Peggy Dulle - Liza Wilcox 04 - Saddle Up (15 page)

CHAPTER 15

“I had to tell the doctor something when he found me in his office, so I told him I was feeling sick,” I said as nonchalantly as I could. It was best not to make a big deal out of it. I don’t know why I couldn’t tell him I told the doctor I was pregnant. It just didn’t feel right, especially after our earlier conversation. Tom would be overjoyed with such news and insist we get married tomorrow.

“And he told Sheryl Ann?”

“Small town gossip mill, you know how it is.”

Tom frowned.

He needed a distraction and luckily, I knew exactly what to do. I took my red nightgown out of my suitcase. It was silk, slit up both sides, and all lace in the back.

I heard him sigh.

“Want to help me put it on?” I asked.

“Oh no, I want to watch you put it on and then I’ll have fun taking it off,” Tom stripped down and got into bed.

I changed into the nightgown, throwing my clothes on the vanity stool, and he held the covers open for me. I slid next to him and he engulfed me in his arms. It was stupid not to tell him about what I had said to the doctor.

“Tom, I …,” I started.

“I love you, too,” he said and placed his mouth on mine.

There was no more talking for the next hour, only sighing, moaning and ripples of pleasure.

I woke up early because the sun shone so brightly through the windows in the room and there just wasn’t any way of blocking it out. To sleep, I need two things: warmth and darkness. The alarm clock said 6:00 a.m.

When I turned over for the third time, Tom pulled me close and said, “It’s too early to get up.”

“I know, but I’m awake. What time do you think Sheryl Ann serves breakfast?”

Tom opened up one eye and said, “I have no idea.”

My stomach growled and he laughed. “I guess it’s time to get up.”

“I’m going to take a shower and get dressed. Do you think Sheryl Ann is up yet?”

“Knock on her door and see.” Tom sat up and stretched. “I guess I’ll take a shower before the rest of the troops get up, too.”

When I knocked on her door, she didn’t answer, so I slowly opened it. Her bed was made and she wasn’t there. I took a long hot shower and then dressed, putting on my red cowboy boots, jeans, and a white crinkled peasant top with red embroidery designs on top. Then added a little makeup, brushed out my long red hair, and added some gold hoops. All I needed was a cowboy hat and I would be ready for the rodeo.

When I got back to the bedroom, Tom was dressed in his uniform.

“You’re wearing that to the parade?” I asked.

“No, I just got a call from the station. Someone broke into the high school last night and stole several computers, sprayed graffiti through five classrooms, and tore quite a few lockers off the wall.”

“Can’t someone else take care of it?”

“David’s still tying to work things out with Doreen and Curtis is at training with Chase, and I can’t ask Bret or Carl to do it, they’re only part-time officers and both have other jobs. When push comes to shove, I’m the chief and it’s up to me to take care of it.”

Chase was their new K-9 dog since Tom’s dog Duke was hurt and never went back on patrol.

“I’ll have a quick breakfast with you and then see you at the rodeo, okay?”

“Of course.”

“But before we go downstairs, I just wanted to say that you look very sexy in your cowgirl outfit, especially those red boots. It makes me want to put on a cowboy hat and ride off in the sunset with you.” He pulled me into his arms.

I put my arms around him and said, “Well, you know the way I feel about your uniform.”

He laughed and we kissed.

I didn’t want to take my purse to the parade, so I slipped my cell phone into my back pocket.

When we got downstairs, Sheryl Ann treated us to a full scale breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, and country potatoes, but it was just Tom, Sheryl Ann and myself.

“Where are the boys?” I asked. 

“Sleeping in. They all got in rather early this morning and they’ve got to be at the rodeo grounds by ten, so they won’t get up until 9:30, then grab anything I have in the kitchen and head over.”

“Are you going to the parade?” I asked.

“Nope, I’ve got to get over to the Saddle Club and start cooking for the luncheon. I’ve got a chair if you want to take it with you.”

“Thanks.”

I walked Tom out to his car and said, “You want to meet me here so we can go to the rodeo together?”

“Let’s play it by ear. I’ll call you. Hopefully, it will only take an hour to take care of this. I’ve already got a couple of ideas on who made the mess.”

I watched Tom go and thought about our future together. If he joined the San Ramon Police Department, he would be one of many officers. In Gainsville, he was one of three and the chief. He knew the community and they knew and respected him. He was willing to dump it all and move to San Ramon, but could I really ask him to do it? I loved teaching at my school, but I would love teaching at another school, too. I live in a small three bedroom condo and his house is large and set amongst pine trees. There really wasn’t any choice, was there? I would lose a few years moving to a new district, but it was better to do it sooner than later, since teachers are paid by number of units and years they’ve taught. I maxed out my units several years ago, so years of service were the only thing that drove my salary. I called Gainsville’s District Office several months ago and they said they would give me seven of my ten years if I moved to their district. It felt like I had made a decision that just made better sense.

When I got into the house, a camping chair and a bottle of water sat by the door. It was only 8:30 but I wanted to find a good place to sit at the beginning of the parade, so I would see the entire thing and then make it to the Saddle Club to help Sheryl Ann.

The main street was filled with people. Families had staked out their sections with lawn chairs, blankets and strollers. Men dressed in cowboy outfits pulled rolling carts filled with pink cotton candy, cowboy hats in pink, white, and black, swords, bubble makers, stuffed animals, and blowup superhero and cartoon characters. A little boy in a stroller, maybe three years old, was a few feet from me and when he saw the cart he squealed with delight. His mom finally gave in and bought him a black hat and a sword. He immediately put the hat on and swung the sword back and forth.

My first thought was, “He’s going to put somebody’s eye out with that thing.” It wasn’t three minutes before he struck his five year old sister on the face with the sword. She started crying and mom yelled at the little boy and took the sword away. He immediately started screaming. It was hard for me to imagine she couldn’t have seen that coming.

Several families drove up and backed their pickup trucks on the street and everyone piled into the back. Country music blared from their radios and American flags lined the streets on both sides. There were also several men and women who just didn’t look right. They were by themselves or in pairs. They had the clothes right, jeans and t-shirts, but the unnecessary wind breakers to cover their guns and badges made them stick out like they wore neon signs that said, “FBI”. They wandered up and down the street but one of them was always within a few feet of me. It’s nice to be so popular with the Feds! I just looked away and ignored them, determined to enjoy my first rodeo parade.

Doc set up a small table in front of his office door and put out a cooler and a first aid kit. Then he walked over to where I sat.

“What’s that for?”

“It’ll get warm, maybe over ninety, by the end of the parade and people will need water. And at least one person will come in search of some kind of bandage, usually for a kid whose parents were talked into buying a toy from those carts.”

I glanced over at the little boy and his mother had returned the sword to him.

The first thing down the street was Earl in his white car with “Ridgedale Security” painted on the doors. He had a police bar on top and the lights were spinning. Every time a kid yelled, “Hello, Officer Earl”, he would sound the siren. The children squealed with delight and the parents laughed. I could tell by the big smile that Earl was in his glory.

Next came six horses, four riders carried American flags and two with the California flag. Every one stood and the men removed their hats. It was an amazing feeling of patriotism. The kids clapped in rhythm with the horses clopping feet.

One of the teenagers in the truck bed across from me yelled, “Go America!”

The crowd laughed and nodded their heads in agreement.

Priscilla Banner arrived in a buggy pulled by a white horse. She was waving at the crowd, who waved back. Some yelled her name; others yelled good morning to her. Doc moved from behind his table to the curb and waved at her. She took off her hat, bowed her head slightly and blew him a kiss. He blushed and nodded back.

Next came twelve horses with Rodeo Queens on them from all over the area. They were young and beautiful and dressed in brightly colored elaborate outfits. Each had the year, 2010, and then Miss Rodeo and their city. They made me think of Tom’s ex-wife, Pam. She had been a Rodeo Queen, too. I wasn’t even anywhere near the Rodeo Queen category.

There were four Corvettes, each with someone running for offices – one for sheriff of the next town, two for senators, and a judge. All had people who came down the street with them and handed out things. I got two pencils, a magnet and a Tootsie Pop. I would vote for the one who gave me candy if I lived in this area.

Five military vehicles roared down the street. The smell of diesel fuel wafted through the air and assaulted my sense but each flew a flag for one of the armed services and an MIA flag, so the crowd yelled, hooted, and clapped.

Doc brought over a chair and sat next to me.

“No customers?”

“Not yet. It’s too early for people to need water and for the kids to have done enough damage to need a bandage from the same doctor that gives them their vaccines. Besides, here comes my favorite part of the parade.”

A group of kids carrying a sign that said, “Your Health Matters!” were followed by children of all ages on bikes, scooters, and skateboards. They all had on helmets and some pulled dogs along with them. They all waved and yelled at Doc. Then came more kids dressed in ballet tutus. They twirled to music being blared from the back of a large pickup truck decorated in red, white, and blue. The
smaller kids ro
d
e
on the back of the truck and waved to the crowd. Some of the older kids threw candy to the waiting children on the sidelines. I caught a tootsie roll, opened it up and popped it into my mouth.

“Candy is not all that good for you,” Doc remarked.

“I like it,” I told him, picked up another one and put it in my pocket.

“Just don’t get carried away.”

I wanted to tell him to shut up, but then I would have to tell him I lied about being pregnant and that I was in his office snooping in his files. It was better to concentrate on the parade.

Doc stood and moved back toward his office door as a woman rushed over with a child who had bloodied both his knees. I went back to watching the parade.

A clown in full makeup, stri
ped overalls, and huge red shoes walked over to me. I’m not a fan of clowns, not since the psycho clown camp.

“Make you a balloon animal?” the clown said.

“No thank you,” I told him without making eye contact.

“I can make you a flower bouquet,” he insisted.

“No, thank you,” I repeated.

“How about some daisies?” he asked.

Daisies are my favorite flowers. I looked up into my dad’s eyes and my heart warmed.

“I’d love some daisies.” My face erupted into a full smile to project the love I felt toward the man who I thought was dead only a few months earlier.

“Are you enjoying the parade, miss?” he asked as he blew up a white and yellow balloon with a pump.

“Yes. I like your costume,” I told him.

Dad flopped his feet back and forth and said, “me, too.”

A female FBI agent crossed the street a block from us and started toward us.

“There sure are a lot of people at the parade.” I glanced at the agent and then back at my dad.

“That’s for sure.” My dad laughed and winked at me. He twisted the two balloons together to make two daisies, one white and one yellow and handed them to me.

“Thanks.” I smiled and nodded at him.

“Enjoy the rest of the parade, miss,” he said, then crossed the street and stopped in front of another woman and her two small boys. Both kids squealed with delight as he made them each a balloon sword. At least they couldn’t hurt someone with them. The female FBI agent stepped back toward the building, dismissing the clown and taking up her surveillance again.

The next group was the County Sheriff’s Posse. There had to be at least twenty men and women on horseback, many carrying American and California flags. The horses even had blue material with white stars wrapped around their legs.