30. Nora
30
NORA
C lint pulled up at the cabin ten minutes before Kelly was meant to arrive. Nora didn’t wait for him to hobble inside on his crutches. Instead, she met him at his truck door.
“Hello, beautiful,” Clint said as he rested his weight on his good foot and reached for her.
Nora buried her face in the crook of his neck and took a deep breath. Being in Clint’s arms had a way of washing away her insecurities.
“You smell like a horse,” Nora whispered against his cold skin.
“You always say the nicest things,” Clint said before pressing a kiss to her temple.
“Seriously, can you go wash your arms and your face?”
“I was going to make some hot chocolate for you and your mom. ”
Nora leaned back to look up at him. “You’re the best, but I’ll do that. You just focus on not smelling like a foot.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He leaned down and slowly pressed a warm kiss to her lips, sending all thoughts scurrying into the recesses of her mind.
When he finally let her go, she blinked up at him. “What was I doing?”
“You were ordering me around,” Clint reminded her.
“Oh, shoot. I’m sorry. I’m just nervous.”
“Don’t apologize. I like it when you’re focused. I’ll be right here with you all afternoon.”
“I know. That really makes me feel better about it.”
Clint jerked his head toward the door. “Let’s get you inside. You’re starting to shiver.”
She’d run outside to greet him without grabbing her coat, but she hadn’t noticed the cold Colorado wind–not with Clint around.
Clint slowly made his way to the bathroom, and Nora got a pot of milk warming on the stove. Her hand shook as she stirred the pot, but it wasn’t from the cold. She hadn’t even been this nervous to move across the country last year.
What did her mother even look like? A lot could change in ten years. Nora certainly had. She could pass her mom on the street and not know her .
By the time Clint emerged from the bathroom, the hot chocolate was ready and staying warm on the stove.
“How do I smell?” Clint asked as he stopped behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle.
Nora inhaled a deep, cleansing breath. “Much better.”
The low rumble of an engine stirred outside, and Nora stilled in his embrace.
“Don’t worry,” Clint whispered against the shell of her ear.
“Yeah, because telling someone not to worry has ever helped,” Nora said.
Clint pulled her tighter against his chest and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’m serious. I’ve got you.”
Okay, that did help. Knowing Clint was on her side made the whole situation kind of tolerable.
Soft footfalls on the porch said her mom was heading for the door. “I’ll get it.”
When the knock came, Nora was already reaching for the knob. She said a quick prayer for peace and guidance before opening it.
The woman on the porch was a stranger, but Nora would know her anywhere. It was like looking into a mirror. Kelly’s long hair was the same dark brown as Nora’s and straight down past her shoulder blades. She had a tall, thin build and Nora’s high cheekbones.
The resemblance stole the breath from Nora’s lungs. She could never deny this woman was her mother. Yet, Kelly had left Nora without looking back.
Don’t let the hate win.
Kelly’s mouth didn’t curl up in a smile, but there was a gladness in her expression. “Nora?”
“Kelly, come in.”
Kelly’s eyes widened as she stepped over the threshold. “Oh, I was expecting you to call me Mom, but I guess…”
Nora didn’t pick up with an explanation. Mom was a personal name, but she didn’t know this woman. She gestured toward the living room. “Have a seat. Would you like some hot chocolate?”
Kelly looked around the room. “Um, no thanks. You have a nice place here.”
Clint appeared from the kitchen using one crutch and carrying a mug of hot chocolate in the other hand. “For you,” he said as he handed the warm drink to Nora.
Nora took it and wrapped one hand around the mug and the other around Clint’s waist. “Kelly, this is Clint. Clint this is Kelly…”
“Kelly Dyson.” Kelly reached her hand out as she sized him up from his head to his toes and back up again. “It’s nice to meet you. ”
“It’s nice to finally meet you too,” Clint said.
Nora resisted the urge to elbow Clint in the ribs. Way to make a subtle dig.
“Is this your husband?” Kelly asked Nora.
“Boyfriend,” Nora corrected.
“Oh,” Kelly said as she continued to study the small cabin. There wasn’t much to it, but it had all the comforts of home.
Home. This was Clint’s home, but Nora had come to love it. After so much had happened, she was finally sleeping well at night.
When Clint didn’t chime in, Nora added a simple thanks.
Nora waved a hand at the couch and recliner in the living area. “You want to sit?”
Good grief, she wasn’t a good hostess. She had no idea what to do with a guest in her home. Or yet, Clint’s home.
Kelly sat in the recliner and sighed, getting comfortable. “So, what are you doing these days?”
That was a loaded question. For work? For fun?
Not much. Just trying to keep my head above water.
Oh, just searching for a place to rent because Dad lost our ranch.
Working as many hours as possible to get out of debt.
The usual.
“I’m a nurse at Redemption Ridge Family Care, and I do a little work around the ranch here when I can. ”
Kelly turned her attention to Clint. “And you?”
Clint straightened beside Nora. “Me? I just work the ranch.”
Kelly nodded. “A cowboy. Those are a dime a dozen around here.”
Nora’s jaw clenched. Was Kelly trying to say something about Clint or was Nora reading too much into the words?
“Yep,” Clint said. “It’s not glamorous, but somebody’s gotta do it.”
Kelly hummed. “Well, how long have you two been together?”
Oh no. How much did she want this woman to know about her? Sure, Nora had agreed to meet and catch up, but she wasn’t ready to put her personal life out there for judgment.
“Um, well, we–”
Clint’s arm rested around Nora’s shoulders. “The years just blur together after a while,” he said with enough certainty that Kelly’s brows raised.
It wasn’t actually a lie. They’d been friends for as long as either of them could remember, and Clint was right. It felt as if things had always been this way.
“Wow. Years. Is marriage in your future?” Kelly asked.
“Marriage?” Nora asked as if she didn’t understand what the word meant .
“That’s all up to Nora. My heart belongs to her, and I just follow her lead,” Clint said.
Nora glanced at Clint. The mischievous smile on his face said he was having fun with this inquisition.
“Oh good. Take your time for sure. I’ve rushed into marriage enough times that I finally learned my lesson.”
Enough times? What did that mean? Oh, good grief, Nora could have half siblings out there she didn’t even know about.
“How many times have you been married?” Clint asked.
This time, Nora had no inclination to elbow him for his boldness. She wanted to know the answer just as much as he did, and it wasn’t as if Kelly had held back on any of her questions so far.
Kelly’s eyes narrowed slightly, but it was enough for Nora to sense the woman’s annoyance with the question.
“Oh, you don’t want to know that. How’s your dad doing?” Kelly asked, giving her full attention to Nora.
Great. Clint’s attempts to distract Kelly weren’t working. “He’s fine. Probably still out working.”
“How long have you two had this place? I assume that’s his house I passed when I drove in. It’s so nice. Things must be going well.”
Clint rested a hand on Nora’s thigh and squeezed. Kelly’s assumptions were so far off, and there wasn’t anything to do but fess up.
“Actually, this is Clint’s family’s ranch. We just work here.”
Kelly paused and tilted her head slightly. “Your dad works here? What about Blue Sky Ranch?”
Oh no. All of Nora’s heartaches were gathering together in one place, forcing her to address them one by one. “We lost it about a month and a half ago.”
“Lost it? How do you lose a ranch?” Kelly asked.
Nora shrugged. “Dad owed gambling debts, and the Taylors were kind enough to let us live and work here until we can get a place of our own.”
Kelly’s jaw dropped. The reality was so far from what she’d assumed.
Nora should have felt the sting from the woman’s harsh judgment, but it never came. Instead, Clint’s hand on her thigh anchored her like a stone pillar.
“Your dad is still gambling?” Kelly scoffed. “I should have known a leopard couldn’t change its spots.”
“It’s something he struggles with,” Nora added. “He’s getting help.”
“He needs a lot of help. That man never could put his family first.”
Clint’s hand slipped away as Nora rose to her feet. Her chest inflated like a hot air balloon. “That’s pretty rich coming from you. ”
“I’m glad I left,” Kelly said with her chin held high. “Hank was determined to gamble away every cent we had.”
“You left when things got tough, and you left me behind too. I was twelve. How was I supposed to get him the help he needed?”
“You were tough. I knew you’d be fine.”
Nora stared at Kelly, unsure of how to even respond. Being tough was a good thing, but it shouldn’t have dictated whether or not she got to enjoy the last few years of her childhood. The anger and sadness of the time after her mom left rose to the surface, then washed away.
She wasn’t angry. Maybe she didn’t have any left. Maybe she was finally starting to understand that this woman had done her a favor. She’d prepared Nora for any difficult situation.
Nora was tough, and it was all because she’d learned to trust herself because the Lord was on her side. Would she have learned to lean on her heavenly Father if she hadn’t been through the tough times?
Nora slowly sank back onto her seat. “Listen, there’s no money. We used everything to pay off the debts. Dad is working here, and Clint moved out of this cabin and in with his parents so we could have a place to stay until we can find somewhere to rent that we can afford.”
Kelly let out a defeated sigh. “I’m sorry you’re still going through that with Hank. I struggled with it too. He’s a nice man, but the gambling was too much.”
“I’m sorry you thought Dad and I had bought this place, but that’s not the case,” Nora added.
Kelly slapped her hands on her thighs. “Well, thanks for letting me stop by. I hope I didn’t bother you too much.”
And just like that, Nora’s mom was walking back out of her life. This time, there wasn’t a shadow looming over the place she left.
Kelly stood, and Nora followed. “Thanks for coming.” There wasn’t anything else to add. She had a strong feeling her mom wouldn’t be contacting her again, and there was a peace that surrounded the thought.
Kelly turned at the door. “It was nice to meet you, Clint.”
“You too. Have a safe trip.”
Kelly smiled but didn’t reach out to Nora. “Take care of yourself.”
Nora nodded. “I will.”
And she would. But she’d also take care of her dad and her friends who’d been there for her–the ones who’d stayed. She knew how to tell which ones to trust now. Her trust had been broken before, and she wouldn’t be so careless with it again. Still, she couldn’t deny her loyalty to the ones who had shown her theirs .
Clint was one of them. He wasn’t related to her by blood like her mother, but he’d chosen her, and that made all the difference.
Nora watched at the open door as Kelly got into her car and drove off.
Clint wrapped his arms around her from behind. “How are you?”
“I’m actually okay. I think this gave me the closure I needed.”
“You’re not upset that she reached out because she thought you owned this ranch?”
It should have upset her, right? But surprisingly, there wasn’t any ache in her chest. No difficulty breathing. No sweating. All of her nervousness from earlier had vanished.
“No. I think that’s just how she is, and I can’t change that. One thing I can change is my expectation. I didn’t expect her to just decide to be part of my life again, so I’m not disappointed.”
Clint pressed his cheek against the side of her head and whispered, “She’s missing out. You’re an amazing woman.”
Nora smiled. “You tell me that enough.”
“Do you believe it?” he asked.
She turned in his arms and looked up at the man who made her feel loved enough that she didn’t miss the mom who didn’t care about her. “I do.”
Clint tightened his hold on her. “Good. Now, we still have time to get to the cookie decorating contest at church.”
Nora gasped. The Christmas cookie decorating contest was one of her favorite events of the season. She and Clint had placed in the top three for the last few years. “Is that tonight? We have to hurry!”
“I’m not doing any hurrying on this leg, but lead the way, speedy.”
Half an hour later, she was gathering hers and Clint’s decorating supplies from Vicci Taylor at the registration table.
“You seem happy,” Clint’s mom said. “What’s with the big smile?”
Nora shrugged. “I guess I’m just happy to be here.”
Caroline jogged up beside Nora and wrapped her in a hug. “You’re here! Come on, there’s an open table beside me and Gertrude.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Caroline ran off with as much pep as a toddler hyped up on sugar.
Nora stepped around the registration table and wound her arms around Vicci. “I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you too, sweetie,” Vicci said as she rubbed a circle on Nora’s back.
Nora hadn’t missed out on having a mother. Vicci had always been there for her, and Nora would never take the woman for granted.