“Hi, Pop,” Rebecca greeted. “How was your check-up?”
The old man gave a tired smile. “Good, I think.”
“We’ll get the results of the blood work back tomorrow,” Lucy added, locking his wheelchair at the breakfast table. “But his blood sugar is back down where it should be, so that’s definitely good news.”
“Thanks again for taking him,” Rebecca said. “We had a really full day ourselves.”
No sooner had Lucy left than Alec appeared and knelt beside Walter. “How are you feeling?”
“Not too bad, considering.”
“Good. There’s someone here who wants to see you.”
He glanced over his shoulder and gave a little nod. When Shania stepped into the kitchen, Walter gave an audible gasp. “Is that who I think it is?”
She smiled and approached his wheelchair. “Aaniin nindede,” she said softly.
“Aaniin nindaanis,” Walter replied, his face crinkling into a smile. “It’s so good to see you, my dear.”
“It’s good to see you, too, Pop.”
Rebecca paused in her chopping and glanced over at them, suddenly feeling like an intruder. To hear them speaking another language was startling enough, but it was downright unnerving to hear another woman refer to Walter as Pop.
Shania turned her gaze to Alec and asked him something in what she presumed was the same language. To her astonishment, Alec gave a little laugh and responded, speaking words that Rebecca couldn’t understand.
She set the chopping board in the sink a little too hastily, knocking over two glasses in the process. “You okay?” Alec asked.
“Fine,” she lied.
Rebecca heard Alec say something about moving into the living room so they’d have more space. He wheeled his father out and set him up beside the couch, where Shania settled in to continue their conversation.
A moment later, Alec stepped up behind her. “Bec, what’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter?” she cried, whirling around to face him. “What did I just hear over there?”
“It’s Ojibwe.”
He said it matter-of-factly, as if knowing the name of the language was supposed to make her feel better. “Oh. It’s Ojibwe,” she retorted, shooting him a pointed look. “What is Ojibwe and since when do you speak it?”
“First of all, please calm down,” he quietly replied. “It’s the common language our mothers spoke. And I only remember about ten words of it, which is exactly what I told her.”
Rebecca drew in a slow breath and tried to gather herself. “I’m sorry. But you have to understand how bizarre all of this is for me. A couple days ago, I didn’t even know Shania existed. Now she’s sitting in our living room, calling my father-in-law Pop, and all of you are speaking a language I’ve never even heard of. All of a sudden, it feels like I’m the one who’s the outsider.”
Alec didn’t divert his gaze. “I asked you earlier if she made you uncomfortable. Either she does or she doesn’t, Bec. Which one is it?”
His words produced a sharp stab of guilt. How could she be angry at them for their families’ shared history? Shania and Alec couldn’t change the fact that they’d grown up together any more than Rebecca could change the fact that she’d grown up in Boston.
“She doesn’t,” she conceded. “In fact, she’s been nothing but nice to me. It’s just a lot to take in, Alec. My brain needs a chance to catch up.”
“Just promise you’ll tell me if you start to feel differently, okay?”
“I will.” She glanced into the living room. “Should I invite her to stay for dinner?”
His eyebrows shot up. “You want to?”
Rebecca managed a crooked grin. “Well, she’s your friend, isn’t she? I might as well get to know her.”
*
To Alec’s relief, dinner passed without a hitch. Shania did most of the talking, telling them about her various travels and some of the exotic animals she’d studied. For the most part, Alec sat back and silently observed the way that she interacted with his family.
On one hand, it was strange to share a meal with the two women who had exerted such a powerful influence in his life. On the other hand, though, it was almost a weight off his shoulders–a long overdue blending of his past and his present.
“Thank you, Rebecca,” Shania said as she helped her clear the plates. “I can’t tell you what a treat it is to have a nice meal like this.”
Rebecca returned her smile as she opened the dishwasher. “You’re very welcome.”
Confident that the girls were getting along, Alec wheeled his father into his room to get him ready for bed. “You know, son,” Walter said, “I can’t decide if you’re the bravest man on the planet or the stupidest.”
He chuckled as they entered the bathroom. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Pop.”
His father scowled at him in the mirror. “I mean it, Alec. You’re treading some very dangerous ground by having her here.”
Alec frowned as he reached for Walter’s toothbrush. “I thought we were having a nice evening. Why the sudden lecture?”
“It’s not a lecture. It’s just me expressing concern for you. And for my daughter-in-law.”
He paused midmotion and met his father’s eyes. “I saw what Mom did to you. I can’t believe you would even suggest that I’m capable of doing that to Rebecca.”
“Your mother didn’t set out to hurt me, son. It’s not something she planned. But she and Charles were old friends, and sometimes strange things happen between old friends.”
“Yeah, well, it already happened between me and Shania, alright? And it ended as fast as it started.”
Walter was silent for a moment. “All I’m saying is to be careful, Alec. If I’ve learned anything in my lifetime, it’s that history has a way of repeating itself.”
An icy chill rippled down Alec’s spine, but he quickly shook it off. “Can we brush your teeth now?”
To his relief, Walter conceded the point. “Go ahead.”
He went through their nightly routine before he lifted his father out of the wheelchair and placed him in his bed. “Do you want an extra pillow tonight?”
“Yes, please.”
Alec ignored the shooting pain in his shoulder as he stretched to position the second pillow. “How’s that?”
“It’s perfect.”
“Good.” He tucked the covers under his arms and rose from the bed, reaching to the wall to switch off the light. “Sleep well, okay? I’ll see you in the morning.”
He was almost out the door when his father called his name. “Alec?”
“Yeah?”
There was a brief silence. “If I’m ever hard on you, it’s only because I love you very much.”
Alec was startled. It wasn’t something he doubted–he knew his father loved him–but the words were rarely spoken aloud. He paused in the doorway to swallow the lump in his throat before he gave his response.
“I know, Pop,” he said just as quietly. “I love you, too.”
He closed the bedroom door and stood there for a moment, staring blankly across the expanse of the living room. The floorboards creaked above his head, telling him that Rebecca was upstairs for the night.
With a sigh, he walked through the kitchen and switched off the lights before he noticed the door was ajar at the end of the hallway. He strode past the laundry room to find Shania standing in the office.
She glanced up from the printer. “I’m just about finished.”
“Take as long as you need.” He leaned against the doorway. “Thank you, by the way. For keeping everyone safe today.”
“All I did was get them out of there. If the bear had shown up, things might’ve turned out a little differently.” She paused. “You could’ve warned me about how bad your father looks. He’s not even a shadow of his old self.”
Alec grimaced. “I know. Every winter, the doctors say it’ll be his last, and then he plows right through.” He gave a little shrug. “
I guess I’m so used to seeing him like this that I don’t really think about it anymore. It’s almost hard to picture him the way he used to be.”
“It’s not for me. I can still see him plain as day, standing in the middle of an auditorium conducting one of his seminars. He always had such a presence about him.”
The lump was right back in Alec’s throat. Shania seemed to realize that as she turned back to the printer. “So how’s this?”
He took the sheet from her hand and studied the simple diagrams. They were divided into three categories–what to do if a bear is sighted from a distance, if a bear approaches, and if a bear charges.
“It’s perfect,” he said.
“You think?”
“Absolutely. I should’ve been handing this out ages ago.”
“There’s one more.” She handed him a different page that contained a collage of animals and their individual tracks. “I thought this would be fun for the kids. Like a matching game, you know? Maybe there could even be some sort of prize.”
Alec smiled as he examined the drawings. “You’d make a good mother, you know that?”
She gave a mirthless laugh. “Well, I’m not going to hold my breath on that one.”
“You’ve still got plenty of time.”
“I don’t know about plenty. At my age, the clock is definitely starting to tick. And it’s not like there’s a line of prospects out the door.”
He studied her face. “You’re really not seeing anybody?”
“No.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
Shania dropped her gaze. “Actually, I did meet someone in Brazil this past winter. An anthropologist who was working a site near ours.” She looked up and gave a rueful grin. “He was from Boston.”
Alec grinned, too, at the irony. “So what happened?”
“The same thing that always happens. The next research grant came through, and I got moved to a new assignment.” She shrugged. “My lifestyle is hardly conducive to a relationship, Alec. I’m on the road nine or ten months a year, usually in remote places with limited access to phones or computers. Who would want to be with someone who’s gone all the time?”
Alec frowned. “Sounds like you’re not even giving yourself the chance.”
“Let’s just say it’s not high on my priority list.”
For the first time, an awkward silence settled between them. “Anyway, it’s getting late,” she said, turning to gather the stack of pages from the printer. “I should go.”
He nodded and flipped through the diagrams again. “These are great, Shania. Thank you for doing this.”
“You’re welcome.”
She exited the office and Alec closed the door behind them, wordlessly following her into the foyer. She pulled on her jacket and stepped onto the front porch before she paused and glanced back at him.
“I know you’re going to think I’m just saying this, but it’s true. I like her, Alec. I honestly do. And it makes me very happy to know that you’re not alone anymore.”
Shania turned and descended the steps without waiting for his response. Alec released a deep breath and leaned against the doorway, standing there long after she’d vanished into the night.
Chapter 24
“Alright. Thank you.”
Alec sighed as he hung up the phone. “What’d they say?” his father asked from the table.
Before he could respond, Rebecca came galloping down the stairs. “Hi,” she greeted, simultaneously kissing his cheek and snatching a piece of bacon from the pan.
He frowned when she turned for the foyer. “Aren’t you going to have breakfast?”
“I can’t. I’ve got to get those bulletins out before we start lessons.”
“They’re already out. I put them under everyone’s doors an hour ago.”
Rebecca paused in her mad rush to send him a grateful smile. “Thank you. I can’t seem to get it together this morning.” She stuffed her feet into her boots and pulled her jacket from the coat rack. “Bye, Pop,” she threw over her shoulder.
A second later she was gone, slamming the door behind her. Alec glanced back at the stove and decided that he and his father were going to be eating a lot of scrambled eggs this morning.
“You never told me what the game department said,” Walter reminded him.
Apparently Rebecca wasn’t the only one who was scatterbrained today. “They’re sending a team out on Thursday to survey the area,” Alec said.
After breakfast, Lucy wheeled Walter into the living room for The Price is Right. Alec tidied up the kitchen and was just about to head down to the barn when the telephone rang.
“Hello?”
“Ah, just the man I was looking for.”
He frowned into the receiver. “Who is this?”
“Alec, it’s Dan Ward.”
It took a moment for the name to register. “Oh. Hi, Dan. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize your voice.”
“Well, it’s been a while since you’ve heard it, so you’re forgiven.”
He chuckled and leaned against the counter. “How have you been?”
“Busy as always. The summer season brings no shortage of work, as I’m sure you know. Speaking of which, I had the pleasure of meeting your wife at the rodeo this past weekend.”
He racked his brain, trying to remember if Rebecca had mentioned it. “You did?”
“Yes. Just briefly, while she was registering for her event. Lovely girl, Alec. No wonder you’re keeping her captive out there.”
He laughed. “She’s a lot of things, Dan, but captive isn’t one of them.”
Dan echoed his laugh. “Anyway, I have two reasons for calling. Rebecca said that Walter doesn’t get too many visitors nowadays. I was hoping I might be able to change that trend.”
“He would love that. Just let me know what day you have in mind.”
“I certainly will. The other reason for my call actually pertains to you. While we were chatting, Rebecca mentioned that you’ve inherited your father’s skills with horses.”
Alec was caught completely off-guard. He stared unseeing out the window, positive that he’d misunderstood him. “She did?”
“Oh, yes. Quite adamantly, as a matter of fact.”
The kitchen began to spin in circles, forcing him to clutch the counter top. Why on earth would Rebecca reveal something so private to a perfect stranger?
Especially since it wasn’t even true?
“Alec? You still there?”
It took him a minute to find his voice. “Yeah, I’m here.”
“So I’m just going to throw this out there, but I don’t need an answer right away. We’re finalizing the performance schedule for the Labor Day Rodeo, and I’m having a hell of a time finding a suitable final act. I was going to bring in a trick rider from Sheridan, but when Rebecca mentioned you, it got me thinking. How would you feel about doing a demonstration at the rodeo? Something to showcase your father’s techniques? Or anything new you’re developing?”
Alec couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so thrown by something. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever been so thrown by something. He leaned his head against the cabinets and sucked in a deep breath, trying to formulate a response.
“Ummm…let me give it some thought. I don’t really know that I have anything worthy of a demonstration.”
Dan chuckled. “She said you’d say that, too. Look, I’m open to pretty much anything. Think about it, play around with what you’ve got, and let me know. If you have even a fraction of your old man’s abilities, you’ll be the headliner that weekend.”
*
“So as soon as he stops, you release the reins,” Rebecca explained from the center of the corral. “Otherwise, you’re going to go backwards.”
Paul, the father from yesterday’s trail ride, nodded emphatically. “Okay. I think I’ve got it.”
“Go ahead and ask him to walk, then.”
Rebecca stepped back a few paces as Paul and Rush be
gan walking along the fence. “Good,” she called. “Now whenever you’re feeling comfortable, collect the–”
Her words were lost when she took another step back and ran right into Tommy, who was conducting a lesson on the other side. “Oops,” she said as he steadied her. “Sorry.”
“Geez, Bec. You put some tequila in your coffee this morning?”
She gave an embarrassed laugh. It was the third time she’d bumped into him in less than an hour. “I’m sorry, Tommy. I don’t know what’s wrong with me today.”
He chuckled, too, and turned his attention back to the young couple he was instructing. Rebecca took a moment to gather herself before she stepped away from Tommy and refocused on Paul.
“So go ahead and collect the reins…yep, that’s it. Now ask him to trot.”
By the end of the lesson, Paul could successfully walk, trot, stop, and back up. He wasn’t the most elegant rider she’d ever seen, but the smile on his face was bright as he dismounted.
“I think I’m getting the hang of this,” he declared.
Rebecca nodded. “I think you are, too. You up for another trail ride this afternoon?”
“You betcha. I’m already signed up for the one o’clock.”
They conversed for a minute before Paul hobbled off towards his cabin. Tommy finished his lesson, too, and gathered the horses from the guests. Rebecca and Rush fell into step beside him as they exited the corral and headed for the barn.
“So are you gonna quit trying to run me over today?” Tommy teased. “Or should I put on some padding?”
She burst out laughing. “I think I’m just hungry. I didn’t have time for breakfast.”
“Well, go up to the lodge and get something to eat. We’ve got a few minutes.”
“Nah, I’ll be fine ‘til lunch.”
They entered the office and examined the sign-up sheet for the ten-thirty lesson. “Four advanced,” Tommy said, sending her a sideways grin. “And they’re all dying to rope.”
“Lucky us,” Rebecca replied, already reaching for Star’s halter.
Indian Summer Page 16
