Mom in the Middle

by Mae Nunn

  Lord, You know I’ve never ridden without Phillip there to support me. Daddy’s health kept him away from the dusty arena most of the time and Mother had no interest. At least I never thought she did. All I had was Phillip. Please send me a man one day who wants to be my everything.

  “You don’t have to do this, Abby. It was just meant to be something fun, something you’d enjoy. If it’s not…” His voice rumbled beneath her ear. He held her in the circle of his arms, his large hands lightly stroking the tense muscles in her back. She knew people must be watching, but she had nothing to lose by hugging the man she loved.

  “It will be fun. I’m certain of it.” She gave him a quick squeeze, released him from the kind embrace he’d offered and then fluffed her wilting curls.

  “We’re burnin’ daylight, Mr. Hardy. Let’s saddle up!”

  “Y’all give another round of applause for Brittany Gennadopoulos on Beauty. Brittany is our reigning champ with a personal best time of 14.897. Up next is Brittany’s baby sister Monica riding Cricket. Monica, come a runnin’!”

  The announcer’s voice boomed over the speakers in the Luedecke Arena, a place Abby had raced dozens of times during her high-school career. Applause and cheers echoed in the alleyway where she sat astride one of the finest quarter horses in the state of Texas.

  It had been ages since she’d made a practice run, much less a timed competitive ride and never on an animal this fine. A horse knew nothing of judges or subjective opinions. This event was all about cooperation between a mount and rider. A run against the clock.

  With butterflies crowding her belly, she stretched her legs, pressed downward on the souls of her beat-up old ropers to stand tall in the stirrups. She leaned from the hips and stroked the neck of Restless, the prize-winning sorrel that Garrett had graciously loaned her.

  He had remembered her after all. When they’d shaken hands with Guy looking on, Garrett had held hers too long for comfort and said things most young women would have crash-dieted for a week to hear.

  “How could a man forget a little beauty like Abby Reagan? You look just like Goldilocks underneath that Resistol.” He’d boldly flicked one springy curl with the back of his index finger. Abby had felt Guy stand taller, lean closer. Garrett had noticed, too, because he’d wisely withdrawn the offending hand and hooked his thumb in the front pocket of his jeans before he’d continued.

  “Why, I’d have taken a five-second penalty on my best ride if you’d have looked twice at me back then.”

  He’d been making most of it up, of course, but it was interesting to see Guy’s reaction. He’d squinted in that way that accentuated the character lines around his endearing blue eyes and mimicked a smile. But she could tell from the way his neck had tensed that he’d been clenching his teeth. Her mother had assumed the same facial expression when she’d been forced to attend her daughter’s public exhibitions, so Abby knew it well. It was ten percent approval, ten percent veneer, and the other eighty percent was annoyance, plain and simple.

  The crowd in the arena cried, “Push! Push! Push!” as the rider broke into the last stretch, spurring her horse hard to bring it home.

  Abby shivered with nervous excitement. She was up. Everybody she loved was out there in the grandstand, waiting for her.

  Everybody but Phillip.

  He’d been her champion in all she’d done for as far back as she could remember. And she’d been the same for him. During the years they’d been best friends and for the few months they’d been husband and wife, she’d given Phillip her all. Today would be her last ride dedicated to her first love. And next weekend when she dedicated the playground at New Harvest, she would allow her mourning to come to an end.

  It was a time for beginnings. A time for joy.

  Time was what she needed most.

  If she only had more of it with Guy, she felt certain he would begin to see how much she loved him. He’d shown her with his kindness that he cared. He’d shown her with his kisses that he was interested. But he was a man committed to his career and his family. Was he capable of changing the course he’d set for his life?

  More importantly, was he willing?

  Restless snorted, shivered his impatience for the open arena and the three barrels that marked the cloverleaf pattern he would run.

  Abby put aside all thoughts of spectators and became the partner Restless demanded. She took the lead, began the ritual of kickin’ and kissin’ that would whip the sorrel into a frenzy as they entered the chute.

  “Folks, please help me bring out a young lady who used to be a regular. This is her first ride in a month of Sundays, so give her some encouragement. Let’s welcome Abby Reagan Cramer on Restless. Abby, come a runnin’!”

  The adrenaline rush hit her full force as the champion barrel horse proved the reason he came with an asking price of forty thousand dollars. She worked the over-under whip attached to the saddle horn and spurred Restless into the arena where they tripped the timer and started the clock.

  They took the first barrel with textbook grace. She sat back, grabbed the saddle horn, made the turn and looked for the second barrel. Restless did his job, charging in the direction his rider looked, responding to the pressure of her spurs, the urgency of the whip. They rounded the second barrel in a cloud of dust, searching for the final barrel, heading for the end of the pattern. The drill was perfect once more, second nature to horse and rider.

  Now only the home stretch lay ahead. The arena came alive with cheers.

  “Ride hard!”

  “Haul out, Abby!”

  “Bring it home!”

  Abby’s breathing was as frantic as her mount’s. She was certain her lungs would explode. She leaned forward, pushed hard, whipped Restless to give up all the speed his owner was so proud of. The race to the finish was where the heart of the team came alive. The cowgirl and barrel horse did not disappoint as they crossed the electronic timer.

  They’d run a clean pattern! There were no penalties! She looked at the timer. Good enough to keep her in the money if this had been a real competition.

  “That was Abby Reagan Cramer on Restless with a mighty fine time of 15.599 seconds. Welcome back, little lady. I believe you wanted to say a few words.”

  Breathless with exhilaration, she guided Restless to the announcer’s box. She reached a shaking hand to accept the microphone, worried now that she’d made a mistake by asking for this moment in the spotlight.

  She scanned the lower level of the grandstand for the handicapped seating no more than fifty feet away. Her daddy beamed. Her mother smiled brightly. Really smiled. Approval was evident in her eyes. Behind them on bleacher seats, Casey and Guy applauded.

  Guy’s pulse had raced right along with Abby, keeping time with the hammering of hooves on the arena floor. He’d never held his breath so tight, clenched his fists so hard, made such a spectacle of himself by cheering so loud. And beside him Casey acted every bit the fool, loving the winning heart behind Abby’s effort as much as he had.

  He watched her run the tip of her tongue across her lips, saw her chest expand with a deep breath as she raised the mic.

  “I won’t take long but I need to say thank you to some folks. To the Hearth and Home family for making this day of dry fun possible.”

  The H&H employees laughed and applauded in agreement.

  “To my parents for always finding a way to support me and my dreams even when the way seemed blocked.”

  She hesitated, sounded as if she might choke. Then continued.

  “And finally I’d like to dedicate this ride as I always have. To my first love, the man I will always cherish, the one who never let me down. My best friend of ten years. My Phillip.”

  Guy’s breath caught in his throat. Casey stretched an arm behind him, laid her hand gently on his back.

  Abby reached to hand the microphone back, then seemed to change her mind. “Wait, I forgot somebody very important.”

  Guy’s heart quickened, surged with what s
he was about to say.

  “Garrett Ramsey! Thank you so much for the privilege of riding Restless!”

  From the other end of the arena, Garrett’s loud “Yip! Yip!” could be heard in response. While the crowd laughed, Abby guided Restless out of the arena to cool him down. Guy stood and moved toward the exit with Casey close behind.

  “She only had about thirty seconds, bro.” Casey knew him too well, felt the need to excuse Abby’s oversight.

  “That’s just it. No matter what I do, I can’t even make that woman’s short list, let alone her top spot. I’d like to chalk this one up to comeuppance but I’m afraid it’s more complicated than that.” And more painful.

  “You’re crazy about that girl, aren’t you?”

  “It shows, huh?”

  “To me, of course. But in the long run it’s probably just as well. Now you won’t have any worries about personal complications down the road when the insurance is settled and the investigation is closed.”

  The investigation. It would never be closed because it had never officially been opened. He’d gone against the procedure established to protect Hearth and Home after his last mistake. He’d chosen instead to protect the Reagans from the scrutiny of a private investigator and now when his father asked to review the file, Guy would have nothing to reveal but excuses.

  To complicate matters, he’d challenged the insurance settlement, demanded the carrier review and reconsider the coverage, even insisted on paying out of his own pocket to ensure the Reagans never received another balance-due bill. While he could probably squash that revelation, was it ethical to keep it quiet from his parents? Didn’t they have a right to know the person they assumed would be the next CEO of their company had interfered in a corporate settlement?

  All because he’d let his intentions to save somebody go too far. He’d strayed from the plan that had always met his needs. He’d let his emotions overrule his good sense.

  And he’d only really learned one thing. He’d found the one his heart loved but he was ten years too late.

  “Guy said what?” Abby couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He’d been in the stands cheering her on an hour before and now he was gone. Completely inaccessible, his sister had said, her voice firm, leaving no room for question.

  Casey slammed the door securely and rounded the back of the H&H van. She glanced toward the passengers and lowered her voice.

  “He said to tell you he had something important to finish up and that he’d see you next weekend at the dedication before he leaves for Galveston. He asked me to escort your mom back to the hospital and get the rest of you safely home.”

  “Just like that, he left and turned everything over to you?”

  “Yeah, stellar, huh?”

  “No, it’s not at all.” Her voice was petulant, irritated.

  Casey stared hard, her blue eyes piercing. She folded her arms.

  “Well, here’s something that is. I never take anything for granted or at first blush. I probe for more facts until I’m satisfied with the answers. And I’ve done some digging I’m not too proud of at the moment. But here’s what I learned, Abby. For the first time in his adult life my brother has put everything he values at risk. And today I watched his face at the moment he accepted that it was a roll of the dice and he may lose it all.

  “Because of you, Abby.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Eight days later, with only her walker for assistance, and her husband right behind in his new motorized wheelchair, Sarah Reagan made her way up the sturdy wooden ramp and entered her home through a much wider door. A small army of Hearth and Home employees in the family room greeted her with a shout of “Happy Mother’s Day!”

  “Oh, my!” She raised a trembling hand and pressed it to her cheek.

  “Welcome home!” they chorused and waved cheerful greetings.

  “I wasn’t expecting company.” Her voice trembled from the shock of surprise guests. Abby suspected her mother would react negatively to a welcoming committee, but they pleaded to stay if only for a few minutes.

  “We all need to get back to our families but we have a few things we’d like to show you,” Leah offered. “We gave Mr. Reagan a hand with some small changes that will make your home just a bit more accessible.” She pointed toward the kitchen.

  The volunteers parted to give the lady of the house an unobstructed path. With her head held high, she worked her way across the floor, stopping in a slash of morning sunlight. She nodded her head in appreciation of the wide granite countertops, lowered wall-mount cabinets and non-skid flooring. Her gaze swept the room as she smiled approval. Abby was thankful they’d kept her mother’s color schemes intact and had only made functional changes so the room was still familiar, homey.

  “How lovely.” She pointed to the new ceiling fan.

  “That’s the one Abby and I always meant to hang.”

  “Yes, I remember the day we picked it out. But I was referring to the stained glass on the end of the pull chain.”

  Abby’s chest throbbed with the dull ache that hadn’t subsided in a week. Of all the lasting marks Guy had left on their home, his small pieces of artwork were the most eye-catching and engaging. How appropriate that one would be noticed right away.

  “Look out the kitchen window, honey. The deck was one of our first projects.” The pride in her daddy’s voice was unmistakable. Guy could take the credit for putting it there, but he wouldn’t.

  She swept the yellow gingham curtain aside. “Oh, it’s wonderful. I can’t wait to serve lunch out there. And those cedar barrel planters will be perfect for a summer herb garden.” She turned back to the room full of guests, her eyes brimming with gratitude.

  “I don’t even know where to begin to thank you all.” Her gaze dropped; she leaned heavily on the handles of her walker, searching for adequate words.

  “Don’t tire yourself, Sarah. There’s more to see and these nice folks will be at the playground dedication in a few hours. So come with me. Baby girl, you and Dillon bring up the rear. Will the rest of you please excuse us and see yourselves out?” He winked. “My bride needs some privacy in her new boudoir.”

  The team of volunteers laughed as they shuffled toward the door and out to their cars.

  Abby watched her dad take the lead down the long hallway while her mother, who was already an expert at navigating her new support after weeks of physical therapy, stayed close behind.

  As she progressed down the hall, she paused to touch each doorway that had been replaced to more easily accommodate a wheelchair or a walker.

  At the entrance to what was now truly a master bedroom, she stopped suddenly as if she’d experienced a sharp pain.

  “Mama, are you all right?” Abby took a step closer, prepared to transfer all attention from her child to her mother, wondering how she’d ever manage this day in and day out.

  Across the room, her father raised his palm signaling all was well.

  “She’s fine. Just amazed at the changes thanks to the kindness of others. Aren’t you, dear?”

  Her mother nodded, said nothing. Truly speechless.

  Abby surveyed the redesigned and redecorated room as if seeing it as her mother would for the first time. Soft mauve carpet had replaced throw rugs on slippery old oak planks. A beautiful cherry bedroom suite, with the height of the sleigh bed adjusted for easy access, filled the space formerly occupied by inexpensive, decades-old furnishings. Where a wall of dark paneling had loomed in the small bedroom, leaded-glass French doors now opened onto the expanded master bath. The whirlpool garden tub, oversize tiled shower and matching marble sinks were strategically placed to maximize floor space for handicapped access.

  In short, it was a luxurious blessing that had never even been a dream before this moment.

  Abby’s father had positioned himself next to a chair and ottoman that perfectly accented the plush spread on the bed. He patted the thick cushion of the chair and waited patiently until the love of his life se
ttled into it comfortably.

  The piercing eyes that had seen life only from a practical view during forty-eight years of marriage now held a spark of delight. “How did you accomplish this, Pete?” She reached for her husband’s hand.

  “The insurance company has offered us a very generous settlement in addition to paying one hundred percent of your hospital expenses. Of course, nothing’s final yet, because you have to approve what the attorneys have agreed to, but Guy went ahead and let us do all the work at cost. The H&H folks provided all the labor so everything would be finished by today.”

  She laid her head back against the soft cushions, closed her eyes and prayed aloud.

  “Father God, You have always made a way for us and I’m not likely to question You now. This is more than we need, more than we deserve. Please allow our family to use this time of rich blessings to bless others. Thank You for bringing me home to the husband I cherish, and to the daughter and grandson who make our lives complete.”

  When she opened her eyes and looked at her daughter, there was something there Abby never thought she’d see.

  Respect.

  “Abigail, don’t worry about what the future holds. Simply trust the one who holds the future.” She squeezed her husband’s hand and leaned close to stare into his eyes as she continued to speak to her daughter. “Very soon you too will find the one your heart loves.”

  Abby sat on the back row of the New Harvest sanctuary. The darkness of the room, curtains drawn against the midday light, suited her somber mood. She leaned her forearms on the pew before her and rested her head in her hands. Her eyes were closed as she struggled with what she was about to do.

  Lord, You brought me to this moment. Strengthen me today to finally lay my Phillip to rest and say goodbye to Guy, too, if that is Your will for my life. I don’t pretend to understand Your ways, but You’ve trusted me to care for my parents as well as my own child. I trust that You’ll give me all the help I need to be successful one day at a time, to the glory of Your name.