A Rich Man for Dry Creek / a Hero for Dry Creek

by Janet Tronstad

  Nicki stood up at the same moment that the pastor did. He had had the good sense to sit at the end of his table, however, so he wasn’t caught in a sea of chairs like she was.

  “Since this is truly a community Thanksgiving table,” the pastor said, “our long-lost neighbor, Lillian Redfern, has asked me to invite people to share what this community has meant to them.”

  “Oh.” Nicki sat back down.

  Mrs. Hargrove was first. Then Mr. Lucas. Then Mr. Jenkins.

  Nicki had decided her mother wasn’t going to speak after all when her mother calmly stood up.

  Lillian Redfern looked over the people in the room before she began to speak. As she looked, the room grew more and more silent. Finally, not even a fork was heard scraping against a plate.

  “I came back to Dry Creek to say I am sorry I left twenty years ago. Charles and I were having problems and—well, it’s not important what happened. He was angry with me. I was angry with him and swore it was all his fault. In the end, it didn’t matter whose fault it was, I was the one who left. I didn’t think about how many people my leaving hurt.”

  Lillian looked directly at Nicki and Nicki lowered her eyes.

  “Especially my children. I am very thankful to the people of Dry Creek for taking care of my children in my absence.” Lillian swallowed and then continued. “The one thing I regret most in my life is that I lost my children. The one thing I am most grateful for is that I have been able to see them one more time.”

  There was silence after Lillian sat down.

  Nicki refused to look up from her plate. Her mother tied everything up in such a pretty little bow. Lillian might be able to fool the people of Dry Creek, but Nicki wasn’t so easily fooled. She knew what her mother most regretted leaving behind.

  Nicki looked up and over at her mother. “We have your china, you know.”

  “The china!” Lillian exclaimed excitedly as she stood up again and walked closer to Nicki’s table. “Why didn’t you say something? I thought something had happened to it.”

  “It’s in the back closet,” Nicki said. It was the only piece of her mother that still remained on the Redfern Ranch. Maybe it was time to let it all go. “I’m sure you’ll want to take it back with you.”

  “Me?”

  The surprise in her mother’s voice made Nicki look up.

  “Why, the china wasn’t for me,” Lillian said softly. “The china was always meant for you.”

  “What?”

  Lillian nodded. “You were so taken with fairy tales as a child—remember how you used to always make a castle out of hay bales and play princess?”

  “I outgrew fairy tales.”

  “I was sure you’d like those dishes in your own home someday. The rose pattern was so close to the border in your book on fairy tales. I was going to give the china to you when you got married.”

  “Oh.” Nicki remembered the roses. She still had the book on her bedroom bookcase. “I thought it was all for you.”

  Lillian shook her head and took a step closer to Nicki.

  Chairs scraped and people moved until there was a path between Lillian and Nicki.

  Nicki blinked her eyes, but she didn’t move away. When her mother opened her arms, Nicki let herself be pulled into a hug.

  “I’m so very sorry,” her mother whispered into Nicki’s hair. “Can you forgive me?”

  “I can try,” Nicki replied. Maybe Garrett had been right and she should talk to the pastor. Maybe, if she asked for God’s help, she could forgive her mother.

  “That’s all I ask.” Nicki’s mother held her.

  “I didn’t open the box,” Nicki said as she pulled back a little from her mother’s hug. “But Dad packed them away carefully so they’re probably still all right.”

  “We’ll wash them up for you and you can start using them.” Lillian blinked a couple of times, as well.

  Garrett sat at the table next to Nicki’s empty chair and blinked his eyes, too. These holiday meals were nothing like he’d expected. He felt warm enough inside to hug someone himself. Garrett looked across Nicki’s empty chair. There sat Lester eating his yams. Garrett drew the line at hugging Lester so, instead, he reached across the table and patted Mrs. Hargrove’s hand. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it.

  “Is it time for pie?” Lester looked up.

  “I don’t see why not,” Mrs. Hargrove said as she stood. “They’re on the table in the back, all cut and everything. If someone will help me pass them out, we’ll get started.”

  Garrett helped Mrs. Hargrove pass out the pie slices. In the spirit of goodwill, he even brought Lester a second piece of pie after everyone else had been served.

  “They got you trained,” Lester sneered as he took the extra pie. “What are you going to do next—dishes?”

  Garrett nodded. He figured he could take Lester in a fair fight. Maybe after he did the dishes would be a good time. “You going to stay around for a while?”

  Lester nodded.

  “Good.”

  Garrett looked up and saw Nicki leave the room with the Curtis twins. He supposed it was time for the promised ride on Misty.

  Aunt Rose would love all this, Garrett thought to himself as he looked around in satisfaction. People had taken some of the tables down and sat around in small groups talking. A fire was going in the black cast-iron stove at one end of the bunkhouse and an electric heater was plugged in at the opposite end. The day outside was cold, but the sun was shining and someone had opened one of the windows.

  “Hey, mister.”

  Garrett looked down to see the small boy who had asked him about Boston. Three other boys were with him.

  “You want to play with us?” the boy asked. “We’re going to play trucker.”

  Garrett smiled. “Maybe you’d like to see the inside of Big Blue.”

  “Can we?”

  Garrett looked over to Mrs. Hargrove. “Don’t start the dishes without me. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

  It was fifteen minutes before Garrett started walking back through the yard toward the house. The boys had been excited about all of the knobs and levers on Big Blue and Garrett had been distracted by the sight of Nicki outside leading Misty around the yard in a circle for the Curtis twins.

  Nicki had put a parka over her pants suit and had taken off her shoes and put on her boots. The twins looked as though they were chattering and waving their arms trying to convince Misty to be a dragon. The mare just patiently kept walking. She did, however, obligingly lift her head periodically and blow out a gust of air that turned to fog in the cold afternoon air and could almost be mistaken for smoke. The twins giggled every time Misty did it.

  “Hi,” Garrett said as he walked up to them all.

  “Do you think something’s wrong with me?” Nicki looked up from the ground and demanded of Garrett. When Nicki stopped walking, Misty stopped, too.

  “No,” Garrett answered firmly. Here was his chance. He could say he thought she was so wonderful that he wanted to drive away with her. Or that she was so perfect he wanted to marry her. Or that—he didn’t get a chance to say any of it.

  “How can I promise to forgive someone when I don’t know how I’ll do it?” Nicki asked.

  “You’ll have lots of help with that. The whole town will help, especially the pastor. He’s already offered to help you sort it out. And, of course—” Garrett took a deep breath “—there’s me. I’m happy to help.”

  Garrett didn’t know anything about forgiving someone, but he figured he could learn right along with Nicki. Maybe he could even learn about being committed to someone at the same time.

  “How can you help?”

  The horse nudged Nicki on the back. The twins were waving their arms around and shouting something about swords and fire.

  “I could go to counseling with you.” Garrett smiled. “I figure we’ve already aced marriage counseling. We make a good team in counseling.”

  The horse nudged Nicki again and
she started leading the procession away. They’d gone a few yards when Nicki turned. “We flunked marriage counseling, you know.”

  “We were doing just fine. We only got through the first question.” Garrett decided only a fool would propose to a women who was leading around a dragon being ridden by two little boys. But propose he would. He was working his way up to it. He just needed the right time and some romantic gesture.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Garrett stomped his shoes on the kitchen porch to make most of the snow drop off of them. He’d scrape them inside, too, after he took his jacket off. The air was much warmer inside the kitchen and Garrett stood in the entryway for a moment after he shut the door.

  Garrett saw with satisfaction that a huge stack of dirty pots and pans sat on the counter by the sink. The soft sound of women’s voices came from the living room.

  He walked toward the voices. “Thanks for not—”

  “Oh.” Lillian Redfern looked up and quickly snatched her blond wig back from Mrs. Hargrove. She put the wig on her head and looked up at Garrett. “I was just—”

  Garrett could see she wasn’t finding the words to tell him what was wrong. “You don’t have to explain. I just wanted to let you know I was going to go tackle those pots and pans.” Garrett smiled. “That was a great meal you ladies put together,” he said and turned to go.

  “Wait.” Mrs. Hargrove called him back. “Lillian, it’s nothing to be ashamed of—you’re going to have to tell people sooner or later.” Mrs. Hargrove put her hand on Lillian’s arm.

  “You’re right.” Lillian nodded her head at Garrett. “Besides, you might be able to help Nicki understand when I tell her and Reno about it.” Lillian took a deep breath. “The reason I lost my hair is because of the chemotherapy. I have breast cancer.”

  “And there’s no reason to panic,” Mrs. Hargrove said firmly. “My niece had breast cancer and she’s made a nice recovery.” She smiled at Lillian. “Her hair even grew back.”

  “I plan to tell Nicki and Reno this coming Sunday. I wanted them to get to know me a little more first,” Lillian told Garrett. “So if you could keep it quiet for the time being.”

  “No problem. I wish you’d told me on the way up here though. I could have taken it easier and stopped in a hotel at night or something instead of just driving through like I did.”

  Lillian shook her head firmly. “Then we wouldn’t have made it in time for Thanksgiving. No, the reason I wanted you to drive me is because Chrissy said you’d be able to drive straight through. I wasn’t up to flying, but I did want to get to Dry Creek for Thanksgiving.”

  “I’m glad we made it for Thanksgiving, too,” Garrett added softly.

  Mrs. Hargrove looked at him. “I’m sure Nicki is happy you are here, too. You two seem to have hit it off.”

  Garrett nodded. “I’ll always remember Nicki.”

  “Oh. You’re leaving?” Mrs. Hargrove looked confused. “I thought you two were—well, maybe my old eyes aren’t as sharp as they used to be.”

  Garrett shook his head. “There’s nothing wrong with your eyes. I plan to ask Nicki to marry me later today. I just don’t think she’ll say yes.”

  “Oh.” Mrs. Hargrove brightened. “Well, you don’t know that until you ask, now do you?”

  “I just wish I had some flowers.”

  “There’s an orchid in the refrigerator,” Lillian suggested. “In some plastic box.”

  “No, I think Nicki is more a roses kind of a woman. Even wild roses maybe.” Garrett wondered if he could call a florist anywhere in the world and have roses delivered in the next few hours. “I don’t suppose anyone grows roses around here and has one left in their garden.”

  “It’s freezing out there. The roses are all cut back.” Mrs. Hargrove thought a moment. “You could make her a cowboy’s rose though.”

  “What’s that?”

  “In the early days of the Redfern Ranch, a cowboy often gave his lady a rose made out of a folded bandanna. They actually found a way to fold them that made them look just like a rose.”

  “Nicki would like that.” Garrett was encouraged. Anything to do with her ranch would please Nicki. “Where can I get a bandanna?”

  “I’m sure her father had some,” Lillian said as she stood up and adjusted her wig. “Let me run upstairs and check in the drawers. He always kept a package of brand-new ones in the top left drawer.”

  “Here, let me get them for you,” Garrett offered as he motioned Lillian back to her seat.

  “See.” Lillian turned to Mrs. Hargrove. “That’s why I don’t like to tell people. Everyone treats me like an invalid.” She turned to Garrett. “I’m perfectly able to climb a flight of stairs.”

  “I’m sure you are, ma’am.”

  Garrett watched Lillian walk toward the stairs. Why hadn’t he noticed earlier that she was frail? That’s probably why she’d been so quiet on the ride up here. “Do you think she’ll be all right with Chrissy driving her back?”

  Mrs. Hargrove nodded. “I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

  “Well, I may as well get some of those pots in the dishwater so they can at least soak a few minutes.” Garrett turned to leave for the kitchen.

  “Good idea. Clear a place on the table so we can fold those bandannas.”

  The rose bandannas were easy to make and did look surprisingly like roses. Big, sturdy summer roses. “Now, you’re sure Nicki will know what these are?”

  Lillian nodded as she tied the roses together in a bouquet. “We used to make them when she was little. She’ll remember.”

  Garrett hoped Nicki’s mother was right. He was counting on the cloth roses to give his proposal respectability.

  “You’re welcome to use the ring, too.” Lillian nodded her head toward the refrigerator. “I’d love for Nicki to wear it.”

  Garrett hesitated. “You know she’s given me no reason to think she’ll say yes?”

  Lillian shrugged. “She seems to like you.”

  “But she’s convinced that Lester is the man for her. And, to give the man his due, he does know about ranching and cattle. I only know about trucking. I don’t see how I could make a living for Nicki and me here.”

  “Nicki would have to love you a lot to be willing to leave this ranch,” Mrs. Hargrove agreed.

  “That’s why I’m saying I should leave the ring on the top of the refrigerator.” Garrett felt the collar of his shirt grow tighter. He’d taken his tuxedo jacket off and rolled his sleeves up to do dishes. “What I’m doing is making a statement to Nicki. I don’t think we can expect an engagement. I have Big Blue all packed and I intend to take off after she refuses me. To save everyone the awkwardness, you know.”

  “I see.” Lillian smiled slightly. “Off into the sunset.”

  “The two of us can see to the last of these dishes,” Mrs. Hargrove said. There was one last sinkful of pans still soaking. “But if you don’t send me a Christmas card from wherever you are, I can tell you I’m going to be very disappointed.”

  Garrett looked at the two women. Aunt Rose would have approved. “I can do that.”

  “I saw Nicki go into the bunkhouse a little bit ago,” Lillian added. “Reno is leading the horse around now.”

  “I don’t think anyone else is in the bunkhouse,” Mrs. Hargrove added. “We’ve been watching out the window. Last time I looked, I saw Lester talking with Mr. Jenkins over by the barn.”

  “Well—” Garrett rolled down the sleeves on his shirt and reached for his tuxedo jacket “—I guess there’s no time like the present.”

  After Nicki had given the horse reins to Reno, she had gone into the bunkhouse.

  The heat was fast leaving the bunkhouse, but the smell of turkey was still in the air everywhere except in the walk-in closet. The closet had obviously been added after the bunkhouse had been built and inferior lumber had been used. The slats didn’t match properly and wind blew into the small room.

  Nicki rubbed her arms. She’d taken her heavy coa
t off and laid it on the floor so she’d have something to sit on. Before that she had stopped to tie a full apron around her waist. She was grateful for the apron because no one had cleaned the closet for years and a film of dust had settled over everything. She’d also noticed water spots on the boxes so the roof in the closet must leak.

  Nicki quietly sat cross-legged for a minute after she opened the flaps on the first box of china. Her father had wrapped each piece of china in newspaper, and Nicki slowly unwrapped a cup. It felt like her whole childhood came back to her. Her mother was right. Nicki did think of Cinderella fairy tales when she looked at the roses on those cups.

  Last week Nicki would have sworn fairy tales were worthless and that it was best to live as though romance and flowers didn’t exist. But now, she wondered if she’d just been afraid love would always disappoint her.

  The door to the bunkhouse opened as Nicki took out another cup and unwrapped it. The older men sitting in the barn had come earlier to take a few folding chairs and they must want another one.

  Garrett stood in the open doorway of the closet for a few moments just looking at Nicki. The white apron she wore was knee-length and it billowed out around her, as she sat with her legs folded under it. The wind had whipped her hair into disarray and it looked as if it was sprinkled with dust. He’d never seen a more beautiful woman.

  “So this is the china?” Garrett walked over to where Nicki sat and got down on the floor himself. He had the rose bouquet in a brown paper bag that Mrs. Hargrove had given him.

  Nicki looked over, smiled and nodded. “Silly, isn’t it? What grown woman likes a china pattern because it reminds her of fairy tales?”

  Garrett shrugged. “I can’t think of a better reason.”

  “You know that pink dress we saw before—the one I thought my mother used to make me wear. I think I had it all wrong. I loved the dress. I used to pretend I was Cinderella.”

  “I rather like thinking of you as a princess.”

  “Oh, I stopped being a princess. All that feminine stuff—it’s not me anymore. I gave up being pretty to be useful. I don’t wear dresses anymore. It’s all jeans. And boots.”