Brady was always amazed at how open-minded and easy to be with Enemario was. He wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth but came from a very loving and tight family. Brady envied that in the man.
As they bumped along the highway, several hours into their trip, they passed by the Fresno and Selma turnoffs. They observed the drying orchards to one side, while orchards on the other side of the freeway were green and lush. For sale signs were everywhere as ranches transferred ownership. New people came in to do what perhaps the old farmers couldn’t achieve.
It was sad seeing the changes, but Brady understood the world was changing every day. And not always for the good, either. But he had no background or knowledge in real farmers’ issues, so he didn’t dwell on what he saw. He did know he preferred the lush green valley of his little parcel of Heaven, north of Healdsburg, over the dry, brown fallowness of the failed fields and orchards.
Things became more and more familiar to him as they completed their tenth hour, not counting their rest stops and meal breaks. He was getting more and more excited to see his patch. He had hoped he’d be able to see it in sunlight, but this time of year, it fell dark earlier, and without daylight savings kicking in, it was going to be pitch black when he arrived.
But he didn’t mind. He wanted to be home.
They turned off the highway and slipped through downtown Healdsburg until they encountered the country roads going north to Brady’s ranch. Downtown looked about the same with the bevy of tourists screwing around the benches and sidewalks, eating ice cream cones, sipping on glasses of wine out on the verandas at the many restaurants downtown, and a band playing in the rotunda of the square. Some older hippie chicks were dancing, their long hair flowing, showing off the fact that they still grooved in their sixties and seventies or perhaps beyond.
That would always be part of the California, especially Northern California, lifestyle.
It brought a smile to Brady’s lips. “I guess, someday, I’ll be gray-haired with a long ponytail, and I’ll do that too. What do you think, Enemario?”
“Shit, Brady, you’re not an old man. You’re not even forty yet. What the fuck are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that I’m getting old. That’s all. I mean, heart attack? In danger of a stroke? Now I got to be careful. They’ve got me on medicines I never used to have to take.”
“Be glad you got some good help. Just be glad you’re alive, Brady. You’ve got more than half your life left. You’re going to live to be over a hundred. I know it.”
“Maybe you’re right. Maybe this trip has taught me that. I used to think it would be better to die in the heat of battle. And I’m not saying this because I want to die, Enemario, please understand me.”
“Oh, thank God. You had me scared there for a while. Don’t think about that too much. You know what they say. If you do, then the undertaker comes and gets you in your sleep. You stop thinking and dreaming about that.”
“No, I don’t. You don’t understand. I’ve developed a new perspective about what I want to do. I don’t know what it is yet, but I’d like to do something good, because God knows, we sure did kill a bunch of people, captured people, and destroyed buildings and schools trying to get the bad guys. Now, I’d like to do something else. It’s really calling me.”
Enemario was silent for several minutes. Brady wasn’t sure he was entirely accepting his words.
“Well, Brady, as long as it doesn’t involve going down to Baja California to go get a bad guy or raid a camp somewhere where bad guys want to kill us or jumping out of an airplane into a snake-infested jungle, I’ll do that with you. You just let me know. I mean, I owe you. I earned a lot of money for just a couple of weeks’ worth of work. It was good work, and we helped a lot of people. At the same time, Brady, you have to understand we can’t help everybody.”
“I get you. No worries there. Yeah, I’d like to stay more in touch. I’d like to have you guys come up and go hunting with me. Maybe we’ll do some project together. You know, give back somehow. I’d like for people, when they thank me for my service, to thank me for doing something good besides death and destruction?”
“But, Brady, somebody has to do it.”
“Oh, I completely agree. I’m not saying we don’t. It’s just my turn to do something else. Does that make sense?”
“Absolutely. And Tate will be most happy if you stay close to home a lot more. From what Riley has told me, he looks out the front door every morning to see if you’re going to come get him. Riley said he never gave up hope. He always knew you would come.”
Brady was touched. “I didn’t know that. Thank you.”
Just as they entered Brady’s bridge, the automatic gate opened, and Brady felt the relaxation of knowing that he was finally home. They turned the corner as the gate closed behind them, several hundred feet from the front door. Even though Tate may not have remembered Enemario’s truck, he surely recognized Brady sitting in the passenger seat, because that dog barreled from the front porch and ran full tilt to meet them halfway.
Enemario came to a screeching halt, the truck skidding about four feet in the dirt driveway. Brady was out the door before he fully stopped.
Tate’s body slammed Brady so hard they both fell back and rolled in the dirt. He wouldn’t allow Brady to protect his head and face, jumping all over him, licking him, and dancing on his belly. Brady had never seen Tate so excited.
A small contingent sat on the porch, clapping and laughing at Tate’s reaction. Tate jumped off Brady, barked at them as if telling them to shut up, and then came back to his master. Still in seated position, Brady asked Tate to sit, which he did dutifully, and then he began to rub his ears and talk to him.
“Tate, I missed you. I understand you’ve been doing good work up there at Riley’s place, and I’m glad you didn’t bite the kids. That I was worried about.”
Tate panted. His heart was still racing, and when Brady finished his sentence, he leaned over and licked his face again.
“I know you know what I’m saying. Now, killing the rooster, that’s a different story. He still was somebody’s pet, and you shouldn’t have done that.”
Tate angled his head and didn’t lick Brady’s face this time.
“You are the smartest damn animal on the face of the planet. I’m home, and you’re going to see a lot more of me than you did the last couple weeks. But I’m going to be inviting people over. Things are going to change around here.”
Brady attempted to stand up, and Enemario was on his right side to help to give him the assist. Someone from the front porch ran up and helped on his other side.
“I should have gotten a video of that, God damn it,” Riley said. “That was the funniest God damn thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Tate was all over you. If it was a wrestling match, he’d win. I don’t think you’re stronger than that dog. He’d whoop your ass anytime.”
“Good to see you, Riley. How’s the family?”
“Cassie’s here. We brought our little group, now that they’re not so afraid of the big black dog, and she’s getting ready to pop, Brady. So I’m kind of hoping maybe you’ll babysit sometime.”