by Kim Smart
“First, Mom, you’ll be happy to know I’m resting in my comfortable bed in my very own house. It’s cozy in here. The only thing missing is a dog. I need a good herding dog.” The thought just dawned on her. It would be nice to have a canine companion.
“Well, that sounds sweet. Last time we talked you were planning to spend some time in the canyon and then I never heard from you again.”
“Oh Mom, I’m sorry. I turned my phone off when I went out there. There wouldn’t be any service anyway but I took the satellite phone in case I needed it. I didn’t. Anyway, I so enjoyed the silence that I totally forgot about turning my phone back on for days after returning. It was magical!”
“Who is this and where is my little Stella? This sounds like someone who has found their new happy place.”
Stella laughed. “You couldn’t be more right, Mom. I am thrilled to be here. I’ve always preferred being outdoors. Now, I live with nature more intimately. And my house! MY house, did you hear that? MY house is perfect. It doesn’t need me to be here to water it and feed it and keep the rain out of the living room. It just needs me to visit sometimes and laugh and enjoy the sunshine coming in the windows.”
“Seriously Stella, are you taking drugs? I’ve never heard you so happy.”
“You’re funny, Mom. That’s the thing, not that I would ever take them but I don’t need drugs. I have found my bliss.” Stella took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure she was ready for a break in her solitary space but she knew it would be good for both of them. “Are you ready to come visit? I mean not for a few weeks, but we could start planning.”
“Of course I am! I thought you would never ask. I’m ready whenever you are. I could drive out if there’s anything you want me to bring from the house. You can have any of your bedroom furniture. I have some other things…”
“There’s no need for you to drive out. I can get whatever I need by going into Parsonville or into the city if I need to. There is a consignment place in Watson too, that I’m told might have some décor. Besides, I can get anything I want by ordering online.”
“That’s true enough. Just the other day we got a second smoker delivered. I bought it online and it was here in two days. Your dad will smoke some of the salmon he caught in Alaska. I’ll freeze some and bring it to you.”
“That sounds like a real treat. Hold on a second while I get myself out of bed and go look at my calendar.” Stella rolled out of the mattress, still on the floor awaiting her decision on a bed frame. She flipped on lights as she walked out to the kitchen island. A Watson Hardware Store calendar lay there with notes already occupying some squares. “Okay, you there?”
“Yep, I’m here with my calendar and a pen.”
“Great. I’ve got a trail-riding coming up. I think if we look three weeks out, it should work great. I will have work to do but will come home in the evening on those days. How does that sound?”
“Perfect. I have about a week there without appointments or meetings. Does that sound okay? A week?”
“Wonderful. We can do a lot of damage to my bank account in a week and bring some personality into my little abode.”
They finalized the plans, caught up on Buffalo Ridge gossip and said their goodbyes. Stella made herself coffee in a new coffeepot, another package delivered to her front door. The contradictions of the happiness under the stars and the happiness felt surrounded by shiny new things delivered in cardboard boxes did not escape her. She shrugged it off as being human in a complex world.
Stella sat in silence with her coffee, looking out the window toward the pasture where Ranger and Molly grazed. They seemed content in their new home, and Ranger was a star at navigating the trail. He was surefooted and calm.
She reflected on the conversation with her mother. Yvette asked about Brandon. Stella simply told her mother that she had been so busy she hadn’t seen Brandon. Truth was, with great effort Stella had pushed Brandon from her mind since she arrived in Watson. Except when she was alone at Rabbit Creek when all barriers dissolved. She thought about their last date, climbing the boulders and riding at the ranch.
Stella enjoyed that day and Brandon seemed to also. But Stella knew she didn’t have time to commit to a relationship right now and it wouldn’t be fair to Brandon to pretend that she did. “We could still be friends, couldn’t we?” she thought.
She drafted a text message to Brandon. Getting settled and loving it. Hope all is well with you. It was too early to send; she would send it later in the day.
Edna came by later in the day to catch up. She brought leftovers to share with Stella, who still hadn’t equipped her kitchen. She was waiting for Yvette to help with that. She had never had her own kitchen before.
“So, guess who came into the restaurant this week?”
“I don’t know. The governor?”
Edna laughed. “Even better. Jeff Kline.”
“He’s such a great guy. So, what did he have?”
“Seriously? You want to know what he ordered?”
“Well, what else happened? Did he ask you out or something?”
“In fact he did, smarty-pants!”
“Well, did you say yes?” Stella laughed to see her new friend so giddy over a guy.
“Of course I did!” Edna blushed.
“And, when is this date going to happen?”
“As a matter of fact, it’s next Saturday. He has a cowboy singer friend putting on a little fundraising performance for a local family. We will go to dinner and then to hear his friend. I even agreed to donate a gift certificate to their silent auction.”
“Way to go Edna!” Stella held her hand up for a high-five.
“Maybe you should go, too. It might be good to mingle with the locals… Besides, I might need a distraction if Mr. Wonderful proves to be boring.”
“First, I highly doubt he will be boring. Second, I will be heading out on the ranch next week and won’t be around.”
“I thought maybe you were ready to invite that lawyer fella up and make up for running off?”
“Brandon? I didn’t run off… Oh, shoot. Hold on a minute.” Stella picked up her phone and pressed send on the message she drafted early that morning. “I’m so, so happy here. Just me, my house, my horses, my new job and…” She tapped her friend’s arm. “My new friend. I’m not ready for more, just yet. Besides, my mom is coming up to see me in a few weeks. I’ll have plenty of entertainment for a while.”
“Sweet. I bet she’s excited.”
“More than! She can’t wait to get her hands on this place and get it furnished and decorated. She’s a wiz that way. I’m sure she’ll be cooking up a storm and filling my freezer too. I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be sure you get to meet her.”
“I bet she’s a hoot. Be sure and bring her by the diner, if nothing else.”
“I will. She’ll love it. Anyway, let’s get back to Mr. Wonderful. Is this a blue jeans event?”
“It had better be. That’s all I’ve got. I thought I would find something more conservative in my closet for a shirt. Maybe something even a little western looking. You know me, I tend to flaunt the girls a little.” Edna motioned toward her well-endowed chest, the cleavage peeking out of the low v-neck t-shirt.
Stella laughed. “If you’ve got them, flaunt them. That saying was always lost on my mini breasts but I don’t care. Riding is easier like this.”
“You’re right there. I used to ride, but now I’ll only do it for the right guy. Those are double sports bra days for me and that can get mighty warm.” They laughed. Stella loved having a female friend she could talk about girly stuff with. It had been a long time since she had that outlet.
Stella’s phone chimed with a new text message. Nice to hear from you. Glad it’s going well. Tied up in TX on a huge case.
“Well, it looks like Brandon’s not pining over me. He’s just as busy as I am. He’s working on a case in Texas.”
“Oh, Texas - where everything’s bigger. Never been.”
>
“Well, the state is big, women’s hair is big, and that’s all I know about Texas. I’ve been to some rodeos down there and picked up some livestock with my dad when I was in high school.” Stella took a bite of the chicken and biscuits Edna brought. “This is fantastic. Maybe someday you can show me a little something in the kitchen. I’m rusty.”
“Sure thing. I love creating in the kitchen. That’s how my interest in the diner started. Maxine was my mother’s aunt. I came up here to live with her after I got in a little trouble down south. She saved me from ruining my life. As she got older and started getting sick, I took over more and more of her duties at the diner and she eventually deeded it to me. I’m really blessed to have such a big break in what could have been a disaster of a life.”
Edna poured them each a glass of wine and raised her glass. Stella raised hers in unity. “To second chances.”
12
Stella marveled at the desert-friendly cattle. Slightly smaller than the beef cattle her family raised at Buffalo Ridge Ranch, these cattle tolerated heat better, ate a wider variety of plants native to the high desert and were in constant motion, unlike the Plains cattle who could stand still and eat from the same patch of grass. In the high desert, the cattle chased their food from scanty patch to scanty patch.
“These cattle are amazing in the way they have adapted to this environment, aren’t they?” Stella started the campfire to heat dinner for herself and the hired hand, Matt.
“To be honest ma’am, this is the only cattle work I’ve ever done but I’ve heard that cattle in other parts would never eat the craggy shrubs and cactus these cows eat.” Matt had worked on the ranch with Jed for several years. He originally came along with a hard-luck story, and Jed took him under his wing. Matt proved to be a hard worker, and when he wasn’t working for Rabbit Creek Ranch he was working construction or handyman jobs to support his young family.
“Where I come from in South Dakota, the cattle like their green grass, hay, and feed and they’d like it on a silver platter, if you don’t mind.” Matt chuckled with Stella. “It’s not just the feed, either. These cattle here live on little water. They also seem calmer and can climb these rocks like mountain goats.”
“That’s right. The most challenging part of this job is finding some of these cows that get deep in the rocks. They’re hard to get to sometimes. I bet there’s another thing you don’t know about these cows.”
Stella looked to Matt and smiled, her eyebrows raised, waiting for Matt to wow her with his knowledge as she stirred their dinner for the last night sleeping under the stars. They had moved the herd to their new grazing land and doctored a half-dozen with small injuries along the way. “Well, two things. First, their meat tastes different. My wife says it tastes like the cows have been eating flowers. I think it tastes like berries and sage.”
“That’s interesting. I don’t know that I’ve ever tried it. Thanks for that info. I’m putting that on my list of things to try. What’s the other thing you know about these cows?”
“They calve easily and don’t get sick.”
“Matt, this is all great news. Thanks for agreeing to take this ride with me. It’s a little unusual to be working for a woman out here like this, but I hope I didn’t cause you any heartache.”
“No, ma’am. It was just like working with Jed. Silent and efficient. That works well for me. Your food may be a little better than his, but I would never complain.” Matt looked at Stella while talking, sincerity in his message.
“Thanks, Matt, and will you please thank your wife for sending brownies along. That was a treat, and I enjoyed them. I hope I can meet her and your kids someday.”
“She would like that, too. She grew up on a ranch and it excited her to learn the new foreman out here was a lady. She’s progressive like that, too. She’s a great mom to our kids and a super teacher, too. God blessed me on the day I met her, that’s for certain.” Matt picked a blade of the dry grass standing nearby and tossed it into the fire as he spoke.
The next morning they skipped breakfast and rode to their pickups and trailers with the first light. Matt got home in time to go to the late church service with his family. Stella put Ranger out to pasture and unloaded her gear. She took a long hot shower before cleaning and storing the tack and equipment.
She sat down at her computer and drafted an email to Martin, summarizing the details of the move and condition of the cattle. With a smile on her face, she wrote her conclusion. “All in all I would call this a successful maiden voyage. Matt was a superior hand, and the cattle were all well-mannered.”
Before she could locate and unplug her phone, she had a text from Martin.
We knew you were the right cowboy for the job. Congratulations on your first of many successful moves. Now, take a couple of days off.
Stella smiled at the screen. She would respond later. For now, she could feel the hunger rising in her stomach. She grabbed her keys and wallet and headed to Maxine’s for a late breakfast.
“Well, if it isn’t Stella!” Edna greeted Stella at the door with a one-arm hug as she passed by to refill coffee cups. “Grab any seat, hun, and I’ll be with you momentarily.”
Stella smiled at her friend and nodded to the handful of customers lingering from the after-church crowd.
“Good to see you in from the canyon. Tell me all about it after I get your order in. What are you having today?” Edna sat across from Stella, looking pretty with her hair curled and lipstick on.
“My, don’t you look nice today!”
“You think so? Thanks. What’ll you have and then we need to chat.” Edna winked at Stella as she stood to encourage Stella to decide what she wanted faster. Stella ordered. Edna returned with two cups and a coffee pot.
“How was the…” Stella didn’t finish her sentence before Edna jumped in.
“Mr. Wonderful is all that. The first date…”
“Wait. What do you mean by the FIRST date?” Stella wiggled in the booth and leaned into the table to listen closely.
“That’s right. There’s been more than one. Stella, I don’t know why I wasted so much of my life chasing the bad boys. Jeff is perfectly wonderful and a real gentleman.”
“Can you back it up just a little? Tell me about the fundraiser.”
“Yeah, yeah. I wish you could have been there. It was a huge event. Several of the towns around here donated things and people came from all around. The music was great, and the company was even better.”
“Oh, Edna, I’m so happy for you. Everything happens in its own time. Maybe I’m your good luck charm.”
“That’s it! You are! I’m glad you’re back. We need a girls’ night to catch up. How about you come over to my place this evening?”
“I would love to. Boss told me to take a couple of days off so I can even sleep in tomorrow morning. What shall I bring?”
“Honey, you’ve been out with the cows for a week. I’ll just be glad if you come with your sunny disposition, and your eyes open. I’ll be home around five so come any time after.”
“Sounds terrific.”
“Have you heard from Brandon at all?”
Stella pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. “I haven’t even checked my messages yet. I showered and came in here for something to eat. I’ll let you know later if there’s any update. I don’t expect to hear from him. The ball’s really in my court.”
“True. Let me grab your breakfast.” Edna hustled off to make Stella’s toast and grab her potatoes and eggs with a side of bacon. Stella never tired of this meal.
Later, Stella walked around her property, checking fences and gates. When her mother came, she would enlist her help in beautifying the yard. She wanted to plant flowers but had not decided where or what flowers. Landscaping was missing throughout the property. With some tender loving care and her mother’s advice, the yard would be looking homey in no time.
Stella slid her laptop out of the kitchen cupboard to browse furniture ideas for the h
ouse. She paused first to check for text messages. Her mom and two brothers had written just to say hi. Stella quickly responded so they knew she was alive and well and back home. There were no messages from Brandon. She wondered if he was still in Texas. She sent him a message, to test the waters. Still in TX? How’s the case going?
As Stella browsed through websites looking at dining table sets, her mind wandered back to Brandon. She realized she did not know what his apartment looked like in the city or what he would look for in a home. Perhaps they stayed in hotels, or maybe they had corporate condos when they traveled to Texas. She looked up McGraw and Lipson. It seemed to be a huge law firm, so they probably had permanent housing for partners and associates traveling back and forth.
Stella turned to Internet pages of living room furniture for small homes. Furniture in earth tones and leather caught her fancy. She didn’t trust herself to pick something of good quality that she might get bored with, even if she spent a lot of time away. Stella closed the computer and looked around for something to do. Back at Winding Slough, she read trade magazines Martin gave her or pulled a book from the library in the bunkhouse. She added books to her list of things to shop for.
Stella was walking to her pickup, planning to take it to town and run it through the carwash, when her phone rang. It was Brandon.
“Hey, Brandon!”
“Hello, Stella! How are you doing? Did I get you at a bad time?”
“No, this is a perfect time. I just got in from a week on the trail and going through a little withdrawal, actually. How are you? Are you still working down in Texas?”
“I’m back in the city. Our first mediation attempt didn’t go well, so now we will spend the next several months getting ready for trial. I’ll be spending most of my time in Texas, so I guess you’re not the only one with a timing problem.”
“Thanks for saying that, Brandon. I feel like I sort of crowded you out hastily. I was so excited about my new job and my work.”