Montana Morning (3 page)

For several
minutes Adrianna watched Jack, as he stood lost in thought.  She could not
imagine the pain of losing a child.  Somehow she knew this was a man
accustomed to being in control.  He must feel desperately out of control
to come to a stranger for help; although she had to admit, he didn’t feel like
a stranger.

 She cleared
her throat softly.  Jack stood very still for a long time and at first she
thought he hadn’t heard. Slowly he squared his shoulders and turning with a
forced smile asked, “Are you ready to go?”

The agony in his
eyes was so strong it was tangible; she could feel it, almost taste it. 
Suddenly the pain of loss, her loss of Jed, washed over her.  With a
gentle smile of understanding she offered, “We really don’t have to go out to
eat.  I can fix something here.”

“The least I can
do is buy you lunch.”  There came that lopsided-grin again.  He was
in control once more.

“We’d better be
going then. After I walk, I get hungry. If we wait much longer, you won’t be
able to afford to feed me,” she said, as she put on her coat and reached for
the cussed boots.  “I hate these things; I never can get them
untied.” 

Jack paused to
look her up and down and then smiled a real smile as he pointed out, “I really
don’t know you yet but I can’t imagine you hating anyone or anything, even
those boots.” 

“Perhaps hate was
a bit strong, but they sure can be contrary.”

“So can I,” Jack
said, as he held the door for her.

“Somehow I don’t
doubt that one bit,” Adrianna smiled up at him, studying his face. “In fact, I
think I’d kind of expect it.”

***

The cafe Jack had
chosen was small but homey and clean.   He spoke to the waitress, who
nodded and showed them to a nice table in the back, far away from the rest of
the customers.

“Do you mind
sitting back here?” Jack asked casually.  “I thought we could talk
privately without so many interruptions.”   She nodded and as they
removed their coats and sat down, the waitress reappeared with coffee. 

“We’ll have two
chili burgers,” Jack ordered.

“Do you want those
loaded?” the waitress asked.  He looked across the table at
Adrianna.  She probably had no idea what ‘loaded’ was.

“Give me the
works,” she smiled.  Jack nodded. For a time they sat in silence, sipping
their coffee, both of them wondering where to go from here. 

“I don’t exactly
know where to begin,” Jack said anxiously.  “I’ve never asked someone to
work for me before.”

“I’ve never
applied for a job before, so I guess we’re even.” Adrianna admitted, as she
felt her courage slipping away.

“To be honest,
this isn’t your average job.  I’m asking you to live in our home, take
care of Scotty, cook and clean, wash and iron, teach school and,” Jack suddenly
realized how much he was asking.  “Good Grief, Maggie is right.  I am
asking for an angel - or worse yet a slave.”  He watched her face, trying
to read her thoughts.  Most women would have bolted for the door by
now.  She listened quietly.

“Go on,” she
encouraged.

Jack shook his head in
amazement.  “Haven’t scared you off yet?”

“You haven’t fed
me yet.”

Her laughing eyes
told him more than she knew. 
‘This gal’s not put off by a challenge,
and yet there’s a softness about her.  She would be good for Scotty . . .
for all of us.’

The food
arrived.  She stared at Jack and back at the plates heaped with
chiliburgers, french fries and salad.  

All this for one
person?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

They are used to
feeding hungry ranchers, not fancy ladies.”

She looked down at
her blue jeans and floppy boots and laughed.  “Fancy Lady?   You
can’t be looking at me.”

But Jack was
looking at her . . . a lot.

The remainder of
the meal was spent telling each other about their lives and families. 
Adrianna asked many questions concerning the ranch and about the care Scotty
would require.  Several cups of strong coffee later, a silence fell
between them. 

Jack studied
Adrianna across the table as she sipped her coffee.   He looked down
at the napkin she had folded and refolded. He reached for the small hand,
covered it with his and asked, “Will you take the job?”

Adrianna took a
very deep breath, looked him in the eye, and asked him for a favor, “Would you
mind taking me to my church for a minute or two when we leave here?”

“I don’t mind at
all, but you didn’t answer my question.”

“I don’t have an
answer; not yet.”

Jack paid the bill
and they drove to the church in silence.

“Do you want me to
wait out here?” Jack asked, not wanting to crowd her.

“Not unless you
want to.”  She turned to study him and after careful consideration added,
“In fact, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to come.”

He wasn’t sure
what they were doing here, but he followed her up the walk and opened the
door.   She sat in a pew near the back of the quiet church and bowed
her head.  Jack sat down quietly next to her watching the light filter
through the stained glass windows.  Jack hadn’t been in a church in five
years, the Monday they had buried his mother, Emily; that day he had been too
buried in grief and too worried about Pops to notice the sense of peace about
the place.  He studied at the woman praying beside him and slowly she
gazed up at him.

“Are you very sure
I’m the woman you need?”

Jack smiled at her
and felt relief flowing over him like a spring shower.  “Yes, I’m very
sure.”

Then my answer is
yes.”

They sat silently
absorbing all that had happened in the past few hours. Finally, Jack stood up
and looking down at Adrianna, he gave her a very sheepish, very crooked
smiled.  “Now that it is settled, which one of us is going to tell
Maggie?”

Chicken?” she
asked, grinning up at him as they left the church.

Cluck, Cluck,” he
grinned back.  A huge weight was gone from his shoulders and he felt like
he was actually breathing for the first time all day.

You’d better take
me home, Cowboy. I have a lot of work to do in the next two weeks.”

***

Maggie looked
forward to the quiet, evening dinner as she turned her Blazer onto Dalecort
Drive.  Adrianna had a calmness about her Maggie envied.  This had
been the day straight from hell, and she was glad it was coming to an
end.  As she pulled into the drive, the snow had started falling again and
it was getting colder.   It was below freezing now, according to her
toes. 

Adrianna met her
at the door shaking her head in disbelief.  “When are you ever going to
learn to wear sensible boots?  Your feet must be frozen.”

“Not everyone can
be cautious and sensible like you!” Maggie laughed, shook the snow from her
hair and kicked off her shoes; now her toes would thaw.

“Would you like a
cup of hot tea before dinner, Maggie?  It looks to me like you’ve had a
rotten day.”  Adrianna hurried off to the kitchen, talking over her
shoulder as she took the teapot off the stove.

“You wouldn’t
believe how rotten!”   Maggie curled up on the couch, tucking the
pink and rose afghan over her cold feet.  “Not only did I fail a client
miserably, but I got word this afternoon my apartment isn’t going to be
available after all.” She ran her fingers absent-mindedly through the tassels.
“Red and I are still being civil to one another, but living through a divorce
while living in the same house is horrible,” she said, her voice deep with
regret. “I can’t ask him to leave.  I want him to keep the house.  I
just didn’t think it would take this long to find another place.”

Adrianna sat the
tea on the coffee table in front of the couch.  Kicking off her slippers,
she curled up in the chair across from Maggie.  She watched as Maggie
sipped her tea and sensed some of her sister-in-law’s tension.  Adrianna
studied Maggie for several minutes before she realized what she was seeing.

“Maggie, you
really don’t want this divorce, do you?” she asked quietly.

How can you ask
that?”  Maggie’s look was a combination of shock and anger.

Look me in the eye
and tell me you don’t love Red.”

Maggie was still
for a very long time.  Slowly she looked up from her lap; tears were
running down her pale cheeks.  “Love doesn’t have much to do with this one
way or the other.”

Where there is
love, there has to be a way to make it work.  Red still cares for
you.  Maybe what you really need is time and space to think things through
. . . not a divorce.” Adrianna put on her slippers and started for the
kitchen.  “Dinner is about ready, care to join me?” she glanced back at
Maggie, who at the moment was attempting to untangle her feet from the afghan.

“I’d love
to.  Is that pot roast I smell?” she hurried to the table pausing only
long enough to pat Chester on the head and to rub his outstretched
belly.   “You spoiled dog, you.” 

Adrianna made
small talk as they ate, all the while trying to figure out how she was going to
broach the subject of her day, and the remarkable changes about to take place
in her life. 

“So tell me all about
your client,” she ventured at last.

Maggie sat looking
out into the darkness.  She did not normally discuss clients with anyone
outside of the office, but perhaps Adrianna might have an idea how to help Jack
Kilbourne.  She certainly didn’t.   Adrianna listened
attentively to the whole story.  The only surprise to her was his
insisting the employee sign a one-year contract. 

Adrianna asked as
casually as she could, “Why is that so important to him?  Doesn’t he
realize it makes it harder for you to find someone?”

“Oh, yes.” Maggie
nodded her head in agreement.  “He realized that from the beginning, but
he’s kind of trapped.”

“Trapped, how?”

“He wants
permanent custody of his grandson.”

“I guess I’m not
following you.”

“The judge has
told him the court must have a guarantee all of his grandson’s needs will be
met; in the judge’s eyes that is full time, long term care provided by a person
approved by the court.”

“I see.” 
‘Why
didn’t Jack mention the contract to me?’
Adrianna wondered.
‘Surely it
didn’t slip his mind.’ 
She would ask him, before they went to see
Scotty tomorrow morning.

“I tell you
Adrianna, I have never felt like such a failure,” Maggie sighed.  “Mr.
Kilbourne and his family need help desperately.  I just don’t know what to
do.” She looked up to see Adrianna looking back with a sheepish grin.

“What are you
grinning about, lady?”  Maggie knew that look. She wasn’t going to like
the answer.

“I think I should
let you off the hook,” Adrianna said, taking a deep breath.  “Mr.
Kilbourne hired someone today.  You can quit looking.”  There . . .
it was out.

Maggie stared at
her, her mouth hanging open in amazement.  “He didn’t!”

“Yes, he did and I
accepted.”

“Are you out of
your ever lovin’ mind?” The Adrianna she knew would not do this kind of thing.
 ‘She’s
steady, calm, level headed.  She doesn’t make snap judgments!’ 
“What
were you thinking?  Wait until I get my hands on that man!  I’ll
wring his cotton pickin’ neck!  How dare he?  Of all the unmitigated
gall . . .”

 Adrianna
sipped her coffee and stared out at the gently falling snow. Maggie ranted on
and on, but finally realized Adrianna wasn’t responding to her tirade. 

“Are you listening
to me?  I will not allow this!  How did he find you?   Did
he explain to you the duties and working conditions?  Of course
not.   What did he say?   How did he justify coming here?”

“Slow down,
Maggie.  Do you have a copy of the job description and everything he gave
you?”  Adrianna asked in her most businesslike voice.

“I sure do. 
It’s in the car.  I’ll get it.  You read it, and then we will figure
out how you’re going to tell smarty-pants Kilbourne you’ve changed your mind!”

***

Adrianna read the
information in the manila folder.  “Remote cattle ranch in need of full
time housekeeper.  Applicant must be qualified to tutor and care for young
boy, age nine, who recently lost both parents.  Child will be recuperating
from physical and emotional injuries.  Household also includes one ranch
hand, grandfather and great-grandfather.  Modest five bedroom ranch house
has running water, wood cook stove, modern washer and dryer.  Electrical
service is sporadic.  Communication provided by cellular phone. Supplies
purchased on monthly basis.  Matronly woman preferred.  Must be
willing to sign a one-year contract to provide services.  Negotiable
Salary DOE, private room with bath will be provided.    Starting
date: February 1.” 

She felt Maggie’s
eyes studying her as she reread the information.  Jack Kilbourne had told
her all of this and much more.  Seeing it in print only served to remind
her of the commitment she had made to him and his family.   She laid
the papers on the table once more and moved to the cupboard.

“Would you like a
glass of wine, Maggie?” Adrianna reached for the wine glasses above the sink.

Maggie nodded as
she spoke, “Sis, I know they need help, but you can’t rescue all the stray
pups.”  She leaned down to pick Chester off the floor, scratching his
tummy and cooing to him. She remembered the battles Jed and Adrianna had over
the years, most regarding her tendency to adopt all stray cats, dogs and even
kids.  While Chad and Amy were her children by birth, there had been a
dozen others pretty much raised in this house over the years. ‘
Adrianna must
miss the sound of all that laughter!’ 
She wondered why it hadn’t
occurred to her before.

 Adrianna
didn’t return to the table.  After handing Maggie th
e
wineglass
,
she turned and walked slowly to the living room window.  She stood there a
long time, watching the snowdrift around the house.   Maggie curled
up on the big soft couch and waited.  When Adrianna finally turned from
the window, Maggie could see the tears welling up in the corner of her eyes.