by Mary Leo
She quickly brushed her hair out of her eyes and scooted herself up against the headboard, draping the blankets across her lap.
“Thanks, but how did he know I’d be awake?”
He shrugged. “Gramps just knows.”
He ever so carefully placed the tray over her lap, making sure the wooden legs were on either side of her body.
“It looks wonderful.”
A plate of Dodge’s famous flapjacks was surrounded by scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and blueberries he’d thawed, probably remembering they were a favorite of hers. A white cloth napkin sat under a yellow pot of hot water, with an assortment of tea bags, a tiny bowl of sugar and a delicate pitcher of milk to accompany it. A small stuffed teddy bear dominated the tray, wearing a pink scarf with tiny roses cascading down the front of it.
“I added the bear,” Buddy said, beaming. “You can keep it if you want to.”
“Thank you. Can I give it to baby Loran?”
He nodded. “It can be her present. I won it at Pia’s Pizza Parlor just before that kid and Gavin got stuck in the machine.”
“That makes it even more special. It’s her very first gift from one of her brothers.”
He nodded and turned to leave.
“I have plenty of food here, Buddy, would you like to join me?”
He rubbed his tummy. “My stomach isn’t feeling good. That’s why I stayed home from school today.”
“Then how about some tea? It always makes my stomach feel better and I get stomachaches all the time.”
She was hoping she could get him to open up to her. She poured some hot water into the cup then added a mint-flavored herbal tea bag.
“You do?”
“Yep, and my back sometimes hurts and I’m usually tired.”
“That’s because of the baby.”
She smiled. “Do you think so?”
“Ah-huh. You should take a nap every day. That’ll make you feel better. My mom used to take a nap with me and Gavin every day when she was going to have Joey and she said it was the only thing that got her through it.”
Helen had to force herself to hold back the emotion that gripped her. “If you think it would help, maybe we could both take a nap this afternoon.”
“Okay, but we should do it before everybody gets home from school because you can’t take a good nap once they come home.”
“Why’s that?”
He rolled his eyes and sat on the bed across from her. She handed him the tea, and he blew on it then took a sip.
“Because they make too much noise. Haven’t you ever been here when we get home from school?”
“No, should I be?”
He giggled, holding his hand in front of his mouth, and Helen saw Colt in his blue eyes. He had the exact same bone structure as his dad, the same sandy hair color and some of the same mannerisms. It was uncanny. “Well, yeah, especially if you’re going to be living with us. We’re a handful.”
“Who told you that?”
He shrugged. “Most everybody.”
“Then I have my work cut out for me, don’t I?”
“You sure do. My mom used to say that Gavin and me were enough to give her a heart attack. I think that’s why she died. We gave her a heart attack. We don’t mean to be ornery, it just sorta happens.”
She could barely contain the love that swelled for this sweet boy. “Oh, honey. It wasn’t your fault or Gavin’s fault. Your mama died because it was her time. It’s like that for everyone. It had nothing to do with you and your brother.”
“Are you sure?”
“I promise. Plus, I know she’s watching over you and your brothers every day. She never really left. Nobody does. We just take on a different form. Like when you feel a warm breeze on your face, those are your mama’s kisses.”
He smiled and his little eyes lit up. “I feel that a lot, especially in the summer, and sometimes in the winter when I first walk in Grandpa’s house.”
He took several big gulps of his now cooled tea.
“I’ve felt it, too. And I know it’s my mama giving me kisses, as well. There’s something wonderful about your grandpa’s house, isn’t there?”
“Did your mama die, too?”
“Yes. When I was a teenager.”
“I bet you were really sad.”
“I was. It took me a long time to feel happy again. But I’m happy now being with you and your dad and your brothers and waiting for baby Loran to be born. It’s a happy time for all of us.”
“Do you think your mama and mine are happy in heaven?”
“Absolutely.”
He gazed down at Helen’s tray, eyeing those flapjacks.
Helen said, “How about if you run in the kitchen and get us another fork and we share all this. It’s too much food for me. Then afterward, let’s sneak out for a ride. Tater would love it, and so would I.”
“Really?”
“Really. You can ride Kodak. He’s as gentle as Tater.”
Helen decided spending time with Buddy was more important than wedding plans, signing papers or even training her new teammate. All she wanted to do today was bond with Buddy, the sweetest boy she’d ever known.
He carefully put the cup down on the tray, doing his best not to knock anything over. Then he ran out of the room, returning moments later with another fork and another cup and the two of them sat on the bed talking and laughing as they eagerly devoured everything on the tray.
* * *
COLT ARRIVED AT his dad’s house expecting to find Buddy lying on the sofa engrossed in some TV show, and Helen just getting up. She’d texted him that she couldn’t make it to the hospital to sign the paperwork, saying she felt too tired. At first he’d thought she’d driven off to Jackson to train Vida, but she assured him that wouldn’t be happening anytime soon. She was reconsidering whether or not she should do it.
But he didn’t find either one of them in the house, which was good. He had news about the land he wanted to share with Dodge and didn’t quite know how he was going to do it with Helen in the next room.
Instead he found Dodge alone in the house pulling chocolate chip cookies out of the oven, getting ready for the kids to come home from school.
“I got me a new recipe for these here cookies, thanks to Kitty.”
Colt threw him a skeptical look knowing perfectly well that could mean just about anything. Kitty took health food to a new level. “She told you to add raw goat’s milk?”
“Nope. I substituted almond flour for some of that there wheat flour. Then I added some rolled oats and used local honey to make ’em sweet. I tried ’em already and you’d never know they were healthy for ya. That Kitty’s something when it comes to eatin’ healthy. Gotta give her credit for tryin’ to keep everybody fit.”
Colt grabbed one of the cooled cookies off a plate on the counter and took a bite. They were amazingly good. “Not bad. I’ve got some news that we need to discuss—first, though, where’s Helen and Buddy?”
Dodge slid the cookies off the hot tray and onto a cooling rack. “They’re out.”
“I can see that. When will they be back?”
“Don’t know, son.”
Colt knew his dad was avoiding telling him something. “That’s not possible. You know everything everybody does in this family.”
“Not when it’s not my business.”
Colt knew this was going to be a guessing game. “Did they drive into town?”
“Son, don’t be askin’ me where they went. If you and Helen weren’t so scared to talk to each other about what’s really goin’ on, you would know where she is and she’d know you’re tryin’ to buy her land up from under her. This ain’t no way to start a hitch-up.”
Colt leaned on the counter. “She knows
about my offer on the land. She doesn’t know that they countered for ten thousand more.”
“This is your chance to do the right thing by her, son.”
“You don’t realize what that ‘right thing’ is. If I let her win the counteroffer, she wants me to move off the ranch and live in the house on the Milton land. I don’t know if I can do that. This place runs in my blood.”
“She ain’t asking you to sell the family ranch, she’s asking you to start a new life with her somewhere clean. Seems to me it’s what your family might be needin’.”
Colt’s temper flared. He didn’t want to hear what his dad thought his family needed. Colt was in charge of these decisions, not his father.
“I know what my family needs and it’s not some risky riding school. I worked hard to find the right property for this storage facility and it’s the Milton land. It practically borders our ranch. It’s centrally located for the other farmers and it’s flat. What more could we ask for?”
Dodge looked up at him, his face suddenly stern. “For all your schooling you still don’t know nothin’ worth a lick.”
He threw the empty tray into the sink, pulled off his oven mitts, tossed them on the counter and stalked out of the kitchen. Colt knew better than to press him when he was mad, and he looked madder than a bull staring down a red cape.
* * *
BUDDY AND HELEN had spent the afternoon inside the Miltons’ arena. She’d been given a key to the place years ago, and the Miltons never bothered to change the locks. The arena was in surprisingly good shape for having been hit by hard times for so long, but then the Miltons always prided themselves on doing things right. Their horses, buildings and grounds were always kept in pristine order, nothing but the best for the M & M Riding School.
But none of that would have mattered if Helen hadn’t been able to call Mary Milton and ask permission to come onto the property, which Mary gladly gave her.
Milo phoned a few hours after she and Buddy had been training inside the arena and asked if he could stop by. He had news about their offer and Helen was apprehensive about hearing it.
Certainly she wanted the Miltons to have accepted her offer, but part of her would be sad for Colt, who had done so much work to find exactly the right property for the consortium.
Milo arrived with Amanda, who seemed to be glued to his side. He looked warm and cozy in his bright red parka with the lamb’s wool lining and collar. He wore his black hat, black jeans and black boots. Amanda was dressed entirely in creamy-white, from her knit hat, her long wool coat, to her creamy tights and her cream-colored boots. A snow queen if there ever was one.
“Like, this place is ginormous! You could have a rodeo in here,” Amanda said as she and Milo walked in holding hands. It was the first time she’d seen Milo show any real connection to Amanda.
Within moments, Amanda went off to cheer on Buddy, who circled the arena riding Tater. When Buddy passed her, his face beamed with pride.
“Hey there, little man,” she said to him. “Look at you all cowboy’d up on that good-looking stallion.”
“His name is Tater. He’s Helen’s horse,” Buddy told her as he and Tater stopped in front of her.
“Let me see what you can do,” Amanda shouted.
Buddy immediately took off, proud to show her what he’d learned.
“She’s just a friend?” Helen whispered to Milo as they stood a few feet away from Amanda.
“Okay, so we’re a little more’n friends, but that’s all. It’s not like we’re gettin’ married or anything.”
Helen turned toward the arena. “You’re marrying Amanda Fittswater? Get out!”
Milo’s face turned bright red as he gazed over at Amanda to see if she’d heard Helen’s outburst. Amanda was busy concentrating on Buddy and paid no mind to her or Milo.
“No, and kindly lower your voice.” He moved farther away from Amanda. Helen followed. “She’s too young to be getting married. I mean, I haven’t asked her, yet. No, that’s not what I mean.”
“Yet? So you really are thinking of marrying Amanda. Cousin, you always amaze me.”
He sighed. “You got a way about yourself, little cousin, that jumbles up my thoughts. I’ll admit that filly has me flustered. I can’t think of nothin’ else. Even winning the cooking show contest don’t, I mean, doesn’t seem to matter.”
“What? You won?” Helen gave him a tight hug. “That’s fabulous news. I don’t believe it.”
He grinned and nodded. “Yeah, I won, but I don’t want to go anywhere without Amanda.”
“Then take her with you.”
“I’m afraid to ask her. She’s got her classes at the college, and her job, and what if she doesn’t like me as much as I like her?”
Helen glanced over at Amanda and at that very moment she turned and looked at Milo, waved, gave him a big wide grin, then looked back at Buddy.
“Believe me, cousin. That girl couldn’t love you more if she was hypnotized into it.”
“You think so?”
“Definitely. Now go ask her to join you on your adventure. I still can’t believe you won. Be happy.”
“I am, but you and...I...gotta, I mean, we have to sign these here papers first. The Miltons countered for ten thousand more. I think we should give it to ’em, and maybe a couple thousand more just to make sure we get it. Then I’ve got somethin’ to say that’s gonna confuse you as much as it hog-tied me.”
“What’s wrong?” Helen hated when he tried to keep something from her.
“Let’s sign these here papers first, then I’ll tell ya.”
While Buddy and Tater circled the arena, and Amanda watched, she and Milo sat at a small rickety table to go over the documents, making sure they signed all the pages in the appropriate places. His lawyer had already highlighted where they needed to sign, which made it a lot easier.
Helen didn’t understand why they were countering with more than the Miltons wanted considering that Colt wouldn’t be countering. He knew how much this place meant to her and what it would mean to their family, so she felt confident she and Milo would be the new owners.
“Look at Buddy,” Helen said. “He needs this place. All Colt’s boys need this place. I’m sure he’ll come around to my way of thinking once I tell him what happened here today.”
Buddy had Tater in a brisk canter around the arena. He sat high in the saddle just like Helen had taught him and looked as if he was in complete control. Tater seemed to love Buddy and Buddy took to Tater as if they’d always worked together.
“That means you’ll have to tell him you were riding. That’s a long ride from the main Granger house to here.”
“Two and a half miles if you take the shortcut through the fields, but that’s beside the point. Buddy reminded me that I can’t give up on who I am. I’m a rider. A competitor. I don’t feel whole if I can’t have a horse under me or if I can’t train somebody else. Look at them. Because of Tater, Buddy and I can relate to each other again. It’s what he needs. More important, it’s what I need to be a good mother and a good wife. This place is exactly what this family needs.” She turned back to Milo. “Let’s do it, big cousin.”
“Whatever you want.”
“When you put in the initial offer was our lawyer able to tell the Miltons that we want to keep it as is?”
“Yeah, although I have a feelin’ they don’t much care. It’s all about who gives them the most money.”
“Is there a third party in the running?”
“Nope. Just you and Colt and his counter went in right before I called you.”
* * *
“DAD! DAD!” BUDDY yelled as he burst into Dodge’s house, red-faced from running in the cold. Helen followed behind him looking rushed as she watched Buddy run up to Colt. By the time he reached his dad he was co
mpletely out of breath. “You won’t...believe...what...we did.”
Colt knelt on one knee, grabbing Buddy by his arms. “Slow down, son. Take a breath.”
Buddy followed orders for a moment and caught his breath. Joey, Gavin and Scout sat around the table doing their homework with Maggie’s help. Blake was still in his office with a patient. Dodge was busy in the kitchen cooking dinner with Edith, who now joined him most evenings.
Everyone’s attention was now on an obviously well Buddy.
“Dad, you won’t believe it, but Helen let me ride Tater today. We rode all the way over to the old riding school and she got us in, Dad. She has her very own key. Can you believe it? Her own key. We had the whole place to ourselves. The whole place!” He opened his arms and walked around in a big circle to demonstrate. “I learned how to go from a canter through a half halt to a gallop then back again. It was great, Dad. He followed all my cues. And Helen said I can ride him whenever I want to, as long as it’s okay with you. Is it okay, Dad?”
Dodge walked out of the kitchen. “That’s mighty fine, Buddy. Mighty fine.”
Colt’s gaze went over to Helen, not understanding how she could ride like that when she knew how much he didn’t want her to. It was one of the reasons why he took Tater in the first place.
Despite Buddy’s enthusiasm, Helen wasn’t smiling.
“You and Helen rode all the way over to the riding school and back again?” Colt asked Buddy as anger and fear pushed through his veins.
He nodded. “Yeah, and I wasn’t even scared.”
Colt wanted to be excited for his boy. Wanted to congratulate him for all that he’d learned but all he could think of was Helen up on that horse out in the elements, crossing fields and a busy street to get to the school.
“What were you thinking?” he said to Helen, ignoring Buddy’s excitement. He couldn’t focus on Buddy right now. He was too busy picturing Helen getting thrown from her horse.
“But, Dad, aren’t you proud of me?” Buddy asked.
“I was thinking your son needed some attention,” she said. “What were you thinking when you put a counter bid on my school to turn it into a potato storage plant and didn’t tell me?”