Page 86 of Pigeon

“I don’t want to have a funeral for him. We can have him buried in the family plot, but that’s it. That’s all I’m willing to do for him.”

I nod, reach across the table, and clasp our hands together.

“Will you go with me to tell mom when the bruises fade? I’m not telling her anything other than he died when some cattle ran over him. That’s it. She’s too fragile, and it’s unnecessary for her to know more than that,” Ivy says in a soft voice.

“Of course, I’ll go with you. I agree with what you’re telling her. It’s not her fault her son turned out the way he did.”

Standing, I pull Ivy to her feet and walk us into the living room. Pulling her down on the couch with me, I stretch out and cuddle her close.

“No more thinking, Ivy. What we’re doing right now is all we’re doing for the rest of the day. Relax and know you’re safe,” I whisper in her ear.

Ivy’s body relaxes, and she slips into sleep. It’s a very long time before I follow.

Chapter 16

Pigeon

Sitting in a lawn chair outside the clubhouse, Ivy in one next to me, I listen to Axel tell us about all the amazing things Priscilla can do and say. The man is truly enamored with his lady bird friend, and she is with him. Hearing the screech of the main gate, I again remind myself to oil it. Seeing Tessie’s Jeep come into view, I bail out of my chair and start running for my bike.

“Pigeon! Stand down, brother!” Axel shouts.

Gauging the distance between me and my bike and Tessie’s Jeep and my bike, I stop. I’m never going to get there in time to save it. Wanting to cover my eyes in fear instead, I hold my breath, not releasing it until the Jeep comes to a stop, still several feet from my bike. Not believing my eyes telling my brain that my bike’s still whole, Tessie steps out of the Jeep.

“Really, Pigeon? I haven’t hit anything in months! You guys are such unforgiving twats!” she hisses before stomping past me.

When I sit back down next to Ivy, I ignore her and Axel laughing at me. I look over to my bike and Tessie’s Jeep, still amazed there wasn’t a casualty.

“I don’t know what Lucy did or said, but Tessie hasn’t put a ding, dent, or scratch in anything since their lessons started,” Axel informs me. “Trigger said he’s got so much free time now because he’s not fixing her Jeep every week that he’s going to take a few weeks off from the shop.”

“He’ll be out to the ranch then to fish,” I reply, glad to hear Trigger’s finally taking some time off.

“More than that. He said he and Tammy want to stay for a few days. He wants to fish, of course, but he went on about helping with Ivy’s riding clinic and rebuilding that wagon you bought for the hayrides,” Axel explains.

“I would never have been ready to start doing the clinics if it wasn’t for him and the rest of the club,” Ivy softly says.

“Pippa’s going to talk with you when she gets here too. She has a woman at New Horizons that might be perfect for helping on the ranch. The lady needs to stay out of sight and has ranch and riding experience. Might be the perfect solution for both of you,” Axel continues.

“That’s great! We’ve been thinking about hiring a few employees, and if the peace of the ranch can help this woman too, all the better. Be great if she could help with the cooking. If not, we’ll need to find someone who can,” Ivy says.

Bella, with Craig and Luke, take seats near us as we chat. Of course, that means we’ve now been joined by a large dog, Cain, and a skunk too.

“I wanted to ask about your clinics, Ivy. When you are running one, is there anything I can do to help? As you know, I’m just learning how to ride, and thank you for being a great teacher, but anything else I could do? Childcare, cleaning stalls, feeding the animals?” Bella asks. “I’m happy to do anything that gives you more time with the animals and kids.”

“Absolutely,” Ivy and I answer at the same time, then laugh because that happens a lot.

“Thank you! I already asked Mom and Pops, and they said they’d bring me out anytime.”

“Love to have you, Bella, but you will accept pay for the hours you work. No arguing,” I say, knowing that Bella’s saving her money but still not knowing what for.

“I will if you insist, but I’m happy just helping out, too. I love being at the ranch. There’s something peaceful and soothing about it and the horses. I can’t explain it,” Bella says with an embarrassed smile.

“You don’t have to explain it, Bella. I get it. I really do,” Ivy replies.

“I have a question. You two both grew up as country kids, but Ivy calls her home a ranch, and Pigeon says he was raised on a farm. What’s the difference?” Axel questions.

“Ranches raise livestock. Farms raise crops,” Craig answers.

“Ivy raises crops. Hay, corn, oats,” Axel points out.

---