Maribeth wore her long hair in a single plait this morning. A smattering of freckles decorated her nose and cheeks. It was hard to believe that her baby sister was sixteen years old. She’d always been a tomboy, racing around with Bobby and his friends, determined not to be left out just because she was a girl.
Megan’s eyes drifted closed. She knew she should have been training Maribeth more for household skills, but she’d left that up to Mollie. She didn’t know much more than Maribeth about how to keep a house running smoothly.
Unfortunately she wasn’t showing her much about how to keep a ranch running, either. Instead she had wanted her to enjoy her childhood and not be weighed down with too many responsibilities.
It was difficult to believe that Maribeth was the same age now as Megan had been when their parents had been killed. Megan couldn’t ever remember being as young as Maribeth.
“Megan?”
Maribeth’s voice sounded funny. Megan forced herself to open her eyes to see what was wrong. Maribeth had thrown herself onto the side of the bed. When Megan had turned over she’d let her arms fall across the bed in a sprawl. Now Maribeth was staring at her left hand, her eyes wide.
Oh, no. I forgot about the ring.
“What is it?” she asked, knowing full well what had drawn Maribeth’s attention.
“I’ve never seen you wearing a ring before. Not ever. Even though we kept all of Mama’s jewelry, I know Mama never had anything that looked like this.” She touched the diamond setting as though she thought it might explode at any moment.
“You’re right. It isn’t Mama’s.”
“Then where did you get it? I never noticed it before.”
“Travis Kane gave it to me yesterday.”
Maribeth’s eyes grew even larger, if that was possible. She stared at Megan as though she’d never seen her before. “Travis Kane gave you a ring? Why?”
“For the usual reasons, I guess.” She hesitated, searching for the right way to tell her sister about the decision she’d made.
“Well, it looks way too expensive to be considered a friendship ring. The only other reason I can think of for him to give you such an expensive ring is because you’re engaged to marry him,” Maribeth said, obviously teasing her.
“That’s right,” Megan replied quietly.
Maribeth let out a shriek, then yelled, “Mollie! You’ve got to come quick and look at this!”
Megan scrambled to sit up. “For Pete’s sake, Maribeth, calm down. There’s no reason to carry on like—”
“What’s wrong! What’s the matter!” Mollie raced into the room, out of breath, then skidded to a halt beside the bed where the two sisters were lying. She stared at them as though looking for physical injury or some sign of impending annihilation. “Maribeth! What’s wrong with you? How many times have I told you not to carry on like that? I thought somebody was trying to kill you!”
“The thought did occur to me,” Megan muttered under her breath as she sat up and propped her pillow against the headboard and straightened the covers over her.
Maribeth ignored both of them. She was too caught up with her astounding discovery. “Megan and Travis Kane are getting married! Did you know that? Did she tell you? I can’t believe she didn’t say a word to anybody. She just—”
Mollie looked at Megan, her eyes filled with horror. “Megan? But I thought that we’d talked about—”
“Show her your ring,” Maribeth demanded, bouncing on the bed. “Go ahead. Show her.”
Megan slowly removed her hand from beneath the protective covers and reluctantly extended her arm toward Mollie. Mollie came around the bed and sat down on the other side, watching Megan’s hand as though it were a rattlesnake.
“Megan?” she whispered, her voice shaking. In a stronger voice, she asked, “Oh, Megan, I thought you’d at least wait a while, give yourself some time to think it through. I didn’t think you’d actually—Oh, Megan, what have you done?”
Megan reminded herself to stay calm. She’d already told her sister her intentions. It wasn’t her fault if she hadn’t believed she’d actually go through with it. At least she had a few weeks to talk to her, to convince her that she knew what she was doing.
“I agreed to marry him, Mollie. It’s going to be okay. I promise. Everything is going to be all right.”
Tears filled Mollie’s eyes. “Oh, Megan.”
“Come on, Mollie. You’re supposed to be happy for me, didn’t you know? I’m actually getting married! Me, Megan O’Brien…a bride!”
“Happy? That you’ve been hypnotized into believing Travis Kane is serious about getting married, to you or anybody else?” Mollie said, her eyes flashing. She stared at the ring but refused to touch her hand. “Did he give you the ring to make you think that—” She paused, taking a deep breath. “Did he try to seduce you last night? Did he? Please tell me he didn’t.”
Megan scrambled out of bed and stared at her sister in disgust. “Oh course he didn’t seduce me, you idiot! Travis isn’t like that. He was a perfect gentleman.”
Mollie shook her head. “He’s just using you, Megan, for his own mysterious purpose. Don’t you see? He’s softening you up so you’ll trust him and believe in him. Then he’ll walk away from you like he did all those other girls he used to date.”
Megan was getting angry. This was her life she was talking about, after all. And her decision. She could understand that Mollie felt protective of her and her feelings, but enough was enough.
“He told me he never wanted to marry those other girls.”
Mollie just looked at her. “But he wants to marry you.”
Megan nodded sharply. “Yes.”
“Oh, Megan.”
“You don’t believe me?”
“Of course I believe you. It’s him I don’t believe…or trust.”
“Well, you better get used to the idea because he’s going to be your brother-in-law in a few weeks.”
“Weeks! What are you talking about? Surely you’re going to wait a while and see if you get along, see if he’s going to treat you right. Did he promise to stop rodeoing?”
“Of course not. I would never ask him to.”
“Is he going to stay here at all and help you run the ranch?”
“I’m sure he’ll help all he can when he’s here.”
“I doubt that very much. Since he’s paying good money to buy a—a wife and a ranch, he probably figures he’s done all that’s necessary.”
“Mary Katherine O’Brien, how dare you say something like that to me! I am your sister and I deserve your respect. How could you think—”
Mollie threw herself into Megan’s arms, sobbing. “I’m sorry, Megan, so sorry. I didn’t mean it, I didn’t mean it,” she cried.
Megan began to cry as well. It wasn’t long before tears streamed down Maribeth’s face, too, as she patted first one sister, then the other. Eventually Megan blotted her eyes with a corner of the bed sheet, then did the same for Mollie and Maribeth.
“Would you look at us? Between the three of us we could end the drought we’ve been having! C’mon. That’s enough sobbing and wailing. Butch has probably heard us and thinks we’re holding a wake in here.”
“Aren’t you happy for her, Mollie?” Maribeth asked, looking wounded. “I thought you’d be glad that Megan has fallen in love with somebody. Why, she hasn’t even dated anyone before.” She looked at Megan. “Not even Travis! So why the sudden engagement?”
“Because it’s what we both want,” she managed to say. “He says he’s ready to settle down and that he wants to marry me. He knows I won’t try to change him and he knows better’n to try to change me. I think we’ll get along just fine.” She took her sisters’ hands in each one of hers. “Please be all right with this. It’s going to be hard for me to adjust to the idea, too. It’s all happened so suddenly. But it’s what I want. What he wants. Can’t you both just accept that?”
“Of course we can!” Maribeth said heartily. She glanced
at Mollie. “Can’t we?” she asked hesitantly.
Mollie studied Megan for a long time before she spoke. “I just want you to be sure that you know what you’re doing, Megan.”
“I am sure.”
Mollie patted her hand and stood. “In the long run, that’s what counts.” She scrubbed her face with her hand and forced herself to smile at them. “If I don’t get back downstairs, the biscuits are going to burn. Come on down and get something to eat and tell us about your trip to Austin.” She glanced at the ring, then quickly away. “It must have been quite a date.”
Mollie hurried out of the room.
Megan turned to her baby sister. “Now, tell me again what it is you and Bobby plan to do today?”
“I’m really happy for you,” Maribeth said. “I think Travis Kane is the handsomest thing. If I wasn’t already planning to marry Bobby, he’d be the one I’d want to marry, myself.”
Megan stiffened. “What did you say?” she asked faintly, feeling the shock of Maribeth’s blithe statement hit her in the stomach. “You and Bobby are—”
“Oh, not for years yet, don’t worry,” she replied airily. “We’ve already planned it all out. We’re going to college together—Texas A & M—and as soon as we graduate we’ll come home and get married and live on his dad’s ranch. His dad has already told Bobby that he’d build him a house on the place. After all, Bobby’s an only child, so eventually the ranch will be his. In the meantime, he and his dad will run it and we’ll get married and have lots and lots of children and-”
“Lots and lots—?” Now it was Megan’s turn to question a sister’s decision.
Maribeth laughed. “Oh, well. Maybe we don’t have every single thing planned out yet, but we’ve still got plenty of time.”
“I should say so. At least another six years.”
Maribeth stood and stretched. “We aren’t in any hurry. We’ve been best friends for years, ever since the first grade. I don’t mind that you’re getting married first. It makes sense, since you’re the oldest.”
Megan looked at her in disbelief. “I’m so glad you approve.”
Accepting the comment at face value, Maribeth nodded. “So it’s okay with you if Bobby picks me up to go over to Brady?”
“Since when is Bobby driving?”
“Oh, he’s been driving for ages, but he finally got his driver’s license a few weeks ago. He’s a really safe driver.”
Megan closed her eyes and sighed. She hated these judgment calls. She’d gone through it with Mollie and now it was Maribeth’s turn. Of course, Mollie had never been one to run around with a bunch of friends. She’d been content to stay home most of the time and try out new recipes, and practice sewing, and baking and—
“Just be careful,” she muttered, looking for some clothes to wear.
“Thanks, Megan,” Maribeth said, giving her a hug. “I think it’s great about you and Travis. He’s going to be a terrific addition to the family.” She darted out of the room and Megan listened to her noisy progress down the hallway and into her room. She shook her head.
In the morning sunlight she looked at her ring once again. If it wasn’t for the tangible evidence, she could easily believe that she’d dreamed everything that had happened yesterday—shopping for rings, dinner and dancing. Was this what being married was going to do to her life?
She hugged herself before hurrying into the bathroom for a quick shower.
Much later that day, Megan was going over the accounts once again, this time making a list of what had to be paid, when Mollie poked her head into the office. “Can I interrupt you for a minute?”
Megan leaned back in her chair and stretched, smiling. “Please do. I need a break. I’ve been looking down my nose so long I’m getting cross-eyed.”
Mollie came in and sat down across the desk from her. She was quiet for a moment before she finally said, “I owe you an apology for my behavior, not only for all those things I said this morning, but also for the way I acted toward Travis when he was here yesterday. I was rude to both of you. I guess I figured that if I told you not to consider his offer, that you’d see things my way. It was a shock to see you wearing his ring so soon.” She shook her head. “It’s really none of my business if this is what you want, and I had no right to say any of those things to you.”
“Of course you did. You had every right to say whatever you want to me. You’re my sister. We share whatever we’re feeling about things, even if we don’t happen to agree. We always have. You know that.”
Mollie looked at her, her eyes damp. “The truth is, I guess I was afraid.”
“Afraid? Of what?”
“Of losing you. You’ve been everything to me these past eight years—both mother and father—and I’ve gotten spoiled thinking that I would always have you in my life.”
Megan leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk. “You aren’t going to lose me, Mollie. I’m not going anywhere.”
Mollie shook her head. “I can’t believe I could be so selfish. You’ve sacrificed the past eight years of your life for us, struggling to keep everything going, and now here you have a chance for happiness and I throw a tantrum.” She reached over the desk. “Will you forgive me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive. I understand. All of this is a shock for me, too. Believe me. I’m still wondering if I could have made it all up. I keep looking at the ring to make sure it’s real.”
“The thing is, I want you to be happy, Megan. You deserve it more than anyone I know.”
“I’ll be just fine. You’ll see.”
“Is Travis going to be able to help with any of those?” She nodded toward the stack of bills Megan had been sorting through.
“He’s offered to, yes.”
“I hope you aren’t going to be too stiff-necked to accept his offer.”
“I can’t afford to be, Mollie. Like it or not, we need all the help we can get right now.”
“Will he be coming over today?”
“No. He’s leaving town today but he said he’d call before he left. He’s heading back out on the road.”
“Will you tell him how sorry I am for behaving the way I did?”
“Sure.”
The silence that fell between them was a companionable one. Mollie finally broke the silence. “There’s one more thing I wanted to say.”
“Okay.”
“About your wedding dress.”
Megan smiled. “Oh, I’m not going to worry about that. I’m sure I can find something suitable that—”
“That’s what I want to talk to you about. I remember Mama once said that she never had a wedding dress since she and Daddy eloped because he was going into the army. I was thinking that it might be fun if us three girls find a pattern we might all like and I could make a gown that each of us could wear when we get married. I would love to do that for you, if you’d let me. I promise to do my very best and if I get into any difficulty I’m sure Mrs. Schulz, my Home Ec teacher would help me with it.”
“Oh, Mollie, what a marvelous idea!”
“You think so?”
“Oh, yes. We just can’t let it give Maribeth any ideas.”
“What do you mean?”
“She said this morning that she and Bobby are already planning their wedding for after they graduate from college. I just want to be sure she doesn’t move the date up any because there’s an available dress to wear.”
Mollie’s mouth twitched, and Megan snickered, then they both burst into laughter. When they finally calmed down, Mollie said, “Maribeth has been talking about marrying Bobby since she was eight years old. I really don’t think we have to worry about their making any sudden plans.”
“You know, I don’t know where I’ve been all this time, but I didn’t realize she felt that way about him.”
“Oh, Megan, she’s still such a child in so many ways.”
“She’s only two years younger than you are.”
“I know, but I’m not all that sure
she sees herself as anything other than one of the guys. She takes no interest in how she dresses or what she looks like. She’s still as tomboyish as she ever was. A lot of her talk is habit more than anything. A carryover from childhood.”
“Then you don’t think I need to worry about her that much?”
“No, I don’t. I rarely see them alone together anyway. Bobby’s friend, Chris, is usually with them wherever they
go.”
“Now that you mention it, I think Maribeth did mention a group of kids was going to Brady with them today.”
“That’s what I mean. They’re all buddies. I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon.”
The phone rang and Megan picked it up.
“H’lo?”
“Megan?”
“Oh. Hi, Travis.”
Mollie slipped out of the room with a quick wave and shut the door behind her.
“How’s your day going?”
“Fine.”
“So how did your sisters take the news?”
“Maribeth was ecstatic. As for Mollie, well, she asked me to tell you how sorry she was for the way she behaved toward you yesterday. She admitted that she was a little jealous that her big sister was developing a life of her own.”
“Oh!” His laugh sounded relieved. “Then it didn’t have anything to do with me, did it? That’s good to know.”
Megan crossed her fingers. “Of course not. She would have reacted the same way toward anyone. At least she recognized what she was doing and why. In fact, she was just now mentioning that she would like to make me a wedding dress.”
“Wow, that is a change of heart!”
“Yes. Yes, it is.”
“Well, I’ll leave here feeling a little better about things. Did you figure out how much money you need until I get back?”
She looked down at her list. “Yes, but you don’t need to give it all to me now.”
“Just tell me, okay, and I’ll drop it at the post office on my way out of town. You’ll have it by tomorrow. I’d bring it by your place today, but then I’d have a hard time leaving. I’m going to miss you, Megan. That probably sounds silly to you, under the circumstances.”
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