She poured the wine and raised her glass, “To family.”
“To family,” they agreed. They took sips and set down their glasses. A long pause followed.
Colt cleared his throat. “Mandy left for Sacramento.”
“Why?” Meg and Jesse looked surprised.
“Her crazy mother showed up, her ex-boyfriend started calling, then throw in brother Miles, and you get a real nasty brew.” He stopped and looked at them.
Both Meg and Jesse just stared at him. What??
Meg went first. “But at the roundup and Dad’s party, everything seemed so great for you two. I thought we’d be hearing wedding bells by now.”
“I thought you were going to go back to Donner and ask her to marry you. What happened?” asked Jesse.
“I did. We had a wonderful night tucked in a blanket on the sofa, a classic movie on the TV and a fire blazing in the fireplace. It was picture-perfect. I proposed and she accepted.”
Meg went over to him to throw her arms around him. “I am so happy for you, Colt. Congratulations!”
He hugged her back, “Thanks, Meggie.”
Jesse got up and came over to shake his hand. “Put her there, partner. Going to settle down with the pipe and slippers, eh?” They shook hands and Colt actually laughed.
“Yes, that’s the good part. Plus I had bought a ring in Naples – Mom helped me pick it out, and she’s wearing it now… Wherever she is.”
“Why did she go to Sacramento?”
“Her mother was staying at her place driving her crazy and Miles showed up on my doorstep to drive me crazy. Eddy, the asshole, started calling and texting her to have ‘a talk’ and the whole thing just blew up in our faces. Miles had a big fight with Deidre, the mother, and left the whole mess in my lap. Dad called him and told him to get the hell out of my business, so he beat it.
But he did some damage before he left. I’m not happy with him.”
“So Mandy went to Sacramento to escape all the turmoil?” Meg asked.
“Why didn’t she stay to work things out with you?”
“I think she was overwhelmed. Also, her mother was pretty harsh with me and Mandy blew over that. I suspect she wanted Deidre out of town to give her some sort of ultimatum. She probably wants to deal with the asshole ex-boyfriend also on her own. We have been talking.”
“So the wedding isn’t off?” asked Jesse.
“Nope, just delayed – I think, I hope,” said Colt. He was wondering if the words he had just spoken were true.
Meg was unhappy that her brothers were unhappy. She loved them both dearly and wanted to help in some way.
“Tell me what I can do to help either of you. Jesse, I could be Cupid and shoot a love arrow in your heart…. Colt, I could be really bad and just shoot arrows at Asshole and Crazy to scare them away. Would any of that help?”
They both laughed at her. She had a way of turning a cloudy sky into a sunny one. Just being with her lifted their sagging spirits.
“Also, you can’t tell me that Mom and Dad don’t know all about this already. I think Janie must work for the secret police or something. It’s scary the amount of information they compile. And how about Grandma and Grandpa? Jeanne can sniff out a problem from a hundred yards away. Sam may be a bit slower, but he catches up fast. No advice from them?”
“I have spoken to Jeanne. She sure can say the right words to make you feel better. She insisted that it would all work out in the end because Act Three was right around the corner.” They all laughed at that.
“She even called and spoke to Mandy a little bit. Mandy told her about our engagement, but then cried about the rest of it. Jeanne tried to get her out to Sonoma, but Mandy insisted she had a few things to do in Sacramento that couldn’t wait. Grandma said she sounded pretty determined.”
“I really like that about Mandy,” said Jesse. “She knows what she wants and goes to get it. I could learn something from her.”
“Really?” asked Meg smiling. “Like what?”
“Like making up my stupid mind about Audrey. What am I waiting for? Things are only going to get better between us, once I can get my feet out of the concrete block they’ve been sitting in.”
“Oh – Oh…. It’s the dreaded C-word, Jesse.” said Colt.
Meg started guessing. “Is it ‘command’ or ‘context’ or ‘confusion’ or….”
“ ‘Connect’, ‘commiserate’, ‘consign’, ‘confide’…”
“Very funny. Okay…I’m not afraid to say it – commitment. There!”
Colt and Meg started applauding, blowing raspberries and kisses.
“Let’s have a fun day tomorrow, guys, and then go back to deal with whatever. Where do you want to go?”
Meg and Colt said, “Golden Gate Park” together.
“You want to ride horses through the park?” When they nodded, he said, “Perfect.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Deidre was waiting for Mandy at the Sweet Pony Restaurant in Old Town Sacramento. Mandy thought it was appropriate to come full circle, where she had met Colt in the very beginning. It meant a great deal to her and she was going to have it out, once and for all, with her mother. Enough was enough. Deidre had been happy that her daughter finally called her. Mandy probably hadn’t called her since moving to Donner Lake and meeting Colt. She was beginning to have second thoughts about her behavior and the consequences that would result. What if Mandy married Colt? What if they had children? Her grandchildren?
Mandy walked into the restaurant, saw her mother and went over to sit down with her at a booth. Deidre noticed she didn’t smile and knew she had some real groveling to do. Did she want to do it? Could she do it?
“Hello, Mom.”
“Hello, Amanda, dear. Thank you so much for calling and inviting me to lunch. I appreciate it more than you know.”
“This is it, Mom. This is the last time I am calling you. If you don’t clean up your act, this will be the last time you ever see me. Is that understood?” She didn’t smile.
The waitress came over to hand them menus. She looked from one woman to the other, gave them the menus and hurried away. They didn’t look happy or particularly hungry.
“Amanda, could we just calm down and eat a little lunch. It’s good to see you. How are you? Her mother tried to smile at her.
“How do you think I am? You’ve caused enough trouble for me and for Colt that I had to break off my life with him to come and sort this out. Between you and Eddy, I haven’t had much fun lately.”
“Oh, Eddy called you? How nice.”
“It isn’t nice, nor is it welcome to have him call me. You gave him my new cell number. Why do you think I changed it in the first place? .... No idea?.... So he wouldn’t call me anymore. I’m sorry that I even gave it to you now.”
“Oh, don’t say that. We’re getting off on the wrong foot here. Can’t we just enjoy ourselves as mother and daughter?” She ran her hand nervously through her hair.
“When was the last time we did that? -- Maybe when Dad was alive, but that’s sure going back a few years. Lately, all you’ve done for me is create trouble.”
The waitress came back. “Are you ready to order?” she asked hesitantly looking at Mandy.
“I’ll just have a cup of coffee.”
“That’s it?”
“Yep. I’m not really hungry.” Mandy handed the menu back to the waitress.
“Well, I’d like the steak sandwich, medium rare on sourdough. Thanks. Oh, and coffee.” Again, the waitress beat a hasty retreat. The temperature at this table was below freezing.
“What did Eddy want?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care. I’m engaged to Colt, Mom, but now I have to deal with Eddy again. That’s another problem you caused for me.”
Deidre looked down at her hands and then up to Mandy. “I’m sorry I said those things to Colt when we met in Truckee. He seems like a nice, young man.”
“No shit. Why did you say those horrible things?
He didn’t deserve that. You don’t even know him.”
Deidre looked very uncomfortable and squirmed in her seat. “We haven’t lived together in a long time and I’ve been able to keep something from you.”
“Okay, I’ll bite. What?” Mandy was losing patience.
The waitress came over and hurriedly poured them each a cup of coffee. She left just as quickly and said nothing. Mandy put sugar in her cup and stirred.
“I’ve been going to AA. Ever since the breakup with Gary, I’ve been drinking too much and, I guess, it has affected my behavior. Maybe you’ve noticed.”
Mandy took a sip of her coffee and looked at Deidre over her coffee cup.
“Really?” she deadpanned. “I hadn’t noticed at all.”
“Amanda, I’m so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused. Honestly… What can I do to make it up to you?” She seemed sincere, but who knows? “I don’t want to lose my only daughter. Please say it isn’t too late for us.”
Too much water under the bridge… How do you keep forgiving someone who keeps doing the same behavior over and over, but claims it will all be different the next time? Wasn’t that the definition of insanity? Mandy thought that over for a minute.
“Here’s the deal, Mom and there’s no negotiating. I want you to get more counseling than AA. There are some problems that reach back farther than Gary. Maybe AA would help with that, maybe not. I’m not taking any chances. You get counseling, or I will not invite you to the wedding.”
“You’re definitely marrying Colt?”
“I sure hope so, if he’ll still have me. Although between you and Eddy, he might bolt and run --- Can’t say that I would blame him either. I also don’t want to take the chance that you will embarrass me further in the future. His parents are wonderful, so you will shape up to meet them. I won’t have you within a hundred mile radius, if you don’t get help.”
“When’s the wedding?”
“No plans have been made, because as soon as he proposed, you landed on my doorstep creating hate and discontent. So here I am in Sacramento scolding you when I should be in Donner holding onto to him. You are not screwing this up for me.”
“Okay, so could I call you when I have found a good counselor and let you know how it goes?”
“Baby steps… You can call me after you have attended the first session. We’ll plan the next step after that. This is my final offer, Mom. Take it or you are out of my life.” Mandy looked determined.
The waitress brought Deidre’s sandwich and refilled their coffee. They didn’t look as hostile this time, so she said, “Anything else I can get you?”
“The check…” said Mandy after taking another sip of her coffee. “I’m finished here.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Snow-covered pine trees, icy mountain streams, blue sky with pillows of cumulous clouds… Flying into Reno, Colt could see the city parked in a meadow in the middle of one of the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. With snow covering the mountains, the city looked clean, uncluttered. He knew the air would smell crisp. Mountain air always smelled better to him than anywhere else he’d ever been. It always would – this land was built into his DNA.
Beside him, Jesse was anxious to be home. He was a real homebody – travel didn’t suit him. Being out on the land with his horse and home with Audrey was all that mattered to him. Speaking of Audrey…
“I’m going to do it, Colt. I’m going to ask Audrey to marry me.”
“Well, it’s about damn time…Do I have to blaze all the trails for you?” Colt laughed at him. Jesse smiled.
“Okay, so I am a little slow out of the starting gate, but I’m getting to the finish line. Where did you buy your ring for Mandy?”
They talked about rings, what would the parents say and abstract wedding plans. Neither had any real idea about how weddings should go, but they seriously entertained the thought of a double wedding. Why not? Since Mandy hadn’t mailed back her engagement ring, Colt assumed their wedding was still on.
Jason, the foreman, picked up the guys and drove them home to Naples from the airport. He talked generally about ranching business and the weather. – Nothing personal. Jason knew enough about what was going on with both brothers and felt they needed some space -- Although he was worried that Jesse would never marry his daughter. He dropped Colt off at the ranch house and took Jesse to his house out in the back part of the property. In the car, with his prospective father-in-law, Jesse came clean.
Jesse coughed and cleared his throat. “Jason, I need to ask you something.”
“Sure, what’s up?” Jason looked perplexed.
“Sir, I’d like to ask your permission to marry your daughter. I love her very much and I’m sorry it’s taken this long to get off the stick…sir…” he said nervously. He had known Jason all his life, but this was a different kettle of fish.
Jason looked over at Jesse and grinned. “About time, I’d say. You haven’t asked her yet?” Actually, he knew the answer to that, because Audrey would have told him.
“Ah…that would be a no. It’s taken me some time to sort things out in my thick skull.”
“Yes, I know about your thick skull. I’ve watching it for a few years now. What do you think Audrey will say?”
Jesse looked at him confused. “Jeez, I never thought of that. Think she’ll turn me down? Have I shot my wad here?”
Jason laughed. “I sincerely hope you will use more romantic language when you ask her besides, ‘shot my wad’ and ‘get off the stick’. I guarantee she will turn you down if you ask her to ‘fish or cut bait’. Jason laughed again at the expression on Jesse’s face. “I don’t think many women want a marriage proposal with those kinds of words in it – Just a bit of advice, son.”
“So…do I have your permission, sir?”
“Absolutely. Wrap her up, son.” Jason and Jesse smiled at one another.
Back at the ranch house, Colt was happy to be home. -- California’s great, but Nevada’s home. And you know what they say about home? There’s no place like it.
“Colt, honey, it’s wonderful to see you,” gushed his mother. “Come on in and let’s have some lunch.”
“Where’s Dad?”
“He and Uncle Bill are up in Reno talking to an attorney about those new wells they want to drill. You know, finding out about the mineral rights on the land, water rights. Making sure it’s legal…” She looked at him. “Are you all right?”
“No, I don’t really think so. It’s just so up-in-the-air about Mandy. Mom, how did you handle it when you and Dad almost broke up? You know, when Grandpa interfered and you went to San Francisco?”
Lily started making him a sandwich in the kitchen. Deliberately, she took her time getting out the bread, mayo, lettuce and sliced ham. Spreading the mayo on the bread, she spoke finally.
“One day at a time, son. One day at a time. The dust finally settled – Sam and your dad worked things out, and I tried to stay out of the way. It wasn’t my problem to solve… they needed to work it out together. Do you understand?”
“Yes, and I understand what you’re saying to me as well. That I need to stay out of the way, while Mandy works out the mother and ex-boyfriend problems. Is that what you’re saying?”
She smiled at him as she handed him his sandwich.
“Eat. You always were a smart guy…”
“Thanks.” He took a bite, chewed and swallowed. “And Miles is my problem to solve, right?”
“Yes, your father and I had a talk with him when he got home about minding his own business, but you need to have a heart-to-heart with him. Miles isn’t a bad guy and he loves you dearly, but he does get impulsive. Sometimes, he says the wrong things. I’m not making excuses for him…”
“Okay, I will. Where is he?”
“Actually, he’s in the media room watching a movie.”
“Really. All right… Once I finish eating, I’ll go talk to him.”
“Be kind, son. I know you can…”
; “Yep, I’ll cowboy up, Mom.”
Mandy had called Eddy and arranged to meet him at a park near Stacy’s apartment. She wanted a very public forum with people around, yet a place that would afford her some privacy for this very private chat. Eddy was obviously thrilled to hear from her. She wondered idly why he hadn’t been this thrilled when they were actually dating. You always want what you can’t have…
They came up to each other by a bench in the middle of the park. Eddy suggested they sit down. She looked at him. He was still a handsome man with curly brown hair and eyes – she was not immune to his good looks.
“How are you, Amanda? You look terrific. Your new job must agree with you.”
“I’m fine, Eddy. How are you?” She felt she should at least be civil.
“Great, thanks for asking. Look, Amanda, I never thought I’d see you again and…”
“Eddy…”
“No, let me get this out, while I can. -- While you’re still willing to sit here with me. I realize I blew it badly with you. That last night we were together was a rough one and I want to apologize for all the shitty things I said. I probably ran you off and I was stupid. Since we broke up, I’ve dated a few women, but no one compares to you.” He looked at her and tried to hold her hand. She refused.
“That’s great that you realize what you lost and thanks for the apology, but you need to know that I’m definitely off the market.” She lifted her left hand to show him her engagement ring. “I’m engaged, Eddy, to a wonderful man I met up at Donner Lake. We’re getting married.”
“Ah…congratulations, I guess, are in order.”
“Thanks. The only reason I decided to meet with you was to tell you face-to-face that it’s over between us for good. You need to realize that and get on with your life. Maybe those other women you’ve met will seem more attractive, now that you know we aren’t getting back together. -- At all….”
“So this is really it, Amanda?” He looked sad.
“Yes, it was over when we broke up. I can’t help it if you screwed it up and now want me back. There’s no going back. I supposed it’s flattering, sort of, but I’ve so moved on with my life. You need to put it all behind you and get on with yours.” She stood up. He stood up too. “That’s really all I have to say, Eddy. Please don’t call me anymore, or my mother. Her hold on me is tenuous and she won’t be able to help you.”
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