Big Sky Daddy

“What are you saying, son?” As if he didn’t know. But he dared not give the boy any encouragement. The dog looked beyond saving.

“We could ask her to help my dog.”

“It might not do any good.” But what harm would it do? Perhaps Lilly could help. Perhaps Caleb could protect his son from more pain.

“Couldn’t we try, please?”

* * *

Lilly put the last of the packages into the wagon and then stared after Caleb and his son. Poor little fellow was limited by having to use crutches. Had he broken his leg? Perhaps he had a severe cut. She hoped, whatever the cause, the injury was temporary. God, please help the little fellow get better.

Caleb was so tender with the lad. He had lifted him to the wagon seat and laughed at him, and then had taken him on his lap as they drove away, little Teddy almost bursting with pride as he gripped the reins.

There was a time she’d hoped she’d have a little boy or girl of her own. But thanks to one Karl Mueller, she’d given up such dreams.

Tightness weaved around her spine. How could she have let herself care so deeply? And in hindsight, so foolishly? She could put it down to age. She had been a mere sixteen years old when she’d been thrilled and somewhat surprised at the attention he’d paid her. After all, he had been handsome and so grown-up at eighteen. So attentive. He’d made her feel important when he tipped his head to listen to her talk. She’d told him her dreams and her fears. He’d assured her he understood. They’d agreed that when Lilly turned eighteen they would marry. And she’d trusted him. Sometimes she wondered if Karl really believed the things he’d promised, or if they’d fallen off his tongue simply because he thought they would please her. One thing Karl liked was to know people were happy with him.

Karl had saved his announcement for her eighteenth birthday, as if it might have been a reason for celebration. He’d revealed he had other plans. He’d been employed by Mr. Fry at the hardware store for a year. Mr. Fry said how much he appreciated Karl’s work and asked him to go to Oregon to take over the operation of another Fry store. Karl’s chest had expanded three sizes as he told Lilly this.

Karl had never once suggested she accompany him. His words made it very clear that it wasn’t part of his plan. “My time and attention must be on this business. I intend to make this the most successful store Mr. Fry has. He’ll be so pleased he’ll make me a partner.” Karl fairly glowed with self-satisfaction. He’d never expressed a word of sorrow over ending their plans so abruptly. Never suggested they keep in contact. Never even—she sucked in air heated by her anger—asked if she’d like to join him once he’d settled into his new job.

She’d finally learned her lesson, one she should have learned at a very young age. She and her sisters had been abandoned by their birth father after their mother’s death, and had been left alone on the prairie to find their own way in life when the twins were three and Cora was five. It had set the tone for Lilly’s relationships. Easy come, easier go.

Ever since Karl had left her, she had guarded her heart. That meant no man of her own. No child of her own. But never mind. She had Ma and Pa and her sisters and the many animals she took care of. That was enough for any woman.

Rose nudged her. “Stop staring at him. Have you forgotten he’s a Caldwell cowboy?”

“I haven’t forgotten. At least he had the decency to help us.” She and Rose climbed to the seat of the wagon and Pa got wearily into the back. He had mentioned several times how the cold hurt his bones and it was only October. When they got home, she’d ask Ma to give him a tonic.

She guided the wagon out of town. “I wonder what’s wrong with his boy.”

Rose turned to face her squarely. “Don’t you go getting all interested in them.”

Lilly snorted. “I don’t intend to.” She glanced back. Pa had stretched out, his head resting on one of the sacks, and fallen asleep. “I haven’t forgotten Karl, you know.”

“He wasn’t the right man for you. He only cared about himself.”

Lilly tried to remember what it was that had attracted her, but after a moment’s thought she realized a couple of things. Although Karl had let her talk about her dreams, he had done far more talking than listening, and more importantly, her insides no longer wrenched at the sound of his name. She’d finally been able to push the sharp pain of his leaving from her mind.

She didn’t intend to ever again give someone the right to hurt her like Karl had. “He certainly didn’t think I was right for him. Good thing I found it out when I did.”

“Karl is completely forgettable.”

“Guess it goes both ways.” Lilly’s thoughts turned back to the events in front of the store. “I don’t think he knew Ebner threw the firecrackers.” Caleb had seemed somewhat surprised.

Rose chuckled. “I don’t think we’re talking about Karl anymore.”

Lilly laughed. “He’s forgettable, remember?” Though she wouldn’t so readily forget how it had felt to watch him walk away with barely a wave.

Rose giggled. “He certainly jumped to obey when Ebner ordered him to stop helping you.”

Lilly knew Rose was back to talking about Caleb.

“I almost expected him to pull his hat off and bow a little,” Rose added.

Lilly chuckled, though she didn’t find it all that amusing. She’d been surprised and not a little disappointed to realize he worked for the Caldwells and was eager to obey Ebner, the man who had been responsible for so much of the damage inflicted on the Bell farm. Though he was smart enough and cautious enough to always make it look like an accident.

“How can a man with any integrity work for that crew?” Lilly asked. “Wouldn’t he have to take part in some of their activities?” Her voice hardened. “Like driving the sheep into the river. I’m not apt to quickly forget that one of the lambs died as a result of it.” Not once but twice, the Caldwell cowboys had shepherded the sheep into the river while the Bells were away.

Rose squeezed her hand. “We both know the Caldwells are a bad bunch.”

There was no need for Lilly to reply. They all knew the truth about the Caldwells. They insisted it was a mistake made by some inexperienced clerk that a quarter section of land right next to the river had been left off the Caldwells’ land title. The Bells should have realized that was the case, Mr. Caldwell insisted, and not taken advantage of the mistake. The Caldwell cowboys had done their best to drive them off before Pa could prove up on the homestead. They’d failed. Even then they hadn’t given up.

She realized she was clenching her teeth—something she did every time the Caldwell name came up. Why couldn’t they leave the Bells alone? They had thousands of acres. The quarter section Pa owned shouldn’t matter.

Over the years, she’d decided the Caldwell quest had nothing to do with reason. Some people weren’t happy unless they had everything.

They approached the farm and Lilly allowed herself to study the place with pride. She and her sisters had a hand in developing the few acres into a Garden of Eden along the river despite the Caldwells’ objections to their presence. She studied the place hard. The sheep were grazing placidly in their pasture. The milk cows looked up at their approach but didn’t move, contentedly chewing their cuds. The hay was safely in the barn, and the oats were harvested and the grain stored for winter use. The garden was almost done as well—only the root vegetables were left to be brought in.

She let out a sigh of relief. “Everything looks the way it should.”

“For now.” Rose sounded dubious. But then they all knew it was only a matter of time before the Caldwells struck again.

“I hope Ma’s all right.” Lilly passed the new barn. “It’s not like her not to go to town with us.”

“She said she was tired.”

Lilly glanced back at Pa, who was still asleep. “So is he.”

“I think they’re missing Cora.” Their older sister had married a few weeks ago and moved with her husband, Wyatt, to a nearby ranch.

“Pa thinks he has to take over Cora’s chores.” Lilly tried to persuade him that she and Rose could manage without his help, but he still offered it constantly. “The cold bothers him. I’m going to ask Ma to give him a tonic. Maybe I’ll suggest she take it, too.” They drew up before the house. Ma watched from the window.

Pa woke and eased from the wagon. Rose and Lilly hopped down and scurried around to get the packages before Pa could do it.

“Did you sell all the produce?” Ma asked as they entered the kitchen. They took garden produce and medicinals to town each Saturday.

“Every bit of it,” Rose assured her.

“Did you see Mrs. Andrews? How is she feeling?”

Lilly answered Ma’s question. “She’s much improved. I gave her some more cough syrup and I looked at little Andy. He’s got a bad case of thrush.”

Pa sat at the end of the table and sorted through the mail—mostly newspapers and a farm magazine.

Ma scurried about to make tea and they all sat down to enjoy it. “What’s new in town? Did you see Mrs. Rawley?” Ma was speaking about her dear friend the pastor’s wife.

“She asked after you,” Lilly said.