shot!'
Marta gasped, 'No!' Aleister was at Marco's other side and the men helped him indoors.
'It's not so bad, just grazed my shoulder, is all,' Marco said.
'Let's have a look,' Aleister sat him next to the fire and turned up the lantern beside them. Taking Marco's coat from about his shoulders, he saw a tourniquet had been applied above the wound, which had torn off quite a piece of flesh. 'Ripped right through, at least! We can patch you up, and help stop the bleeding...' Al had kept his case handy downstairs tonight, and set to work.
'What happened?'Marta asked Leon.
'We still don't know who it was. They wore hoods, white hoods with eyeholes. I didn't recognize the voices either. Probably some hired guns that the gentry were paying to 'fix things'...' Leon looked grim. 'It's not safe for us here any longer, momi.
We must leave town for awhile. I want us all to go. Tina can find work elsewhere. In Mexico City...'
'Yes,'Marta sighed. 'Your father can help us now. Oh, to think it has come to this for some small silly prejudice!' She looked at Marco, wincing from Aleister's ministrations with disinfecting alcohol. 'Marco must come as well.'
'Of course.' Leon agreed. 'We all must go. And we should stay gone awhile. We had to...well, we had to do what we must. We laid traps, but one fool got himself entangled in the rope that was to
catch his foot...and,with the damned sheet he was wearing, the rope wrapped up in it somehow and...he hung himself.' He looked down, sighing. 'We were busy with the others, and didn't find him until it was too late.'
'A man was killed?' Marta looked stricken. 'Oh, Leon, no...'
'That was the only casualty. A stupid mistake...But they will not view it as self-defense! You know that!' Leon was adamant.
'We must go.' Marco agreed, as Aleister bandaged his arm. 'We can fill in details later, but you must believe us...it is best to leave, soon as possible, and to remain far from here for a good long while.'
'I brought things in the cart we may need. I feared this may happen and had packed some basic necessities against this night...'Leon had planned well, and thought out the worse case scenario. 'We will head south, now. Where is Tina?'
'I'll fetch her,' Emmeline offered, heading upstairs.
'Wait, Emmeline!' Marta stood, 'If you are serious about working for me, you will be coming with us as well, now!' She looked at Leon, who nodded. 'We may not return for some months.So get your stuff together, only essentials. We can always pick up what we need later. If you are coming with me, now is the time!'
Em had not expected this. But she knew what she must do. 'I'll be right with you.' And she flew up the stairs.
Jack couldn't believe the turn of events this night had taken. He followed Emmeline, to find her helping Tina get ready.
'Em...' he began.
She turned and silently pushed past him as she entered her room and pulled down her carpetbag and hastily gathered some clothing together, shoving it inside.
Jack looked pained, but he exited and headed to his own room then. When he returned, Emmeline was buttoning her coat and sat upon the bed, trying to put her boots on at the same time. 'Em,' Jack sat beside her. 'Do you really insist on going...? There may be a lynch-mob after you!'
'I can't stay here, Jack!' Em laced her boots, determined.
'Why? Why not? There is no reason to make yourself a fugitive!'
'I already feel like one...I can't explain now, Jack! I simply cannot stay here...I would just be living on your charity...and I...'She sighed,'I am sick of Pankhurst! This small-minded, bigoted, gossiping, little place full of crooks on city-payrolls!
You can't understand, Jack! You're a man,a white male at that! You're always able to do what you wish! I have a chance to live my life the way I wish to, and be free! That is what I want Jack, that's all I have ever wanted!' She stood then, as did he, and she faced him.
'If that's truly how you feel, Em...then, take this, please! Keep it safe!' He held out an envelope. 'It's the settlement I got from Moore, from the library. You deserve it, Em.'He took her hand and pressed the money into it.
'Jack, I...'
Tina was at the door. 'We're leaving Em. If you're coming?'
'I'll be right down!' Tina exited, and Em looked at Jack.
'Thank you. I'll never forget the kindness you and Aleister and Mr. Yeats have shown me!' She threw her arms about Jack and hugged him close, tearing up a little. Jack felt his world crashing about him. This couldn't be happening!
He looked at her and touched her face, 'Please, Em...I don't know what I'd do if you left. I'd go mad with worry. Don't do this to me!'
She looked at him,and tears fell from their eyes.But he could see  steel behind the sadness in hers. She reached around his head and sinking her fingers one last time into his rich dark hair, she pulled him to her, and kissed him tenderly. She heard him make a sound somewhere between a whimper and a groan...and knew she felt the same.Oh, gods, this was hard...she hated feeling such love for him, and knowing she had to turn away from it. She released him and turned, grabbing her satchel.'I must go.'
Jack swiped his eyes with his sleeve, gasping.'Alright.' She headed for the door, and he grabbed her arm, 'Emmeline. Don't ever forget I love you. You always have a place to come to, here with me.'
She touched his face once more and smiled through her tears. 'I will send word to you, as soon as I can. We'll make it out of here alright, don't worry! But we have to go--now!' She kissed him quickly, then ran down the stairs before she could change her mind, Jack at her heels.
'No time, no time!' Marta was calling from the door. 'Vamanos!'
All had gathered in the yard. Marta climbed into the seat beside Tina and made room for Em. Emmeline tossed her bag into the back of the cart and turned to give Aleister a quick hug goodbye, and then Mr. Yeats. 'Stay safe, Emmeline. I will be keeping an eye on you!' He winked then.
'Jack...goodbye!' She hugged him quickly.
'Til we meet again, Em.' He kissed her, a hard, desperate kiss as though he needed it to survive, then she broke from him and he handed her up into the cart.
'We were not here, and you saw nothing!'Leon told them, as he turned the horses around.' Gracias, amigos! Wish us luck!'
'Good luck! Goodbye! Keep in touch! Be careful! Take care, Em!'
Aleister, Yeats, and Jack called to them all waved their friends farewell, and Jack felt that everything that could have possibly gone wrong in his life...just had.
                         . . . .
Everyone was silent in the cart as they headed south out of town, down a back road seldom used. As they bumped along as fast as they could over the old wagon track, Emmeline felt renewed. She wasn't taking any of this lightly, but she knew it was the right thing to do, for her.
The night was clear and starlit. It was past midnight and Emmeline had begun a new life. She just hoped she would live to see it! Somehow...she knew that they would be alright. The thought of taking any other course never occurred to her...she could no longer bear Pankhurst, for some reason. She had seen through the facade and it wasn't the same town that had sheltered Alice and herself for so long...Somehow she felt safer heading out of that whole wretched miasma.
She knew that her new life was calling her. And this was the only road for her to take. She would be free to be herself at last!
How grateful she was to Marta for offering her this honest, healthy work to do! That was all she had ever wanted in her life. To be free to live simply, as she wished, and not have to play so many roles that went against her better judgment....gods to be free of all that! As dear as Jack was to her, she feared his need of her. He had always been a free man. Few woman of her time could live as free. Having not walked in her moccasins, he couldn't know how important it is for her, to live free. To be herself. To have her own time, and space, just to breathe...
Emmeline took a deep breath of cold night air, tinged with eucalyptus and sage.  It smelled like freedom.
That's all she had ever asked for.
The turn of the century come next year, thought Emmeline. Time for a change.
                              . . .. .

Turn of the Century
There'll be flying boats, and condos with moats;
cultivated oceans, floating cities in the sky.
living underneath a bubble;
no more toil and trouble
Singin' 'bout that sweet ole by and by.
We'll all have lots of money
That we won't have to spend;
You'll be given everything
When everyone's your friend
Hanging out together
in picture perfect weather -
This time 'round the party never ends.
Hallelujah, I can't wait to see it
Hallelujah, come on and go with me
Let me show you the way it's gonna be
at the turn,
the turn of the century.
We won't need no TV preachers
to ask how much we gave
we won't need no TV preachers,
there's no need to be saved
no more fighting for a country
no child will go hungry
We'll be smiling from the cradle to the grave.
Hallelujah, I can't wait to see it
Hallelujah, come on and go with me
Let me show you the way it's gonna be
at the turn,
the turn of the century.
               

Ch. 14 An Unexpected Visit

Ch. 14 An Unexpected Visit
Emmeline and Aleister bid Homer & Jethro adieu and entered the house. Jack, they rightly surmised. had taken the General home with Leon...there to enjoy the festivities.
Al saw to the fire in the parlor whilst Em commandeered the woodstove.
'This pie looks so...glorious...' Al told her as he set it upon the stovetop to warm, and Em had to giggle.
'Well, it is good. Alice's recipe...where is Alice?' she enquired gazing about.
'Outside. She is getting to be a wild cat, I fear! She loves the out of doors! Although, ah! Here she is!' Al saw his calico Alice come trotting through the garden calling his name...Aleister opened the back door and scooped her up into his arms; she promptly took her place draped about his shoulders, 'She loves to ride up there!Ever since she arrived.' He glanced at his Alice all a-purr. 'And, all about the place! If I go out in the woods...'He sniffed over the pie as Alice stood and butted Aleister's head,purring all the while.'Oh, yes, just let 'er heat abit, eh?Ummm, smells divine!'
Em couldn't help but smile. 'She is a dear. I'm so glad you, we, took her in. She belongs here.'
Al and Alice were in agreement on that.
'She likes to go on moonlight walks! And lead. I follow the white spots in her coat...'
'Through the woods?' asked Em.
'Oh, yes! Not too far, but, it's a well-worn path, Em...' Al
turned the pie about on the stove-top as it warmed...
'Hel-lo!'
                       .........
"Mr. Yeats!' Em exclaimed.'You do know when to make an appearance. How IS that I wonder?'
Yeats held an unreadable masklike visage akin to Iggy Pop
ala Star Trek.
'Just In time for pie...'Al set about sectioning said victual with samurai-like precision.
'Not bad...' Yeats proclaimed, dishing up Em's sweet lil ole pie, ah well, it'd be too bad if Jack didn't get any...she was enjoying herself here with Yeats and Al and Alice...Oh she did hope that the Kahlos would let her know of any news!... She couldn't wait to see the pups.How time fugets indeed.
And her nephew's birthday soon! Oh, she did not like this modern world (whirled) that spun so fast--she could hardly keep up.
It had been perhaps a year since they were together last.
But, the rains had come. The air smelled fresh and everything needed a soak. Em still brought her seeds with her, and hoped to plant in her part of the garden...or she would miss that, very much, if she was too mobile to keep a garden. Well, she would see. Marta kept a garden but it was Tina and Leon's as well.
She could speak with Yeats and the others, to see if they could see to her plants in her absence. She sighed. Yes, I see why Marta wanted to make certain I could adjust to being a gypsy...ah. Again, that gypsy...keeps following me...like a song, that travels on and on,and won't leave me alone. Em could almost hear the music...
'Pie, Em?' Al smiled and offered, along with a dollop of cream.
'It's goat yogurt, try it! Got some from our neighbors. Good if you're lactose intolerant.'
They certainly didn't argue. Busy with piehole stuffing.
                             . ....
Later, gathered about the parlor fire with coffee, Em and Al knew they had to break the news to Yeats about Jack. He'd be enquiring as to his whereabouts soon.
Al sighed as he stroked Alice upon his lap. 'Quite a day at the races...'he shook his head slowly. 'No, Em, I don't really ken much of what Jack does sometimes. He's a law unto himself.'
Yeats eyes gleamed under his dark brows as he took note of this conversation, but as yet said nothing. Emmeline was curious.
'So...he often takes surprising turns, then?'
'One might put it that way.' Al agreed. 'What you have to understand Em...and you probably do not realize...back in our time, Jack is a well-known personage, although an extremely private one. In his early years, an enfant terrible, yes, but he seemed to settle down  after college, and was engaged by a private R&D consortium...research and development,' he went on, in answer to her raised eyebrows.'He developed time travel to the extent that we now use it, from Dr. Stein's and your father's research. And...he is considered to be somewhat of a scientific genius.'
Emmeline had no idea. Well, she knew about his research of course, but not that Jack was a famous...'genius' did Al say?
'I...certainly had not realized. And where did you come in, then Aleister?'
'I am but a humble engineer.'Al answered. ' I work with my hands, and developed the ideas that Jack came up with. I put the boots on his notions so that they may walk in the world, you might say...'
Em smiled at the simile.'I see. I wonder then...if the old saying is true. That genius and madness walk a fine line together.'
Yeats roused himself at that point. 'I am getting the idea that there is something I have been missing in this conversation.'
Emmeline and Aleister looked at one another. Alice leapt from Al's ample lap and he stood and went to the cigar-box on the mantle, extracting a cigarillo. Striking a lucifer, he puffed on it awhile, then gazed into the fire. 'Jack...is at the Guevara's. He rode the General in the race, which Leon won riding El Capitan, and is now presumably there with them all, having ridden back with them to celebrate .'
Yeats said nothing. However a sort of dark, seething energy seemed to arise from about his person. Alice took a look his way and ran from the room.
'I see.' Was Yeats's only comment.
                             . . . . .
Emmeline wisely had decided to take sanctuary at Alice's for a time. She had been staying there ever since the Day At The Races. She had exited Crowley House before Jack's return and not only had she no idea how things were there now, she didn't spare much thought about it, as Frida had had her pups at Kahlo's next door now, 2 white and 2 black Scotties, and Emmeline was busy as acting auntie, as well with events at the Guevara's which had taken a decidedly strange turn...
The day after the races, Leon had found odd markings someone had painted upon their barn. Symbols of some sort, which no one recognized. Having painted over them, they returned again. No one knew the when, who. why or how of these odd occurrances. No sign of the perpetrator(s) could be discovered. But Marta was
understandably upset.
'Marco said he found the same symbols upon his tack room.' Marta had told Emmeline, who stopped by on her bike ride. 'No damage, just these...'
'Warnings.'Leon said, gruffly. 'That's what it means of course!
Someone does not like the race results, that is obvious! But that could mean any number of people!' He paced about the room.
'I'll be waiting up tonight on watch, as will Marco! Don't worry, momi, we will be with friends and we have weapons ourselves!'
'That is what worries me!' Marta touched his arm, but he took her hand, and looked at her then. 'I don't want you here, momi.
I want for you and Tina to be someplace safe, and I do not think that you should stay here tonight.'
Marta began to object, but Emmeline offered,'Marta, you and Tina can stay at Crowley Place with us, then! There is plenty of room, and our friends would be only too happy to help you!'
After much arguing, Marta gave in at last. They decided that Em would return with a cart to fetch them this evening when Tina returned from work.
To the victors go the spoils, so it is said. But someone definately wanted to spoil this victory.
                               . . . .
Em returned then back to Crowley Place for the first time since race day...and realized that tonight was the Equinox. She'd been so busy she had nearly forgotten...well, it was hardly a time for any celebratory rites tonight. She would pass on the druid's festivities. She knew that she, Marta and Tina would all be too anxious to think of anything but recent upsets and wondering where it would lead...
All seemed quiet within the house.Em leaned her bike against the porch railing and approached the entrance. She had her key, but she still knocked upon the door. After abit, Yeats answered. 'You needn't knock, my dear. This is your house, too, you know,' And he ushered her within.
No sign of Jack or Aleister. 'Mr. Yeats, there has been some...difficulty at the Guevara's,'she began. Yeats showed her into the parlor and they took seats beside the fire, as she told her tale. He agreed immediately that Marta and Tina should stay at Crowley place, and even broached the idea that Leon and Marco, as well as the horses, should perhaps come as well. 'We can ask,'said Em, 'But I think the men wish to catch whoever is doing this. They will have both Marco's and the Guevara's well-guarded. Many of their friends have volunteered to keep watch with them.'
Having made plans to fetch Marta and Tina that evening, Emmeline prepared rooms for them while Yeats set about dinner preparations. She hadn't seen either Jack or Al, and did not enquire. Let sleeping dogs lie...wherever they were, she thought. She'd enough to think about as it was.
                              . . . . .
Equinox night was certainly not as Emmeline had envisioned it.
But, with Tina and Marta now safely at Crowley place, they made the best of things as they now were. Jack and Al had reappeared, (out and about 'Traveling', Em surmised) around dinner-time and had been apprised of recent events. All seemed rather status quo, although there was a new more subdued air about Jack, she did notice.
A fine dinner and some wine had helped to lessen their guest's anxiety levels somewhat, and all were gathered in the parlor with coffee, to await the evening's unfoldment.
'The equinox, tonight,' Marta was saying. 'If these symbols have meaning, whoever put them there may believe that tonight is of some consequence.'
Tina took her mother's hands and held them. 'I have never seen so many men so well-hidden!' She assured her, looking at the company in the parlor. 'At first glance, you would think no one was home! But all about, in the trees, bushes, attic, basement, and hayloft, are all armed guards waiting!' She shook her head.
'Leon has made sure, no one will get by them.'
'I'm so worried someone will start something, though--!'Marta's eyes  held an almost palpable fear.
Tina patted her arm. 'They have some ingenious traps set! No one need fire a shot, don't worry momi!'
Yeats regarded all from on high. 'No one is going to want to discharge firearms so close to town. I have a feeling whoever is doing these things,-- probably some disgruntled society folk!--
will not want any publicity or notoriety to come from it at all.'
'That's true,'Aleister concurred, heading to the brandy decanters. 'If I may, offer just a tad of brandy?' No one accepted but himself.'No one would else would have cause to take offense at the race's outcome, and these people would wish to keep their good names unblemished.'

Jack sat in a slump, not having said much at all throughout the evening thus far. He seemed to have withdrawn in upon himself and Em thought about Aleister's disclosure...that he was some sort of famous genius in his own time. Why, then, was he here, she wondered? Was he on some special, secret misson? Or was he here in exile? Enforced or voluntary? Could he be in hiding, himself? Is that why he had these etheric guards, these 'magical defenses' all about his uncle's estate? It was all abit much.
Em attempted to lighten the evening's somber mood. 'The druids would all be gathered now about the bonfire...giving thanks to mother earth and asking her blessing for the new growing season.'
She smiled at the others. 'And, Frida has four new puppies, now...two black, two white!' The company's mood brightened at this news.
'Is that so?' Aleister smiled wide. 'Ach, I bet they're cute wee things...so what is the plan now for MacGregor?'
'The Kahlos enjoy having him there. But, should he become restless, I shall bring him here. He'll be so intrigued by new smells and sights to investigate, I think he'll be fine.'
They paused awhile and sipped their drinks. Marta stirred then.
'Well, I am thinking that perhaps, instead of just sitting here, waiting, we can take what measures we can to help set things in our favor. As it is the equinox--we too may ask Pachamama for her blessings and for her protection, no?'
All agreed and began to move the tea table aside and to clear a space before the fire. Emmeline returned from the kitchen with cornmeal, which she spread about the floor in a circle.
They stood gathered within it's boundaries and held hands, and  Yeats, as ex officio, began:
'Father Sky! Mother Earth! Guardians of the east, of the south, of the west and of the north, harken to our call! We, your children gather here to ask your blessing and your protection. As we stand within the sacred wheel, let those we love be also protected within the circle of your influence. May our horses be protected within the circle;fleet of foot, flowing of mane, gentle in character, and ever aware.
Together, with our horses, let us travel in peace. Let our camp be safe from harm.Let solid ground hold our feet. All our ancestors! Hear our calling! Mother Earth! Father Sky! Guide us as we follow our many paths through life, show us The Way in our dreams, may we live always together in harmony with nature and give us strength in our time of need. Let our breaths join with the breath of our sisters and brothers and together we shall stand strong. We stand upon your Sacred Ground together and so shall we be as One, together. Ancestors! Be with us now, hear your children's calls  that we all may walk the Good Red Road together in safety.  Mother Earth, Father Sky! The Sun is our Father, the Moon is Our Mother and our Ancestors are in the Stars! Our prayers are powerful, and will be answered. So mote it be.'
'So mote it be.' All echoed about the circle.
As the friends looked up then and gazed about them, Emmeline seemed to see the fire taking on an odd blue hue about the flames. 'Look!' she pointed, then.
'That's odd...'Aleister remarked, seeing the blue fire as well.
'Could it be an electrical discharge, perhaps?'
Jack spoke up at last. 'No clouds, thunder or lightning about  at all today...'
Yeats stepped forward toward the fire. 'Emmeline.' He looked her way. 'The artefact!' He nodded to her.
Believing the need to be exigent,Em complied and ran upstairs to where she had secreted the artefact in a special hidden loose
floorboard in her room. Even Jack didn't know of it, something she was confident, and glad, of. Retrieving the object, she was surprised when, entering the parlor, she saw all still standing within the circle, and gazing at a decidedly blue fire.
'Come, within the circle, Emmeline!' Yeats urged. She did step inside the cornmeal's sacred boundary and walked slowly before the cerulean flames, holding the artefact before her.
As she did so, the flames then seemed to seek the ovoid object she held, and appeared to lean slightly it's way. Yeats came and stood beside her at the ready. The object she could feel, had begun a delicate vibration and to her ears, at least, she could detect a faint hum. Jack had stepped behind her then, she
felt his heated presence. Marta and Tina stood watching the scene with undisguised astonishment. Aleister frowned at the
extemporaneous turn the ceremony had taken.
Soon, all could hear the humming which came from the object held within Emmeline's hands...as their gaze went from the fire to the object and back, Em thought she could begin to view the outlines of some sortof physical forms within the fire. 'I...see...someone! In the flames!'
As they stared into the fire, they too could perceive forms, somewhat vague, but something was moving independently of the flames. 'I see two...two people!' Emmeline was astonished.
'Who is it? Who do you see, Em?' Jack demanded.
'I see...'Em frowned as she narrowed her gaze...'I see...my father!' She gasped as a blue flame-tinged form rose above the fire in the form of a man, then died back down. Everyone had seen it happen. No one knew what it meant, or what was happening, in truth, nor what it may portend. In a shaky voice, Emmeline continued, 'I see...someone else.' Her voice was choked as she tried to make out the visage which flickered in and out amongst the azure flames.'I see...you, Jack!' She announced and stepped back, then,  and Jack gently held her arms, as she backed into him, and he leaned forward, in effort to see what she saw...but what he beheld was not himself at all.
'...Daryl.' He pronounced.
                            . . . .
No sooner did Jack speak the name of his uncle, than the apparition took solid form... and stepped from the flames into the room. All retreated back...'Do not step outside the circle!'Yeats demanded they stop,as he spread his arms out as if to shepherd his errant flock. And,indeed, they noticed that Daryl remained where he was, outside the circle's boundary.
He looked entirely solid, no phantom this. Em noted her artefact had gone silent and still.
Everyone simply stared, astonished. Except for Jack, who looked like he would attack the man. 'You.'Was all he had to say to his long-lost uncle.
'How are you, son?' Daryl asked in a low, melodious voice.
Jack's face was dark with anger and his fists were balled tightly at his sides. Yeats put a hand on his shoulder, in warning.But Jack was not to be deterred. 'How dare you say that to me! After all you have done! You! You are the reason father and mother are dead! Why aren't you dead as well?
Go back to whatever hell you came from!' Jack spat these hateful words at the tall man who looked much as Jack surely would, one day.
'Ah. How little you know, that is exactly what I shall do.' The still handsome man kept cool eyes upon Jack;in fact, he seemed not to have aged since Jack had last laid sight upon him.
'Hate me a little, do you?' The man said, nodding. 'I am sad to say that yes, my brother and your mother are dead. I am sorry, Jack. I did all I could to save them both. You have no idea how much I regret their loss. Especially Sarah.'His voice held genuine pain.
'YOU did all you could? It was your fault, entirely your fault!'Jack sputtered,running a hand through his wild hair. 'I should...'
'Jack!' Yeats's grip tightened on his shoulder. 'No.'
Jack's breath came ragged and hard.But he stood where he was.
The tall dark stranger who was Jack's Uncle Daryl took a long glance about the parlor, alighting upon Emmeline whereupon he gave pause. He then gazed at the object she held before her. Van Horn made certain to make eye-lock with her then and simply stated: 'So. The Nexus is come at last. I owe my
visitation to you, my dear!' And Uncle Daryl made a sweeping bow before Emmeline.'All Is Not As It Seems!' He said to her, as he straightened and then turned to face them all.
 'Let It Be then, as you wish,' he said, lowering his gaze, 'I shall return now. But know this, Jack,' He held Jack then in his eye-grip,'--your father is not dead. And, as much as is allowed, he loves you very much.'
With that enigmatic declaration, the tall dark stranger bent beneath the fireplace and stepping within, blue flames engulfed him and in the next second, all trace of him disappered and the same old familiar fire returned, in all its' reds, oranges and golds and white...with very little blue.,,
                            . . . . .

Ch. 13 The Race is on and it looks like Heartache...

'Shane MacGowen is a Time Bandit!'
Jack couldn't believe it. Then again, maybe he could...
'That would explain alot...'
It was the next morning and the men were gathered out upon the veranda, coffee mugs in hand. Yeats, however had absented himself early.
'I just wish Yeats had given me half a chance to speak with him!
Never again will I get close to that mystery...' Jack leaned his head on his hand.
'Ah, well, perhaps you will...Michael had said that they travel 'round alot--the band of Irish Rovers...' Al smiled into his mug as he drank, at his own wee jest.
Jack sighed. Well, it could've been worse...at least Junior stayed out of sight last night and even Yeats had cut loose somewhat. ...Many different sides to old Yeats indeed Jack mused.
'I...suppose you'll be heading Off To The Races then today?' Jack enquired of Aleister.
Al paused and gazed out over the fields. 'Thought I might!' He looked at Jack then, 'Surely you're coming as well! I think Yeats wouldn't bar you from the audience! He'll not want you riding in the race, is the thing.'
'Oohh...I don't know...'Jack demurred, seemingly lost in thought.
'Well! Suit yourself!'Al stood and stretched, 'Wonder where ole Yeats has bod off to now? He was something else last night indeed!' Al shook his head, smiling...and strode off behind the stables singing 'Wild Colonial Boy' to himself.
                              . . . .
Emmeline was at the Guevara's where they were readying for the race. She had made a nice apple pie spiced with hints of ginger and cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and had spruced up her straw hat with sprigs of lavender. Ready as a gal can be...she sighed.
Marta came up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. 'Would that we could ride, nina! Ah, city folk! All these crazy rules that just limit the fun everyone could be having! Mostly, it's just for the profits and the glory to go the few...usually  white
and nearly all rich, men. Do not fret so, querida! When we head to hill country you will find villages that have their own rules, their own world in fact! And many are run by the head women, the wise curanderas! Men and women of long ago often shared power equally.'
Em looked at her. 'Truly, Marta? It sounds like a lost paradise...I would love to see such a place!'
Marta nodded. 'We shall. It will do you good! Now, play your little part today like a good bit player!' They laughed. 'We shall be rooting for your hermano Leon today--we are all familia here, Em. Your brother shall ride in your place, see...?'
Em smiled, 'Of course. He is out at the stables then?'
'Yes, he is readying El Capitan and the General for the race.'
'Ah! Who will be riding the General?'
Marta paused. 'Not sure. A friend of his, I believe...anyway, we shall meet them there. Will you find Tina and let her know, we should be on our way...Woody said he will pick us up soon.'
Em went upstairs to fetch Ernestine, or Ernestina as Marta insisted;and she had so named her daughter, but Tina believed that to be accepted more widely she should change her name to a less Latin appellative and so released the 'a' at the end and inserted an 'e' to Anglesize it. Who knew? Maybe playing that particular role was a favorable move for her. Em sighed, weary of the roles one must play nowadays...especially women, it seemed to her.When would people simply let others be themselves?
Em recalled reading storybooks when she was young wherein the young hero or knight or prince rode off to adventures and vanquished the villain or dragon and saved the village or castle to accolades and glory from all...didn't folk know that ANY child who read these stories, ALL bethought themselves that hero, that brave knight--be they man, or woman, white or black or red or Chinese or Eskimo--who wouldn't? Em sighed again. But, the hooks of 'civilization' are stabbed deep within and over time, she supposed, people just gave up and went along to their assigned 'roles'...and the only knights and princes and heros were the fortunate ones born into the 'correct' race and gender...
                            . . . . .
The fairgrounds sported a festive setting for the races; bunting hung from the grandstands and a community band played'neath a nearby bandstand. Quite a crowd had amassed already and all were  dressed in gay spring colors and light linen suits, milling about on the greensward, drinking punch and nibbling sweets offered by vendors.
Em and Tina were taking their pies over to the table whereupon a crowd of pies were placed beneath a sheet to shield them from flies and greedy fingers.
'Thank you, ladies!'Exclaimed the woman who was Pie Overseer for the day. 'And do take your bonnets to the poles just at the end of the course, there! Here are some stiff pins to hold them down!' She pointed to the newly erected posts and handed the ladies some lethal-looking hatpins.
As they strode in that direction, Em noticed a couple of smartly dressed gents in fine cream colored linen suits and straw boaters whom she believed looked familiar. 'Stephen! Ian!' She waved to the men who waved back and walked toward them.'How good to see you! It has been ages!'
'Emmeline, you are a sight for these sore eyes indeed!' Stephen exclaimed, whilst Ian brushed a kiss over their gloves and winked, as Emmeline made introductions:
'Ah, Stephen, Ian, please allow me to introduce my good friend, Ernestine Guevara. She works as a nurse at the hospital here.'
'Pleasure, I'm sure,' and 'Enchante'!' from Ian and Stephen respectively.
'Indeed, Emmeline, so much has happened since we saw you...was it at Mendation's then, when last we met?' Stephen asked.
'It was,'and Em filled her old friends in on all that had transpired; Alice leaving, the house sold, and her
own unceremonious exit from the library and new job and residence, as succinctly as possible.
'Oh, my.' Ian and Stephen exchanged glances. 'That is ample change indeed, my dear Em! I'm afraid things have been rather the same old with us, by comparison!'
'Yes,'Ian sighed. 'SOME things never change.'He leaned closer, 'Especially Pankhurst!' he said with some derision.
Em smiled. 'I feel exactly the same...'she sighed, 'We were just taking our bonnets--(she said the word as if she had meant 'horse-pucky' instead)--over to the posts there, and delivered our pies--(again with the 'horse-pucky-'pie nuance)as prizes INSTEAD of being able to actually ride in the race for a chance at some real prize money!'
Again the glances betwixt Stephen and Ian. Ian then offered his arm to Tina who smiled and accepted, as Stephen offered his to Em and the men escorted the women to the horse-pucky, er, hat-posts.
'Ah, Emmeline...not all is as it seems...'Again, that recurring dictum! Em thought. Stephen continued: 'Here the world sees a matched set of men and women, strolling together, contentedly in the arcadian spring sunshine!'
''Hark the lark at heaven's gate sings!''Ian couldn't help himself,and busted out a soprano high 'C'!!!-- and all laughed.Ian took up Stephen's thread then,'While, as charming as you ladies are, Stephen and I would far rather be strolling arm in arm together...or, perhaps...'
his gaze went to study the crowd of young men gathered together placing bets on the race.The implication wasn't lost on Tina, ever a quick study, who squeezed his arm in sympathy and smiled.
Ian touched his hat to her, grateful for the understanding.
'You see, Em, just this morning Ian and I were discussing which sort of pie WE would like to bring, and...'as they reached the poles and Em and Tina unpinned their hats and stuck them on the posts with a stab of the long pins, Stephen sighed,'would that it were our humble boaters up there, awaiting a handsome lad to
claim ours as well-won prize!'
Well, thought Emmeline, this indeed was another view of things!
'I hadn't really thought of things in that way! Thank you, gentlemen, we stand newly enlightened,indeed!' Goodness, what did this mean, then? Were there young lads who dreamed of handsome princes riding to THEIR rescue, instead of being the ones doing the rescuing? And what did that mean, to her? Hmmm. Em had always enjoyed the company of men. She just didn't wish to keep one about her too closely for too long, just yet...the call of the open road and lure of new buena vistas was upon her...but,
Yes, Em would have much brain-fodder to chew on today...
                          . . . .
It was approaching starting time, and so they headed to the grandstand to locate Marta and Em had thought that the Crowley House contingent would surely show, although she'd not seen hide nor hair of them as yet.,.Tina espied Marta and Woody waving them over so they took seats beside them and studied the entries now massing at the starting post.Most were fine breeds from rich family ranches in the valley, but here and there were some feisty recusant entries, even a paint horse and one appaloosa.
Marta held a lorgnette before her and gazed at the many and varied horses and their riders, seeking Leon. 'I can see Marco and Mariposa!Oh, that filly can fly!' She smiled at Em a moment.'She'll give them a run for their money! Let's see...ah! Here comes Leon and El Capitan at last!'
'And the General?' Em enquired.
'Yes, where is Generalisimo?'Tina asked. But Marta shook her head.
A horn player from the band was approaching the starting line, bugle in hand then.
'Ah, it is soon time!' Emmeline was on pins and needles, as were they all. Suddenly, there was a familiar form at Em's elbow. 'Aleister! I wondered where you all were! Do have a seat, the race is about to start!'
'Just now got here! Grabbed a ride with Homer and Jethro. Those lads can be rather, eh, distracting!' Em could note the hint of apple-brandy on his breath.She was wondering where Jack and Yeats were, when the 'field marshall' as the locals referred to the announcer, who was also the local auctioneer, Cassius Cosell, took up a bull-horn to proclaim, in his loud, monotone, just-the-facts-ma'am-voice: 'Ladies and Gentlemen! Take your seats, the race is about to begin!'And the bugle player let fly with a musical summons.
'Gentlemen!'Cosell turned to the jockeys. 'Take your places!' The riders duly jockied for place and the horses, all over-excited and none of them professional racers, took some time getting turned about and pointed in the right direction and holding the line as well as they might.
'On your marks!'Bellowed the field marshall,bullhorn in hand. 'Get set!'
--'GO!'And the flag dropped.
'....They'rrrrre OFF AND RUNNING!' The auctioneer also was in full throttle declaiming the race as the riders thundered past the stands...'...and it's Sierra in the lead with My Little Margie in a close second, followed by Mariposa neck and neck with El Cap-i-tan for third place...followed by Black Bart, San Juan Summer, Shy Anne and Murietta...and here's Lola's Luck and Dobbins coming up on the outside,with Warhorse, Company Man, Fauxfox and BumsRush tailing last... and what is this?...it's the General! Generalisimo has come from behind and is gaining on the pack!'
'What's happening, Marta!?' Em leaned over to her, as Marta strained to see with her lorgnette, 'Who is riding the General?'
'I can't quite tell! You know, they weren't even at the starting gate on time! Oh! I can see them now!' She took the glasses away, 'It's Jack!' She handed them to Emmeline.
'WHAT??!!' Chorused Em and Aleister, as she reached for the glasses and craned forward to see...oh, my lord and lady! It WAS Jack! That great idiot! Emmeline set her mouth tight and thought: Oh, if he surivives this dam'd race, I shall surely kill him!
'By gods, he's gaining place!' Woody exclaimed, 'What the heck is he doing riding a race though? You'd think he'd still be taking things easy...'
No one commented on the obvious: that's exactly what he should be doing, but all were thinking the same thing, as they followed the pack around the track, trying to make out who was who...
'...And it's El Capitan moving in front, and Sierra has fallen back to third place! Mariposa follows a close second, and here comes the General!'
Great cheers arose for 'the horse who came from behind' for all the crowd loved the underdog and this gave the race a bit more drama and was something unexpected for them.'Ohhh...they're cheering him on!' Em's voice was anxious. 'Oh, please, Jack don't do anything rash!' Too late for that, she thought.
They were heading back round the track and the pack had spread out some as some entries tired and fell back and the group in the lead tightened together. Suddenly a paint horse
came from behind and was gaining place.
'...And it's Shy Anne! Gaining on the outside! Shy Anne is now in third place, with Mariposa in second and El Capitan leading the pack!'
Em had relinquished the glasses back to Marta and held hard onto both Aleister's hand and Stephen's, biting her lower lip and scarely breathing as she watched the outcome, and who would have the dernier cri...? She was glad to see the General fall back some, oh, Jack, just give it a rest, will you...? she begged.
They were rounding the final turn and...'...Heading into the Home Stretch!---it looks like, yes, Shy Anne is hard on their heels...! It's Shy Anne, the pin-to pony, neck and neck with Mariposa...it looks like Mariposa is taking second place by a nose...with Shy Anne coming in third and yes!...' The pack streamed past the flag and the grandstands, the crowd on it's feet and shouting, 'El Capitan is the winner, folks! El Cap-i-tan!....'
Cosell proclaimed to the crowd.
Marta and Tina screamed with glee, bouncing on the seat and clapping. Woody hugged Marta and helped her up to go greet Leon in the winner's circle. Emmeline still sat, stunned. She felt utterly exhausted. 'Em?' Stephen leaned over to her, 'My dear, you have cut off circulation in my hand.'
'Oh! I am sorry!' She released the death-grip she had on her gentlemen friends. She exhaled at last. Al and Stephen both helped her up. 'I, I am simply beside myself just now!'
'As am I,'Aleister looked none too happy himself.'This bodes not well. A good thing Yeats isn't here, but, there will be no denying the whole thing! News of the entire race will be all over town within minutes!'Al shook his head as he helped Emmeline down the steps to the grass.'At least he came to no harm. Damned bloody fool!'
Em could have said exactly the same.
                         . . . .
After sailing past the flag the riders continued beyond to the hat-poles and snagged a bonnet each then the winner and those who placed headed to claim prizes while the rest of the pack
were mostly dismounted and awaiting, hat-in-hand, so to speak, for the ladies to claim their bonnet and offer pie, and hopefully, perhaps a kiss as well..
Em, Aleister, and Tina all followed Marta and Woody to the winner's circle, whilst Ian and Stephen trailed along after, meandering. There they saw a jubilant Leon and a sweating, snorting El Capitan chafing under the winner's flowered horseshoe about his neck, whilst Leon accepted the winning purse which he held high as his friends and family cheered mightily. Marco and Mariposa accepted the 2nd Place prize, and the come-from-behind pinto pony, Shy Anne and her rider took 3rd.
Along with the many congratulations and jubilation from most of the well-wishers gathered about the winners, Em noticed that not all thereabouts seemed to be thrilled with the race's outcome. As none of the society elite's horses held places of rank, their
circle of friends held themselves apart from the rest of the 'rabble' crowded about the winner's circle, and looked on from a good distance away with the sour faces of a losing team...
Indeed, this may have been the first year where a pinto horse had placed, and the fact that the rider was a local Indian lad,
well...that was something Pankhurst would have to think about awhile.
Leon was leaning over whilst a lovely senorita retrieved her bonnet from him and gave him a genuinely loving kiss, holding her pie in reserve for 'later'...Marco had relinquished her hat back to Sugar, the waitress from Woody's and accepted a kiss,followed with a 'whoo-hoo!'from that lively gal. The handsome Indian lad also discretly kissed a lovely young lady as he placed her bonnet on her head, decorated with wildflowers and feathers...
Em heard a soft sigh at her shoulder, and turned to view Stephen and Ian watching the scene and actually seeming rather misty-eyed and wistful. Stephen turned to her. 'Well! We have a rehearsal at the theatre soon, and should be off, I suppose...' They took their leave quietly then and Emmeline looked after their well-starched, retreating backs and felt sympathy for them. 'Chacun a' son gout...' she thought to herself.
Hearing hoofsteps behind her, Em turned to face the General, and Jack, bearing her bonnet, hopefully...
She did not smile his way.
She stood immobile, in fact, and forced him to approach. He dismounted from the General's considerable height, and led him over to Emmeline,Jack abit shaky in the legs still.
'What are you doing here, Jack?' Was her greeting.
He looked down at her hat. 'I, I was just coming to, give you your hat.'
She looked at the hat. She didn't want to take it and she didn't want to even look his way. Jack swallowed and patted the General, who stood huffing like a steam train still.  'He ran a good race, didn't you, boy?...I had to pull him back, or he might have won!'
Em looked at him then, frowning. 'Why...why then did you even...'she sighed in exasperation. 'Why are you here, then, Jack?'
Jack looked beyond her, over to Leon in the winner's circle, being toasted with champagne now and laughing. 'That's fine, that Leon won! And Marco as well!' He shook his head in wonderment, 'And that little paint horse! Incredible!'
Em had had enough of Jack. She snatched away her hat and stamped off and away from him. 'Emmeline, please...don't go.' He followed aways til she stopped.
When they were away from the crowd, Jack looked down at her. 'I
know this will mean trouble for me...'
'Then WHY, Jack?'She demanded.
He gave a sharp intake of breath. 'I don't know.'
Oh, this was really the limit! Em couldn't believe it. 'Are you still feeling effects of the concussion? Because there's no other earthly reason for this.'
He looked down. 'Maybe.' He put a hand to his head and rubbed his forehead. 'I just...had the idea that...I could sortof sneak out, and do this, and it'd be no big thing. I had talked with Leon a couple of days ago...and no, he doesn't know any thing about what had happened with Junior...he offered me the chance to ride the General in the race. I just felt so, coddled and
denied so much else for all this time...I don't know. I feel fine, Em. I just wanted to...act normal at last. Like I'm not an invalid.'
'No, you're not an invalid. You're a mad man.' Em walked off.
Jack let her go. Softly, to himself,he said. 'No kiss, and no pie.'
                              . . . .
Well, that's what you get for trying to act 'normal', Jack, Em thought as she stalked off to retrieve her pie which she decided she'd give to Aleister...Jack's ideas of 'normal' were everyone else's ideas of 'insane', she realized. And where WAS Aleister, she thought, looking around.
Ah, there he was at last, having broken free of the winner's circle crowd and was approaching Jack as though he had a thundercloud over his head sparking lightning. He grabbed Jack's arm and Em could tell by the tone, although she couldn't make out the words, that he was giving Jack holy hell, as he should,
she decided. She knew that Al no doubt wanted to give Jack much more than just mere words...must be hard, for a doctor...
                             . . . .
Hat in hand, Emmeline retrieved her lonesome pie as indeed, it was the one bulge left there 'neath the sheet, It was a good pie, dammit, she thought, it didn't deserve this ignominius end!
She stuck her hat on her head and huffed off, angry as a  vixen who had just missed catching her chicken dinner by getting stuck in the mud.
Pie under one arm she returned to the crowds trying to locate her friends. Most of the riders had taken their mounts back to the stables to walk and dry off and get their rub-down...people still stood about either celebrating and collecting their winnings, or drowning their loser's sorrows. At last she located Homer and Jethro who escorted her over to where Aleister was, sitting looking dejected, although his color was still high and Em surmised, he was still fuming about Jack.
'I brought you a pie, Aleister,' she said. He looked up, wondering, then smiled wanly.
'Thank you, Emmeline,'he accepted the dessert with good grace and then some, as she sat beside him. 'It looks lovely. Apple?'
She nodded. Al sighed then and gazed about him. 'What shall we do with him, Em?' He surprised her by asking.
'Al...you know Jack better than I...'But Al shook his head.
'No, Em, not really.,. I have known him longer perhaps, but no better.' Em didn't think this sounded good at all. She was beginning to think that perhaps Jack was slightly addled.
Homer cleared his throat. 'Well, if you all would care for a ride home, we're about outa here...'
Al looked at Em, who nodded. 'I'll just go tell the Guevaras that I'll be leaving with you...they're going to be celebrating far into the night, and I...just don't feel up for it, frankly.'
No, Em didn't feel in a celebratory mood at all.
                           . . . .

Ready To Run

When the train rolls by
I'm gonna be ready this time
When the boy gets that look in his eye
I'm gonna be ready this time
When my momma said I look good in white
I'm gonna be ready this time


Oh yeah...
Ready, ready, ready, ready, ready to run
All I'm ready to do is have some fun
What's all this talk about love?


I feel the wind blow through my hair
I'm gonna be ready this time
I'll buy a ticket to anywhere
I'm gonna be ready this time
You see, it feels like I'm starting to care
(And) I'm gonna be ready this time (ready this time)


Oh yeah...
Ready, ready, ready, ready, ready to run
All I'm ready to do is have some fun
What's all this talk about love?


Ready To Run
Ready To Run

Oh...
Ready, ready, ready, ready, ready to run
All I'm ready to do is have some fun
What's all this talk about love?


Ready To Run
Ready To Run
Ready To Run
Ready To Run
Ready To Run
Ready To Run
Im Ready To Run

I'm ready
Oh, I'm ready to run
I'm ready
Ready To Run
Ready To Run

--Dixie Chix

view video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr102My19TU