Revelation of Hearts (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #3) (8 page)

The summer of nineteen-eighty, was uneventful except for the weddings of Suzanne and Paul’s in June, and then two months later, the twins wedding in August. Suzanne and Paul were to honeymoon in Hawaii and the twins in the Bahamas. The fall brought heartache and joy. Jackie’s Father, the influential David Macgregor passed away in October nineteen-eighty.  In December on Christmas day, Jessie and Sam announced they were expecting a baby in July.  The winter of nineteen-eighty and eighty-one was cold and bitter. It felt as if the cold could cut right through you.  Jackie’s mother caught bronchitis in the early spring.  Through out the spring and summer it kept reoccurring.  In July, she was diagnosed and hospitalized with viral pneumonia.  On the twentieth of July, nineteen-eighty-one Eleanor Louise Macgregor died the same day her great-granddaughter, Stacey Leighanne Scott was born.

Chapter-13

Stacey Leighanne Scott

Jessie had gone to bed the on the nineteenth of July with a backache.  For the past two weeks, she had been helping Sam set up his office and clinic in Rawhide. This was one of Sam’s dreams, to provide medical care to this rural community.  Henry Fairfield knew about Sam’s dream and wanted to help.  Henry had known Sam Scott all of his life.

He was six years Sam’s senior and had grown up in Rawhide. He now lived in Austin and owned his own business.  He was a self-made man and had great respect for the Scott family. Henry’s dad, Thomas Fairfield, passed away a few years ago, but his mother had just died this passed spring. Henry had no use for the house; therefore, he donated it to Sam to use as a clinic.  It was a brick, five-room house, just two blocks over from the school. The living room would be the waiting room, one bedroom his office, the other two bedrooms would be examining rooms.  The kitchen would double as a lab and break Room, and there was one bathroom down the hall.

Sam didn’t get home from the clinic on the nineteenth of July until around twelve a.m.  At one a.m. Jessie woke with heavy contractions. She didn’t want to bother Sam, she knew he was tired and she thought it was premature labor. By two a.m., she knew better. At three-thirty-three on the twentieth of July nineteen-eighty-one, Doctor Sam Scott delivered his baby daughter.  Le Chen was there too and helped all he could.  Le took care of the baby girl, while Doctor Sam took care of his wife.

Around eight o’clock that morning; Jessie called to tell her mom and dad about the baby.  She asked about her grandmother.  Her mom broke down and told her that her grandmother had died thirty minutes before Stacey was born.  This news was very hard for Jessie to handle.  The funeral was on Sunday, but Jessie was not able to attend.  Sam found his wife sliding into a state of depression.  The Scotts were there to help as much as possible.  Jessie’s family came too.  Lora wanted to stay, but Jessie said, “No, I want to take care of my daughter myself.”

For about three weeks, Jessie cried a lot and Sam was becoming concerned about her.  Le Chen talked with Jessie. He tried in his own quiet way to explain about his belief in, ‘The breath of life.’ Jessie knew that some people’s belief in reincarnation.  Right now, that notion helped her a lot.  When Sam got home that night Jessie was up, dressed and greeted her husband with a kiss.  Sam told her he was so happy to have his Jessie back.  When Stacey was three weeks old, her mother took her to the clinic with her to help Doctor Sam.  Mr. Chen kept the house and had food ready when they arrived home.

On the thirty-first of July, nineteen-eighty-one, Le Chen drove Sonia Mendes to the clinic where she delivered a son.  Antonio Miguel Mendes.  Jake read her note when he got home.  Le Chen was waiting for him with his supper ready and then drove Jake to the clinic to see his wife and son.

Ranch life was hard that summer. There was a drought in their part of Texas. Even down by the river and the lake the land lay parched. Jake was trying to keep fodder for the cattle as close to the river and lake as possible.  Le Chen found himself helping in that area as well.

After, a day and night at the clinic, Sonia came home and things went back to normal as well as could be. By September, Sam and Jake knew there would be no round up for sale.  Sam knew his dad’s cattle had faired no better.  Because of the drought, ranchers were hanging on by the skin of their teeth.

The new grandparents and Jessie’s siblings had all been up a few times to see the new member of the family. On Thanksgiving, all the family came up to Rawhide. “Your grandmother left a codicil in her will,” Jessie’s mom informed her. “You and Sam are to have any or all of the furniture you want.  The other grandchildren will receive money from the sale of the estate.”

Jessie was happy to have inherited her grandmothers beautiful furniture, but knew they could have used the money more.  On December second, nineteen-eighty-one, a big moving van brought the furniture Jessie had chosen.  There was a dining table with twelve chairs, a china cabinet and buffet, a grand piano, a Grandfather clock, a Queen Anne writing desk with chair, curio cabinet with contents, three bedroom suits, living room furniture, plus furniture, books and contents from her grandfather’s study, also much china, Crystal and silver. 

Jessie asked her mother, “Don’t you want any of this, Mom?”

“No darling, we have no place for it, but you do.  Fill up that big empty house Sam has built for you. I think, that’s what your thoughtful grandmother had in mind.”

The twins started their business with their share of the inheritance. Suzanne and Tracy put theirs in stocks for the future.  Farley and Bernice’s children did the same.

Stacey was now eleven months old. She was walking and into everything, she could reach.  What she couldn’t reach, she would climb to get.  She was an audacious, precocious child.  When she was nine months old, Jessie took her from the breast and tried to give her a bottle.  She screamed and fought her mother until Jessie gave her back the breast.  At ten months of age, she quit the breast and took the bottle on her own.  When Stacey was eleven months, she quit the bottle and then would only drink from a cup.  Stacey loved going to the third or fourth step on the stairs and jumping. They had to put gates on the living room and back hall stairs and keep the doors closed to the basement. She would crawl upon the piano bench, then to the top of the piano, sit there and scream, “Dis mine, dis mine.”

When Stacey was a little over a year old, Jessie had to go back to work.  Their cash was almost gone.  Doctor Sam was receiving payment more in barter than in cash.  Sam didn’t know who but a benevolent benefactor, was paying the utilities for the clinic. Jessie went back to nursing at the hospital in Austin and Mr. Chen took over care of Miss Stacey.  Stacey loved being with Mr. Chen, but when her mom or dad were home she was under their feet.

Two of the bedrooms, upstairs had been finished. In one large room, they put in a wall and made a nursery for Stacey.  They locked the door to the hall so her only way out was through their bedroom.  Stacey loved, waking up early and then getting in bed with her mommy and daddy. Sleeping late around her was impossible, and neither would she take a nap in the daytime.  Without Mr. Chen, they might have rethought their parental belief in non-spanking.

In the spring of nineteen-eighty-four, the Double SS was getting ready for round up.  The cattle were healthy and things were looking good.  Jessie asked Sonia to watch Stacey while Mr. Chen was running the chuck wagon for the round up.  Sonia had just given birth to their second son Richard in February, but would be happy to help out in any way she could.  However, nobody bothered to ask Stacey what she wanted.  She ran Sonia ragged the first day. The second day; Jessie took her to Grandy Scott.  Grandy didn’t fair much better.  Stacey wanted, ‘Her Mr. Chen.’ She kicked, screamed and refused to eat.  The next day when Jessie took her to Grandy’s house, she refused to turn her mother loose.  She kept asking, for Mr. Chen. 

“Stop your cater-wauling and I’ll take you to Mr. Chen,” Grandy said, “And may god help the man.” Grandy saddled up and packed the saddlebags with Stacey’s things.  She set her on the saddle in front of her and headed to the far back pasture where the hands were branding. When Mr. Chen saw them, he came running.  Stacey was in his arms in an instant. “I love this child, but she’s gonna’ make herself sick pining for you,” Grandy told Mr. Chen.

“Do not worry Grandy Scott; I will manage well with our little daughter.”  He was right, for the next two weeks she was a happy well-behaved little girl. That fall they put her in pre-school. That little experiment lasted about ten days.  The teacher told Jessica, “I’m so sorry, little Stacey is just too rambunctious for the other children.”

The next pre-school lasted less than a week, and the teacher was not as polite as to why, ‘Little Stacey had to go.’ Stacey wasn’t always, ‘The devil’s spawn,’ she picked and chose her victims.  She got along well with Tony and Rich.  When they were five, Stacey and Tony started kindergarten.  Things went well, most of the time.  Tony found himself in trouble quite often because he followed, wherever Stacey led.  As Rich got older so did he.  Much of the time, Mr. Chen found himself with three troublemakers and not just one.  When Stacey and Tony were three, Mr. Chen taught them how to swim in the big stock tank where the cattle drank.  By the time they were in first grade, Tony was learning not to follow Stacey blindly, but to pick and choose the mischief for which he knew he was most likely going to be punished.  His parents had no qualms about spanking.  Sam and Jessie being professional people felt sure their little Stacey would out grow her mischievous ways.

Chapter-14

Sir Richard Heath

Lora Beth tried to give all of her great nieces and nephews equal attention, but there was something about Jessie’s little girl.  She was a little devil and she got on her Gram Flemming’s nerves, but Lora Beth liked her best.

Sam’s practice was going well and so was the ranch.  Jessie wanted very much to travel to other countries to study their ancient remedies.  Her cousin, Stewart, Uncle Farley’s oldest son was an executive at American airlines.  He had told Jessie many times, “If you wanna’ travel let me know.  I’ll provide passage to wherever you wanna’ go.” 

Jessie talked with Sam, then with her Aunt Lora. “Could you get time off for two weeks to go with Stacey and me?  I don’t wanna’ leave my daughter behind. I wanna’ spend as much time with her as I can, but I know I can’t take her to the meetings.” 

“Yes, I’ll be more than happy to travel and spend time with two of my favorite people,” Lora said.

Their first trip was to Arizona to speak with the Navajo people.  To Lora Beth, this was a godsend.  She had been rather lonely lately, remembering too much of the past.  She had met men and dated, but just couldn’t find someone she knew she could love.  There was no way she was going to tie herself down to a loveless marriage.  This little bargain would give her two weeks each summer to look forward to, with anticipation.

Lora watched her great-nieces and nephews grow up to be fine young women and men. Stacey was the oldest, then Daniel and Lynn’s twin daughters, Brittany and Brandy.  Four years later, they had a son, Cody.  Suzanne and Paul’s daughter, Ashley was next and then four years later, another daughter, Jackie Sue.  David and Melissa had twin sons, Dylan and Dusty born in nineteen-eighty-five. They were a year younger than their twin cousins, Brittany and Brandy Jessie’s youngest sister, Tracy and her husband Alan with daughter, Rebecca, eighteen and their son Robbie age fourteen. Then of course, there was her brother Douglas, he had children and grandchildren.  Lora didn’t see them as often, but they were growing up fast too.

Sometimes she felt as if time was passing her by, but the time with Jessie and Stacey helped. Stacey was a fun child and was always full of energy.  Everywhere they went, they found amusement parks and museums.  They learned to surf in Hawaii and to hula in Tahiti.  They toured castles in Germany, France, Ireland and England. While Jessie was collecting ancient remedies, Lora and Stacey toured the ruins in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Israel and Mexico. When Stacey was twelve, she fell in love with archaeology.  This seemed to give her a smoother path to follow. Stacey had started settling down a bit when she was ten.  Sam and Jessie had given her a Great Dane puppy for Christmas when she was eight.  She named him ‘Scooby.’  Stacey was an unpredictable child. You might say, ‘she marched to a different drum.’  Stacey was extremely intelligent; however, she had little patience with her peers. When she became bored with others, she would just up and walk away.  She kept her parents, teachers and Mr. Chen on their toes, trying to keep up with her.  Scooby was better at this, than others were put together.

Lora watched Stacey grow from a rambunctious preteen into a captivating, vivacious, beautiful young woman.  The older Stacey grew, the more she resembled her great-grandmother, Eleanor Macgregor. Now today is Stacey’s wedding day. Lora thought and wished in many ways that Eleanor could be there.

Stacey had met Doctor Shane McLeod in England in the summer of two-thousand-two. It had been a whirlwind romance; however, it had stood the test of a long distant courtship.  Lora was very happy for her great-niece, however, was going to miss her terribly.

Lora looked at herself in the mirror one more time and told herself; pull up on the nonsense you have a wedding to attend.

Bradley called up the stairs, “Are you ready Lora?” 

“Yes,” she said, “I’m coming.” 

On board the jet, Jackie asked, “Are you okay, Lora?” 

Lora smiled at her sister-in-law and said, “Yes, I’m okay, I admit I just let myself reminisce too far back.”

Jackie put her hand over Lora’s and gave her sister-in-law a poignant smile of understanding.

When they landed at the ranch, it was decorated beautifully with blue, silver and white ribbons from the pecan trees to the big barn where the service was being held. Lora along with Jackie was looking forward to meeting Shane’s family. The news of their unusual connection was still a bit mind-boggling. Stacey, in her ancestral search had compared her ancestral tree with Shane’s grandmothers, where she found more than one or two names in common.  They now knew that Stacey and Grandmother McLeod’s matrilineal ancestors were twins.  One had stayed in Scotland while the other had married an English army officer and transferred to the colonies in seventeen-forty.  Now today the two Jacquelyn Suzanne’s would meet for the very first time at Stacey’s and Shane’s wedding.