Myra waited for a break in traffic. “So where do you wanna go now?”
Sara was ready to go home and find a quiet corner she could read in, but if she went back empty handed, Jared would get suspicious. Should she lie and say she couldn’t find anything she liked? It wouldn’t be much worse than sneaking around with this mysterious book. What if this put her on his bad side? She didn’t want that. She loved him. She hated lying to him, but she needed answers.
She sighed and counted off on her fingers. “Lemme see. I need jeans, T-shirts, maybe a dress and.…”
Sara’s phone vibrated; she jumped and glanced at Myra. “It’s him!”
Her eyes widened she held Sara’s wrist. “Whatever you do, don’t say anything about the bookstore.”
Sara swallowed hard, nodded and put a smile in her voice. “Hi, Jared.”
“Hi, angel. Just checking you’re not having trouble with my plastic. Find anything you like?”
“Um, not yet, but I’m still looking. How are things there?”
“About the same, I’m afraid. Listen, pick me up some things, so I don’t have to go back out.”
“Sure. What did you need?”
“I’ll text you a list. Mother said to tell Myra she’s texting her a short grocery list.”
“Um, sure.”
“I miss you,” he said sincerely.
Sara’s insides withered with guilt. She glanced at Myra and faked a smile. “I miss you too.”
“Alright, I’ll let you and Myra finish shopping. See you soon. I love you.”
She smiled and waited for his text. It would come soon. Unlike her, he kept his word, didn’t he? Almost instantly, it came through. She read through it, smiled and sighed. At the bottom of the list was a note for her:
‘Take care of yourself for me and hurry back. I love you, Sara.’
Oh God, why did he have to say that? Now she felt horrible. He trusted her, and she was betraying his trust. Maybe I shouldn’t read the book. How much harm could come from reading a book? There’s no such thing as a curse, is there? She couldn’t make up her mind.
Myra’s phone rang; Sara jumped again. She eyed her suspiciously. “Sara, is something wrong?”
“No - why?” She tried to keep her voice even.
Sara let her breath out. “I’m concerned about using Jared’s credit card,” she lied. She clutched the bag with the mysterious book as if someone might snatch it from her arms. “Was that your mother’s list?”
She stared at her as if trying to read her mind. “Yep,” Myra said, sounding as if nothing were wrong and led her to a Jeans Specialty Shop. “Let’s get the shopping done so I can show you my pride and joy.”
Sara took a slow breath. She bought it! God, after all this, even if I were stark naked, I don’t think I could ever be this nervous on stage!
~ ~ ~
Myra took her where she shopped for clothes and convinced her to buy some things she normally wouldn’t buy. Myra enjoyed herself. Sara tried to keep her mind off Jared, and his accusing eyes. She bought several pairs of jeans, some T-shirts, a couple of blouses, and some dresses. Myra tried to convince her to buy a miniskirt, but she put her foot down. She didn’t like short skirts.
She bought everything on Jared’s list, plus some extras Myra assured her he would like. She wasn’t sure he would agree, but she took Myra at her word. After all, she knew him better than Sara. Unless you counted the times, she and Jared had been together in his dreams. But was she the girl from his dreams?
------------
After they’d finished shopping for clothes and shoes, Myra and Sara stopped for lunch. She enjoyed her company. Myra was like the sister she never had. They picked up Nadine’s groceries and went back to the ranch. They got into Tom’s black Dodge Ram and headed for the feed store. Sara was beginning to see a pattern. Jared and his family were partial to black vehicles. She wondered why.
Myra pulled to the loading area. “I need some supplies for the horses, Jim,” she said to a man, sitting in a chair, leaned against the wall, on two legs.
Jim entered the details in the register and gave Myra a total. She told him to charge it to her father’s account; she and Sara headed back to the ranch.
------------
The road to the barn was full of potholes; Myra maneuvered the Ram like a pro. She turned the truck around and reversed into the barn. Together, they unloaded the supplies. Myra was better at it than Sara, but she held her own.
They loaded feed, salt blocks, mineral blocks, and bales of hay, in a trailer behind an ATV. Sara climbed on behind her. Myra drove across the road and waited while Sara closed a metal gate. They stopped at various feed troughs, hay racks, and iron rods sticking out of the ground, where they set up the salt and mineral blocks.
Myra whistled between her teeth. The ground rumbled beneath their feet. A small herd of magnificent-looking horses galloped up to where they were standing. She reached into her pocket. “You’ll need these. They’re spoilt. If you forget to bring them sugar cubes, they’ll nibble at your clothes and hair.”
Sara laughed; she was beginning to relax a little, but she’d developed a mild headache. She took a cautious step back.
“Don’t be afraid,” Myra chuckled. “They’ll come right up to you. They never meet a stranger.”
A shiny black stallion approached her. Sara jumped when he whinnied. Myra laughed. “Here you go,” Sara said and dubiously extended her arm. In no time, the horse had devoured the treat.
Myra laughed again and gave her some more. She stroked the stallion’s face. “This is my baby, Satan. He loves his sugar cubes, don’t you baby? He was a wild mustang. I raised him from a foal. I named him Satan because when he was a colt, he could kick like hell.”
Sara softly smiled. A black and white Appaloosa approached her and nibbled sugar cubes from her hand.
“That’s Jade and her foal,” Myra said. “Satan’s her sire. Isn’t she magnificent?”
Sara stroked Jade’s face. “They both are. What’s the foal’s name?”
“Jared hasn’t named her.”
“Why?”
“Since he moved to Louisiana, he doesn’t get home much. The last time we saw him was in January. He was here for New Years. I guess he hasn’t thought about naming her. I’ve been taking care of them for him.”
Myra set up the last salt lick. “I still can’t believe, he didn’t tell you about them.”
It appears he hasn’t told me about a lot of things. She stroked the horse’s face while it nibbled the rest of her sugar cubes. “Myra, you’re doing a wonderful job.”
“This big guy’s another one of Jared’s babies,” she said and patted the rump of a large chestnut stallion. “He’s letting me train him for the rodeo. He’s only two years old. Jared used to ride Jade in the circuit until he got involved with… Eve.”
“He never mentioned he was in the rodeo.”
She snorted. “Sounds like my brother hasn’t told you a lot about him.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right,” Sara sighed.
~ ~ ~
They went back to the ATV. “Speaking of my brother, I better get you back or he’ll never let you leave with me again. Jared was fiercely protective of you, even before you met. He mentioned you to Eve. She was jealous, even though you were only an element in one of his dreams. She insulted you in some way, and Jared tore into her.”
“Was that when they broke up?”
Myra’s phone rang again. “Speak of the devil. Hello, Jared. Yes, she’s right here, hang on.” She passed the phone to Sara.
“Hello.”
“Hi, angel. Why haven’t you been answering your phone?”
Her heart fluttered every time he called her angel. “You called me again? It hasn’t rung since we left the,” she broke off. “Since I talked to you last.” She let her breath out; she almost blew it. “Have you been calling me?”
“Yeah, several times!”
“Hang on a second. Lemme check something,” she said and brought out her phone. “Oops! Sorry. It was turned off.”
“Phones are no good if you keep them turned off,” Jared groaned. “Where are you?”
“Feeding the horses. We were fixing to head back to the hospital. You never said you had horses. Jade and her colt are beautiful. Myra also said you used to ride Jade in the rodeo.”
“Yeah, well, that was a long time ago. I’ve been thinking about taking her and her foal back to Wisteria Hall.”
“Where would we,” she frowned, “you keep them? You don’t have a corral.”
“That was my next building project. I miss you,” he said and changed the subject.
Sara smiled. “I miss you too. How’s your grandfather?”
“Still no change. I’m worried about him. The longer he stays in a coma, the less chance he has of coming out of it. His heart is getting weaker. Dave and I don’t think he’ll pull through.” His voice broke.
“Have you told your parents?”
“Yes.”
“How are they?”
“Sara, Granddad, is an old man,” he said impassively. “He’s lived a long and happy life, at least until my grandmother passed. It’s his time. Dad knows that, and he’s prepared for it. Mother understands too, but, she’s more emotional as you might expect.”
“And you?”
“I’m OK. Death is a part of life. I stare it in the face every day.”
She glanced at Myra, smiled, and stepped out of earshot. “Jared, you don’t have to be a doctor with me. You’re his grandson. Apparently, you and he were close before you left Arizona. He’s in a coma, but you can still reach him. Talk to him. Tell him how you feel, and that you’re scared.”
He snorted. “I gotta go. I’ll see you when you get here. Be careful. Lemme talk to Myra now.”
“He wants to talk to you.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Hi, Jared.” She listened and gave Sara some worried glances. “I know,” she said with sarcasm and shook her head. She turned her back and said something in Navajo.
Sara hadn’t realized Jared was so fluent in his native language. It seemed odd in their day. The other Indians she’d come across, no longer used it. Most of them had left the old ways behind. The Thunderclouds were an obvious exception.
Myra crawled on the four-wheeler. “Come on, let’s get back before Jared goes on a warpath. He’s pissed.”
Sara put her arms around Myra’s waist. “He didn’t seem upset to me.”
“That’s with you,” she snorted. “I’m his little sister, remember?”
“Why’s he so upset, Myra?”
“I’ve told you more than I should have or at least, more than he thinks I should have.”
“But you haven’t told me anything I wouldn’t have found out on my own.”
“Yes, I have. I told you about the book. Few people know about it. If I hadn’t told you, especially with it being out of print, you wouldn’t have found out on your own. Only the locals know about it. Granddad didn’t go national.”
Ah. Obviously, his grandfather was the author. “And why would it upset Jared?” Sara was getting more confused by the moment. After reading his dream diary, how could anything in this book affect or influence her?
“Sara, to keep the peace in the family and not put you in an awkward position, unless he tells me differently, it’s best to let Jared answer your questions about this. He loves you, and you clearly love him. I won’t do anything to jeopardize that. He’s waited a long time for you. Try to be a little more patient with him. I’m sure if you ask him, he’ll tell you everything.” Myra kick-started the ATV. “Make him understand how important it is to you, and don’t let him sidestep you.”