Stephen Bly's Horse Dreams Trilogy: Memories of a Dirt Road, the Mustang Breaker, Wish I'd Known You Tears Ago

by Stephen A. Bly

  There was nothing but sobs.

  And static.

  “Dee, I’m going outside where there’s better reception.” Develyn scurried out to the porch. Casey leaned against the doorway. The moonlight radiated a dull glow like a distant dream. “Delaney, talk to me. What’s wrong?”

  More static and a murmur.

  “Honey, I didn’t hear that. Please tell me what the problem is. What did you say?”

  “I said, I’m three weeks late, Mom, and I’m scared to death.”

  “But, baby, you said you weren’t …”

  “I didn’t think so. What am I going to do? Should I go back to South Carolina and talk to Brian?”

  No, you aren’t going to keep shying away from me. I’m going to sit right here in the sage, and you will come to me. I love you, and I want to take care of you.

  “Mother? Do you hate me?”

  “Sweetheart, I don’t hate you. I’m going to Casper in the morning. It’s laundromat day. I’ll stop by AAA and get you an airline ticket. Have Lily drive you to the airport. You are going to spend a few weeks with me.”

  “Really?”

  Develyn stared up at the stars. “The air is clearer up here. You can think better. We’ll figure it all out.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Baby, come see me. Let me take care of you.”

  “I will, Mom. I will.”

  Develyn toted out two cardboard boxes crammed with dirty clothes and shoved them in the back of her silver Jeep Grand Cherokee. Uncle Henry paced back and forth.

  “I know … I have to go to town and you can’t go. I told you to go with Casey and Jackson, but you didn’t want to. I should just put you in the pasture. You’d have it all to yourself.”

  Cooper Tallon strolled across the dirt yard between the cabins.

  “Mornin’, Miss Dev.” He tipped his cowboy hat. “You didn’t go riding with the others?”

  “Casey and Jackson wanted to ride, so I lent them My Maria.”

  “You could have borrowed one of my horses.” He pointed to the buckskin and the bay in the pasture on the opposite side of his cabin. “Help yourself anytime.”

  “Thanks, but I do believe Casey and Jackson wanted to be by themselves.”

  “Jackson Hill, from up Sheridan way?”

  “Yes, do you know him?”

  “I know his mama. She teaches school up at Sheridan. She’s a fine lady.”

  “I’ve only visited with Jackson a couple of times, but he seems very nice.” Develyn nudged the boxes, then slammed the door. “I’m going to do laundry in Casper. I’ve been borrowing Mrs. Tagley’s washer, but this is too big a mess to bother her. Do you know a convenient coin-operated laundry in town?”

  “Jenny’s-By-The-Park is where I take mine.”

  “What’s it called?”

  “Jenny’s-By-The-Park. It’s on 16th, just past the transmission shop. If you don’t have time to watch the machines spin, she’ll do the laundry for a few more bucks. It saves me a lot of time. In fact, if I didn’t have to hurry down to Cheyenne, I’d take my laundry to town today myself.”

  “Go get it. I’ll take it,” she offered.

  Cooper laughed. “No. I will not have you do my laundry.”

  “I’m not going to do it. I’ll take it to Jenny and she can do it.”

  “Thanks, Dev, but I couldn’t impose like that.”

  She shaded the morning sun with her hand. “Cooper, you and I are adults. I can certainly tote your laundry to the cleaners.”

  “If I were the one going to town, would you let me take your things to the laundry?”

  “No,” she replied. “I mean … some of it is OK … but maybe not all.”

  He grinned. “That’s my point.”

  “You might be right. Laundry can be a little personal. Will you be driving down to Cheyenne?” She turned the key and rolled up the rear window.

  Cooper waved his arm south. “Quint Burdett is flying down and said he would give me a lift.”

  “Quint is coming down here?”

  Tallon studied the thin blue Wyoming sky. “Should be here any moment.”

  Develyn fidgeted with her keys.

  Cooper rubbed his chin. “I take it you want to be gone when he gets here.”

  “I’m not quite sure what to say when I see him. Our last conversation was rather … short.”

  “Just listen, then. Let him do the talking.”

  “Do you think he wants to talk to me?”

  “I imagine he does. But who am I to know? You do whatever you want, Miss Dev.”

  She opened the door to her Cherokee. “Are you going down to Frontier Days?”

  “Quint and Lindsay are, but I need to meet with a couple of men from Denver. They made me an offer on my construction business.”

  Develyn slid into the Cherokee, but left the door open. “Do you build houses and that sort of thing?”

  “No, it’s heavy equipment. I dig trenches for oil fields with backhoes, bulldozers, and all that.”

  “So, you are going to retire?”

  “I hadn’t planned on it. But if they want it bad enough, I might sell out and build that log house I’ve been wanting here.”

  “Oh, that would be nice. Sometimes I think about retirement, usually every February. But I need about twelve more years for maximum benefits.”

  A buzz in the sky caused them both to scan the horizon.

  “Maybe I’d better go,” she said.

  “Maybe you should answer your phone.”

  “Oh … yes … well …” Develyn fumbled to tug her cell phone from her pocket.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Miss Dev.”

  “Quint, is that you up there?”

  “Yep. I’m picking up Cooper Tallon and taking him down to Cheyenne. Do you want to come with us?”

  “I’m standing right out in the front yard visiting with Cooper.”

  “Yes, we can see you.”

  The airplane dipped lower. “Thanks for the invitation. I’m just on my way to Casper to do the laundry, so I’ll pass on Frontier Days.”

  “We need to talk, Miss Dev. Even if you have decided to hate me, we need to talk.”

  “Quint, I don’t hate you at all. I just needed some time to try to understand myself a little better.”

  “That’s fair enough. How about you coming out to the ranch on Friday evening? We’ll have a little supper and sit out on the porch and visit.”

  Develyn glanced at Cooper Tallon, who stood by the front of her rig scratching Uncle Henry’s ear. “I have other plans for Friday. How about Saturday?”

  “That’s great. Thanks. I need to work on my approach now.”

  “Your approach is always very good, Mr. Burdett.”

  “Thanks, it’s good to hear you laugh. I’ll see you Saturday, then.”

  “What time?”

  “Anytime before five will be fine. And, eh … Miss Dev why don’t you wear that purple shirt with the cowgirl on the front.”

  “Bye, Quint.”

  “Bye, darlin’.”

  Develyn tossed the cell phone on the seat next to her. Why must he always dress me?

  “You want me to stick Uncle Henry in the pasture after you pull out of here?” Tallon asked.

  “That would be nice.” She closed the door, then rolled down the window. “This is your last chance. Can I take your laundry to Jenny’s?”

  He rapped his fingers on the hood of her rig. “It would help. This deal might get me real busy with lawyers and paperwork for a while.”

  She shoved the door open again. “Go get your laundry. I’ll stick Uncle Henry in the pasture, and I’ll give you a lift to the airstrip.”

  * * *

  Quint Burdett pushed back his black cowboy hat when they pulled up beside the plane. Lindsay wore a white hat with a tu
rquoise-sequined blouse. They walked over to the Cherokee.

  “Thank you, Miss Dev,” Cooper grinned. “Will you greet me at the airport when I return?”

  “Oh, dear, I forgot. If you brought your truck you wouldn’t have to walk back.”

  “Don’t worry, it was worth it just to see Burdett’s face when you drove me up.” Tallon ducked his head and climbed out of the rig.

  When Develyn got out, Quint Burdett strolled up and gave her a polite hug. “Hi, Miss Dev.”

  She hugged him back. “Hi, Quint.”

  “Saturday?”

  “Yes.” She refused to look over at Cooper Tallon.

  Lindsay Burdett grabbed her arm. “I need to talk,” she whispered.

  Develyn studied the young woman’s bright blue eyes. “OK.”

  “Alone …” Lindsay tugged her back behind the Jeep.

  “Are you mad at me, Linds?”

  “Oh no, Dev. I was puzzled a little bit by the way you set Daddy up, then dumped him. But …”

  “Honey, I didn’t dump him … it’s just …”

  “Then I thought to myself, Lindsay, that’s exactly the way you’ve treated several boys over the years, and every time I had a very good reason for what I did. So I just know you have an explanation for this. Then when I saw you … well, it’s written all over your face.”

  “My face?”

  “Sweet Dev, there is only one reason a woman goes without any makeup or lipstick. You’ve been crying, haven’t you? When I saw you just now … lookin’ worn out and you know …”

  “Old?”

  “Well, sort of … I knew you were heartbroken. You got worried about how you could ever replace my mother, didn’t you?”

  “I think that was part of it.”

  Lindsay hugged her. “I’ve been thinking about that lately myself. Mother keeps getting more perfect every year in Daddy’s mind. He’s expecting me to live up to standards that Mother never demanded. But in his mind he’s convinced she did. Does that make sense to you?”

  “I hate to break this up, but we need to get back in the air,” Quint called to them.

  Develyn hugged Lindsay. “Yes, it does, honey.”

  “Can we spend some time talking? Just the two of us?”

  “I’m coming up Saturday for supper.”

  “Why don’t you spend the night? We can stay up late and talk.”

  “I’ll see if I can do that.”

  “Thanks. I just knew we could work this out. When I saw poor Dev without makeup … it broke my heart. Bye.”

  Develyn stood by the Jeep and watched as the plane taxied to the far end of the dirt landing strip. Then she got inside and rolled up the windows to block the dust. She waved. Two hands waved back.

  When she reached the blacktop of Highway 20, ten miles south of Argenta, she pulled over and stared at herself in the rearview mirror.

  Never … ever again … will I make such a dumb dare. Old? Crying? There you have it, Ms. Develyn Worrell. Straight from the rodeo queen’s lips. Lord, I’ve learned a lot this summer … and some of it’s hard. I know it is vanity, but after this week, I will wear makeup until the day I die. That’s just me.

  Develyn pulled out on the highway toward Casper, then began to chuckle.

  Well, Ms. Worrell, what a fine summer you are having! If you came to Wyoming to find yourself, you certainly succeeded. You are a neurotic, middle-aged, plain-looking schoolteacher who tries desperately to be something different. You’re not a rodeo queen … or a Texas beauty … or even a buckle bunny. The males that you relate to best are all eleven or twelve years old. The rest imagine you are something you’re not.

  When her Eagles CD blared out “Get Over It,” she rolled down the windows and turned up the sound.

  She didn’t hear the phone.

  But she felt the vibration, and punched off the stereo.

  “Hi, Miss Dev … it’s Renny.”

  “Hi, Mustang Breaker … how are those little buckaroos?”

  “Enthusiastic, but they have a lot to learn.”

  “Sort of like me, and kissing?” she laughed.

  “Dev, let me apologize about that. I don’t mean to rush things.”

  “I’m the one who needs to apologize, Renny … I, eh … well, I thought it was just a little game we were playing, but it’s more than that, isn’t it?”

  “It is for me.”

  “Me too, Renny.”

  “Can I get a re-ride?”

  “What?”

  “Can I start over and do a little better job?” he pressed.

  “Sure.”

  “I could take you to supper in Casper, but Casey can’t come with us this time.”

  Develyn watched the sage and fenceposts flash by. “Casey and Jackson are out riding today.”

  “That’s great. Do you think they’ll hit it off?”

  “I hope so, but you know them better than I do. What’s your take on those two?”

  “Casey has changed a lot, Devy-girl. I appreciate what you’ve done for her.”

  Develyn slowed down behind a hay swather. “I don’t know that I’ve done anything.”

  “That’s not true, Ms. Worrell. I’ve known Casey for fifteen years. She’s a legend around here. As you can imagine, she’s the butt of a lot of cowboy jokes with the guns and knives and bravado. She’s known as a half-breed hell-cat. I’ve seen tough cowboys cross the street, just so she wouldn’t confront them. Then you came along. Casey settled down. She dresses better. Takes care of herself. Has cut down on the trash talk.”

  “Casey is a neat person. I really like her.” Develyn pulled around the hay-cutting machine and waved at the baseball-capped operator.

  He waved back.

  “That’s the greatest compliment of all. If Miss Dev likes her … well, there is something special about her.”

  “You are flattering me, cowboy. What is it you want?”

  “Supper on Saturday night.”

  “Oh, rats, Renny, I already made some plans.”

  “OK, how about Friday night? I was hoping for a haircut before we went out, but I reckon you can put up with me shaggy.”

  “I’m sorry. I’ve got Friday plans too.”

  “Dadgum it, girl, who is this lucky guy?”

  She tapped on the steering wheel and bit her lip. “Guys.”

  “One on Friday and another on Saturday?”

  “Yeah, is that horrible?”

  “Shoot, no. Now you sound like Renny Slater. Why don’t I just pick a number and wait my turn? Actually, two different guys is better than the same one. It means you are still shopping.”

  “I’m not shopping at all. How about tomorrow night, Renny? I need to talk to you.”

  “About kissin’?”

  “No. I’ve got some decisions to make about Delaney.”

  “I don’t know a blasted thing about daughters, darlin’.”

  “I just need a friend to listen while I unload.”

  “That is something I can do.”

  “Thanks, Renny.”

  “I’ll take you to an Italian place in Casper.”

  “Is the food good?”

  “No, it’s lousy, but there’s lots of privacy,” he said. “I’m kidding about the food, of course. It’s excellent.”

  “Thanks. You might want to come over early, because I have a lot of things to dump on you.”

  “I like this, Devy-girl. This is the way to build a friendship.”

  She giggled. “Do you mean I don’t get any more kissing lessons?”

  “You don’t need any lessons.”

  “Coming from a professional like you, I take that as a compliment.”

  “If Casey and Jackson are out riding, what are you doing?”

  “I’m driving down Highway 20 to Casper. This is coin-operated laundry day. I decided to wear clean c
lothes for you.”

  “That will be different. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in clean clothes. Most have orange Popsicle stains, or something.”

  “Thanks. I guess you have seen me kind of ratty.”

  “Shoot, darlin’, if I’d known you were going to the laundry, I’d have sent mine along.”

  “Join the crowd. I’m taking Coop’s laundry too.”

  “What? Are you packin’ another man’s dirty clothes?”

  “Yes, much to his protest. But there was no reason for us both to spend a day going to Casper.”

  “Devy-girl, don’t you know there are some counties in Wyomin’ where doin’ a cowboy’s laundry is like bein’ engaged?”

  “No wonder Cooper panicked. Besides, I’m not doing his laundry; Miss Jenny is. I’m just the delivery person.”

  “Jenny-By-The-Park?”

  “Yes, Cooper said it was the best place in town.” Develyn slowed down behind a hay truck and rolled up her windows to block out a shower of chaff.

  “It’s closed.”

  “It is?”

  “Jenny closed it down last month. She got married on Memorial Day, and her hubby didn’t want her doing other men’s laundry.”

  “Are you kidding me, Slater?”

  “Not this time, sweet Dev.”

  “I’ll just have to find a different laundry.”

  “Don’t use the one on 10th and Broadway.”

  “Why?”

  “The dryers are so hot they melted the rivets on my Wranglers.”

  “I don’t buy that, cowboy.”

  “Boy, you toughened up.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Tomorrow night?” he asked.

  “I’m counting on it.”

  “So am I, Miss Dev. So am I.”

  * * *

  Develyn had just passed the Natrona County International Airport when her cell phone rang again.

  “Yes?”

  “It’s Renny the pest.”

  “Oh, did you find a better date for tomorrow night and have to cancel?”

  “What?”

  “I’m just teasing you, cowboy.”

  “It’s no joke. I do have to change the plans for tomorrow night,” he admitted.

  “You can’t desert me. I need you, Slater.”