Page 3 of Memories of the Past

I glanced down to the sick calf that lay on the floor in distress, while Billy and Lyle glanced up at me, neither of them saying anything.

“What’s wrong with her?” I questioned.

“Does it really concern you? No, what does concern you is those horses. Now get into that barn and get the stalls cleaned, and those horses fed and watered. Oh, and you’re mother wants you to grab some strawberries from the garden for dessert. She’s busy with the church bazaar today.” He turned around and knelt back down giving Lyle instructions that I could barely hear.

I stood there watching as Lyle got up and left the barn, going to get whatever my father had told him to, then my father looked over his shoulder at me. “I thought I told you to get to the stalls,” he barked. “I don’t have time to argue with you right now.”

I let out a huff, looked at Billie, then turned away from my father, making my way to the other barn to begin cleaning out stalls. There was no point in trying to talk to him when he was angry.

I kicked a stone as I made my way to the barn, pissed that he hadn’t given me a chance to talk to him. I don’t know why it surprised me; he never took the time to hear me. He’d basically blamed me for everything and turned his back on me. As always, everything was more important than anything I ever had to tell him. I approached the barn door and pulled it open and made my way over to the first stall and began cleaning it out. Some of the other ranch hands were already working away on some of the stalls that I was supposed to clean, each of them glancing my way, pissed that they had been forced to take on more work. I just put my head down and went about the job at hand, forgetting that they were there.

Three hours later, I was finished with everything that my father had asked me to do. I’d had long enough to think over things, so I made my way up to the house and to my room. I hadn’t been able to get the tryouts out of my mind, nor the things Jed had said about getting to see the world. I showered, and then, as if forced by someone else's hand, I returned to my room, dressed, and began packing a bag. I’d made up my mind. I was leaving in the morning with Jed, and I would take Trinity with me.

I walked out the front door, bag in hand, and threw it into the back of my truck. I glanced in the direction of the main barn and could hear my father still barking orders at the others. He was on a roll today, and Mom still wasn’t back yet. There was no way I was going to bother even attempting to tell him I was leaving, so I climbed into the front seat of my beat-up old truck and turned the key, the old engine sputtering to life.

I began pulling down the driveway as my mother’s car came up the drive. I was instantly reminded about the strawberries I’d forgotten to pick and knew that once I returned home for the night, my father would have more words to spew at me. Instead of worrying about it, I cranked the radio and continued down the driveway.

I pulled onto Bluebird Lane and stopped right out front of Bluebird Books, cutting the engine. I rested my arm on the window ledge and sat waiting for Trinity. It was a little after seven thirty, the closed sign hung in the window of her aunt’s bookstore, and I could see Trinity talking with her through the window.

My stomach hurt as I tried to come up with an idea of how I was going to tell her that I was leaving for the rodeo, and how I was going to ask her to come with me. I knew she would understand; she had to. She and I would go, see all the cities and small towns, and the best part was that we would experience them together—if she wanted. I hoped she wanted to. I heard the jingle of the little bell that hung above the bookstore door, and Trinity came walking out, her small clutch purse in her hand. She was wearing my favorite yellow sunflower sundress, and she smiled as her long blond hair waved in the wind.

Instantly, a lump formed in my throat as my stomach turned. I wanted more for us than I had realized, and more than this town had to offer us, and there was nothing that was going to stop me.

CHAPTER 2

Trinity

I leaned against the old wooden counter of Bluebird Books waiting for Thomas to arrive. The smell of wood and books hung in the air as I listened to my aunt talk about the upcoming sale she’d been planning for a month.

“I’m going to need you here, Trin. There is just too much to do and without Becky. She won’t be able to work until her ankle heals. Poor girl, there couldn’t have been more of an inconvenient time for her to break her ankle, what with it being summer and all.”

“I know, Aunt Vi. I’ll do whatever I can up until the time I leave.” I shrugged, seeing Thomas pull up and stop his truck right outside the large picture window.

“Unfortunately, Trinity, I don’t think I can have you leave even for a week at this point. I’m swamped here. You know more people are out and about in the summer. Plus, I have not only this sale, but in two week’s time the street fair is on. You know what kind of business that brings in here. Tourists from all over stop here. Then there is maintaining the gardens, and laundry, cleaning the apartment. It will be too much for me.”

I swallowed hard. “But what about my trip with Thomas?” I cried, tears filling my eyes. “We’ve been planning it for months.”

“I know, dear. Perhaps you can reschedule it for the fall, or late summer, once Becky is back. I know Thomas is needed on the ranch as well. Betty was in the other day. She told me that William has a lot of plans this summer, but I’m sure his father has already told him. That’s a big operation they have going there. I’d imagine it takes all hands to make it run. Besides, I know that he wants to groom Thomas to take over the ranch once they are ready to retire.”

Disappointment filled me. There was no point in talking to Aunt Vi about Thomas’s father and how horrible he had been to Thomas over the last few months. Nor was there any point in talking back to her. If she needed my help, then I would talk to Thomas and see if we could postpone our trip for a few weeks. He would understand, I knew he would. It would also give him time to hopefully work things out with his father.

I glanced out the front window to see Thomas’s truck and reached for my clutch bag and walked over to my aunt, placing a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll talk to Thomas,” I said reluctantly. “I will explain everything and see if we can’t make it work. I’ll make sure I’m here to help you.”

“Thank you, Pet. You always were a good girl. Have a good time tonight and don’t be out too late. I’ll leave the back door open.”

“I will, and I won’t be too late. Oh, and you don’t need to leave the door open. I have my key,” I sang and then giggled as I shoved open the door, stepping out onto the sidewalk, excited to spend the night with Thomas. I could see him watching me from the driver’s seat as I approached his truck, a soft smile on his lips.

“Sorry about that,” I said as I climbed into the truck, placing my purse by my feet, “Aunt Vi was having a mini breakdown in there.” I leaned over the console and meeting his lips.

“Another one?” Thomas chuckled as he put his truck into gear and gently pulled out onto the road in the direction of the park. Movies Under the Stars was one of our favorite events of the summer. Every Saturday night, the local theater owner ran this event. We hadn’t missed one since we’d been dating.

“What movie is playing tonight?” I questioned.

“I think it’sKnowing, with Nicholas Cage. Supposed to be good.”

The crowd was already building as Thomas pulled into the parking lot and cut his engine. I glanced into the back seat, my eyes falling to the duffle bag that sat there. Thomas reached around and grabbed the large blanket we always used, and I averted my eyes and said nothing about the bag.

We walked across the field, hand-in-hand, until we were in our usual area, and together, we spread out the blanket, then I sat down while he went over to the small refreshment table to grab a couple of drinks and a large bag of popcorn.

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