by Arlene James
“Here,” Jack said. Gathering her hair into a clump on the nape of her neck, he quickly twisted a thick, braided elastic band over it, fashioning a ponytail.
Her heart beat at triple speed by the time he finished. “Thank you,” she told him breathlessly.
“No problem,” he said, tossing a cellophane package of the elastic bands onto the counter beside the stove. “Picked these up yesterday. Thought you could use them.”
She shot a smile at him before poking the package of hair bands into the pocket of her jeans. He had done a very thoughtful thing. Thoughtful and somehow personal.
She tried not to be too pleased. It meant nothing beyond kindness, after all. How could it? No man in his right mind would get involved personally with an amnesiac. He couldn’t trust that her past wouldn’t rise up to bite them both.
If that man had also been burned by romance, worried about his comatose mother and confused by the discovery of siblings, including a twin, about whom he’d known nothing... Well, she would be foolish in the extreme to entertain even the thought of a truly personal motivation on his part. Likely, he’d just gotten tired of seeing her hair hang in her face.
Still, he’d done a very sweet thing. It proved that he’d been thinking about her. Didn’t it?
She realized suddenly how much she wanted that. It frightened her a little.
She had no right to want such things. She didn’t know who or what lurked in her past. Okay, so maybe she wasn’t a wanted felon. Maybe she wasn’t wanted at all by anyone and for good reason. Maybe she wasn’t such a nice person in her other life, her real life. Surely, that fear lay beneath this sudden need to feel that Jack cared about her personally.
Whatever it was, she would do well to ignore it.
Chapter Seven
Quickly taking a plate from a stack on the counter, Kendra slid a trio of golden-brown pancakes onto it. Lupita elbowed her aside and poured more batter into the skillet before bending to remove the perfectly cooked bacon from the oven.
“Looks good,” Jack praised, taking the plate from Kendra and holding it out for Lupita to pile on the bacon.
“Set the fruit on the table,” Lupita instructed, nodding toward the refrigerator.
Kendra hurried to comply, taking a bowl of melons and berries from a shelf inside the oversize fridge. She turned to find Jack holding an extra plate. He nodded to the seat to the left of his at the table, where an extra cup of coffee waited. After placing the second plate of pancakes and bacon in front of the cup, he pulled out the chair.
“Sit.”
She set the bowl on the table and took the chair that he’d indicated, nervously wondering what was up, because something surely was. Jack leisurely moved around to his own chair, parked himself and went about slathering butter over his short stack. He poured on the syrup and started to eat. A few moments later, he spoke.
“So what are your plans for the day?” He shot a glance at the housekeeper, adding a wink. “Besides doing Lupita’s work.”
“I don’t do Lupita’s work!” Kendra protested. “I just help out where I can.”
He stuffed his mouth with dripping pancake then chewed and swallowed before saying, “Shouldn’t you be resting?”
“I have a small laceration on my forehead,” Kendra reminded him. “What do you want me to do, take to my bed for a week?”
Jack shook his fork at her. “You suffered a hit hard enough to knock your memories right out of your head. I’d say that warrants a few days of rest, at least.”
“I’m not ill,” Kendra muttered, then switched the subject to ease the tension. “So what are your plans for the day?”
“Gotta wait around here for a feed delivery. Haven’t taken care of the stock in the barn yet, so I’ve got to do that before—”
“I can help,” Kendra interrupted.
Jack studied his plate for a minute. “I don’t know. Your health aside, it’s not like you’re on the payroll, you know.”
“But in a way I am,” Kendra insisted. “You’re paying me in room and board.” She touched the ponytail on the back of her head then. “And other things.”
“We don’t pay our help in rubber bands,” Jack grumbled. “We pay honest wages.”
“I feel better if I’m contributing,” Kendra said, dropping her hand.
Flattening his lips, Jack gave in. “Come along, then. I could use the help. But eat your breakfast first.”
Smiling, Kendra began to cut up her pancakes. Jack polished off his and went back to the stove for more, then lingered over a last cup of coffee while Kendra finished eating.
Violet appeared, exclaiming, “Smells good!”
“Does it ever,” Maddie agreed, coming into the room right behind her.
Jack grew pensive, running his fingertip around the rim of his cup while his sisters chatted with Lupita and filled their plates.
“Landon’s on his way,” Violet announced happily, dropping into a chair at the table.
“That’s good,” Jack muttered.
“Ty and I have a date tomorrow night,” Maddie reported, taking a place across from her sister.
Once they both settled in, Jack cleared his throat.
“Need to tell you something.”
“What’s that?” Violet asked, reaching for the fruit bowl.
“I found a Bible and note at the house.”
Both of the twins froze, their gazes locking. Kendra suddenly realized that the house was his house, the one he was remodeling.
“When?” Maddie asked quietly.
“Wednesday afternoon.”
“And you’re just telling us now?”
He made a dismissive gesture with one hand. “It’s exactly what each of you found. Well, the Bible’s different, but the note’s identical.”
Feeling the tension mount, Kendra looked from one to the other of the siblings. All appeared grim.
Violet blinked, put down the fruit bowl and stared at her plate. “I wish Mom would wake up,” she finally said.
“Me, too,” Maddie whispered.
Jack said nothing, but he didn’t have to. His expression said it all. Kendra wanted to take his hand in hers, but she didn’t really have any place in this discussion. Carefully pushing back her chair, she rose and moved into the kitchen.
“I need to see her right away,” Violet suddenly said in a fierce voice. “I need all three of us to see her today. Together.”
“I can get there around two o’clock,” Maddie volunteered. “The deadlines at the paper are all early today, and I don’t have to pick up Darcy until three.”
“Count me in as well,” Jack said. “I’ll just hook up the trailer and pick up the feed at the store, so I won’t have to wait around for the delivery guy.”
“Then we’re agreed,” Violet announced. “Two o’clock in Mom’s room. Ricardo can cover me for a while.”
Jack and Maddie both nodded at their sister.
Having made arrangements with his sisters, Jack motioned at Kendra and led her out into the courtyard and along the path to the barn.
“I’m very sorry about your mom,” Kendra told him as they passed through the gate.
He nodded and stopped to pet Nipper as the Australian shepherd loped eagerly toward them. “I just keep praying she’ll come around.”
“What happened to her?”
“She fell off her horse,” Jack answered tersely, dropping to one knee to ruffle the dog’s ears. His tone alone let Kendra know that he didn’t want to talk about it, and she respected that.
Watching him stroke the dog then lean down to hug it, she wondered about her own mother. Where was she? How was she? Who was she?
Even as the questions filtered through her mind, Kendra mentally shied from them. For the first ti
me, she felt a real reluctance to know answers about her past. Reluctance and sadness.
Blocking the feelings, she turned resolutely toward the barn and set off down the path.
* * *
Nipper slipped into the barn with Jack. Usually the dog stayed outside, but once in a while he liked to check things inside. Jack had often suspected that the animal sensed when he or others were troubled. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one this morning, because Nipper went haring off after Kendra. Maybe the silly old dog just liked the girl. Plenty to like, after all.
Inhaling deeply, Jack left that train of thought as the tranquility of the barn rolled over him. He sometimes complained about having too much to do, but he loved this place and every animal in it. The earthy smell alone could lift his spirits. Something seemed different today, though. A heavy, metallic odor permeated the building.
He glanced around, taking in the loft, the old tractor in its usual spot, the tack bench and the darkened aisle between the pens and stalls. All seemed normal, but Kendra obviously smelled the troubling odor, too.
“That’s blood,” she said flatly. Then “The foal!”
“Can’t be,” he told her, following her down the hay-strewn aisle. “Foal’s not due for days yet.”
Kendra snorted delicately. “That three-hundred-and-forty-day gestation is not written in stone, you know.”
Jack shook his head. “I’m not even going to guess how you know that.”
She turned once more toward the mare’s stall.
Her laughter and suddenly relaxed posture told Jack that they had nothing to worry about.
“Hold the dog,” she said, reaching down to turn Nipper’s head away from the gate. Jack dug his fingers beneath the dog’s collar and held on, though in truth, Nipper showed no tendency to do more than sit and avidly watch. As she carefully entered the stall, Jack hung back with the dog.
“Look at you,” Kendra cooed to the wobbly colt struggling up from the bedding, but she made no move to touch the new baby until she had walked around the mare, being careful to keep one hand on the animal at all times.
Only after she’d touched the mama horse with both hands did she approach the colt. Unconcerned, he nosed his mother and began to nurse. Kendra ran her hands over his back, flanks and legs, then felt his neck and mane. The tail of a new foal always looked as if it had been chopped off short, and that never failed to amaze Jack. As if to demonstrate her authority, the mare swished her long, majestic tail over her progeny.
“What are you going to call him?” Kendra asked in a softly modulated tone, patting the colt.
“I’ll leave that up to my sister,” Jack replied. “The mare’s called Roquefort.”
“Roquefort?” Kendra exclaimed, glancing in his direction. “That’s a funny name.”
“The mare was kind of a sickly colt herself,” he explained, “and Violet got it into her head that Roquefort Dressing would be good for her. She’d been sneaking out here feeding her bowls of the stuff for days before we found out about it. Violet was just a little girl at the time and had a powerful liking for blue-cheese dressing.”
Kendra chuckled and patted the mare’s flank. “Doesn’t seem to have hurt her any. Maybe we should call him Worcestershire. He’s about the right color.”
We. A shiver ran through Jack, followed by a pang of regret that this was only temporary. Every day here could be her last. The instant she remembered who she was and where she belonged—to whom she belonged—she’d be out of here. Maybe even before then.
“You and the girls talk it over and decide on something,” he muttered roughly.
Nodding, Kendra reached for the leather hackamore that they kept on a fence post, apparently oblivious to the undercurrent. “Let’s clean this stall and get the afterbirth smell out of here.”
Glad for the distraction, Jack sent the dog out of the barn and closed the door. Then he returned to the stall with a soft rope, which he put on the colt. He half dragged, half coaxed the spunky youngster out into the aisle, while Kendra put the bitless headpiece on the mare and led her out. They snugged the animals together and tethered the mare, then worked for several minutes forking out the filthy bedding and replacing it. Soon the sweet perfume of cedar filled the air, and mother and son could return to their cozy stall.
After feeding and watering the mare, they cared for the other animals. When Kendra remarked that organic feed would be best for the pigs because of how easily they absorbed and retained chemicals, Jack could only stare at her and shake his head.
“I—I seem to have some strong opinions on some things,” she apologized, blushing.
“Don’t worry about it,” he told her with a grin. “Just wish I knew where you came by those opinions.” Or did he? Did he really?
“Me, too,” she whispered as the cat wandered up and flopped down at her feet. Going to her knees, Kendra immediately began to feel the cat’s belly. Suddenly she froze, saying, “I’ve done this before. I remember distinctly. It was a white Himalayan. She had two kittens. Only one survived.”
Aware that she might be remembering something significant, Jack went down on his haunches beside her. “Okay. Just let it come. Now tell me—when and where was that?”
Wincing, she lifted a hand to her forehead. He’d almost forgotten her wound and eyed the almost invisible dressing she’d applied.
“N-not too long ago, I think, but...” Scrunching up her eyes, she shook her head. “I can’t remember!”
“It’s all right,” Jack told her, sliding his arms around her. He couldn’t help feeling relieved. She laid her head on his shoulder, and he knew that she fought tears. “It’s all right,” he said again. “It’ll come.”
“But what if it doesn’t?” she moaned.
“It’ll come,” he repeated, meaning it as much as a warning to himself as a comfort to her. “Your memories will return. Meanwhile, I think you can take over barn duty, if you want.”
She pulled back, gasping lightly. The sparkle in her tear-filled hazel eyes made him want to hug her again. And more. Of their own accord, his gaze dropped to her pretty lips.
“Really?” she squeaked.
Shooting up to his feet, Jack put as much distance between them as he could without being too obvious about it. “S-sure,” he said, poking his hands into his rear pockets to keep from reaching down to help her as she rose to her full height. “You obviously know animals, and you’ve got the routine down. You’ll be a big help.” The smile that she beamed over him made him want to run, mainly because it made him want to smile, too. “Until you’re ready to move on,” he added pointedly.
Her smile died by increments, but then she nodded. “I’ll take care of the animals every morning before breakfast,” she said, “and after dinner.”
“That’s fine,” he said lightly. “Mind you, it’s seven days a week now.”
“I understand.”
“Okay.” He couldn’t seem to figure out what to do with his hands anymore, so he waved them in a gesture of farewell. “Better get moving. Busy day.”
“Thank you, Jack,” she told him softly, but he pretended not to hear and hurried away.
He dared not look back or think too hard on what he’d just done—and almost done.
She’d be gone soon, after all. If not before then surely right after her stitches came out. Because what would keep her here then?
Nothing. Nothing at all.
* * *
Kendra didn’t see Jack at all during the day on Saturday. Violet said that he often stayed out at the old house that he was remodeling and that he’d been unsettled after visiting their mother the day before.
“Why was that?” Kendra asked, curious and more than a little embarrassed about it. “Did anything happen? Do you think she might be waking up?”
Violet shook h
er head, drawling, “You ought to ask Jack about it yourself.”
“Good luck with that,” Maddie remarked, walking through the living room on the way to answer the front door. “He didn’t exactly want to talk about it when I asked.” She sounded hurt by that, but a moment later, she greeted Ty then called out happily, “Don’t wait up!”
“Have fun!” Violet called.
Maddie asked where Darcy was.
“Oh, she’s with Lupita and Ricardo.”
Kendra had learned that Ricardo Ramirez was Lupita’s husband and Violet’s right hand with the home farm and vegetable stand in town. Kendra didn’t say that she could have watched Darcy for the evening. Maybe Ty wouldn’t want an amnesiac watching over his little girl. After all, what did anyone know about her?
The two women sat in the family room and watched TV until Landon Derringer came for Violet. He was not at all what Kendra expected. Handsome in an urbane way, he had “big city” stamped all over him, but seeing how Violet rushed eagerly into his arms told Kendra that the two were very much in love. They were kind enough to invite her along on their date, but Kendra declined. The couple had been separated for some time and deserved a bit of privacy.
Kendra tried to watch TV for a while longer, but she couldn’t seem to concentrate, so she went upstairs to let down the hem on a skirt that Maddie had given her to wear to church the next day. Curling up on the window seat overlooking the courtyard, she sewed in the hem tape that Lupita had found for her then rose to press the new hem flat. Sewing obviously was not one of her talents, but she supposed the skirt would do. Taking up a book that she’d chosen from the shelves built into one corner of the family room, she returned to the window seat and read for an hour or so before sleep eased over her. Rousing again when she heard Maddie come in, she dressed for bed and slid beneath the covers, falling asleep almost the instant her head hit the pillow.
At some point in the wee hours of the morning, she woke suddenly. Lying quietly, she realized that something had disturbed her—a sound, a movement, something. She got up and pulled on jeans and a T-shirt over her makeshift pajamas. Quietly, she padded out onto the landing in her bare feet then wandered along it around the corner and across the house until she spotted the thin line of light beneath the door to Jack’s rooms. Smiling to herself, she went back to her own room and settled into bed again, feeling strangely at peace.
