Saturday dawned bright and crisp. Biscuit and Duke followed along as Cale walked to the ranch house after morning chores. He leaned over and gave a final pat to Biscuit. “You think I can talk Mom into hot cider and homemade donuts? This is the perfect day for them.”
Straightening, he glanced at the ranch house’s front door, and remembered once again that there would be no Mom to ask when he reached the kitchen.
He swallowed the urge to flee back to the stable and take his paint gelding, Quick Shot, out for a ride. Instead he forced a frosted autumn breath and walked to the door.
Breakfast would be whatever Aunt Viv made, not Mom.
“At least I don’t have to cook.” He grimaced, recalling the last meal Mom had insisted he prepare. He’d managed to burn the hamburger instead of brown it, and he served the noodles undercooked. It wasn’t Cale’s finest hour.
He did think to order two specialty pizzas, which arrived in twenty-nine minutes and cost him a hefty chunk of that week’s pay.
Jesse had nodded appreciatively. “Can Cale cook tomorrow night too, Mom?”
Dad had let out a hearty laugh.
Cale’s cheeks flamed. He picked up his piece of three-meat pizza and snapped, “Very funny. I can cook.”
“Ramen and toast don’t count,” Dad teased.
At the time, Cale hadn’t appreciated the teasing. Now he would happily volunteer to be the butt of any joke if it meant Dad could be here to tell it.
He shook off the memory, opened the door, and made his way through the mud room and into the kitchen.
Brandi’s wail made his stomach turn. “She will too come back today! Momma promised! See?” She shook the last torn pink link at Aunt Viv.
Aunt Viv threw a frustrated look Cale’s way. “Dolly, I know what your mom said, but she won’t be home today. I wish she would, but it just won’t happen. I’m sorry.”
Brandi pushed Aunt Viv’s hands away and ran to Cale. She wrapped her arms around his leg. “Tell her to stop saying that. Momma will too be home. Momma promised!”
It took a few seconds longer than Cale anticipated to loosen Brandi’s vice grip on his leg. He lifted her up, stood her on a dining room chair, and tried to come up with words that she would accept.
Aunt Viv folded her arms and arched an eyebrow.
Where’s Luke when I need him? “I know Mom promised to be home when you got to the last chain, but she can’t.”
“Why not? She pinky promised. You can’t break pinky promises.” Brandi jutted out her chin and folded her own arms, daring him to argue with her logic.
“I know. Except in very special cases … like going to heaven. If you go to heaven, you can’t come back.”
“That’s a dumb rule.” She shook her head and climbed down from the chair. “Momma isn’t dumb.”
“Dolly … wait. It is a dumb rule.” Cale lifted her into his arms, scrambling to come up with an addendum to the rule.
She slithered out of his hold, onto the white linoleum. “I’m gonna get Luke. He doesn’t follow dumb rules.”
“Hang on.” Cale held her wrist and lowered himself to her eye level. “Just because Mom and Dad can’t be here in their bodies, doesn’t mean they can’t watch over us from heaven.” He opened his arms to her.
Brandi pushed his hands away. “Daddy said he’d never break a promise to me.” She locked her tiny hazel eyes on Cale’s. “So, they are coming back.” With a wave of her hand, she promptly dismissed him, clearing his mind of any retort, and escaped toward her room.
He didn’t follow.
Aunt Viv pursed her lips. “Now what?”
Cale bristled, resenting her question. “We wait. Mom and Dad weren’t supposed to be home till afternoon. She’s not gonna believe anything until it gets dark.”
When Aunt Viv’s mouth dropped open, Cale shrugged. He offered a desperate plea heavenward for inspiration while snatching a piece of bacon off the plate in front of him. He then turned on his cowboy-booted heel and made his own escape from the ranch house.
(Please stay tuned for new chapter Sunday)
YOU ARE READING
Ryding Through Troubled Waters
General Fiction19 year-old Cale Ryder is forced onto the fast track to fatherhood when his parents come home from their second honeymoon in caskets. Along with the family ranch, Cale inherits his 3 teenage brothers and his kid sister, Brandi, AKA "the princess."...
