Two Spirit Ranch (13 page)

When she pulled up, Professor Redfeather excitedly ran outside to greet her.  He embraced her warmly and said, “I’m so pleased you’re here for the dedication ceremony, Miss Lawson.  We have one of the bedrooms all fixed up for you.”

“That’s so sweet.  Thank you,” Terri said.

As happy as she was with how things had turned out for the ranch, she still felt a twinge of sadness that Uncle Bud’s presence was no longer the predominant one here.  And she still had all of his personal belongings which had been placed in storage to go through. 

The professor insisted on carrying her luggage inside and noticed Terri hesitant to go in.

“Would you mind if I spent a few moments walking around the grounds, Professor?” she asked, feeling the need to have a few moments to herself with all the feelings and memories rushing into her mind.

“Of course.  Please take your time.  Without you this would not have been at all possible. When you’re ready I’ll be inside with a fresh pot of coffee.  I can show you some more of the exciting items we’ve discovered here on the land.”

“Thank you,” she said. She looked around the landscape surrounding her and remembered how beautiful and peaceful it had been. So different from the dark, cramped, and noisy city. She could be alone with her thoughts as she headed towards the lake on the trail Jake had once shown her.

Finally, she approached the water’s edge and took in a deep breath of the clean country air.  She hadn’t realized how much she had missed the crisp smell along with the serene quietness on the water and on the land, much of it still untouched and unspoiled.

“Terri,” she heard a familiar voice say behind her. Startled, she jumped and when she started to turn around she lost her footing and was falling towards the lake’s surface.  But once again a pair of strong, masculine hands reached out and grabbed her. 
Jake.

Jake pulled her up and back towards the land and towards him.

“I’m beginning to think that you want to fall into that lake,” he said jokingly.

“And what would I do if you weren’t here to catch me?” she said, stepping back a short distance and looking at him again.

God, if it was even possible, he looked even more handsome and strong in his uniform than before.  His face seemed softened since their last words together.

“You look…great. I heard you were arriving today,” he said.  “I wanted to…”

He paused as they stared at one another. They seemed to lose track of time gazing into each other’s eyes. She felt a cool breeze come over the lake, and then rays of sunshine broke through a cloud, practically spotlighting the two of them by the lake.

“I wanted to let you know we found out who attacked your house that night.”

She couldn’t help but feel a moment of disappointment.  While she wanted the vandals to be caught, they weren’t the words she cared to hear. She wanted Jake to
want
her again.

“A kid, just turned seventeen, came into the station this morning, believe it or not.  He said he had found Jesus and had to confess.  Said that Carl paid him and another kid to do it.”

“Carl! Why that no good son of a…” Terri said.  The lengths that man went to just to close a real estate deal made some of the biggest sharks she met in New York City seem like minnows in comparison.

“My sentiments exactly. It makes me sick to know a member of my family would do something like that,” Jake said. “I’m going to make sure he gets sentenced and punished for what he did.  And word will spread how he likes to conduct business around here. His reputation’s good as gone.”

Terri stood quiet for a moment, and then shook her head, looking at a small flower at her feet growing by the lake.

“Don’t.  I’m not going to press charges if that’s what’s needed.”

“What?  Why?” Jake said perplexed.

Terri reached down and plucked the purple wild flower that grew by the water.  The simple yet beautiful nature of this place still amazed her. Life goes on, wherever it is.

“He has a family to support.  What will his wife and children do without him?  I’ll be the bigger person here.”

“Wow, you amaze me,” Jake said.  “You don’t have to do that for him, you know?  He can get what’s coming to him.”

“I know,” she said, before adding, “Instead tell him I won’t press charges
if
he makes a sizeable donation to the new research center.”

Jake smiled.  “I think that sounds like a plan.  I bet you are good in the courtroom, Miss Lawson.”

She looked down at the delicate flower, as delicate as her heart felt.  She needed to say what ached within her soul.
Don’t ever be scared to be happy,
Uncle Bud’s words echoed in her head.  Even if this situation didn’t
or couldn’t
go the way she would ultimately like, she had to get things off her chest and make peace with herself.

“I thought about calling you all the time, Jake.  Every day I thought about it.  I wanted to try and at least help you understand why I did what I did. And I wanted to tell you how much you meant to me. I honestly don’t know how I could have made it through the things that happened here without you.”

“Thank you for your kindness. I’ve had a lot of time to think, and actually, Professor Redfeather has helped me.”

“He has? In what way?” Terri asked.

“We’ve talked a lot about his research of the two-spirit people and the special roles they played within the tribe.  But, I already knew you were…are...special.  I just didn’t realize how special you were until you left.  I missed you,” he paused before adding, “I did think about calling you.”

Terri’s heart swelled with happiness at those words.  It hadn’t been only her who felt the pain of their separation.  He had been thinking about her, too.

“Look, I know that you live in the big city, and I’m just a country guy that may not understand everything about you…
yet
,” Jake said, weighing his words carefully.  He wondered if she knew how much courage it took him to open his heart up just a little again.  Here he was a man who faced criminals and the unknown every day, but matters of the heart, and the idea of being hurt and losing love again, terrified him.  “But maybe while you’re here in town we could have dinner. Sally wants to see you at the Café.  We can talk some things out some and get reacquainted. Start all over without any secrets.”

“Deal,” Terri said.  “Dinner sounds delightful.  Under one condition.”

“Uh, oh!  What’s that?” Jake said, looking at her mischievous eyes.

“No Viking-on-a-Stick.  I loved it, but a gal has to watch her figure. Two spirits, okay. Two bodies, not so much.”

Jake chuckled and his eyes sparkled the way they did the day they went to the MontanaFair. 

“Deal,” he said.

And then, catching her by surprise, Jake reached out and took her hand. She had forgotten how nice and warm he felt. His hand was strong yet gentle, like Sheriff Jake Collins himself.

“Want to head back?  I know Professor Redfeather is very excited to show you some of his discoveries,” Jake cocked his head toward the ranch house.

She squeezed his hand, smiled, and said, “That’d be wonderful, Jake. I’d love to go back.”

The two of them headed towards the house, hand in hand, the future unclear but still full of possibilities, like the endless autumn Montana sky.