Song of the Meadowlark (Intertwined Book 1) (22 page)

On the way home, Cora almost took the back roads that Bobby recommended, but after the last fiasco, she kept her car on the main road. A pain shot through her chest at the thought of seeing where she’d broken down and the shack where she was held captive. A chill ran up her spine. She rubbed her right wrist as she drove. That one hurt worse than the left one.

“Lord, I guess these scars aren’t going to go away for a long time. The nerves around them are so sensitive.” Cora drove on for about five minutes in silence, with no radio playing. “Lord, did your wrists hurt like this when you hung on the cross? I’m sure they hurt more than mine do.” A logging truck whizzed by, snapping Cora out of her prayer. “Lord, would you have me use my experience to help others? What can I do?”

After a few days of pondering how she could use her kidnapping to help others, something opened inside Cora’s brain and revealed an idea that curled her toes. She threw on her jeans and a sweater, her boots and coat, and ran from the pool house to the main house. “Hey, Pearl. Do you know where Rex is?”

Pearl sat on the living room floor with Susie playing with puzzles. “The last time I saw him, he was headed out to the stables to take Rusty his paycheck.”

“Do you think he’ll be back soon?” Cora rested her hand on her hip.

“He should be. He said he was coming back to eat lunch.”

“Okay. Goodie.”

“You want to call him?”

“No, I’ll wait.” Cora sat on the floor and began helping Susie with her puzzles.

“What’s up?” Pearl peered into Cora’s olive green eyes.

“I had the greatest idea for the B&B.” Cora squeezed Pearl’s hand.

“I can’t wait to hear what it is.”

The front door opened. “Hello. Where is everybody?”

“We’re in here, Rex.”

Rex appeared in the living room doorway with Clarice by his side. Her skin looked a shade darker than earlier in the summer, her teeth whiter, and her cup size larger. “Hey, Cora.”

“Rex.” Cora stood just in time to receive his hug. “Hi, Clarice.”

“Hey.” Clarice looked her up and down, chewing her gum like a cow chewing its cud.

“Rex, I had a great idea for the B&B, and I can’t wait to tell you about it.”

“Okay, tell me.”

“Why don’t we go ahead into the dining room for lunch? Cora, you can share your idea with all of us, if you don’t mind.”

“Okay, Pearl.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind telling everyone?” Rex placed his arm around her back.

“No, I don’t mind.”

“I’m not gonna be home for lunch. I’m meeting some friends in town. I’ll have to miss all the excitement.” Clarice threw her Liz Claiborne bag over her shoulder.

“I hope you have a good day, Clarice.” There was nothing Cora could do about Clarice’s feelings toward her. She couldn’t help that she carried a grudge against her for not taking her side the morning after Wild Bill’s. Hopefully she’d come around.

“I will. A lot better than if I stayed here.” She smirked and left the house.

“So, Cora, I hear you have some ideas for the B&B.” R.L. cut his meatloaf in half and spooned sauce on top of it.

“I sure do. You know, I’ve been through a lot this past year or so. Losing Clark, hearing of his death, moving, coming here, getting kidnapped, reconciling with my parents.”

Everyone affirmed her comments between bites of food and sips of drink.

“I’ve tried to piece everything together to figure out why all of these things happened to me. I know both good and bad things happen for a reason. The reason for these bad events has escaped me. Until the other day, that is.”

“What do you mean?” Rex asked.

“What happened?” Pearl asked.

“I was coming home from Ms. Lottie’s and almost took the back roads. I changed my mind, but not before I remembered my scars and the pain they’ve caused me—emotionally and physically. I started asking God to reveal the purpose and how I could use it to help people.”

“Okay, Cora. The mystery is getting to me. What’s your idea?” Rex shoveled mashed potatoes into his mouth.

“What would you think about using the B&B as a retreat for women and men who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or who are grieving? They could come on scholarships from churches. We could let counselors come. How about
Apple Springs at the Southern Hope
?”

Everyone remained silent and stared at Cora. Rex put his fork down with a clink on his plate. R.L. wiped his mouth with his napkin and then placed the napkin on the table. Pearl looked back and forth from Rex to R.L. and then to Cora. They hated the idea. Cora’s heart sunk to her stomach.

“Cora! You’re a genius. I love it. That’s the best idea.”

“I agree with Pearl, Cora.”

Cora turned to Rex and waited for his response. He turned in his seat, scooted closer to Cora, took her face in his hands, and planted a firm kiss on her lips. “You’re wonderful. You’re the most terrific woman in this world, except for Mom.” He turned and gave Pearl a wink, then looked at Cora again. “You’re the breath of life this old place needed. God has been good to us to send you here.”

Matt came into the dining room and took a seat next to Pearl.

“Matt, Cora has come up with a great plan for the B&B.” Pearl sprinkled salt on her mashed potatoes.

“Please, Mom. I don’t need anything else to turn my stomach today.”

“Matt! That’s uncalled for,” Pearl defended.

“Matt, apologize to Cora,” Rex commanded.

“Shut up, Rex!”

Cora pushed her chair back and left the dining room crying, Susie following closely behind.

Chapter 17

Cora sat on the sofa in the pool house and flipped through her Bible. These days, reading Scripture meant more to her than it had in years. But today, reading didn’t come easy. Matt’s attack on her idea—the idea he wouldn’t even listen to—left a wound that wouldn’t heal easily.

She was supposed to turn the other cheek and forgive and all that, but Matt’s anger toward Rex kept getting directed at her and it hurt. Why was he so angry? Whatever his reasons, it didn’t give him an excuse to lash out at her. Just when she had things worked out with Mom and Dad, and with Rex, she had another person to settle matters with.

“I’m gonna talk to Matt when he comes in from the office this evening about your idea.”

“You are?” Cora squeezed her face together in a pucker.

“Yes. I’m gonna make him hear me out. I’ve tried and tried to get him to listen.” Rex crossed his legs at the ankles, stacking one boot on top of the other.

“I know. I’ve been hearing you guys go round and round all week. It’s been a little unnerving.” Cora played with her dark hair.

“Sorry about that. That’s just the way two bull-headed country boys hash things out. I’m gonna make him listen to me if it’s the last thing I do. Will you be there with me?”

“If you want me to. You need me for moral support?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“I’m not sure how much help I’ll be. I think Matt hates me.” She frowned at Rex.

“No, he doesn’t. But he does think I’m a pansy for choosing the B&B over the dude ranch. Once he finds out we want to use it as a ministry, he’ll think I’ve lost my mind.”

“Poor Matt. He’s searching for peace and doesn’t even know it. He sees you turning your life around and getting a second chance. I think he’s jealous of you.”

“Maybe.”

“He is. And I think it puts pressure on him too. If you straighten up, he knows your parents will expect him to do the same.”

“You may be right there.”

“We can keep praying for him and hoping he looks up to his big brother one day.” She patted his forearm.

“I’ve made lots of mistakes, Cora, so I don’t know how good of an example I’d be to him. But I have learned from my mistakes, and hopefully I won’t make them again. I can’t imagine him saying I helped him figure his life out.” He rubbed his weary eyes.

“I’m sure one day he will. I think he’s got a long road ahead before he’s ready to surrender, though. He seems to be having too much fun to change his ways right now. And he’s got so much going on in his heart, it makes him angry when it comes to business. That’s why he needs you.”

“What do you mean?” Rex crinkled his brow.

“He needs you to think responsibly, like you’re doing by insisting on the B&B instead of the dude ranch.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

“I am right. He’s out of control by trying to be in control of his life. Any decision he makes right now without you to be objective could be detrimental to the ranch.”

“I’m really more worried about his private life than his business life. The partying and the girls…”

“Did you go through that?” Cora searched Rex’s dark eyes until her own stung.

“You mean, did I sleep around?”

“Well…”

“No. I met Patty pretty early on, and we behaved for the most part. What about you?”

“No. Only Clark. I’ve been thinking about being tested, though, because I don’t know how faithful he was to me. I’d like to think he was, but with the circles he traveled in, who knows.”

“I know what you mean. I was tested after Patty died. I know she was unfaithful to me.”

“I’m so sorry, Rex. She was a foolish woman. I’d never cheat on you.” Cora smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

“I’ll remember that.” Rex smiled back.

“Matt, we’d like to talk to you about some ideas we’ve got for the B&B.” Rex caught Matt in the foyer before he climbed the stairs. Cora stood quietly behind him.

“Can it wait? I’m going out tonight, and I need to get a shower.” Matt looked at Rex, then Cora, and turned to head up the stairs.

“It won’t take long.” Rex motioned toward the living room.

Matt sighed and checked his watch. “All right, but let’s go in Dad’s office.” They went into R.L.’s office and shut the door. “Where’s Dad?”

“They went to the hospital to visit someone from church who had surgery.” Rex flipped on the office light.

Matt laughed, mockingly. “They kill me. They’re like Mr. and Mrs. Preacher these days.” He flipped through the papers on R.L.’s desk.

“They’re trying to get involved with people their age and get away from the ranch more often.” Rex watched Matt closely.

“Yeah, I can see that, but I can think of more exciting things to do. Like cruises or something.” Matt sat in R.L.’s leather desk chair and lifted an eyebrow at Cora. Rex stood by the window and looked out at the north pasture. “So what’s your idea?”

Cora remained silent and sat on the leather couch under the window. She stared at the Persian rug in the center of the room. “Well…”

“Hang on a minute. Do you guys want something to drink? I’m thirsty.”

“No.”

“No, I’m fine. Thanks, though,” Cora answered.

Matt pressed the intercom button on R.L.’s desk. “Cook, can you bring me a glass of tea in here in the office—Dad’s office?” He took his finger off the intercom button and waited.

Cora flinched at how Matt degraded Jimmy that way.

“Yes, sir. Hot or cold?” Jimmy answered over the speaker.

“Hot.”

“I’ll be right in.”

“So, you were saying?”

“Cora has offered to stay here at the ranch and help us see the place into the next century. She’s had great input toward what we could do. She had the idea of making the B&B more than just a place for people to come on vacation.”

Jimmy knocked at the office door, entered, and placed the mug of tea on the coaster on the walnut desk. He turned and smiled at Cora as he left the office. She winked.

“Back to the B&B idea.” Matt groaned. “Okay, I’m listening.”

“Cora’s been through a lot of trauma this year, much of it since arriving at the ranch—the kidnapping, her husband’s death. The ranch has been a big part in her healing. Right, Cora?”

Cora looked up at Rex, then Matt. “Definitely. This place is wonderful.”

“Okay…”

“We thought—Cora thought and I agreed—this place, the new B&B, would be a great place for people to come on retreats. The possibilities are limitless. Couples could come who need renewal. Women or men suffering from post-trauma or grief could come. We could even arrange for counselors to be available.” Rex stood, his hands shoved in his front pockets, waiting for Matt’s opinion.

“That’s a pretty good idea, Cora.” Matt winked at her, the first sign of civility out of him in weeks.

Her eyes widened. This was the Matt she knew from the night out at Wild Bill’s. “Thanks. People could even be sponsored by their church or organizations if they couldn’t afford to come.”

“That’s great. I like it.” Matt laced his fingers together and twiddled his thumbs.

Rex smiled, looking from Matt to Cora. “You do?”

“Yeah, I really do.” He smiled.

Rex clapped his hands. “Man, that’s great. And listen, I’m sorry about the blowouts lately. I’ve been selfish, like you said.”

“No, man, I’m the one that’s been out of line. I’ve been focused on the money and that’s all. Honestly, I’m kind of sick of it all. I hate working in the city. I miss being on the ranch every day.” He ruffled his fingers through his perfect hair.

“You do?”

“Yeah. You know, I’m a cowboy first and a businessman second.” He smiled like a little boy.

“Why don’t you talk to Dad about it? There might be a way to bring the office home.”

“Maybe. To be perfectly honest, it’s more than that. I’m envious of you getting to work the ranch. I want to be more hands-on. The cattle byproduct isn’t where my heart is.” He swiveled back and forth in R.L.’s chair.

“What do you want to do, Matt?” Cora shifted her position on the couch and relaxed her shoulders.

“I want to run the dude ranch.”

“Run it?” They all burst out laughing. Rex walked over to Matt and slapped him on the back. “Brother, you should go for it. You start the dude ranch. We’ll do the B&B. Dad can run the office in the city or move it home.”

“But what about the liability?”

“We’ll work that out. Don’t worry.” Rex acted as the big brother for the first time in years.