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“Of course, that’s the point of the sale.”
“Don’t get smart, boy.”
“I’ve been doing this for years and at fifty I think I can handle just about everything on this ranch.”
“Now you listen here—” Henry shifted to face Hank. “Lucy, bring me a cup of coffee.”
His mother didn’t move or say anything.
Henry turned to her. “Lucy, did you hear me?”
Lucy threw a dish towel onto the counter. “Get your own coffee, Henry.”
Complete silence followed those words. The only sound was the ticking of the antique grandfather clock in the corner.
Henry recovered first. “What did you say?”
“I said get your own damn coffee. If you can bellow orders without any consideration for me, then you can wait on yourself. Being ill doesn’t give you the right to act like a complete ass.”
Lucy ran from the room, tears streaming down her face. Luke forced himself to stay in his seat. His father had to go after her, not Luke or Hank.
Henry frowned. “What did she say?”
Before anyone could reply, Clover answered, “She said you’re an ass. Rightfully so, too.”
Henry pointed a finger at her. “Watch your mouth. You can be gone in a heartbeat.”
“Just say the word, Mr. Henry. The nuns would welcome me back—” Clover paused “—in a heartbeat.”
Henry stood abruptly; his chair toppled backward to the hardwood floor making a loud banging noise. Luke jumped to his feet, but his dad didn’t need any help. He shuffled off to the den.
Hank and Luke stared at each other in bewilderment. Hank tipped his head toward the den. “Go talk to him.”
Luke raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that a job for the oldest?”
“You’re the favorite, so get in there.”
Luke thought of his father’s set expression and decided to give him some time. He’d check on his mother first. He had a feeling she needed him more.
As he walked toward the hall, Hank snapped, “Luke.” But Luke didn’t pay him any attention.
He stopped short in the doorway to his parents’ bedroom. His mother was throwing clothes into a suitcase.
“Mom, what are you doing?”
“I’m leaving.” She grabbed more clothes out of a drawer and dumped them into the case. “He can’t treat me like this.”
His parents argued, but he’d never seen his mother so upset. He caught her by her forearms. “Mom, look at me.”
Tear-filled blue eyes looked at him and he felt a catch in his throat. “Pa’s been a little hard to deal with since he’s had the stroke, but you’ve been married for over fifty years. You can’t just walk out and leave him.”
Lucy gripped him around the waist, sobbing into his chest. “I can’t take any more. I just can’t.”
He smoothed her hair, thinking he’d rather take a bullet on the battlefield than listen to his mother cry. “What do you want me to do?”
She hiccuped and pulled away. Wiping at her eyes, she said, “Call Becky.”
Becky. He swallowed. “Why?”
“I can talk to Becky.”
“You can talk to me.”
“Becky’s a woman and she understands. Please, Luke.”
His mother curled up on the bed in a fetal position. His chest tightened at the sight. Why couldn’t she talk to him? Clearly she needed help he couldn’t give her. That wasn’t easy to accept.
As he charged upstairs to his room to make the call, he kept thinking the bullet would hurt a lot less. Becky answered on the second ring.
“Becky, this is Luke. My mother would like to see you.”
There was a noticeable pause, then she asked, “Is something wrong?”
“Yes,” was all he could say.
“I’ll be right there.”
Luke didn’t allow himself to think about Becky. They were now strangers, probably what they’d been all along. He’d just been too pigheaded to admit it.
When he reached the den, his dad was sitting in his chair, staring into space. Hank came over to Luke.
“What happened?”
“Mom’s leaving.”
Hank’s eyes narrowed. “You mean going to town?”
“No. I mean she’s packing to leave for good.”
Hank turned a shade of gray Luke had never seen before. “But don’t panic. I talked to her and she’s lying down. She wants to talk to Becky.”
Hank nodded. “That’s good. She talks to Becky a lot.”
Luke glanced at their father. “I talked to Mom, now you talk to Pa.”
“I got my hands full with this sale.” Hank headed for the kitchen. “So make yourself useful.”
Luke wanted to shoot him the finger, but that was a younger Luke. The mature Luke walked over to Henry.
He sat on the footstool and remembered all the times he’d sat here as a kid asking a million questions. “Pa, how do birds fly?” “Why are there stars in the sky?” “What’s a Big Dipper?” “How do men walk on the moon?” Henry had answered everything and when he hadn’t known the answer, he’d made it up. Luke had believed every word, though. There was nothing his father didn’t know. There was nothing his father couldn’t beat.
Except being incapacitated.
“Pa, you doing okay?”
“I’m not a man anymore.”
“Excuse me?” Luke wasn’t sure what his father was talking about.
“I knew she’d leave me and it didn’t take long.”
The doorbell rang, preventing Luke from getting an explanation. Henry wasn’t making any sense. His parents had been married forever.
He shifted his train of thought and concentrated on the woman on the other side of the door. He took a moment, then opened it. Becky was in her work clothes—green nurse’s scrubs printed with tiny stethoscopes. Her hair bounced around her nape and her eyes were deep with concern.
“I didn’t want to bother you,” he said, “but my mother insisted.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “Where’s Lucy?”
“In her bedroom.”
His parents occupied the master bedroom downstairs. Becky followed him into the den and went directly to Henry.
“How are you this morning, Henry?”
“Not good. Lucy’s mad at me.”
Luke stood in complete shock. His father was talking to Becky.
“What did you do to make her mad?”
Henry shrugged. “Just being me, you know. And that ain’t much these days.”
“Are you doing your exercises?”
“Sometimes.”
Becky rubbed his shoulder. “All the time, Henry. To get better you have to fight it, and I know you’re a fighter.”
“Have been all my life.”
“Good. I’ll go talk to Lucy.”
Luke paced as he waited. About twenty minutes later, Becky came out. “Did Mom talk to you?” he asked anxiously.
“Yes.”
“So what’s wrong besides the obvious?”
“Henry’s not able to do a lot of the things he used to.”
“I know that.”
Becky shoved her hands into the pockets of her top. “I don’t think you do.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“It’s sexual.”
Luke swung away. “Oh God. I don’t need to hear this.”
“Grow up, for heaven’s sake. They’re your parents but they’re also husband and wife. Henry’s not able to do what he used to and he thinks it matters to Lucy, but it doesn’t. He bellows orders at her because in his mind every time she waits on him that means she still cares for him. But a woman can only take so much yelling and insensitivity.”
“Oh.” Luke finally understood. “How’s Mom now?”
“She’s soaking in a hot bath. That’ll help to relax her. She called Angela Carrick and they’re going to San Antonio to get their hair done and to shop. Lucy needs to do something for herself for a change.”
“She’s going to be out all day?” That didn’t come out the way Luke had intended, but he couldn’t take the words back.
“Yes, and I know you’ll take care of your father.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Really? An insensitive clod like me?”
She pushed her bangs from her forehead. “I overreacted last night. I’m sorry about that, and you’re right. We need to put the past behind us. We’ve both moved on.”
“Yeah.” He held her gaze. “So why are you still so angry?”
She glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to go. I’m going to be late for work.”
“We’re going to have that conversation one of these days, Becky,” he called to her retreating back.
With her hand on the doorknob, she turned to look at him, her eyes dark. “You might not like my answer.”
“I’ll take my chances. I’m a gambler.”
She nodded and was gone. Luke went to deal with his parents, but he wasn’t so angry now. Becky was talking to him.
THE DAY PROVED to be stressful. Henry barked orders at Hank until he was hoarse. Luke couldn’t get him to go back to the house to rest and give them all a break. By late afternoon Henry ran out of steam. All day his dad had not once mentioned Lucy’s name.
As Luke drove to the house, he saw his mom maneuver her Cadillac into the garage. She got out smiling. Her hair was done in a new style and hung like a bell around her face. Lucy gathered shopping bags out of the car and still Henry didn’t say a word.
Luke sensed a blue norther gathering force, and it was fixing to blow through Great Oaks.
Becky’s Tahoe stopped behind them. She got out with a long package. Evidently she’d been in contact with his mother during the day. He didn’t know whether to feel good about that or not.
Becky helped Lucy with her bags while Luke got his dad’s walker from the back of his truck. Silently they made their way into the house. Henry sank into his chair. His mom and Becky continued down the hall. Luke heard voices coming from his mother’s room, happy voices. His dad stared at a blank TV screen, not one flicker of emotion on his set face.
Becky came into the den carrying a cane. “Henry, I have something for you.”
