Chapter 24 #2
“Yep, it’s a turkey. Show Lenny.” He moved Joy so she faced Lenny more, and he watched in wonder as Lenny radiated light and kindness. She, too, reached out and tapped the turkey’s beak.
“What does the turkey say?” she asked, as if she knew making animal sounds was Joy’s favorite game.
“That’s a hard one,” Brandon said with a chuckle, but Joy opened her mouth and made a very realistic turkey gobbling sound.
Lenny burst out laughing, and Brandon fell in love with her a little bit more. “That’s right, sweet girl. They sound just like that.”
“Why is the front door open?” someone called, and Brandon quickly stepped inside the house as Duke continued to grumble about cooling the whole ranch.
In late November, he didn’t normally run the AC, but with all the cooking happening at the house, it definitely wasn’t cold inside.
“We’re here,” he said as Lenny closed the door behind them, and he started down the hall to the back of the house.
Duke and Zona had built the house according to their specifications, and they’d made the family living area at the back of the house quite large.
Two full-size couches had been pushed against the walls to make more room for the tables, which Shiloh and April currently moved around, setting out napkins and silverware.
Dwayne followed with two glasses filled with ice, and Dallas brought over a pitcher of Arizona’s famous peach punch.
It was a Glover family recipe, and Brandon had loved it from the first sip.
“Howdy, Uncle Brandon,” April said, leaving the pile of napkins to come hug him.
“Hey, you.” He smiled at her. “You remember Lenny.”
“Of course.” April flashed her a smile too, and Brandon went around and introduced her to all of his nieces and nephews.
Duke stood in the kitchen carving the turkey, while Zona whisked something on the stove. Caroline buttered a pan of rolls, which had obviously just come out of the oven, and Dawson monitored the charcuterie board, where Colt now had a black olive stuck to the top of each of his fingers.
“Look, Uncle Brannon!” He held up both hands, all ten fingers topped with an olive, and Brandon grinned at him.
“That’s how you eat olives, bud.”
Zona turned from the stove. “You made it.”
“There are roads from here to the homestead,” Brandon said.
She rolled her eyes and hugged him. “It’s so good to see you again, Lenore.” Zona hugged her too, and Caroline joined them.
“I’ll take her.” She reached for Joy, and Brandon passed her to her mother.
“This is Dawson’s wife, Caroline,” Brandon said, retreating to Lenny’s side. “Caroline, this is my girlfriend, Lenore. She owns the homestead where I’m working right now.”
Caroline smiled, her eyes missing nothing, especially the way Brandon reached for Lenny’s hand and squeezed it tightly. “Yes, I’ve heard a lot about you from Dawson.”
“All good,” Dawson drawled, giving Brandon a smile. “The solar panels look great, you guys.”
“Don’t they?” Brandon asked, and he moved over to get a cracker with cheese while Lenore said, “It’s great to meet you too, Caroline. Thanks so much for lending me your husband.”
“No more olives, Colt. We’re going to eat in five minutes,” Dawson said.
“Four minutes,” Zona called.
Brandon met Dawson’s eyes. “Where are Momma and Daddy?”
“Moving slow today,” Dawson said, a blip of concern moving through his eyes. “They’re on their way.”
Brandon looked toward the door that led into the garage. “I can go grab them.”
“Momma literally texted as you came in the door,” Dawson said. “They were getting in the van.”
Brandon nodded, though the worry over his parents—particularly his father—coiled like an angry snake.
“Howdy-ho,” Daddy called in that moment, and Brandon spun toward the living room.
Momma and Daddy entered the back of the house together, Momma’s arm linked through Daddy’s, and because Brandon hadn’t seen them in a while, they suddenly seemed so old.
His heart clenched, and he waited while all the grandkids took turns greeting Momma and Daddy. Then he stepped forward, despite Zona calling, “One minute. Everyone find your spot.”
“Momma.” Brandon closed his eyes and leaned in to hug her.
She gripped him tightly and whispered, “I’ve missed you, my boy.”
Brandon smiled, because no matter how old he got, he loved being called his momma’s boy. He stepped back and let Dawson say hello while he moved into Daddy’s side and supported his aging father. “Hey, Daddy. How you doin’?”
“Good,” Daddy said. “But I’d be better if I had my lap-warmer.”
He gave Brandon a cutting look, but Brandon saw right through his grouchiness. “My cat?” he asked. “ That’s what you miss about me being gone?”
Daddy smiled, and Brandon shook his head in mock disappointment. “Introduce me to your girl.”
“Sure.” Brandon’s nerves rioted, as he hadn’t brought home women very often. Or ever. “Lenore, this is my daddy, Wade. Daddy, this is Lenore Sawyer.”
“And this is our momma, Kay,” Dawson added, and Lenore got hugged and handshaked, her smile sitting beautifully on her face.
“The mashed potatoes are getting cold,” Zona called, and this time, Momma linked her arm through Lenny’s.
“You sit next to me, dear. Brandon never brings home any of his girlfriends.”
“Momma,” Brandon said, but both Lenny and Momma were already turning and walking down the table.
He let Duke help their daddy to a chair right in the middle of the fray, and Momma sat next to him, with Lenny on her right. The next seat stood at the head of the table, and Zona had put a highchair there.
“Go on,” Dawson said. “Take the seat beside her. Don’t leave her with them alone.”
Brandon hurried to claim the seat at the head, and Dawson took the seat right around the horn as Caroline put Joy in the highchair and then sat beside Dawson.
That put Lenny right in the corner with Brandon, Momma, and Dawson and Caroline, while Duke’s kids lined the other side of the table and around the other end of it.
He hadn’t even noticed when Arizona had put all the food on the table, but now it gleamed at them, with buttery goodness in the steaming mashed potatoes, and the bright red of the cranberry sauce.
“Thank you so much for coming to our home,” Duke said, and Zona beamed at him. “I smoked the turkey this time, and Zona put a pork roast in the slow cooker, so everyone should have the meat they want.” His gaze lingered on his youngest son, and Brandon smiled at Dallas.
“It’s so amazing to have Brandon and Lenore with us,” Zona added. “They’ve been working so hard up north, and I’m really grateful they made the drive to be with us.”
Brandon leaned over to Lenny, glad when she eased toward him too. “I forgot to mention we go around and say things we’re grateful for.”
She nodded, though her back straightened slightly. Zona looked at Dwayne, who sat opposite Brandon, and he said, “I’m grateful I have the chance to start school in the new year.”
“Whoa, what?” Brandon asked. “You’re going to school? Where?”
“Baylor,” Zona said, almost bursting with glee. “Surprise!”
“We’re real proud of Dwayne,” Duke said, also beaming at his son. “He’s worked real hard for this opportunity.”
Brandon didn’t even know Dwayne wanted to go to college. He’d been working the ranch for a few years since graduating high school, and he’d never given any indication that he wanted to do something else.
Congratulations went around, though it was clear this really was a surprise to everyone at the table—not just Brandon. The gratitude continued down the table as the kids all said something, but all Brandon could think about was that when he left the homestead, he’d be coming back to an empty cabin.
As much as he’d wanted a place of his own, he didn’t want it to be the cabin on his family ranch.
“Your turn,” Dawson said, nudging Brandon with his foot.
Brandon blinked, having missed everyone else’s grateful-for. He took a breath, not sure what might come out of his mouth.
“I’m grateful that I—I guess that I have a place to belong.”
He wasn’t sure what that meant, but he did feel like he belonged with his family. He knew he could show up on any of the doorsteps here on the ranch, and he’d be welcomed in, fed, and given somewhere to rest.
He looked at Lenny, and he felt like he belonged with her at the homestead too—and Brandon didn’t know what to do with that.