"It all began the Sunday after Dad and Lila got back from their cruise. Michael called me, and asked me to drive out to Dad's with him and Sharon. He said there were some things we had to discuss, as a family."
Kate speculated, "He wanted to talk about Grandma and me moving to Paradise?"
"That was only a part of it." Remembering caused Suzie's eyes to swim with tears. "Michael couldn't understand why you didn't have any money."
"I see." Kate's eyes riveted on the back door. Belle and Cody had been gone long enough to milk three cows.
Suzie walked across the room and placed her cup in the sink. "Why didn't you tell us, Mom?"
Kate had no idea what Suzie thought she should have told her. "Come sit down, Suzie, and tell me the rest of what happened."
After rinsing her cup, Suzie refilled it, and came to sit again, across from Kate.
Dragging a long breath of air into her lungs, she expelled it slowly. "I thought Dad and Lila were expecting us. I thought Michael had called, but he hadn't." Once more, she sighed. "We arrived at a bad time. Dad and Lila had been quarreling. I wanted Michael to go, and come back some other time. So did Sharon, but he wouldn't do it. He said what he came to say wouldn't wait, so we stayed."
Kate wondered what Belle and Cody had found to do in the barn that took this long. "Maybe it would be better if you talked to me when you're not so upset."
Ignoring Kate's suggestion, Suzie folded her hands on the table, and stared at them. "It was awful, Mom. We were sitting around the fireplace in the den. Michael began to talk about what how nice the house was, and how much you had loved living there. Then he asked Dad, point blank, why you left, and let him keep the house you loved so much."
The situation was even worse than Kate had imagined. "That was none of Michael's business."
"That's what Lila said. And as calmly as you please, Michael told her to shut her mouth. He said he was talking to Dad, and he wanted Dad to answer."
"Oh, Lord," Kate moaned.
"Dad said Lila wanted the house, so he kept it for her. I never saw Michael look so angry. His face got almost as red as his hair. Sharon wanted to leave, but Michael said 'No. Not yet.' Michael said he guessed you thought you needed money more than you needed a house. Then he asked Dad how much money you got in your divorce settlement. Dad turned a white as a sheet, and wouldn't answer."
"Why," Kate's heavy heart fell to the pit of her stomach. "didn't Michael leave well enough alone? The divorce was none of his affair."
"Michael thinks it was, Mom, and so do I. Why did you let them do this to you?"
Kate didn't intend to discuss the trauma of her divorce with her daughter. "Then what happened?"
"Then Lila flew into a rage. She told Michael to get out and stay out. Michael told her to go to hell. Lila wanted Dad to throw Michael out, but Dad just swallowed and sat down in a chair, and stared into space."
"Oh, Suzie, Michael must feel as guilty as you do, and none of this has anything to do with either of you." Like ripples in a stream her divorce was reaching out to affect the children she had fought so hard to protect.
"Yes, it does, Mom. It has everything to do with both of us. The only difference is Michael can't understand why Dad let Lila play him for such a fool. I can. She did the same thing to me."
By now Kate knew Belle was not going to put in an appearance until Suzie had completed her story. She had a mental picture of Belle standing just outside the back door, listening, and saying, "I told you so," to Cody.
"Mom, Michael had a copy of your and Dad's divorce decree. He pulled it out of his coat pocket and began to read it aloud. Dad just sat there, looking like he wanted to cry. When Michael had finished, he asked Dad if he knew where you were now. Dad said no, he didn't."
"Jim was not accountable to Michael for where I was." Kate had an idea Suzie hadn't heard a word she'd said.
"Mom, Dad began to cry. I couldn't believe it. He broke down and wept like a baby."
In all the years Kate had been married to Jim, she had never seen him shed a tear. Losing Michael's respect must have been a terrible blow to him. "I hope Michael apologized to his Dad."
"He didn't Mom, but Dad tried to explain to Michael. Dad said he'd done and said a lot of things he regretted, and then Lila jumped in, and told Michael to leave. This time Michael went. He grabbed Sharon's arm and said if that was the kind of man Dad was, he never wanted to see him again."
Kate couldn't stop her tears. "Poor Michael, Jim was always his idol."
"I was going to stay, but Lila said she'd take care of Dad, and Dad wanted me to go, too, so I went with Michael and Sharon."
"Michael and Jim will patch things up, Suzie," Kate assured her daughter. Oh, how she wanted to believe that was true.
Suzie laid her hands to the sides of her face in a weary, defeated gesture. "That's not all, Mom. The next day Lila called. Dad was in the hospital. He had a heart attack. The doctor said he'd have to be careful from now on. I called Michael, and asked him to come to the hospital to be with me. That's when we had our...disagreement. Michael refused to come. So I just sat there, by Dad's bedside, all by myself, for a day and a night."
Kate couldn't imagine a worse scenario. Small wonder her daughter felt such guilt. "Where was Lila?"
"She left. She said she'd had enough. She and Dad are getting a divorce. I moved back home because I didn't want Dad to be alone in that big empty house."
Kate had wanted Lila to be exposed for the mercenary opportunist she was, but not at this terrible price. "Maybe she'll change her mind, and come back."
Suzie lifted her tear stained face. "Dad doesn't want her back, Mom."
"You don't know that, Suzie," Kate cautioned. "Marriage is a very private affair. Maybe they can settle their differences."
"I don't think so, Mom. I sat by Dad's bedside and held his hand the day and night he lay in the hospital. There were tubes in his arms, and a monitor of some kind strapped to his chest."
"How terrible, for both of you." Kate closed her eyes against the thought of her daughter being left alone to deal with such an emotional situation.
"Dad doesn't remember any of it. He was sedated." A little gurgle of pain hung in Suzie's throat. "He thought I was you. He kept telling me over and over, what a fool he had been, and begging for forgiveness."
Kate studied the bottom of her empty coffee cup, knowing she should feel something, besides numbness. Should she be happy? Happiness at the expense of Jim and her children seemed a petty emotion, at best. Consoled? What consolation was there in knowing a family had been ripped asunder? Compensated? Wasn't this the ultimate revenge of a scorned wife, the repenting husband wanted her forgiveness? The cost had been too dear. All she felt was a knot in her stomach, and a coat of disgust on her tongue for the too little that had come too late. The opening of the back door stopped Kate's thoughts.
Belle made her grand entrance. "Sorry we were so long. I hope you two had time for a little mother-daughter talk,"
She was followed by Cody and Lady. Cody put the bucket on the cabinet. "Help me strain the milk, Belle."
Kate wondered if Belle had been eavesdropping. "It took you a long time to milk tonight. What happened?"
Belle placed a thin cloth over a wide mouthed jar, and held it, as Cody began to pour the milk from the bucket into the jar. "I didn't ask you what happened when you came in this afternoon after riding horseback all over the country with that handsome Hank Sinclair."
"Yes, you did. You wanted to know every little detail" Too late, Kate realized she had fallen into Belle's verbal snare. Belle had heard Kate's conversation with Suzie, and she wasn't happy about what Suzie had to say.
Belle's grin was innocuous, as she lifted the cloth from the jar, and turned toward Suzie. "Your mother has a boy friend. Two boy friends, in fact. One is rich, and the other one is sexy. Given a choice, I'd choose the sexy one. A woman can live without money." She sent a sly wink Cody's way. "But sex is a basic human need."
"Grandma!" Suzie scolded, blushing as her eyes darting from Kate to Cody. "What a thing to say."
"Maybe you'd better talk to your daughter again." Belle laughed aloud, as she motioned for Cody and Lady to follow her into the living room.
Suzie put her hand over her face. "There's only one Grandma."
That was certainly true. Kate nodded in agreement. "Thank God."
CHAPTER ELEVEN
With the thought that she would deal with Belle later, Kate stood to her feet and was set to follow Belle and Cody into the living room. "Cody likes to see the six o'clock news on television. Would you care to watch?"
"There's something else I want to tell you, Mom." Suzie hadn't moved from her chair.
The doubt that clutched at Kate's heart must have shown in her face. "What now?"
"It's good news, Mom."
Thinking she could use some good news, for a change, Kate sat back down, and watched Suzie move her coffee cup around to make wet circles on the table. "I'm in love, Mom. I've found the man I want to be with for the rest of my life."
"Are you sure?" What a thing to say! Kate could have bit her tongue. But it was too late now.
"Mom! Of course I'm sure." Suzie's eyes rounded in indignation. "I was never more sure of anything in my life before."
Watching the glow that lit Suzie's eyes and illuminated her face, Kate thought that only a very young, inexperienced, girl could be that sure of a life long relationship with a man. All she could find to say was, "I'm glad."
"Don't you want to hear about him?"
Wryly, Kate asked, "Do I have a choice?"
A glimpse of the old Suzie surfaced. "No, and he's wonderful. His name is David Gardner. He's thirty-five years old, he works for the firm that employs Michael. I met him at Michael's office party last Christmas."
Kate watched Suzie's animated expression, as she listened with half an ear, to her daughter sang the praises of David Gardner. Maybe first love should be romantic and impractical. "He sounds very nice."
"He asked me out several times before I went," Suzie confessed, with a shy smile.
"Oh?" Kate forced herself to ask. "Why is that?"
"I thought he was a little old, and he is Michael's boss, and..."
"Wait a minute," Kate grabbed Suzie's arm. "Gardner? Is he one of the Gardners?" Silas Gardner headed the law firm where Michael was a junior partner. "Is he related to old Silas?"
"Silas is his father."
"That means David is a very rich man." Silas Gardner was a millionaire several times over.
"But I don't care about David's money, Mom. I love him."
"I'm sure you do, Suzie. My concern is, does he love you?"
"Yes, he does, Mom. He's asked me to marry him."
With a little sinking feeling, Kate asked, "Have you set a date?" Why was she so apprehensive?
"Not a definite date. We hope to be married about two months from now. Will you come to the wedding?"
Going to Suzie's wedding would mean facing Jim, and all those old memories again. Kate didn't want to do that. "Where will the wedding be?"
"I don't know, yet. I want you to help me decide. I thought I could bring David to meet you and Grandma, and Cody sometime soon. Do you think that would be all right?"
Kate read the uncertainty in Suzie's eyes. "I'd love to meet David."
Relaxing a little, Suzie leaned back in her chair. "What about Grandma?"
Kate knew Belle too well to try to predict what she would do or say, ever. "With Grandma, David is on his own."
"Aren't we all," Suzie quipped, as Belle appeared in the door way.
"You have a gentleman caller, Kate." Belle pointed toward the front door. "Shall I ask him to come in?"
Kate pushed her chair back and stood to her feet. What did Hank want now? "Hank's not a gentleman caller, he's my boss."
"It's not Hank, it's York." Belle cut her eyes in Suzie's direction. "The rich one."
"Mamma," Kate whispered, as she passed her mother on the way to the door. "Stop it, now!"
"Come on," Belle motioned to Suzie. "Meet your mother's rich suitor."
York was inside by the time Kate came into the room. He clasped Kate's hand. "I didn't know you had a guest. I hope I'm not intruding."
Kate assured him that he was not, then made the necessary introductions before she sat down on the couch.
York came down beside her, and put his arm across the pillows at her back.
Kate's backbone stiffened. "It was nice of you to drop by." She couldn't decide which was more upsetting, Suzie's pained expression or Belle's smug smile.
"I was on my way home, and I remembered that I wanted to give the prospective bride and groom their wedding gift." York took a long envelope from his inside coat pocket, and held it out to Belle. "I would have waited until your wedding day, but you may need to make plans in order to make the trip."
"What trip?" Belle took a paper from the envelope.
"I own a hotel on the River Walk in San Antonio. That's a reservation for the bridal suite, plus a dinner the night before, and breakfast in bed the next morning. I know you will need someone to care for your livestock while you are away, so I have arranged for one of my hired hands to ride over and do your chores for two days."
It was a kind and thoughtful gesture, and Kate could have throttled Belle, who looked at the envelope several seconds before saying, caustically, "How nice."
As Cody rose to the occasion with a heartfelt, "Thank you, We appreciate it very much," Kate thought that Cody knew Belle better than she had supposed.
Kate carefully guided the conversation into idle chatter about the weather, the coming wedding, and Suzie's visit.
After what seemed a short eternity, York rose to leave. "Will you walk outside with me, Kate? I have something to ask you, in private."
Suddenly, Belle decided to be civil. "Go on, Kate. You and York need some time alone."
After that, how could Kate refuse? "Will you excuse us?"
York held the screen door open, and Kate followed him outside. "It was thoughtful of you to remember Mamma and Cody with such a lovely gift."
York helped Kate down the porch steps. "Your mother seems to have taken a dislike to me. Has Sinclair been talking to her?"
How could Kate give that an honest answer? "Mamma takes some getting used to. She's unhappy with some of the news Suzie brought from Dallas, and anxious about the wedding tomorrow."
"No matter, that's not what I came to talk about." York brushed Kate's halfhearted explanation aside. "I have been asked to speak at the annual Texas Cattleman's Association Convention in San Antonio next week. I would like for you to come with me. We could make a day of it, get in some sight seeing, and there's a banquet and a dance that night." He leaned against a porch post, and waited.
He must have sensed Kate's hesitation. "We won't be alone. My sister and her husband will be there. They will be glad to act as chaperons."
He was putting her in a difficult position. How could she refuse such a proper request after he had been so generous to Belle and Cody? "I don't know, York. I would have to make arrangements for someone to make my ride that day."
York's eyes narrowed against the late evening sun. "Are you afraid Sinclair would refuse to let you go?" He frowned at that thought.
He did know how to make her uncomfortable. "No, I can arrange to take a day off."
York's frown converted to a smile. "Then you'll go?"
"I guess so."Kate shrugged. He was making it almost impossible for her to refuse.
"Then we have a date for next Friday. My sister, Harriet is anxious to meet you."
He was moving too fast, and Kate felt helpless to stop him. "Mamma mentioned you had a sister."
York dropped a kiss on Kate's cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow, at the wedding."
As the car sped away in a cloud of dust, Kate turned to see Suzie standing just inside the screen, watching her every move.
Once inside the living room, Kate
eased onto the couch, and began to stare at the face of the news anchor on TV.
Lady hopped onto the couch and lay down beside Kate.
In silence, they watched the news cast until the weather forecast for the next day, faded to black.
Cody aimed the control toward the TV. It died away with a dull click. "York is a thoughtful neighbor, wouldn't you say, Belle?"
"I'd say he knows how to get what he wants." Belle looked up from her crochet. "Wouldn't you say so, Kate?"
All eyes were on Kate. "Who am I to argue with you, Mamma?" Kate rubbed her hand through the soft fur on Lady's neck.
"York didn't get any argument from you."
"About what, Mamma?"
Belle's crochet hook flew through the half-finished afghan. "I don't know what. I looked outside and saw you shaking your head yes to everything he said."
"I didn't agree at first..." Kate caught her bottom lip between her teeth. "Stop it, Mamma."
"Belle, Honey," Cody intervened, "If you want to know what York said to Kate, why don't you just ask her?"
"And have her think that I am butting in to her private life?" Belle raised a provocative eyebrow. "It's not wise to go around poking your nose into other people's affairs, even when you see them making a big mistake."
"Grandma's right," Suzie agreed, too readily. "But on the other hand, shouldn't you warn someone you care about if you see them doing something foolish?"
"First you have to know what they are doing," Belle argued illogically. She laid her crochet in her lap, and sighed. "And if they don't know what they're doing, how can you know if what they're doing is something they shouldn't be doing, so you can tell them not to do it?"
Mamma was at it again. Kate snapped, "Mamma, that's an absurd statement."
Belle corrected her daughter. "It wasn't a statement, it was a question."
"I understand what Grandma's saying," Suzie chimed in. "And it makes sense to me. You understood it, didn't you Cody?"
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