Torn Paper Bags 10-11

Chapter 10

Days passed by with feelings of uncertainty and regret. As was hoped, Kadey’s outbursts of anger had ceased. She was somewhere between defeated quiet and longing for reconciliation. Dan slowly started to reach out to her again. He kept it light and was careful not to be pushy. To his joy she allowed his gentle intrusion. If she were ever going to accept his apology she was going to have to at least get close to forgiving him without understanding his mistake. Otherwise she’d just brush it off as an excuse.

As her arm healed she began to slowly resume previous habits. She wasn’t able to ride yet but she spent most of her time with Travis helping to train horses again. Travis was the only one on the ranch she had not butted heads with and she took much comfort in his presence. He seemed to know that she needed him to be ‘that guy’. He was the guy who didn’t need anything from her. He just wanted to be her friend. That meant more to her than she’d ever be able to let him know. She had never known what it was like to have a brother but this is exactly what she believed it would feel like.

“What you thinkin?” he asked.

“Oh nothing much, just that I love and adore you,” she said with a grin.

“As you should,” he agreed and gave her a soft nudge. He leaned against the fence. “I must confess. The first time I saw you I thought you were a hottie.”

“As you should,” she agreed.

He laughed.

“And now I’m what?” she teased, “somewhat attractive?”

He flashed her his charming, sexy grin. She now knew that this was not a come on, as she had first expected, a fact she neglected to tell Charlise. She liked seeing the woman uncomfortable being flirted with by a younger man. “I don’t really see you much in that light at all,” he admitted.

“You suddenly know what it feels like to have a sister.”

“How’d you know that?” he asked surprised.

“Cause I know what it’s like to have a brother.” She leaned against him. “A brother who used to pick on me and get my ire up and now has become my best friend.”

He tightened his arm around her. “I still plan to get your ire up.”

“You wouldn’t be my brother if you didn’t.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. “I’m glad I have you, Travis.”

“Back at ya.” He studied her a moment. “Does that mean you’re not going to run off again?”

She was surprised by the question. No one had been brave enough to ask her, though they were all wondering. “I don’t know what to do,” she admitted. “I need to get this divorce over with before I can do anything. Then I don’t know. I can’t just stay here forever.”

“Why not? It’s your home. You own part of it for cripes sake.”

She wasn’t so sure he was right about the last part but she understood what he meant. “I can’t live with my daddy forever no matter what happens.”

“Okay, I can get you there. You’re not going to get a lot of action down the hall from the old man.”

She gave him a shove. “It’s not just about that,” she countered.

“Build a house then. You’re dad said you always wanted to. You have a place picked out don’t you?”

“I don’t know if I can do that.” Where would she get the money for one? She sure wouldn’t borrow it from her dad. She was likely to get a settlement from her divorce but she wouldn’t touch that money for herself. “I should finish school. I don’t have much more to go. It seems silly not to finish when I got so far.”

“Fine, so long as you’re back on holidays, long weekends and summers.”

She laughed. It felt good to be wanted. “We’ll see,” she said. It was the best she could give him. He shot her a look that said she wasn’t off the hook but he’d let it go for now.

“That’s okay. You don’t have to promise. Doesn’t matter much. If you run away, I’ll find you, hog tie you, drag you back kicking and screaming and then let you explain to your horse why you abandoned him.”

“Ouch.” She stepped away from him. “You were fine up to the horse part. That was just mean.”

“You’re not getting out of that one. People might forgive and forget but that horse is not going to forgive you if you put the tame in him just to go out and roam wild yourself. It’s not fair.” He pointed out.

No it wasn’t, was it?

Charlise watched Dan as he chopped wood. She couldn’t deny that she enjoyed the sight. He was a handsome man and in very good shape for his age. Course she would leave the age part off if she were ever to say that out loud. Otherwise she’d have to admit that she was getting up to the “for her age” stage herself. Still, she wasn’t watching him just for the sight. She was trying to figure him out. He had told her he would talk to Kadey when she had calmed down and gotten a bit more on track.

Things were not at their possible best but Kadey had been doing better. She was almost the girl that Charlise longed for again. She, perhaps, wasn’t as boisterous but she would joke and laugh now. She’d gotten much better since she’d been able to get back on that horse. Her life had resumed to the same pace as it had just after Charlise had arrived, before things got heavy. So what was he waiting for? She suspected that his reason for not speaking had changed from waiting for the right moment to being a big red feathered chicken. It was time, she didn’t know how she knew but she knew. It was time for her to put her nose where it did not belong.

She walked over and stood where he could see her. He stopped pre-swing and smiled at her. She didn’t let the charming smile daunt her. “What are you doing?”

He grinned. “Well, for you town folk, this is called”

“Just stop there, smarty pants. I know what chopping wood is. I want to know what you’re doing about your daughter.”

The smile faded as thought it had not been there just a moment ago. He sighed and considered continuing with his chopping and ignoring her. “I told you I would.”

“Yes when she’d calmed down. This is the best I’ve seen her in a while. Are you waiting for her to break into song and dance?”

He shot her a dirty look. “What do you want me to do?”

“Go talk to your daughter.”

“I will.”

“Now.”

“Now?”

“Yes. Leave the axe here. Go to the arena and talk to your daughter. Tell her what’s in your heart.”

“What if she doesn’t want to hear it?”

“I know you’re scared, Dan.” She said empathetically.

“Yeah, I’m scared. If she rejects this, that’s it for us. I have nothing left to give her. If this doesn’t reach her, I’ve lost her.”

Charlise closed the distance between them and put her hand on his shoulder. Forcing him to look at her she smiled gently. “That might be true if your God is powerless. Maybe it’s not time for her to forgive. But it is time for you to tell her. If she rejects it then we wait. God’s timing is perfect but maybe he wants you to know that He is in control. You are just to trust.”

“Why do you have to be right all the time?” he asked half between amusement and irritation.

“It’s a curse.”

“Ha!”

“You just haven’t known me long enough. Wait and you’ll see I’m not always right, you’re just right less often.”

He laughed then, outright. “You’re something else.”

“Thank you, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You should.”

Kadey was straddling the fence stroking Dixon’s neck and ego with her hands and the coo of her voice. Dan was shaking. How did he do this? She turned and saw him. The smile didn’t disappear from her face but it did lessen. He thought for a moment that she was going to ignore him but after a moment she spoke.

“We were beginning to think we’d never get to ride together again. This week has been good for both of us.”

She was trying, Dan realized. Charlise was right. The time was now. What should he say? Just say it. Just say it now. “It wasn’t okay,” he stated bluntly.

Her eyes narrowed at him in question. She was clearly confused but she didn’t shrink from him. Rather, she slipped off the fence and took a few steps toward him. “What?”

He took a few steps closer to her but left some space in between them for comfort’s sake. “It wasn’t okay,” he reiterated. “Weekends, summers, a holiday here or there. It wasn’t okay. It was hell. All I wanted was for you to be here with me where you belonged. I did what I did because I thought it was the right thing and not because I thought she’d be better for you but because I didn’t know better. I’m an old fool stuck in an old time. I didn’t think there was anyway I’d ever be able to get you. I was completely convinced that I had no shot and what would be left over would just be a bloody mess. So I mistakenly thought that if I skipped the bloody part we could just take what we could get but it was never enough. You belonged here with me. The day you left this ranch I stopped breathing. I didn’t start again until I saw you standing here again.” He swallowed hard and tried to blink back his tears. “If I had known that there was a chance I could have kept you, I would have given everything to keep you. I’d have traded this ranch in a second just to have you with me. I was just a stupid old fool who didn’t know better. I want your forgiveness more than anything. I love you. Since the day you were born you have been my world.” He sighed sadly. “Maybe that was the problem. I don’t know. It just wasn’t enough. It wasn’t okay. I need you to know that, Kadey. I’ll never get enough of you.”

There was no emotion on her face to give him any clue on what she was thinking. She began to move closer to him. As she approached he almost wondered if she were going to slap him. He had to force himself not to grimace when she raised her hands. But she didn’t move to slap him, rather she threw her arms around his neck and clasped them behind his neck. She buried her face in his neck and wept. “I’m so sorry, daddy. I’m sorry.”

It took him a second to realize what had happened but once he did he didn’t waste a second. He grasped her firmly in his arms and squeezed her tight. He never wanted to let go. He released with one hand and stroked her head. “It’s okay, baby. Everything is okay.” When she finally pulled back he reluctantly released her but she didn’t go far. She just leaned far enough back to see his face. “There’s my girl,” he said in wonder and touched her face lightly. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”

She nodded. “Yes, actually, I do.” She clasped onto him again and just breathed him in. Her dad, she had her dad back.

Charlise smiled at the sight before her. Dan had fortunately stood in the open area so Charlise was able to witness the sight even if she couldn’t hear what was being said. When Kadey had appeared Charlise had tensed and prayed as hard as she could. When the girl had thrown her arms around her dad, Charlise had whooped a “hallelujah” and quickly covered her mouth so not to interrupt their reunion. Then much softer, “thank you, Jesus.”

“Yes, praise God,” a voice came from behind her.

Charlise turned to see a relieved and happy Ms May also watching the scene. “She’s back.”

Ms May nodded. “Yes she is.” She didn’t mention that back was not enough. She wouldn’t point out to the woman that back didn’t include salvation. Let her enjoy the moment for as long as she could. “Praise God and thank Him for you.”

Charlise straightened as though startled. “What?”

Ms May chuckled. “This would have never happened if you hadn’t allowed God to use you in our lives. You are good for this family. You need to stick around.”

It was so odd for her to say such things, Charlise thought. It occurred to her why she added on that last part. Charlise was here to help Kadey, now that she was reconciled to her family there was no need for Charlise. The thought near paralyzed her. Not now, Lord, I’m not ready to go yet. She wouldn’t undo what had been done, not for the world, even if it did mean she had to go.

“What you ought to do is marry that man. You will if I have my way. You belong here.”

Charlise’s mouth fell to the ground. She sputtered a few times but Ms May didn’t wait around to allow her to get her bearings. She turned and made her way into the house before Charlise could find her voice again.

Kadey stepped back again to look at her dad. “We’re okay?”

He cupped her face in his hands. “We are better than okay.”

“Good. ‘Bout time.”

He laughed. “You’re not wrong.” She smiled at him and his heart melted. A real, true, heart filled smile. It was worth the wait. He kissed her forehead. “Now I can yell at you like a normal dad.”

She laughed and gave him a playful shove. “Now I can yell back without feeling like my head is twisting around 360 degrees all the time.”

“Deal.”

“I love you, dad.”

“Say that again.”

She stepped up to his ear. “I love you, dad. I love you even when we’re at one another’s throats. When I’m stubborn and mean and you’re grouchy and ornery, I love you.”

“I love you too, baby.” He hugged her one last time.

Kadey felt good. She noticed over his shoulder that Charlise was outside. She half expected the woman to be watching her but she was staring at the door of the house. She stepped back and motioned. “Should we spread the joy?”

He followed the nod. “Trust me, she already knows.”

“She made you come and talk to me.”

The lack of question in that sentence was well noticed. “I was going to talk to you. I just was trying to find the right moment.”

“So she picked it for you.”

He tried not to smile like a fool at her teasing. He tried to force an insulted look. “I am a grown man and do what I want when I want.”

“Did she call you a red feathered chicken?”

“No, but I think I heard her think it.”

Kadey laughed. “You think you heard her think it.” She poked his side. “I buy that. You two have seemed rather in tune lately.”

He didn’t miss the insinuation but wasn’t sure how to proceed. Her eyes had changed color slightly and her tone told him that this was a test. Don’t blow it now, he thought. “She’s something else,” he said without any emphasis but just as stating a true irrefutable fact.

“Yes she is,” Kadey agreed. “Let’s go have us a chat.”

Charlise was still paralyzed with shock. She didn’t turn as they approached. Kadey had to step around in front of her. “You okay?”

She finally broke her gaze from the door and looked at Kadey. The girl’s eyes shown bright and the smile covered her entire face. “You are,” she noted.

“Thanks to you.”

Charlise studied her. “If I helped in any way I am happy and grateful to be of service.”

Kadey laughed and pulled the woman into a hug. “We so have to work on you being able to accept gratitude and compliments.” The woman in her arms was hugging her back but Kadey could feel there was something wrong.

Ms May stepped out the door. “Food’s on. Hustle it up, it doesn’t get warmer sitting on the table.”

Charlise stiffened. Had Ms May said something to upset her, Kadey wondered. She couldn’t imagine it. Ms May was as fond of Charlise as anyone Kadey had ever seen. She looked at the woman’s face and saw a wash of emotions. She’s not sure where it came from, but the answer was there. Her work here was done. She didn’t want to accept the thanks because it was a reminder that her time had come to an end. Kadey thought quickly for a reason to keep her but could find none that she knew would satisfy the woman. She cupped Charlise’s face in her hands and lightly kissed her lips. Then she leaned over and whispered in her ear. “You are the best mum ever.”

Tears immediately filled the woman’s eyes. “Funny, I thought you said I wasn’t,”

Kadey didn’t let her finish. “I never said any such thing and if I had,” she insisted, “it would have only been my anger trying to deny how I truly felt.”

Charlise cupped Kadey’s cheek in her palm and lightly brushed her thumb across her cheek bone. “I love you too, baby girl.”

“Oh that wasn’t an ‘I love you’. That was an admission of bowing to your authority as a parental figure. I have no problem saying I love you. I’m mad about you, completely wild. I love you to pieces.”

Charlise laughed exasperated. “You’re something else, you know that.”

“Funny I just heard the same thing said about you.”

Dan came around them at that point. Charlise flushed and stiffened again. Suddenly Kadey had an idea what Ms May might have said to the woman. This would take some work but based on the color of her cheeks, Kadey thought she might have a chance. Whatever the outcome she knew she wouldn’t and couldn’t lose her.

“We’d best go in before we incur the wrath of Ms May,” Dan suggested.

It didn’t take long for Dan to see that something was wrong and he wasn’t so sure that he wasn’t the only one who didn’t know what it was. Charlise was unusually somber especially considering the new circumstances. Kadey kept looking at the woman thoughtfully but let her be. Ms May had a knowing look but didn’t say a word. What was going on? Finally when it was apparent that Charlise wasn’t going to get any more food down, Kadey dismissed them both for a walk. She assured Ms May that she would do the dishes upon their return even though they all knew they’d be done long before.

“What was that?” Dan asked once they had left the house.

Ms May shook her head and tsked. “Men, you don’t get anything do you.”

Kadey took Charlise’s hand as they walked up to her favorite thinking spot. This wasn’t going to be an easy task. Once Charlise got it in her head she needed to do something, she did it. Kadey was going to have to be crafty on this one. So the question was how should she approach it? Best to be bold, she thought.

They leaned against the fence and took in the scenery. “I’ll never get over this,” Charlise said. “It so beautiful here.”

“It is,” Kadey agreed. It occurred to her that they were having near the same conversation as the first time they’d been here together. Time to be bold. “See, now all you have to do is marry my dad and it’s all yours.”

The woman nearly sputtered. “Kadey!”

“What?” she responded calmly.

“That’s not funny.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny,” she assured her.

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Oh, so you don’t have feelings for him.”

She was going to say an outright no but couldn’t. She could lie to herself but she wouldn’t lie to Kadey. The girl would see right through it. “That has nothing to do with anything.”

“Nice avoid.”

“Kadey,” she sighed. “You know how I feel about that.”

“Oh yeah, God left you here to live your life sad and alone.”

“No, Kadey,” She didn’t want to fight about this.

“Okay, okay. Let’s leave him out of this for now but if that’s the case, why didn’t he just take you too? Why leave you here with no hope of love or a life, all alone.”

“I’m not alone, I have you.”

“Yeah, who you’re already planning to leave.”

“Kadey,” she should have known the girl knew what she was thinking.

“Would you stop saying my name like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like I should stop now cause you know what’s best. You can see situations around you in ways I never could. You amaze me how you can see solutions in other people’s lives but when it comes to your own…you’re awful.” She explained.

“Now wait a minute.”

“Look, it’s not hard to see that you have feelings for my dad and I have it on good authority that he feels the same.”

Charlise highly doubted that. The girl is reconciled with her father for a few hours and already thinks she knows everything about him. “Enough,” she said firmly. “It’s not in the cards for us so you’d be best not to dwell on it.”

“You sound like an author.”

That was an odd statement. “Well, I am.”

“Yeah and you’re trying to write your own story instead of just living it.” She folded her arms and stepped up to Charlise. “You don’t know what’s possible. You don’t know what the future holds. You can’t say it’s not in the cards for you. Are you so in tune with your god that you think you know what he has in store for you? Are you the one person who can read the mind of god?”

“I find it highly ironic you’re trying to use God against me when you still talk about Him like you could care less.”

“I could care less,” Kadey insisted, “but you do care. So don’t be a hypocrite. Don’t tell me god can do all things and then turn around and say that you can’t find love again.”

“I had my time, Kadey.”

“Yes and it was amazing but that chapter is over. I wish for your sake that it wasn’t but I can’t change it. You finally moved onto the next chapter with me and my problems and now you think that chapter is over so it’s on to the next chapter. That’s fine but how do you know that your god doesn’t have us in your next chapter too?”

“Kadey, I am always going to be in your life,” Charlise tried to reassure her. “Just because I can’t stay here doesn’t mean I’m leaving you. You just got used to me being near by. You’ll get used to having me a phone call away.” She didn’t sound as convincing as she’d like. The waver in her voice at her own pain of her leaving might have hurt the conviction in her words a little bit.

“Do you honestly think your work here is done? I’m happy right now, yes. I’ve got my dad back but we’re still a wreck. I still need you. I’ll always need you. Didn’t you tell me that too once?” She reminded her.

Charlise smiled. This girl was good. She knew how to work her angles. “And I meant it. I plan to visit and call and e-mail and bug you so often you’ll get sick of me.”

“You don’t need to bother,” Kadey said matter of fact.

“Come on, honey, don’t be that way.”

“I’m not being a way. I just hope you can put it off for a little while longer. I just got reunited with my dad. I don’t want to leave just yet.”

Huh? “What are you saying?”

“You heard me.”

Oh this stubborn, hard headed family! “You’re being silly.”

“Hah. That’s the raven calling the crow black.”

Charlise bit back a laugh. “You’re staying here.”

“In your great escape plans have you forgotten that I have a divorce to get through? I might be okay with my dad but I still have a broken life to put together. You’re so sure I’m okay to do that on my own?”

She had forgotten. How could she have forgotten that? “First of all, Kadey, you are a strong woman and you don’t need me to hold your hand through anything. But yes, I will be there for you. Please don’t feel like I’m abandoning you but I can’t stay here any longer. It would be inappropriate.”

“Is that what this is about?! You’re worried about what the old biddies at church will think!”

There was no denying this was an accusation. “Old biddies or not, it is not appropriate for a single woman of my age to be living in a house with a man she is not married to,” she stuck up her hand to cut off the comment she saw coming. “Enough of that.”

“It hasn’t been a problem so far.”

“That’s because I’ve been here for you and it is well known. It won’t take long for that to change and for the rumors to start flying.”

“Fine, then move in with me.”

“What?”

“I’ve always wanted to build a house. I even have a spot picked out. You can be my roommate.”

It was an interesting proposition and it created an opening for Charlise to find and answer she’d been wondering about. “And how are you going to build a house?”

“I’m not sure but I’ll figure that out later,” Kadey assured her. “You love it here. You can’t deny that. You can write from anywhere and you have no desire to live in the city anymore, so why not?”

“Because you are a grown woman and you can’t revolve your life around me. I’d become a stumbling block,” she tried to explain.

“You’ve known me long enough to know when I’m set on something, so listen to me now.” She squared off with the woman and trapped her gaze. “You can stay with me here or I will go with you where ever you go but those are your only two options. You say your god gave me to you, well just accept that this gift came without a return receipt. We may not be blood but you are my home. If you can’t stay here then buy a place on the outskirts of town, that would work just fine to stave off the old biddies. Just stop using the flee response. This is not a fight or flee situation. So knock it off.”

Charlise opened her mouth to counter but no words would form. She didn’t really have a counter point. The smirk on Kadey’s face proved she knew as much.

“So you can just figure if you’re leaving then you’re not only taking me from my dad but you’ll also have to either find a place that will board two horses and a goat or break even more hearts. Cause we might forgive you for trying to leave us behind but that goat’s heart will never heal, let alone Daisy’s.”

You little extortionist! She thought. “That is emotional blackmail.”

“You really have to go with what works in situations like these.” She wouldn’t budge.

Charlise was exasperated. “I wasn’t trying to leave you behind,” she finally said. Her voice came out no louder than a whisper.

“I know, it just worked better in my manipulative speech.”

She chuckled despite herself. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Hugs are good.”

Charlise wrapped her arms around the girl. “What would I do without you?”

“Let’s never find out.”

Dan listened intently as Ms May explained all the problems there would be with a single woman living in their household. This was ridiculous. “Nothing has changed. Kadey still needs her.”

“But not like she did and everyone will know it. All they’ll have to do is look at that goofy grin on your face and they’ll know you’ve got your daughter back. The only reason they haven’t started gossiping yet is because of all the pain you’ve been through these years without her. Now that things are better for you, they’ll jump on this like a rabid wolf on a baby chick. How are you going to feel the first time you hear someone slander Charlie’s good name because she’s living with a man she’s not married to?”

“I’d pop anyone who said as much,” he growled lowly.

“So do something about it.”

“What?”

She jabbed her finger in his chest. “Don’t be dumb. If you let that woman get away it will be the single greatest regret of your life. No failure before or after will be as great as what you will feel if she walks out of that door and our lives. She belongs here, so do something about it!”

Chapter 11

Kadey was rethinking her insistence on doing this alone. She’d wanted to prove to herself that she could stand on her own two feet. Now she just wanted her mom. She sat silently as Glenn huffed and puffed and made himself look even more like a pompous ass than she even thought he was. She hadn’t backed off on the monetary supplement and he’d dropped the words ‘gold digger’ more than once. She didn’t retaliate. She let her lawyer do all the talking. She had nothing to do here but sign the papers.

The door opened and a tall figure walked through. Kadey smiled automatically at his appearance but quickly remembered her place and the smile faded. She was pretty sure he noticed but he didn’t say anything. Glenn’s mother had not taken to Kadey right at once but Kadey had believed that his father had. Kent Kadwalter was stone cold serious at all times and Kadey had made it her life’s ambition to lighten him up a bit. He had feigned offence but it had been apparent he liked her early on. Of course Kadey had been wrong about a lot of things. Maybe she was wrong about him too.

Kent grabbed the papers out of his son’s hands and began reading them. The room went completely silent. The lawyer, Todd, that Cleve had set her up with looked at her in question. She mouthed the word ‘father’ to him. He nodded and waited patiently. When Kent was finished he set the paper down in front of Glenn. “Sign it.”

“But…” Glenn stopped his protest when he looked at his father’s face. He snatched up a pen and signed the papers. He slid them to her lawyer, who looked at them and then passed them onto her.

Kadey stared down at the blank spot waiting for her signature. It was harder than she’d thought. She clicked the pen in and out a couple times and then signed. When she looked up she saw Glenn filling out the check. His attitude was highly begrudging but he did as his father instructed. The check passed down to her. She looked at it for a long moment. It was a nice amount of money. With a faint smile she turned it over and signed the back. Then she forwarded it to Make A Wish Foundation. She turned to the confused boy sitting in the corner waiting. He’d been sent to pick up a check and had no idea why he was sitting in this room with them. The poor boy was practically squirming, he was so uncomfortable.

“Here you go,” she said with a smile.

He stood up and moved slowly toward her, ready to flee at any slight noise. He took the check and looked at it. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Are you sure?!?”

“Yes. Make sure you don’t lose it.”

“I won’t.” He looked at her in wonder. “You have no idea how much this is going to mean to these kids and their families.”

“Then I’ll leave it in your hands to make sure it gets put to good use it.” He couldn’t have been more than 18 years old. He was a young idealist on fire to change the world. She hoped that the world didn’t beat that out of him.

“I will,” he assured her.

Kadey watched him leave with a satisfied grin on her face. Then she gathered her things to go. She made eye contact with Kent as she turned. He had an amused look on his face. He smiled at her then. She smiled back, relieved at his approval. It was harder in that moment to know that their lives were parting than hers and Glenn’s. Maybe she’d still send him those goofy cards to make him crack a smile.

“Well played,” he said and put out his hand.

She took it but pulled him into a hug. “Thanks. Goodbye, sir.”

He smiled. “Take care, Kadey.”

“You do the same.”

She turned and followed her lawyer out of the room. Tarrissa was waiting in the hall for Glenn. She didn’t say anything when their eyes met. Kadey wasn’t sure what she was feeling at the moment. She was surprised not to feel anger. She really didn’t feel much at all at that point. She was a bit more numb than she’d expected. She noted that Tarrissa had gained some weight since she’d last seen her. Living the good life with the rich kid. Well, they could have at it. Kadey walked past her without a word.

Dan stood at the doorway watching the woman in his front yard. The day after Kadey had left to tend to her divorce he had taken Charlise into town to get some supplies and other items. Other items which included the hat he had promised her some time ago. They’d come out of the store, her sporting her new hat and walked by some locals trying to pawn off some puppies. Dan walked by with nothing more than a nod. He was almost to the curb when he realized he’d lost his companion. He turned to find her face to face with the most wiggly puppy he’d ever seen.

Chuck, a man he’d known most of his life, was grinning at him mischievously. He knew he had a bite. Dan shot him a dirty look.

“I used to always have a dog when I was a kid,” Charlise stated happily. “When we moved to the city I just thought it wouldn’t be right. Dogs need lots of room to play.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Chuck drawled. “A ranch would be perfect.”

Dan sent him a second look. Charlise didn’t get the insinuation. She just kept scratching the puppy behind the ears. Dan sighed. He had lost his own dog over a year ago and just hadn’t had the heart to replace him. Maybe it was time to get another. Plus maybe he’d be able to trap her under the weight of yet another animal. This would make horse, goat and a dog. Surely she couldn’t abandon them. “Fine, bring it along.”

Charlise looked up at him stunned. It was the same expression she’d given him when he told her he was going to bring a desk into the living room for her. He liked causing that look. He’d like to cause it often.

“I wasn’t hinting,” she insisted.

“You say that now,” he teased. “It’s too late now.”

She shot him a dirty look that she in no way meant. “Okay.” She picked up the puppy. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you,” Chuck said with a sly grin directed at Dan.

“I will get even.”

“Look forward to it.”

Charlise did up her seat belt and then pulled the puppy onto her lap. It was nervous being in the car but content to be in her arms. Lucky dog, Dan mused. “I can’t believe we ended up with a dog. I feel like such a sucker.”

“Oh but she’s so cute.”

“She? Oh great, all I need is another female.”

“Oh stop it, you love being surrounded by females. Besides, you have thorny for company.”

He moaned at the mention of the goat he referred to as a thorn in his side. The fact that she dubbed the animal thorny amused him to no end but he tried not to let it show. “Please don’t remind me.”

She chuckled. “Don’t mind him,” she told the puppy which darted forward and licked her face. She pushed her back and wiped her chin. “He’s really just a big ball of mush.”

“Mmmmn,” Dan partially growled. “You’d best get your flirt ready.”

“Excuse me!”

“You’re going to need it to get Travis to help train that mutt. If she’s going to be on the ranch she’s going to have to learn to do her share. Travis is your best hope and he’s going to make you earn it.” He explained.

“Travis trains dogs too?”

“Travis could train a grizzly bear to pen up sheep.”

She laughed. “He is good.” She moaned, “you’re right about the flirting though. I can’t flirt with him. He’s just a baby.” She shook her head helplessly. “I can’t figure out why he flirts with me so much.”

Dan could but he decided to put her out of her misery. “I’m going to let you in on a secret. Travis is a flirt. He’s just that way with everyone. But he’s not really interested in you. He might be if you’d returned his advances right away but he got over you a long time ago.”

Her mouth gaped open slightly. She quickly closed it and leaned back when the puppy tried to assault her again. “What’s with the incessant perusal every time I’m near him?”

He grinned. “He and Kadey find your reactions amusing. You should know not to show a weakness, darlin, they’ll pounce on it in a second.”

“Oh I am going to hurt that girl. I asked her if Travis was serious. She shrugged and told me he was always into older women.”

“Ha. How would she know? She only met him a few weeks before you did.”

“They didn’t grow up together?”

“Nope, he’s not from around here.”

“You would never guess it,” she said amazed.

“They adopted one another,” he said. “They’re siblings now.”

She smiled at the thought. “It’s good on them.”

“Yep.”

Now Dan was watching her trying to teach that pup how to fetch. Travis had agreed to the lessons as soon as he got back from his horse show the following week. He’d made her bat her eyes at him. It had them up in stitches even though Dan thought it had been well done and highly effective. Charlise teased the puppy with the ball and just when she was interested Charlise threw it. The pup watched it but quickly turned her attention back to Charlise’s hands. Charlise was patient and just jumped up and got the ball and tried again. The third time something happened that no one would have expected.

Charlise threw the ball and a white and black blur flew by her. Thorny ran down the ball and caught it in his mouth. Then the goat, looking very pleased with himself, ran back and dropped it at her feet. She had been crouching on her tip toes and at the sight had started laughing so hard she lost her balance and toppled over. Dan watched as she rolled on the ground laughing uncontrollably.

“That does it,” he said to himself. “That just does it.” He started out to meet her.

When she saw him she tried to talk through the laughter. “Did you see that? Thorny! I taught the goat…to … fetch!” She rolled to her knees and sat up on them. “Oh boy,” she tried to reign in her laughter. “That was funny.”

Dan reached his hand out to help her up. She went to grab it when she noticed his face. He wasn’t laughing. “Is something wrong?”

He shook his head no.

“You don’t look like no.” She took his hand and stood up. They stood across from one another with less than a foot of distance between them. “What’s going on?” She was a bit worried now. Was it Kadey?

How did he do this? Outright boldness had worked with Kadey, maybe it would work here to. Here goes everything, he thought. “Marry me, Charlie.”

Her mouth dropped open in utter shock. What was with this family? She tried to speak but as was typical of late, she couldn’t.

“Now listen,” he instructed. “I know that you’ve had that. I know you had a family and you feel like that time has passed for you. I’m not trying to take that from you. In fact I’m excited that one day I get to meet them both. Believe me I am going to be right proud to shake his hand and see your girl’s smile. But that is down the road, God only knows when, this is now and this time is for us. I know its fast but I know what I want Charlie. I want you,” he insisted. “You are the most smart, beautiful woman I’ve ever met. You make me laugh. No one has ever had the ability to make me feel calm and at peace as you and then with a single touch drive mad.”

She took a sharp intake of breath at the mention of touch. He brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek but quickly pulled back not wanting to get in her space quite yet.

“You see, darlin’, those torn paper bags weren’t just for you. They were mine too. I didn’t know it at the time but my life was changed forever by two torn paper bags. You have a head over heals love for my daughter and you’re head over heels in love with my God. The two sexiest qualities I’ve ever seen in a woman. I love you, Charlie. I want you. Marry me.”

She just stared at him. Her hands were on his chest now. They were pressed flat against him and he wasn’t sure whether it was to feel him or to keep him at bay. Finally she smiled at him. “You’re not the least bit worried?”

Her question sounded serious but her eyes told him all he needed to know. He wanted to kiss her now but he needed a verbal answer before he did so. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life. What do I have to be worried about?”

She took the step to close the gap and put her arms around his neck. “That I might just be marrying you for your daughter,” she teased.

He got lost in the twinkle in her eyes. He nodded slightly. “I can live with that.”

She smiled. “Then you’ve got a deal.” She didn’t wait for him to kiss her. She rose up slightly on her toes and kissed the other love of her life. As she did she was almost sure she heard a small voice speak to her.

Didn’t I tell you that I had it all worked out? I am the author of existence and I can write a story like none other.