Twelfth of Never (Book 3 of the McKay series)

by Hestand, Rita

  "Where did you learn that prayer, Zoey?"

  "At my church."

  "Well, it's very nice." Sandy smiled.

  "Where did these horses come from, I've never seen them here?" Sandy asked as the kids busied themselves in their task, and she met Julie at a long couple of two by fours.

  "We bought them," Julie informed her. "We knew we would need special ones that were gentle and easy to care for. We found a couple at a circus, and some at auctions. Some were pretty old, so we got them for really good prices. It took us a while to buy enough."

  "You've put some real investment in this, haven't you?" Sandy's brows knitted. It bothered her that she hadn't thought of anyone but herself and the money, well…and Chad. This ate at her half the morning, even though she tried to squash the feeling. She wanted to do some good in the world too. And she was determined to help Julie and Cade with these kids that she was quickly growing to love.

  Sandy went behind them and showed them just how much pressure to use and how to gently do the job. All the kids were excited and eager to work. They all seemed to grow fond of their horses.

  Caleb worked closely with Sandy and her kids, since Zoey was prone to be very slow and not understand what to do. However, his communication skills were great and the animals all seemed to love Zoey, Sandy noted.

  Less than an hour into their work, Mike showed up in a pickup truck. He had camera supplies in the back and was digging it out when Sandy walked over to the truck.

  She didn't know why, but she eyed him closely this morning, noting the tight jeans, and the comfortable cotton t-shirt he wore. He had a black cowboy hat on too. The hat made him a striking figure.

  "What are you doing here?" she asked curiously.

  "Actually, I'm doing a magazine layout for Cade about the organization. It will be a lot of publicity for them and help them to receive aid from different agencies," Mike responded, barely giving her a glance. "The way this thing is growing, they are going to need help from different areas."

  "Oh wow, that is fantastic!" Sandy couldn't stop the bubble of enthusiasm.

  Mike glanced at her in surprise. "You sound so surprised."

  "Oh…well, I guess I am. I never knew you were into so many things." Sandy blushed.

  "Once I saw how dedicated Cade and Julie had become and how this was growing, I submitted the idea to a magazine that I've worked for. They thought it was a great human interest angle, so it took off. So…what are you doing out here?"

  "Same as you I guess, trying to be helpful in some way," Sandy said, turning her attention back to Zoey who was almost falling off his step stool. She came over and scooted him over.

  "Zoey honey, you gotta watch, you can't just walk off the stool baby." Sandy quickly moved him and hugged him. "But you are doing a super job."

  "Tanks," Zoey said with a toothless smile. Zoey was one of the youngest in the bunch and his two front teeth were missing, making him adorable.

  He couldn't reach as high as most of the kids, but the gentle animal Caleb picked especially for Zoey didn't seem to mind.

  "Zoey, do you know the name of your horse?" Sandy asked.

  "Sure…I got to name him. It's Happy, because he is always happy to see me." Zoey beamed.

  "That's a wonderful name."

  But as Zoey went back to brushing his horse, Sandy turned her attention back to Mike.

  "So…how is Selma?" Sandy asked.

  "I went by before she left town. She's doing okay, but not too anxious to model any more. It's a shame. She was a natural."

  "That is a shame. And it was all my fault." Sandy turned to look at him once more.

  "No, it wasn't. You don't know where every snake is. You aren't that good out there. No one is. That's why Wade carries that kit. Selma made her own decision. It was her choice. You know some women aren't cut out for it. They think this kind of work is easy and will make them rich and famous. Others realized early on that it is a career and that it takes both work and dedication. You have to learn that early. She didn't."

  "I'm sorry…"

  "I'm not…" He moved his camera, adjusting it to the right spot. "Why don't we get some shots of you and Zoey working with the animals?" Mike suggested as he brought his camera up to his shoulder.

  "Well, okay, yeah, I guess so." Sandy seemed a little nervous about it.

  "Hey," Mike walked over to her, tipped her chin up and smiled into her surprised eyes. "It will be great, just relax. Just go about the work naturally, don't try to pose, okay?"

  "I'm not a model…" she began. "I wouldn't know how to pose anyway." She laughed.

  "You don't have to be. You'll be great. They want natural. Just do what you are doing with Zoey, naturally. And just for the record, you could easily be model material, if you were interested," Mike coaxed.

  "I'm not interested," Sandy began.

  "I know that."

  But his touching her chin had her reacting physically to him and shook her. She also felt camera shy. After all, most of the women he photographed were beautifully shaped models. She couldn't compete with that and didn't want to. It wasn't that she wasn't thin and fit, it was more that she wasn't hour-glass perfect.

  Completely aware of the man didn't help. But Sandy was determined to do a good job, no matter what, so she turned her attention on Zoey once more. She didn't see the antics Mike was doing with the camera as they moved about the horse. She couldn't concentrate on him.

  Mike moved on to Julie and Cade and even got in some shots of Caleb working at the anvil.

  Sandy tried to keep her eyes on the kids, but every now and then she stole a glance at Mike. The way he moved with that camera was almost like a waltz. He was so at ease with the kids too, that shocked her. She hadn't imagined him with kids.

  Julie showed Sandy how to harness the kids onto the horses so they would be safely mounted and they paraded the kids around the coral.

  "Keep an eye on Heather. She has a lot of uncontrolled movements and sometimes it's necessary to be right there with her so she doesn't fall off. The way she twists her body, she can twist herself right out of the harness."

  "I'll ride alongside her then." Sandy nodded.

  The kids were anxious to ride.

  "Okay kids," Cade announced a few minutes later. "We're going to have a picnic but we must ride to the spot. So I want you all to get ready to go and once we get there, I want all of you to check with Julie for your chores. If you have a problem with your harness, let us know right away. Okay?"

  They all shouted back.

  Sandy glanced at Julie. "They have chores?"

  "Just little jobs to do to set up the picnic, it makes them feel as though they are really doing something, contributing to the work. They might be special needs, but these kids need to be needed too. They are eager little creatures to do things. And when you have this many, you have to keep them busy doing things or they get into mischief," Julie informed her.

  "You know I never realized how much work and thought goes into being a mother." Sandy watched the kids automatically bring their gear to the horse as Caleb and Cade hitched them up.

  "Maybe this is really good for you, since one day you'll be getting married. Letty told me all about your engagement," Julie was saying.

  Sandy glanced around, wondering if Mike was around to hear. She didn't see him.

  "That may not work out," Sandy corrected her. "Don't go spreading it around yet."

  "Oh, trouble already?" Julie probed.

  "I don't know. I'm just putting some distance between it, to see," Sandy almost whispered.

  Julie stared at her a moment. "If you doubt your feelings, then there is trouble already."

  Sandy nodded. "I guess you are right. You know Julie; I have to admit I admire both of you for getting involved with something so worthwhile. Seeing those children smile and be happy is a real payoff."

  "Yeah, it gets to you, doesn't it?" Julie laughed. "Cade started this, but it didn't take me long to want to get involved
, myself. And you should see them when he gets his harmonica out. They love music."

  Sandy grew quiet.

  "Do you and Chad have a lot in common?" Julie asked as she made sandwiches for the kids on a table made with two by fours.

  Sandy handed her the mayonnaise. "I'm not sure. I mean, he is a little overwhelming sometimes. All the time."

  "Has a dynamic personality, huh?" Julie nodded as she continued to work. "Hey, don't just stand there, get busy girl, we have a lot of mouths to feed. If you are here to help, then come on, I can sure use you."

  Julie chuckled as Sandy started working alongside her. Together they had the sandwiches knocked out in no time.

  "Chad sort of stormed into my life," Sandy explained as they began repacking the supplies. "Mike introduced us and we haven't been apart until now."

  "And now you are taking a second look from a distance?" Julie prodded, giving her a quizzical look.

  "Something like that. I mean, Letty said I needed to put some distance between myself and what's going on in my life. I agreed."

  "Do you love him?"

  "I'm not sure. I'm really not…" Sandy whispered once more as the men came closer now.

  Julie seemed to sense her hesitation of talking about it around the men.

  "Just remember you have the control." Julie eyed her closely. "Okay guys, we have the sandwiches and chips ready and the Kool-Aid, let's get them geared up and head out to the meadow. Is everyone hungry?"

  The kids all nodded and yelled.

  Sandy helped her group line up so they could all ride to the meadow, checking and double checking the cinches, while Mike still managed a few shots here and there.

  Before long, they were all in single file riding down a narrow pathway to the meadow where a lot of group parties were held. The meadow was nothing more than a clear field where little would bother the children and there was plenty of room for picnic blankets and baskets.

  Before Cade would let them unhitch though, he had Dodger sniff out the place.

  "You mean Dodger will find snakes and critters?" Sandy laughed.

  "Yeah, I've been sort of training him for it. And it's paying off, especially with the kids. We are responsible for these children while they are on the ranch, and we don't want any accidents. So I worked with Dodger some on sniffing anything bad out. Of course, me and Wade worked with him last summer and he's very good at this. It comes in handy." Cade smiled as Dodger began sniffing the meadow.

  When he was done, he returned to Cade's side and whined.

  Cade gave him a treat. "Good boy."

  The kids waited until they were unhitched, before some of them were running in the meadow yelling and laughing all the way. The others lagged back to watch but with their horses close by, and chores for the picnic, they were content.

  "Not too far kids. I need to be able to see you all. So don't wander off," Julie instructed.

  Some of the kids ran and played, finding sticks and someone found an old can so they played kick the can after Sandy showed them how. John and Lisa were good at it. Sascha watched but she was their cheerleader, Sandy told her.

  Mike came up behind Sandy. "It's a pretty miraculous thing, isn't it?"

  "Yes it is. I had no idea how much fun it could be."

  "You know I was as surprised to see you here this morning as you were me," Mike added.

  "I certainly never expected you here. One of the reasons I thought of volunteering was Letty said they could use some help. Besides, it feels good to be useful. I didn't expect to enjoy it so much though," Sandy explained.

  "Neither did I. Just seeing their young faces and the smiles is enough, isn't it? But, I don't think Cade and Julie realize just how much this layout is going to do and it will help them get all kinds of help from different people. They are operating on just bare essentials right now. The horses were the biggest expense and several neighbors were helpful there. Once people see the good it does, they'll be eager to help them. Financially and otherwise. They might have to enlarge the camp. There's no telling what kind of facilities they could build with a little help. And then once Julie gets her inheritance I'm sure they won't have any problems keeping this going. They might even think of advertising nationally if they want to get that big. There are just so many opportunities." Mike helped her set up a blanket and spread the food out for the children.

  "Julie won't get her inheritance, she moved off the property. But if they don't have enough funds, I'll make sure they do…" Sandy added. "It's great that you can help them, and even greater that you want to," Sandy insisted, still not looking directly at Mike.

  "I want to because it's a good thing. I mean, it isn't often in life you get the chance to do something like this. A chance to really do something worthwhile. And aside from earning a living, I like helping people. How come you are out here? I mean, I figured you would be with Chad," Mike finally asked.

  "I'm trying to put some distance between me and Chad for a while. I mean, after all, I've been with him ever since he's been home. I think we both needed some space," Sandy tried to explain.

  Mike didn't comment further, but he watched her for a long while as she called the children to come eat.

  She offered him a sandwich when he sat down on the blanket with her.

  Mike grabbed it teasingly from her, then glanced about. "Hey, don't hold out on me, where are the chips?"

  "Oh, I almost forgot," Sandy said reaching into the basket and pulling out a bag of chips she gave everyone some. After she made the plates for everyone she called her kids to come eat. They all sat about in a circle with hungry appetites.

  "Thanks…I'm starved." Mike laughed when she finally offered him the chips.

  She smiled. "Peanut butter and jelly or bologna?"

  "Bologna I think, the jelly is just too sticky. Don't want jelly all over my camera, now do I?" Mike poked one of the little girls in the ribs.

  Heather finished half her sandwich awkwardly but Sandy let her alone and let her do it herself and Heather seemed to appreciate that even though she did get a little jelly on her shirt. "Is he your boyfriend?"

  She asked it loud and clear and every head turned on Sandy. She knew she was blushing but she had to dispel the child quickly. "Uh…no, not exactly. He is a friend though."

  Heather, who seemed to have the brains of the bunch, nodded. "Then he's your boyfriend. He's a boy, and a friend, so he's your boyfriend. I have a boyfriend; well, I did for a while. But he moved away."

  Sandy and Mike looked at each other and burst out laughing. "That's too bad." Sandy sobered.

  "Yeah, I miss him. I kinda like John, but he doesn't know it." Heather leaned her head in one direction. "He's not very mature…and he makes fun of me sometimes when I can't move right."

  "Have you told him?" Sandy asked. "That you like him, I mean."

  The girl folded her arms over her chest and shook her head. "No, he doesn't seem to like girls much. It hurts my feelings when he laughs at me."

  "I'm sorry, honey." Sandy pet her.

  "It's okay, it's just because he's a boy. That's what my momma says anyway."

  Mike touched Heather's chin. "He will like girls someday…"

  The girl turned almost red. "I like you. What's your name?"

  "Mike…"

  "Will you be my boyfriend?" she asked boldly.

  Mike thought about it a moment, then smiled. "I don't see why not."

  "Good," Heather said. "Now I can go to school and tell everyone I have a boyfriend named Mike."

  "You sure can," Mike agreed. After she finished her sandwich she went to play and Mike nodded. She seemed a little less self-conscious about herself now. "It's so easy at that age, isn't it?"

  "What?" Sandy asked, picking up some of the empty paper plates.

  "At that age there is nothing to being a boyfriend." Mike laughed.

  But Heather came back, out of breath from moving about so much.

  She looked quite seriously at Sandy. "I'm sorry your boy
friend likes me better."

  Sandy glanced at Mike with a grin. "He's a fine boyfriend too."

  Sascha walked up to them. "Let's go find another can, the boys bent that one…"

  "Come on, let's run find one for them."

  Heather eyed her. "You can't run."

  Sascha looked perplexed a minute then smiled. "I know…but I can pretend…Don't you ever pretend?"

  Heather looked at her and smiled. "Yeah, I guess I do." She winked at Mike.

  And off they went without another word.

  Zoey climbed into Sandy's lap and curled up. He didn't say a word, just curled himself up into her lap and closed his eyes. The warmth of his little body seeped into Sandy and she pushed back the hair from his face.

  Mike watched them for a long time. "You are good with kids. I guess you and Chad will have a house full."

  Sandy stiffened as she continued to brush the hair from Zoey's face. "We never discussed children. I have no idea how he feels about them. In fact, there are a lot of things we haven't discussed."

  Mike shrugged. "Maybe you should talk about it."

  Sandy's gaze fell to the ground. "Maybe."

  "Do you want children?" Mike asked.

  "Yeah." Sandy looked about her. "I think I do. I mean I have to admit, until now, I thought going to med school and then starting my life, but life doesn't happen like that, does it? And there would be occasions when it would be so nice to have someone else to care for. But until now I hadn't thought of it much. Is that selfish of me?"

  Mike glanced at the children who were still chasing each other around a tree. "No, sometimes things like kids get in the way of careers. But it all depends on what you want from life the most, I guess. I've been thinking more about what I want from my life. And a home and family seem real nice. Especially since I've gotten to know your family so well. I see the advantages of having a big family. Christmas would be a fun time, don't you think?"