Be My Guest (14 page)

After breakfast, Aurora stacked the dishes.
"I can't leave these for Lily to do later, Will. The food will have
dried like cement on them."

Will washed as she dried until they cleared
away the dishes from breakfast and their dinner of the evening
before. Will chatted about ranch life and life in a rural
community. He didn't mention his wife, but as far as Aurora could
tell Nancy's presence was almost visible. He must have performed
these same tasks many times with Nancy, and repeating them now must
remind him of those other times. After all, Nancy probably designed
this fabulous kitchen. In spite of that, Aurora hoped he thought
only of the present with her.

When the dishes were finished, Will checked
again with the county sheriff, who affirmed that traffic had
resumed on Highway 84 between Post and Snyder. Next, he phoned his
friend Nick and arranged to meet at the hospital.

Aurora gathered her belongings. What a
strange feeling. Could it only have been thirty-six hours that she
came here? Was it only forty-eight hours ago that she left Abilene?
How could so much happen in only forty-eight hours? She’d asked for
new experiences, and she’d managed a giant share in just two
days.

Her efficient nature resurfaced and she
snapped out of her reverie. Soon, with her things secured in her
briefcase and suitcase, she set the cases by the door to await her
return from the doctor’s visit. By that time, Will's daughter would
probably be home. This might be their last few minutes alone here
in his home. Reluctant to leave, she knew she must.

When he failed in his attempt to dissuade
her from doing any sort of cleaning, Will helped Aurora tidy his
bedroom. She was grimly determined to leave the house as she found
it even though she the strain from her day's activity drained
her.

Will saw a tightness in her pale face,
especially around her eyes, from the pain. Her movements favored
her left shoulder and side. How could he have become so attracted
to a woman in such a short time? What he wanted most to do was say
to hell with convention and propriety and keep her here with him
from this day forward. He wished he could take the easy way just
once, but he knew he must let her go now to win her later.

Very gently, he took her in his arms. His
crutches dropped as he took her chin in his hand and raised her
lips to meet his. Aurora met his kiss with renewed ardor. Pulling
his lips from hers created a painful longing for more of her.

"Oh, Aurora," Will said as he pulled her
head to his chest and cradled her in his arms. Her arms slipped
around his waist. For a few seconds he held her there, then pulled
backed slowly.

"You know I don't want you to leave but it's
time to go meet Nick, and we shouldn't keep him waiting." He shared
her reluctance to leave, but leave they must.

"I know," she said sadly. "I think I'm
ready, Will.”

They arrived at the hospital with about ten
minutes to spare before time to meet Nick. Will stuck to Aurora's
side like glue, even though she repeatedly told him she would be
fine and suggested he stay in the lobby. Looking all the while as
innocent as a lamb, he blatantly eavesdropped to her answers as the
admitting clerk took information. When Aurora again hissed at him
that she could manage fine if he would just go sit in the waiting
area, he just smiled sweetly at her without budging.

A chubby nurse bustled in and checked over
the information on Aurora's chart. In spite of Will's presence, she
asked for additional information as she gently guided Aurora to the
scales.

"How tall are you?"

"Five foot eight inches."

The nurse clucked her tongue. "My, my, you
only weigh 125. That's low for your height and build. I hope you're
not dieting."

Will almost snorted. "I guarantee she's not
dieting. She eats like a farm hand."

"Let's see, you're how old?"

Aurora glared at Will to let him know she
could speak for herself. "Twenty-eight on February 12."

The nurse expelled him from the examining
area long enough for Aurora to change into one of the scanty
examining gowns, an act that required the nurse's help. The woman
tucked a sheet around Aurora's legs and hips before she left. Will
returned the second the nurse exited the cubicle to search for the
doctor. Within minutes, the doctor sauntered in. The men exchanged
greetings and Will once again stepped into the hallway to wait.

Aurora liked Nick at once. Of medium height,
with curly black hair prematurely shot with gray, his friendly
banter changed to concern as he examined Aurora's shoulder and ribs
and the lump on her head. Nick gently probed the wound to her head.
"Damn, Aurora. Another half inch to the center, and you'd probably
have been killed." He ordered lab work and a set of x-rays of the
head, ribs, and shoulder, but found no permanent damage or
fractures. To Aurora's chagrin, Nick insisted she have a tetanus
shot. After two hours that seemed like ages, she was finally
allowed to leave.

Both Will and Aurora remained quiet as they
left the hospital, each lost deep in thought. When they stopped at
a restaurant, Aurora watched the people going into the restaurant,
then considered her wrinkled slacks and knit top. "I'm not dressed
for this place. Could we go somewhere else?"

Will peered at the other people who walked
toward the building as if suddenly aware of their existence. "Oh,
right. I forgot that this is Sunday and most of these people just
got here from church." He smoothed imaginary lint from his shirt.
"I guess we’re dressed pretty casually. I just wanted you to have a
good meal."

"Thanks, Will, but we had a terrific meal
last night. Maybe I'll take a rain check on this place."

That statement lifted Will's spirits, for it
almost promised a future for the two of them. Soon, he parked near
the door of the Dairy Queen. "Here we are, ma'am. Money is no
object. In fact, I feel so generous you can order the most
expensive thing on the menu if your little heart so desires."

Aurora ordered chicken-fried steak fingers
and gravy with French fries and a root beer. Will ordered the same
thing. "Good heavens, Aurora. Do you always eat like this? You're
cholesterol count must be outrageous!"

"Actually, it's quite good. It's another
part of my inheritance from my Grandmother Aurora. I don't usually
indulge in quite so much fried food, though. My experiences of the
past few days make me feel reckless--or maybe it's your presence. I
told you I seem to lose all sense of reason with you around."
Aurora peered at him from under her lashes and flashed an impudent
smiled. She could not imagine how she suddenly became such a flirt
in the last two days.

He spread his napkin on his lap with a great
flourish and puffed up his shoulders. "Well, ma'am, I like to think
I'm a good influence whenever possible. I seek to do good wherever
I go against the evil forces of conservatism." He gave a little
salute to finish his speech.

The waitress called their number and Aurora
went to get their food. Will could never have managed the tray.
With great care, she arranged her gravy in just the right spot
before she cut a one-inch piece of steak to dip into the gravy.
When she ate that, she cut another of precisely the same size and
started the process again."

He sat transfixed. "This is even more
unbelievable than watching you reorganize your hamburger or slice
your ham."

Aurora put her fork down and leaned against
the back of the booth. "I guess Russell was right. I am too fond of
organization and way too much of a control freak" Decisively, she
picked up the container of gravy. With one plop, she dumped the
gravy onto the mound of fried steak strips and leaned back
triumphantly. "How's that?"

He laughed, "That's good. Now you're living
dangerously."

She cut a bite of the meat and chewed it
slowly. Surprise crossed her face. "Hey, wait a minute! It tastes
just the same as the other way!"

Chapter Seven

They
arrived at the ranch before
Will's sister and brother-in-law returned with Kelly. From habit,
Will pressed the garage door opener and the door raised.

"Great! The electrical power is
restored."

"Mm, that makes about thirty-six hours it
was off, doesn't it?"

"Closer to forty, I think. Lie down for a
little while until Kelly gets here? I really want you to meet her
and Lori Beth and Tommy Joe. You must be pretty tired. Remember,
Nick said take it easy for a few more days."

Aurora hesitated, but gave in. Her head
throbbed abominably again and she really did feel tired. She
returned to the bedroom she shared with Will the past two nights.
All traces of her stay were gone. The spotless room seemed almost
sterile and made her a little sad, as if she had never been there,
as if the moments she'd shared there with Will had never existed.
You're maudlin, she told herself, you must really be overtired.

She went to the family room where the
draperies hung open, giving way to the marvelous view she’d enjoyed
the evening before. With her head at the fireplace end of the sofa
so that she could see out the wall of glass as she rested, she lay
down on the sofa. Soon the pastoral scene relaxed her and she
drifted into sleep.

Aurora awakened to the sound of voices in
the kitchen. Quickly, she straightened her hair and smoothed her
clothes with the wet palms of nervous hands. She wondered why it
seemed so important that these particular people like her and
chided herself for her apprehension. After all, how hard was it to
meet two adults and a child. There's no reason to be nervous. With
a smile pasted on her face, she mustered her courage, took a deep
breath, and walked into the kitchen.

Lori Beth was a smaller, very feminine
version of her brother with sandy hair and laughing blue eyes. She
wore a slate blue linen maternity suit that matched her eyes,
probably the one worn to church that morning. From her size, Aurora
guessed her to be about six months pregnant. As Aurora entered the
room, Tommy Joe removed the jacket that matched his dark slacks.
Ends of a tie dangled from his jacket pocket and his white shirt
lay open at the throat.

The little girl in a frilly pink dress held
her father's hands and hopped from one foot to the other as she
spoke. "I really want to meet her now, Daddy. When will she wake
up?"

Over Kelly's bobbing head, Will's eyes met
Aurora's and he smiled. "If you turn around, you'll find out."

Kelly whirled Aurora held out her hand.
"Hello, you must be Kelly. I'm Aurora."

Kelly's eyes grew wide and she stopped
hopping. "Wow, you're even prettier than Daddy said!"

Aurora smiled at Will's embarrassment. Lori
Beth and Tommy Joe seemed to enjoy Will's discomfort.

"Well, thank you, Kelly. You’re pretty
yourself. Is that one of your new dresses?"

Kelly smoothed the skirt of her dress with
her hands. "No, this is my Easter dress. Grandma bought it for me
last month. It's my very best dress."

Will's sister stepped forward. "I'm Lori
Beth, Will's sister. This is my husband Tommy Joe. We live on the
next ranch southeast of here."

"It's nice to meet you. Was your shopping
trip a success in spite of the weather?"

Tommy grimaced. "Oh, yes. These two brought
new joy to store owners all over Lubbock."

"Lubbock didn't receive as much rainfall as
this area. We heard you had over ten inches. Could that be right?"
Lori Beth asked her brother.

"At least that, and much of it within a two
hour period. Most of the town of Roscoe is still isolated by the
high water."

Aurora shuddered. "I'm certain I've never
seen such rain, even from a hurricane." She addressed Lori Beth and
Tommy Joe, "I grew up near the coast in Port Arthur, so I've driven
in heavy rains before. I've never seen a storm like that of Friday
evening."

Lori Beth stepped toward Aurora. "From what
Will said, you had a terrible time. I hope it doesn't turn you
against Garza County."

"Actually, I think this is a beautiful area.
I'd like it more with a little less water, though."

Tommy placed his hand on his wife's arm. "I
hate to run when we've just met, Aurora, but I'm really anxious to
get home and see how much damage we have from the storm at our
place."

Lori Beth took Aurora's hand in both of hers
and squeezed. "We'll see you again soon. You'll like Aunt Rose,
she's a real dear. She'll get you organized in no time if you're
not careful, though. Please don't be intimidated by her--she really
is a sweetheart."

Will shook his head and smiled. "I think
Aunt Rose has met her match this time, Sis.”

When Lori Beth and Tommy Joe left, Kelly
came over to Aurora. "Do you think you'll find your car? Daddy said
it thought it was a boat and sailed away."

Aurora sighed and shook her head. "I don't
know, Kelly. I'm afraid it'll be ruined even if I do find it. I'll
just have to get another one, I guess, and try to replace the
things that were in it."

"What was in it?" the curious little girl
asked.

"Well, there were some clothes and shoes
that I wear when I'm working. There were also things like books, an
iron, hair dryer--you know--those things women just can't live
without."

Kelly giggled. "Now you'll have to go
shopping, won't you?"

Aurora returned her smile and put her arm
around Kelly's shoulders. "I guess I will, eventually. For now,
though, why don't you show us your new clothes?"

Eager to comply, Kelly gathered her packages
and asked Aurora and Will to follow her to her room. Aurora had
loved Kelly's room when Will showed it to her on their tour of the
house. Walls of pale seafoam green and woodwork painted white
harmonized with carpet in a slightly darker shade of the same
seafoam green. Wide hunter green ribbon with a pink ribbon rose at
the knot tied back white eyelet curtains at the window. A country
quilt in pink, white, seafoam and hunter green served as bedspread
on the white iron bedframe with a hunter green bedskirt. It made a
room any little girl--and most big girls, too--would love.