Be My Guest

by Caroline Clemmons

  Even with all the elapsed time, Aurora saw their faces clearly in her mind. She gave Raul a description, but realized how little she knew about the men. What chance did he have to find these men with so little information?

  As if reading her thoughts, Will said, "Raul is related to about half the people in the county. If he has all his relatives watching for these guys it’s better than having their pictures in the newspaper."

  Lily placed her hands on the table. "Ha. Now let us talk of happier things. We must take Aurora's mind off of these muy malo hombres. Aurora, tell us how your work at the store is going. How have you not choked this Mattie woman yet?"

  * * *

  Aurora soon fell into a routine and found the days passing very quickly. She developed a good rapport with Susan, whose age was near her own. When Mattie grudgingly volunteered that the store seemed much improved with the recent changes, Aurora found it hard to conceal her surprise.

  In addition to the pleasure she took in running the store efficiently, Aurora found herself enjoying the day-to-day activities of business in a small town. She attended Chamber of Commerce meetings, acting in Peggy's behalf, and became acquainted with many of the other business people in town. Her outgoing personality made new friends for Raphael's Cards And Gifts as well as for herself. People she met about town dropped by to chat with her and usually bought at least a card while in the store

  Aurora adopted Tuesday as her day off, and Susan and Mattie managed on their own for that one day each week. On the first of her free Tuesdays--the Tuesday after Peggy's surgery--Will took her to meet his mother in Lubbock.

  Aurora sat in the passenger side of the large gray Chrysler, brushing off imaginary lint and straightening her blouse and skirt.

  Will took his glance from the road long enough to smile at her. "Relax, Aurora."

  Aurora clasped her hands in her lap. "I know I'm fidgeting, Will. I don't know why I'm nervous."

  He slanted her an appraising glance. "I don't either. You’re perfect to me."

  A faint blush crept into Aurora's cheeks as the car stopped in front of a group of one-story condominiums in a nice area of central Lubbock.

  Aurora took a deep breath and picked up her handbag before she exited the car. The walk led to a closed gate behind which she could see a small but pleasant courtyard. Will opened the gate and ushered her into the courtyard. As he did so, the front door opened and a woman resembling Rose Webster stepped into the open doorway.

  As the woman stepped into the sunlight of the porch, Aurora realized the resemblance to Rose to be only fleeting and superficial. Bone structure and height might be the same, but there the resemblance ended. This woman had almost silver hair, and a merry face that showed years of laugh lines.

  "Welcome, Aurora. My, I've heard so much about you, but you're even prettier than I'd imagined. Come in and let's get acquainted."

  Actually, Aurora hadn't known what sort of person she expected Will's mother would be, but the bubbly enthusiasm of this woman came as a definite surprise. "Thank you for letting me come, Mrs. Harrison."

  "Oh, no, no. You must call me Vivian. Now, I'm forgetting my manners." Vivian took Aurora's arm and led her into the house. She seemed able to talk without ever pausing for breath. "Would you like something to drink or a snack before we set out to see Lubbock?"

  "No, thank you, um, Vivian." She wondered how sisters could resemble one another so closely yet be polar opposites.

  "It's so lucky that you're here to take charge of Peggy's shop, Aurora. Oh, what a lovely name you have." She said the name several times, emphasizing different syllables before continuing. "That shop needed someone to revitalize it. I hear that you've already improved it. Who knows what you'll be able to accomplish there in time."

  Vivian's reference to time startled Aurora. Will refused to meet her eyes and instead appeared very busy peering around his mother's home with a too-innocent air. To Vivian, she said, "Oh, didn't Will tell you that I'm on my way to Colorado? I'm only helping Peggy until she's well again."

  Vivian smiled and patted Aurora's arm as she would that of a small child who couldn't understand, "Yes, of course, dear. Will told me all about that."

  Aurora thought it best to change the subject. "This is a lovely home, uh, Vivian. I can see where Will got his love of antiques."

  If possible, Vivian brightened even more. "These are mostly things from the family--Will's father's family as well as mine--so they all have a great deal of sentimental value to me. Come, let me show you through my little home before we leave."

  Will trailed along as Vivian went into detail. Each room held something special to the family. Pale gold with accents of green and brown formed the backdrop for a pump organ once used by Will's grandmother and hauled by wagon from Missouri. The front bedroom in dark turquoise and aqua included a secretary once owned by a great-uncle of Vivian's. Aurora found herself led gently while Vivian's comments bounced from subject to subject, with brief pauses to point out various objects in each room. Never had she heard a person talk so fast with so few pauses to take a breath. Vivian really was remarkable.

  Family photographs lined one wall of the next room. Aurora examined each of them while Vivian rattled a description of the event accompanying each one. Several photos of Will reminded Vivian of his escapades as a young boy, and the exaggerated tales made Aurora laugh.

  "Just wait until your mother shows me your old photos," he threatened under his breath to Aurora.

  "I hardly think the occasion will arise for that." With a withering glance, Aurora said primly. "It's bad enough to have my folks asking about you every time I call." She meant her comment as a reprimand, but instead Will smiled.

  He stood behind her, his mouth near her ear. His voice came very quietly, meant only or her ears. "Oh? You never told me they ask about me. Tell them I'm looking forward to meeting them in person." When she rewarded this statement with a glare, he only smiled.

  At one end of the room hung photos of Will and Nancy, some with Kelly included. Vivian paused in her dialog. "Nancy was such a sweet girl--everyone loved her. We were all just crushed when we lost her." She patted Aurora's hand. "I'm so glad Will has found you now."

  Aurora wondered what Will told his mother and sent a questioning glance his way, apparently unnoticed by Will, who seemed very busy examining a book he’d picked up from a table. No one could be as innocent as he appeared. Vivian moved them on to the next room as if they were small children she herded on a school field trip.

  Vivian's bedroom presented a surprised in red, white and blue. It included a white and brass bed and antique dressing table that once belonged to Vivian's grandmother. "I just love cheerful colors, don't you?" Before Aurora could answer, Vivian launched into a description of the quilt on the quilt rack at the foot of the bed. "My great-grandmother began working on that quilt when she was only twelve. She used the scraps of the family clothing."

  "It's really lovely, but not as, um, colorful as the rest of the room." Aurora let her hand caress the old fabrics, soft now with age.

  "Well, it may be a little out of place, not being as cheery as the rest of the room. They all wore mostly drab clothing then, you see. She had to use bits of cloth left from their sewing or pieces from clothes that wore out. It was the first quilt she made by herself. This Ocean Wave pattern is not used much any more."

  Vivian stopped in front of a group of pictures of a man at varying ages and stood in front of the largest of the photographs. It must have been made about the time he died, for he seemed older in that portrait than in any of the other many photos. Aurora knew this must be Will's father, the resemblance of father and son were unmistakable.

  Vivian touched her finger to her lips and then to the face on the portrait in front of her. "This is my Riley, Will's sweet father. What a dear man! I guess you can see the resemblance to Will. Riley loved ranching so much and excelled at it. He always made us a nice living."

  She gave a conspiratorial chuckle and hug
ged Aurora's arm. "Of course, the money from the oil wells didn't hurt us, but we'd have been just fine without them. Oh, but it near broke his heart when we had to move into Lubbock." She turned and laughed. "After we'd been here a while, though, he found he loved this place too. What fun we had! Oh, I do miss him so."

  With a sigh, Vivian turned to lead the way back down the hall and through the living room to the kitchen area. From the kitchen, Aurora could see through the small eating area to a sun room that opened onto a covered patio and a small back yard area.

  "Your home is much larger than it appears from the street. It really is lovely.”

  Will treated his mother with fond tolerance. He stood patiently with his hands in his pockets. "Are you ready to go for lunch now, Mother?"

  "Oh, of course. Just let me powder my nose and get my handbag."

  The day went well and Aurora truly enjoyed the company of Vivian. Will tagged tolerantly behind them as the two women shopped in South Plains Mall. Earlier, Aurora visited the card shop in the mall to speak with the owner when she first encountered questions about the Peggy's shop. Now she stopped in to say hello and express her thanks once again for the friendly advice she received.

  After pie and coffee at a pie shop, the trio moved across town to the Ranching Heritage Museum on Texas Technological University campus. The early homes and businesses relocated to the center amazed Aurora. Vivian knew an anecdote about each of the buildings or the family that formerly owned them. Once again, her running commentary kept Aurora entertained.

  Will, who doubtless had heard these anecdotes many times before, interjected an occasional comment. For the most part, he plodded patiently, seeming pleased that Aurora found the center interesting. She marveled at the tolerance he displayed and lack of complaints. Could any man actually be this patient, this tolerant of the women in his life?

  Late that afternoon as they drove on their way back to Post, Aurora sat with a smile on her face, her mind reliving the pleasures of the day.

  "Well, were you surprised?" Will ask with an amused grin.

  She nodded. Surprised was an understatement, she thought, but she merely widened her smile for him. "Yes. I thought she would be more like Rose, you know, sort of reserved and dignified."

  Will laughed. "Then you were definitely very surprised. Mother always catches people up like a whirlwind.”

  "I really like her, Will. I meant every word when I told her I enjoyed the day. She's a lovely woman." Aurora considered his mom a minute. "I can see why someone as outgoing as she is would prefer city living. She just loves being with people, doesn't she?"

  "I hope you didn't misunderstand me when I told you she preferred the city to the isolation of ranch life. She never seemed unhappy when I was growing up. In fact, she always seemed to be happy wherever she found herself."

  Thoughtful, she nodded again. "Yes, I think she is the sort of person who always finds something good in any situation."

  Will searched for the right words. "It's just that I think she must be happier in a city. It stuck me as especially evident before Dad died and they had friends around them every day."

  This surprised her. In her mind she pictured a pale man confined to his bed or a semi-invalid. "He wasn't bedfast, then?"

  Will shook his head. "Dad? No, he just had to take life easy. They played bridge with friends, or took little trips, or went out to eat--nothing strenuous, but something every day. At least, it seemed that way to me."

  "It sounds like a nice life." She turned these new facts over in her mind for a few minutes before she spoke again. As if thinking aloud, Aurora added, "I would think they'd miss the quiet and beauty of the ranch, though."

  Will smiled to himself and fell silent, but his heart soared with hope. Darkness shrouded Post when they arrived at Rose's house. Will lowered the windows and turned off the ignition, but made no move to leave the car.

  Without a word each turned to the other and they kissed. He cradled her head on his shoulder long after the kiss ended, as if he could not bear to be parted from her. The ever-present breeze stirred through honeysuckle and Lebanon cedar, wafting the scents gently past through the open car windows.

  Will seemed lost in thought for a few minutes. "Nancy loved the smell of honeysuckle. We always meant to plant some by the patio at the ranch."

  The sound of Nancy's name on his lips startled Aurora. How could he speak of her when he kissed her only moments before, with his arms embracing her? The love in his voice as he spoke Nancy's name wrenched at Aurora's heart.

  "You've remained very much in love with her." It wasn't an accusation, just a statement. She said it simply, but it suddenly meant the earth to her. A terrible sadness gripped her. Had the time they spent together meant nothing to him? How can I fight a ghost for his love?

  A mixture of sadness and compassion shone in his eyes. "If you're asking if I still love her, then I have to say yes. A part of me will always love her."

  He cupped her chin with his hand to force her eyes to meet his. "She was a good woman, a wonderful wife and mother. She'll always have a part of my heart, but there's plenty of room left there, Aurora."

  He kissed her forehead softly before he continued. "Nancy played a big part in my life, but she's gone. I had a hard time facing that. When I met you I realized that life must move forward--that it could be meaningful again."

  Will seemed suddenly restless, impatient. "I think it's time for us to have a serious talk, Aurora. You've been here long enough now to know what this area is like. I believe you know most of the members of my family, and have spent a lot of time with Kelly and me. These past few weeks, you've met many of my friends and the townspeople. By now you have a feel of what running a small business here is like."

  "That's true, Will." Aurora waited expectantly for him to follow up this statement.

  "You've spent a lot of time with me here in town and with Kelly and me at home. I want to know the opinions you've formed of the area and the people."

  "I...I like it here, Will. I like it a lot, and you know I'm very fond of Kelly...and Rose, and the rest of your family and friends."

  "More importantly, how do you feel about me?" Before she could answer, Will continued, "You must know by now that I want you to stay, Aurora. That first weekend you were at the ranch I told you that I don't intend to let you out of my life. I want you to marry me so we can be together for the rest of our lives.

  Aurora sat with her hands folded in her lap. How could he ask her to marry him when he just told her he loved Nancy? All she could think about was the sound of his voice as he spoke Nancy's name. He loves her so much, she thought. Even after three years his love for her is strong. Could he ever love her that much? Could she risk it?

  Aurora didn't think she could bear to live with him in the shadow on another woman, knowing herself to be only a substitute for the woman he loved. With her heart breaking, she said, "Oh, Will, I...I had all these plans, and now, I just don't know what to do." Aurora put her hand to her forehead. "I promised myself after...after Russell that I would take some time to rebuild my life slowly and carefully. I had everything all mapped out. I wanted to travel, and..."

  Will interrupted, "Aurora, I love you and need you with me. I need to know that you'll be there beside me every night when I go to sleep and there every morning when I wake up. I want us to share the rest of our lives together."

  Aurora pleaded with her eyes as well as her voice, "Will, please give me a little more time." If only I could be sure he can love me as much as he loves Nancy, Aurora thought.

  Disappointment and despair were in Will's voice as he dropped his arms before he turned away. "All right, Aurora. If that's what you want. It seems to me that if you love me, you'll want to spend the rest of your life here with me as much as I want you to."

  "There's more to it than that, Will. There's so much more to consider."

  Will winced as if he couldn't bear to hear the words she spoke to him. "No, Aurora, there's not. Either
you love me and want to stay here with me as my wife, or you don't. Yes or no shouldn't be too hard."

  "Please, Will, try to understand." Aurora reached out her hand toward him.

  "I am trying, but I'm finding it very hard. It seems to me you neither love nor trust me." He opened his car door and reached for his crutches.

  She opened her door before he could exit from his side of the car. "There's no need to come walk me to the door, Will. I can see myself in." With her heart breaking, she slid out of the car and stood beside it. "Please try to understand, Will," she pleaded again.

  His face grim as he waited for her to close the car door. "I'll call you later in the week." With no further comment, he drove away.

  Her heart broke into pieces too small to salvage. What have I done?

  Chapter Nine

  Aurora sat at her desk, an order blank in her hand. Peggy failed to attend the past two Dallas markets to select merchandise. One of the missed markets had been the Christmas market, the most important one for any store of this type. To recover this oversight, it became necessary to order merchandise from the various catalogs and material in the office. In addition to the cards, gifts, gift wrap, and accessories ordered from the card company, Peggy stocked collectibles and decorative items from several gift companies.

  Over the phone, Aurora briefly discussed the orders with Peggy. At this stage in Peggy's recovery, it seemed pointless to worry her with unpleasant details or oversights. The card company representative had been a real help to Aurora. Aurora visited other card shops, explained the situation to the owners, and took notes on the suggestions she received.

  For the most part, though, Aurora recognized the responsibility rested on her. She could only compare her current order to that of last year and approximate a slight increase. For Peggy's sake, she hoped these "best guesses" were at least close.

  As she finished an order, she noticed Mattie bend over a shelf. Mattie picked up an item, took it to the store window to examine it closely, and then returned the item to the shelf. Aurora watched in fascination as Mattie did this with item after item from the display of new merchandise. Her curiosity aroused, Aurora went to Mattie.