The Starlight Motel

Chapter Twenty-Three

Kada checked on Lucky twice more and found two additional puppies nuzzling against their mother’s side. Announcing each birth to the assembled guests brought cheers and smiles from the crowd.

Guests demanded pictures and naming rights.

But she gave Lucky space to labor.

Stephanie walked up to the lounge tables carrying a platter of cookies. Bending her knees, she slowly lowered the rocking platter to a table, stood, and exhaled. “Poor Benito still can’t get out of bed.” She dusted her hands and smiled. “No matter. I left him well-provisioned. Even I can make sugar cookies.”

Kada eyed the irregular sugar cookies with burnt edges. The slice-and-bake packaging said they were foolproof. She hoped Benito appreciated Stephanie’s gesture more than he appreciated her finished product. Looking up, she smiled. “Did he finish the cheese balls?”

“Every last one of them!”

“Have you eaten? It’s late, but as long as you’re not too picky, we have plenty of food.”

“Oh, I’m fine.” Stephanie wrung her hands. “I needed fresh air, and I didn’t have anywhere else to go. You asked me to come back for the dinner rush, didn’t you?”

Patting Stephanie’s back, she ignored the part where coming back for the dinner rush meant showing up for work. “You’re always welcome here. Do you think Benito wants a puppy?”

Stephanie paled.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so, either.” She gave Stephanie’s back another pat and dropped her hand.

“He wants to open a restaurant.” Stephanie leaned in close. “Isn’t that complicated and risky? Do you think he’ll let me help him?”

“Of course!” She wanted to cheer Benito’s ambitions, but he was integral to the Starlight Motel’s successful year. She scanned the desert oasis and noticed the small improvements she made. If Pops taught her anything, times could change. Benito could swap his cantina credentials for entrepreneurship, and she could recruit a new talent to helm the kitchen. Gustavo might have a few recommendations.

Despite her resolve, telling Mom about impending staff changes could wait until tomorrow. She patted Stephanie’s shoulder and nudged her toward Mom and Dad. “Let’s get you a drink and introduce you to my parents. They’ll be taking a more active role in the motel. I think you’ll like Larissa. She met my dad while waitressing, and they’ve been happy ever since they met.”

Stephanie clasped together her hands. “Oh, I love a good love story.”

Tilting her head, she wondered when Stephanie would realize she starred in one. As soon as Benito reclaimed his mobility, he might work up the nerve to make his big move, but people operated on their timeframe. How long had it taken Kada to realize she might not have started as a valley resident, but she could be part of the renaissance? If Benito’s move led to a tragic loss for the Starlight Motel, then she hoped it led to a big gain for Stephanie.

A pair of headlights brightened the parking lot.

Squinting, she wondered who else would make a late entrance.

Arms waving and carrying sparklers, Randi rolled toward the pool like a queen. “I’m back, bit—babies! I heard we’re having a party!”

The kids mobbed her for access to the sparklers.

She magnanimously handed them out one by one. “Anyone else?”

Kada reached for a sparkler and mimed blowing out the fuse.

Kids laughed.

Randi arched an eyebrow. “Can you handle it?”

“We’ll find out,” Kada said. “I thought you had a party to attend.”

“I thought you’d be long gone by now.” Randi flicked a lighter and started a new pack of sparklers.

Her character assassination stung, but Kada accepted the rebuke. “I have a lot on my plate.”

“You’re tougher than you look.” Randi painted sparkling hearts in the air. “The desert brings out the best in people.” She stabbed out an exhausted sparkler in a plant bed. “Evolve or perish.”

“I think it’s publish or perish,” Kada said.

Lighting more sparklers, Randi fanned the glowing bouquet. “Not in this neck of the woods.” She turned and passed out the fireworks like a magnanimous queen.

Left alone, Kada stared at the burnt-out stub Randi had extinguished and hoped it wasn’t a fire hazard. Given the concrete and rock surrounding the pool, a fire would have limited fuel.

Near the exit, Walter gripped Dane’s arm, looked after his niece, and shook his head. “I never could keep tabs on that girl.”

“Why did you try?” Dane asked.

“Well, that’s the truth!”

Dane laughed.

Walter raised his eyebrows. “You know what she did once?”

Across the patio, Dane met Kada’s gaze and arched an eyebrow.

She forced a smile. Tonight was a night worthy of celebration.

The pair settled in by the firepit, told stories, and supervised s’more making.

The glimpse of camaraderie prompted Kada to smile, but alone in its wake, she felt the cool desert wind and rubbed the hairs standing on her arms. Looking for something to occupy her time, she spied Stephanie and made her way toward the server.

Over the next hour, Kada introduced Stephanie to her parents, checked on the quieter guests, and found herself leaning against a palm tree. A pink wreath fell to the ground. She picked up the decoration and dusted off the grass, but instead of rehanging it, she set it aside. Her feet ached, and her future seemed uncertain, but the motel deserved more than a caretaker hiding from the world. She would move on and let Mom pour her soul into the place.

Dane approached and offered a plate. “I found your secret stash of black bean burgers.”

Yanking the offering from a hand wouldn’t help the situation, but it would fill her stomach. “Thank you.” She lifted the plate from his hand, avoided brushing his fingers, and took a bite of the warm, toasted sandwich. Protein and mayonnaise soothed her anxiety.

“The fence decorations look good,” he said.

She chewed.

“The guests seem happy.”

Swallowing, she scanned the crowd and nodded.

“Do I have to wait until January to hear your final requirement?”

Turning her head, she made eye contact and swallowed. She thought the conditions she laid down would scare him away, but he stood beside her radiating thoughtful warmth and gorgeous stability.

“I haven’t spent much time outside the valley,” he said. “Visiting you will give us time to get to know each other. It will also be good for me. I can draw the country and name the state capitals, but I’ve visited only two.”

“Sacramento?” she asked.

“Phoenix and Santa Fe.”

“You’d like Cheyenne.” Biting her cheek, she wondered why she made that observation. He might hate spring’s muddy excess.

“How’s that?”

She swallowed another bite. “Plenty of land to conquer.”

He worked his jaw.

Mary Elizabeth ran up and grabbed his hand. “Will you help me make decorations?”

He nodded and looked at Kada.

The hesitancy in his gaze triggered a flood of empathy. She couldn’t string him along. As much as she wanted to be with him, she suspected his hardcore exterior would tarnish in a new environment. Immoveable mountains were gorgeous, but she needed someone with the vulnerability to understand why she pursued her art. She pushed off the palm tree. “Go ahead! The night is young.”

Nodding, he followed Mary Elizabeth.

After eating the rest of her burger, she played with the other kids, shared jokes with her parents, and exchanged small talk with a dwindling number of guests. No matter where she went, she kept track of Dane and his surefire presence. With a moment to herself, she gazed toward the casita and the sweet dog that had also captured her heart and upended her life.

Somehow, she would bring Lucky on her work trips or accept her happiness at the Starlight Motel. Mom loved animals, too.

The temperature dropped, and guests pulled jackets from their rooms and casitas . While music played from a set of speakers, dinner gave way to conversations, laughter, and good-natured jokes about getting in shape and giving up vices.

Chris Nicholson read stories, stopped after every page, and scoffed at the logistics. “There’s no way the pilot could fly that long without a fuel stop!”

By ten, the fifth puppy had appeared, but Lucky slowly raised her head and tended it.

She grabbed a sweater, hovered in the doorway, and wondered what she could do to help. When another hour passed without a delivery, she eased into the enclosure, lifted Lucky’s head into her lap, and looked into the dog’s eyes. “Is it time to call the vet? She said you had six puppies to deliver.”

Lucky closed her eyes.

Through the casita window, she could see the party, and she could hear Inés singing. The party would go on without her presence, and she could pass the night soothing Lucky through the last hours of her labor. “Don’t worry, sweetie. I’ll figure out what to do next.” Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and flushed out her nerves. “That’s what I’m good at doing.”

“How’s she doing?” Dane asked.

Looking up, she found him leaning a shoulder against the doorjamb in the same spot she had occupied. He wore his jacket over his staff shirt, and the shadow of a beard darkened his jawline, but he looked as familiar and capable as the first evening she met him. “I’m worried about her. Do you think Dr. Vo will do a video call? Maybe she could drive over?”

He shrugged out of his jacket, crouched, and rocked back on his heels. “I’m not sure if she’s still awake. Her family lives about an hour’s drive from the motel. I don’t mind calling and asking, but the odds are slim. How badly do you think we need her? Maybe Walter can help.”

She stroked Lucky’s head and looked for signs of continuing labor. “I don’t know what to do. She looks spent. I feel bad leaving her, alone and laboring, but I’m not sure what else to do but encourage her and offer her water. As soon she delivers the puppies, I can clean up the mess, but I need all six, precious little mutts to appear.”

Scanning the room, he located the pamphlet and pulled out his glasses.

“That’s a good thought, but I’ve almost memorized the text,” she said.

He ran a finger beneath the words.

“If there’s a break of more than two hours, the pamphlet advises calling a veterinarian.”

Reading, he nodded.

She could visualize every line. “Trembling, collapsing, and shivering are warning signs of serious complications.”

He looked up and quirked an eyebrow. “Kada, darling, will you let me read the pamphlet?”

Biting her lip, she nodded. Feeling pulled in a hundred directions, she still felt drawn to him, and the sound of him calling her darling nearly undid her defenses. If he kissed her wearing those stupid glasses, then she might forget the successful grant and happily sink into desert life.

He adjusted his stance. A brass flamingo sporting a jaunty, faded red Santa hat fell from his pocket.

Reaching forward, she picked up the piece. “Why do you have this?”

Lowering the pamphlet, he looked out the window. “I went to the reception desk to find a piece of paper, but that silly, sweet bird stared back and dared me to come up with a cheerful message. You made it, didn’t you? It’s whimsical and charming, like your art.”

“I glued on a felt hat.”

He turned and laughed. “But you made it art. Isn’t that what you’re pushing me toward? Seeing the beauty in everyday objects? Making something out of nothing?”

Not quite. Setting the flamingo atop the bookcase, she hoped its jaunty optimism prevailed. If all went according to plan, Lucky would deliver her last puppy, the flamingo would reign over the tree, and she and Dane would settle down by the firepit with a blanket and an honest conversation about their burgeoning relationship.

He said he would visit her in the field and wield a paintbrush, but if she couldn’t crack his reserve, she feared their two worlds would never intersect. He rose at dawn to greet the day, and she painted deep into the night. Would they meet over dinner?

Taking a deep breath, she hoped time would improve Lucky’s labors, and she feared time would pull him from her sights. Abandoning the firepit plan, she cleared her throat. “If we’re trying a relationship, let’s talk about logistics. Some locations must be easier. Direct flights. Trains. That kind of stuff.”

He ran a finger along the pamphlet text.

Was he paying attention? She adopted his language and focused on logistics. Rambling off ideas, she watched him, but he showed more enthusiasm for lunch than for travel schedules. Replaying their kisses, she knew she and the man had something, but she struggled to see past New Year’s Eve. “Do you really want to do this long-distance thing?”

Looking up, he stared. “Excuse me?”

“Maybe we’re just hormones and convenience.”

Lowering the pamphlet, he stared. “Convenience?”

She wanted to tackle him and prove their connection was more than proximity, but she felt as vulnerable as Lucky. “Why me?”

He frowned. “Aren’t we talking about the dog?”

She shook her head.

Pulling off his glasses, he blinked and focused. “You see the beauty in plants, and I see them as products. You see water as a force of nature, and I see it as a commodity. When we’re together, I forget life’s weight, and I feel like I’m watching the sunrise. You’re beautiful and hopeful, and I want to be by your side.” He cleared his throat. “Do you need a sonnet?”

Poetry might be nice, but he was a strong, silent man. Asking him for verse would be like asking him to walk a tightrope. He could do it, but sheer stubbornness would motivate him. More than a sonnet, she needed the glimpse of emotional sensitivity he offered. She might have misjudged his capability for vulnerability, and she wished she had recorded his outburst. Rubbing the edges of her shirt between her fingers, she paced herself. “You want to be by my side?”

He nodded.

His rigid shoulders and tense posture made her worry his romantic outburst was a means to an end. Thinking of Nana’s legacy, Kada wanted to paint, but she could no sooner sentence Dane to life in her shadow than she could assume a life trailing him. Rubbing her forehead against her palm, she averted her gaze and sorted through her feelings. “Dane, not everyone could do what you do. This single-minded commitment to your family and your task? It scares me.” She looked up. “What if stubbornness isn’t enough?”

“For you?” He leaned forward and peered.

She shook her head. “What if it’s not enough for you?”

He exhaled. Setting down the pamphlet, he planted his backside on the floor and faced her. “I provide the crops families need, but I want a family, too. If that’s you and me, I’ll be happy. If it’s more than you and me, I’ll be blessed. Don’t worry too much about what I need. I’m not shy about asking for it and trying until I get what I want.”

She opened her mouth and caught herself. He pledged to make the relationship work, but he admitted to being a hard-headed mule. If Smoky were here, the tall, chestnut horse might have shaken its black mane and kicked its owner. She raised her eyebrows. “Come hell or high water, you’ll make it work?”

He smiled. “Within reason. I’m a reasonable man.”

Hah! Judging by the scale of his family holdings, and his appetite for land, he was as reasonable as a barbed wire fence, but no matter how hard she pushed back, she felt safe in his arms. Wetting her lower lip, she wondered if she could tease out the vulnerability she needed or trust life to humble him and pull it from his core. Rising to her knees, she crawled toward him and wanted another kiss. “I’ll tell you when you’re being unreasonable.”

Lucky moaned.

Jerking her head to the side, she tangled her feet, fell forward, and landed in Dane’s lap. His glasses skidded out of his hand, he wrapped his arms around her, and he grinned. “Kada, darling, if you wanted a tumble, you could have asked.”

Heat flooded her cheeks. Climbing out of his warm embrace, she stared into his dark-brown eyes and wondered if she would ever look at another man like she did him. Mariah said the desert needed time to sink into a person’s skin, but he had saturated her senses with one deep, cleansing breath. “Dane, I want to do life with you.”

He cupped her head, shifted his weight, and pulled her back into his lap. “Good call.”

His grip gentled like he no longer feared she would bolt. Resting her head against his shoulder, she rubbed her cheek against his neck and buried her face in his warmth and the heady smell of lime, warm spices, and a hint of honey. With him in her corner, she could do anything.

A knock sounded on the door.

Pulling back, she felt like a teenager caught with the hero of her dreams. Whoever knocked on the door could go hug a firework!

Gustavo peeked in and clasped his hands to his cheeks. “I heard the good news! Five puppies, what a blessing! Xolo will be their Tia .”

Nodding in recognition of his generosity, she climbed from Dane’s lap and forced out the truth of the situation before Gustavo’s celebrations eclipsed her fears. “We’re waiting on number six.”

Mack and Sue peered around him. “Are we in trouble? Should we call the vet?”

Brushing off her pants, she reclaimed her role as manager of the Starlight Motel. Dr. Vo told her to live in the now, but living in the now sounded a lot easier when menu planning, champagne toasting, and firework lighting were her only concerns. She owed Dr. Vo a debt of gratitude for checking on Lucky, but she needed more than a pamphlet and a reassuring smile to turn this evening into a miracle. She linked hands with Dane. “He’s trying to contact her.”

He held up his phone and squeezed her other hand in return. “For whatever reason, Dr. Vo’s unavailable.”

Gustavo’s face fell.

“The kids will be devastated.” Hugging each other, Mack and Sue leaned into each other’s strength. “What can we do?”

Kada pulled free from Dane and rubbed her face. For a moment, her hair shielded her gaze and gave her privacy, but few people solved their problems in a vacuum.

Dane and the guests wanted to help, and she wanted to include them. Brushing the hair out of her eyes and over her shoulder, she raised her chin. “Thanks for the offer, but let’s give her more time. Sometimes, life has its own agenda. Lucky delivered five little miracles, and I think she can summon the energy for one more.”

Gustavo dropped his head and whispered to himself.

Inés shouldered her way through the crowd filling the door, dropped to her knees by Kada and Dane, and counted the puppies. “What a gift. Animals play wonderful parts in our lives. Families will welcome these sweet gifts into their homes with kindness and love.”

Crouching by Lucky, Kada stroked the dog’s back. “Come on, beautiful, you can do it.” Whispering words of encouragement, she told Lucky what a wonderful family she found in the desert, how much fun she would have lounging by the pool, and how many scraps Benito and the servers would sneak her.

Lucky opened her eyes and moaned.

Her abdomen rippled beneath Kada’s hand. “You can do it!”

Leaning back, Inés covered her mouth.

Dane rested a hand on Kada’s shoulder.

As Lucky’s contractions slowly intensified, the dog strained and panted.

Guests peered through the doorway and jostled for news, but the bookcases and Dane’s broad back gave Lucky the space she needed.

Reluctant to move from the dog’s side, Kada cupped her head and offered sweet words of encouragement.

With a final push, Lucky delivered the sixth puppy and went lax.

“We have a puppy!” Inés jumped to her feet and raised her folded hands in the air.

Gustavo, Mack, and Sue cheered.

Kada closed her eyes. The sweet, tiny animal brought nothing but hope to the world. Hope was more than enough to celebrate the puppy’s safe arrival. She stroked Lucky’s ears. “You did a good job, Mama.”

Dane pushed past her.

The casita’s occupants fell silent.

Startled, she opened her eyes and followed his movements.

Scooping up the puppy, he pulled away its placental membrane and rubbed the puppy against his shirt until the animal cried. Cradling the puppy against his chest, he closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. “It’s okay, buddy, I have you.” A tear ran down his cheek.

She spread a palm along Lucky’s back and felt every tired breath and measured heartbeat. She would recover from her ordeal, but puppies couldn’t survive in their gestational sac for more than a few minutes before the supply of oxygen ran out. While Lucky caught her breath, and she and the guests celebrated the puppy’s birth, Dane saw the risk and stepped in. That kind of steadfast commitment and his ensuing vulnerability meant more than valley crops or a portfolio of art. Meeting his gaze, she let her tears fall. “Thank you.”

Cupping the animal to his chest, he smiled. “I might have to keep this one. Every farmer needs a good dog. Smoky might get lonely from time to time and…”

She smiled. “That one’s yours.”

Lowering the puppy to Lucky’s side, he wiped clean his hands and offered her his shoulder. “Tonight’s full of happiness.”

She dried her tears on his shirt. “It is.”

“Please, take my shirt,” Gustavo said. “It’s clean.”

“I have extra towels in the camper,” Sue added. “Do you have enough bedding on hand? We have to keep the puppies warm.”

The casita suddenly felt too small and yet never large enough. If Dane thought people put on a play for holiday cheer, the motel guests offered sincerity and help. Love, goodwill, and brotherhood were the true meaning of the holidays. Judging by the way Dane kept his gaze glued to the puppies, he felt the season’s hope and joy, too. She hoped the feeling carried forward to his birthday celebrations. Given a chance, she would make them special.

Fireworks exploded in the sky.

“Should auld acquaintance be forgot…” a woman sang.

Cocking her head, Kada listened to the verse. The sultry, deep voice sounded familiar, but Inés stood beyond the bookcase and kept guests from storming the casita . “Who’s singing?”

Turning her head, Sue listened. “I think that’s Missy Roberts.”

The fussy realtor had a beautiful voice. Following along, Kada picked up the verse and watched Lucky’s litter settle to nurse while multicolored lights flashed above the motel.

Dane’s rich voice joined her.

Looking up, she met his gaze and smiled. No matter what life threw at them, the last two days proved if they could stick together and support each other, they would find a way.

The Coachella Valley might be an agricultural backwater, but it served the state and produced enough glamour and agriculture to support a robust, diverse population. She told Dane the Starlight Motel attracted quirky travelers, but every person leaning into the casita came for the right reason.

Whoever abandoned Lucky in the desert loved her enough to send up a signal. She and Dane answered it, but any number of people would have done the same. That generosity and hope fueled her days, and the minute she saw Dane cuddle a puppy, she knew he had her heart. Admittedly, she might have to pry out the ember, but it persisted. Stubborn man.

Palm Springs might have the glamour and star appeal guests craved, but for those who needed an extra hand and a dose of love, the Starlight Motel would always sit outside the city limits with a glowing vacancy sign to welcome life’s weary travelers.

As the song ended, she stood and took Dane’s hand. “Let’s give Missy a round of applause.”

Squeezing her hand, he looked over his shoulder at six eagerly nursing pups and followed her out the door.

“Who turned off the heat?” Gustavo asked.

Handing the man his jacket, Dane swung an arm around her shoulders. “Happy New Year.”

Gustavo nodded his thanks and donned the jacket.

Mack, Sue, and their kids ran ahead to spread the news about the sixth puppy.

She and Dane lingered back. The cool, night wind stirred her hair. She wanted to wrap her arms around herself, but she wanted to feel his embrace more. She met his gaze. “I don’t want to be presumptuous, but you’re right. I might want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Yanking her into his arms, he buried his face in her hair. “Be presumptuous.”

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she stared into his handsome eyes. Behind him, stars shone and patio lights glittered, but she anchored herself to a man who saw her and saw what she needed. Even if his painted apples looked like kumquats, or he showed up late to every date, he would move heaven and earth to please her. His devotion counted more than any candlelit dinner.

Somewhere, a corporation had the cash to fund her art, but she hoped the world’s leaders experienced a shadow of the love she felt for Dane Palmer. Stretching up, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips and pulled back. “What will you name the puppy?”

“Cholla,” he said.

She slapped his chest, but she smiled.

Catching her hand, he raised it to his lips. “Happy New Year, Kada. I can’t think of a better gift than having you in my life. We’ll make this thing between us work. We’ll make each other stronger. You kindle so much love in this world. Until I met you, I didn’t know how much I needed hope to fill the void in my life.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You would have planted more acres.”

Throwing back his head, he laughed and wiped away a tear.

His amusement and his self-awareness both meant something. Old Dane might have agreed with her pronouncement, but the man standing before her could weather an emotional risk. As her cheeks warmed, and she reveled in his praise, she feared his evolution would continue without her. “Any man who plants a seed and expects a bell pepper has hope. I didn’t see it at first, but I see it now.”

Dropping his head, he smiled. “That’s the perspective that keeps me going. You’ve already brought me a glimmer of love, and I can’t thank you enough.”

Smiling, she stroked his neck with a thumb and felt his pulse. “One hint of puppy breath, and you’re already in love with that dog?”

He dropped his head.

She felt his heartbeat accelerate. Her heart responded in kind.

“No, I’m already in love with you.”

Tightening her hold, she pressed her lips against his lips and claimed his mouth. Kissing him felt like quenching her thirst beneath the hot sun. She needed the taste of his lips more than she needed the sweet taste of water. Their mothers and the desert pushed them together, but the sand’s soft caress, the palm tree’s gentle sway, and the insect stretching its wings would keep them together forever and always. Feeling his response, she gentled her desperation and lowered her hands. They would have time to love each other.

He cupped her cheek. “If I hold you back, tell me. I don’t want you to make concessions on my behalf.”

“What if I want to spend more time together? Am I enough for you?”

“You’re more than enough.” He cradled her face. “Marry me.”

She beamed and understood that moment of joy and hope that pulled together her parents and cemented their lives. Still, times had changed, and she had to make sure Dane didn’t leave his towel on the floor, his cereal bowl on the table, or his boots by the bed. Who was she kidding? She would take him and all his grievous, manly mistakes. Acknowledging the future, but savoring the moment, she turned her head and pressed a kiss to his palm. “Slow down, cowboy.”

“Farmer”—he smiled and dropped his hands—“but you can call me whatever you want.”

Laughing, she draped her arms over his shoulders. “Mine.”

He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. “Perfect.”

Leaning against his strength, she looked toward the distant mountains and thanked Pops and Nana for their guiding influences. The Starlight Motel gave her everything she needed. She could accept the grant and cherish her home in the desert. A star twinkled, and she looked away from the beacon and into the gaze of the man she loved. “Happy New Year, Dane.”

Cupping her face, he pressed a soft kiss against her lips and lifted his head. “You’re my reason for cheer, Kada. You’re the best thing the holidays ever brought me. This day marks the beginning of our life, and we have so much joy ahead. We’ll work out the logistics, but I love you.”

Hope flooded her chest, and she squeezed tight her eyes. Savoring his declaration, she knew he waited for her response. She could say the phrase a thousand times and never convey how much he meant. She opened her eyes and memorized the tender confidence in his chiseled expression. “I love you, too.”

Dane breathed out a sigh and grinned.

Staring into his eyes, she had everything she needed and more, but she claimed a satisfying kiss and let the pleasure linger on her lips. She would never think of new beginnings without thinking of Dane. He would move mountains to be by her side, and she would come home to him and the desert they both loved.