Whisperer (18 page)

Lily took the
girls outside the room, as the guys had to talk about ranch
business. Jesse was an integral part of running the ranch and he
would be out of commission for many jobs. They needed to decide who
could take over for what job. Sandy asked Colt to step in for Jesse
in the interim. Jason, as foreman, was instrumental in the running
of the ranch, but he would need help. That was fine with Colt,
since he had put his business on hold until the building and corral
construction was completed. He couldn’t very well bring in horses
to train when there were no corrals or barns in which to put them.
Miles and Joey would be brought in as well.

Lily had the
happier job – talking to her almost daughters-in-law. She smiled at
them both.

“Let the men
talk about their business, we need to talk about ours.” She gave
them both big hugs and led them out to an area that had chairs and
sofas.

“I’m so happy
for you both. Congratulations… You are marrying the finest men
anywhere, you know.” She laughed.

Mandy gave
Audrey a hug. “Congratulations…Jesse’s a great guy.”

Audrey returned
the sentiment and congratulated her as well.

“Have you had a
chance to plan anything? What have you discussed?”

“Well,” Mandy
started, “we need to live somewhere while the construction is being
finished. By the way, I want to thank you for the wedding gift that
you and Sandy gave us. It was incredibly generous…”

“You’re most
welcome. Sandy and I are just so thrilled you were able to put some
problems behind you. And you and Colt can live in Jeanne and Sam’s
house for a month or so. They won’t be back to Naples until after
the grape harvest.” She stopped and smiled at Mandy. Then she
turned her attention to Audrey.

“Audrey, we’re
giving you and Jesse the same gift of fifty acres of ranch land. We
haven’t had a chance to say anything to you, since you just got
engaged and then Jesse had his accident.”

Audrey, a
pretty brunette with a charming smile and sparkling eyes, looked
from one to another and smiled. “It is an honor to be joining the
Johnson family. And thank you for the terrific gift. Jesse will be
thrilled too.” The Johnsons had already been her family for a long
time, but legal is legal…

They were
chatting about the engagement party that Lily wanted to have for
them – family only – and then they could invite the town, if they
wanted to the wedding. Was it to be a double wedding?
A double
wedding
…Lily was beyond excited as were Mandy and Audrey. Talk
continued of flowers, arches, invitations, clothes, wedding dresses
and where to buy things. Should she hire a wedding planner? The
girls were thinking it over and discussing the pros and cons, when
Mandy all of a sudden looked sick, and put a hand to her stomach.
She knew she was going to throw up and hurried to the bathroom.
That made Audrey look uncomfortable too -- She put her hand to her
mouth and rushed after her to the bathroom.

Lily narrowed
her eyes as she watched both of them run to the bathroom.

Softly and to
no one in particular she said, “ ‘It is a truth universally
acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune,
must be in want to a wife.’ ” And also, she concluded, a family… It
was as plain as the noses on their faces that they were pregnant.
Lily had had five pregnancies herself and could spot a pregnant
woman a mile away. Jesse’s accident and the wedding talk had
momentarily thrown her off. She was back on track now, and smiled a
slow, broad smile.
Grandchildren…. It all just seems to get
better, doesn’t it
?

When the girls
came back, they were both in tears, hugging each other. When they
confessed to Lily, there were more hugs.

“And what do my
wonderful sons say about this news?”

“I told Colt
yesterday and he was thrilled.” Mandy smiled. “He wants to figure
out which room in the new house could be the nursery.”

“Jesse just
found out this morning when we arrived at the hospital. I knew I
couldn’t be around some equipment like the x-ray machine, and I had
to tell him. There we were with the doctor, nurse and technician
around us, trying to look anywhere but at us. You should have seen
the look on his face – It was part pain and part happiness.” She
laughed. “I had planned on telling him today anyway, but then he
had the accident and everything was chaos.” Audrey smiled.

“So Jesse got
bucked off a horse and found out he was going to be a father on the
same day?” She chuckled when Audrey nodded. “It’s turning out to be
quite a memorable day.”

The house
was going to be great.
Mandy and Lily had gone over to see how
the construction was going, while Colt went to work with his dad.
Jesse was resting up at his house, but complaining about not being
able to at least get on his horse. He obviously wasn’t a good
patient. Lily thought Audrey was the patron saint of patience with
him.

Mandy thought
Colt had done a great job of planning everything out. She hadn’t
helped due to being stuck in Sacramento, sorting out her life. But
the house was situated in a beautiful area with a stream running
alongside it. A driveway was being poured part way and the rest of
it would be gravel. A huge barn was being built off towards the
back, not too close and not too far away. Three corrals had been
built already behind and the both sides of the barn. Colt would be
able to keep some horses in the barn, since it was huge, and others
in the outside corrals as needed for training. It was the perfect
set-up, she thought.

When Lily took
her inside, she was overwhelmed. Mandy hadn’t lived in a house for
many years – In Sacramento her apartment had been more of a prison
devoid of color, but she had rented a cute little cabin in Donner
Lake. She could think back fondly to many happy memories there. But
this place was something else.

“You have 3,000
square feet of living space here, Mandy,” Lily told her, “with a
loft over the garage for additional living space and an attic.”

“
Wow
…Impressive. Colt helped the architect with all
this?”

“Yes, he was
very particular and thought about what you would want through every
decision. He loves you very much.” Lily got a little teary, which
made Mandy a little teary.

“I won’t be
able to see the house if we’re going to cry,” she sniffed.

“Right…well,
here’s the floor plan.”

They went from
room to room, discussing what the rooms should be used for and
determining appliances for the kitchen. And the kitchen…Wow, again.
It was huge, open and airy with a high ceiling and lights hanging
down over the granite countertops. There was an island with an
additional sink and two dishwashers.

“Either he
wants to throw lots of parties or …” Lily started.

“… have lots of
babies.” Mandy finished. They both laughed. “I think we could do
both.”

“You and Colt
need to go to a few places up in Reno to buy furniture. Since you
have none,” she stopped and smiled, “you’ll need to get everything.
I bet you go for the nursery first.”

“Yes, indeed,
but it would be nice to have a bed to sleep on, at least.”

Colt came in
the front door then. “Sweetheart, you here?” he yelled.

“Back here,”
Mandy called out. He came in the room with dust all over him. “Did
you ride your horse over here?”

“Yep. I thought
you two would be here and I wanted to see how you liked the
place.”

“It’s gorgeous,
but we need furniture.”

“I was telling
Mandy, Colt, that you need to go up to a few places in Reno and
start getting some furniture. The house is about finished and you
should be able to move in before the wedding.”

“Okay, sounds
good. How about tomorrow? I have to go into town anyway to order a
few things for dad. We can make a day of it.” They smiled at each
other. Just then his cell buzzed. “Hey, I gotta go. Dad’s got me on
a short leash.” He leaned over to kiss Mandy. “See you later. Bye,
Mom.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as well. He dashed out
still brushing dust off his chaps.

Lily and Mandy
both sighed. “Gotta love these cowboys,” they said at the same
time.

This was
going to be a hoot… The whole town had been invited…
The last
wedding at the ranch had been twenty-five years ago when Sandy and
Lily were married, and had been a barnburner. Just like then, there
had been so much to do…the wedding planner rode herd and the place
looked exquisite. An archway had been built out in the back part of
the yard just past the patio and was decorated with daisies,
gerberas, blooming cherry and garlands of laurel. The brides would
be carrying bouquets with mixtures of roses, lilacs and lilies.
There would be clear vases of roses and lilies on the tables to
match.

A cowboy band
had been hired for the reception and was setting up on one side of
the yard. Janie and a few cousins were decorating the tables, while
others were bringing in drinks and some food. Refrigerated foods
and dishes to be heated were still in the kitchen and would be
taken care of after the service.

Candles had
been set out on tables and lights were already twinkling from the
posts on which they had been strung. Many more tasks were being
completed at this final hour before the ceremony was to begin.

The brides were
in Sandy and Lily’s bedroom putting on the final touches. When
Jeanne and Page, Lily’s friend from San Francisco, went to retrieve
the wedding gowns from the closet, they reminisced about another
wedding.

“Doesn’t seem
that long ago that we were doing this for Lily, does it,
Jeanne?”

“Got that
right, Page.”

“I couldn’t
believe the same wedding dress shop was still there when Mandy and
Audrey came up to pick out gowns. Incredible… and remember Lily had
been pregnant with Colt when they were married.” She and Jeanne got
teary – again – and shared a tissue.

Lily had come
in to help with the finishing touches and brought their
bouquets.

“Mandy and
Audrey, you both look wonderful…”

Everyone had
lumps in their throats helping the girls put on their wedding
dresses. The dresses were yards of satiny material, lace and
beadwork. Mandy’s was sleeveless and Audrey chose capped sleeves
with a scoop neck and back. The trains weren’t too long – maybe two
feet each, and neither girl had wanted a veil. They wanted to see
and be seen. Jason and Sandy knocked on the door. Jason would walk
his daughter, Audrey, up the aisle and Sandy had volunteered to
walk Mandy, since her father was deceased.

“Show time,
girls...” Sandy said. “Ready?” He opened the door and gasped. They
both looked so beautiful – Mandy with her gorgeous auburn hair
piled on her head with beads in it and Audrey’s lovely brown hair
elegantly styled in curly waves on her shoulders. The expression on
their faces told the story of how they felt just then - Going out
to be joined in matrimony with the men they loved… He thought he
was a hardened cowboy until he looked at them, and then his good
friend, Jason, who had tears in his eyes.

“We’ve got to
man up, Jason,” he said shakily.

“Yep, let’s do
it.” Jason hastily wiped his eyes.

Colt and Jesse
were already at the archway altar dressed to kill. They had talked
their girls out of regular tuxedos and had gone to San Francisco to
buy very elegant western clothes. Colt had on a long waist coat,
cut western style with a white pleated shirt and formal tie. On his
matching slacks was his signature belt buckle with a ‘C’ engraved
on it. Jesse wore a shorter jacket with satin lapels, also cut
western. He wore a gray vest, white pleated shirt with a bolo tie
that Grandpa Sam had given him to wear. Unfortunately, the whole
effect was thrown a bit off with his arm in a sling.

Colt noticed
Jesse getting a little nervous. “Look around, bro. We are being
appreciated by many of the ladies in the audience. Enjoy it, since
it’s your last as a single man…” He laughed at him.

“I’m just glad
you’re here to help me through it. Thanks, brother, you’ve been the
whole way with me actually.” He reached over with his good arm to
shake Colt’s hand. Just then the music started and they turned to
see Jason and Audrey walking up the aisle strewn with rose petals.
About five steps behind them were Sandy and Mandy walking up
arm-in-arm. Sandy and Jason both beamed as they hugged Colt and
Jesse, and then placed their hands with the girls’ hands.

The girls and
their guys smiled at each other and then took their places in front
of the preacher. After reciting the sweet vows they had written to
each other, they were pronounced ‘husband and wife’ and were
kissing. Lots of cowboy hats were thrown in the air and there was
actually hooting and hollering. It certainly was a cowboy
crowd.

After that,
everyone got serious about eating and drinking. More food was
brought out constantly and the bartenders had trouble keeping up
with demand. It was dusk now and the band was in full swing. People
were mingling and having a good time. Mandy’s mother, Deidre, had
been true to her word, gotten some counseling and was there at the
wedding. She met Sandy and Lily who were gracious to her and she
seemed genuinely happy to be there. Jeanne and Sam took her off to
meet some other relatives.

Joey and Anna
were slow dancing, even when the music was fast…Hmmm??

Sheriff Bud
Moody, who had attended Sandy and Lily’s wedding, came up to Janie
and put his arm around her. “Well, hello, little lady. I think
you’re going to be a fine deputy sheriff someday. How do you feel
about that?”

“Gee, thanks,
Sheriff. I’m working hard and enjoying what I’m doing. Do you
really think I’ll make deputy someday?”