Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
The enormous Ponderosa pine tree stood
twelve feet high in the comfortable family room of the Johnson
ranch house. The family had spent all yesterday decorating with
bulbs, tinsel and garland, and wrapping gifts of every shape and
size. Now the tree lights were all turned on, throwing out sparkles
of twinkling lights in every corner of the huge room. The pile of
beautifully wrapped, colorful presents was beginning to grow under
the tree and was spreading out into the surrounding areas. Many
woolen stockings with names on them hung from the hearth of the
massive stone fireplace. It looked to be a Rockwellian holiday –
American and Western to the max.
Not only was Lily getting the house
decorated for Christmas, they were decorating for a wedding as
well. As the daughter of Jason, the Johnson ranch foreman, Lily had
asked if Anna wanted to have her wedding at the main ranch house,
like she and Sandy had done with most of their children. Anna had
agreed so she, her mother and sister were giving Lily a hand.
“How does this look, Anna?” Lily was placing
a white decorative tree to the side of the living room. They’d just
turned the living room into a winter wonderland with small trees
and covered white chairs facing the beautiful rattan arch by the
window. By this time tomorrow, varying scents of roses, gardenias,
tulips and orchids would change the single arbor arch into a curved
garden in multiple shades of white. Florists would be scurrying
around working and caterers would be setting up the food in the
dining area. Sandy wasn’t too sure about a wedding and Christmas at
the same time, but Lily assured him it could work.
Anna turned around. Lily thought she was so
lovely – Her thick brown hair cascaded on her shoulders and down
her back. Milk chocolate eyes blinked under thick black lashes.
She’d always been pretty. Her sister, Audrey, Jesse’s wife, was
similar in coloring and temperament not only to one another, but to
their mother. Lily had so hoped that Anna would be marrying Joey
tomorrow night instead of her fiancé, Tom Carlson. A nice man to be
sure… He just wasn’t Lily and Sandy’s son.
“It looks great! I think we’ve about got it
set up, Lily.” Anna walked over to where Lily was standing and
gratefully took her hands. “Thank you so much for doing this. It
was very nice of you.”
Lily gently kissed her on the cheek. “You’re
very welcome, Anna. You and Audrey are practically daughters of
ours too, we’ve known your family for so long. It’s our genuine
pleasure to do this for you and…Tom.” The name Tom nearly
caught in her throat.
Audrey went home to her family, but Amy
joined Lily and Anna by the front window. Through the glass they
saw a light snowfall.
“So… it’s going to be a white Christmas
after all,” remarked Lily.
“…Beautiful for a wedding too,” said Amy
smiling at her daughter.
“You know what?” Anna’s eyes twinkled
mischievously. “I think Tom and I will take off for a quick
afternoon of skiing up at Squaw Valley.”
“What?” Lily stopped. “Now? The day before
the wedding?”
“Sure,” said Anna casually. “It’s a great
way to burn off pre-wedding jitters.”
“Wouldn’t you rather get a facial or take a
hot bath to calm those jitters?” Amy’s face registered as much
concern as Lily’s. “This isn’t the best time to take off,
Anna.”
“Oh, it’ll be fine. It’s just for the
afternoon and we’re done here. I think I’ll see who else wants to
go.” She kissed the cheeks of both astonished mothers and hurried
out of the room.
Lily and Amy exchanged looks.
“…Ah, Amy. Maybe you should try to change
her mind about skiing.”
Amy rolled her eyes. “Have you ever tried to
change Anna’s mind once she’s made it up? No one can move her.”
“...Joey could…” Lily sighed.
“…Once upon a time…” Amy sighed too.
“They really took a turn into left field,
didn’t they?”
Amy shrugged. “I just don’t know what went
wrong.”
Lily arched an eyebrow. “…That’s nice of
you, Amy, but we both know Joey’s at fault here. He just couldn’t
seem to commit… My God, she’d been waiting years for him.”
“I think she got the message at long last
that he’s the proverbial bachelor.”
“… And a prize idiot to let her go.”
They looked at each other and sighed deeply
again.
“Let’s finish up for now and have some
lunch. I need a glass of eggnog…”
“Sounds good, Lily, but I’ve got to take
off. I told Audrey I’d help with the children so she could do some
marketing.”
Meanwhile, Anna had convinced Meg, Carter,
Miles and Kate to go up to Squaw Valley skiing with her and Tom.
Lily said she’d watched their children, so the three couples loaded
up into Sandy’s huge four-wheel drive truck to take off for the
resort, situated up in the Sierra Mountains.
An hour later, Joey wandered into the
kitchen where Lily and Janie were making lunch. She thought his
bare feet might feel chilly on the tiled floor.
“Where’d everyone go?”
“If you’re going to sleep this late, Joey,
you’re going to miss a few mini-dramas.”
“Well, I just hope you’ll wake me for
anything really ugly…”
Lily and Janie laughed and smoothed more
mayo on the bread for sandwiches, before adding cheese and meat.
The fragrant aroma of tomato soup filled the kitchen. Joey walked
over to kiss his sister on the cheek.
“You look beautiful, sis.”
“Thanks, Joey, but we look alike. You’re
complimenting yourself.”
“Ha…I’m not pregnant though.”
While they chatted, Lily marveled at how
similar they really were. She was drawn to their striking blonde
hair first, then those crystal blue eyes… the same Johnson family
faces… delicate bone structure and vivacious personalities. They
were so very much alike, but not only in looks. If Craig Ferguson
hadn’t gently pushed and prodded for many years, Janie might not be
standing here nine months pregnant with their second child.
That was the missing factor, Lily decided.
Anna never pushed Joey. She let him wander his own course, which
for the most part, included her. But when he took off without an
understanding between them -- that had been the final straw for
Anna. Joey went to New Mexico to paint landscapes and Anna had gone
to Los Angeles to find a new life. That had been two years ago and
now she’d come home with a very nice fiancé. Lily tuned back into
Janie and Joey’s conversation.
“… We’re thinking of calling the baby
Malcolm… After Craig’s grandfather in Scotland.”
“Nice name.”
“So what are you going to do, Joey?”
He grabbed one of the sandwiches she’d just
finished making and took a big bite.
“…About what?” He chewed, swallowed and took
another bite.
“Anna’s getting married tomorrow.”
“…Your point?”
Janie gently touched his face. “Don’t you
mind? At all?”
Joey swallowed hard, grabbed her hand. “It’s
not that easy, sis.” A hitch was in his voice.
“Why isn’t it? Don’t you love her
anymore?”
He put down the sandwich and closed his eyes
as if they hurt. It took him a few seconds to reopen those sad
eyes. When he glanced into Janie’s sweet face, Joey whispered.
“…I…I do.”
Lily’s throat was thick by now, tears
filling her eyes, spilling out on her cheeks. She walked out before
she could hear anymore. She’d already heard more than she wanted
to.
RANCHER’S CHRISTMAS by JEANNE HARRELL
# # #