by Allie Bock
“I’ve got to take this.” She stood up, dabbing at her eyes. “Don’t forget you need more meds in one hour.” She strode from the room and out the front door. The screen door slammed in the breeze. My head spun with the look on her face. The loss of our child still hurt her, and I had inadvertently rubbed it in her face. I was such a dense fool. Sadness for what could have been for us filled me. How did one ever get over the loss? Was it even possible?
Delilah
“MELANIE,” I BREATHED into the phone. I hurried to the barn across the drive. “You couldn’t have had better timing. Did you get my message?” Images of Kade and Veronica laughing together at me danced through my mind.
Her laugh sounded in my ear. “Yes, but first you have to elaborate on how good my timing is.”
“Fine.” The barn door swung open with a squeak. The horses stuck their heads over the stall doors as I walked past them to the office at the end of the barn. I shut the door and sunk into a worn-out office chair.
“Are you in the barn?” Melanie asked.
“I had to go where Kade can’t sneak up on me,” I sighed. I spun around in the office chair.
“Isn’t he on crutches?”
“Yeah, so?” I grabbed a piece of twine off a hook and looped it around my fingers.
“How much sneaking can he possibly be doing?” She had a fair point with that one. “Just tell me what is going on.” She sounded like she was talking around a mouthful of pins.
“Are you working?”
“I have a mother of the bride dress I am finishing. I can listen to you talk. Out with it, girl.”
“A woman showed up today, claiming that she came to take care of Kade.” I bunched my hair on the top of my head before letting it all fall back down, sighing. “Evidently, they are, or were, involved.” I blew out a breath and my hair fell down my back.
“Did Kade say they were involved?”
“No,” I answered.
“Did he give her a kiss or hold her hand or give any indication that they are a couple?” Melanie mumbled into the phone.
“Not really.”
“O.K., being the voice of reason. Number one, why do you care? And number two it doesn’t sound like they are an item.” Melanie was always the practical one.
“But there’s a child involved.” I bit my fingernails. A horse neighed and stomped its feet.
Melanie sucked in her breath and coughed. “Ouch, pins...I think that you need to talk to him before getting too upset.”
She was right. Why did I care what he did with other women? “You’re right. Anyway, did you talk to Pete about when the vet is coming out to his place?”
“Of course, I am right.” She paused and I could hear a heavy object being moved around. “He’s coming out next week. He said that should be enough time to float all of your horses’ teeth if you could trailer them over to Pete’s ranch as he doesn’t have time to drive over to Lindsay’s place and work on them there. It would be a hundred dollars per horse.” I sucked in my breath at that, but they did need their teeth worked on. A couple of the older horses were dropping their feed as they ate and losing weight. Plus, their teeth hadn’t been looked at for over a year.
“O.K., that will work. There isn’t a nice place to do them at Lindsay’s anyway. They are all out in the pasture. Would Pete pick them up for me? I don’t have the money, but they desperately need to be done. Jasper, the black Quarter horse, is dropping grain as he is eating.”
“I know, I wish I could chip in, but I had to buy materials for the costumes for the San Antonio Opera.”
“I’ll figure it out.” We finished the conversation, quickly. After Melanie hung up, I spun around in my chair. The barn was quiet in the morning. All the horses were happily munching hay. I steeled myself to face both Kisment brothers: Kade with his lady friend and Kaleb for an advance on my paycheck. I was not sure which one I was more nervous about.
Kade
MY BLADDER WOKE ME up in the middle of the night. I made my way down the hall. The crutches made soft scuffing noises on the floor. The room Delilah was staying in was dark with the door open. That was weird. It’s late enough she should have been sleeping. Kaleb settled Veronica at the end of the house in my parents’ room. The light was on in the kitchen and voices drifted down the hall toward me.
“So, Kaleb, I know we agreed at the end of his recovery but that’s why I need an advance.” Delilah’s voice was soft. A clink of a spoon in a bowl sounded. She needed money. That was news to me. What could she possibly need money for? She was living here for free while she was taking care of me.
“It sounds like they need it. He is a busy person so if you got into his schedule you can’t pass it up.”
“Kaleb, thank you so much.” She let out a little squeal. I hopped closer to the doorway and peered. She jumped up from her seat and hugged him. “I’ll go call Melanie.” She bounded up and started towards me. “Oh, hi, Kade. I didn’t see you there.” She patted my arm and bounced to Kate’s room as I wobbled to lean against the wall.
“What was that about?” I made my way into the kitchen. Kaleb looked up from his laptop screen.
“Delilah needs some money.” He shrugged and went back to the screen.
“For what?”
He stopped and stared at me. “She has been here for almost four weeks. Do you ever talk to her?”
“Can’t you tell me?” I asked as I poured water into a glass.
“Not my business. Talk to the girl, bonehead.” Great, he was back to calling me my childhood nickname. Evidently, that was the end of the discussion. He shut the laptop and left the kitchen. Talk to the girl, I wish it were that easy. My throat got tight every time I tried.
Chapter 12 October 4th
Delilah
Between the thoughts of Kade and Veronica, the veterinary appointment, and checking in on Kade, I didn’t get much sleep through the night. I tiptoed across the hall. With my fingertips, the door creaked open. Kade sat on the edge of his bed with the cast propped up on the mattress. His head cupped his hands. The t-shirt clung to his back and sweat beads popped out on his forehead and neck.
“Hey Kade,” I stuck my head in. “Rough night?”
“You know it was. My leg aches no matter where I put it.” He ran his fingers through his shaggy blonde hair. It stuck out at all angles. He glanced up at me with a half-smile though the corner of his eyes pinched in pain.
“I’ll call Dr. Glanders in a bit and see if we can get you something stronger.” I walked across the room and drew the curtains. The sunbeam fell across the floor. High heels clicked down the hall and the door swung open. Veronica stood at the threshold, holding a tray of fresh fruit, orange juice, and waffles.
“I made breakfast!” She strode into the room. Her broom skirt swishing with every step. She hesitated when her eyes fell on Kade. Her painted pink lips opened and closed. “Wow...”
“I look awful. I know.” He grumbled. His face paled when she set the tray of food on his bedside table.
Veronica’s face fell and her lips quivered. Seriously, she’s going to cry if Kade doesn’t eat her breakfast. I rolled my eyes as I watched Kade look nauseated and Veronica trying not to cry.
“Alright, Kade, why don’t we get you in the shower? It’ll make you feel better.” I grabbed his crutches. “Then, you can eat the wonderful breakfast that Veronica made you.” Placing the crutches next to him, I helped him up. Veronica smiled at me, and I nodded to her in acknowledgment.
Together, Kade and I inched our way through his room to the bathroom. As we reached the hall, Veronica hurried out behind us.
“I can help him.” She edged between us. Kade hopped forward another step.
I stepped back and raised my eyebrows at her. “Be my guest, but he needs help getting in and out of the shower without getting his cast wet.”
Her face paled. “Um.” Doubt clouded her eyes.
“I’d rather have Delilah help me,” Kade mumbled. “She’s a prof
essional.”
A sigh of relief crossed her lips. “I’ll wait for you in the kitchen.” She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Her heels clicked down the hall back to the kitchen.
I flipped on the bathroom light and turned on the shower. “There’s nothing going on with you and her?”
“There’s nothing going on.” He glared at me from under his brows.
“Doesn’t sound like it.” I rolled my eyes at him. I helped him get the cover over the cast. My hand gripped the bathroom doorknob when his voice stopped me.
“Dee, we need to talk, soon.” The words were so soft it was hard to hear them over the running of the water.
I glanced over my shoulders at him. “Yes, we do, but maybe later.” I stepped out of the bathroom. Shutting the door behind me, I rested my head against the door. He was right, but I didn’t want to have that conversation.
Kade
BY THE TIME I GOT OUT of the shower and dressed, Delilah was gone. Veronica stood in the kitchen. She wrapped a little apron over her broom skirt. Her red hair was tied back with a bandana. Kaleb sat at the table, slicing through a frittata.
“This is really good,” he said between mouthfuls. Veronica beamed. He drank a huge gulp of orange juice. “Good morning, Kade.”
“Hi, Kaleb.” I slid into the chair next to him. Veronica slid a slice of frittata on a plate in front of me. “Where’s Delilah?” I cut into the egg mixture.
“She’s over at Pete’s.” Kaleb scooped up the rest of his breakfast and plopped it into his mouth. My eyes bounced up and settled on him as surprise ran through my body.
“What?”
He nodded. “The veterinarian is there today, and her horses have an appointment.”
“She has horses?” What was going on? Delilah had always loved horses, but she hadn’t once mentioned them.
“Dude, you need to talk to her.” He stuffed his cowboy hat on his head, stood up, and took his plate to the sink. “Thanks for breakfast.” He smiled a slow grin at her, and she blushed a crimson.
“No problem at all.”
“Kade, Delilah called Dr. Glanders this morning. He has a new prescription for you at the pharmacy.” He turned and walked out the door. His spurs ringing with each step.
I drank my orange juice and thought about all the questions I had for Delilah. A chair pulled out next to me. The scraping noise stirred me from my ruminations. Veronica placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands. Her eyes glinted at me. I sighed.
“You’re a good cook.”
“Thank you.” She settled back in the chair, dropping her hands to her lap.
“Kaleb usually makes breakfast, because Delilah is a horrible cook.” Feeling guilty about my words, I glanced up at her. She nodded and watched me.
“We should head to town today.” I pushed the rest of my food around my plate. “And pick up my prescription. And if you drive, I can take you on a tour of Sunnydale.”
“I’d like that.” She stood. “Let me go freshen up.” She walked out of the kitchen with a bounce in her step.
I sighed. Women. I didn’t know what to do with either one. My appetite left me as I thought about the one person I’d rather be with on the trip to town.
Chapter 13 October 4th
Delilah
A drill sounded next to my ear as I held Jasper’s head for Doc, the local veterinarian. Jasper’s sleepy head rested heavily on my shoulder as my back ached and my head pounded in time with the drill.
“He has some bad points in there,” Doc said. He looked at me, his headlamp blinding me.
“He’s been dropping a lot of feed lately.” My eyes scrunched closed and I shifted his heavy head.
“Almost done.” He finished with the power tool, rinsed Jasper’s mouth, and did one final check. The mouth speculum clicked close and he slipped it off Jasper’s head so he could check Jasper’s front teeth. “He’s all good, now. He should be able to eat much better with those sharp points taken off.” I nodded as I wiped my hands on my jeans. He proceeded to fill out his notes and handed me an invoice. It was higher than I expected, but Kaleb had advanced more than enough to cover it. I sighed as I handed him the cash. Horses were expensive.
“You have a nice group of horses.” He folded the cash into his back pocket. “When you get the therapeutic riding stable up and running, let me know. I’d love to help you out.”
“Thanks, that means a lot. Horses are always trying to injure themselves.” I shook his weathered hand.
“Don’t I know it.” He laughed. “My wife keeps rescuing more from the kill pens every weekend. We now have more horses than cows on the place.” He grabbed his equipment and headed out to the vet truck.
I closed Jasper into a stall so he could wake up without hurting himself and rubbed his forehead. “Well, old boy, you’ll be able to eat better.” His head hung to his knees as he slept off his sedation.
Whistling, Pete strode into the barn, throwing some hay to the horses that were awake from their procedures. He paused to rub his horse, Gaston, on the nose and whisper in his ear. Melanie found herself a good one in that man. He was kind and gentle. A pang pushed through my heart. I wish I had that, but the one man that was able to hold my interest was unavailable. Oh, how I wished things were different. He was at the Kisment house with Veronica; while, I was out here, perpetually single.
“Hey Dee,” Pete approached where I was rubbing Jasper’s head. “Are you going back to the ranch tonight?” I nodded. “Great. Can you give him this?” He handed me a large white envelope that was thick and heavy. My eyebrow quirked at it. “It’s an engagement party invite. Melanie has yours.” Pete said.
“Sure, no problem,” I said. I looped Jasper’s lead rope around the hook on the door. “When are you able to take the horses back to Lindsay’s?”
“I was planning on tomorrow if you want to help,” he said.
I nodded and turned to the door.
“A bunch of us are heading to Cowboy’s Bar this evening for the band. You and Kade are welcome to join us.” Pete drug a hose over to fill a bucket of water for Jasper.
I raised my eyebrow at him. “We aren’t a couple.”
“I know... Tell Kaleb too if it makes you feel better.” He whistled as the water splashed into the empty bucket.
Kade
VERONICA CHITTERED on and on while I attempted to concentrate on the bulls bucking on the TV. I rubbed at the headache brewing at my temple. The overhead fan whooshed around, spreading the stagnant air of the closed-up house. Our trip to town was short and sweet. Sunnydale was small and didn’t have much for entertainment. Veronica didn’t want to go to the cattle sale barn and watch the sale today, or stop at Susie’s Café, or go to the park to watch the baseball game in progress. We stopped at the pharmacy that also sold alcohol and tacos. Then, headed home which was how I ended up in the living room watching TV while she talked to fill the silence. I couldn’t concentrate on what she was saying because my leg pounded from the pain, counting the seconds until the medications kicked in. Shifting in my seat, I leaned against the back of the couch.
Delilah flounced into the house, her hair swinging with each step as the screen door slammed behind her. Outside, the wind whipped against the house, causing it to groan and shudder.
“A storm is coming,” she drawled. She moved through the living room to the hallway to Kate’s room. “By the way,” she stuck her head back into the living room, tossing me a large envelope. “People are going to Cowboy’s tonight. You’re invited...Did you take your medications?”
“Yes, mother.” I rolled my eyes at her, catching the envelope with one hand. “What’s this?”
“An invite for Pete and Melanie’s engagement party.” She smirked before disappearing into the other room.
“A night out will be fun.” Veronica clapped her hands together. “When are we going to go?”
“Usually the band starts at seven or eight,” I said, watching the fan blades circle.<
br />
Veronica squeaked.
I winced. The pounding in my head increased to a blinding pain. “I’m going to my room.” I reached for my crutches and hopped toward my bedroom. The door to Katie’s room was cracked. Delilah sat in the middle of the bed hunched over a laptop. Her fingers flew over the keys with rapid clicks. I tapped the bottom of the door with the end of my crutch, causing the door to swing in more.
“Are you going?” My voice cracked and I cleared my throat.
Her head snapped up. “I don’t know. You’re taking Veronica?”
“Um...”
“It’s fine. I don’t know if I’m going. I have some things to do in town, so I’ll see when I get done and how I feel.”
She went back to typing on her computer. I wanted to tell her how there was nothing between Veronica and me. The only girl I wanted to go out with was her. The words caught as a tangled ball of yarn in my throat: scratchy and immovable. My shoulders sagged and I turned back to head to my room across the hall.
“Dee, I would like you to come,” I said softly before shutting the door behind me.
By the time Veronica drove Kaleb and me to the bar, it was crowded. The band set up on a stage above the sawdust-covered dance floor. Several people leaned up against the wooden bar that ran against the back wall. Pete waved at us from a booth in the back corner. He had his other arm slung around a cute brunette. Damien sat next to him, nursing a beer.
“I see some people I need to talk to.” Kaleb patted me on the back before slipping into the crowd.
“Veronica, these are my friends, Pete and Damien.” I nodded to each.
She extended a well-manicured to each man. The brunette slid over closer to Pete, extending her hand.
“I’m Melanie. Delilah said you are staying at the ranch.” Melanie pulled Veronica into a conversation while she slid closer to Pete. Damien retrieved a chair, so I didn’t have to slide into the booth, which would’ve been hard with my cast. My eyes searched the sea of faces. My heart dropped when I couldn’t find the one person that I wanted to be here. Pete and Damien grinned at me when I turned back to the table.