“Are you all right, Mr. Cable?”
“… Sam, please. Call me Sam.” But he didn’t look like he meant it.
“Dad, what’s the matter? Do you need to rest? Sandy, let’s get him home.” Sandy signaled for the waitress to bring the bill and paid it, while Lily got Sam out to the car.
“Should I call a doctor, Dad?” Lily tried to shift him to make him comfortable.
“No, no, I’m all right. Just let me catch my breath.” He huffed and exhaled noisily all the way home.
Sandy drove them as carefully as possible. Back at the ranch, they got him in the front door and into a living room chair, sinking into the couch nearby.
“Is it a stroke, Dad? You’ve never had heart problems before.”
“… I do have a heart problem, Lily, darlin’, but it’s not the kind you think.”
They stared at Sam’s puffy face. Sandy got him a glass of water.
“So you’re all right physically? Then what’s going on, Dad? Out with it. We’ve never had any secrets from one another.”
“…That’s not technically true, Lily.” He took a sip of the cool water, set the glass down carefully.
Sandy and Lily glanced at each other and he reached for her hand. This didn’t look good, whatever it was.
“I’m not sure where to begin, sweetie.” Tears pooled in Sam’s eyes and he shifted again in the chair like he couldn’t get comfortable.
“How about at the beginning?”
Sam looked right at Sandy. “…You’ve come to ask for Lily’s hand, haven’t you?”
“Yes, sir, I have.”
Lily nodded her approval.
“I see you’re in agreement with your future plans. But I just can’t give you my approval. There’s too much water under the bridge and too many hurt feelings. He’s not the man for you, Lily.”
“What in the world are you talking about?” She blinked rapidly at him, moving closer to Sandy. Sam leaned into his chair, reached back into his memory.
“…You both know that my family lived in Naples for many years. Happy years... I was born in Reno. Sandy, your mother, Jeanne, and I grew up and went to school together. I gather she told you that much.” He glanced at Sandy who nodded.
“What she didn’t say, nor have I, is that Jeanne was my first love. We were absolutely crazy about one another and decided to marry once we finished high school. That may sound old-fashioned to you, but we were ranch kids. Marrying early and working the ranch was our way of life.”
“And then what happened?”
Sandy fleetingly wondered if he was the one having the stroke now.
“Dad inherited this ranch in Sonoma and he moved us here. Jeanne and I were distraught, but I had to leave. We swore we would be together somehow, but distance, you know…”
“And then my dad entered the picture,” Sandy grimly added.
“Yes, Miles had grown up with us too and I guess had been waiting in the wings, as it were, for Jeanne. When I left, they got together.”
“How does this affect Sandy and me?”
“I’m sorry, honey,” Sam swallowed hard and had trouble meeting her eyes. “But I’m not sure I can lose another woman I love to a Johnson man. That may seem trivial or whatever, but it’s how I feel.”
So there it was.
Sitting in a puddle on the floor in front of them. The truth that had been a long time coming and now was out for everyone to see.
Sam finally met his daughter’s eyes, “Don’t hate me, sweetheart. You’re all I have left.” Lily burst into tears and Sandy was angry.
“Mr. Cable, you don’t want Lily to be with me because my dad married your former girlfriend over forty years ago? Is that what I’m hearing?”
“… It’s not that simple, son.”
“Yes, it is and I’m not your son,” he hugged Lily tighter. “And you’ve made Lily cry. Especially for a father, that is unacceptable. Lily, we need to leave.”
Her sobs filled the air. “Dad, you won’t give… your permission? Even if we love each other?”
Sam shook his head.
She stood and raised her voice. “I hardly know who you are. You kept a secret like that from me for years? Why… in the hell did you suggest I move to Naples? Did you want to get… revenge on the Johnsons after all these years?”
“Of course not!”
“And what about Mother? Didn’t you love her at all? Did she just pick up the leftovers here?” She turned away from him and wrapped her arms around her shaking body.
“No, honey. I loved your mother dearly.” Sam stood and reached for her. “I just don’t think I ever got over Jeanne. She was Jeanne Murdoch then.”
Lily stepped away and Sam’s arms fell limply to his sides. He looked exhausted. When he went to his bedroom, Sandy and Lily were left with the ruins of the evening.
“Lily, we need to get out of here. Please, let’s go.”
“… No, let’s go in the morning when we have our reservation. Anything would be too difficult tonight.” Tears fell steadily and she searched for a tissue in her pocket.
“I’ll drive all the way home, sweetheart,” he pleaded with her as he took her in his arms.
They embraced for a few sweet moments.
“All right,” she said finally, “but I can’t talk… for a while.”
Sandy got the bags and loaded the car. Lily tried to talk to her dad one last time through his closed door. Sam refused to come out of his room. “Goodnight then, Dad, and goodbye.”
And they drove off into that unwelcome night. It had all started so well and ended so miserably.
* * *
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“You don’t need your dad’s permission, Lily. You’re a grown woman who is making her own way in life. You can do what you want to do,” Sandy pleaded with her. He’d been driving for an hour or more along the dimly lit highway and they hadn’t spoken. The steady drone of the car engine was the only noise he’d been hearing and Sandy couldn’t take the silence any longer.
Tears had long dried on her cheeks, but not in her voice. “I know that, I know that. It’s just…”
“What, sweetheart? Talk to me, please.”
“I can’t believe he never told me any of this. I wonder if Mother knew. She never said anything about any of this business.” Lily glanced over at him, shaking her head. “ And how could he turn you down when he said yes to Ron.”
“…Your dad approved your marrying Ron?” His tone was unbelieving. “A man he knew wasn’t right for you and told you so?”
“I think he’s cracking up or something. I just don’t know what to think.”
“This is insane. None of it has anything to do with us. I feel like you’re Juliet and I’m Romeo.”
“Please let me have some time to sort this out, Sandy. I just can’t do what either of you wants me to do just now. My head’s a muddle and I need quiet.”
“I would give you anything you want and need, sweetheart. Remember that always.”
With that, Sandy fell silent. He drove on through that terrible night, while Lily fitfully slept. He was glad she could finally escape her misery for a little while. He wished he could too. It was a long, five hours to the airport in Reno. He turned in the rental car and made Lily comfortable in his car retrieved from the parking garage. They still needed to drive home to Naples. She dozed again on the short drive to her place and woke up when he stopped the car.
“How are you feeling, Lily? Are you warm enough?”
“Sandy, you are kind and thoughtful and wonderful and every great adjective I can think of. But you’re going to have to give me some space.”
He got out to get her bag and opened her door. Before she got out of the car, she looked up into his worried face. “I do love you, but give me some time. Please…. I’ll call you when I can.”
Sandy’s response sounded strangled and he watched her as she walked to her cottage. Was she leaving his life? He decided to pray, “If there�
�s a God in Heaven, please sort this mess out.” At the front door, she turned to wave at him and then was gone. The porch light went out… It turned out the light in his heart as well. He gloomily drove home, scarcely noticing the winding road, or paying much attention to traffic.
Home.
Bed...
No sleep would be coming tonight. Sandy didn’t even bother to change out of his clothes. The dogs jumped on the king-sized bed with him so it would be a two-dog night for sure. He could have used twenty. That ache in his gut was going to be around for a while and with that cheery thought, Sandy dozed off. His sleep was jumpy and short… When he woke, it was still dark and the clock said he had slept for twenty minutes.
This what I have to look forward to? He and the dogs got up. He fed them and made some coffee. Might as well.
Meanwhile, across town…
Once in her house, Lily crumbled to the floor like a broken flower.
How could so much go so wrong so fast?
Two days ago, they were on the verge of getting married and now it was all soured milk. She couldn’t believe her father’s reaction. Sandy had been nothing but a gentleman throughout the whole ordeal. Mr. Darcy had nothing on Mr. Johnson.
Where’s my bed? Should I undress?
Too many decisions. Lily fell into her bed exhausted, pulling covers over her head. No more thinking. Sleep was what she needed. She glanced at the clock in her bedroom. 3:00 a.m.?
What do I do about Sandy? God, Sandy…Just remembering how angry he was at her father was enough to make her stomach roil.
What was Dad thinking? Remembering the crushed look on her father’s face during his confession had Lily rushing to the bathroom to throw up.
After rinsing her mouth, she looked in the bathroom mirror and saw a distressed, miserable woman looking back at her. Lily crawled back to bed and finally fell asleep, just to awaken minutes later, desperately needing to know how Sandy was. Probably no better off than she was… Interesting that her thoughts always came back to him.
Need…to…sleep…She dozed again. At five her phone rang somewhere in the house. She staggered out of bed to make a cup of tea. Might as well get up. That bed’s useless…
Sipping tea calmed her and she began to think. Suddenly, she had an “aha” moment! It wasn’t a great one, but when your head’s in the toilet, literally and figuratively, action is called for. She looked around for her purse, plucked out her phone and called Information. She needed a phone number. “Yes, operator, I need an out of state number.”
* * *
Jeanne brought Jesse home Sunday noon. She was surprised to find Sandy in the media room watching a movie. She thought Lily would have been there, but the seat next to him was empty.
“What are you watching in the middle of the day? This is all you can find to do and where’s Lily?” Jeanne looked down the hallway.
“Yeah! Where’s Lily?” asked little Jesse.
“She’s not here right now, son. How about feeding the dogs for me? I think they’re hungry.” Jesse ran happily out of the room to do his chore.
Jeanne noticed what was on the TV. “South Pacific? You’re watching South Pacific now? Why?”
“Mom, sit down. We need to talk and hopefully without Jesse listening.”
“This sounds bad.” She looked at his serious face.
“It is.”
“You and Lily didn’t break up, did you?”
“I honestly don’t know right now. It’s all a big mess.” He picked up a remote to pause the movie.
“Things went badly with Sam, didn’t they?”
“… Did you suspect they would? Why didn’t you tell me--us—the whole story about you and Sam Cable?” Sandy looked her in the eye. “There were so many pieces of information that would have been helpful to know before I met him.”
“Honey, that was all so long ago, I thought it was over and done with,” she said reluctantly. “Apparently not.”
“Well, better late than never. Let’s hear it now. What’s the story with you and him?”
Jeanne shrugged and sat down next to him on the couch. She folded her hands in her lap and stared straight ahead.
“Sam, Miles and I grew up and went to school together. Sam and I fell in love. We made plans to marry after high school, but then his family picked up and moved to Sonoma. We tried to keep in touch but…we were young and the distance was too much. Our letters stopped.” She paused in her recollection.
“And Dad?”
“Yes, your lovely father was there and helped me pick up the pieces after Sam left. We grew to love one another and married. The same plan I had with Sam Cable…and that’s what happened.” Jeanne reached for his hand.
“If I had had any notion that this would cause great harm to your relationship with Lily, I would have spoken up sooner. It just seemed unnecessary.”
“Unnecessary?” Sandy’s voice went up a notch. “Jeez, Mom… Sam was still destroyed that you broke up with him for Miles. He said to me and I quote, ‘I can’t bear to lose another woman I love to a Johnson man.’”
Jeanne gasped, “He said that? After all this time? My, my….”
“My, my, yes. So it all fell apart in beautiful Sonoma, California. I’m not sure I’ll drink wine ever again.”
“That’s great you can make a joke at a time like this, sweetie.”
“…It’s not a joke. Believe me when I tell you there is no levity in me right now.” Sandy put his face in his hands. “I’ve lost her…Lovely Lily. I can’t bear to think of it and yet I can think of nothing else.” Staring at the floor, he wearily shook his head.
“Okay, a lot of this is my fault. I’m going to think how to help you.”
“Honestly, Mom, I think you’ve helped enough.”
“Enough with the sarcasm. We have to have a plan… Okay, this is what we are going to do: you finish watching South Pacific.”
“Mom…”
“And I’m going to make you and Jesse some lunch. We’ll talk afterward. I’m getting an idea…”
Jeanne went off humming to the kitchen. Sandy looked after her, shaking his head. Maybe they were all going nuts. Well, with nothing else to do right now, why not finish the movie? Sandy shrugged and turned it back on.
* * *
Lily called Terri Nolan, her principal. She straightened her shoulders with a determined look on her face.
“Terri, I am so sorry to call you on a Sunday, but this is an emergency.”
“Lily it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. What’s the problem?”
“I need to be gone for at least two weeks. I’m so sorry to do this to you in the middle of the school year, but it can’t be helped.”
“Are you all right? Is it a medical problem?” Terri’s voice registered concern.
“No, no. I’m fine, well, sort of. I’m having major personal problems with my dad and….” She couldn’t even say Sandy’s name for fear of crying.
“I get the picture. I thought things were going fine for you and…” Terri paused and didn’t fill in the name either.
“Don’t worry. Mrs. Morrison, our usual sub, can fill in as a long-term substitute for you. Take the time you need to sort this out. Please call me if I can help you in any way.”
“Thank you so much, Terri. Right now, you’re a life-saver to me.”
A smile spread across Lily’s face when she finished the call. It’ll be all right…
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“What the hell are you talking about?” Veins on Jason’s neck bulged out as he glared at his friend.
“What?” Sandy looked confused. “What’s the matter with you?”
“What’s the matter with me? What the hell’s the matter with you?” Their staring contest intensified.
Sandy and Jason had ridden out to the eastern part of the property to check on the cattle. While Jason was doing a cursory count, Sandy had been daydreaming about Lily. About the day she danced around in his kitchen wearing his shirt, s
inging about what a wonderful guy he was -- that song from the movie. He sighed and said out loud, “South Pacific.”
“Sandy, you just told me to send the cattle to the South Pacific. Are you nuts? We don’t sell to anyone there. I think our closest customer is in Singapore.”
“Why would we send cattle to the South Pacific?”
“Exactly my question.”
“Um…” Sandy started and stopped.
“…And while you’re listening, let me voice everyone’s complaints on this ranch. You’ve been spitting nails at all of us this week and some guys are talking about quitting.” He paused in his rant and said in a softer tone, “This is about Lily, isn’t it?”
They sat on their horses in the middle of the ranch land with cross expressions on both frowning faces.
Sandy’s Appaloosa swished her tail to flick off a few flies. He ran his hand through his hair, which hadn’t been combed in a week. Lots of things were falling apart, Jason got out his logbook, leaned back on his horse, and decided to wait him out. He knew Sandy would talk when he was ready.
It took a while… Jason managed to put in a full day’s entries before he heard Sandy clear his throat.
“Um…”
“Yeah?”
“I think we broke up.” He could barely look in Jason’s face.
“You’re joking, right?”
“… Don’t think so.”
“What happened? You two have been so happy together. Oh, yeah, you went to see her father up in Sonoma. Guess he blew a gasket? You aren’t good enough for his little girl? Something like that?”
“Actually, nothing like that.” Sandy told Jason the whole story from Jeanne to Sam to Miles and back again. About all the fallout that splattered Lily and him…
“Unbelievable. What’s that expression about ‘the sins of the father’? Don’t remember it all.” Jason blew out a breath. “Unbelievable.”
“I’m having trouble remembering my name, Jason. I can usually solve most problems, but this is something I can’t seem to resolve. And Lily won’t answer my phone calls. She’s not home, she’s not at school… she’s nowhere. I can’t find her…”
“Damn, Sandy, I had no idea. It’s a wonder you’re still upright.”
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