Conall's Legacy (26 page)

“Just yell if you need me, but I’ll be back in a flash.” He set her aside and raced out the door to the bunkhouse to grab his things. He intended to stick by her side until this was done. Drake had no intention of letting her go through the loss of her mother alone. He’d let down one friend. He wouldn’t do it again.

Dread filled his chest to bursting. How could he selfishly leave her to return to the city and his career now? How could he hit her with two losses so close together?

He raced into his room and grabbed a small duffle bag. One catastrophe at a time, he thought. Maybe Rebecca could help him decide what to do. She always knew how he should handle things. He thought of her strength and decided then and there to share her with Luisa.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Drake drove them in his truck. When he drove onto the highway from the ranch, he saw Luisa twist her hands so tightly her fingers went white. Her breathing was fast and shallow. He reached across the seat and stilled her hands with his own.

“Luisa ... Luisa look at me.”

She turned to him when he glanced her way. “Take a slow deep breath, babe. You’re going to hyperventilate like that.”

She nodded and he could see her fight to slow her breathing. He let go of her and hit a button on the radio, bringing on quiet music.

Maybe it was the dire circumstances. Maybe it was because she was only going to Sierra Vista rather than to Tucson. Or maybe it was because he was with her, but Drake realized somewhere between the ranch gate and the small airport, that Luisa’s focus shifted outside of herself and onto her mother. He’d seen the evidence of her fear. The trip wasn’t easy for her. He recognized that. But she managed it. It appeared that for the first time in many years, Luisa apparently controlled the racing heart, light head, and queasy stomach she had told him about. If she still felt bad, she didn’t show it to him.

Getting to her mother was obviously far more important than her own fears, so she must have forced any misgivings she had down. He glanced at her pale face. Well, at least for now, he thought. When they arrived the jet was there. He pulled her out of the cab and grabbed their bags from the truck bed.

They climbed aboard the small jet, ducking under the transom, and moving to seats across a small aisle from one another. Drake had yet to release her hand. He was determined to hang on to her, no matter what.

“Are you all right?” he asked gently.

There was a catch to her voice when she answered.

“I’m all right, Drake. Thanks.” She squeezed his hand. Her tearful gaze met his. “I’m so glad you’re here, though. It means a great deal to me.”

“What are friends for?” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “We’ll get through this together.”

He let her hand drop back to a more normal position but continued to hold it. The jet raced down the runway and lifted into the sky. He felt the tremor shudder through her all the way down to her fingertips. She was terrified, and yet she was going to the city anyway. So many things were happening for her all at once; he marveled at her strength.

She had her face turned away from his, but not so far that he couldn’t see the tears slipping silently down her cheek. Her pain ripped a hole in his chest. How could he leave her? He loved her. He had no doubt of that after the last few days they’d spent together. What the hell am I going to do? he wondered. Take one step at a time.

#

A limousine waited at the airport to rush them to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Burbank. Luisa was shocked at the way she was greeted and ushered into a private elevator, and then taken straight to her mother’s floor. Was the attorney some big deal or was this respect for her mother? she wondered. She shook the thoughts from her head. Now was not the time. She’d get answers someday, and fill in the gaps that had been her mother’s life. But for now they had only the time God was going to give them.

When they reached Marie’s room, Drake held the door open for Luisa and ushered her inside with his hand on the small of her back. Luisa gasped when she saw Marie, noting the change in her complexion and body. She had shrunk by another twenty pounds in just the few weeks since she’d been at the ranch. Machines attached to her chest beeped. Oxygen helped ease the obvious difficulty of her breathing.

Luisa leaned into Drake and he gave her a reassuring look. “You can do it,” he whispered. “She needs you.”

Luisa sucked air in, straightened her shoulders and plastered a smile on her face. She walked farther into the room, her back ramrod straight. She stepped to the side of the bed. “Mother?” She said it quietly, not wanting to jolt her mother out of her restful state.

Marie’s eyes fluttered open and a weak smile curved her lips. “Luisa ...” Her gaze skimmed over her daughter and across Drake. “And Drake. Thank you ... for coming ... for bringing her.”

“I didn’t do it, Marie. She was determined to make it on her own, and she did. I just came to say hello.”

Marie’s gaze went back to Luisa’s face. She seemed to be trying to take in as much detail as she could, as though knowing this would be the last time she’d look upon her daughter’s face. Lifting her frail hand, Marie cupped Luisa’s cheek, her thumb caressing the old scar.

Tears slipped out of Luisa’s eyes and ran down to wet Marie’s fingers. “Don’t cry, Luisa.”

Her voice was so soft, Luisa leaned over the bed to hear her. “I’m all right, Mother. You just rest and I’ll sit here with you.”

Marie’s head rolled slowly from side to side. “No. I have to tell ....”

“Please, Mother. Save your strength.”

The smile flickered on Marie’s face again. “I’m told ... I’ll have plenty ... of time to rest.” She chuckled and Luisa’s sob mixed with a chuckle of her own. How could her mother joke at a time like this? she wondered.

“Let me say this ... then I’ll lie here ... and you can sit ... with me.” Her breath labored between words.

“Would you like me to leave you two alone?” Drake asked.

“No, no, young man. I want you ... to hear this.” She coughed and struggled to pull more air into her lungs.

“Mother, maybe you shouldn’t talk now. We can talk later.” Luisa grasped at any hope that her mother would last the night at least.

“No time. Love you. I want you to know ... proud ... I’m proud.”

“I know--”

“Don’t interrupt ... always headstrong,” she said to Drake. “I did as you ... wished. Company’s in trust ... won’t have to come here. Attorney will tell ... you.”

“Mother--”

“I want the company ... and my money ... for grandchildren.” She smiled weakly. “I was wrong ... to make you leave ranch. I’m sorry. I did the best I could ... thought I was doing right thing. Forgive me?” The last was said as she exhaled.

“Of course.” Luisa took Marie’s hand and held it against her cheek. “I just realized this morning what it all meant. I know we all did what we had to do at the time. Nothing would have changed that. I love you, Mother.” She choked back a sob before it could slip all the way out of her throat. “Have you got anything else you want to tell me?”

“Remember me fondly. We missed a lot ... but we’ll have another chance ... I just know it.” Her eyes fluttered closed, her breaths coming in shallow gasps.

Luisa looked at Drake, tears streaming down her cheeks. He simply shook his head. Luisa leaned over the bed and kissed Marie’s cheeks, first one and then the other.

“I love you. You can let go now, Mama. It’s all right. Go to Daddy. I’ll see you back on the ranch when the evening light settles over the place, and I sit on the porch in Daddy’s old chair. I’ll rock and see you both.” She brushed her fingers over her mother’s eyes and forehead. “Go on now. Let go of the pain. Go to God and Daddy. I’ll always love you.”

The corners of Marie’s lips curved, and she opened her eyes once more. She looked at Luisa and her smile sent a sparkle into her eyes, then she let them drift closed.

“I love you too, my Luisa.” She squeezed Luisa’s hand softly.

Marie’s final breath slipped between her lips on a sigh.

#

Drake took Luisa to his apartment, helped her change into her pajamas, and then slipped her between the clean sheets of his bed. He tucked her in, touched his lips to her forehead and left her to rest.

She emerged a couple of hours later, looking lost and forlorn. Drake guided her to an overstuffed chair and handed her a fresh cup of tea.

“Feeling better?”

She shrugged, unable to speak. Drake remembered the feeling all too well.

He picked up her hand, caressing the back of it with his thumb. “Cindy’s coming in late tomorrow to be with you for the funeral.”

Luisa nodded, still not saying anything. Drake thought she looked numb.

“I spoke to Rebecca. She’d like you to come and meet her tomorrow and to have a good meal, if you are up to it. She doubted I could take proper care of you. I think she really wanted you to stay with her, thinking our arrangement here a bit improper, but I convinced her I’d let you alone.”

Luisa took a deep breath, pulling in the scented steam from the tea. “That’s very nice of her. I think dinner would be nice. Maybe meeting the kids will take my mind off some of this.” She smiled gently. “Perhaps I could read them one of my stories.”

Drake choked up then. “That’d ... that would be nice.”

#

They pulled up at Rebecca’s home around two in the afternoon the next day. Luisa took in the green grass, blooming flowers, and tall trees of a perfectly manicured landscape.

“It’s beautiful, Drake. I miss the green. It’s very peaceful looking.”

Drake snorted. “Wait until you meet the herd.”

He climbed out of the rental car and helped Luisa slide out her side.

She held back and gulped. “I’m a bit nervous about this. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”

“She and the kids will love you. Don’t worry.” He squeezed her hand.

Luisa took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

Drake rang the door bell and it was immediately thrown wide open to allow three boys to pile out. Behind them toddled an adorable girl dressed in satin and lace. Luisa scooped her up, wishing she had been able to give such a treat to her mother. She knew Marie would have loved being a grandmother.

An attractive woman dressed in a conservative navy dress walked to the door drying her hands on a tea towel. She sent Drake such a loving smile that Luisa’s heart tumbled to her shoes. How could he not see the love this woman had for him? What was he thinking?

“You must be Luisa. Drake, bring her in. Don’t make her stand on the porch,” she admonished. “Luisa, I am so sorry to meet you in these circumstances. Please do come in.”

Luisa marveled at her warmth and enjoyed the hint of Irish in her voice. How could a woman in love send a man away to someone else as she had Drake, and then welcome that other woman into her home?

“Come to the parlor and have tea.” As she led the way to another room, Luisa glanced a Drake with an upraised brow.

“She won’t call it a den because her mother had a parlor, and by golly that’s what this is.” He smiled at Luisa, but the affection he felt for Rebecca was clear.

Luisa sat down, still holding Rachael who was trying to twist Luisa’s necklace into knots. She gently extricated the toddler’s fingers and let her slip off to follow the boys around the room. “It’s very kind of you to invite me here, Rebecca. You have a lovely home.”

“Thank you. Anyone special to Drake is welcome here any time.”

“I appreciate that. It hasn’t been easy.” She sighed and looked at the boys playing a board game quietly on the floor, trying unsuccessfully to keep Rachael’s fingers out of the mix.

“I see why Drake loves it here.”

Rebecca must have sensed Luisa’s unease. “We love having him, too.” She stared into Luisa’s eyes, and Luisa knew she was speaking only to her. Drake could have been another piece of furniture. “He’s been a good friend since I lost my Conall, but no one can ever replace him. Not for me and not for the kids. We can only add friends. Like any friend we have, we wish him the best there is. I want him to be happy and so do the boys.”

“Thank you, Rebecca. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Hey, what about me? Don’t I have a voice here.”

Both women answered no at the same time, then laughed. It was the first real laugh Luisa had experienced in forty-eight hours and it felt good. Now if she could hold on to that for the next forty-eight, she could go home in halfway good shape.

#

The funeral took place very quickly, at Marie’s request. She’d known it would be hard for Luisa to stay in Los Angeles, and that her animals needed her at home.

Luisa stood on the side of a green LA hill, numbly accepting condolences from people she’d never even met. With each handshake, she sucked back from the person, her old fears trying to overcome her. Each time she did, she hit the rock wall that was Drake behind her. It seemed he knew that had he not been there, she never would have made it through the day.

On her left, Cindy held her hand. She’d flown in the day before to be there for her best friend. Together they had gotten through the formalities, the viewing, and now the cemetery. Marie had done everything. Luisa had only to survive her fears and the loss of her newly-found mother.