Develyn circled My Maria and galloped toward the waiting Lily Martin. “And, of course, Cooper. Mrs. Tagley thinks he's the one. I know she does. And to tell you the truth, I do too. He's the right one at the wrong time. If I were twenty-one and he were thirty-one, if there had been fewer mistakes, fewer tears…
“But his family can't have girls. That's the strangest thing I've ever heard of. And that means no Delaney. You see what I'm saying, honey. The right man at the wrong time. Rats.”
In a fog of dry, yellow dust, Develyn reined up and spun My Maria one full circle before dismounting.
“Wow, Ms. Worrell, I'm impressed. I can't believe you've learned that much this summer.”
“My Maria is a good horse, just a little snotty.” She handed the reins to the shorter, dark-haired lady. “Your turn.”
“No. Really, Dev.”
“Let's ride together. You get on, then I'll swing up behind.”
“Oh, no, I don't know how to steer. You drive. I'll ride behind.”
“OK.”
“What did I do? Did I just agree to ride your horse?”
“Come on, Lil.” Develyn climbed back into the saddle and reached her hand down.
With a grunt, a giggle, and a groan, Lily made it up. She wrapped her arms around Develyn's waist.
“Take it slow, Ms. Worrell. I have a sick man back in Casper who wants me to marry him. I don't want to croak yet.”
“You're not scared, are you?”
“This is fast enough.”
“Fast? If she went any slower, My Maria would fall asleep.”
“What's that noise?”
“She needs a lube job.”
“What?”
“It's my cell phone, Lil.” Develyn dug in her pocket. “Kind of breaks the ambience, doesn't it?” She plopped her hat on the saddle horn and shoved the phone to her ear.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Miss Dev, where are you?”
She studied the sky. “I'm out for a ride near Argenta. Where are you, Quint?”
“I'm still in Texas, but I'm thinking I should fly home. Do you know what's going on at the ranch? I've been trying to reach someone since six this morning. There's no one there.”
“Of course there isn't. You gave them the weekend off.”
“I did?”
“I saw Cuban and the boys in Casper yesterday. He said you gave everyone a few days paid vacation before fall work begins.”
“I did no such thing.”
“He said you left a message out on the message board in the hanger. I'm sure Cuban wouldn't make that up.”
“I didn't do any such thing, but I agree, Cuban wouldn't make it up. That's strange, isn't it? I'm flying home.”
“How's Lindsay?”
“She got the job and just rented a furnished condo. Her boss and wife are taking her out to supper to introduce her to the other staff.”
“How's Daddy doing with all that?”
“I was doing fine until this ranch exodus thing.”
“Anything you want me to do?”
“If you see the boys, tell them to get back to the ranch. I don't want to leave it vacant. You riding with Casey?”
“My friend Lily came to see me, so we're out for a ride.”
“Tell Miss Lily that I had a nice talk with Alberto Rogers. He's the president of the Texas Bar, and he knows her Stewart. He says he's truly one of the finest gentlemen in the profession. So I give her permission to marry him.”
“I'll tell her. Bye, Quint.”
Develyn prodded My Maria to a trot.
Lily clutched tighter. “What are you doing?”
“That was your friend, Quint.”
“My friend. I've never met the man.”
“But you talk to him often?”
“On several occasions. We have a mutual friend.”
“Hmmm, and you didn't bother telling me?”
“You didn't ask.”
“Well, your pal Quint Burdett, says that the president of the Texas Bar gave your Stewart a five-star rating. So your friend Quint says to go ahead and marry him.”
“Goody.”
“I can't believe that. You getting chummy with Quint.”
“He's a very nice man, Dev. Miss Emily was one lucky lady. Where were guys like that when we were young?”
“Riding horses in Wyoming, I suppose.”
“Can we slow down now?”
“You need a change of pace?”
“Yes, please.”
Develyn kicked My Maria, and she broke into a gallop.
“Dev!” Lily screamed.
“I thought that was reverse.”
“I want off right now!”
“You'll have to jump. Try to land on your feet and keep running.”
Develyn reined up and slowed My Maria. “Oh, Lily, admit it. You like the wind in your face and leather slapping your rear.”
“Now that I've lived through it, I suppose it was alright. Can I get off now?”
“Just one more thing, then we better get to the cabin. There's a thunderhead blowing this way. It will dump rain.”
Develyn tugged the reins back and brought her leg over My Maria's head.
“What are you doing?”
“Time for you to ride solo.”
“Oh, no.”
“You can't say you rode a horse if you haven't been on one by yourself.”
“I can lie.”
“You cannot. When you ride by yourself, you set the speed.”
“I can go slow?”
“Very slow.”
“Well, just for a few feet maybe.”
Develyn slid to the ground and gave Lily the reins. She grabbed the paint mare's headstall and led her across the prairie. “See how nice that is?”
“It is rather fun.”
“All right. When we get back to the corral, I'll grab my camera.”
“Hmmm. Perhaps I could borrow your hat.”
“I knew it!” Develyn shouted.
“Is that your phone again? Or did I do something wrong?”
Develyn turned loose of the headstall. “You're on your own, sweetie. Hello?”
“Hi, Devy-girl.”
“Wait...wait, what do you mean, I'm on my own? I don't want to be on my own.”
“Pull back on the reins gently and say ‘whoa.’”
“Whoa.”
“Not you, Renny.”
“Devy, who are you talking to?”
“Lily came to see me. I'm letting her ride My Maria.”
“Lily is there? That does it. I'm headed back to Wyomin'. Tell Lily darlin' howdy for me.”
“I suppose she talked with you on the phone too. Hmmm. Now, Mr. Mustang Breaker, what did you decide about the job?”
“It's a dream job, Dev. Good pay, summers and holidays off. They have a great apartment above the indoor arena. Expenses paid. Nice folks. The president of the college came to talk to me. It's one of those deals a guy only stumbles into once in his life.”
Develyn watched as Lily nudged My Maria to a trot. Somewhere to the west she heard thunder, but it was still sunny above.
“So you're going to take the job?”
“I turned them down, Dev.”
“What? Why?”
“I spent forty-two years not being tied down by my work. I like the freedom. I'm going to get a phone call some mornin' before daybreak that Lloyd and Denise's cattle are stranded in a November blizzard up in the Big Horns, and I'll be hundreds of miles away giving some eighteen-year-olds a pop quiz in elementary equine production. You're right, Dev. I can't do that. It would eat at my soul.”
Develyn's voice softened. “I think you're right, Renny.”
“I owe that to you. You could see what I was really like.”
“You are my hero, Renny. Not a silver scree
n actor or a sports star. Not even the rodeo star with a world championship buckle. But you're my hero. No matter what danger I faced, you'd be the first one I'd want with me.”
Lily circled the horse and headed back.
“Renny?”
“Thanks, Dev. You're the most special friend. I don't know what's up ahead for you. Don't know if, or whom, you'll marry. But ask him if I can have permission to call my Devy-girl ever' once in a while, when I can't beat the melancholies and need to hear your voice.”
“I don't need permission from anyone. Day or night, cowboy, you call me. When are you headed back?”
“Right now. I'm in Burley, Idaho, gettin' some gas.”
“We're doing a barbecue for Lily and her Stewart tomorrow night. Anyway, you can come?”
“I'll be there. Count on it.”
“It will break my heart if you aren't.”
“Darlin', did you ever dream about what it would have been like?”
“Yes, but I'm too old, remember?”
“Too many years and too many tears.”
“But you will always be my Renny. You know that, don't you?”
“Yes, I do. Hey, the trip wasn't a complete waste of time. Guess who I ran across in Twin Falls?”
“Meg Ryan?”
Renny laughed. “Janie DeFore is in town. She's doing PR work for Dodge Trucks.”
“Is she an old friend?”
“She hated me for four straight years while she was in high school.”
“Does she still hate you?”
“Nope.”
“What does this mean?”
“When she's in Sheridan next week, I promised to buy her some supper.”
“Is she…”
“Yep.”
“Has she been…”
“Nope.”
“Does she have…”
“Nope.”
“Do you think…”
“I don't have a clue. That's up to the Lord, I reckon.”
“Whoops, the thunderstorm is getting closer. I don't want another cabin to burn down. Talk to you tomorrow.”
“Your cabin burned down?”
“Now you will have to come see me.”
“Yeah, I surely will, Miss Dev. Bye, darlin.'“
“Drive careful, mustang breaker.”
Lily rode straight at her. “Dev, do something! She won't mind me.”
“Spin her a few times, then get off. She's scared of lightning.”
“So am I!”
“Turn her head and spur her.”
Lily kicked My Maria's flanks. The mare galloped toward the corrals with Lily screaming “No!” at the top of her voice.
Develyn jogged after them. I said turn her head first, then spur her. If you fall off and break your neck, I will be very angry with you.
Lily's feet bounced free from the stirrups.
Hang on, girl! Hang on!
Develyn stumbled but kept upright as she raced after the galloping horse. Raindrops slapped her face as the cloud opened up to a downpour. My Maria slowed to a trot then halted at the corral gate. Develyn huffed her way up to them.
Lily banged down off the horse, staggered two steps back, and stumbled to her rear on the moist prairie dirt.
Develyn pulled Lily to her feet. “Are you alright?”
“Alright? Alright? I'm wonderful!” Lily screamed into the crashing thunder. “I'm alive. I lived through it.” She danced around the sagebrush. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
Develyn grabbed her shoulders. They both danced to the rumble of the thunder. Rain streaked down their faces.
“I'm alive, Devy.”
“Yes, you are.”
“And I'm going to marry Stewart.”
“Yes, you are.”
“And as soon as I can, I'm going to buy a horse.”
Develyn stopped dancing.
Like an empty bucket, the rain stopped all at once.
The cloud blew west.
The sun broke through.
“Lily Martin's going to buy a horse?”
“I loved it.”
“But you said you thought you were going to die.”
“That's the part I loved the most.”
And that's why I say, at our age, it's risky trying something new like this.” Stewart tugged at his tie as if his collar was too tight.
Develyn sipped ice water from a crystal goblet. “You presented an excellent case, counselor. But your strongest point is also your weakest.”
“Our age?” he murmured.
“Yes. At our age we're prone to follow logic and reason as if it's a divine command.”
“It pays good dividends,” Stewart boasted.
“I agree,” Develyn continued. “And that, too, is your weakness.”
Lily turned to Cooper. “Your honor, I'm confused.”
“My word, are we spoiling a fine meal arguing over legal technicalities?” Stewart asked.
Cooper wiped his mouth with a green linen napkin. “I believe the counsel for the defense still has the floor.”
“Thank you, your honor,” Develyn said. “I would now like to present my closing arguments. The honorable prosecutor, Mr. Stewart Lawrence, Esquire, has made it clear that the proposition under consideration should be rejected because, first, it is imprudent at our advanced ages to engage in such a risky venture, and second, sticking with logic and reason would be a better financial investment. Is that correct?”
“Sounds quite convincing,” Stewart concurred.
Develyn tapped on the water glass with her spoon. “And it is my contention that at our advanced and decrepit age…”
“I resent that remark,” Lily smirked.
“We have few opportunities to follow our hearts and dispose of that stinking logic and reason. I say that if we do not follow our hearts now, if we let this grand opportunity ride into the western sunset, never to raise its magnificent head again, we will regret it the rest of our lives.”
“No matter how short that might be,” Lily added.
“Yes.” Develyn triumphed. “The mind has an uncanny ability to overcome defeat, but the heart rejected aches forever.”
“Do you think she had too much flambé sauce?” Stewart chided. He glanced around the restaurant at other patrons who were listening to their discussion. “Perhaps we've all had too much flambé sauce,” he whispered into his napkin.
Develyn stood up. “And for my concluding argument…”
“Good heavens, Ms. Worrell, be seated,” Stewart pleaded.
She glanced over at Cooper Tallon. He pointed to her empty chair.
She plopped down. “As to the idea that logic pays the best dividends, Mr. Prosecutor is correct. This can be an expensive change of life. But that's my point. At our age not a one of us needs more dividends. Most of us have life so structured that right now our dividends will outlive us. Is that not true, Mr. Prosecutor?”
“Objection,” Stewart puffed.
“Objection overruled,” Cooper replied. “Answer the question.”
“Yes, I believe my dividends will outlive me.”
“So we do not need dividends. We do not need a boost of financial stability. What we do need is adrenalin. We need something to make our hearts race and our spirits soar. We need a reason to get up in the morning and hurry home after work. We need to know someone is depending on us and longs to see our face. Someone who doesn't care if it's a bad hair day. Someone who doesn't mind if our socks don't match our earrings. Someone who doesn't care if the kid pharmacist always gives us the senior citizen discount. We don't need dividends; we need love fulfilled!”
Soft applause broke out in the restaurant.
“Good grief,” Stewart murmured.
“Dev presents that good of a case?” Lily asked.
“Heavens, no. A second-year law student could shred it, b
ut everyone in this room is staring at us.”
“If you go anywhere with Dev, you get used to that,” Lily said.
Develyn elbowed Cooper Tallon. “Your honor, what is your ruling?”
“The court is recessed while the bench ponders the verdict.”
“I'm not used to judges pondering a verdict,” Stewart said.
“In Wyomin', there's no g on the word ponderin',” Cooper corrected. “In renderin' my verdict, the fact that the prosecutor is from a foreign land will not affect my decision.”
“That's very judicial of you,” Stewart replied.
“When can we expect a verdict, Your Honor?” Develyn asked.
Cooper stabbed his meat. “When I have finished my steak.”
“You only have one more bite,” Develyn prodded. “Hurry up.”
“I will not rush the last bite of steak. It's the most important bite of the evenin'.”
“Why is that, Your Honor?” Lily asked.
“Because, dear lady, it is the last bite of steak I will have until…”
“Tomorrow?” Develyn interjected.
“Yes, until tomorrow. That means the moist, succulent, sweet juices of this medium-rare ribeye must soothe my pallet for many hours, if not days. This one little bite, and the memory thereof, must sustain me through many toils and snares.”
“Coop, eat the last bite of meat,” Develyn snarled.
He jammed the morsel into his mouth.
“Now, we want a verdict, and we want a verdict right now,” she demanded.
Cooper rapped his spoon on the table. “Court is in session. Having carefully reviewed all the evidence in this case …”
“What evidence?” Stewart protested.
“Quiet in the court. I have examined all the evidence, or lack thereof, and come to this conclusion based on Cowboy Rule #14 established in the case of Sissy McClain vs. Josiah ‘Three Fingers’ McClain, August 4, 1872, Ft. Laramie, Wyoming Territory.”
“What is Cowboy Rule #14?” Lily asked.
“Never, ever, stand between a girl and her horse. This court rules in favor of the defendant. Lillian Suzanne Martin retains legal permission to purchase a horse, as long as it's a decent breed and not one of those insane thoroughbreds.”
“Yes!” Develyn jumped to her feet.
Lily danced over to Develyn. “I won!” They slapped high fives, then plopped back down in their chairs.
Stewart Lawrence pulled his linen napkin completely over his head until his face was covered. “I appeal,” he mumbled.
Stephen Bly's Horse Dreams Trilogy: Memories of a Dirt Road, the Mustang Breaker, Wish I'd Known You Tears Ago Page 67
