Everything was going well. Mark seemed to instinctively know when a twirl was needed and he held his hand out so he could steady Rosie in her moment of twirling glory.
Bailey sighed as she saw her old friend gallantly help her daughter twist and turn. No matter what happened next in any of their lives, Bailey knew she would never forget this dance practice. Neither Mark nor her daughter was dressed in their finery, but the expressions of pure joy on each of their faces were perfect. They gave her hope for the future. Maybe having Mark for a friend would be enough for the both of them.
Chapter Ten
Mark had watched Rosie dance until his heart was filled with more pride than a man could rightfully handle. She could grow up to be a genuine star, he figured. He was sure she’d win this contest no matter who else entered. Who else around could have that much talent?
But, he could hardly say any of that to her. Bailey would give him a scolding if he even hinted to Rosie that she was sure to win. And he agreed. It wouldn’t be good for the girl to take it all for granted.
He sighed just thinking about it all. And then, he went to the kitchen and put together some food to heat up for his supper.
He was heading back to the bunkhouse so the girl and her mother could have a late-afternoon nap. They both looked exhausted once the excitement of the dance wore off. Mark wasn’t sure this much activity had been good for Bailey, but she wouldn’t want him to caution her any more than he already did. She’d always been independent, even as a child. Of course, he reminded himself, they had both been that way—they’d had to be to survive.
Snow was coming down hard and the ground was frozen underneath the fat flakes. The light was fading from the day, but it was not yet evening.
Hurrying a bit to get inside the bunkhouse, Mark set the bag of food on the porch so he could twist the doorknob. When he opened the door, he was greeted by an excited bark from the dog and a push of warm air that enveloped him.
“Good doggie,” Mark said as he reached down to pat his canine friend. Since the dog didn’t immediately go to explore the bag of food, Mark decided that the animal’s welcome was for him alone.
Mark closed the door and looked around. The windows in the bunkhouse were layered with white frost and the light bulbs overhead were weak ones, but the place satisfied him. He’d made his home in humbler places around the world. Last night, Josh had pulled the two rocking chairs out of the foreman’s suite and settled them in front of the stove so now Mark walked over and sat in one of them.
“Ah,” he said as he set the bag down and pulled his wet boots off. Today was a good day and his stockings were thick ones. After a few minutes, he took the bag of food into the foreman’s suite next door and put it in the refrigerator.
When he came back into the main room, he looked over to the nightstand by his bed and eyed the pamphlet Mrs. Hargrove had given him. He’d glanced through it when he came over earlier to get his laundry. He’d smiled then because it was about washing away one’s sins and he’d just asked himself how he was going to wash away the streak of grease he’d gotten on his jeans when he’d slid under the old tractor in the barn last week. He figured there would be no clue in the pages to answer that particular question, but he did ponder how impossible it would be to get rid of a stain made of one’s sins.
Mark sat down in one of the rocking chairs before the fire and wondered if his whole life would be about improving himself now that he was out of the service. When he got tired of thinking about that, he asked himself if Junior had ever thought about his mortality. The man had died without warning. At least Mark’s army years had prepared him for the unexpected nature of death. He hoped for Rosie’s sake that there really was a heaven and that Junior had a shot at being there. Even if Junior had been an indifferent father, he was glad Rosie had some mild affection for the man.
The heat was making Mark a little drowsy and he decided to close his eyes for a bit while he sat by the stove and relaxed. The dog was nestled at his feet and the wind was blowing outside. Mark was content.
He must have fallen asleep because he was startled when he woke to the sounds of a vehicle driving up the lane. Mark recognized the grinding cough of Josh’s pickup and he looked at the clock on the wall. It would not be dark for an hour so Mark figured the weather must be taking a turn for the worse to make Josh come back early.
The man himself was pushing through the door before Mark even decided to get up from the chair.
“Sure is cold out there,” Josh said as he shut the door firmly and then stomped the snow off his boots. “And the snow’s so heavy you can’t tell if it’s getting dark because of the time or if the clouds are just crowding out any sun.”
“It’s probably some of both,” Mark said.
“Yeah, I suppose,” Josh said as he shook the snow off his heavy coat and hung it on one of the pegs close to the door.
“Everything good at your uncle’s place?” Mark asked, grateful there were two rocking chairs by the fire here so he didn’t need to think of leaving his own to let the other man warm himself.
“Good as can be expected,” Josh said. “But crowded! Those grandkids of his are terrors! Makes a man want to stay single.”
“Yeah, well, kids,” Mark said in what he hoped was a sympathetic tone. He never liked to complain about anyone’s relatives, but he was happy that Rosie was a delightful child and not like some he had heard about. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him that made him sit up straight.
“You like Rosie fine though, don’t you?” Mark asked.
“Sure,” Josh said as he settled into the other rocking chair. “She’s a good little girl. Obedient.”
Mark frowned slightly. He wasn’t sure that was the word he’d like used for Rosie. It might hold her back. “She’s actually quite exceptional—you should see her do her tap dance routine. The one she’s practicing for that Valentine talent show at the café.”
“Oh, yeah,” Josh said as he pushed a chair a little closer to the stove. “I heard she was going to enter. She’ll do fine.”
“She’ll do great,” Mark said, trying not to scowl at the other man. “She’ll win hands down.”
Josh looked at him. “Well, sure, I suppose she could.”
Mark decided he wasn’t as comfortable sitting here in front of the fire as he thought he would be. But Josh was studying him with a speculative look in his eyes so he figured he’d best stay where he was.
The silence made Mark feel awkward.
“Did you ever figure Bailey and Junior would get hitched?” Mark finally asked just to say something.
“No,” Josh said as he stretched his stockinged feet out in front of the stove. He was more relaxed now. “I didn’t see that coming.”
“I’m surprised she did it,” Mark confessed. That had been bothering him since he found out she’d married Junior and he might as well admit it. He knew he wasn’t the only one who thought it was strange.
“Well, you were gone,” Josh said.
“What’s that got to do with anything?” Mark demanded. He stopped rocking.
“I’m just saying you weren’t here,” Josh said patiently.
“Of course I wasn’t here.” Mark felt his knees go weak. He was glad he was sitting down.
“I always thought she was sweet on you,” Josh said. “That’s all.”
“Oh,” Mark said softly.
“Arnold always thought so, too,” Josh added.
Mark snorted. “That old man proposed to her the other day. Did you know that?”
“Arnold?” Josh asked with a smile starting on his face.
Mark nodded.
“He always was a romantic,” Josh said. “Never figured him for something like that though. What did she say?”
“She didn’t say yes, that’s for sure,” Mark said.
Josh chuckled. “Then what happened
?”
“Arnold said I should be the one marrying Bailey,” Mark said. “I told him I plan my own life.”
Josh nodded. “Then what?”
“I bought those shirts you see hanging in the closet,” Mark said. “And the suit, too.”
Josh shook his head in what looked like pity. “So you just let your chance slip right through your fingers.”
“I’m not a marrying man,” Mark said stiffly. There was no need to pity him. “No sense in being something I’m not.”
Josh shrugged. “So what do you figure to do? I know you’re worried about her, especially with the baby coming.”
“I figured you’d marry her,” Mark said.
Josh laughed out loud at that. “I don’t get between a man and his woman.”
“But Bailey and me...we’ve never been—” Mark started until Josh held up his hand.
“I was here, remember,” Josh said. “She used to come over to the ranch all the time.”
“She was tutoring Junior in math,” Mark protested. “And then English, I think. And maybe history for a while. For years, she tutored him. The guy wouldn’t have made it out of grade school, let alone high school, without her.”
“But all those years she was looking at you,” Josh countered and then, when he saw Mark’s expression, he added. “I have eyes in my head.”
They were both silent for a few minutes, listening to the wind blowing outside.
“I noticed you looking at her, too,” Josh said.
“Well, I—” Mark stopped. He was going to have to face the issue at some point. “The truth is, I’d give my eye teeth to marry Bailey, but I’m no good at the family stuff. I made Rosie cry today and I came close to having Bailey in tears, too. What would their life be with me?”
“So you’re scared?” Josh asked quietly.
“I’m just hoping for better for them,” Mark said, suddenly very weary.
Josh didn’t seem to have any words to say to that so they rocked together for a good while. By then it was fully dark outside and it was cozy inside the bunkhouse.
“I brought some soup over for us,” Mark said. “And some tuna sandwiches. I put them in the refrigerator in that suite over there. We can heat the soup up and be set for supper.”
“Sounds good to me,” Josh said as he stood up. “I don’t mind an early night either. I figure we’ll be up before usual to feed the cows if you want to get over to the Bakers by the time you said.”
“You heard about that, did you?” Mark asked. He wasn’t really surprised. Gossip seemed to keep everyone informed around here.
Josh nodded. “My uncle is good friends with the men in the church. He heard about it before I got over to his place today.”
“Well, I guess it is newsworthy,” Mark said.
“Dead man walking,” Josh said with a grin. “That’s you. Least that’s what the old men say.”
“Well, it’s worth a shot to talk to the man,” Mark said. “Sometimes men just need a little shake-up to get back on the straight and narrow. And tell your uncle and his friends that we’ll be safe enough.”
Josh nodded and Mark figured they all knew he had military training.
The ranch hands next words dispelled that notion though. “You’ll be safe as a baby if you’re taking Mrs. Hargrove with you,” Josh said. “That woman can stare down a snake and stop him from striking. Then, she’ll nag him until he repents of his wicked ways.”
“So I’ve heard,” Mark said wryly.
“I’m kind of surprised she hasn’t been working on you,” Josh said as he walked over to the door that led to the foreman’s suite.
Fortunately, Mark thought, Josh walked into the next room without looking back or waiting for an answer. Mark wasn’t sure his face wouldn’t give him away. He could still hear the sorrow in the older woman’s voice as she talked to him. Not that he needed to consider repenting, he assured himself.
He had made himself nervous, Mark thought, so he was reassured to hear the sounds of a metal pan being set on the stove in the other room. Josh was managing their supper fine. All was right with the world. He just needed to roll his shoulders a few times so the tension would leave his neck.
Mark stood up and walked over to the nightstand by his bed where that pamphlet lay. That was the problem. He picked it up and put it in the top drawer. A man needed some privacy if he was going to think about his life. Not that he had to do that right now either.
He was relieved when Josh came back carrying a couple of TV trays.
“The soup is cooking,” the ranch hand said as he set a tray next to each rocker.
“Thanks,” Mark said. “I’d have had a hard time carrying those trays with my leg like it is.”
Josh nodded absentmindedly.
“Which is one more reason why—”
Josh made the stop sign again with his hand. “I don’t think Bailey is looking for a pack mule to marry.” The other man grinned. “Although you are stubborn enough to be one so maybe that will work in your favor.”
Mark tried to scowl, but his lips kept turning up in a smile. “You just wait. Someday you’ll be in this situation, too. When was the last time you met a woman you’d like to get to know better?”
Josh’s grin faded and his face turned red. “The funeral.”
“Eli’s funeral?” Mark asked in astonishment. “There weren’t any strange women there.”
“There was one,” Josh said quietly. “With the lawyer. I helped her back to the car when they were leaving. It was starting to snow and it was slick.”
“Emma?” Mark asked. “You want to marry Emma?”
“Of course not,” Josh said, his voice forceful. “You just asked for one I’d like to get to know better. I’m not marrying anyone. But she looked—” He paused. “She looked interesting.”
“A tornado would be interesting,” Mark muttered wryly. “A termite invasion would be interesting. The plague was interesting.”
“I get the picture,” Josh said. “So she’s in a predicament. Who hasn’t been?”
Mark sputtered for a moment and then he grinned. “You know, I think it would be interesting to watch you get to know Emma after all.”
Josh didn’t respond for so long that Mark figured that the fun was over. They ate in silence. But when they were finished, Josh cleared his throat.
“I’m sorry if I worried you any with my opinions,” Josh said. “I hope it didn’t make your PTSD act up.”
“I don’t think you even know anything about PTSD,” Mark said. “I know soldiers who suffer from it and I wouldn’t hesitate to ask for help if I needed it. But I don’t have it. Period.”
“You’re sure?” Josh asked.
“Absolutely,” Mark said. “The doctors said no.”
“Did I spread a rumor about it, then?” Josh asked, his voice muffled.
“Looks like it,” Mark said. “But I forgive you.”
“Still don’t know why you have your dog then,” Josh said. “He’s a mangy thing.”
“The mutt’s good company,” Mark said, looking over at where the canine was dozing.
Josh snorted. “That animal hasn’t moved all day. It was in the same place when we left to go to church. A block of wood is as much company as he is.”
“Well, Sunday is a day of rest on the Rosen Ranch,” Mark said, trying to keep his voice sounding somber.
“That dog rests so much it might as well be dead,” Josh complained. “I liked it better when it was snarling at the church women. At least then it showed some gumption. Why, the mutt doesn’t even have a name.”
“I’m getting around to naming him,” Mark said.
“When are you going to do it?” Josh demanded.
“After you call up Emma,” Mark retorted.
That ended the conversation.
* * *
Bailey woke up the next morning wishing she could stay in bed for a week. Frost lined all of the windows and the air was cold. But she knew Mark was going to go over to see the Bakers today and she felt she should give him a hot breakfast before he went. She had slept in her own bed last night instead of with Rosie. Her daughter was so tired she probably hadn’t noticed the difference.
The sun had not come up yet, but it was seven according to the wall clock. Bailey got dressed and went out to the kitchen. She turned the thermostat up and got a carton of eggs out of the refrigerator. There was bacon and it wouldn’t take much to make some pancakes.
She turned the radio on low to get the weather forecast and heard the temperatures were going to be higher today than they had been yesterday. The snowplow had cleared the roads, too. It was a good day for a drive.
She looked over to where the plastic container filled with cookies sat. She had four dozen oatmeal raisin cookies and, when she went to bed last night, she figured that was about right for three boys, all under eight. A page from Rosie’s coloring book sat on the lid. It was a picture of a warrior princess. The royal dress was pink, but the princess held a sword high. Rosie had added the weapon to the picture. Still, Bailey thought the Baker boys would probably rather see an armed princess than one that was sitting and drinking tea. Or worse yet, sleeping while waiting for the prince to appear.
The bacon was frying and the pancake batter was sitting ready to pour when Rosie came to the doorway into the kitchen.
“Are the Baker boys going to get in trouble today?” Rosie asked. She was still in her pajamas and her hair was going every which way.
Bailey couldn’t tell if her daughter was worried or vengeful. She was not happy though. That much was obvious.
His Dry Creek Inheritance Page 13