16. You were not invited...
1288 Words
Sam was preparing things for Stella's return he moved all of her stuff from Drake's bedroom with the sexy posters, to his room with posters of rock bands.
He set a king sized bed in there and planned on sleeping with her, to keep her from shivering in the night. So he told himself.
Teddy didn't like it one bit.
" Give her time to heal from one Palmer man to the next.
She has a tender heart. She loves very deeply.
She needs a man that can appreciate her selfless manor, her natural beauty and gratitude for simple pleasures in life." He smiled, wishing he were so much younger.
Sam could see he loved Stella very much.
" Teddy, am I a womanizer, have I ever brought a girl here?" He asked.
Teddy shook his head. "Two cousins, but only one is a real man."
Teddy nodded. "Love her, make her happy. Give her a baby."
Sam swallowed hard. " Well, I will be a friend to start. I mean...I don't even know her."
Teddy smiled. "Let's take that king sized bed out of there and put her in the master bedroom then." He said grinning.
Sam scratched his head.
" Well, no. I want her with me so I can watch her for fevers." He said.
Teddy grunted. He went to check on the new guy that Drake hired to tend to the horses.
Thomas Jackson was 30 years old. He went by TJ. He was a strong man that grew up in a Mormon home. He made his way west to California to follow his passion.
He hoped to someday own his own ranch and have a wife, or two or three if the good Lord allowed for it.
He knew enough about horses to get by. Teddy was making sure that everything was done correctly.
" Hey TJ, you check that Hercules out yet. I think he needs the farrier to get those hooves trimmed." said Teddy.
" I can do it, I've been trained for it." He smiled.
TJ was a good man. Teddy had tested him pretty good.
He jumped into his pick up truck. Teddy shouted to Sam.
" Going to pick up our girl, be back in an hour. Can you make her something to eat.
She's far too skinny. She don't eat anything with a face on it." He nodded and peeled out.
Sam took notes on what Stella liked and didn't like. He wanted her to have the best. He had to get back to work in a few days.
Sam cut up some carrots and found some hummus. He went to the stables.
"TJ what is this dough on the counter?" He asked.
"Oh, my sour dough. Thought I'd make it for dinner. Got a veggie stew in the fridge I made last night.
I heard the woman of the house doesn't like meat, so"...
Sam repeated that. "The woman of the house." He nodded. That she is...he thought. He would be sad to have to leave her.
Stella was weak, but she got into the truck okay.
"Teddy can we stop somewhere really fast, I need to do something." She smiled.
He nodded. "Just across the street."
He drove to the retirement home.
Stella got out and limped inside. She used her cane.
Stella went to the front desk.
" Oh, excuse me, can you help me find Dan Fields?" She smiled.
" Yeah, room 217, head on up." the woman said.
Stella took the stairs, she knew the elevator was down.
It was a long way for her to go.
She stood at the top steps and bent over breathing hard.
After she recovered, she straightened and walked to 217.
She knocked. " Mr. Fields,"she called. The door was ajar.
The man saw her coming.
" What lunch time?" He yelled.
" Ah, no....Alice Winters sent me." She smiled at him.
He smiled back. "How is Miss Winters doing?" He asked.
" Well, she is missing you fiercely." She said.
"She wrote this for you." She handed him an envelope.
He sat down and read it.
He smiled. "She's deaf, I Iearned to sign so I could impress her." He said.
Stella nodded. She said That's lovely. In sign language.
He smiled and put his fingers to his mouth and back towards her. Thank you.
" I Iearned in high school. I loved to practice with Alice. I was on the same floor as her.
When I got bored, I visited all my nieghbors.I learned a lot." She smiled, her eyes were glittering.
He saw she was using a cane.
" What happened," He motioned to her.
" Well, though I have no memory of this, my horse, well ex's mare was attacked by a cougar.
I got tossed off. They had to put that mare down. I was terribly sad. My ex-fiancé was livid."
She said, " From what I heard, that is."
Mr. Fields frowned. " That was you, my grandson is a boy scout. He searched for you for days. They all thought it was a body recovery. I'll be darned, here you are!" He smiled.
Stella gave him her number.
" I'm headed back now, I hope you know she only has eyes for you." she winked.
He said," Stella," he made the sign for I'm sorry by rubbing his fist over his heart.
She looked at him with her head tilted. "Why?" She asked.
" That your fiancé let you go, you are a pure gem." He said.
She kissed his cheek. " Call if you need me sir."
He nodded.
Stella made her way back to the truck. She fell back onto the ground as she was trying to get up into the seat.
Teddy got out and helped her up.
She was bleeding and laughing.
"The mind says yes, the legs say, hell no."
He placed his hanky on her elbow and helped her up.
Stella got a text from David.
" Can you just call me please?" He asked.
She dialed his number.
" What is it?" She asked cautiously.
" I'm sorry. I should have warned you about Drake."He admitted.
" All in the past dearest brother. No problems." She said cheerfully.
She grimaced at her elbow pain.
" Want to stay with me, I got a spare room in my apartment?" He asked her.
" I'm okay. I will get a place on my own. I'm almost 20 now. You remember?"
He did not. He put it into his phone calender.
Teddy knew, he had plans for her. He was going to surprise her.
Stella told David. " Tell everyone that I miss them, mom and daddy...well, I hope they fix things now that I am gone."
He said,"They had a big vow renewal, ah...everyone was there.
They did it at the church by the house, before they sold it. It was so cool.
Darrel, and Daniel came home. It was a huge family reunion." He laughed.
Stella did not laugh. She was the only one not invited.
Wow, that hurt so much.
" Sounds so cool." was all she could muster.
He realized his mistake.
" Uh, you can make the next one huh?" He said.
She said," Let's not pretend.... Mom and dad are reminded by mom's cheating everytime they see me.
I wouldn't want to be reminded....anyway, so glad for them." She was crying.
David said," I think that's not true"...
Stella knew it was.
" Okay brother, er... half brother. Thanks for the update then."
She ended the call. Teddy pulled the truck over and held her as she cried.
She hugged him tightly.
"Don't let me go Teddy." She sniffled.
- Writer
