Letting Go (Triple Eight Ranch) - By Mary Beth Lee Page 0,31
Don’t think about making one of your moves.”
“You are crazy if you think a woman like me could ever get between Paul Dillon and his wife. Those two share a love that can’t be broken. But I don’t blame you for misreading what happened here. I’ve certainly never, well...look, Clarissa. Look at me.”
Clarissa did what her mother asked and was surprised at what she saw.
Work gloves, a muddy shirt. Filthy jeans tucked into work boots. Her mother’s face streaked with grime.
“You look awful.”
Clarissa said the words before she thought, then decided from here on she’d only be honest with her mother.
“I feel wonderful,” Tammy Jo said. “Spent the day mucking out those stalls.” She pointed beyond the baby horse.
“Oh, ew, that dirt’s not just dirt then, huh?”
Tammy Jo laughed, and Clarissa was shocked that the laugh seemed real. “It’s been a long time since I’ve spent a day on manual labor. Gave me time to think. Not all that fun to play a life like mine on rewind. I can’t go back and change things, Clarissa, but I can make sure the rest of my life is different.”
Stunned Clarissa stared at her mother, wondered what had happened to her and how long it would take before she was back to her normal self. Because one thing was for sure. Tammy Jo Dye would never change. Clarissa had learned that lesson time and time again.
For now, she’d just be happy her mother was willing to work hard.
“I’m going back to the bunkhouse,” Clarissa said. “Stay out here as long as you need.”
A week later Clarissa stood inside the dining room of Pete’s and looked around in amazement. It looked like Pete had simply closed for remodeling instead of suffering damage from a tornado.
“You moved fast.”
“Not me,” Pete said smiling sheepishly. “I think the citizens were afraid they’d starve without the diner.”
Clarissa couldn’t help but be relieved that this was one step closer to normal. “You want me to work tomorrow?”
“You know it.”
Good. Living in the bunkhouse at The Triple Eight was one thing. Tagging along to church with the Dillons was another.
“Free pie with every order.”
Ought to be packed then.
“Bev coming in?”
“Not until next week. But we’ll have plenty of help.”
A little vague there. Not like Pete.
“Plenty?”
“Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing.”
She should’ve been worried. That’s what Clarissa thought when Mackenzie rode to church with Paul and Susie leaving her to ride into town with Jed.
A Jed intent on talking about everything from his dog Beau who had died a couple years ago to a pet snake Mack wanted to the time he and his siblings had learned the nasty truth about poison ivy.
She didn’t want to talk to Jed, didn’t want to know more about his life, didn’t want to wish for things that couldn’t be.
Strangely, he also insisted on playing The Old Time Gospel Hour from a station out of Lawton on the truck’s radio, and the songs her grandmother had loved so much played one after another the entire ride into town.
The Old Rugged Cross.
“You wouldn’t believe how much poison ivy itches. And my momma didn’t feel a bit sorry for us when she rubbed us down with that pink lotion.”
Amazing Grace.
“Mack says she wants a snake because she’s sure it would do a better job eating mice than the barn cats. Not sure I want to know where she learned about snakes eating mice.”
I’ll Fly Away.
“Had Beau fourteen years. No telling how long he would’ve lived if it hadn’t been for the bad dog food. Funny thing. You buy the expensive stuff thinking it’s the best and a fungus causes kidney failure.”
Whiter Than Snow.
“You heard about Lester and Mrs. Norene? Funny thing that. He’s been in love with her long as I can remember. All it took was a tornado and she suddenly sees him in a different light. Pastor West’s doing the ceremony tomorrow afternoon and then Lester and Mrs. Norene are headed to Disney World.”
Clarissa just stared at him. No way had she missed this news. She’d spent the last week in gossip central at the church. No way.
“Mrs. Norene is marrying Lester?” She couldn’t keep the disbelief out of her voice.
“She sure is. Momma is making something called cake pops for the wedding. Not real sure what that means.”
“Wow. Married. That’s just...” she trailed off thinking of all the words that would fit. The one that seemed to work best. Wonderful.
“That’s amazing. I’m stunned.”
“Lester spent the whole time Mrs. Norene was in the hospital