The Green Lace Corset, стр. 81
Sally Sue knelt down and held his hands. “Your mama’s in heaven now.”
“Heaven?” His big blue eyes blinked back tears.
“Papa?”
“Papa too. They’re together in heaven.”
She led him back toward Mack. “Let’s go talk to the nice sheriff.”
Isaiah wiggled and pulled his hand away. “Where’s Mama?” he asked again.
“In heaven.” She put her arm around Isaiah. “Please, Sheriff, he’s so confused. Let me take him to the homestead for a night.”
“I reckon that wouldn’t hurt anything. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Sally Sue held Isaiah in front of her on Scout’s back as they rode at a gentle pace on the trail toward the homestead.
When they arrived at the cabin, she climbed down and lifted Isaiah to the ground. Socks mewed and greeted them at the door. “Kitty!” With delight, Isaiah bent down and petted her.
It was the bright hour when sunlight filled the cabin, sinking into the floorboards, and warmth began to rise.
He coughed. “Mama.”
Sally Sue cuddled him onto her lap in the rocker. “It’s me, Sally Sue.”
He whined, “Mama.”
“Bye, Baby Bunting, Daddy’s gone a-hunting.” She rocked him until he fell asleep and tucked him under a blanket on the cot. Cliff’s blanket, Cliff’s cot. Her heart ached. She stepped over the green dress she’d let fall on the floor and crawled into bed. Had that been only yesterday?
Propping up her pillow behind her, she pulled the envelope from her pocket, opened it, and shook out the contents. A handful of cash fell out, along with a letter. She felt a twinge in her chest as she counted the bills. Even from the grave, he was taking care of her.
She unfolded the letter and read:
Darlin’,
If you’re reading this, I’m a goner. Your caring presence has forced me to realize what’s important in life. I’m not a bad man, as I said, but I had been painted into a corner and couldn’t get out of the past without stomping tracks all over, hurtin’ others along the way. I’m sorry you were one of them. Enjoy your freedom. Thank you for your kindness, which I never deserved.
Always, C
Caring and kindness? Tears sprang to her eyes for all the times she’d been surly to him. He hadn’t had any idea how much she had hated him. He’d told Mack she could be ornery, but that wasn’t even the half of it. Cliff had been the caring and kind one, and she’d been too stubborn and hateful to even take notice. At least not until the end.
She read the epistle again, lay down, and closed her eyes. Cliff’s scent wafted from the empty pillow beside her. She picked it up, pressed it to her nose, and inhaled the deep, musty aroma of him, letting it fill her senses, memorizing it. She wrapped the pillow in her arms, rolled over, and wept uncontrollably. He’d had lots of honey in his heart.
“’Ally.” Isaiah patted her hand. “You okay?”
“Yes, dear one.” She lifted him up, held him close beside her. He just couldn’t go to an orphanage.
As much as she had grown to love the ranch, she wouldn’t be able to stay here without Cliff. Sure, she could take care of herself without him, though it wouldn’t be worth it. Besides, the missing him would be too much.
Sally Sue wiped a tear from her eye and cuddled Isaiah, certain what she had to do. She would miss the turkeys, deer, owls, horses, and even frogs. The magnificent meadow and pond. She wouldn’t get to see the garden grow or what the ranch looked like in the fall, as the aspens turned golden.
She’d saddle up Scout. At the crossroads she’d go right, instead of left, avoiding Flagstaff, and head on to the next town. They’d take the train back to Missouri, where Mama would help her raise the boy. Sally Sue would tell everyone she’d become a widow whose husband had died in a fire and left her his child. Everyone would be convinced.
56
Grass tickled Sally Sue’s ankles through her wool stockings as she strolled between windswept dunes toward the sound of pounding waves.
A gull squealed and flew overhead.
“Birdie.” Isaiah ran down the path toward it. “Big birdie.”
Basket on one arm and a satchel on the other, she followed him. A miraculous view took her breath away. Not another person was in sight. The coastline seemed to go on forever and disappear around a bend. Offshore swells rolled toward the beach and roared as they smashed onto the dark sand.
“Look!” Isaiah yelled, then raced toward the mighty Pacific.
“Isaiah, come back!” she called into her cupped hands, right before he darted into the water.
He turned around. She motioned for him, and he dashed back to her.
“You’re such a good boy.” She gave him an enormous hug, and he squeezed her back. “Let’s at least take off our shoes.”
She laid her shawl on the sheltered edge of a sand dune, sat, and patted the shawl beside her. “Sit down.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She removed her shoes and stockings. “Now you.”
He took off his shoes and socks and set them aside. He mimicked her with a giggle as she wiggled her toes in the warm sand.
Socks mewed from inside the basket. Isaiah opened it. The kitty poked her head up.
“We need to let her out for a moment.” Sally Sue lifted Socks out and kept a close eye on her. She ran in circles, scratched at the sand, and soon returned to the basket.
Sally Sue rolled up Isaiah’s overall legs, and the two of them walked toward the sea. Clasping his hands in front of her, she waded with him into the icy water.
“Brrr,” she hollered.
“Bwrrr,” Isaiah hollered.
She pulled him up and over ripples that grazed her knees. She picked him up in her arms and waded out farther and dunked them both in. He started to cry, so she splashed back to the beach and shook her body like a dog to make him laugh. It worked; he