He shook his head. “Maybe you were right. Maybe we do need to sit back and decide if we are meant for each other because it doesn’t take in-depth knowledge and experience to have care and consideration. To be an ear. To just let me vent. Let me share my day,” he said, turning to walk to the door.
“Kaleb, you’re taking it the wrong way—”
He opened the door and stood with his back to her, seemingly unable to look at her. “I have to be honest. Not reading that article isn’t huge by itself but it hit hard for me with everything else ...so it just might be my last straw.”
And he left the house, closing the door behind him.
A small hand slid into hers and Zaria looked down at her daughter now standing by her side. “Where’s Daddy?” she asked.
“Gone,” Zaria answered, surprised by her solemn feelings that in terms of their marriage he may never come back.
CHAPTER SIX
Two weeks later
Kaleb pulled up and parked his pick-up in the line of his cars already in front of his parent’s house. He was the last to arrive. Leaving the key in the ignition, he left the truck and ate up the paved walkway with his feet before climbing the stairs and crossing the large quintessential southern wrap around porch.
His mother met him at the door.
He gave her his most charming smile. “How is my favorite mother in the whole while world doing?” he asked before bending to press a kiss to her cheek.
“Cut the crap, Kaleb. I already told you I’m over it,” she sang over her shoulder as she headed back to the kitchen.
He didn’t believe her. For the last two Sundays, the dinner table was free of his favorite Bourbon sweet potato pie. He was no fool. She was making him pay for reprimanding her about reprimanding him.
“Where're the kids?” he asked as she retreated.
“Meena and Neema took them all to Frankie’s Fun Park before they start school next week,” she called from the kitchen.
Summer was over.
It flew by.
Kaleb made his way through the house to his father’s office.
It must be serious the door is closed.
He knocked his knuckles on it twice before he entered. “Sorry, I’m late. We had a little emergency at the farm,” he said, clasping the shoulder of Kade, Kahron, and then Kaeden. It was the presence of their sister, Kaitlyn, that surprised him. He tugged the ends of her hair before claiming the empty seat between Kaeden and her. They were in birth order before the large wooden desk behind which their father sat.
“You good?” Kade asked, leaning forward a bit to eye him.
“Yes, big brother. I’m good,” he assured him.
Kael opened a well-worn leather billfold and removed five folded bundles of papers. He handed one to each of his children.
“What’s this, Pops?” Kaeden asked, looking at him over the rim of the spectacles he wore that day.
“I am legally and technically retiring,” Kael said, folding his hands atop the desk as he eyed each one.
Kaeden slid his finger around the collar of the bright red Polo shirt he wore with khakis. “Is something wrong? Are you sick?” he asked.
“No,” their father answered emphatically.
“You and Mama plan on traveling or something?” Kaitlyn asked.
“No,” he said with force, but then shrugged one broad shoulder. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“What’s this all about, Pops?” Kahron asked with a frown.
Kaleb leaned forward to look at Kade who was quiet and then down at the papers that he unfolded to reveal an unsigned check of a sizable amount from their father. His anger spiked as he tossed the papers back onto the desk. “He’s bailing me out,” Kaleb said, his voice tight with his ire that his own father didn’t believe he could save himself.
“No,” Kael answered yet again.
Kaleb turned in his seat to look down at their eldest brother again. “Tell the truth, Kade,” he insisted, his deep voice hard and loud.
He was the eldest and most close to their father. They discussed everything and ran Strong Ranch as a team. Kaleb hoped his brother would give him the truth his father would not.
Kade kept his eyes face forward. “Let him finish, Kaleb,” he demanded.
He balled his hand into a fist in frustration.
“I don’t want you all to wait until I’m dead and gone to get what I have for you and that is Strong Ranch. It has always been your legacy. It’s always been what your mother and I have worked so hard to give you all. Although you two decided to forge your own way with Circle S and KS, you also both paid me back every cent I invested in you which, my sons, means that I’ve given you nothing. That doesn’t sit well with me.”
“Strong Ranch belongs to Kade. We all knew, understood and respected that,” Kahron said.
Kade shook his head and shifted his six-foot-nine-inch frame in his seat. “I never said that,” he said.
“We said it. You worked it. You grew it,” Kaleb said. “KS is my legacy that I’m building for my kids. That’s the way I want it. I am rebuilding. I am restructuring. I need to do this my way on my terms, Pops. I have some things in place. Recovery will happen. Tell him, Kaeden.”
His brother nodded. “He does. Honestly, he has some good ideas. It may take another two maybe three years to pay off that huge loan. It’s his biggest debt, but I think he will be fine.”
“I’m fine,” Kaleb insisted.
“You’re prideful,” Kade shot back.
Kael held up his hand.
The men quieted.
“Based on the evaluation I’ve had done of the ranch as if it were to be sold today, I have split that amount five ways between you out of my own savings. Kade will purchase Strong Ranch from me with his share and he will gain ownership of the ranch in its entirety. After your mother and I pass he also will receive ownership of the house and the land it sits on,” Kael explained.
Kaleb slumped down in his chair and released a heavy breath. It was heavy upon his conscience that his failure led to such drastic actions by his father and brother. “This is why I kept it from y’all. To avoid this,” he said.
Kael and Kade shared a brief look.
“I just need you each to sign the paperwork stating that you do not refute nor will ever refute that the ranch belongs to Kade,” Kael continued without responding to Kaleb.
“This isn’t right,” Kaeden said, leaning forward to set his papers down next to Kaleb’s. “I never worked the farm or put in any sweat. I would have had an asthma attack if I did.”
“Son, the very fact that your mother and I brought you into this world gives you the right. Also, if you weren’t keeping the books straight and helping me manage my money, I wouldn’t be able to afford to do this like this.”
“I’m Gucci, Daddy. Where do I sign?” Kaitlyn asked already reaching to grab a pen from his desk.
“Kade?” Kaleb said, turning in the seat to look at him once more. “I won’t do this. So, we all get chunks of money and you get nothing? How can we make that right?”
Kade turned to him. “I’m good. Strong Ranch is good. I will get the profits. Don’t worry about me. Ask Kaeden. Strong Ranch is profiting. Look it as I made one helluva an investment—”
“He really did,” Kaeden drawled.
“Let me remind y’all of something important our parents taught us. If one eats then we all eat. One fail. We all fail. That’s how we stay strong. There is no way I can sleep at night with any of you struggling. No way in hell,” he said, his eyes brilliant with passion and conviction. “You’re too stubborn to take a loan? Fine. Now you gone be too prideful to take your inheritance?”
“Fool.”
Kaleb looked at Kaeden. “Did you just call me a fool again?” he asked.
Kaeden frowned. “No.”
“It must be stuck in my head from the last time,” he said, wiping the fatigue from his eyes.
“Good, it still implies when it comes to Zaria.”
“O-kay,” Kaitlyn agreed, signing her name to the paperwork before she handed the documents over to their father and then winking at their brother. “Thanks, Kade. I appreciate you, big brother.”
Their usually stoic older brother bit back a chuckle at her candor.
They all loved their baby sister.
“What are you going to do fellas?” she asked as she leaned forward to rub her lower back.
“One sign. All sign,” Kael said. “You all have to agree to it.”
Kade removed a pen from the front pocket of his dark grey uniform shirt to sign his name with a flourish.
Kaleb looked at Kaeden and then Kahron. Neither had signed as yet.
“But what if Strong Ranch fails? He ends up with nothing?” Kaleb asked, allowing his mind to think of every possible scenario in an effort to protect his brother who was trying to save him.
“And it could. One of you is not better than the other as a farmer. We all know you can do everything exactly right and a disaster happens. Sometimes more than one. Bad weather. Market crash. An influx of insects. Anything,” Kael said. “Or Strong Ranch could flourish and be worth five times that. He’s taking a risk, but if it continues to be profitable, he will reap the reward. Respect and honor the sacrifice both your brother and I are making for all of you ‘cause I’ve got plenty of life in me. Ask your Mama.”
They all groaned.
“Oh Daddy, pleeeease,” Kaitlyn whined before she grunted and shifted her position in the chair. “I do not need that visual, especially with the baby killin’ my back. It has been hurting all day.”
The men all eyed each other.
“All day?” Kael asked.
“Yes. On and off,” she said, seeing their shared looks and odd expressions. “What?”
“This isn’t your first baby so I’m sure you’ll know when you’re in labor right?” Kahron asked.
“Of course,” she said, standing up and squeezing through the chairs. “I just need to walk around while y’all decide whether to take free money.”
Kaleb and Kaeden leaned back to avoid being hit by her belly.
“What if we sign but we don’t use the money?” Kaleb asked.
“Your choice, son. I’m out of it as soon as the papers are all signed.”
At the sound of a gush, the men all jumped to their feet and turned to eye Kaitlyn who was now standing in a puddle soaking into the area rug.
“Whether you know it or not, your water broke, Sherlock,” Kahron drawled.
“And on my Karastan carpet!” Kael roared with a scowl.
“Sorry, Daddy,” she said giving him a sweet smile before another cramp contorted her face.
∞
Loud and boisterous thunder rolled across the skies just as Zaria pulled her Range Rover up beside the side entrance of Kaleb’s house. She didn’t see his pick-up out front but took a chance he was still home as she climbed from the car and walked over to the door. She rang the bell.
Lightning flashed, filling the sky with light for a brief moment. Seconds later the rain began to fall in earnest.
Zaria stepped closer to the door as the rain pour was so heavy that the brief distance back to her car was blurred. Deciding to wait it out for him inside before making the drive back to Summerville, she used her key to unlock the door and enter the mudroom. Tapping the switch, she filled the space with light as she sat on the bench and removed the boots she wore.
As she stepped into the kitchen and turned on the lights, she paused to take in the house she once called home. Memories of better days came in a rush.
Kaleb smiling as he walked in the house after a long day of work.
Kaleb patiently allowing Kaliya to paint his nails with clear polish during a spa day and tea party.
Kaleb playing videogames with Kasi and Kalel and then pretending to be totally devastated when he let his sons win—to their merriment.
Him cheering proudly at all the kids’ first horse ride before turning to scoop her up into his arms to twirl with ease.
Kaleb falling asleep near the Christmas tree after a long night of assembling toys.
The feel of his lips on her nape as he awakened her with his hardness before turning her over and pressing her body beneath his with deep strokes as the early morning sun lit the windows of their bedroom.
“Let’s just be glad we had some time to spend together,” she sang, thinking of “For the Good Times” the classic Al Green break-up song.
She pushed aside her melancholy as she allowed herself a walk through the entire house as the tune played in her head. There had plenty of good times. “Plenty,” she said, looking at the unmade king-sized before going back out towards the living room.
The house wasn’t in too bad of a shape. Dust reigned and the bedroom took the brunt of his untidiness but the rest was neat enough. “Not bad, Kaleb,” she said. “Not bad at all.”
Her cell phone rang loudly and she pulled it from the back pocket of her jeans. Lisha. “Hello,” she said, walking back over to the kitchen to open the fridge and be pleased to find no beer at all.
A cursory check of the trash came up nil as well.
Good for you, Kaleb.
“Where are you? We’ve been calling you all day,” Lisha said.
“I was pretty busy,” she said, meaning to be vague.
“Head to Trident Medical. Kaitlyn’s pushing,” she stressed. “And we’re all here. The whole family. Nobody’s missing but you. Even your babies are here waiting on their new cousin.”
“I don’t think so, Lisha,” she said, heading to the door since she now knew Kaleb was nowhere near on the way home.
“You’re not coming to see your new niece or nephew? Number sixteen, ba-by,” she said with enthusiasm.
People cheered in the background. Their excitement was palpable even through the phone line. She was sure they were making their presence felt at the hospital. I feel for the staff.
She walked into the mudroom and set down on the bench.
“Hush, y’all, we’re in a hospital,” Lisha said. “Use your inside voice. Oops, sorry, Kaleb, everybody except you of course... just this one time.”
Zaria smiled. She did miss the Strong family. Every single one of them.
“You there? You on the way? Kaleb is pretending not to listen,” she said in a loud whisper.
“Really, Ma?” he asked in the rear.
Kaitlyn was not just her sister-in-law but her friend. How could she miss it?
“I’m coming. I’m leaving right now,” Zaria said as she pulled back on her boots.
“You hear that, Big Mouth? Your wife’s coming,” Lisha said, her words fading as she lowered the phone from her mouth and then ended the call.
Zaria needed to talk to Kaleb anyway and she could do it just as well at the hospital as anywhere. She left the house and dashed through the rain to climb into her Range Rover just as more thunder rumbled across the dark Carolina skies. She drove as quick as she could without being reckless in the weather. Thankfully the storming came and went quickly, leaving just a steady rain. It still took her a solid forty minutes to reach the hospital and park her vehicle.
She took hurried steps toward the main entrance as the rain pelted her body but stopped in surprise when Kaleb stepped out through the opened automatic doors. He reached for her hand and pulled her the rest of the way under the shelter of the hospital’s canopy.
“Hey,” she said, out of breath from the fast walk and the very sight of him.
Her first time doing so since that day at his parents’ house.
“It just might be my last straw.”
She hated that the moment came back to her so vividly.
“I saw your car when you pulled in and I came down to meet you and take you where the whole squad is patiently waiting,” he said, looking down at her from head to toe. His expression became odd.
Zaria curtsied in her baseball cap, dusty oversized T-shirt, torn jeans, and rain boots. She was make-up fre
e save for her false lashes. “I spent the day on the farm,” she said proudly.
Kaleb looked doubtful. “I was at the farm all day,” he said. “I didn’t see you.”
“Yes, but I was at the dairy store.”
“Oh, that’s right,” he said, nodding in understanding. “The cell service in the store is horrible and that why my Moms couldn’t reach you.”
“It needs a landline because of that,” she said. “And we sold out of the ice cream. The yogurt is totally in the wrong spot. And I’m not sure why we aren’t selling your Mom’s desserts as well. A few people assumed we would have cheesecake or banana cream pie,” she said. “I think it’s a good idea.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, still dressed in his uniform and Timberlands. He eyed her with a bemused expression as her words tumbled out almost running together from her excitement.
“And when you left to go to your father’s I swore Lordan to secrecy to teach me a few ropes about the farm. I cleaned...stables,” she said with an effort, having a not so pleasant memory. “I can’t pretend. It wasn’t fun but I did it. For us.”
“Us?” he asked, his voice deep and his eyes locked on her face.
Zaria nodded, hating how nervous she felt around her own husband. “Yes. Us,” she said.
She released a breath she hoped released her nerves and trepidation. It didn’t help that he remained quiet but kept those deep-set eyes locked on her. Watching her. Assessing her.
“Farming is my life. Outside of my family, it is the first thing I think of in the morning and the last thing at night. To be able to provide for my family and have them proud of me for the hard work and dedication I put into my ranch is the ultimate satisfaction for me. Ranching is my life. Nothing can—or will—break me from this life. It's rooted too deeply in my DNA to do so,” she said, hoping she hadn’t forgotten one of his words as she quoted him.
Kaleb's eyes widened in surprise as he looked down at his feet and then back up at her. “You read the article,” he said, biting back a smile that revealed his pleasure.
Her stomach warmed. “Yes, I did and you looked so good in that cover shot of you on your horse, Danger, in front of the big maple tree,” she said.
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