Lauraine Snelling (29 page)

“When is he going to ask her?”

“Maybe tonight.”

The dinner would linger in Maggie’s memory, not only for the secret shared. How pleased she was for Maria. If anyone deserved happiness, she did. But besides that, Maggie had forgotten how good a real, flame broiled, medium rare steak tasted. And would again tomorrow as she picked up the plastic bag holding the box with the remainder of her dinner. “Thank you.”

“Anytime.” His hand touched the middle of her back as he motioned her to go before him. The spot stayed warm clear out to the van, which was now loaded with boxes and bags. The larger pieces would be delivered in the next few days. Had Gil really meant it when he said he’d take her to Long Beach?

TWENTY-EIGHT

T
wo days of cold, rainy weather kept Eddie off the horse and made him grumpy.

“I wish we had a covered arena like over at Rescue Ranch.” Eddie propped his chin in his hands and looked toward his dad.

“I thought having an arena in general was pretty good.”

“But there’s lots of time in the winter when I won’t be able to ride.”

“Well, it’s not even November so winter won’t be here for a while yet.”
A covered arena. Pretty soon we’ll have all twenty acres covered with buildings and then I’ll have to buy more land
. Gil had already been thinking about buying the parcel that butted up against the west end of their field. And here he’d been the one who thought forty acres far more than they needed.

That evening he went back out to his newly relocated office and settled in to work on the outline for the book he’d promised a publisher he would write. He could hear Maggie moving around in her new apartment next door, cupboards closing, a chair scraping. Surely the urge he felt to knock on her door had more to do with procrastination on the book than on a desire to talk with her—without Eddie around. “Get real, Winters, you’re the one who teaches people to be honest.”

He leaned his chair back and put his feet up on his desk, a pad of paper resting on his thighs. Maggie might have been on the property little less than two months but she was taking up more and more of his thinking time. Maggie riding Breaking Free. Maggie working with Eddie in the round pen, her voice firm but always encouraging. What he couldn’t picture was Maggie laughing because he’d never heard her do so. What was her laugh like? Surely she had a nice laugh along with her contralto voice.

Sandra’s high giggly laugh got on his nerves. It was worse when she was nervous, which she’d been the day she came for lunch. He’d warned her not to just drop in like she had when he was gone. As if she’d just been passing by. Santa Barbara was too far away to be “just dropping by.”

He smelled the coffee before the knock came on his door. “Come in.”

Maggie pushed the door open and entered carrying two coffee mugs. “I made decaf.”

“Thanks, but you didn’t need to do that.”

“Meaning you’d rather have high-octane?” She handed him a cup. “I don’t want Maria on my case. Or don’t you want any coffee?”

“I always prefer leaded but then I wouldn’t sleep.”

“Me either.”

“Thanks for this.” He raised the mug. “Have a seat.” Setting his mug on the desk and his feet on the floor, he pulled a chair closer to the desk and motioned for her to sit.

“How do you like your quarters?” He watched her over the lip of his mug, now held in both hands.

“I thought the trailer was big, so this seems huge in comparison.” She sipped her coffee. “But I’m adapting.”

“When do you want to go to Long Beach?”

“I don’t want to go. I just know I need to.”

“Your attorney could ship the boxes.”

“I know, I’ve thought of that. But, there’s . . . more.”

He nodded and waited for her to continue. The scene felt so comfortable, like they needed to do this more often. No matter how much he cared for Maria, this was different.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“I think I want to.” She chewed on the side of her lower lip.

He watched her, such a different woman than the one he met what seemed so long ago at the prison. Even then there’d been something about her that stayed in his mind. She’d been so out of place there, a mouse in a room of hungry cats. Now her hair glowed in the lamplight. Her eyes held secrets, but the fear that seemed such a part of her had vanished along with the mouse-like demeanor. She wore confidence well. Had Breaking Free done for her what he’d done for his son?

“I-I . . .” She studied her cup, then looked up at him. “I need to go see the grave, my son’s grave.”

“You’ve never been there?”

“No, I was in the hospital recovering, and they wouldn’t allow me to go to the funeral or anything.”

“Ah, Maggie. So much for you to bear.”

She slowly moved her head, as if battered, too heavy, and held up a hand. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

She blew out a breath. “Don’t be—ah . . .” She swallowed and stared at the upper wall, then inhaled a breath and pushed it out again. “It’s far easier for me if you don’t be too nice.” Her whisper hesitated between words as though they were pulled hand over hand from a deep well.

“Too nice?” He could feel his forehead wrinkle, his jaw drop, like he was standing outside his skin, watching this scene from the room’s corner.

“I-I don’t want to cry.” She surged to her feet and bolted for the door. “Night.”

He watched her go, wishing she’d stay, grateful she had come. “Tomorrow night, I make the coffee,” he promised himself.

But the next night Maria invited them all to a special dinner.

“You made Chili Rellenos.” Eddie grinned up at Maria. “So what’s so special? And who else is coming?” Eddie pointed to all the place settings on the table.

“You wait and see.” She set a warmer of homemade tortillas next to a platter of tamales.

“She’s gone all out, Dad. This is major.” Eddie looked toward Maggie. “This is celebration food, only for holidays or big-time events.” He grinned at his dad and raised his eyebrows, mouthing “the secret?”

Gil shrugged and started to sit down but rose when the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it.”

“No, me.” Maria waved them away to go open the door herself.

Gil and Eddie swapped high fives.

When Maria ushered Enrico and his two sons and one daughter into the room, Maggie glanced at Gil and raised her eyebrows. He nodded.

“Sit down, sit down, you are almost late.” She pointed them to their places, not their usual calm Maria but more a high-strung filly. She blushed when Enrico winked at her.

Conversation was lively during the delicious meal with Eddie teasing Maria. She tried to hush him but then Gil picked it up and one of Enrico’s sons joined in, while the daughter giggled at their antics.

“Oh.” Maria threw up her hands and gushed a stream of Spanish that made everyone laugh but Maggie.

Eddie leaned closer. “She just said we were all impossible, and she wasn’t going to serve us dessert if we didn’t calm down.” He grinned and waggled his eyebrow. “As if . . .”

Maggie helped clear the table in spite of Maria’s objections and stacked the plates on the counter while Maria freed her masterpiece from the coolness of the refrigerator.

“Tres Leches?”

Maria nodded and carried the tray to the table. Maggie followed holding the coffee carafe in one hand and a pitcher of pink lemonade in the other.

Enrico stood and the others quieted. Maria set the tray on the table and went to stand beside him. “Today Maria and I want to announce that we will be married the day after Thanksgiving. We will not have a big wedding, only our families with us,” swinging his arm he included all of those present, “before the priest. We will have dinner at Los Palominos in Bakersfield and then we will go on a honeymoon until Monday.”

The clapping and cheering nearly drowned out the last of his speech. He raised his voice. “God willing.”

Gil stood. “My turn.” More clapping. “We wish you both every blessing, and I have only one suggestion? Complaint?” Maria’s smile faded. “You aren’t giving us much time to get ready.”

“Nothing to get ready. Very simple.” Enrico slid his arm around Maria. “I love her, she love me.” His accent deepened as he spoke.

“Be that as it may, every bride needs flowers and a cake, and I will provide those.”

Maria rolled her eyes. “We have dessert now before it melt away.” As she brought each one a piece of her special three-cream cake, she kissed them on the top of the head.

Maggie fought back the tears. “Thank you for including me,” she whispered. Her family, she’d been called a member of Maria’s family. She who had no family was now part of one.

The weather was fine that Saturday, so Maggie picked up a book she’d ordered and took it out to the chaise lounge on the patio on the back side of her house. But instead of reading she laid it open on the low table beside the chaise and let her eyes drift closed. Pictures of Charlie floated through her mind. Charlie smiling up at her from his crib, his baby fists beating the air in anticipation; Charlie learning to crawl, determined to reach the red ball; Charlie staggering from one step to another, always on the move, always seeking something more. Such a happy guy until thwarted. Then his temper showed. Like when she told him no, he couldn’t have the basket of flowers from the coffee table, and he slapped his palm on the glass and said “no” along with a stream of indignant baby talk right back at her. It was all she could do not to laugh. So instead she’d swung him up in her arms and kissed his neck and belly until he giggled.

Tears followed the others in trickles down her cheeks. “Charlie, I’m so sorry.” But sorry never did anything to bring her son back to her.

“Maggie?”

“Out here on the patio.” She brushed the tears away and picked up the book again. If only she had some tissue, but her shirt hem would have to do. She mopped her eyes and watched the concrete walk that circled the building. Bonnie came into view first, running over and putting her front feet up on the chaise, tongue lolling, eyes bright. Maggie patted the dog and nodded when Eddie appeared.

“I thought you were going to call me.” Maggie patted the cell phone on her waistband.

“I was, but I’d rather ride than swim.”

“Up to you, it’s your Saturday.”

“I wish we had another horse, then we could ride up the horse trail. That would be more fun than the arena.”

“You bored with the riding corral already? Your Dad just got it in.”

“I know. Do you think I’m ready for the show? Carly does.”

“She knows more than I do.”

“It’s three weeks from now.”

“I know.” Maggie thought of riding the trails that had been laid out through Horse Country. They could even go up into the BLM land and ride for miles. A picture of her, Eddie, and Gil riding up there dove through her mind like a hawk on prey. How silly, they didn’t have three horses and Gil didn’t like to ride. Or at least he thought he didn’t. Back to the moment at hand. “You’ll do fine in the show, Eddie.”

“I hope so. I wish you could drive me and Freebee over to the arena at Rescue Ranch so I could ride him there.”

“Sorry, Eddie, but you know I don’t have a driver’s license.”

“But you could go get one.”

How do you tell an eleven-year-old boy you are scared to death to get behind the wheel of an automobile again, that you have promised yourself you never ever have to drive again?
“Let’s go saddle up if you want to go riding.”

“Can you teach me how to braid Freebee’s mane and tail?”

“You don’t need it braided for the classes you ride in.”
Besides, how can we get you up high enough for that?
Her mind flitted around looking for the answers. Anything she could help him do on his own added to his independence, not only physically but also mentally.

“But it looks so cool.”

“I can show you how and you can practice, then we ask Carly if it is appropriate.” Maggie heaved herself up from the lounge and started for the barn. Thanks to the way Gil had designed all the paths, she could walk beside Eddie’s wheelchair and they could keep talking.

“Okay. I thought maybe I could reach his mane from the mounting block.”

“We’ll try. The tail is easier. Have you ever braided anything before?”

He shrugged. “Don’t remember.”

“That is some sight,” Gil said to Maggie later that afternoon. Out in the pasture the setting sun caught the fire in Breaking Free’s coat. Eddie threw something, and ears flapping, Bonnie shot out to retrieve it. Breaking Free tossed his head and started forward like he would like to follow the dog too. They heard Eddie laugh and call him back, handing him a treat. Bonnie bounded back, dropped the bone in Eddie’s lap, took her treat, and waited to do it all over again. This time Breaking Free went after her.

Maggie watched as Gil joined in Eddie’s laughter. “Those three have such a good time together.” She turned from resting her arms on the fence rail. “Eddie was wishing we could ride up on the trails. Have you thought any more of getting another horse?”

“No. Yes. Well, thoughts only, but no inclination to do anything about it.”

“Eddie could go trail riding now. It would be really good for him—and you.”

“I suppose I should adopt another Thoroughbred.” He grinned at her, letting her know he was teasing.

“Why not? You have an experienced trainer on site already.”

“You’d do that?”

“Do what—take care of another horse or two?” There, she’d snuck that in for him to think about. “Piece of cake.”

When they finally found a day to drive to Long Beach, Maggie fought off an attack of not only butterflies but also dragonflies that felt big enough to carry her away. Gil insisted they should take his truck in case they found some other things to bring back—he’d mentioned he’d like to stop at a housewares store and perhaps she might think of somewhere she might want to visit too.

The sun hadn’t made it up yet when they drove on to the freeway. Wisps of fog hung in the cuts between the foothills, green peeking through golden grasses thanks to the recent rains.

“We’re greening up a bit early this year.” Gil broke the silence.