Chapter 17 #2
“I did, and I meant it. And I know Harper will be in agreement. She adores you both.”
“We love her like she’s our family, son. And by loving her, you’ve become the same. We only need enough to be secure in our home and pay for food and medicines and such. You’re giving us the opportunity to do just that and not have to uproot our lives. And we won’t be lonely.”
Clay was emotionally touched by the generosity of Mr. Bigsby. His jaw was firm and his lips pressed into a flat line as he nodded and tried to find his voice. “Thank you, Mr. Bigsby. I’m grateful.”
“No, son. We are.” Mr. Bigsby looked at Ms. Griffith one more time. “And any balance left in our account once we’re both gone?”
“It reverts to Mr. Vega and Ms. Vitrano.”
Clay shook his head.
“Just sign the papers, Clay. And say thank you,” Mr. Bigsby said.
Clay picked up a pen and reached for the papers.
“Hang on, read ‘em first. Make sure there’s nothing you wanted added that didn’t make it into the contract.”
“I read it, multiple times and again this morning.”
“Yeah, but then I made this change. Read it.”
“Yes, sir,” Clay said, sitting back to read the contract one last time before he signed making the Bigsby Equine Center, all the land that was a part of it, and every building, fixture, machine, and vehicle on it his.
Or rather, his and Harper’s. A few minutes later he finished reading, laid the contract on the table and signed it, then repeated the read, sign, repeat with the other three copies, just as Mr. Bigsby did. “Done.”
“Congratulations, son. I can’t wait to see what you do with the place.”
Clay shook Mr. Bigsby’s hand, then they laughed and pounded each other’s backs as men are wont to do.
Ms. Griffith notarized each copy, certified them all originals, then placed her copy along with the copy to be filed at the courthouse in her attache case. “It has been a true pleasure doing business with the both of you.”
“And you,” they both said.
“Why don’t I take us all out to get some lunch? My treat,” Clay said.
“I appreciate that, but we’re going to have Shepherd’s Pie, same as usual.” He looked over at Ms. Griffith. “My wife loves Shepherd’s Pie. And since she doesn’t do very well out among too many people anymore, we prefer to stay home.”
“It’s a good meal. And I relish the time I get to stay home. I don’t blame her,” Ms. Griffith said.
“Ms. Griffith, today is roast beef in brown gravy, a huge serving of mashed potatoes and English peas, with peach cobbler for dessert at the restaurant. Can I tempt you?” Clay asked.
“Oh! Yes, you definitely can. If you call me Erica.”
Mr. Bigsby leaned over and spoke quietly to Clay. “I wouldn’t say no to a helping of that peach cobbler.”
“I’ll bring several so there will be leftovers.”
Mr. Bigsby winked at Clay, then got up with his copy of the contract in hand. “I’ll be putting this away for safe keeping. Ms. Griffith, it’s been a pleasure. Clay, I’ll see you later.”
“You will. I’ll be back this afternoon. I’m expecting a delivery.”
“Oh?”
“An old friend is returning.”
Mr. Bigsby grinned. “You found him.”
“I did.”
“And Harper?”
“Has no idea. I’m going to ask her to take a ride with me this evening and when she gets here he’ll already be in a stall. When she rushes to him and turns back to look at me, I’ll be on one knee with his halter and an extra set of keys in hand instead of a ring.”
“We’ll give you plenty of privacy to get it done.”
~~~
Harper, Summer, Libby, and Renata all lay on floats, lazily drifting back and forth across the Olympic size swimming pool Basilio had added to their back yard when the kids were still little.
“I can see why you’d prefer to be over here, Harper,” Libby said without lifting her head to look toward anybody.
“Yep. Nicer over here. Nobody making you feel bad for not wanting to live a redo of their lives,” Harper said.
“You ladies are welcome anytime. You have no idea how much fun I’ve been having these last few days with you here, too, Libby. I get tired of only having Basilio to talk to. I miss having girlfriends,” Renata said.
“I heard that!” Basilio shouted after he opened the sliding glass door that opened out onto the lanai.
“He hears everything he’s not meant to, and nothing he is meant to,” Summer said.
“It’s planned. Gives him time to think about things before he answers, and lets us know that he can always hear us when he’s not supposed to,” Renata said.
All four of the females in the pool laughed.
“And I like that sound,” he added, then closed the sliding glass door as he chuckled, leaving them to their girl time.
“Don’t you be telling Travis what we’re doing either!” Renata suddenly yelled, when she realized why Basilio was watching them so closely.
The sliding door opened again. “He’s my friend!”
“And I’m your wife. He made his bed.”
“He already knows they’re here and that they’re safe.”
“And that’s all he needs to know,” Renata insisted.
Basilio grumbled as he closed the door again.
“I’m sure that whenever you do decide to go home, your father will be much nicer to you, Harper,” Libby said.
“I’m sure. Especially after the riot act you read him,” Harper said.
“He’s lucky it’s all I did,” Libby said.
“I agree,” Renata said.
“Have you heard from him since you got here?” Summer asked.
“Oh, yes. Phone calls started right after I turned off the Life 360 tracker on my phone.”
Harper snickered.
“He says that he’s so very sorry and got caught up in his idea of what things would be like instead of taking the time to consider what you wanted. He agrees that he’s selfish and just wants us to come home so he can apologize.”
“And Joel?”
“Oh, he’s been gone. Your dad told him to get out or they’d never find his body because he’d feed it to his friends.”
“I still can’t believe he actually encouraged that jerk to try to spend time with me.”
“Yeah, he’s feeling really bad about that.”
“As he should! I’m not a damn prize to be bargained with like in the middle ages.”
“Manipulation runs high in that one,” Summer mumbled.
“Oh, yeah. He’s more Alpha than anybody suspects. He just barely controls his impulses, but in all honesty, he’s getting better with age. And blow back from this latest episode,” Libby said.
“What did you tell him about coming home?” Harper asked.
“No.”
“No?” Harper asked.
“Yep. I didn’t answer him until this morning, and it was one simple word… No.”
“He’s probably fit to be tied,” Summer said.
“No doubt. But it’ll be a long time before he makes the mistake of trying to tell Harper, or me, or anyone else what they should and shouldn’t be doing without taking their own wants into consideration,” Libby said.
“One would hope so,” Harper said.
“What I hope is that somebody has some good ideas for lunch,” Summer said.
“I can cook something,” Renata said, sitting up anxiously on her pool float.
“Girl! No, we are having girl time today,” Libby said.
“I thought we had girl time yesterday, and Sunday night, too,” Summer said, hoping her mother would cook and she wouldn’t have to do it herself.
“We did. But since I’m considering going home in the morning, this will be our last day, unless I leave him for good. Then I might need to rent Kaiser’s apartment across the driveway.”
They all laughed.
“Oh, I know! What if we order from the restaurant? What are their specials today?” Renata asked.
“They have roast beef in brown gravy, mashed potatoes and English peas for their special. And peach cobbler for dessert. But they also have Salisbury steaks if you don’t want roast beef.
And you can get mac n cheese, and corn or steamed veggies,” Libby said.
“I know because I still have their lunch specials memorized from when I work there from time to time.”
“Who’s going to pick it up?” Renata asked.
Summer lifted her head, then lowered her sunglasses to peer at her mother. “That’s code for Summer get up and go get our lunches if I’ve ever heard it.”
“Aww, so nice of you to offer!” Renata said. “My credit card is in my wallet. We’ll phone it in so it will be ready when you get there.”
“I want the roast beef but with the mac n cheese option, with corn,” Summer said.
“I want the special,” Harper said. “And I’ll treat today.”
“No way! You’re our guests!” Renata insisted. “What do you want, Libby?”
“I’ll take the mac n cheese option with steamed veggies. But I want Salisbury steak instead of roast beef.”
“Done,” Renata said, slipping off of her float and wading in shoulder deep water to the stairs. “I’m going to call it in, you go get it, Summer.”
“I’ll come with you,” Harper said.
“Peach cobblers all around?” Renata asked as she picked her phone up off her towel.
“Yes!” came back at her from all directions.