Escaping the Past

by Tammy Falkner

  Lou reached out and grabbed Sadie’s hand. She said softly, “That sounds like a grand plan, but I can’t run from this anymore. I have to stay here and see this through.”

  John spoke up. “Well, if Lou stays, I’m not going. I’ll stay right here and take care of her.” They all looked down at his broken ankle that was even now propped on a pillow. “Well, I can at least offer moral support.” He blushed. “Besides, I have three mares all ready to foal and there is no way I can leave them,” he added with conviction.

  “Then it looks like Sadie, Sarah, and I will be taking a short vacation,” Jeb said, smacking the table top lightly with the flat of his hand. Lou nodded solemnly, her only concern that Sarah should be as far from the farm as possible.

  Sadie nodded, worry lines etched across her forehead. “We’ll leave on Sunday morning, if that plan is okay with the rest of you.”

  “He won’t be back before then.”

  “Then it’s settled,” Jeb stated.

  “It’s settled,” Lou agreed, as she walked from the room.

  ****

  As soon as Lou was safely out of earshot, Jeb removed his wallet from his back pocket and took a card from the sleeve. He picked up the phone and dialed. He said, “Brody, I know you probably aren’t even on the plane but give us a call when you come in. I need to discuss something with you.” He hung up and gazed solemnly at Sadie and John.“We might just need that boy’s help.”

  “He was away for a long time and left just as fast. What makes you think he’ll want to come back so soon?” Sadie questioned.

  “I think he has more that’s tying him to this ranch than just his mother. “

  “And if it’s not?” Sadie wrung her hands.

  “Give the boy some credit. He was brought up to know what’s important, even if he forgot for a while. He can’t run from everyone who loves him.”

  ****

  Lou walked around in a fearful trance. The most taxing thing she did over the next few days was help some of the ranch hands herd the wild mare into a foaling pen. Her delivery date was quickly approaching and Lou was afraid for her to foal in the wild because of animals that would pose a threat to the new foal. They were able to move her with enough riders on horseback that they didn’t even need to rope her. They just herded her into a fenced area close to the barns.

  During the day, Lou jumped at non-existent shadows; at night, she fought demons that clutched at her throat and stole her breath. Between the bad dreams, she also fought the memories of Brody that crept across her skin like a gentle breeze.

  On Saturday afternoon, Sarah woke and wanted to go play outside. Lou wouldn’t let her out of her sight, so she grabbed a book and went to sit on the front porch so she could watch Sarah play in the yard. The child could entertain herself for hours on the swing set or in a pile of dirt. John came out and joined Lou on the porch.

  He sat down in the rocker beside her and asked quietly, “You doing all right?”

  Lou responded absently, “Fine.”

  “Why don’t I believe you?” he asked, his hand covering hers.

  Lou felt the tears threaten to spill over her lashes and dashed them away with the back of her hand.

  “You know she’s going to be just fine, Lou. She’s going away from here with Jeb and Sadie. No safer place she could be.”

  “I know. I’ve just never been away from her before,” Lou pouted.

  “You need to stop,” he cajoled gently.

  “Can you watch her while I go and wash my face?” Lou asked as she got up from her chair and reached for the screen door.

  “Sure thing. Won’t take my eyes off her.” He made the Boy Scout sign with his fingers. “Scout’s honor.”

  Lou went into the house to the bathroom and splashed some cold water onto her face. She took a long look in the mirror and was surprised by the dark circles under her eyes and the frown lines. She rubbed her cheeks to add some color and fluffed her bangs. She tightened her ponytail and went back outside. As she stepped through the screen door, she raised a hand to shield her eyes so she could block the sun’s glare and get a better look at the car throwing up dust as it came down the long driveway.

  The red convertible stopped in front of the house and the driver turned off the vehicle. Beautiful feet in strappy, high-heeled sandals hit the ground first, followed by legs that were a mile long. John whistled low under his breath as the driver bent over to retrieve something from the passenger seat, her black miniskirt rising to an almost indecent height.

  The beauty stepped up onto the porch and extended a hand to Lou as she swung her head, causing her long, blond, perfectly sculpted hair to fall back over her shoulders.

  “You must be Lou,” she said boldly as Lou reached to shake the offered and.

  “Yes, I am. I think we met at Mrs. Wester’s funeral, although your name escapes me.” Lou tried to sound just as haughty and well put together, but failed miserably.

  “Elizabeth Patton. Brody and I grew up together.” She snickered delicately behind her hand and whispered as though it was confidential, “We actually did a little more than just grow up together.”

  “Boy, did they,” John said under his breath. Lou shushed him by slapping his arm.

  Lou tried to keep her composure. “Well, what can we do for you, Miss Patton?”

  “Actually, I’m here to see Brody. We have a date to prepare for.”

  “A what?” Lou asked.

  “A date?” Elizabeth sounded almost like she was asking the question herself when she looked into Lou’s eyes.

  She tried to sound polite. “I guess no one told you Brody went back home. He’s not even here at the farm anymore.” Lou thought she could one-up Elizabeth. She failed at that, too.

  “He just called me this morning. It was a kind of a last minute thing.” Elizabeth twittered her hands in front of her, clutching a clipboard. They both heard the car coming up the drive at the same time and Elizabeth turned and pointed.

  “See. There he is now.”

  “Sure enough,” John said. “There’s a cab.”

  “I see that, John. Thanks.” Lou ground her teeth together.

  The cab stopped and Brody got out of the car and turned to face them, smiling and waving. He had two suitcases and a bag thrown over his shoulder.

  John mumbled, “Oh, here we go.”

  “Would you shut up?” Lou hissed at him.

  Brody walked up the steps and took both of Elizabeth’s hands in his. He kissed her on the cheek, lingering a little too long. Then he stepped back, still holding her hands and spread them wide. “Damn, you look good.”

  At least she had the grace to blush as she punched Brody playfully on the shoulder.

  She practically bubbled with enthusiasm. “Brody, I’m so glad you called me. I brought some things I want to show you before the date.”

  Brody dropped his bag off his shoulder and onto the porch. “Well, let’s just grab those first so we can take a look at them, why don’t we?”

  Lou sat down beside John on the porch, her fists clenched in her lap. She brought her hand to her mouth and began to nervously chew her fingernails. John ambled out into the yard to play with Sarah.

  For twenty minutes, Lou tortured herself and her fingernails as she sat on the porch. Sarah still played on the swing set. Lou sat and fumed.

  How dare he walk right by me and not even acknowledge my presence. How dare he bring his slut to my house? Okay, it is truly his but I live here, too. He just breezed past me like I don’t even exist.

  She could hear them giggling as they came back out onto the porch. Brody walked with the long-legged freak back to the car. Guess it is time for their date, she sneered in her head. Brody reached out and opened the driver’s side door. Then the blond bombshell leaned over and placed a kiss on his lips. Just a peck, mind you, but a kiss, nonetheless. She slid into the driver’s seat and Brody shut the door. He bent over and she whispered something in his ear. He laughed out loud. She started the
car and backed out of the parking space. He waved to her as she drove away without him.

  Brody walked slowly up the steps. He stood in front of where she was slumped in the chair, her jaw so tight her head was hurting from the pressure of it. He grabbed her by both elbows and pulled her to her feet. She stepped back and glared at him.

  “Nice to see you, too, Lou,” he said quietly.

  “How dare you?” she snarled.

  “How dare I do what?” he asked innocently.

  “How dare you bring her here? I can’t believe you would do that to me.” She sniffled indelicately.

  “You’re mad at me because Elizabeth was here?” he asked quietly, his eyebrows arched.

  “Never mind,” Lou grunted and tried to walk past him to go inside the house.

  He grabbed her arms and spun her around. “Oh, hell, no, you don’t. What’s gotten in to you?” She tried to look away but he raised her chin with one finger and forced her to look into his eyes. He stepped back from her and appraised her even more closely. “Oh, God! You think Elizabeth was here to…” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “You think she was here for…”

  Lou sniffled again. “She said you had a date,” she said quietly.

  “Jesus, Lou.” He muttered. Then his voice grew louder. “I do have a date. But it’s not with Elizabeth.” He took a deep breath. “It’s with Sarah, for Christ’s sake.”

  Lou looked dumbfounded. “With Sarah? Why would you have a date with Sarah?"

  “Father-Daughter dance? Remember? I promised my mother I would take her. You forgot, didn’t you?” Brody asked.

  “The dance? That’s w…why you’re here?” Lou stuttered.

  He grabbed her hand and dragged her through the door. On the kitchen table were piles of items. He picked up a beautiful little sequined dress and held it up in front of him. “I sure as hell can’t fit in this.” He reached for small shoes and held them up. “And these might pinch my feet just a little.” Then he reached for a beautiful wrist corsage. “And I would look pretty silly in this.”

  “Where did all this come from?” Lou asked quietly.

  “Elizabeth brought it. She’s a party planner, Lou, so I called her and told her to get whatever it would take to make it a perfect night for a little girl.”

  Lou covered her mouth with her hand and gasped. “Oh, God, I thought you were going on a date with the girl-so-beautiful-she-could-be-a-model.” Then she remembered the kiss and narrowed her eyes. “She kissed you and whispered in your ear.” She pointed her finger at him.

  He had the nerve to laugh out loud. “Do you want to know what she said?” Lou nodded slowly, her eyes meeting his. He stepped closer to her, taking her hand and laying it on his chest. “She said it really pissed her offI had picked someone twice as pretty as she is. She said it really sucked and she wanted to know if she kissed me really quick if it would make you jealous.” He grinned wildly at her. “I guess she was right, huh?”

  “I’m not jealous,” Lou pouted, as he pulled her closer.

  “Liar.”

  She held her thumb and forefinger about an inch apart. “Maybe just a little.” She tucked her head into his chest in shame. “I am so sorry,” she mumbled against his shirt.

  “How sorry?” he asked, smiling over her head.

  “Really sorry?” she answered.

  “You had better be..” He pointed to his cheek with his index finger. “Kiss me and tell me hello.”

  Lou moved to kiss his cheek and he turned his head at the last minute, capturing her mouth with his for a long and tender kiss. His arms wrapped around her like he wanted to draw her into himself.

  Lou and Brody heard boots walking across the porch and the sound of a little girl’s laughter. As they sprang apart, his look told her they would definitely come back to it later.

  Sarah came through the door and Lou gasped at the sight of her daughter. She was covered in dirt from head to toe. “Just what have you two been doing?” Lou scolded.

  John and Sarah both looked at her sheepishly. “Playing,” they mumbled, looking at the floor. Sarah even had tear tracks through the dirt on her face from where John had tickled her so much her eyes leaked, she complained.

  Sarah reached out to touch the sequined dress lying on the table but Lou quickly moved it from her reach. “No way, little lady! No grubby fingers will touch these things!” Lou grabbed Sarah’s packages from the table and swatted Sarah on the behind. “Off you go. Upstairs. Bath time.” She shooed Sarah toward the stairs.

  She turned back and whispered to Brody, “You had better get yourself ready, too. The dance is at six.”

  Brody grabbed his own packages and went to his room to get dressed.

  Lou scrubbed the mud from Sarah’s hair and face, turning the water murky by the time that she was done. “You had better get out or Dr. Wester will be taking one little prune to the Father-Daughter dance,” Lou chided gently.

  “Mommy, do you think any of the other girls will have a date who’s not their dad?” Sarah asked as Lou wrapped her in a towel.

  “I feel sure some girls will have their stepfather or a granddad as their date. Don’t you think so?” Lou asked, as she drew a wide-toothed comb through Sarah’s tangled locks.

  “Yeah. Probably.” Sarah worried her lower lip between her teeth.

  Lou turned on the hair dryer and dried Sarah’s hair until it flew around her face in a big brown cloud. Then she combed it flat and got out the curling iron. She piled some of Sarah’s hair on top of her head to keep it out of her face and secured it with studded barrettes from one of the packages. The rest she rolled into delicate ringlets with the curling iron and sprayed them to keep their shape. She turned Sarah toward the mirror and said, “Tah dah!”

  “Wow,” Sarah breathed. “I look beautiful like you.”

  Lou swatted her on the tail again and said, “Let’s get you dressed.”

  Elizabeth had included new panties and tights, so Sarah wiggled into those with some laughter and squeaks as Lou helped. Then Lou pulled the sequined dress over her head, careful not to muss her hair, and adjusted the narrow straps on Sarah’s shoulders. Further searching through the packages produced a matching shawl to keep Sarah’s shoulders warm. Lou handed her the shoes, made to look like glass slippers, and Sarah stepped into them gracefully.

  Lou stepped back and surveyed the whole package. “You are so beautiful,” she said and embraced her daughter. “You ready to make your grand entrance?”

  Sarah giggled with delight. “Yep!” she shrieked in little girl fashion.

  “You wait here for a minute while I go down and get my camera. Plus I’ll make sure everyone is ready to see how you look.”

  Sarah nodded her head, dancing in place, a huge smile on her face.

  Lou skipped down the stairs and saw John, Jeb, and Sadie were sitting at the kitchen table. Then she saw Brody, standing beside the table in a sport coat, casual pants, white shirt and tie. He looked amazing. She walked over to him silently and adjusted his tie for him. She gazed up at him softly and whispered, “Thank you.”

  He bent and kissed her on the cheek. He said loudly with a wink to all, “And just where is my date? I hope she isn’t going to stand me up.”

  Just then, Sarah came bounding down the stairs and landed at the bottom, arms held out wide, her shawl on her shoulders and a grin as big as all outdoors. “Here I am!”

  Brody picked up her corsage, walked over to her, and bowed low before her. “How beautiful you look, my lady. I have never seen anyone so beautiful as you.” He slipped the wrist corsage, which matched her dress, over her wrist and spun her around.

  Jeb and John whistled and Sadie clapped. John tried to look chagrinned. “Does this mean you aren’t my girl anymore?” he asked with a pretend frown.

  “Oh, John,” Sarah said. “I’ll always be your girl.” She pointed to his cast. “But you can’t dance.”

  John nodded sadly and said, “Maybe next time.”

&nbs
p; Lou ushered the couple out into the sunshine so she could take some pictures. Brody posed good naturedly with Sarah and smiled. Lou walked over and whispered to him, “You won’t let her out of your sight, will you?”

  “Nope,” he whispered back. “She’ll be stuck to me like glue.”

  “Why did you do all this?” Lou asked quietly.

  “Because my mother asked me, too,” he responded candidly. “I make a good date.” He winked at her. “Maybe you should try me out some time.”

  “I thought I already did that,” Lou tossed back at him. His cheeks grew rosy and his eyes darkened for a moment.