Page 13 of The Baby
“I’msorry.”
“It’s the way of things,” he said, probably too wisely for someone his age. “She was getting on in years. She wouldn’t have liked being an old horse I don’t think. Loved riding fasttoomuch.”
“Nope. Not for Petunia. You’re never getting old, are youbabygirl?”
Petunia bobbed her head inagreement.
“Still,” I said. “Must have been hard for you to lose such a closefriend.”
He nodded. “It was. But I prefer to think about the time I had with her, rather than the day I lost her. Because that’s what really mattered.Youknow?”
I nodded. Profound advice from a cowboy. Don’t dwell on what I lost, focus on what I have. It’s as if he knew my situation, but of course he didn’t. Jake had promised me he hadn’t said anything to Rich or Cody, although Jake suspected they had guessed it. Still, I doubt Rich would have shared with Cody what had happenedlasttime.
Come to think of it, I couldn’t remember the last time I had evenseenRich.
“Where is your dad bytheway?”
“Out riding,” Cody answered. “Probably checkingfence.”
I nodded, but it was strange. I felt like that was always the answer any time I asked about Rich. He had sort of become this ghostworker.
“Cody, can I ask you aquestion?”
“You can,” he saidcautiously.
I could hear the other part of that statement he didn’t say. I could ask him any question I wanted, but that didn’t mean he was obliged to answer. Still, it had been on my mind lately along with a lot of otherstuff.
“Why did you come here? To LongValley.”
He seemed to consider it, and I wondered if I hadn’t crossed a line by butting in to his personalbusiness.
“I came because Rich called and asked me to come. Not to mention I was out ofajob.”
“It was that simple? To leave your life behind and drop everything tocomehere?”
“Simple? No. But in the end family is family.Right?”
Right. Family is family. Something Jake and I didn’t have alotof.
Something that had been poking at me the moment I knew I waspregnant.
“And you two are doing okay?” Iaskedhim.
“We’re doing as well as Rich and I can,” he said with asofthuff.
I thought the fact that he never referred to Rich as his father was a sign their relationship wasn’t the best. Still, his father had called him and soCodycame.
Because family is family. Blood isblood.
“Sorry about the extra work I dumped on you,” I admitted. “I’m sure Jake told you I’ve been… under the weather for awhile.”
“He did. We’ve got no problem with the work. Can’t say as I’ve taken to those goats very well. That ram is ameanone.”
I smiled. Apparently I was the only goat whisperer on the ranch. “I’ve been feeling better.” At least that was the truth. “I think I might take back goat milkingduties.”
“I would not miss that particular chore.” Codysmiled.
Since Cody wasn’t much of a smiler, I was happy to lighten uphisday.
