Whisperer (15 page)

“Here’s the
deal, Mom and there’s no negotiating. I want you to get more
counseling than AA. There are some problems that reach back farther
than Gary. Maybe AA would help with that, maybe not. I’m not taking
any chances. You get counseling, or I will not invite you to the
wedding.”

“You’re
definitely marrying Colt?”

“I sure hope
so, if he’ll still have me. Although between you and Eddy, he might
bolt and run --- Can’t say that I would blame him either. I also
don’t want to take the chance that you will embarrass me further in
the future. His parents are wonderful, so you will shape up to meet
them. I won’t have you within a hundred mile radius, if you don’t
get help.”

“When’s the
wedding?”

“No plans have
been made, because as soon as he proposed, you landed on my
doorstep creating hate and discontent. So here I am in Sacramento
scolding you when I should be in Donner holding onto to him. You
are not screwing this up for me.”

“Okay, so could
I call you when I have found a good counselor and let you know how
it goes?”

“Baby steps…
You can call me
after
you have attended the first session.
We’ll plan the next step after that. This is my final offer, Mom.
Take it or you are out of my life.” Mandy looked determined.

The waitress
brought Deidre’s sandwich and refilled their coffee. They didn’t
look as hostile this time, so she said, “Anything else I can get
you?”

“The check…”
said Mandy after taking another sip of her coffee. “I’m finished
here.”

Snow-covered
pine trees, icy mountain streams, blue sky with pillows of cumulous
clouds… Flying into Reno, Colt could see the city parked in a
meadow in the middle of one of the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges.
With snow covering the mountains, the city looked clean,
uncluttered. He knew the air would smell crisp. Mountain air always
smelled better to him than anywhere else he’d ever been. It always
would – this land was built into his DNA.

Beside him,
Jesse was anxious to be home. He was a real homebody – travel
didn’t suit him. Being out on the land with his horse and home with
Audrey was all that mattered to him. Speaking of Audrey…

“I’m going to
do it, Colt. I’m going to ask Audrey to marry me.”

“Well, it’s
about damn time…Do I have to blaze
all
the trails for you?”
Colt laughed at him. Jesse smiled.

“Okay, so I am
a little slow out of the starting gate, but I’m getting to the
finish line. Where did you buy your ring for Mandy?”

They talked
about rings, what would the parents say and abstract wedding plans.
Neither had any real idea about how weddings should go, but they
seriously entertained the thought of a double wedding. Why not?
Since Mandy hadn’t mailed back her engagement ring, Colt assumed
their wedding was still on.

Jason, the
foreman, picked up the guys and drove them home to Naples from the
airport. He talked generally about ranching business and the
weather. – Nothing personal. Jason knew enough about what was going
on with both brothers and felt they needed some space -- Although
he was worried that Jesse would never marry his daughter. He
dropped Colt off at the ranch house and took Jesse to his house out
in the back part of the property. In the car, with his prospective
father-in-law, Jesse came clean.

Jesse coughed
and cleared his throat. “Jason, I need to ask you something.”

“Sure, what’s
up?” Jason looked perplexed.

“Sir, I’d like
to ask your permission to marry your daughter. I love her very much
and I’m sorry it’s taken this long to get off the stick…sir…” he
said nervously. He had known Jason all his life, but this was a
different kettle of fish.

Jason looked
over at Jesse and grinned. “About time, I’d say. You haven’t asked
her yet?” Actually, he knew the answer to that, because Audrey
would have told him.

“Ah…that would
be a no. It’s taken me some time to sort things out in my thick
skull.”

“Yes, I know
about your thick skull. I’ve watching it for a few years now. What
do you think Audrey will say?”

Jesse looked at
him confused. “Jeez, I never thought of that. Think she’ll turn me
down? Have I shot my wad here?”

Jason laughed.
“I sincerely hope you will use more romantic language when you ask
her besides, ‘shot my wad’ and ‘get off the stick’. I guarantee she
will turn you down if you ask her to ‘fish or cut bait’. Jason
laughed again at the expression on Jesse’s face. “I don’t think
many women want a marriage proposal with those kinds of words in it
– Just a bit of advice, son.”

“So…do I have
your permission, sir?”

“Absolutely.
Wrap her up, son.” Jason and Jesse smiled at one another.

Back at the
ranch house, Colt was happy to be home. -- California’s great, but
Nevada’s home. And you know what they say about home? There’s no
place like it.

“Colt, honey,
it’s wonderful to see you,” gushed his mother. “Come on in and
let’s have some lunch.”

“Where’s
Dad?”

“He and Uncle
Bill are up in Reno talking to an attorney about those new wells
they want to drill. You know, finding out about the mineral rights
on the land, water rights. Making sure it’s legal…” She looked at
him. “Are you all right?”

“No, I don’t
really think so. It’s just so up-in-the-air about Mandy. Mom, how
did you handle it when you and Dad almost broke up? You know, when
Grandpa interfered and you went to San Francisco?”

Lily started
making him a sandwich in the kitchen. Deliberately, she took her
time getting out the bread, mayo, lettuce and sliced ham. Spreading
the mayo on the bread, she spoke finally.

“One day at a
time, son. One day at a time. The dust finally settled – Sam and
your dad worked things out, and I tried to stay out of the way. It
wasn’t my problem to solve… they needed to work it out together. Do
you understand?”

“Yes, and I
understand what you’re saying to me as well. That I need to stay
out of the way, while Mandy works out the mother and ex-boyfriend
problems. Is that what you’re saying?”

She smiled at
him as she handed him his sandwich.

“Eat. You
always were a smart guy…”

“Thanks.” He
took a bite, chewed and swallowed. “And Miles is my problem to
solve, right?”

“Yes, your
father and I had a talk with him when he got home about minding his
own business, but you need to have a heart-to-heart with him. Miles
isn’t a bad guy and he loves you dearly, but he does get impulsive.
Sometimes, he says the wrong things. I’m not making excuses for
him…”

“Okay, I will.
Where is he?”

“Actually, he’s
in the media room watching a movie.”

“Really. All
right… Once I finish eating, I’ll go talk to him.”

“Be kind, son.
I know you can…”

“Yep, I’ll
cowboy up, Mom.”

Mandy had
called Eddy and arranged to meet him at a park near Stacy’s
apartment. She wanted a very public forum with people around, yet a
place that would afford her some privacy for this very private
chat. Eddy was obviously thrilled to hear from her. She wondered
idly why he hadn’t been this thrilled when they were actually
dating. You always want what you can’t have…

They came up to
each other by a bench in the middle of the park. Eddy suggested
they sit down. She looked at him. He was still a handsome man with
curly brown hair and eyes – she was not immune to his good
looks.

“How are you,
Amanda? You look terrific. Your new job must agree with you.”

“I’m fine,
Eddy. How are you?” She felt she should at least be civil.

“Great, thanks
for asking. Look, Amanda, I never thought I’d see you again
and…”

“Eddy…”

“No, let me get
this out, while I can. -- While you’re still willing to sit here
with me. I realize I blew it badly with you. That last night we
were together was a rough one and I want to apologize for all the
shitty things I said. I probably ran you off and I was stupid.
Since we broke up, I’ve dated a few women, but no one compares to
you.” He looked at her and tried to hold her hand. She refused.

“That’s great
that you realize what you lost and thanks for the apology, but you
need to know that I’m definitely off the market.” She lifted her
left hand to show him her engagement ring. “I’m engaged, Eddy, to a
wonderful man I met up at Donner Lake. We’re getting married.”

“Ah…congratulations, I guess, are in order.”

“Thanks. The
only reason I decided to meet with you was to tell you face-to-face
that it’s over between us for good. You need to realize that and
get on with your life. Maybe those other women you’ve met will seem
more attractive, now that you know we aren’t getting back together.
-- At all….”

“So this is
really it, Amanda?” He looked sad.

“Yes, it was
over when we broke up. I can’t help it if you screwed it up and now
want me back. There’s no going back. I supposed it’s flattering,
sort of, but I’ve so moved on with my life. You need to put it all
behind you and get on with yours.” She stood up. He stood up too.
“That’s really all I have to say, Eddy. Please don’t call me
anymore, or my mother. Her hold on me is tenuous and she won’t be
able to help you.”

She held out
her hand to shake his. Eddy had the good grace to shake her
hand.

“Good luck,
Amanda, with your new guy. I sincerely mean that.”

“Thanks, Eddy,
and good luck with your next girlfriend. And I mean that. I’m very
happy with my guy and I wish everyone to be as happy as we
are.”

Eddy watched
her enviously as she walked away. Mandy just hoped he had learned
something, anything, from this encounter and would stay out of her
life. She decided if he contacted her again, she’d let Colt meet
with him.
That should do it…

“So what are
you watching, Miles?” Colt had joined him in the media room. He sat
on the couch by his brother and looked over at him. Miles looked a
lot like Lily with his handsome face and dark hair. They definitely
looked like brothers, -- that was for sure. But a physical
resemblance seemed to about do it. Personality-wise, they were
completely different. Miles didn’t have a filter and would just
speak without thinking. He was a colorful character who could be as
charming as he could be outrageous. Colt knew that he wouldn’t stay
at the ranch much longer, because he was born to travel – see the
world. His books would take him everywhere. And he would write
about it all.

“You’re looking
at me weird,” said Miles. “What’s on your mind?” He paused the
movie.

“I was just
thinking that I’m glad we’re brothers. We’re pretty different, but
we’re also the same in lots of ways. I think you’re just a little
young yet to really know yourself.”

“
Wow
…and
I mean that in a good way. You’ve never spoken to me like that
before and I appreciate it. --- Really.”

Colt offered
his hand for Miles to shake. “Shake hands on it?”

Miles grabbed
his hand and pumped it vigorously. “And believe me, Colt, I am so
sorry that I got in the middle of things with you and Mandy up in
Donner. I just shot my mouth off with her mother. I’m going to try
to work on that. Honest…”

Colt laughed.
“It’s all right. Dad says that things usually work out in the
end.”

“Grandma would
say you’re heading into Act Three. Does it feel like Act Three
yet?”

“Yeah, it
really does. Mandy is up in Sacramento, taking care of a few loose
ends, and Dad and I are working on a new business plan for me
here.”

“Business
plan?”

“I’m going to
start my horse training business here on the ranch. Now that I’ve
paid my dues up north and in California, I think I’m ready to get
things moving here.”

“You’re going
to live on the ranch?”

“Yeah, Dad and
Mom are giving Mandy and me some acreage for a wedding gift. I’m
going to set up shop pretty soon. We’re working out the details…
It’s coming along…”

“I was out
yesterday looking at the construction site. Are they building you a
house?”

“Well, I’m
paying for it mostly, but Mom and Dad, Sam and Jeanne are chipping
in some.”

“I’ve got a
bit. Could I chip in too? As a wedding gift?”

“Absolutely.
That’d help keep my bank account in the black,” he laughed.

“When are you
guys getting married?”

“That is the
question of the day,” smiled Colt. “But I don’t think it will be
much longer now.” He turned toward the TV. “What’ cha
watching?”

Miles smiled
and turned back to the television. “This is a really great one…
‘
To Kill a Mockingbird.’
They just don’t make ‘em like this
anymore.”

“Oh, that is a
great movie. There are some movies in the world that reflect the
times and that is one of them. What’s your favorite scene?”

Miles thought a
minute. “My favorite is when drunk Bob spits at Atticus out at
Tom’s home. Atticus just stares at him, with all that spit running
down his face and you think he’s going to belt him. Bob thinks
Atticus is going to belt him. But what does he do? He calmly
reaches into his pocket, Bob reacts like he’s going to get punched,
but Atticus pulls out a handkerchief and wipes off his face.
Fabulous scene! It showed Bob wasn’t even worth hitting, and
Atticus rises above violence.”

Colt smiled.
What was it about movies and this family? They were all a bunch of
movie nuts…

“My favorite is
when Atticus is in the courthouse and the jury has just pronounced
Tom guilty. Everyone leaves except for the black people sitting
upstairs. Atticus starts walking out the door and all the black
people stand up as he goes. They’re honoring the man who stood up
for them. And then the reverend says to Scout, ‘Stand up. Your
father’s passing.’ Great scene…”