by Kim Smart
“How can that be? This is already a big deal!”
“There are some incredible prizes that come with this award. There’s a cash prize, an honorary seat on the board for that association, a trip and a pickup truck. I don’t know how we never heard of this before except, we long ago stopped going to the stock shows. They don’t really cater to our type of operation.”
“That makes sense. You do specialize in desert cattle and all the stock shows I’ve been to focus on the Midwest, Plains and Texas ranchers.”
“We will buy a table at the awards ceremony. The money goes to scholarships for agricultural students and, as you might guess, that’s near and dear to us.” Clara nodded in agreement with her husband.
“First, I should ask, are you willing to go in our stead and accept the award?”
“It would be my pleasure.” Stella squirmed in her seat like a child getting a sweet treat.
“Since we will have a table and you will be the only one there from Winding Slough, we think you should invite your family to join you. What do you think?” Martin looked at Stella eagerly, hoping she would accept their offer.
“That’s a great idea! They go to the stock show sometimes, anyway. This would be a special occasion for Mom to get dolled up. That would thrill her to no end.”
“Then it’s settled. I have an assignment from Brandon to get some information together. You’re working with that woman up there in Watson to put some marketing together for Rabbit Creek. Could she could put a rush on it so I can include that information say, in ten days?”
“I’m happy to ask Kendra if she can do that. Her business is fairly young so I’m thinking she would have the time.” Stella did not share that Jesse was on a date with her as they spoke.
“That would be terrific. I’ll leave it to you to reach out to your parents and then let me know if they will be there with you. Brandon may know some folks who would like to join the table. I’ll let you know. I told him I would get back to him after I spoke with you. He may send you additional information about the event.” Martin started stacking the dishes to clear the table. Stella rose to help.
“Leave the dishes, Stella. Martin and I will get them.”
“Let me take this stack to the sink. It’s the least I can do.”
“Don’t let me hold you up. You’ve got quite a drive yet to get back home.” Clara was clearing the food from the table and dishing the leftovers into containers to take to the bunkhouse.
“I don’t think I’ll be driving. I will float home with all this good news you shared tonight. I am so proud and grateful to be working with you, who value all the right things. And now, you’re being rewarded for doing what you know is right. Isn’t it just amazing?”
“Stella, I do believe you are more excited than we are. We have always done the right thing because it’s right. We never looked for outsiders to give us praise.” Martin was filling the dishwasher as he spoke.
“That’s what makes it even more special. We will highlight all these things you do right now so others can learn from you. It won’t surprise me if you have traditional operators coming to visit so they can learn from you.”
“That’s possible. You know us. The door is always open.” Clara smiled. “That means for you too, dear. You come visit us more often, okay?”
“I will do my best, Clara. You know how serious I am about my work.”
“Yes, yes we do. We love you for that. It warms our heart to see you happy. We’ll do what we can to help you stay that way.”
“I will definitely come to visit when you are recovering from surgery and I’m guessing before this big show we will have to meet again. Martin, I know you’ll be making notes of things you would say if you could go. Am I right?”
Martin grinned. “You know me well, Stella. You will do a fantastic job and yes, I may have some bullet points for you.”
“I’m counting on it.”
Jesse was sitting at the kitchen table, writing.
She spilled all the news from the evening, including her history with Brandon.
“You’ve got some groveling to do, I think.” Jesse reflected on his own relationship status and the missteps he may have taken.
“Sorry your evening wasn’t more fun, Jesse. I guess it tells you what kind of girl you are not interested in, eh?”
“Kendra’s beautiful and she’s a lot of fun. I like my fun a little more intimate, I’d say.” Jesse never was a party boy. He was more comfortable in smaller settings.
“I hope you will come with me to Colorado. You’ll still be here next month, right?”
“I wouldn’t miss this chance to see you on stage for anything! Besides, you might need my protection if that Brandon fellow isn’t one to forgive easily.” Jesse smiled.
“I think if I’m wearing the right dress, he will probably forgive me.” Stella was researching the event online as they spoke. She looked at photos from prior years’ award ceremonies to see what the customary attire was. Edna would know what she needed. Good thing she had invited Jeff and Edna out for Sunday dinner.
“Oh, no!” Stella closed her laptop abruptly and looked at Jesse.
“What’s the matter?”
“I almost forgot! We’re hosting dinner tomorrow for Edna and Jeff. I have no idea what I’m serving.”
Jesse laughed. “There’s the old faithful Yvette Davies kitchen sink lasagna. I think together we can figure that one out, throw a salad together, butter some French bread and open a bottle of wine.”
“You’re the best, brother!”
“Yeah, we’ve got this.”
17
Stella felt like a schoolgirl getting ready for prom. She packed a curling iron and makeup in an overnight bag with jeans and t-shirts. She and Edna spent a day in the city finding a dress and the assorted essentials to go with it. The makeup she packed probably wouldn’t see the light of day again after the Stock Show activities. Edna had her convinced that the spotlights would make her look sickly without makeup, so she caved in.
The dress they found was classy. After trying on two dozen dresses in varying styles and shades of black, Edna brought a cobalt blue dress to the dressing room. Stella was grateful for some color. The dress was fitted with capped sleeves and it fell just below her knees, accentuating her toned calves. They found some midnight blue strappy shoes and a beaded handbag to finish the look.
Before leaving the shopping center, Edna nudged Stella into one last shop. “I think you should take a back-up outfit just in case there is another fancy event after hours. Sometimes that happens, there’s an after-party or a special dinner to go to.”
Stella shrugged and followed Edna into yet another store. They passed by racks of short cocktail dresses. Stella was too modest to wear those dresses. In the back of the store, they found racks of holiday-colored satins.
“These wide legs are popular, aren’t they?” Stella held out a pair of black satin pants with hems as wide as the waist. “I need a boot cut.”
Edna laughed as she searched through the rack.
“I’ve got it!” Edna held out black satin pants fitted at the ankle, a silver sleeveless blouse, and wide satin tie with a rhinestone buckle.
“Now that, I like.” Stella tried it on, paid for it and they headed home.
Everything was packed into Jesse’s truck for the trip to Colorado. Jesse was satisfied to wear a new pair of blue jeans and his only dress jacket, which their mother was bringing from Buffalo Ridge.
Sitting behind the steering wheel, Jesse looked at his sister. “Do you have all your clothes and makeup?”
“Check.”
“All your props and your speech?”
“I can’t believe it. Hang on.” Stella jumped out of the pickup and ran into the house. Gus wasn’t there to greet her. Matt took Gus to his house for the few days that Stella would be gone. She was paying him to check on the horses and the house, too.
Stella hopped back into the truck with laptop and charger in han
d. “I can’t believe I almost forgot this. I’m still working on my acceptance speech. Martin keeps sending me things he would like me to mention if there’s time.”
“This is will make a good story one day, I can feel it in my bones.” Everything was becoming something to write about for Jesse. The more he wrote, the better he got and the more he found to say.
The trip to Denver was about twelve hours of driving time. With a stop for lunch, they would be there by mid-evening. Their parents would arrive the following day. They drove through Utah and just across the border into Colorado before they grabbed fast food for lunch. There were few options before that.
“We’re making great time. Thanks for doing the driving.” Stella looked up from her computer. She had read and revised her notes a dozen times so far on the journey.
“You’re welcome. This gives you time to polish your speech. You’re such a perfectionist.”
Stella reached over and nudged Jesse’s arm with her fist. “Takes one to know one.”
“Just look at who raised us. They set the bar high.” Jesse always felt pressure to live up to what he thought his parents’ expectations were. Being the last of four children, a lot of successes preceded him. He wrote about family and western life frequently.
The trip to Denver was uneventful. They checked into their hotel rooms. The association provided Stella’s room; the Drakes paid for Jesse’s. When the desk clerk said she had a suite in the swanky hotel, Stella didn’t know what to say. They rode the elevator in silence, managing their own luggage. Stella and Jesse were both tired from the long drive and thought they were ready for bed. Jesse got off on the sixteenth floor. They agreed to meet for breakfast at seven the next morning.
Stella got off on the thirty-second floor and found room 3216. She opened the door, and the sweet smell of flowers greeted her. There were a dozen bouquets in the room and two baskets of fruit, wine, cheese, and chocolates. She hung up her garment bag, dropped the other bags on the floor and grabbed her phone.
“Jesse, you’ve got to come up here and see this.” She spouted as she looked out the massive windows at the city lights below. “Room 3216. No, wait! I have to come to get you. Your key won’t let you up past the thirtieth floor. I’ll be right down.”
Stella raced out the door to the elevator. Jesse was waiting for her at the elevator, standing in stocking feet, shirt untucked. “What’s the big deal? So, you got a nice room.”
“Yeah. You’ll see how nice. Come on.” She tugged his arm and pulled him into the elevator.
“Holy smoke! Where did all this stuff come from? Are you sure you have the right room?” The massive bouquets and baskets were impressive.
“Here, let’s have a midnight snack. Cheese and crackers? White wine or red?” The two picked at the baskets, snacking and reading the cards on the gifts.
“I don’t even know who some of these people are. I get the association, the law firm, Brandon, Martin and Clara, even Mom and Dad. The rest of these, I don’t know who they came from.”
Jesse took the stack of cards from Stella and looked through them. “I can’t help you, sis. It’s a mystery to me. But when you find out where they came from, tell them I enjoyed the food and drink.”
Stella walked into the bar and kitchen area of the suite. She opened the refrigerator to peer inside, thinking it would be empty. There was a box of pastries, a plate of desserts, more fruit and an assortment of beer. She grabbed the envelope taped to the refrigerator door and tore it open. The gifts in the fridge were from the production company in charge of the event. They invited her to join them the following morning to get familiar with the room where the award ceremony would take place, the stage, and the sound system. She handed the note to Jesse. “These people think I’m here to work.”
“Did you think this was just going to be one big party? You have to work for it!” Jesse drank the last bit of wine from his glass. “I’m heading to bed. It’s been a long day. Shall we still meet for breakfast?”
“Yes. But can we make it for eight? I might have a little trouble winding down tonight.”
“Works for me. See you then.”
Stella bounced around the room, smelling the flowers, putting cheese and champagne in the refrigerator and studying the gift cards once again. She pulled out her computer and researched the names she wasn’t familiar with. Some of them were prior years’ recipients. She wrote an email to Martin and Clara, detailing the gifts and sent pictures so they could share in the fun.
Stella’s phone chimed just as she was ready to crawl into bed. I hope you made it to the hotel and your room is acceptable. I have a delay and won’t get in until right before the ceremony tomorrow night. Can we catch up after?
Stella was surprised that Brandon, or anyone from his firm, had not asked to review her speech or review the program. Brandon had sent a few texts checking in and making basic inquiries, like the names of her family that would join her at the event. Martin had shared the materials he sent. Brandon incorporated it into the media presentation assembled for an introduction to the Winding Slough Ranch operation. Martin and Clara videoed an acceptance message and introduced Stella since they couldn’t be there.
She quickly typed a return message. I hope this all comes together. I’m a little, no, a lot out of my element here.
Stella had the best night’s sleep she’d had in several weeks. She woke fifteen minutes before eight. She pulled her hair back, threw on jeans and a western shirt and headed to the lobby to meet Jesse for breakfast. She found him talking to some men in suits.
“Here she is now. Gentlemen, this is my sister, Stella Davies.” The men introduced themselves as being from the sponsoring association. They were from different parts of the country and gathered early in the morning for a business meeting.
“Congratulations, Stella! The application Brandon submitted about your operation thoroughly impressed us. I realize the Drakes are the owners but I have to tell you, I had a teleconference with them after the association decided to give them the award and they sang your praises. This really is an outstanding organization and what you’re doing up there on Rabbit Creek should be a lesson for many.”
The knowledge that these men had about the Drakes, their operation…and her…took Stella by surprise. “Thank you, sir. Thanks to all of you. It really is an honor to be here to represent the Winding Slough operations. Martin and Clara have a vision like no other I have encountered, and I was raised on a ranch in South Dakota.”
“That’s right. You’re from the Davies family on Buffalo Ridge. Hi, I’m Buck Cordas. I come from the Fort Piere area. I met your dad and two of your brothers some time ago. Steve, and Chance, I think. Chance, he’s the pro bull rider, right?”
“That’s right. My parents and brother Steve, along with Jesse here, will be at the ceremony tonight. A little moral support, you might say. It really is a pleasure to meet all of you and to be accepting your award tonight. I promise I won’t show up like this, in my jeans.” The group laughed.
“It would be fine if you did. The story tonight will carry the show. I’m sure you’ll have a lot of color to add, whether you’re wearing jeans or something else.” Weston Moore, a board member from Texas, shook Stella’s hand. “We need to meet the rest of our group and get this meeting started. Remember, after this Winding Slough will have a representative at our board meetings.”
Stella waved them all off. She bumped up against Jesse. “So bro, how about that breakfast?”
“Is that how you’re going to play this? You’re all famous and everything and all you can do is talk about breakfast? Okay, I’m in.”
The restaurant served a huge European breakfast with an omelet bar on the side. There was something available for everyone. Stella and Jesse ate two and three plates of food, trying a little of everything and more of the things they liked.
“Who needs a special box of pastries and big baskets of chocolate and cheese when you can come down here and eat fish balls and pickl
ed herring? This place is the bomb!”
Stella and Jesse met with Kerry from the production company in the banquet hall. Kerry walked through the motions of getting on and off stage and using the sound system. They programmed the media presentation to play on the big screen behind her and smaller screens throughout the room.
“So, everyone in the room will have a close-up view of this mug.” Stella joked with the production manager.
“That’s right, and aren’t they the lucky ones?” He smiled back at Stella and they continued their walk-through. Jesse watched from their designated table directly in front of center-stage.
After the walk-through, Jesse and Stella explored the hotel and nearby shops. They were in a swanky part of town, so window-shopping was more than enough to satisfy their curiosity. Their mom, dad, and brother Steve arrived in time to meet for lunch. As always, it was a happy reunion for the family. The group hung out in Stella’s suite after lunch. The view and the motherlode of gifts bestowed on Stella equally awed Yvette and Dan.
Dan put his arm around his daughter. “How does it feel to be a celebrity?”
“It feels like a lot of pressure. I hope I can pull off the presentation tonight.”
“Oh Stella, you are such a worrier! You take after your mother.”
“I don’t get my worrying from the dirt.” She tapped her elbow into Dan’s ribs. The group laughed. Dan worried with the best of them. He worried silently, but they all knew when he was concerned for his family, his crops or his cattle. He paced, checked and re-checked the animals and fields, and started coffee drinking extra early during stressful times. “I’ve seen you worry a time or two yourself.”
Stella rehearsed her acceptance speech and presentation of the Winding Slough Ranch conglomerate for them.
“Oh my, you are giving me goose bumps Stella. I feel like I missed some of your growing up. You’re such a polished speaker. You will have them spellbound tonight.” Yvette sniffed and wiped the corners of her eyes. A proud momma moment!