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“Hmm. Just like someone else I know who’s maybe not unpredictable but definitely stubborn.” Jesse laid his hand on Michael’s shoulder. “Look, Michael, what’s done is done. You can’t go back and change the past. The way I see it, you have two choices here. You can start embracing Selina and her uniqueness and pay attention to her good qualities, or you can continue to be miserable. The choice is yours.”
“How can I embrace her when she’s so different?”
“Different isn’t always a bad thing. It can make for an interesting life.”
“Interesting? That’s one way to put it. But I’m not sure I want my life that interesting.”
Jesse looked like he was about to laugh again. Michael felt his own laughter rising up in him. He let it out and Jesse joined him.
“Michael, have fun with it. See the humor in what she does. You’re always too serious. You need to lighten up. Maybe that’s why God sent Selina to you. To teach you to not take things so seriously all the time. To stop and enjoy life once in a while.”
“That’s what Selina said. Only she said it was a shame I was too busy to stop and enjoy the dew drops on flowers or something like that.”
“Maybe you should listen to her.” Jesse untied his horse. Dust motes kicked up from his horse’s hooves as his brother led the animal toward the barn door.
“Whose side are you on, anyway?” Michael hollered after him. “Traitor.”
The only response he got was laughter.
He was glad his brother found it funny. He didn’t. Didn’t Jesse know how hard this was on him? How he beat himself up on a regular basis for being so stupid? How hard it was for him to have all his dreams ripped from him in one moment?
That the person he had fallen in love with didn’t exist.
Spotting a rock on the dirt floor of the barn, he took his frustration out by kicking it with all his might. It crashed into the wall and echoed throughout the barn.
“You havin’ a fit this mornin’ or somethin’?”
He closed his eyes and pulled himself together before turning around and facing Selina. “Something like that.”
“Anythin’ I can help you with?”
“No. You’ve done enough already.” Still put out with her over the pup and lack of sleep, he brushed past her and left the barn before he did or said something else he’d regret.
Selina watched Michael walk away. That man was strung tighter than a clothesline. He needed to learn to relax.
She looked around the barn. Chores were done here, so she decided to head over to Rainee’s.
As she made her way across the large ranch yard, calves bawled for their mamas, hens balked and horses whinnied.
Under her booted feet, the boards echoed her arrival at Rainee and Haydon’s. Selina knocked on the door.
Wasn’t long before the door swung open. Rainee’s wide smile made Selina feel welcome.
“Selina, I am so happy to see you.”
“I ain’t botherin’ you or keepin’ you from anything, am I?”
“No. Not at all. I was just knitting a blanket for the baby. Please, come in.” Rainee stepped aside of the doorway and Selina walked inside.
She had expected to see fancy furniture and fine things, but there was no putting on airs here. Although the furnishings were nice, more than anything else they were downright homey.
“Would you like some tea?”
“Yes. That’d be mighty nice of you. Can I help?”
“No, no. I just finished brewing some.” Rainee arranged five small plates on a wooden tray. She picked up a sugar bowl, pitcher and something that held cream in it that matched the rest of her well-used dishes. They sure were pretty with their pink and white roses, gold-colored handles, lids and spout. Chips and all.
Rainee opened a drawer and added spoons and cloth napkins on the tray, too.
Selina watched, wondering how she would ever fit in with these rich folks and their highfalutin ways. But Rainee wasn’t anything like she thought she’d be. From the way the woman talked and carried herself, Rainee had come from money, too. Yet she was as friendly as Selina’s neighbors back home.
“How have you been, Selina?” Rainee raised the cloth off a basket sitting on a cabinet in the corner. She added four triangle-shaped biscuits and placed them onto the biggest plate.
“Been fine as frog’s hair. Yourself?”
“Quite well. Thank you.” She smiled. “Shall we head into the living room?”
Selina took the tray and followed Rainee over to two wingback chairs with a small square table in between them. She set the tray on the table in front of the glass lamp and watched as Rainee picked up a small plate and placed a cup on it.
