Sea Of Grass (22 page)

Jed nodded his agreement and grabbed his hat. “I’ll go with you. We’ll take the Jeep. Claire, we’ll be back. Don’t worry. Tess will be fine, she can take care of herself.” He gave her a reassuring hug.

Pat Hayward squatted down to examine the slaughtered cow. “Maybe it was a wolf. Ya know Marty Banks had one a while back…”

“This was no wolf and you know it, Sheriff,” Tess said evenly.

He stood and took off his hat, running his hand through his sandy brown hair. “Did anyone see anything?”

Everybody looked at one another except Tess. She was staring a hole through Pat. “Would it make a difference if we did?”

Pat shot her an angry look. “Are you questioning my ability, Miss Rawlins?”

“As a matter of fact…” Tess said and took a step.

All three men took a step between them.

Pat didn’t move. “Be careful. Threatening an officer of the law is a serious offense.”

Jed turned to Pat. “Nobody’s threatening anybody. No one saw anything tonight, but yesterday, one of my men saw someone on an Appaloosa riding away, just after a shot was fired that spooked the cattle into a stampede.”

“Yeah, I heard that. I don’t know what…”

“We all know the only one who owns that type of horse,” Tess said angrily.

Chuck and Stan stood as cautious sentries.

“Well, now, that’s not quite true. Don Milltown’s wife just bought the prettiest little Appaloosa not two weeks ago. Ya think she caused the stampede?” he asked in amazement.

Tess let out a growl and started forward. Chuck and Stan physically had to restrain her. “You lying—”

“Watch it, Tess. I’m not in the mood. How would you like to spend the rest of the night in jail?”

When he grinned, Tess saw red. She struggled against Chuck, then winced as the pain shot through her bruised back.

Jed had enough. He stood between his angry daughter and the smirking sheriff. “Warren Telford may own many people in this county, Sheriff, but he doesn’t own the Double R or me. You do your job and find out who slaughtered my cattle and who caused the stampede yesterday. That’s all I want. Do your job. Good night, Pat,” he said in a dismissive tone that Pat snarled at.

Jed gave Tess a stern look. She relaxed as Chuck and Stan let her go. “Let’s go home,” he said and put his arm around Tess.

She nodded and slipped an arm around his waist. Chuck and Stan smirked at the flustered sheriff and mounted their horses.

Pat stood there feeling stupid and useless as he knew he was. “Fuck you, Rawlins!” he growled, then kicked the carcass of the slaughtered animal.

Chapter 15

“Is Tess awake?” Jack asked as Claire cleaned up the breakfast dishes.

“No. Jed said to let her sleep and I agree. They didn’t get back until almost daybreak and she looked exhausted.”

She felt Jack watching her, and when she looked at him, he looked away. Claire then remembered Tess’s comments the night before. Her stomach immediately knotted; she placed the damp towel on the counter to dry and took a deep breath. Although Claire was not looking forward to this, she knew it was time. “Jack, how about taking your mother for a stroll around the corral?”

Jack cocked his head. “Sure.”

“Okay, Mom, we’ve walked around the corral, and I’ve given you the tour. What’s up?”

“Nothing is up.”

“Then why are you frowning so much. What did I do?”

Claire stopped and regarded him. “Sweetie, you’ve done nothing. I’m the one who did something and I’m ashamed of myself.”

Jack put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the fence. When he said nothing, Claire wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or not. “You were such a happy baby.”

Jack turned bright red and kicked at the ground.

“Always laughing and playing. I remember holding you when you couldn’t sleep and I sang to you. When you would fall asleep, I loved to hold your hand, look at your tiny fingers and toes. I’d say a prayer on each one, thanking God for giving me you.”

Jack snorted. “I remember you kissing my feet.”

Claire laughed along. “I couldn’t help it, you had sweet feet.”

“Mom…”

“And I look at you now, and I can’t believe how grown you are and what a fine young man you’ve become.”

“You helped,” he said in a small voice that broke Claire’s heart.

“I lied to you, Jack.”

“I know.”

Claire was stunned. “What do you know?”

Jack looked down at the ground once again. “That my father is alive and doesn’t care about us.”

Claire felt as though she might faint. Apparently, Jack noticed. He took her by the arm and led her to the bench outside the corral. “Sit down, Mom.”

On shaky legs, Claire sat. “How? When?”

“When you sent him a letter to tell him how we were doing and he said he didn’t want to know and that he was married and wouldn’t give you any money.”

Claire thought for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. “That was over three years ago. You’ve known all this time? Why didn’t you say something?” Claire hid her face in her hands. “I’m so sorry.”

Jack quickly sat beside her. “It’s not your fault. You were trying to protect me. It was better thinking my father was dead and loved me than to know he was alive and didn’t want us.”

“I should have been honest with you,” Claire said, not able to look at him.

“If I knew that when I was a kid, I might not have handled it so good. Now being older and knowing he’s a fucking loser…”

Claire’s eyes bugged out of her head; Jack blushed. “Sorry.”

“I understand, sweetie.”

They sat in silence for a moment with Claire trying to wrap her mind around this. She almost missed her son’s next words.

“It had to be so hard for you,” he whispered. “Going through it all alone.”

Claire reached over and ran her fingers through his dark hair. “But I had you growing inside me. And that kept me going. When your father and my parents wanted nothing to do with me, I decided to take what money I had and move to Portland. I guess it seemed as far away from Long Island as I could get without falling into the ocean.”

Jack laughed but said nothing.

“It wasn’t such a bad life,” Claire said, knowing it came out as a question.

“It was a great life,” Jack said.

Claire saw his bottom lip quiver and turned toward him. Jack immediately flung his arms around her. Claire blubbered like a baby; she could tell Jack was trying to be strong and not cry.

“I don’t need him, Mom,” Jack said and sniffed. He pulled back and wiped his eyes.

“I’ve felt bad that you never had a man around.” Claire shook her head sadly and wiped her eyes, as well.

“We had Brenda. She was more of a man than most, I think.”

Her head snapped up so quickly Claire nearly threw her back out. “What…?”

Jack grinned sheepishly. “I’ve known about you and Brenda for a long time now.”

“W-what…?” Claire hung her head. “I’m gonna be sick.”

“Mom…” Jack insisted. “It’s okay. I
kinda
figured it out on my own.”

“How?” Claire looked at him then. “And just so we’re on the same page here. We’re talking about Brenda and I—”

“Being lesbians, yeah.”

“Oh, God, that sounds so odd coming from my son,” Claire said, shaking her head.

“Why? I’m practically seventeen. In a year, I’ll be going to college. Now let me finish. I overheard you talking to her one night when you thought I was asleep. You said you loved her, but you and I were a package deal.” He stopped and laughed at Claire’s gaping look. “I remembered a lot then. How you never went out with men, only your girlfriends. Then when you met Brenda, she was always around. She would play football with me and watch all the sports on TV. Remember when she fixed the sink and the garbage disposal?”

Claire nodded emphatically. “She saved us a boatload of money on a plumber. Who knew that apple core would get stuck?” She playfully bumped shoulders with Jack, who blushed. “Remember the hideous noise it made?”

“Oh, my God, I had nightmares for a week.”

Claire broke into a fit of laughter, as did Jack. “I nearly wet myself, it scared me so bad.”

“I thought you were gonna kill me,” Jack said through his laughter.

Claire put her arm around his shoulders, momentarily amazed at the broad muscles. “I’d never kill you, sweetie. I love you too much. I did want to spank you, though.”

“I love you, too, Mom.”

“So it doesn’t bother you?” Claire looked anywhere but at Jack.

“No. But can I ask you a question?”

“At this point, I have nothing to hide.”

“Why did you, ya know, with him?”

It pained Claire that Jack didn’t say “my father.” Not for his sake, but for Jack’s. “Sit back. I’m going to tell you the whole thing. I was in college. I didn’t start right after high school. I worked for a few years so I could pay my own way and not rely on my family. I met your father in my junior year. I guess I was trying to deny the fact I was gay.
 
I know that sounds lame, but there you have it.” She turned toward Jack again and took his hand in hers. “I honestly loved your father. His name is Lawrence Michael Redmond III. He was from a very wealthy family in Long Island. I thought he loved me. When I found out I was pregnant with you, I told him. I never wanted him to marry me because I was pregnant. I told him the decision was his. Well, you know his decision.”

“What a loser.”

“He wasn’t ready to be a father.”

“Were you ready to be a mother? Probably not, but you didn’t abort me or give me up.”

“No, I couldn’t do that. When I realized I had a life in me, I just couldn’t. I’m sorry we struggled so long. I tried to get good jobs.”

“Mom, stop it. You took care of me and you love me. I always felt safe. I still do.” He stopped and lowered his head. “I just feel so bad you had to give up your life with Brenda ’cause of me.”

“Now just a minute, Jack. Look at me, please.”

Jack lifted his head and swallowed. Claire shook her head. “What happened between me and Brenda had nothing to do with you. We just wanted different things from life. That’s all.”

“But I know you cared for her.”

“I did. And I’ll care for someone else again.” She leaned over and touched his cheek.

“Someone like Tess?”

“I don’t know. I love you, sweetie. And I think it’s enough right now—”

Jack interrupted her. “Don’t do that. If…” He stopped, seemingly formulating his next words. “If Tess makes you happy, it’s okay with me. I like her. I like Jed and this place. But don’t do anything for me. Do it for yourself, please. I’m nearly seventeen and I can take care of myself.”

Claire brushed the tears out of her eyes. “Whatever happens between me and Tess, always remember. We’re still a package deal because you’re my son, and even if you go off to college and find a nice girl to marry, you’ll still be my son. Okay?”