by Kim Smart
Stella popped two ice cubes from the tray in the mini-fridge freezer into a glass and poured two fingers of whiskey. She washed up and changed into her pajamas. She turned the television on, mostly for background noise. Looking around, she realized how little space she needed. She lived a compact life. She could be the poster child for the minimalist community. She didn’t even have a closet. Her clothes hung on hangers from the foot rail of the top bunk.
Stella downed the whiskey, brushed her teeth, and sank down onto the bed for a good night’s sleep. She checked her phone one last time for messages. There were none.
The rest of the week was filled with long days of cowboying. Dinner each night was late and rushed. Finally, very early Saturday morning, she filled her backpack with an assortment of essentials, three t-shirts and two pairs of jeans. As an afterthought, she grabbed a western dress shirt and stuffed in the backpack. She hoped not to need it.
She drove herself to the city to catch the plane. There was no sense in having someone else make the four-hour round-trip drive to drop her off and pick her up again. She found a parking lot coupon to ease the pain of the parking fee. She had learned to be frugal over the years, and now that she was buying a house she was grateful for every penny she had squirreled away.
The flight was uneventful. The reception at the airport was noisy and joyful. Her mom, dad and two brothers greeted her. She arrived around lunchtime, so the group went to a family favorite restaurant before heading out to Buffalo Ridge Ranch.
The week went quickly, and on Stella’s terms. Yvette asked Stella twice to go to town and meet up with the coffee ladies. Stella agreed to go the first time but passed on the second. Instead, she checked livestock with her dad. She enjoyed time with her brothers, getting caught up on their lives. The three siblings rode through the Badlands like they did in their younger days. By the end of the week, Stella was relaxed and ready to tackle the next phase of her life, with its twists and turns and unexpected guests.
The sellers of the second property accepted her low-ball offer. They didn’t even counter offer. They agreed that a garage was essential; previous feedback had been the same. The wife’s uncle was a local contractor and agreed, as a side deal, to build a garage for a discounted price; he could start within two weeks.
With this great news, Stella canceled her trip to Watson with Brandon on Sunday. Once the house deal came in, she decided the trip wasn’t necessary and that decision lowered her stress. She would eventually have to go up and sign papers, but that couldn’t be done on Sunday. Stella secured a modest family loan with minimal interest from her parents and would pay cash for her house. That sped up the closing process immensely. She could move and start at her new job in three weeks.
It relieved Jed to get the news. I know you hustled to make this happen so fast. My wife thanks you. She is in the hospital. We sold our house and have found a new one to buy. Timing is perfect.
Brandon was disappointed their date was canceled but happy that Stella had found a place that would work for her near Watson. House hunting on a second date could have been interesting, but I’m happy you secured a house you want. Can I see you anyway?
Stella couldn’t do any business until Monday, so all she had to do on Sunday was laundry and getting organized for the workweek. She would like to see Brandon but not all day, and she didn’t want to stay on the ranch after traveling all week.
Want to come to the ranch? We can take the horses out for a ride in the Ponderosas. They need their legs stretched after my vacation.
Stella didn’t doubt that Brandon knew his way around a horse, but she wanted to see how he handled himself. She didn’t mean to be testing him, however some things were really important to her, like how others treated animals.
Sounds great. I’ll bring coffee and breakfast? See you at 8?
Great. One less decision for Stella to make. Starting early would help them avoid the midday heat, and he could get to Phoenix at a decent hour.
Perfect. See you then.
Stella checked one more thing off her list of things to do. She hated structuring her life to this extent, where she wrote lists to make sure she didn’t miss anything important. With so many things going on though, it helped manage inner anxiety so she could perform her best at work. It was something she had seen her mother do. During the visit home, she found she had more similarities with her mother than she ever knew before. They have similar tastes in food, movies, books, and music. One evening, as the two cleaned up after dinner and nursed their wine, they discovered their taste in men was identical too.
“The things I love most about your father are his humility, integrity, love for family, nature and the livestock. He has drive that grounds him yet he is innovative. He’s really an awesome man and always has been. His parents raised a great human.”
“Gramps and Grams were like that too.”
“That’s right. He did not get his great traits and handsome looks from the dirt. They deserve all the credit.”
“I think it helps that you always see the best in him and help him shine, Mom. You’ve been a wonderful wife and mother.”
“Well thank you, Stella. You could never give me a better compliment. Those are my passions and I always try to do my best.” Yvette handed a large pan to Stella to dry. Turning back to the sink, she looked into the soap bubbles as if they were tealeaves at the bottom of a cup. “Will you ever want those things, Stella? I mean…to be a wife and mother?”
“I’ve avoided thinking about those things, Mom. But now, as I look at graduating from my training grounds on the ranch and getting my own home and being essentially my own day-to-day boss, I am more open to the idea that my life is meant for more. Look at you. You are the ultimate role model and I know that if I got overwhelmed, you would put everything down and come running to help me.”
“Darn straight I would.” Yvette smiled at her daughter and nodded. “These boys can fend for themselves.”
“You taught them well. The boys have been cooking and doing laundry since grade school. They used to think it was punishment. Now they know better.”
“What about you, Stella? Have you thought about what you want in a man, if he were to be your husband and the father of your children?”
“A little, yeah and honestly, he would be like Dad. I would have to have a man with integrity, who respected me and saw me as an equal partner in life. He would have to be ambitious and generous, family-oriented, thoughtful about people and nature and not harsh.”
“Well, have you met anyone like that?”
“Wait. I have one more thing to add. He has to handle a horse and treat animals right. That’s an absolute must for me.”
“So, is there anyone you know like that yet?”
“We’ll see. I’m getting Brandon out to the ranch for a ride. He doesn’t know it yet, but it’s my little test.”
9
Brandon hopped out of the truck and reached back in to pull out two to-go containers of breakfast and coffee, just as promised. Stella met him at the truck with a relaxed grin, ready to ride.
“Well, good morning sunshine! You look refreshed from your vacation.”
“Good morning! I have to admit that I am refreshed and eager for the next few weeks to pass so I can get on with my newest adventure.” She reached for a coffee and took a sip. It had cooled perfectly on the trip from town.
“Let’s take these into the dining room.” Stella pointed to the main bunkhouse. “My bunkhouse is just a little too small for two of us. You would have to eat lying down on the top bunk.”
“The kitchen sounds great.” On Sunday mornings Clara didn’t cook. Coffee was always on but, outside of toast and hot water for oatmeal, the food came from the refrigerator or cupboard. The dining hall was quiet.
“I have here two breakfast burritos, one with sausage and the other with bacon. What’s your preference?”
“Today seems like a bacon kind of day. Thank you very much.”
“Y
ou are welcome. There is hot sauce and salsa in the bag if you like.”
“Great. Would you like orange juice?” Stella got up to get orange juice from the refrigerator and grabbed one for him, too.
“This is a fantastic burrito. When I went to Watson, I stopped into this neat little diner and met a new friend.”
“Is that right? It sounds like a friendly place.”
“Edna was friendly. She invited me to her place to swap stories when I get moved in.”
“So, are you getting excited about your house and moving?”
“Surprisingly, I am. I’ve never been one to accumulate things and have enjoyed the freedom of not being tied down to property but, as with all things in life, change happens. I’m ready now for this change, both in my home and my job.”
“That’s great.”
“Yeah, and enough about me. How have you been? Has work been busy for you?”
“I had a fantastic week at work. We had meetings in southern California during the first part of the week. Every day I learn something new about the field of agricultural law and it all fascinates me. I feel like a sponge out there just soaking it all in.”
“So what was new this week?”
“This week we were dealing with issues related to migrant workers. They really are the backbone for many of the large producers, and with the current political climate there’s a lot of fear about the future. We were brainstorming with a group of producers and others in the industry to plan contingencies for future changes.”
“That sounds so interesting. I’m guessing it really requires you to be creative with your strategies and to get comfortable facing your clients’ fears arm-in-arm with them.”
“You are a very perceptive woman, Stella. Those were two of the biggest take-aways for me.”
They finished breakfast and headed for the stables.
“Brandon, I would like to introduce you to Ranger. Ranger, this is Brandon.” Ranger was the larger and more spirited of Stella’s horses. He was a great roping Quarter horse that got bored and distracted at times. Stella found that if she took him out for a good hard run periodically, he was steadier in his work. Maybe they would open the throttle and get a run in today.
“Well Ranger, aren’t you a handsome fella?” Brandon quickly made friends with Ranger. Stella pointed to the tack. Brandon saddled up and was ready to go in no time.
“This here is Molly. She’s my all-around good girl.”
“She’s a beauty. I bet you two have fun together, don’t you?”
“We do, indeed. She has quite the personality. It won’t surprise me if she pulls a trick or two on us today. She knows this isn’t a workday.”
“It sure is a beautiful day for a ride.” Brandon looked around the yard and the area surrounding.
“I guess I forget to notice because it’s nice here almost all the time.”
“I prefer this to the dust and smog trapped in the city.” Brandon paused and looked down. “I don’t mean to be complaining. It’s just that you notice the air quality when you’re used to having this kind of purity.”
“I noticed it too when I drove down to the airport and flew out. There’s a layer of grime that hovers over the city. From the airplane, I looked down and wondered what it was doing to all those people and animals down there. It would not be my first choice as a place to live.” Stella thought briefly about Jed and his wife, having to leave the pristine, open country up north and move to the city. “I guess sometimes our lives require us to be in those places.”
“They do. For me, I get out of town every weekend and it won’t be permanent.”
“No? You don’t think so?”
“Nope. I’m there to finish my education by practicing in the real world with some very experienced attorneys. Eventually, it would be ideal for me to set up a satellite office of this firm or branch out on my own and build a practice that will allow me to live outside the city. I’ve even thought of getting my pilot’s license so I can travel to clients more efficiently.”
“What a brilliant idea.” Stella looked out on the horizon and pointed off to her right. “Let’s head over that way. There are some cool old etchings in some boulders back in there.”
“Awesome. Glad I have my phone on me. Maybe I can grab some pictures.”
“Sure. Head for that outcropping there.” Stella pointed to the place. They guided the horses and started off with a trot, letting the horses warm up and Ranger get used to a new rider. Before long they were cantering to their destination. Stella held back from a full gallop; she wanted Ranger to be comfortable with Brandon first. Before they reached their destination, Molly ran up on Ranger and nudged his hind end with her head, causing him to move ahead faster. Brandon looked toward Stella and laughed. He lifted his cowboy hat and, with both arms raised over his head, rode off free with the wind.
They slowed as they approached the petroglyphs. Stella was not positive the rock carvings were authentic, but Martin assured her that an anthropology professor had authenticated them.
“Hey, Miss Molly! You are quite the tease, aren’t you?” Brandon dismounted and reached out to Molly.
“I knew she would have something up her sleeve. It’s a good thing Ranger is used to antics. She might have spooked one of the other horses.”
“I can’t say I’ve ever had the experience before. She’s a tease.”
“She is. Follow me up this way. It’s just a few minutes back up in these boulders. The horses will be fine.” Stella wore hiking boots, expecting this climb. Unfortunately, she didn’t forewarn Brandon. He had slick-soled cowboy boots on. He stopped at the top of the first boulder and tugged them off.
“What the heck are you doing down there?” Stella had passed behind another boulder and couldn’t see him, but she could hear that he wasn’t behind her.
“Just changing my footwear. Be right there.” The boulders were smooth. Brandon tucked his socks in his boots and headed up the trail. He was quickly on Stella’s tail.
“There you are.” Stella looked down at Brandon’s white feet sticking out from under his jeans. She laughed. “Sorry, I should have warned you we might climb some.”
“Not to worry. I’m adaptable. The rock is already warming up, and it feels great.” Stella watched Brandon climb around on the boulders. He was in excellent shape.
“Just another hundred feet up there and to the left. I don’t hear any water running so it’s probably dry or there may be a small pool sitting up there. Just above that you can look up and see the carvings.”
They climbed to the top where there was a ring of boulders that formed a bowl of pooled water. There were damselflies and other insects. Small lizards scattered as they moved closer.
“These are awesome!” Brandon pulled his phone out and started snapping pictures. “How old are they?”
“Martin says they’re about eight hundred years old. There are some around that state that are thousands of years old.”
“Any idea what they mean?”
“They are images from the daily life of the indigenous people. Like there.” Stella pointed to an image. “Those two are frogs, but what their significance is I don’t know. Those figures with their arms in the air are supposedly hunters. Beside them, there are animals with their feet in the air. Maybe it was a successful hunt.” Brandon snapped photos of Stella pointing out the images. She wasn’t a fan of having her picture taken, but she tossed her head and smiled, just for Brandon.
“That makes perfect sense. I hope you don’t mind me taking your picture. This is a day I want stored in my memory for a long time. Besides, my mom will ask me how the day was.”
Stella laughed. “Oh yeah. Could you forward those to me? I’ve got the same issue on my end. So, I had better get some photos of you, too.” She raised her phone and snapped some photos too. She’ll get some pictures of Brandon on Ranger as well. He looked good in the saddle.
They climbed up past the pool. About twenty minutes later, they were at t
he top of the ridge looking down over the valley.
“This sure is beautiful. We’ve got some places at our ranch that remind me of this. I think it’s more dramatic here, though.” Brandon’s family ranch was about thirty miles south of Drake’s ranch.
“How about we climb down and take a ride east along the fence line? It’s just on the other side of that patch of trees there. If we follow that fence, we will eventually end up back at the ranch. The trees will shade us. I haven’t seen the herd for a week. It’ll be nice to just get a look at them.”
“You are a herd nerd, Stella. Have you always been this crazy about cows?”
“Cows, horses, bulls, even a few goats. We always had chickens, but there was only one of them I got attached to. Dogs and barnyard cats are a given.” Stella laughed. “I guess I am kind of nerdy, huh?”
“I’m teasing you. I love your passion for your job. I meet so many people in the legal profession that are miserable. Farmers and ranchers, not so much. They all are doing what they love. They aren’t all getting rich but they wouldn’t trade their work for a desk job, ever.”
“That’s how I feel and now, with this new position, I’m going even further off that corporate grid. Off any grid, really.”
“Yeah. That will be different, living off the land like that. How are you feeling about that?”
Stella paused her downhill climb and turned to Brandon. “I’m so freaking excited I can hardly wait to get there!”
She smiled and twirled back around to go downhill.
“So Stella?” Brandon paused while she turned back around toward him. “Aren’t you even a little concerned about being alone out in the canyon?”