A Christmas Cowboy to Keep

by Hebby Roman

  * * *

  The crystalized snow crunched with every fall of the hoofs. Leland pushed the scarf up to cover his mouth. He took in the scent, a mixture of damp wool and Melody. When his breath crusted and froze around his mouth, he shook free of the fabric. He quickly checked his phone to see if he had bars now. It had been fading in and out.

  He tried to concentrate on the surroundings as his gaze swept from side to side, searching for irregularities in the snowy landscape. He looked for footprints and rode into wooded areas where a person might shelter.

  His heart leapt when he spotted an unnatural mound. And when he got closer and saw patches of fabric under a dusting of snow, the adrenaline shot right through him. He jumped off his horse and ran. When he got to the spot, he found it was only a length of burlap that had blown there.

  His heart pounded in his ears. He breathed in and out heavily until he felt his heartbeat return to normal. In the calm that followed he heard the sound of water trickling. The creek that ran through their property was only yards away. A chill ran up his spine at the thought of the danger the ice cold, fast moving water could be. He moved toward the source of the sound, taking big strides.

  Breaking through low shrubs and spindly trees, he made it to the bank of the creek. The creek was about eight feet across at this point. Ice had formed along the edges, but dark water streamed down the center, crashing over rocks. A tangle of branches had collected in a bend, trapping anything floating into their grasp.

  His phone rang. Fear and hope surged simultaneously when he saw Melody’s name come up on the screen.

  “Leland. They found her. Come home.”

  * * *

  Focus on her. Melody. Leland walked across the frozen yard on shaky legs. Melody stood on the back porch with a throw pulled tight over her body, waiting for him.

  When he reached her, she threw her arms out to enclose him in warmth. For a moment they stood together without speaking.

  “She’s going to be all right now,” Melody said at last.

  He shook his head. “She’s all right for now, but she’s never going to be all right ever again. I have to face that now.”

  To his shame, he buckled against her as tears came to his eyes. She let him cry, holding him tight.

  “Come on inside for a bit and warm up. Faith couldn’t reach you so she filled me in. They’re expecting you at the hospital. You can do this.”

  He let her take him by the hand and lead him into the kitchen. She pulled out a chair for him. “I made you some cocoa. I thought you could use something hot and sweet.”

  “Thank you.” he said, struggling to sound like his usual self. “Fill me in again on what you know.”

  She pulled out the chair next to him. “Well, seems Alma had an adventure. She left the house, probably intending to drive into town. When she couldn’t find the car, she became disoriented and starting walking down the highway toward town. It was when the storm started up, so when a passing car saw her, the couple in the car pulled over to give her a ride, thinking her car had broken down. They asked her where she needed to be, and she gave them directions to what she said was her house. But it wasn’t. Faith said the house she directed them to was a house where her best friend used to live when they were teenagers.”

  “Yeah, I know the place you mean, but her friend’s family hasn’t lived there in decades. Was anyone home?”

  “No, nobody was home. But, she went around to the backdoor and found the porch unlocked. The family who live there now was away for the night and found her there under a blanket the next day, disoriented but otherwise all right considering. It was an enclosed porch and kept her sheltered enough. She didn’t have her identification and wasn’t able to tell them who she was, so they called the police.”

  Leland put his face in his hands. “She’s that bad. She couldn’t tell them her own name.”

  “She’s more herself now, Faith says. They’re keeping her for a while to run tests and evaluate her. You should get over there.”

  He tipped the rest of his drink into his mouth, the last dredges of thick and sweet chocolate hit his tongue. “Thank you. I’m so sorry this is how you had to spend Christmas Eve, but I sure do appreciate you being here.”

  She stood up with him. “Don’t think about me right now. You just go do what you need to do. I’m going to go home now.” She laid a hand on his cheek. “Call me later when you get a chance.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  December 25

  Tap, tap, tap. Melody’s eyes sprang open. She experienced a moment of disorientation before a few fragments came at her all at once: Alma lost and found, the sound of her door knocker, and what day it was. Christmas!

  She rolled out of bed, and there was a soft thud of something hitting the carpet. The photo album. She’d fallen asleep looking at her own photo album, inspired to revisit her family after looking through Leland’s. The tapping at the door came again, more insistent.

  A quick look at the clock told her it was not yet eight in the morning. She stumbled down the hall to the living room. When she saw whose car sat in her driveway, she picked up the pace.

  She threw open the door and fell into his arms, almost knocking his hat off.

  “Whoa, girl!”

  “Leland, I’ve been so worried. How is she?”

  He took her chin in his hand and tilted her face up. “First things, first. Merry Christmas, Sweetheart.”

  She sunk into his embrace, letting him take her weight as she let all her emotions wash over her. His jacket felt cool against her cheek. For a minute they just held each other. Then she looked up at him, a question in her eyes.

  He pushed the hair off her face. “Things are...stable now. I’ll fill you in later. Right now, it’s Christmas morning and I have something planned for you.” He had a glint returned to his eyes she was glad to see.

  “Oh, well, come in then.”

  “No, I’m taking you out. Go get dressed.”

  Intrigued she searched his face. “What am I dressing for? I might need some time to make myself pretty.”

  “You are pretty. You get five minutes to get ready. Dress warm.”

  * * *

  With both fuzzy mittens pressed to her mouth, Melody tried to suppress her excitement now she’d worked out what her surprise was. But when she heard sleigh bells, muffled hoof beats, and the slicing of runners in the snow, she squealed with delight. A Christmas carol come to life.

  Leland had refused to tell her anything on the car ride, only glancing sideways at her with an enigmatic grin on his face. When she tried to ask questions, he’d put his finger to his lips.

  Now, he rounded a corner of the barn, the reins in his hands. The sleigh, pulled by two horses, was a picture come to life. She jumped up and down with delight, laughing at the sight of Leland wearing not his usual Stetson, but...a Santa’s hat.

  “Whoa!” he cried out, pulling back on the reins.

  He held out a hand and pulled her up to the bench next to him.

  She threw her arms around his neck. “This is like a dream! Thank you.”

  “Well, you understand this is going to be an abbreviated version of the ride I had planned,” he said, tucking a blanket around her legs.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ll explain as we go along. I was going to spend some time yesterday working all this out, but...events took a turn as we well know.”

  “How is she—”

  He silenced her with a kiss on the lips. He pulled back and tightened the scarf around her neck. “You’ll hear every detail later. Right now, let’s enjoy our first Christmas together.”

  “Our first Christmas.” She sighed and laid her head against his shoulder.

  He clicked the reins and set the horses in motion. “Yep. I do have some thoughts on that, but first, sit back and enjoy the ride. I planned to take the kids on a ride on Christmas Eve as was our tradition, but you know...Consider
this the trial run. I’ll take them out later today.” He looked over at her. “Change of plans. We’re going to have dinner here at the ranch. I hope you’ll still spend the day with us. With me.”

  “Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” She nudged a basket covered by a cloth at their feet. “What have you got here?”

  “All in good time, girl. All in good time.”

  She snuggled next to him as the sleigh sliced across the snow-covered field. They were headed toward a break in the woods surrounding the open land. A wide path cut through the thick woods. Once the sleigh entered the path, the trees blocked the wind, but a different kind of cold radiated off the mighty trunks surrounding them. The light reflecting off the snow was almost blue in the overcast day.

  They came to a stop in front of a wooden bridge over the creek. Leland pointed. “Stop one on our ride. The old bridge. I had hoped to hang boughs on the bridge and set lanterns along the rail. That’s what Dad would do.”

  “That would be beautiful. I can picture it.”

  He put his arm across her shoulders and drew her closer to him. “You do that. Listen to the sound of the water running. Isn’t it beautiful?”

  “It is.”

  “Maybe later today you can help me decorate the bridge for when I take others for a ride.”

  She nodded. “How many people can you fit in here?”

  “Four if two of them are children. Maybe five if a kid can sit on a lap. Okay, let’s move on. I hope this bridge holds.” He laughed when she tensed. “It will.”

  Melody craned her neck to look down at the half frozen creek as they crossed over the dark rolling water. The runners and hoofs made a hollow-sounding rumble on the wooden boards underneath, and then the sound muffled when they were on firm ground again on the other side of the bridge.

  The path twisted here and there and suddenly they were in an opening once more. Melody hitched her breath at the view below and beyond.

  Leland halted the sleigh and they skidded to a stop. “The overlook. Sometimes you can see the elk here. Not today though. Maybe later.”

  She pointed. “You can see the chapel from here!”

  “Schoolhouse, remember. Not a chapel. Yes, it’s quite the view. Dad planned it that way.” He put down the reins and pulled out the basket. “Hungry?”

  “A little. What did you bring?”

  “Well, again, I did have some more elaborate plans, but given the circumstances, I brought you Christmas cookies and hot coffee—with a shot of something. This would also be a good spot for a bonfire.” He glanced at her as he handed her a mug from the basket. “Maybe later. Everyone agrees we want to have as normal a Christmas as possible—and not just for the kids. For all of us. Maybe especially for Ma. Faith brought her home to the ranch this morning. She’s with her now.”

  He took out a thermos and when he unscrewed the lid, the fragrant steam snaked out. She pulled out a plastic container filled with cookies and set it in her lap. After he filled her mug, he filled one for himself.

  He gave her a weak smile. “So, before we get to the good stuff, I want to tell you what’s going on.”

  She didn’t speak but met his gaze.

  “We’re looking at a rough road up ahead. We talked to the doctor and the social worker at the hospital.” He pushed his hat back. “The upshot is; Ma can’t live alone anymore.”

  “I’m so sorry.” She fought back tears.

  “It seems that people with...Alzheimer's.” He swallowed hard. “Well, they do better when kept in familiar surroundings for as long as possible. Faith and I... We decided I should move back into the ranch house.” He looked at her sideways. “Which will put a damper on certain things for a start. I don’t know if you want to—”

  “Of course, we’ll make it work, Leland. I’m not going anywhere.”

  He looked down at his feet, and she could see the effort he was making to not break down. “We’ll have to find help for the times I can’t be there. Eventually.” He let out a deep breath. “Well...eventually, she may need to be in residential care. And, more immediately, I’ll look into that support group you mentioned.”

  Melody slipped off one mitten and stuck her hand under his coat sleeve. “We’ll get through this.”

  Out of the corner of her eye she watched his chest rise and fall. Then he turned to her. “There’s something else I wanted to say to you.”

  “Yes?”

  “Yeah, we got interrupted yesterday morning. You had just said something interesting to me when Faith showed up.”

  Her face went hot at the memory of those three little words slipping out. “Oh...I…”

  “Hey, don’t look that way.” He brought her face around with his free hand. “I was going to tell you something which might be interesting to you too. Melody, I know it’s early, but I... I love you. I love you so much, and I knew that right away. I’d like to think this will be the first of many Christmases we’ll spend together. Maybe make our own memories.” He faltered. “I just wanted you to know that. To know where I’m headed.”

  She put her nose against his, her smile so wide it hurt. “I seem to be headed in the same direction. I love you, Leland Jennings.”

  “The thing is. I can’t help but feel uneasy that here we are just opening the door on our relationship, and here I am showing up with a basket full of problems in my hands.”

  She sat back and slipped her arm under his. “It’s like I always say, sometimes you meet the perfect person in less than perfect times, but the timing be damned.”

  He chuckled. “Is that what you always say?”

  “It is now. When I met you, I found something I didn’t even know I was looking for. I’m about the luckiest girl in the world.”

  “I don’t know about lucky. Somewhere down the not too distant line I might have to sell the ranch to cover Ma’s care. I don’t know what I’ll have to offer you in the future.”

  She turned to look into those blue eyes flashing like jewels and knew this was a sight she wanted to see for the rest of her life. “Leland? I’ve been thinking something. I know a way you can keep the ranch.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Twenty years later

  Melody cursed under her breath as she pulled into the drive. She skirted around the red SUV almost blocking her way and parked her car. Either they were early or she was late. She checked the time. Okay, she was a little late.

  She jumped out of the car and moved around the house to the sound of voices. A couple sat on the porch on the side of the house.

  “Hello!” she called out. “I’m sorry I’m late. I got hung up in town. Have you been waiting long?”

  The young couple stood up to face her, their faces lit up with that inner glow of love she recognized. “Only about ten minutes. I’m afraid we were early,” said the woman. “I’m Fran, and this is Garrett.”

  They all shook hands awkwardly around the bottles of water they held. “Leland made us feel right at home,” said Garrett.

  Melody looked around. “Where’d he go?”

  “He said he had some work to attend to.”

  Melody eyed the purple rain clouds in the distance. “Why don’t we take a look around now while we talk? We don’t want to get caught in the rain. Let’s take the ATV.”

  They climbed into the seats of the ATV and Melody started it up with a lurch. “The facility we use for events is the old bunkhouse. And besides that my husband restored an old one room schoolhouse, which some use as a chapel. I’ll show you all that last.”

  They drove across the field toward the stand of woods lining the creek, and Melody threw a sideways glance toward the couple. “Do you have a date picked out yet?”

  “We were thinking a fall wedding would be beautiful.”

  “Fall is a lovely time of year. Pretty busy though. I wouldn’t rule out a winter wedding if I were you.”

  They started down the path toward the bridge. Out of the corner of
her eye she could see the couple exchanging glances, picturing their wedding.

  “In the winter we give sleigh rides. And picture this bridge here draped with evergreen boughs and lanterns.” She cut off the motor. “Of course, it’s pretty any time of year, but I guess I’m partial to a winter wedding because that’s when Leland and I got married.”

  The woman leaned around her fiancé to look her in the eye. “Leland?”

  Melody laughed. “Oh, I see. You’re confused. The Leland you met is my son. My husband is also called Leland.”

  She started up the ATV again and they crossed the bridge. “I’m a lucky girl, you see. With every wedding we have here, I get to relive my own in a way. Of course, we do have other events here, but the weddings are my favorite.”

  Melody’s lips twitched into a pleased grin. “Here’s the gazebo my husband built to honor my late mother-in-law. Isn’t the view breathtaking?” They sat in silence enjoying the view from the overlook. “It’s a great spot to exchange vows.” She went off into her own dream world of memories for a moment before shaking herself back to the present. “Will you have out of town guests?”

  Garret spoke up. “Yes, Fran’s family is from Arizona.”

  “Well, you have any number of hotels here and it’s a good base for seeing the sites. It gets busy here in the summer months, though. And we do have a cabin on the property we rent out. It used to be my husband’s bachelor digs. Though my son’s trying to talk us into letting him have it when he gets out of school.” Melody laughed and shook her head.

  Fran smiled at her. “How many children do you have?”

  “Three. My older son who you met is in college. He wants to be a veterinarian like his Daddy one day. Then we have two daughters who are still in high school.”

  Just then a figure on horseback came into view riding across the open land below. He stopped and looked up, hand shielding his eyes. Melody’s heart sang the way it always did when she saw him. That sense of connection to him so strong. “And there he is as we speak. Leland Jennings the fourth.” He waved up to her. “My one and only.”