Page 67 of Shine On Oklahoma

Dax hadn’t arrived yet. Kendra was nervousabout seeing him again. She had barely exchanged three sentenceswith him in the days since Diana’s birth in the woods. She’d beenbusy with her father in the hospital, with her sister and newniece. He’d been busy, too, making a deal with the New York Stateattorney general. His mother wasn’t going to be prosecuted. Inexchange, she and Dax were cooperating fully with the state in itsprosecution of Vester Caine. They’d turned over the books, and thetrack’s bookkeeper had been arrested. Vester was in custody, andPhil was in a hospital, but handcuffed to the bed. Chief Jimmyswore Kendra had fired her weapon in self-defense. No onequestioned it.

Ace was still at large.

Kiley said Dax was coming to dinner, butKendra was a little afraid that he wouldn’t. His mother was there,though, with Luis Mendosa. They seemed completely in love. MissDolly and Ned could barely keep their hands off each other.Everyone was mingling, nibbling appetizers and the piano wasplaying them a selection of old timey holiday music.

When Vidalia came out of the kitchen with apicture perfect roasted turkey on a platter, and her husband BobbyJoe came out behind her with another, the oohs, ahhs and praisewere universal. And then they were all gathering around the gianttables.

“Oh, we can’t begin yet,” Miss Dolly said.“Not everyone is here.”

“They are now.”

It was Dax!

Kendra couldn’t help the relief that rushedthrough her at the sound of his voice, or the shiver of awarenessup her spine. She turned toward the batwing doors way past the openred velvet curtains, and then blinked in surprise. Dax was pushinga wheelchair, and her father was its passenger. They were bothdressed in suits and ties and they were both smiling.

“Jack?” Kendra asked.

“Dad!” Kiley shouted, and they both went tothe doorway to greet him.

“Hello girls.” Jack flashed his dimplesaround the room. “Thank you for the invitation Miz Vidalia.”

Dax had hold of Kendra’s eyes and wouldn’tlet go. The conversation, the greetings, were happening all aroundthem. But they were apart from all of it.

“You’re family, Jack,” Vidalia said. “Youdon’t need an invitation, but I wasn’t sure you knew that yet.”

Jack spotted Rob holding the baby while Kileywas hugging his neck and asking how he got out a day sooner thanplanned. He didn’t really answer. Instead he said, “If it’s okaywith everyone, I’d really like to have a word with mygranddaughter.”

“And I’d like to have word with you, Kendra,”Dax said. His voice was all hoarse. “Outside, if that’s okay?”

She looked at him frowned. “Actually, I needto talk to you too.”

She grabbed her jacket from a hook, and heopened the door for her. They stepped out into the parking lot, himhobbling on one crutch. He said, “Your sister tells me you’releaving tomorrow.”

“I wasn’t going without saying goodbye to youfirst,” she said. “I just…it’s been….”

“I know.”

“I was gonna pick Jack up on the way, takehim with me. Didn’t expect this.”

“He’s not going,” Dax said.

Kendra blinked, stunned. “What, now? What doyou mean, he’s not going?”

“We had a long talk, your dad and me. He saidhe saw your mother, during that time when his heart wasn’t beating.Said she told him to get his ass back here and be a goodgrandfather to her namesake.”

She frowned. “He didn’t…tell me any ofthat.”

“He will. When he’s ready. He’sstill…processing it, I think. Point is, he says he’s goingstraight. Moving back here to Big Falls to be with his family.”

She turned in a slow circle, tipped her headback, closed her eyes. “He can’t do that.”

“He can if he wants. It’s a free country. AndI don’t know how you’re can leave Kiley to ride herd on him all byherself. Do you?” He touched her shoulders, turned her to face himagain. He was looking at her like he was trying to memorize herface.

“I’ll make him see sense,” she said. “We cancome and visit.”

“Well, you know, that’s between you and yourfather, I guess.”

She nodded, and decided the moment had come.She pulled her keys out of her jacket pocket and held them out.

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