Chapter 9
The drive across Bear Valley to Dolly’s home was lined with sprawling ranches and fields dotted with wildflowers.
Lyle kept his focus on the road, but every so often, his gaze flicked between the rearview mirror and Charlotte's joy-lit face, eagerly chattering about her grandmother.
The air was thick with excitement, and he could feel the anticipation radiating from her.
“Are we almost there?” Charlotte asked, her blue eyes wide and sparkling as she fidgeted in her booster seat. Pudge, nestled comfortably in her lap, squirmed slightly but didn’t protest.
“Just a little longer, squirt,” he replied, glancing back at her, the sight of her bursting with energy easing some of the tension in his shoulders. “Are you excited to see your Grandma Dolly?”
“Yes!” she exclaimed, bouncing a little, making Pudge wiggle dangerously close to the edge of her lap. Charlotte hugged her tight and brought the cat back into her embrace. "I can't wait for Grandma to see Pudge."
“Well, just remember, she’s got a dog too. So it’ll be a bit of a party.”
“Pixie's just a little poodle. I can’t wait to see her, too! She's so cute! Do you think Pudge will like her?”
“I think they’ll get along just fine,” Lyle said, his mind briefly wandering to how well Charlotte had adapted to caring for the little kitten. And fostering the four puppies. The kid was definitely an animal lover, and the animals in turn seemed to be easing her spirit.
As they rounded a gentle bend in the road, Lyle spotted the familiar pumpernickel brown house that had been a fixture in his life since childhood.
It was an old farmhouse but held memories that felt fresh every time he returned, memories of him and Frank and Jeff skipping rocks in the creek behind the house or riding the cows next door.
When Jeff and Sherry had married, they'd held the reception here at his mother's house.
The last time he'd been here had been right after the funeral, when he'd come to collect Charlotte.
That had been a difficult day, explaining to a six-year-old why she couldn't stay with her grandmother and instead was moving to a ranch with four cowboys--one of which she hadn't seen in over a year.
“Here we go,” he said, pulling into the gravel driveway that led to the front door and parking next to a well-kept flowerbed. It was small but vibrant, a testament to Dolly’s love for nature, even amidst her ongoing illness.
“Okay!” she chirped, clambering out of the truck and following Lyle to the front door.
As he approached, the worries buzzing around his head began to settle.
He took a deep breath and knocked on the door, a sense of anticipation settling over him.
A moment later, it creaked open, revealing a petite woman with a gentle smile that instantly warmed his heart, even though the pale complexion and signs of exhaustion on her face made him worry.
“Lyle!” she exclaimed, rushing forward in a burst of laughter that only made the tears well in her eyes. Despite her frail condition, Dolly enveloped him in a warm, tight hug. "Thank you for bringing her!"
Charlotte raced around him, Pudge in arms. “Grandma Dolly!” She shouted, rushing forward in a flurry of curls and exuberance.
"Careful!" Lyle cautioned lest she knock over her grandmother.
“Breathe, my sweet girl!” Dolly laughed, arms opening wide to embrace Charlotte as they collided. Pudge mewed in protest at the sudden motion, but Dolly’s loving touch didn’t deter Charlotte.
“Oh, I’ve missed you so much!” Charlotte squealed, giving her grandmother the biggest hug she could muster without squishing the cat she still held in one arm.
The sight warmed Lyle’s heart, but a familiar prick of concern crested the back of his mind. Charlotte would take comfort in this reunion, but he knew the layers of emotion would come rushing back, and it wasn’t long before he noticed the crinkle in Dolly’s brow as she embraced the little girl.
"I've missed you, too, my love."
“This is Pudge," Charlotte said proudly, thrusting the kitten forward. "I'm training her to be a helper kitty. Miss Heather is helping me. She trains dogs, you know."
“You don't say.” Dolly said, tilting her head, a radiant blend of pride and humor shimmering in her eyes. "She looks like a very fine, obedient kitty."
“Do you want to hold her? She's very sweet.” Charlotte offered up the kitten, and both Dolly and Pudge found themselves bonding in slow blinks.
“I would love that,” Dolly said gently. "Both of you come in." She moved into the front room and sat in a well-worn recliner chair. Charlotte followed and carefully placed Pudge into her grandmother’s lap. “Is she a good little helper?”
“Yep! She cuddles with all the puppies!” Charlotte beamed with pride, moving beside her grandmother and looking up at Lyle as if seeking his approval. "We fostered four of them. But Buttercup got adopted. I cried."
"Oh, no."
"We still have the other puppies. There's Pepper--she's kinda wild. And then Coco and Sherry."
"Sherry?" Dolly asked, raising a brow and looking at Lyle before giving her attention back to her granddaughter.
"Yes. I named her after mom because she has yellow hair."
"Oh, hon. That was very sweet."
"Is Pixie here?" Charlotte asked.
"Yes, she's over in her bed. I'm afraid she's feeling a little stiff these days. She's gotten pretty grumpy about walking lately."
“Grumpy?” Charlotte echoed, her brow furrowing. “Is she getting old?”
“Yes, she is an old girl, but a little bit of help from you might just brighten her spirits.”
Lyle knelt beside them and glanced down at Dolly's beloved toy poodle, who was resting quietly on a small bed just off to the side, her grizzled frame nestled among piled-up blankets. He reached down, placing a hand gently over Pixie’s body, knowing she was a source of comfort for Dolly.
“How long has Pixie been with you, Grandma?”
“Oh, since she was just a bundle of fur, bouncing everywhere. People say she could live up to fifteen years, maybe longer. But I swear, she thinks she’s the queen of the world.”
“Sounds like she has some good company, then,” Lyle said, giving her an encouraging nod. He could feel Dolly absorbing the warmth of the family around her, could see how Charlotte’s laughter melted away months of sorrow.
“Do you want to help?" he asked Charlotte. "We need to make sure Pixie gets her vitamins and check that her legs don’t hurt too much.”
“Sure!”
Lyle made room for Charlotte beside him. “Just remember, we need to be gentle and careful. Pixie may be a little cranky today.”
"Let me get Pudge so she can watch, too." She dashed across the room where the kitten was investigating a basket of yarn.
Dolly watched with love and sadness, her soft gaze catching Lyle’s.
“Thank you for being here, Lyle. I think Charlotte is just what I needed to brighten my spirit.” Her voice lowered, even though Charlotte was out of ear-shot, having chased Pudge into the kitchen.
“Jeff was smart to put his trust in you, and you are an amazing man for keeping your word. She seems to be thriving."
"Charlotte gives as much to us—my brothers and me—as we do to her. I promised you when Jeff died that she'll have all the love and support she needs. I don't know a lot about raising a little girl, but we seem to be doing okay. She'll never want for anything, that's for sure."
"I trust you with my granddaughter, Lyle. I truly do. And it gives me ease. I hate that I can't care for her myself."
"I understand that, Dolly, and it's not your fault. Charlotte knows you love her."
Charlotte ran back into the room with Pudge and showed her to Pixie, keeping a respectful distance so as not to upset the little dog. "See? She'll help you too," she assured the dog.
Lyle examined Pixie, then went back out to the truck and retrieved some supplements and a couple of injections he'd give the poodle in the meantime.
"I'm leaving these with you, Dolly." he said, handing her the supplements. Give her one of these each day and it should help with her arthritis. I'm going to give her a shot of vitamin C and B12 that should perk her up a little bit."
"You're a good boy, Lyle. I appreciate your help."
"I'm happy to give Pixie a little relief."
"You know, I didn't make it to church last week, but Lila Stevens told me you were sitting with Heather Prescott."
Lyle glanced up, but before he could answer, Charlotte piped up. "Miss Heather took us on a date to church."
Dolly raised a brow and Lyle ducked his head. "That's not entirely the case," Lyle said.
"But you said so, Uncle Lyle."
Kids were very literal sometimes.
"She's a nice girl," Dolly said. "Very sweet. Folks have speculated that her marriage was a bad one. That's a shame."
Lyle's head jerked up. He hadn't realized folks were speculating about Heather.
And he hadn't realized she'd been married.
That was a major piece of information he probably should have known.
Why hadn't Frank said anything to him? Or why hadn’t Heather said anything, for that matter.
Not that the subject had come up. She'd left Bear Valley in her college years.
Lyle had spent eight years in the Marines.
By the time she'd come back to Texas, he had moved to Montana.
So, their paths hadn't exactly crossed in a good many years.
Still, learning she'd been married bothered him for no good reason.
"Well," he said when his composure returned. "I guess I hadn't heard any of that talk."
"I believe it was a while ago. Frank mentioned it to me last year after Heather came home. She’s pretty much kept to herself and no one seems to know any details.”
“That’s odd in a small town.” Everyone knew everyone else’s business. Except Heather’s, apparently.
“You be extra sweet to her,” Dolly said. “Despite a failed marriage, that girl went through a lot with her daddy walking out on them when her mama got sick."