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Back Come Again No More Save as PDF
Chapters (55)
  1. Cover
  2. Back Cover
  3. Title Page
  4. Contents
  5. PART I 
  6. 1.
  7. 2.
  8. 3.
  9. 4.
  10. 5.
  11. 6.
  12. 7.
  13. 8.
  14. 9.
  15. 10.
  16. 11.
  17. 12.
  18. PART II 
  19. 13.
  20. 14.
  21. 15.
  22. 16.
  23. 17.
  24. 18.
  25. 19.
  26. 20.
  27. 21.
  28. 22.
  29. 23.
  30. 24.
  31. 25.
  32. 26.
  33. 27.
  34. 28.
  35. 29.
  36. 30.
  37. PART III 
  38. 31.
  39. 32.
  40. 33.
  41. 34.
  42. 35.
  43. 36.
  44. 37.
  45. 38.
  46. 39.
  47. PART IV 
  48. 40.
  49. 41.
  50. 42.
  51. 43.
  52. 44.
  53. 45.
  54. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  55. Touchstone Reading Group Guide

They ate supper in a diner that evening. When Red spilled his milk, Jake hit the table so hard that two glasses fell and shattered on the floor. Emaline helped the angry waitress clean up the mess, but something inside her broke with the glasses. She could feel an ending coming, like the last reel of a movie. While Jake snored in their narrow bed, she lay awake thinking and listening to the wind. Five years and a few months married to the man and it felt like three decades. So much had gone wrong, it was hard to remember anything that had gone right. She still had a little money saved, enough to get herself and Red as far as Sheridan. There was no question the boy would have to come with her. Jake would take a fit, but he couldn’t possibly care for the boy alone.

The next morning, Jake was up and gone before Emaline and Red were awake. She woke before the boy and sat at the one rickety little table in the room, nibbling cold biscuits. Jake’s things were strewn on the floor next to the table. He had been rummaging through the box that held most of his clothing, assuming that she would pick it all up. She finished the biscuits, brushed the crumbs off her fingers, went to work. She woke Red, gave him some biscuits and milk to eat while she packed. He sat watching her with his big, serious eyes. She wasn’t going to tell him what they were doing, not yet, but he seemed to understand.

Jake had used the mechanic’s car to tow the trailer to the motel parking lot. She went through the things on the trailer, opening one trunk after another, determined to take only what they would absolutely need. She stuffed two suitcases with clothing for herself and Red and left a note for Jake.

Jake,

I’ve taken all I can stand. You dragged us all the way to Oregon, now you’re dragging us back because you saw a frog in a tree. Your temper tantrum last night when Red spilled his milk was the last straw. We are leaving you now, don’t try to follow us. The boy is better off with me, you know you can’t look after him.

I am not asking anything of you except that you leave us alone. You don’t even have to support your child. I’ll find a way. All in all, I think I’ll manage better without you. If you want to get in touch, you can write to us care of the 8T8 ranch and Juanita will get the letter to me wherever we end up.

good-bye,
Emaline