The Rose Ring

by Lucie Ulrich

  Annie finished off her last bite of bread and glanced in Sky’s direction. “Doesn’t look like you’re hungry.”

  “I haven’t had much of an appetite lately.”

  “No, I don’t suppose you have.” She reached across the table and patted Sky’s hand.

  Sky took her bowl to the counter. Knowing Annie’s stand on wasting food, she covered it with some plastic wrap and set it in the refrigerator. She retrieved the container she’d emptied the soup from. “I’m going to put the rest of this up if nobody wants anymore.”

  “Leave the soup,” Annie said. “Come talk to me.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Noah picked up on Sky’s unease. She stiffened her back at Annie’s request to talk. He couldn’t blame her.

  “Maybe the two of you should talk later, Annie. You were drifting off on the ride home, so I think it’s more important that you rest first. Sky’s not going anywhere.” At least he hoped she wasn’t.

  “Noah’s right.” Sky popped the lid on the soup container and put it in the refrigerator. “We have plenty of time to talk. You should rest.”

  Annie opened her mouth and closed it again. Her set jaw slackened, and her eyes softened. “Maybe a nap isn’t a bad idea. Didn’t get much sleep last night with all those nurses popping in and out every hour or so.” She lowered her leg and pushed back her chair. “Hand me those torture sticks, would you, Noah?”

  “I know they might feel awkward, but you’ll get used to them quickly enough.”

  “Maybe.” She pushed herself to a standing position and settled the crutches under her arms. “But I won’t like it.”

  Noah had no doubt that was true. He and Sky shared a smile.

  With the dishes stacked and ready for the dishwasher, Sky followed them into the living room. “Is there anything I can do to help? Pull down the covers or make sure you have water by your bedside, get you a pain pill?”

  Annie stopped and surveyed the room. “Looks to me like you’ve done plenty already. I consider myself a good housekeeper, but you’ve practically got the place shining.”

  “I was a little restless this morning.”

  Silence engulfed the trio.

  Noah could only imagine how hard this was for Sky. He worried that his brother hadn’t come home yet. He’d assumed when he shouldn’t have. He would have to tread carefully in the next few days, or weeks, or however long Micah felt the need to help Morgan. For all concerned, Noah hoped it wouldn’t be too long.

  Annie broke the silence. She patted Sky’s cheek. “I think it’s time you relax too. Go make yourself a cup of tea and prop your feet up for a few minutes.” She looked to Noah. “Okay, let’s figure out the best way to tackle those stairs.”

  They stopped at the base of the stairs. Noah took one of the crutches from her. “I think if you grip the rail with your right hand and use the crutch under your left arm, you’ll be okay.”

  It took his aunt a few attempts to get it right, but once she did, she moved at a decent pace. Noah followed her, making sure she didn’t stumble.

  At the top of the stairs, Annie stopped and took the crutch from him. Her face was flushed, and she huffed out a few quick breaths. “Either I’m more tired than I realized, or I’m not in as good a shape as I thought.”

  “You’re in great shape. Give yourself a few days and you’ll be flying up and down those stairs like a pro.”

  She moved down the hall. “That’ll be me, the Olympic crutch-climbing champ.”

  Noah chuckled and opened the bedroom door for her. He was about to enter when she stopped him.

  “I’ve got it from here. Why don’t you go down and sit with Sky for a while. Just don’t badger the poor girl about what’s going on with Micah.”

  “And deprive you of the pleasure? Never.”

  The narrow-eyed stare that used to scare the snot out of him no longer had the same effect. Sure, he was older, but something about living here again revealed the real heart behind the woman. There was a softness he’d missed while growing up. He leaned down and kissed her cheek before she had a chance to say anything. “I love you, Annie. Rest well.” He left without looking back.

  Sky had her back to him when he reentered the kitchen. The kettle whistled a sharp tune. She dropped a tea bag into one of the generic green mugs Annie used on a daily basis. It surprised him that she wasn’t using the fancy teapot she was so proud of. “Got enough water in there for two?”

  She peered at him over her shoulder, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. “Always.” She reached for a second mug and tea bag before handing him a plate of molasses cookies.

  “Wow, you were busy this morning.”

  This time the laughter did reach her eyes, if only momentarily. “I take no credit for the cookies. Annie baked them the morning she broke her leg.”

  “You mean yesterday?” Noah bit into the cookie.

  Her shoulders sagged. “Was it only yesterday? Seems like a lifetime ago.” She brought the mugs to the table, handed him one, and sat. “Slight exaggeration I know, but it does seem longer than just one day.”

  “I agree.”

  He drank his tea straight. She added honey to hers.

  He consumed two cookies. She ate none.

  They didn’t talk.

  When his tea was about gone, Noah brushed the cookie crumbs from his fingers and reclined in his chair. “Annie told me I shouldn’t bring up Micah’s name. What do you think?”

  She emitted a soft chuckle. “I think I’d like to go back in time and make the last twenty-four hours disappear. But since I can’t do that…”

  “Yeah, I’ve never been able to figure out how to do that either.” He smiled, hoping she’d smile back. She didn’t.

  “You said Micah spoke to you this morning. Did he swear you to secrecy?”

  “No.”

  Her dark eyes penetrated his. It was as though she could see straight into his soul, holding him captive.

  “Have I lost my chance with him, Noah?” Her voice quavered ever so slightly. “Am I fooling myself to think we can make a go of this fake marriage?”

  This morning he’d seen the pain and confusion in his brother’s face, and now hers. If he could go back in time, it would be far enough to talk her out of marrying Micah, if only to save her from this moment. He wouldn’t succeed, of course. They’d charted a course for themselves, and God was the only one who knew where that path would take them.

  He ran a hand through his hair. “I think Micah is asking himself the same questions.” He leaned toward her, crossing his arms on the table. “He asked me to trust that he didn’t want to hurt you and that he wanted to do right by all concerned.”

  Sky huffed out a laugh. “Like that’s possible.” She scraped her chair against the worn linoleum and stood. “What else did he say? Did he tell you when he’d be home, or how often he plans on trekking to the hospital?” She put a palm to her chest. “Does he have any idea what I’m feeling?”

  Why hadn’t he listened to his aunt and kept his big mouth shut? He pushed his chair back and carried their mugs to the dishwasher. “I wish I could tell you what you want to hear and squelch any doubts you might have, but our conversation didn’t go that deep.”

  “I need some air.” She grabbed her jacket and headed outside.

  Noah watched her leave. There was no thought of going after her. There wasn’t a thing he could say to take away her pain.

  ****

  Sky shoved her hands in her pockets and started walking. She didn’t want to go back to the stables, nor did she feel like playing with Charlie. She simply wanted to breathe in the cold air and think.

  She took the path behind the cabin and glanced at the old wooden bench that circled the oak. The last time she’d been here was shortly after Morgan had returned. Micah was angry, she was upset, and Noah had brought up God.

  She sat.

  Sunshine bounced off the pond still covered with a thin layer of ice. She pulled her knees to he
r chest and leaned against the tree. Eyes closed, she thought of Noah’s words. When you go from top to bottom as quickly as I did, you start to see things in a different light.

  Had she hit bottom? No. Getting herself into this situation was of her own choosing. But would she tolerate Micah seeing another woman? Definitely not. Did visiting a friend in the hospital constitute seeing another woman? She wasn’t sure. Did she need help from God to figure it all out? Quite possibly.

  Sky stood and stretched. The goal was to walk and clear her head, not sit around and dwell on past events. Her choices were to walk the range or follow the drive that led to the main road. Not being a huge fan of large, hoofed animals, she chose the latter.

  Her efforts were aided by the screech of a bald eagle soaring overhead. She stopped to admire the creature, shading her eyes with her hand. Her breath caught when the bird swooped to within twenty yards of her then quickly resumed its original flight pattern. She let out her breath and continued on her walk.

  Once she’d reached the main road, Sky wasn’t ready to return to the house, so she took a right and headed toward Elk Flats. It was far from her intention to walk that far, she was simply more familiar with the terrain than the other direction.

  After roughly thirty minutes, it was time to turn back. The sun would set behind the mountains before long, and though Sky loved the cold, she didn’t want to be on the road after dark.

  About a quarter mile from home, Micah pulled his truck to a stop across the street from her. He lowered the window. “What are you doing out here?”

  She remained on her side of the road and shrugged. “Just taking a walk.”

  “Want a lift?”

  Yes, she wanted a lift, wanted to sit close to him the way she had when they’d hurried to the hospital to see about Annie, but she couldn’t bring herself to say so. Not until he answered a few questions. “How’s Morgan?”

  “She knows about her leg but was too out of it for much conversation.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “She’s going to need some strong support.”

  Sky’s heart dropped to her stomach. He was saying things she didn’t want to hear. “Meaning from you?”

  “Partly.”

  “Does that mean you’ll be going back tomorrow?”

  “I told Dirk I would, but I’m starting to think he’s right that I should wait a few days. At least until she’s not as sedated.”

  “So you’ll stay home?” With me? She prayed that didn’t come out sounding as desperate to him as it did to her.

  “I just said I would, didn’t I? Now come on, get in.”

  The frustration in his voice let her know this was far from over. She brushed the windswept hair from her face, ignoring his request. “You’ll go back in a day or two, but what about next week? Next month? Do you plan on making this a regular thing?”

  Micah looked heavenward before focusing on her again. “It’s been a long two days and I’m tired. I’ll tell you everything you want to know, but not while I’m parked on the side of the road.”

  “It’s a simple question, Micah.”

  In a perfect world Micah would have gotten out of the truck, pulled her close, and kissed her breathless. He’d tell her how much he loved her and that she had no worries where Morgan was concerned. Best of all, she would believe him. But this was far from a perfect world. She knew the answer before he voiced it.

  “Okay, the simple answer is yes. If you want the detailed answer, you’ll have to get in the truck.”

  A light blue SUV slowed as it passed between them. The driver rolled his window down. “Is everything okay, miss?”

  Everything was far from okay, but not in the way the driver might have assumed. She managed a smile. “Yes, thank you. My husband’s just trying to pick me up.”

  The man, around Carl’s age, smiled and then waved at Micah before driving off. They were alone again, staring at one another across the two lane road. Sky wasn’t interested in detailed answers right now. It was enough for him to admit he’d be going back on a regular basis.

  Another gust of wind caught her hair, and she shook it from her face. “I think I’m going to finish my walk. You should probably go check on Annie, anyway. Noah got her to rest, but you know she’s going to want to do more than she’s supposed to.”

  He cocked his head to the side, a line creasing his brow. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded. “It’s not that far. I’ll be there soon.”

  “Okay, see you at the house.” He put the truck in gear and drove off.

  When the truck rounded the bend, Sky allowed her pent-up tears to fall. Despite her tough talk, she hadn’t thought he’d leave without her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Charlie bounded down the drive and met Sky when she returned from her walk. He circled her feet, yapping cheerfully. “Hey, Charlie. How ya doing, boy?” She bent down to pick him up, but the dog escaped her grasp and dashed away, only to turn around again and bark some more.

  “So, you want to play, do you?”

  The dog barked and circled her again. There was only the slightest hint of a limp. If she didn’t know about his missing paw, she wouldn’t have noticed.

  Sky found a stick and tossed it a few yards away. The dog chased it but didn’t seem to know what to do once he reached it. She clapped her hands. “Bring it here, boy.”

  Charlie smelled the stick then pushed it around with his nose before finally picking it up. Instead of running toward her, though, he ran in the opposite direction. Several of the other pups joined in the fun as they all fought over the stick. At Molly’s sharp bark, they scurried back to the barn.

  Sky sighed, her momentary distraction gone all too soon.

  The sun was low on the horizon by the time she stepped into the house. She flipped on the kitchen light. Everything was clean and orderly — too orderly, too silent. The wonderful aromas and clatter of pots and pans she’d come to expect were missing. But it was less about the smells or sounds as it was about the heart and soul of this family not being in her rightful place.

  Sky ran her hand over the counter and stove. Annie would be back in the kitchen soon enough, giving orders and keeping everyone in line. Sky could hardly wait. In the meantime, it was up to her to get dinner on the table.

  Grateful for all the prepared food, she went to the fridge and pulled out a meaty pasta concoction that looked pretty good. She transferred it to one of Annie’s casserole dishes and slid it into the oven before going in search of the rest of the family.

  The living room was empty, so she headed upstairs. Annie’s door was ajar and Sky peeked in, glad to find her asleep. She rounded the corner and heard the shower running, locating Micah.

  In need of a friendly voice, Sky returned to the kitchen and picked up the handset from the old wall phone. She punched in the diner’s number and sat on one of the kitchen chairs next to the wall.

  Liz picked up after the third ring.

  “Hi, Liz, it’s Sky.” Muffled voices, rattling dishes, and the distinctive sound of the old cash register made Sky realize she’d chosen a bad time to call. She hadn’t stopped to think about Carl’s early bird specials. From four to five, the place was packed with older folk and families with young children.

  “Hey, Sky. Good to hear from you.”

  “I don’t suppose Carl is available.”

  Liz laughed. “He’s elbow-deep in meatloaf and fried chicken. You remember the days, right?

  Oh, she remembered all right. For a quick moment, she longed for the days when her biggest problem was trying to juggle too many tables while keeping everybody happy. “How could I forget?”

  “Do you want me to have him call you later?”

  “No. Annie just got home a short time ago, and I don’t want the phone to wake her if she’s sleeping. Tell him I’ll call later tonight or tomorrow morning.”

  “Will do. Gotta go, hon.”

  “Thanks, Liz.”

  The moment she placed the receiver back in i
ts cradle, Noah appeared through the swinging kitchen door. “You’re back,” he said.

  “So are you, apparently. When I didn’t see you anywhere, I assumed you’d gone back to your place.”

  “I was in the office catching up on some work.” He pulled out a chair and sat.

  “Ah, yes, the inner sanctum. I should have thought of that.”

  “Inner sanctum?”

  “I used the term in my last research paper. I like the way it sounds. Besides, it most definitely fits. It’s a guy room if ever there was one.”

  He bowed slightly at the waist. “My door is open to you any time.”

  “No thanks.” She got up and went to the refrigerator. “I stuck my head in there once after dusting the living room, and when I saw the stacks of books and papers on the desk I realized it wouldn’t need dusting, ‘cause there wasn’t an inch of it visible.”

  “It’s not that bad.”

  She pulled out a head of lettuce, turned, and pointed it at him. “Oh, but it is. Clutter aside, three gun cases, one large safe, samples of barbed wired, and hunting pictures covering the paneled walls exude testosterone. Definitely a man’s inner sanctum.”

  He chuckled. “Okay, you win.”

  “Thank you. Now, I’ve got some pasta in the oven. You want to help make a salad?”

  “Sure. What can I do?”

  “Mind dicing the tomato and cucumber?” She didn’t wait for an answer before reaching into a drawer and handing him a serrated knife.

  “I think I can handle that.”

  She tore the lettuce and tossed it into a colander while Noah did his best with the tomato. She looked over at her brother-in-law, so at ease and nearly always with a smile on his face. He’d been through his share of bad times, yet he seemed to be handling things with more grace than his brother. She loved Micah but had to wonder why things kept coming between them — the latest being a whopper.

  “I was surprised when Micah came home without you.” Noah glanced her way. “He told me the two of you spoke on the road but that you didn’t want a ride.”