THERE'S NOTHING BEYOND THIS POINT

The death of Elwood Fitz was not unexpected.  He had been sick for a couple of months and his condition had only worsened.  I attended the funeral because my mother wanted to go and he was her second cousin or something. I felt bad for his wife and three kids. It rained during the funeral and it was a miserable time all around.

The wife, named Ellen was a pretty woman with big dark eyes. They were red from all the crying. Elwood had been a good man by all accounts although I didn't really know him very well.  Ellen stayed by the grave a long time as people gave her condolences and patted her back or hugged her. The children huddled beneath a large umbrella. My mother and I stayed at the cemetery a long while also because she struck up a conversation with some other old biddy that had been a good friend in bygone days.

We were about to leave at last when a slender hand pecked upon my window. It was Ellen.

"My old car won't crank, I guess something got wet. Would you mind taking me somewhere so I can try to call a mechanic?"

"I'm a mechanic," I replied. "First let me give you and the kids a ride home and then I will come back and check out the car. Hopefully the rain will stop so I can give it a good going over." I felt sorry for her and wanted to help.  They piled in and Me, Mother,

Ellen, and the kids pulled away while I tried to dodge the larger mudholes.

"I'm starving," my mother declared. "Me too Mommy, moaned one of the small kids."

I wheeled into a Sonic, "hamburgers for everyone, on me!" I suggested hopefully. I knew Ellen was a proud woman, most country girls are. She did protest but the kids were all for the idea. Within minutes we were all feasting while the rain splashed all around. Afterwards, I dropped them off at their old shack out in the boom docks.

The car repairs had to wait until the next morning due to the weather but I found another starter for her car at a junkyard and put it on. I drove her jalopy out to the house. The kids were at school so Ellen drove me back to my car at the graveyard. It was about a twenty minute drive and it was just the two of us. She was subdued but the conversation went along very well. She was a very pretty woman and I caught myself thinking that Elwood had been a lucky man. But now he was dead, nothing lucky about that.

"How much do I owe you?" she asked.  "Not a damned thing, I was glad to help, besides, Elwood was kin you know?"

"I didn't know but I am ever so grateful to you. I need that car to find a job...we have a lot of medical bills to pay and three kids eat a lot."

"I would imagine so..."

"It's going to be hard without Elwood but life goes on you know. I guess I'll also try to get a little government assistance until I can get to work somewhere."

"That sounds like a good idea Ellen. You got a lot on you but you seem to have a fine head on your shoulders, things will get better I'm sure."

"I hope and pray you are right, we better get some gas."

"Its all filled up Ellen," I replied.

"Oh my gosh, it is..." suddenly she started crying. She pulled over to wipe her eyes and started up crying again.  "I'm so sorry," she mumbled.

"I understand girl, just let it all out there, I'm in no hurry."  I patted her shoulder

lightly while she sobbed for a few minutes. Finally she wiped her eyes and smiled.  When we got back to the graveyard I thought she was gonna tear up again.  I got out quickly but she called me back.  "Why don't you come and visit us for supper and bring your mom. I'm a pretty good cook and I have to do something for all you've done for me."

I smiled and nodded. "That will be fine, I'll pick up some steaks on the way out and we'll do it up right...do you have a grill?"

"Oh yes!" She replied. I was already wet cause the rain had returned so I leaped in my car and fired up the motor. As I pulled away I noticed Ellen had parked near where Elwood was buried.  "What a damned shame," I said to nobody.

I deliberately left Mom behind when I went out for my supper. I also carried a big load of groceries with me, steaks, milk, bread, sandwich stuff, fruit. We had a grand time cooking up the steaks on the grill.  It made me feel good as I watched the three little girls dig into their chow. They were cute little kittens, one blond, one brunette, and one with jet black hair. They made me smile a lot and laugh even more. Kids will be kids not matter what happens. That would be a good lesson for us all I suppose.

I didn't see Ellen again for a couple of months. Then one day she drove up to the garage where I worked for an oil change. She was dressed nice and was wearing a little makeup. She didn't need it in my opinion. I changed her oil and tweeted a few other things, even gave her an old tire to use as a spare. She had found a job as a waitress in a nearby town and seemed pretty upbeat, said her mom was helping out with the kids.  I didn't charge her anything for the oil change and filled her tank for free again too. Hell, I was part owner in the garage so I could do what I wanted.  She gave me a nice polite hug and asked when I was coming back for supper.

I went that same night, it was a Friday.  After eating we all got in my car and went to see a movie. They picked out a kid's show but that was alright by me. I never had more fun at a movie in my entire life. I sat beside Ellen with the littlest girl in my lap.  I left wearing spilled popcorn and coke but it was cool. That was the night I realized something was happening. Ellen never mentioned Elwood the entire time.

Before going home we all went for ice cream. I got some of that smeared on me too but it was all good.  We told jokes on the way home and sang silly songs. It was pretty late when I left and the kids had gone to bed. Ellen took my hand while we stood on the porch. "I hope you come back by a lot more, the kids love being around you...and I don't mind either."  

"You and the kids are easy people to be around...trust me, I will be back and we'll all have a ton of fun again."

She gave my arm a shy squeeze and I took my leave. I yawned and steeled myself for the long drive with a little nip of brandy. The radio was playing a soft melody and I couldn't think of anything but how pretty and sweet Ellen was. I smiled when I thought of the girls, they were dang cute kids and actually well behaved. As my mind wandered where it would I didn't realize how sleepy I had become. I guess I dozed off.

Next thing I knew there was a terrific impact, I had run off the road and slammed into a tree!  I smelled gas and try as I might I couldn't seem to get my body working good enough to get out of the car. Or maybe the door was the thing that wasn't working but I knew I had to get out somehow. The odor of spilling gas was getting stronger and there was smoke too.  Even half dazed I knew it looked bad for me, damned bad.

Suddenly I felt strong hands grasp me under the arms and pull me out the window. I felt myself being dragged although I think I might have passed out for a second. Whoever pulled me out propped my head up with a heavy, rolled up coat. I saw a face but it was like looking through a fog and then I passed out for real. Next thing I recall was waking up in a hospital room with Mom staring at me anxiously. "Rest easy son, you're pretty banged up and you've got some broken bones but the doctors say you will be good as new with plenty of rest and some tender loving care."  I tried to smile, she took my hand and I went back to sleep.

When I woke up again it was dark outside my window. I wondered how long I had been in the hospital?  It might have been days, my head felt funny and I knew I had been sedated. I looked around and to my surprise Ellen was there with a very worried look in her big dark eyes. "Just try to rest darling," she said softly. "Everything is going to be ok, you just need to lie still and let  yourself heal up. I will be here all I can."

We talked, or rather she talked. I just nodded weakly and tried to appear better than I felt. I had a cast on one leg and one arm and my head was wrapped tightly with something.

She held my hand and I was thrilled despite my pathetic condition.

There was a knock at the door and a police officer entered carrying a largish bag. "Here are some things we found out at the crash site. Hope you are feeling better, its a miracle you got out before the car burned. Your watch, wallet, and coat are in the bag. Sorry we couldn't find anything else."  This puzzled me because it was hot summertime and I knew, even in my hazy state that I hadn't had a coat with me. After the cop left I asked Ellen to pull the coat out and look at it. She wrestled it out of the bag and a stunned look spread over her face.  "What's wrong Ellen, you're face is white as a sheet?"

She shook her head, "I...I don't understand this.  Where did this come from...its one of Elwood's coats. My God! It's the one we buried him in!"