Baby Girl: Dare to Love (18 page)

“I’m sure you and Kyle got closer,” her mother whispered.  “I could tell he really wanted to ride with us, but he went with his parents.  He told us about the anniversary party.”

Jemma nodded.  “New Years’ Eve.  He planned the entire thing himself.  It’s being held at the ranch.  Why don’t you come and spend the night?  That way I don’t have to worry about Dad trying to drive under the influence.”

Her mother laughed.  “You know your father.”  She nodded at the sleeping man sitting next to her.  “I think we might have to make that cruise an annual thing.”

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Jemma said.  “I’m so glad that you could come with us.  It helped me a lot.  Not just with Kassie, but nerves on the whole.”

“I know honey.  The first time I met Brandt’s mother I was a nervous wreck.  But Tesla likes you.  Apparently, she has no problem with color.”

Jemma nodded.  “Kyle says he’s worked with just about every nationality.  His father always told them to treat everybody the same.”

“That’s a good rule for life.” 

Jemma cell phone rang.  “Hello?”

“Hey baby,” Kyle said.  “I just wanted to make sure you got home okay.”

“Hi, Kyle.  We’re not home yet, probably another five minutes.”

“Okay, call me when you get settled.  I miss you already.”

She couldn’t keep the silly in love smile off her face.  “I miss you too.  I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye, sweetie.”  He ended the call.

Jemma took a deep breath.  Pet names.  She wasn’t used to that.  Jared didn’t use them.  He never called her anything but her name.  Why was it so different with Kyle?

“What’s wrong, baby?”

“Nothing, just love.”

TWENTY-THREE

It was hard getting back into a routine, Jemma realized.  Getting Kassie up for school had been the work of the devil the first few days, but today she had a horse riding lesson, so she was up before the alarm went off.

Jemma walked inside her daughter’s room, glad to see that she was already in her bathroom brushing her teeth.  “Good morning, honey.  How are you doing this morning?”

Kassie smiled, but her mouth was full of toothpaste.  She had a habit of squeezing out twice the amount her small mouth needed.  Jemma waited patiently until Kassie washed her mouth out.  “Good, Mommy.  Today I get see Nutmeg.  It’s been a long time.  She might not remember me.”

“I’m sure she will, baby.”  Jemma watched her daughter as she continued her morning routine.  It seemed like Kassie has grown at least an inch in the last six months. “How about McDonald’s for breakfast?”

Kassie stared at her.  “I thought I couldn’t have fast food for breakfast?”

“Normally, yes.  But Mommy is still tired from the trip and there’s not enough time to cook anything.  So today, we’ll have McDonald’s.”

“Okay,” Kassie said.

“Come downstairs when you’re finished dressing and we’ll get out of here.”

“Okay, Mommy.”  Kassie went to her closet and picked out a school uniform to wear.  “Are my riding clothes clean?”

“Yes, they are.”  Jemma glanced at Kassie’s bedside clock.  “See you downstairs.”  She went back to her bedroom and quickly dressed for the day.  As she brushed her teeth, she thought about all the things that needed to be done today: grocery shopping, going to the dry cleaners, mailing her first six chapters to her editor. No time for a nap, she reasoned.

She pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt, and headed downstairs.  Soon Kassie came downstairs with her backpack.  Her hair was pulled back in a really sloppy ponytail.  Jemma knew she had to fix that before they left. 

She went to her office and retrieved the hair kit.  She returned to her daughter, repaired the damage Kassie did, and then they were off. 

Once inside the SUV, they headed to McDonald’s.  Her cell phone rang as she turned into the drive through.  “Hello?”

“Hey, Jemma,” Kyle said.  “I just wanted to say good morning to you guys as you start your day.”

“Hi, Mr. Kyle,” Kassie called from her position in the backseat. 

“Hey, Kassie.  I’ll see you this afternoon,” he said.  “Have a good day at school.”

“Okay.”

“What are you doing today, Jemma?"

“Grocery shopping, and running errands.”  Jemma wished she had some free time today, but she was booked solid.

He sighed.  “Me too.  Still playing catch up from being off last week.  Got a huge hay delivery today.  Guess I’ll see you guys this afternoon.  Have a good day, sweetie.”

“You too.”  Jemma’s heart swelled every time he used an endearment toward her. Why couldn’t she reciprocate?

“I will.”  He ended the call. 

Jemma pulled up to the microphone and announced her order.  After she made sure that it was correct, she drove to the next window.  She got their order and they were off to Kassie’s school. 

“Mommy, come eat with me.”

“Are you sure, baby?” 

“Yes, come have breakfast with me.”  Kassie opened the door and got out of the SUV.  She walked around to the driver’s side and waited for her mother to get out.

Jemma shook her head.  Thank goodness, she’d dressed for the grocery store.  It had been ages since she had breakfast with Kassie at school.  Since returning from the cruise, Kassie had been more outgoing concerning school. Maybe she was ready for advance placement. 

They went inside to the eating area, mother and daughter ate breakfast.  Kassie glanced around the room and waved at her friends.  Months ago, Kassie would have just set there in her little shell, not speaking just watching the world passed her by.

Jemma noticed Kassie’s teacher approaching their table. “Here comes, Mrs. Johnson,” Jemma told her daughter. 

Kassie waved at her.  “She’s always here in the morning.”  She continued eating her egg biscuit.  “Sometimes, she sits with the students.”

Jemma nodded as she drank her coffee.  “Does she sit with you?”

“Sometimes.  She hadn’t in a while.  I sit with my friends, Ashley and Monica.  We been friends since I came here.”  She pointed across the room. 

“Oh,” Jemma said.  She’d worried about her baby for nothing.  Kassie had made friends on her own terms and now that she was talking again, things couldn’t be better.

“Hello, Mrs. Patterson,” Mrs. Johnson said.  “It’s so nice to see you eating breakfast with Kassie.  The cruise sounded like fun,” she said.

“Oh yes, it was,” Jemma said.  “The kids had way more energy than the adults.”

The teacher nodded.  “I can imagine.” Mrs. Johnson rose from her seat.  “It’s almost time to line up, Kassie.”

She nodded, finished her breakfast and kissed her mother.  “Bye, Mommy.”

“Bye, Kassie,” she said.  Jemma watched in awe.  A few months ago, none of this would have been possible.  Now her baby girl was spreading her wings.  She had Kyle to thank for everything.  She hated to think where her daughter would be if she hadn’t taken her sister’s advice about moving and the horse riding lessons.

Later, Jemma drove to the ranch for Kassie’s lesson.  Even with all the detours she’d had that day, she was able to complete all her errands. 

She turned into the ranch and parked.  Kassie got out of the SUV, grabbed her bucket, and waited for her mother.  “Mommy, come on.  Nutmeg might not remember me.”  She pulled Jemma in the direction of the stables. 

“Okay, Kassie, calm down.”  Jemma placed her hands on her daughter’s thin shoulders.  “Honey, I know you’re excited to see Nutmeg, but you’ve got to calm down.  Remember what Kyle said.  She’ll be able to sense your moods, and it might make her jumpy.”

Kassie nodded and took a deep breath.  “I’m calm.”  She continued slowly breathed in and out until the overactive energy left her body. 

“How did you learn that?”  Jemma grabbed her hand and headed toward the stables.

“I went to yoga with Granny.”  She ran ahead of Jemma to the stalls. 

By the time Jemma made it inside the stalls, Kassie was petting Nutmeg on her head.  “She needs water.”  She unlocked the gate and led the horse to the water barrel.

“Looks like she started without me,” Kyle said, standing beside Jemma. 

“Yes,” she said.  “She’s been bouncing off the wall since she got home from school.”

He laughed, wrapping his arms around Jemma and kissing her on the cheek.  “I thought she might be.  Especially since we had started having lessons on Sundays as well.”

“I was hoping she’d still be tired from the trip, but she’s not.  She’s raring to go on to the next thing.”

“They never stop,” he said.  He grabbed her hand and led her down to the water barrel.  Kassie ran to Kyle and hugged him.  “Hi, Mr. Kyle.  I think Nutmeg missed me.  She looked happy to see me.”

He hugged her back.  “I bet she was happy to see you, baby.  Are you ready to start?”

“Yes, Mr. Kyle.  Can Mommy come too?”

Kyle looked at her.  “I hope she does.”  He winked at her.  Then he whispered in her ear, “Many, many times.”

Kyle shook his head.  What was he thinking?  Flirting with Jemma right in front of her daughter.  But Jemma didn’t seemed bothered.  In fact, she laughed.  “I hope so,” she whispered back. 

Kassie was oblivious to the word play of the adults.  She led Nutmeg to the arena and walked ahead of Kyle and Jemma.  “Kassie is so smart,” Kyle said. 

Jemma smiled at him.  “I know that. Why do you know that?”

He nodded in the child’s direction.  “She’s walking ahead of us.  Giving us our space.”  He moved closer to Jemma.  “Are you as exhausted as I am?”

She nodded.  “Yes, my list of things to do just got a lot longer.  I didn’t realize it was so close to Christmas.  Now I have to start shopping.” 

“I know.  Luckily, I do all my shopping online.”  Kyle hated the thought of entering any shopping mall at this time of year.  Talk about feeling boxed in. 

“Speaking of shopping, I was wondering about Kassie’s competition clothes.  What will she need?”

He wanted to tell her that he’d already taken care of it, but didn’t want to spoil the surprise.  “Why don’t you wait till closer to the time?  In my experience, kids change their minds about what they want to wear.”

She nodded.  “You’re right.  She’s been known to change her mind at the last minute.  Any other suggestions?”

He had plenty, but none about what to get her daughter for Christmas.  He kept his eye on Kassie as she entered the arena.  “What did you get her last year?”

A tear escaped her eyes.  “Last year is not a good example, she explained.  Jared had been gone about six months.  I think we all over compensated for the fact that she was suffering. Dolls, computer games, roller blades, anything a child could want, we paraded before her, but nothing would work.  I want to make up for that.  I want to give her something that she’d really really wants.  This year, she’d come so far emotionally and mentally in the last few months. I want to reward her for that.”

He had to think fast.  He wanted to ease Jemma’s pain, and had no idea how.  Then he had it.  “Why not get her a saddle?   I know a horse is a big investment, but a saddle she could transfer to any horse.  A saddle in her favorite color.”

“And where would I get such a thing?”

“I know a place,” he said, kissing her.  “I have a friend who’s a saddle maker.  He makes all the saddles for the ranch.”

“Would he make just one?”

“Sure, he would.  As a favor to me,” he said.  He was going to have to call in a marker.  “I can give you his card.”

“Thank you, Kyle.  Trust you to know a guy.” She wrapped an arm around him.  “You’re my knight in shining armor.”  They continued walking inside the arena. 

Time for him to get to work.  He walked to Kassie and Nutmeg. Kassie was attempting to put her foot in the stirrup, but she didn’t have a good grasp. 

“Hold on, baby,” Kyle said, grabbing a stool for her.  He placed it near the horse and Kassie stepped up on it.  She was able to mount the horse properly. 

“Thank you, Mr. Kyle.”  She leaned down and hugged Nutmeg.  It was her custom.  She pressed her body against the horse’s neckline and patted her on either side.  “I missed you, Nutmeg, but the boat was fun.”

Nutmeg gave her a nod as if she agreed with the child.   Kassie sat up in the saddle.  “Okay, I’m ready Mr. Kyle.”

“Did you really like being with my family on the cruise? Would you want to do it again?”

She nodded on both counts.  “Mommy was so happy.”

“Were you happy?”

She nodded.  “Mommy has been sad a long time.  I’m glad you make her smile.”

Kyle had to choke back tears forming in his eyes.  He was a rancher, damn it!  Ranchers do not get worked up over a few choice words by a charming eight-year-old. “How about you?”

She thought about his words.  “I was sad too.  I miss Daddy so much.  Then he told me he was okay and that he was fine.”

Kyle schooled his features to complete control.  “When did he tell you that?”  He put a hand on Nutmeg to steady her.  The horse was ready to start moving. 

“In my sleep.”

Kyle nodded.  Possible dream, he reasoned.  At any rate, she was back in the land of the talking.  Maybe she manifested these thoughts in her mind. 

“I know he’s dead,” she told him honestly.  “He told me I needed to be strong.”

Kyle couldn’t argue with the logic of the child.  “He’s right.  You need to be a strong little girl.  It’s okay to miss someone that’s in heaven.”

She looked at him.  “Are we going to practice today?”  She asked, closing the subject of talking to her dead father. 

“Yes, we are.  Why don’t you warm Nutmeg up, while I arrange the obstacles for you to jump?”  He watched her take off as fast she could.  Bruno had told him that Nutmeg hadn’t been eating while they were gone. 

“She ate just enough,” he told Kyle.  She wouldn’t exercise with the other horses and would stay off by herself.”  Today, it was if she’d been waiting on Kassie.  Kyle had noticed she wasn’t her normal self and now he knew why. She missed Kassie.

Nutmeg and Kassie had bonded.  He couldn’t be prouder.  He was considered training another horse for Kassie to compete with, but in that instant, that no horse would ever do.  Kyle knew he would enter Nutmeg.