CHAPTER SIXTEEN A BROTHERLY INVASION
After returning from Todd's office where he removed the wrap that kept her arm bound to her chest, she’d paced the floor for hours before sitting down in front of the computer. She knew she could’ve drove to Cedar for the court hearing but felt it was better if she didn't run into her brothers.
When the call came in it was exactly as she’d expected, they gave her the extension. What she hadn't expected was the judge granting them the right to move onto the property right away. Even after Mr. B. explained it, it made no sense to her, of course she was looking at it through emotions, not logic. Obviously, she’d made an impact on the county, and the court wasn’t going to let her brother's step in and snatch up the land simply for resale value. The only way they would be able to take over the place, was if they actually were to work the land.
Beth could tell that the call had come the minute Emma passed through the kitchen holding back the tears. She may have even been able to control them, if Alex and Jim hadn't met her at the door. The minute she felt blocked in, they started to flow.
"Em, what did he say?" Beth beckoned her with a cup of coffee, to sit and tell all. She wasn't interested in sitting down, and less interested in telling them, what the court had deemed fit. Nevertheless, she did. They had a right to know they would soon be bombarded with the Elders of the family.
"The court did what!" Alex exclaimed
"It's not fair." Beth blurted out. That was Emma’s feeling exactly, but what was she to say?
“So where do we go from here?" Jim asked, meaning they should put a strategy together. What Emma heard was what she felt; they had lost it and would have to start to look for a place to live. "Oh" she wailed, "I've lost your land." Then she pushed past them to the outside and ran to the pond. She was glad it was dark, that way the guests didn't think there was some crazy person running around. She hadn't made it all the way to the copper toned rock, before Jim had her arm.
"Stop" He shouted, bringing her to halt "God girl, for someone with a cast on their leg, you can sure move."
"I've lost it."
"Bull! What I heard you say was that we were going to have to make room for some more help."
"Jim, you don't know these people, they can take over so fast, and it’ll make your head spin."
"I've dealt with them, remember. They just wanted to be helpful, Mike over reacted as usual. I have to admit, that once Mike came out swinging they fought back, but what else could be expected from someone related to you." He made them sound almost controllable.
Remembering what he’d said up at the old barn, she sighed and took a deep breath. "Maybe you’re right, together nothing can beat us."
The smile that embraced his face made him irresistible. They went on to talk about which cottages in the village; they were going to let them stay in, as they walked back to the big house.
They had no sooner got inside of the back door, than Sam her oldest brother was on the phone. Bob and Steve's calls followed in succession. She told each they were welcome to move in on the weekend. By making them wait, she felt as if she were still in charge. After hanging up the phone for the third time, Alex, Beth and Rob, joined her and Jim in her office, and put together a battle plan.
Friday morning rolled around all too soon. No matter what she’d told her brother's, they still showed up before five, including Jake, but nothing was about to take her by surprise, after finding Mike sleeping in the office that morning. As she stood there filled with emotions, he’d encompassed her lips with his. Then before she could catch her breath, he started telling her how he was going to arrange the office with his things. Suddenly recalling Jim was just behind her, she pulled free and turned to find him gone.
By Saturday afternoon, she’d interrupted moving her office stuff down to the basement, to referee a disagreement between Beth and Lydia about using the vegetables from the gardens. Later in the day, she had to settle a disagreement between, Sara, who had been doing all the reservations and Mike. Sunday went the same way, as did Monday Tuesday and Wednesday.
The only person she hadn’t had to put back into their place was Jim, whom she’d not seen, since Mike kissed her. By Friday evening, even before the tour bus had pulled in and after a rousing fight with Kit, Emma threw her hands in the air and headed for town. When she stepped into the bar for a beer, and discovered, a bleached blond hanging off Jim's arm, she climbed back into the car and drove on.
It wasn't as clean a get a way, as she’d hoped. Todd caught her by her week arm, causing her to stand still, long enough him to see that she was in no mood to talk. When he asked where she was headed, she merely tipped her head in the direction of the setting sun and climbed into her car.
She’d no idea that there was a small community of people that lived out there, but after watching the sunset across the barren desert and doing a lot of thinking, she was about to leave when a strangely dressed man approaching the car, asking if she needed help. He spoke in old English, and the clothing he wore looked a lot like the pictures she’d seen of the Amish. For whatever reason she didn’t, fear him. Looking back over his shoulder to the sun that was nearly set, he suggested that spending the night on the side of the road was not a good idea. When she agreed and said she was about to head on back to town, he interrupted and offered her a place to spend the night. It was almost as if he understood she was in turmoil. Even though she didn't know a soul there, she accepted his invitation.
She didn't sleep much, but not because she was in a strange place. They'd made her feel welcome. She’d even been invited to read the bible aloud with them. There was no discussion after the reading; strange because that was usually where whoever had invited you to participate had the opportunity to tell you their beliefs. By morning, she was ready to go back and try it again. After saying her many thanks, the man that had lead her there, walked with her back to the car.
She could tell that Jim's truck was parked in front of her car, even before she cleared of the fence, which marked the end of their property. Jacob, continued to walk on with her, and as they approached the truck, Jim stepped from the driver’s side and called a hardy hello, to the two of them. Jacob recognized Jim at once and began talking in some language she didn't recognize. When he realized she didn't understand, he apologized. Again repeated what he’d said to Jim.
"I said you are the morning sun, in a night sky."
"She does have a way of popping up where she doesn't belong." Jim responded, without a smile. "Jacob, I thank you for looking after her."
"Jim, she needs no one to watch after her, she has God." Was Jacobs’s response, as she hobbled towards the car?
They went on to exchange a few more words, before Jacob turned and with a deep bow in her direction, headed home. Jim hesitantly opened her passenger door and sat down. Pushing his hat back, he said, "The next time you need to get away for a while try telling someone."
She’d had people telling her what to do all week; she was in no mood to allow him to tell her what to do. "Just who do you think you are, telling me what to do?" She went right for the juggler. "I went looking for you first, only to find a bimbo on your arm."
"BIMBO – That was Maggie."
"What in the hell do I care what her name is."
"You’re jealous." He responded with a chuckle "I don't believe it."
Her face was red, but not because she was blushing. "Damn you." She raised her hand and struck him across the upper arm. "Don't laugh at me." He caught her hand before she could pull it back.
"Alright girl let’s get something straight. I was with Maggie, Julie's older sister and her husband Karl. I would’ve been pleased to introduce you. Instead of come out looking for you." He held her hand above her head. "And since I would never raise me hand to you, I would like to think you would show me the same respect." He continued on forcing his face into hers. When he released her hand, she gently stroked the back of his head while continuing to stare into his eyes. Feeling as if she were eating crow, she whispered, "I'm sorry, for hitting you and jumping to conclusions."
"That's better." He said sitting straight in the seat again. Then without notice he swung his hand under her chin and pressed his lips to hers, she didn't even try forcing him away; when he moved beyond her lips, to tease with her tongue, she didn't resist.
He seductively caressed her neck, and she privately wished it would never end. When he moved back far enough to see her eyes were still closed he again, moved in for another. Still she didn't resist, she even went so far as to be the first to open her mouth and allow him passage. When his hand moved down her arm to her fingers, he slightly brushed over her ring. It was like an alarm, and instantly she pulled away. Leaving a cold empty spot where her mouth had once been.
"Damn it Girl, We’re going to have to talk about this," he declared, shifting into a slower gear "Do you just take off, like this often?" Pressing her hand to her lips, as if she couldn't believe it had happen, she shook her head. "Good, because I couldn't go through to many nights scared like that."
"I was scared, everything is slipping away. I’m losing my grip." She held on to the wheel for dear life, trembling like there was no tomorrow.
"Woe, there girl, don't go doing this to me."
Dropping her head to meet her hands at the wheel, she said through a shaky voice, "I'll take hearing voices any day, to putting up with those people."
"Oh Baby," he uttered wrapping his arm around her shoulder "You can handle it; you just need to change your approach."
"That’s easy for you to say." She raised her head “You haven't been around to see what they can do to me." She paused for a deep breath "You haven't been around at all. So what makes you think you can just stroll in here and kiss me."
"Do you have a middle button? Why is it you’re either biting my head off or driving me crazy?" He sounded nearly as shaky as she felt, but the twinkle in his eyes made her laugh.
"Am I really all that bad to live with?" She asked with a chuckle.
"Hey, I don't know, I haven't got that far yet, but I can tell you that–" she looked over at him, "That I'd love to find out."
"You think I'm going about this wrong?"
"Okay," he smacked his lips together "We'll stick to the problem at hand." Shifting back onto his side of the car, he said, "Yes, I think you’re going about this Brother Thing wrong. What you really want is a way for all of you to work together right?"
"Yes."
"Then wouldn't it be better to educate them on how the place is operated, then going around trying to clean up the mistakes they make." It made sense, and was implementable. He must have seen the light go on in her head, for he quickly moved back to the question he wanted answered. Lifting her hair up and sliding his hand to the back of her neck, he said, "Now, what are you going to do with Mike?" She simple couldn't come up with an answer for him, so the only thing she did was shake her head back and forth, biting her bottom lip. "Alright," he sighed, “I won't push you, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up. I've waited too long to have you here."
On the drive home, she thought about how the Amish people had worked together, and she envied them. By the time she pulled to a stop in front of the big house, she decided that was exactly how the place was going to operate.
She was a bit taken back, when she realized that no one there had even missed her. Beth was the only one that even said something about her not changing her clothes. Everyone she saw, she told about a meeting to be held at three in a large dining room and told them to tell everyone they saw. She even went so far as to wake Mike, and demand he be there, although she didn't think he would show, or for that matter even remember she’d spoken to him.
When she clumsily, climbed the basement steps, and stepped into the dining room. She found her suspicions about Mike correct, but everyone else was there, including Jim, who had found a seat near the front of the room. First Emma thanked everyone for coming, and let all know, they’d be paid for the hour they were in training. She then went on to explain what cross training was all about. Emma believed Kit was going to come unglued, when she said that everyone there was going to learn how to do everyone else's job, including hers.
"I'll start tomorrow by teaching everyone the basic's for running the Resort side of the place."
"What do you mean Resort side?" Mike's voice rang from the doorway. "Compared to what?"
"If you'll let me finish, I was going to say in comparison to the Ranch."
"The ranch" Half the group repeated
"Just what I thought, most of you see only the Resort, but only a few of you have seen the Ranch. Well people, take a good look out that window, you see that wheat growing in the meadow." She watched as all their heads turned to the lower valley floor. "It's going to be harvested this next week, and those of you not involved with it will be assisting Jim and a few hands picking in the orchards. But first I'm going to show you why we must send our food on to town to be processed before we can serve it to our guest's."
From there she pulled out the ten-pound book of regulations, required for serving food to the public. The largest section, she pointed out, was one on how home grown food couldn't be served to the public without first being inspected by the health department. From there she went on to the portion on NO HOME CANNING. Lydia seemed to have been put in her place, and until she knew the rules, as well as Beth, that's where she would stay. The second afternoon she went on to the care and cleaning of the guest rooms, and all the regulations required by the state. "And of course we have in addition to the health inspectors, a reservations system which has additional requirements." She made sure that everyone there knew that a germicide was used in the wash, so even though they didn't have white linens that would be easy to bleach, their sheets carried no germs. Mike was the only one, who knew why that subject had been covered.
On the third day, she covered the computer and telephone system, along with the satellite dishes and steam extractors, which turned the hot springs into electricity. She only touched on the purification plant for the drinking water and the many wells that were used to keep the place looking so green. Briefly, she included the new conversion idea, of Kit's to have all cars running on battery power charged by their free electricity by spring.
From there she branched in to the areas she knew the most about, Sales, bookkeeping, employee record keeping, tax records, and balancing the two sides with the middle. Jim never missed a class. Mike stopped getting up, once he realized she knew what she was talking about, without his help. As for the others, those of them who were still interested at the end of the first week, she figured had potential for growing beyond her, mainly the kids, were there.
She kept her promise about training them in all aspects of the place. The following week she made sure everyone spent at least a few hours a day in the fields, or orchards. In addition, everyone had to wait tables, wash dishes, make beds, clean toilets, and pack luggage. Some were taken on by the cooks to be taught the trade of a side cook, and others learned the laundry, wasn't the coolest spot around.
By the end of September, she figured they'd enough information to step in if needed, but not enough to be dangerous. More importantly, she’d managed to get them all to sit down with each other. She’d converted the meeting into a time to eat and discuss their problems and solutions.
She was perhaps the most impressed, with the way the ideas flowed during their daily meeting. Everyone had a better idea, and some even flew. Mainly though she listened to all of their suggestions, and when they were feasible, she implemented them.
While she wasn't overly excited with working out of the barren basement, she did rather enjoy being able to avoid Mike's tyrant temper. He would’ve understood so much more about the operations of the place, if he’d just gotten up to attend the daily meetings.
She knew that most of his confusion came from a lack of knowledge, of what was going on around there. While he insisted he needed his sleep, she knew what it was like to do the audit. She never had any trouble sleeping through the night. Therefore, she knew first hand, he was just using it as an excuse. The same way he’d declared that their bedroom at the cottage was too far away from the big house, to control what he needed to during the day. He solved that problem by cleared out the rest of her stuff from the office and set up a small bed in there.
The only eyes, he was pulling the wool over were his own. He never had been much on the little things, that make a relationship work, but now he’d even stopped the occasional loving strokes, as they passed in the hall. If she were to feel a hand on her body it was Jim's, caressing her at moments of need.
By the first of October, the chill was more than in the air, it hung in every conversation they had, and nipped at her nose when they didn't agree, but to keep peace she brushed off the frost, and allowed him to do as he pleased. This included not attending the meetings, and sleeping all day. He also managed to get out of milking the cows, and collecting the eggs, as everyone else had to do.
When Jim announced he had to round up the cattle, scattered throughout the hills, and drive them down to the flat lands for winter-feeding. She didn't even attempt to ask him to help, and when he found out she was going along to do the cooking, he merely made fun of her. Saying things like "You can't boil water, how are you going to feed twenty men?" Then when he found out that Kit and Jimmy were going along too, He started to say "twenty men and two boys" sarcastically.
She may have been able to shake off his comments, but Kit drank them in like a sponge. He was living at Jim's, and only talking to her when necessary. He may have been mad at his Dad, but she was the one to pay the price, the more Mike shot off his mouth, the less Kit came around. Even Crystal, found other things to keep herself occupied. She’d been assisting Dr. Todd in setting up his office there in town. Crystal was the twinkle in her father eye, so when she stopped coming around he seemed to get even worse.
As much as she wanted to be able to explain to Crystal, her Father attitude, she didn't understand it herself. If he was planning to carry a grudge around with him, twenty-four hour a day, why had he even bothered to come down? It was almost as if he’d had no choose in the matter, he acted as if someone was holding something over his head. She tried to dispel the thought by assuring herself with the fact he never spoke to her brothers, with the exception of Jake of course. “Jake " that's it, she thought. Jake must be the answer.
"What." Jake answered, to what he thought, was her calling him, popping his head into the shabby dimly lit room in the basement.
"I was just looking over who I could have help on the round up." She figured she could find some time there alone with him, to ask the more important questions.
"Sure, Sis" He responded, "What time do we leave?"
"Meet Jim at the Stables about Four."
"The stables– Like where they keep the horses?" He looked like, what she must have looked like the day Jim decided it was time for her to learn to ride.
"Don't worry; they’re going to drive up."
"But I–will I actually have to ride one? I mean I'm not afraid, it's just that well – I remember that horse you rode."
"I did too; right up until Jim took me by the hand and helped me get over my fear. Believe me, not all horses are like that."
"You promise to help me. I mean–" his jaw firm, and green eyes set on her face. "We can get through this together, right." He was reciting lines she’d told him when he showed up at her house stoned.
"Right" She answered with a smile. "Believe me it'll be a piece of cake."