Hannah poured tea into each of the tall glasses and finally plopped onto one of the chairs and expelled a long sigh.
“It’s about time you relax,” Chet said, patting her hand. “She’s worked hard getting the house ready and the boy’s birthday supper cooked,” he told all of them.
“Thank you, Mama,” Brady said. “I appreciate it. It looks great.”
“You’re welcome, son. Happy birthday! Now, everyone dig in.”
Conversation never lagged throughout the meal. Shay temporarily forgot about the discussion she planned to have later with Colt and joined in the laughter and jokes. It had been so long since she’d shared in that kind of family camaraderie. It did her heart good.
After supper, they gathered in the living room for Brady to open his gifts. He appeared to genuinely like the bolo tie she gave him. Either that or he was demonstrating the polite manners Colt had spoken of earlier.
From Hannah and Chet, he received some clothes and mud flaps for his truck. Dawn had bought him a pair of maple drumsticks. When it was time to open Colt’s gift, Brady shook it several times. It rattled.
“Sounds broken,” he said, and everyone laughed.
Colt clasped his hands behind his neck and leaned back into the sofa cushions, grinning. “Just open it.”
When Brady ripped off the paper and flipped up the box lid and looked inside, a wide smile spread across his face.
“What is it?” Dawn asked, peeking in.
Brady started lifting out the pieces of a toy train set and tracks, including fake trees, street lamps, buildings, cars and miniature people. Hannah clapped a hand over her mouth. Chet laughed and nodded with satisfaction.
Shay knew there had to be a family story that went along with this gift. She and Dawn both stared at Brady and waited for him to explain.
“When we were kids,” he started, “I had a train set just like this. I got it for Christmas one year. Mama said I could play with it in the basement. Daddy fashioned a table out of plywood and Colt helped me hook the cars together and we set up the village. The two of us spent hours in the basement running that train around the tracks.”
Colt grinned, probably recalling the good memories.
“Why is Colt giving you a new train set now?” Dawn asked.
“Because my set got ruined.”
Hannah broke in and continued with the story. “We had a big snowstorm that same winter. During the months of January, February and March, our county suffered the coldest temperatures on record in over a century. Many folks’ pipes busted, including ours. The basement flooded and froze everything, ruining so many items and keepsakes I’d stored down there.”
“Including Brady’s train set,” Chet added.
Brady went on. “By the time the spring thaw came, it was too late for my train. The pieces were rusted. We had to throw everything out.”
“Ah. That’s sad,” Dawn said. “Why didn’t your mom and dad buy you a new train set?”
“We wanted to,” Hannah answered quickly. “But Brady wouldn’t have it. A lot of his friends lost more than toys that winter. Some of our neighbors lost their clothes and furniture from the flooding, and they had to start over again. Brady told his daddy and me that if his friends could do with hand-me-down clothes and shoes, he could do without a toy train.” Tears pooled in Hannah’s eyes. “I was never more proud of my son as I was that day. And Colt, this was such a thoughtful gift. What kind-hearted boys I have.”
The room fell silent for a moment. Shay felt happy tears form in the corners of her own eyes. Such a loving, caring family this was. Seeing the joy they shared made the loss of her mom and dad feel fresh.
Brady broke through the quiet. “Thanks, Colt. You want to help me set it up again? Mama probably won’t mind moving some of her stuff out of the basement to make room.”
The brothers laughed when Hannah shot them a no you don’t look.
“It must feel awful crowded in this house. When are you going to buy your own place?” Colt asked him directly. “I’ve got a few on the market that have nice basements and extra rooms where you could set up the train, your drums, and still have space left over.”
Hannah rolled her eyes and stood up. “Go ahead, Colt. Try and convince him to move out. It won’t do any good. I’ve tried. Excuse me. I’m going to get the cake and coffee ready.”
Brady and Dawn exchanged glances, and he cleared his throat. “Sit down, Mama. The cake can wait. Dawn and I have something to tell y’all.” He grabbed Dawn’s hand and took a deep breath. Hannah looked at Chet and retook her seat.
“We’re getting married!” Dawn shouted.
“Isn’t that something?” Chet said, slapping his knee. He and Colt stood and offered congratulations to the couple and shook their hands. Shay did the same and asked Dawn if they’d set a date yet.
“Yes. Two weeks from now.”
“What? Why so soon?” Hannah’s brow wrinkled.
Brady’s cheeks flushed and his head dropped. He let Dawn answer. “I’m three months pregnant.”
Hannah collapsed back into her chair with her hand to her forehead. “Oh, Lord.”
Thirty
Colt’s cell phone blared. “Excuse me.” He pulled it from his shirt pocket and stepped into the hallway. The timing couldn’t have been better. He didn’t want to hear more of Mama’s reaction to Brady’s news.
“Hello. Morgan Realty.”
“Colt? This is Opal Franklin. Sorry to bother you.”
“No bother, Opal. What’s up? Is it Frank?”
“That’s why I’m calling you at this hour. You told me to call anytime.”
“Yes, I did. It’s all right. What’s going on?”
“He’s been agitated ever since you and your girlfriend left yesterday.”
Colt let the girlfriend comment pass.
“Can you come over?” she asked.
“Right now?”
“Yeah.” There was a pause before she said, “Frank is asking for you again, and for Shay, too.”
“He’s asking for Shay? By name?”
“Yeah. He’s saying it over and over, and I caught him crying.”
Frank was crying? Whatever bothered him must be serious, Colt thought. “Sure, Opal. Shay happens to be with me. We can be there in about a half hour. It’s my brother’s birthday, but I think the party’s about over anyway.” He was thinking about the bombshell Brady and Dawn had just delivered to his folks.
Colt flipped the phone shut and rejoined everyone in the living room. His mama was calmly serving cake, with Shay following up with coffee.
“Is there a problem?” Shay whispered when he sidled up next to her. She must have noted the worried look on his face. He was concerned about Frank. He’d never seen a man of his granddaddy’s generation cry before, or his father’s, for that matter. Hell, the only time he’d ever cried as a full-grown man had been the day Denise received the diagnosis of terminal cancer.
Pushing that sad memory to the back of his mind, he said, “That was Opal. Looks like we’re going to be seeing Frank sooner than we expected.”
After explaining to his family that he needed to go see Frank, he and Shay wished Brady happy birthday again, as well as congratulations to him and Dawn on their upcoming nuptials.
Colt kissed his mother goodbye at the door and whispered in her ear. “Brady’s a grown man, Mama. You may not be crazy about his bride-to-be, and they’re doing things in the wrong order, according to you, but at least he’ll finally be out of your house.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t count on that. When you were taking your phone call, he asked your daddy and me if they could live with us for a few months after the wedding, while they save up for a place of their own.”
Colt shook his head, but was not really surprised.
Hannah hugged Shay. “Honey, do this old woman a favor. If you and my son become serious, will you please do things the right way? Marriage first, and then a baby?”
Colt groaned
. “Mama. Come on now.” His mother had never been one to censor her words. He kissed her cheek again and placed his hand at Shay’s back and gently pushed her out the door before Hannah could say more. “See you later, Granny,” he teased.
“That was an interesting evening,” Shay said, once they were in the truck and on the road. “Particularly the ending.”
“My brother may be thirty-five years old, but Mama’s old fashioned. Sorry if she embarrassed you back there.”
“I wasn’t embarrassed. Your family is great, especially your mother. She’s a lot like you. She shoots from the hip and says what’s on her mind.”
Colt slid a grin her way. If only Shay knew what was on his mind right now. A visit to Frank wasn’t what he’d planned for tonight. But it was only a quarter past eight. The night was young.
* * * * *
When Opal ushered them into Frank’s bedroom, he was holding a picture frame, staring intently at it—so intently, Colt realized, that he didn’t even notice them until they were standing at his bedside.
“Howdy, Colt. Why are you here?”
Colt took note of Frank’s eyes. Despite them being bloodshot, he appeared lucid. Colt looked at Opal, who shrugged.
“I told you I’d stop by today, Frank. I’m sorry it’s late, but this was my first chance to get over here. Shay came along, too. Opal said you were asking about her today. Do you remember her from yesterday?”
Frank’s gaze moved to Shay. “Of course I remember you. You remind me of my grandma, Cynthia.”
Shay smiled politely. “You and Colt seem to think there’s a resemblance.”
Frank’s gaze swung to the picture in his hand. “You look like this girl, too.”
“What have you got there?” Colt asked, feeling his pulse speed up.
Frank handed him the picture frame and the hairs on the back of Colt’s neck stood at attention. At the exact moment, streaks of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a boom of thunder. Colt’s head jerked to the window. A storm hadn’t been predicted for tonight, but the air suddenly buzzed with static electricity.
When the lights dimmed and then flashed off and back on again, Opal said, “I’ll go check the circuit breaker and grab some candles in case the power goes out.”
Colt hadn’t even realized she’d still been standing in the doorway. He gazed at the photo and felt his gut twist. “Who is this, Frank?”
Frank appeared captivated by Shay. “Where’ve you been all these years, girl?” His voice sounded dream-like. Colt knew he was hallucinating.
Shay glanced at Colt and stretched out her hand. “Can I see that photo please?”
He handed it to her over Frank’s prone body and jiggled Frank’s arm. “Who’s the girl in the picture?” he said again.
The old man’s lips curved upward. “That’s Alicia. Don’t you remember her, Colt?”
“This is your daughter?” Colt blurted.
Shay peered at the photo and muttered, “What the hell?” Apparently she saw what Colt saw, because her face grew ashen, and he could have picked her chin up off the floor.
“I don’t understand.” She sank into the chair next to the bed. Colt strode to her side and placed his hand on her shoulder and felt her shaking.
Frank’s face glowed like a light bulb. He crooned, “I’m glad you came home, Alicia. I’ve missed you so.”
Thirty-One
Shay had to get out of there. The hard chair tipped over as she jumped up and pushed by Colt. Staggering to the door, she bumped into Opal, sending candles and matches clattering to the floor.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
“Hold up, Shay.” Colt was at her side within seconds, with his arm snaked around her waist.
“What’s going on?” Opal asked.
“She needs some air. We’ll be back in a few minutes.” Colt escorted Shay outside where they sat on the front steps and she gulped in fresh, cool air.
“Do you feel like you’re going to faint? If so, put your head between your legs.”
She shook her head. “I’ve never fainted in my life. I don’t think I’m going to now. I just need to catch my breath.” She inhaled and exhaled a few times.
No words were spoken between the two of them while she gathered her wits about her. Staring into the sky, she pondered what had just happened. Twinkling white stars blanketed the expansive sky, causing her to think about heaven, which made her think about her parents again. Her heart lurched and she tried, but was unable to hold back tears.
This was all too much. Why were these things happening to her?
When Colt wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, she surrendered. Crying, she let him shoulder the burden of her uncertainty and fear for a few moments.
Once she’d sewed her emotions back together, she wiped her eyes. “The girl in that picture looks like me, Colt. Or I look like her. Either way, we could be sisters. What does it mean?”
“I’m as confused as you are. I thought you resembled Frank’s grandmother but…”
Seemed he was at a loss for words.
“Frank thinks I’m his daughter. It’s obvious he’s losing his mind. We both know this is just another bizarre twist amongst a bunch of coincidences.”
“Do we? Is it a coincidence?”
Shay’s mouth dropped open. Did he actually believe this was something more? “Of course that’s what it is. I told you, I have a common face.”
“Nothing about you is common,” he said, unsmiling. “This is becoming complicated by the day. What have the ghosts in the Buckhorn got to do with Frank’s grandmother and daughter? Anything?” He paused a moment. “As soon as you moved into the saloon, you claim an apparition paid you a visit. Now, Frank shows us photos of his grandma and his daughter, both of whom look enough like you to be your sisters.”
“Yes, but neither of them are. That’s ridiculous.” She rolled her eyes, starting to feel annoyed. “And what do you mean I claim Callie paid me a visit? You told me you believed me. She tried to strangle me twice. I know you saw her, too. That night in my window.”
“I never said that.”
Shay didn’t want to argue. She saw his mind working, figuring out the math that divided the three women.
“Even if there was some reasonable explanation, which there isn’t, Alicia couldn’t be my sister,” she stated. “The years don’t work out. Besides, I’ve never been to South Dakota in my life until this trip. I have no ties here. I think we should both calm down. Frank’s wild imaginings have caused us to think things that can’t be possible.”
“What kinds of thing?”
“I don’t know. Nothing. Never mind.” She rubbed her temple. “I’m getting a headache.”
Colt didn’t let up. “Frank and Alicia might be related to you somehow. Your parents never mentioned having family out here in the Black Hills?”
“No,” she snapped. “My dad’s ancestors were all Midwesterners. Mom came from the east coast. She and dad met while in college in Illinois. I had one aunt and uncle back in Maryland, but they both passed away years ago. There’s no one left on Dad’s side. That’s how I inherited his fortune. Don’t you think he or Mom would have told me if we had any relatives out here? Why would they keep that a secret?” Her irritation was quickly reaching its peak.
“Families sometime keep secrets for any number of reasons.”
Shay turned toward him and narrowed her eyes. “Are you inferring my parents were liars?”
“I’m not saying that—”
“My mom and dad had nothing to hide,” she retorted. “I would have known if we had people out here.”
“Of course.” He clamped his lips together, apparently knowing when to shut up, but his gaze remained fixed on her.
Questions nagged at her, hinting there was more. Was she willing to delve deeper to discover answers to those questions? It felt like someone had beaten her in the head with a hammer. She had a roaring headache. “I need to go home, Colt.”
He rose from the step. “Sure. Let me tell Opal and Frank we’re leaving.”
“I’ll meet you in the truck.” She didn’t have the energy, or courage, to go back in and face Frank again.
A few minutes later, Colt slid onto the passenger seat and told her Frank was already asleep. “Opal will keep an eagle’s eye on him for the next couple of days.” He started up the engine.
The ride back to the saloon was a quiet one. When Colt walked her to the door, he smiled and patted her arm. “We can talk more about this tomorrow when you’re feeling better.”
This isn’t how she’d wanted to end it with Colt, but there was no use in putting the inevitable off. “I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to think about what any of it means.” When he reached to stroke her hair, she stopped his hand mid-air and backed up. His smiled faded.
“Have I done something to upset you, Shay? You’ve acted different all evening.”
Her gaze fell to the ground before meeting his. “I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”
“Why? I thought we were getting along so well.”
Her heart plummeted. “We were. That’s part of the problem.”
“I don’t understand.”
There was no point in trying to explain how she was falling in love with him and was afraid of getting hurt. He wasn’t interested in a long-term commitment, and she wasn’t interested in sport sex. They were not in sync. She set her jaw. “You don’t believe I’ve seen and been assaulted by Callie and Everett. I need someone in my corner. That’s why I’ve decided to call Brenda Preston.”
Colt groaned. “Shay, don’t do that. I know that woman. She’s a nut, pure and simple. You’re not going to find the answers you’re looking for by getting mixed up with her.”
“I’ll decide that for myself.” With her head aching and her heart breaking, she didn’t want to discuss anything more. “I’m sorry, Colt. Goodbye.”
With him still standing at the door, Shay closed it and turned the latch—locking him out of her life.
* * * * *
A Haunted Twist of Fate Page 13
