by Dagny Rand
She tries to pull back up when she realizes that Gil has taken hold of her hand and is pulling her closer to his face.
“Maybe you should take a closer look.”
He pulls her closer.
“A little closer.”
With her face only inches away from his he lifts his head and kisses her. All she could feel was the gentle tenderness of his lips on hers. She slowly backs away and looks at him. Her eyes had a glow of a woman in love and Gil knew he couldn’t let her leave ever.
“I’ve wanted to do this from the first day I met you.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
He pulled her down again on kissed her again. This time, she pulled up, but still was close to his face.
“Tell me why did you crawl off the sofa? You knew it would break it again. Why you…”
“How did you….”
“The knees of your pajama pants are dirty. You do know you risked breaking your leg again by doing that?”
“ I had to find a way to make you stay.”
“To make me stay?”
“ I knew I had no right ordering you around and then when you said you were going to leave. We just never had a chance to really get to know each other. I just couldn’t let you go, Kaylee. I wanted to find a way to make you stay. I told you I’m crazy about you Kaylee. I can’t think of anything but you.”
At this point, the doctor and Lupe are back in the room. The doctor smiles at Kaylee.
“Gil seems you didn’t listen to me did you? Well, you’ve broken it again and I’m gonna need some boiling water and bandages Lupe.”
“Si doctor.”
He looks at Kaylee
“Young lady if you’re a bit squeamish I suggest you leave now.“
“No, I’m fine doctor.”
The doctor looks at Gil than back to Kaylee.
“Well seems you have a real lady here Gil.
Gil looks up at her and winks his eye
“Oh, I know it, doc.”
Chapter Eight
Gil’s leg did heal and the winter had turned into spring only Kaylee realized she didn’t want to leave after all. It was that closeness that made them both understand they were not that different but that there was a bond that drew them closer each day. They knew they would have that all their lives. Those six weeks with Gil had convinced her that he really did care for her and though he may have been a bit rough around the edges he was the man she knew from the first time she saw him that she was in love with. It was early spring that Gil had Raul cut out the best horses so Kaylee could pick the one she liked.
It was a sunny morning and Raul was leading six of the finest horses they had on the ranch. Surely out of these Kaylee would find one she would want as her own. Gil and Kaylee were in the dining room having breakfast.
“Well, Kaylee are you ready to pick out your horse?”
Lupe looked at Kaylee then to Gil.
“Senor Gil are you going to give Senorita Kaylee a horse as a wedding gift?”
“Why not Lupe, she lives on a horse ranch she should have her own horse.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Well come on.”
They arrive at the corral and Kaylee is looking at the horses.
“These are some of my prize stock. I had them taken in for you to see. We have a horse ranch here Kaylee and well you should get use to what we sell. “
She makes her way closer to the chestnut mare and gently pats the side of her neck. The mare raises her head and looks at Kaylee.
“She likes you.”
“Well, I like her also. “
She really was a pretty girl, her mane was cream colored as was her tail and she had the sweetest disposition it wasn’t long before Kaylee was hugging her.
“You’ve seemed to found a friend. Do you want to name her?”
“Oh, can I?”
“Sure, she’s yours.”
She looks at the horse then back to Gil.”
“Lady, I think I’ll call her Lady.”
“Lady it is then.”
With that Gil and Kaylee smile as they walk back into the house.
“Are you happy?”
She smiles at him as his has his arm around her waist.
“Happiest I’ve been in a long, long time.”
They were preparing for their wedding in the follow week. They were married by Padre Felipe in the small chapel not far from the ranch. Kaylee wore the dress she purchased at Miss Lucille’s Lupe and Raul were their witnesses. The Padre was such a kind soul he knew Gil’s parents and said they would be so happy if they were here. Happy to see their son had married a lovely lady. Though her mother was not there she sent a wire she could attend due to pressing issues at home but sent her best, Kaylee felt that that part of her past was just that in her past. She had told Gil her whole story and all that had happened and how she decided to answer his add when her aunt had tormented her for the last time. He looked at her and smiled. He promised her family would never hurt her again.
“I must thank that woman one day.”
“Thank her?”
“Yes perhaps if she did not torment you would never have answered my advertisement and we would never have met and married.’’ “Oh, I’m sure if you met my Aunt Alice she would tell you all that was wrong with me and the odd one of the family. Oh, I can guarantee she’d try to have you married to one of my cousins just to prove I was nothing.”
A year had passed and Gil had talked Kaylee into going with him on a trip back to New York. He pointed out she would not be going back as Kaylee Morrison, the spinster but as Mrs. Gil Cosgrove wife of a successful rancher in Wyoming and taking their young five-month-old son Daniel to see where his mama grew up. She was going back to a lot of memories some good some bad but the one thing they were memories.
After six days on the train and a short ride to the Astor House one of the finest hotels in New York. Gil then had a wire sent to Kaylee’s mother inviting her to join them at their suite where she can not only visit with her daughter but can meet her grandson. AS he thought she arrived after a short while with Aunt Alice. It was at the very moment they walked through the door of the hotel suite Kaylee realized she was someone special and she was special to Gil and Daniel. After years of being felt inferior what they thought no longer mattered. The spinster they all thought would disappoint the family was now the married lady with a fine husband and a lovely little boy. It was Alice who spoke first
“I’m so glad to see you, Kaylee, I see you’ve done quite well for yourself. I always knew you could do it you just needed a bit of a push that’s why I was always after you.”
It was Kaylee’s mother who surprised everyone with her comment.
“I never gave you much of a childhood always putting everyone else before you, it was my mistake and I hope you can forgive me. I know this apology comes a bit too late but…”
Kaylee looks at her mother, true she did wait a long time for her to admit this but for her the reward was bittersweet. Yet she has learned to accept things with grace, one can than Gil for that he has given her the strength and security that she had missed after her father passed.
It was after she left Kaylee looked at her husband
“A bit of a push? That old woman tortured me all my childhood.”
Gil took his wife’s hand and gently kissed it
“Yes but the beauty of it now is you being married is torturing her.”
It was after they had left Kaylee was able to relax by the fireplace. With Daniel napping, it was the perfect time for the two of them to relax before attending the party Rose had planned for them later this evening. She really didn’t want to face all those friends of her mother and aunt and feeling they were placing her on a pedestal now that she was married. She would rather just go back home.
They sat by the fireplace just enjoying some time to themselves. Somehow Gil didn’t get the feeling that Kaylee was having a good time. He noticed the tension
in her ever since she had the meeting with her mother and aunt.
“You know we don’t have to attend this party your mother is having “
“I know she only wants to show off Daniel to her friends, and of you of course. You and Daniel seem to be the main topic of conversation. After all it seems the old maid spinster has given her mother not only a son in law but I grandchild. Now she can boast like her sister Alice of the grandchild she has.”
“Look Kaylee just say the word and we’ll be on the next train back home.”
“No, we’ll stay Gil. I don’t want to leave like that. I’m tired of running and to leave would be like I was running again. Besides, I want to see my cousins and see how well I’ve done. “
Gil looks at his wife.
“It’s not like you to gloat princess.”
“I suppose it’s not but, just once I’d like them to notice me.”
“Still fighting those battles ain’t ya? You know it takes a long time to heal those hurts, don’t let it take your entire lifetime princess. Daniel and I need you too much to let you not be part of our life.”
She looks into his eyes he always knew what to tell her to ease her anger.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Gil gets up to answer it. He opens the door and there is Lucille.
“I’m sorry I was looking for …”
Before she could finish Kaylee rushes over to the door.
“Miss Lucille! Oh my Lord come in please come in.”
The two women exchange hugs and just can’t get over they are together again.
“Kaylee you look wonderful.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself Miss Lucille.”
Kaylee looks at Gil.
“Gil, honey this is Miss Lucille, my old boss.”
“Pleased to meet you, ma’am. Kaylee has spoken about you many times.” The cries of Daniel in other room and Gil goes to check on him.
Lucille looks at Kaylee questioning.
“Oh yes, we have a little one would you like to meet him?”
“Oh you know I do.”
Kaylee looks up and over to the bedroom suite
“Gil, can you bring Daniel in here?”
In walks Gil with Master Daniel with his towhead blond hair and those ice blue eyes. Lucille was in love with the little guy. Gil places him in Lucille’s arms and it was like he had known her since his was born. He gave her such a smile and Lucille would sit there all afternoon.
“Oh, Kaylee he is such a lovely child. I’m so glad I came here to see you today. I was a bit worried that you wouldn’t want to speak with me after the way we left things before you left.”
“Don’t be silly Miss Lucille, after all, you made me that lovely dress before I left, by the way, every woman in Jackson wants to know where I got that dress so you will probably be getting letters from many of the town's leading ladies.”
“Well, I should make you take their measurements and orders when you get back home.”
She looked up and smiled at Gil
“Your wife was my best seamstress Mr. Cosgrove there wasn’t any style she couldn’t copy.”
Lucille looks at the clock on the wall and realizes the party Kaylee’s mom is having is only a few hours from now.
“Now Kaylee I wanted to give you something special for this party and I hope you still are the same size so….”
She hands Gil the baby and runs over to the door opens it and takes a box from the side of the outside wall and runs back in.
“It was one of the newest styles from France and I had to get you something special.”
She hands the box to her and Kaylee begins to open the box. The look on her face is priceless. Slowly she takes the dress from the box it is a vision of lace and satin in sapphire blue. “Oh my, Miss Lucille it’s beautiful I just can’t take something this expensive.”
“You can and will my dear girl. That dress is you and I want everyone to know I sent to Paris for it for you.” Gil and Kaylee arrived at her mother’s home just after the party started. Daniel was being fussy and it took him a while to get settled. None the less he was fine now and enjoying the attention from everyone. Gil looked at his wife and knew that those she had a smile on her face she was not enjoying herself and even he was waiting for a proper time to leave.
Chapter Nine
When Kaylee remembers that first year she often wonders what her life would be if she had not answered Gil’s advertisement and come out to Wyoming. But fifteen years had now passed and Daniel now has a sister and two other brothers. Lupe and Raul are still on the ranch and because of them, the children speak Spanish and English. Rose came out once three years ago accompanied by Miss Lucille. After all those years Kaylee was able to forgive her mother’s actions when she was younger. She remembered that Gil had told her that time would heal and he was right. She was so glad she made her peace with Rose since she passed on after her trip to Wyoming.
It’s in the cool summer evenings when the family has retired for the night Kaylee and Gil sit on the porch looking at the night sky. Gil looks at her as the moonlight streams down on her face.
“Princess, you are still beautiful and I can’t think of anyone I would ever want to spend my life with.”
She looks at him and takes his hand and holds it to her heart.
“I think I love you even more than I did the first time I saw you. When you crawled with your leg broken just to get me to stay, I knew you loved me. “
“I loved you and I didn’t know how I could make you stay.”
“All you had to do was ask Gil that’s all. If you had said I want you to stay, I would have followed you to the end of the world and back.”
He takes her in his arms and they shared a warm embrace knowing their love was as strong as it was sixteen years ago.
*****
THE END