Chapter 3

Tom chuckled and Colton looked over her head for a moment at Elaina and frowned before he set his eyes back on her. She was pretty, but not drop dead gorgeous like Elaina, however he was needing a little release so he nodded, “I’ll wait.”

She gave him an excited grin and practically jumped, “Okay, give me a few more minutes.”

Elaina had just hung up the phone when Leslie rushed up. “Can you finish up for me? I have a date.”

She looked past her to Colt who was standing with his friends, hands in pockets looking totally at ease. She hated him for being so darn handsome and sure of himself at that moment. Why couldn’t he just go home alone once in a while? “Have fun.” She said without any sort of enthusiasm that Leslie displayed. Leslie didn’t even notice.

“Thanks! I owe you again.” She beamed before rushing over to Colt who threw his arm around her shoulders and left the bar without a backward glance.

Elaina kept her feelings hidden like she always did. Colt had infuriated her more than once over the years and you’d think she’d be used to it by now. He constantly paraded women around her like a fashion show. She was tired of it. Tired of everything.

It was four o’clock in the morning when she got home and thankfully her mother was sleeping when she checked on her. She had a shower before getting into bed but even though she was exhausted she had so much on her mind that it took another hour before she fell asleep.

It was noon the next day before Colt made it home. Normally he was up with the sunrise, but he’d drank too much and went back to that new barmaid’s apartment. Unfortunately he couldn’t even remember her name or really what they’d done. Already he knew he’d catch hell because his behavior had been getting worse and as it was he missed church the last three Sunday mornings. Not just because he missed it, but because he was doing every bloody sin under the moon while he missed it. He’d already made himself a silent promise to go tomorrow, but Lance had already been giving him that disapproving look and it would only be a matter of time before he gave him the lecture to go with it. Although they lived hard at times, they still believed strongly in religion. Yet, Colt seemed to have let that slip among other things.

So, it was a surprise to see his older brother Jacob sitting on the front porch swing and not Lance waiting for him when he approached the house, which actually wasn’t a good thing. It meant that Lance was too angry to deal with him. Possibly because Elaina phoned him to come and get him, and when he got there, found out he was off womanizing. Without waiting for the invitation he just took the empty seat next to him. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Jacob answered

“Lance call you?”

“Yeah.” He said

“How mad is he?” he asked casually while fishing his package of smokes out of his shirt pocket.

“He’ll calm down by supper.” Jacob answered.

“Where’s Tess?” Tess was Jacob’s wife. She’d grown up on the ranch because Charlie, her father, was their vet. Colton and Lance saw her as a little sister, but apparently his older brother hadn’t. They had gotten married the year before last and had a daughter Emily.

“With her father.”

“So, what do you want to talk about?” Colt said offering his brother a cigarette which he refused.

“No thanks, I promised Tess I’d quit.”

Colt tucked the pack away without a word and waited. Jacob was never much of a smoker anyway. It probably wouldn’t take much for him to quit. He was probably thinking of Emily too and not having cigarette smoke around her.

Jacob waited until Colton lit his smoke and took a drag before he answered his question. “Lance thinks you’re headed down a troubled road. He doesn’t know how to help.”

“I’m fine.” He said absently.

“You drink too much Colt.” He said bluntly.

Colt wasn’t affected by that. Jacob was a physician and none of his brothers beat around the bush when they had something to say. He actually appreciated that. Not only that, they were right. “I know, and I smoke too much and I have too many women.” He answered honestly.

“Something troubling you?” Jacob said studying his younger brother’s expression. “Because this seems to be getting worse.”

He looked at his oldest brother seriously, “Not sure.”

Jacob nodded, “I’m here for you.” Obviously his brother didn’t wish to talk about whatever it was, but he’d put the help out there just in case.

“I know.” Colt acknowledged. Jacob, like Lance was a good man, and only concerned for him. He definitely would talk to either one of them first if he felt like talking about what was troubling him, but he just couldn’t bring himself to it.

Jacob saw Tom through the field in the distance mending a fence with two others and smirked, “You took Tom out last night.”

He followed his brother’s gaze, “Yeah, how do you know?”

“He’s weaving all over the place like he’s still drunk. He walked down the drive about an hour ago. It’s gonna sting when he starts to sober up.”

Colt laughed, “He’s young and thinks he’s tough.”

“Yeah well so do you. Tomorrow you’d better be at church.” He added with a bit of authority.

It wasn’t often that his older brother pulled rank so Colton would listen. “I will.”

“And slow down on the alcohol. I’m not sharing my liver if you screw yours up.”

He chuckled, “All right. I’ll do my best.”

“I’ll see you at supper tonight—sober.” He added before he got up and went down the steps.

Colt stayed there for another half an hour skimming over the events of the last year and what was bothering him. He wished there was a quick easy fix, but there wasn’t. It wasn’t as if he tried to deal with it himself and although his brothers offered help, he knew this was something he needed to come to terms with on his own.

It was two o’clock in the afternoon when Elaina woke. She slept like a rock. It was the first time in months that she did that so it was obvious that she’d been exhausted. She swung her legs over the side of her bed and threw her slippers on. It worried her when she slept like that because her mother could be in trouble and she wouldn’t know. However when she opened the door the aroma of breakfast hit her. It smelled like—frying eggs?

She grabbed her robe and went downstairs to see her mother setting the table, “Mom?”

“Hi honey!” she greeted with a smile and adjusted her cane so she could move around the table. She looked at her daughter and smiled as she set the silverware. “How’d you sleep?”

“Like a rock—you must be feeling better. How long have you been up?”

“I am feeling better and about three hours. It took me at least an hour to dress myself, but I did. I even put my underwear on right side out.” She said grinning and motioning a hand down her body while striking a pose, “surprised?”

Elaina laughed at her mother’s rare display of humor, “Yes.” She felt hope for the first time in a long time. Her mother usually waited for her to get up so she could help her dress. She was able to make it to the washroom by herself and wash up, but dressing took more effort. Now to see her dressed and making breakfast warmed her up inside. “This is so wonderful.”

“I agree. So I figured I get to look after you for a change, come and eat. I made bacon, eggs and toast.”

“Wow.” She smiled back at her mother feeling relief for the first time in months. Taking a seat she folded her hands on her lap while her mother hobbled back to the stove and dished out the food.

“Are you on different meds?”

“Well doctor Hartley gave me a new muscle relaxer last week and I finally took one last night. It seemed to help me sleep and like you, I don’t think I slept so well in months. I have more energy this morning to because I got a decent night’s rest.”

“I’m so happy for you, mom.” Elaina said trying not to cry. It was as if they were worry free for the moment, and she wanted to cherish it.

“Me too, now eat your breakfast.” She said setting a plate of food in front of her, “I finally get to look after you for once.”

“I really love you mom.” She said softly, “And you’ve looked after me your whole life, so you sit down too.”

She did when she filled her own plate and leaned her cane against the table before taking her napkin and putting it on her lap. “So how was work?”

“The same.” Elaina said taking a bite of eggs, “These are good.”

“Was Colton Hartley there?”

Elaina stopped chewing and looked up at the older woman, “Mother.” She said in warning.

“It’s an innocent question honey. You used to be crazy about each other.”

“That was a long time ago.”

“Things like that never fade.”

“He’s a jerk.”

“No he’s not, Tess Hartley can’t say enough about him. And, as I recall, he was practically on his knees around you all the time because he worshiped you so much.”

“That’s because she’s his sister in law and has more patience than I ever will, and, again, that was a long time ago.”

“I know he hurt you honey—“ she held up her hand because Elaina opened her mouth to speak again, “—don’t deny it. I heard you crying at night for months.”

“Oh god.” She said averting her gaze, “I was young and stupid.”

“It wasn’t that long ago for a woman like you who loves deep to forget.”

“I suppose.” She said trying to downplay it so her mother would stop talking about him, but it didn’t work.

“I bet that if he knew how you felt about him at the time, he wouldn’t have been so callous. I also bet that you didn’t tell him that all of your spare time is spent looking after me.”

“It’s no one’s business.” She defended.

“Sweetheart, you can’t give up your life because of me. You’re father’s death left me with a little money after we bought the house. I can afford a part time caretaker.”

“I don’t trust other people with you, mom.” She said honestly, “I worry.”

“Tess said that Tammy only works part-time at her husband’s office—“

“—okay, I’m beginning to see your plan—“

“Just hear me out.” Her mother argued. “You need a life.”

“When exactly did you talk to Tess?” It sounded as if she’d been thinking about this for days, even weeks.

“Last week at my doctor’s appointment. She came to get him for lunch.” She explained, “She swears by Tammy. She can come in three days a week including Saturday and Sunday morning.”

“Mom—“

She cocked her head with a sharp look only a mother could give and be obeyed “I’m still of sane mind Elaina and your mother. I can make these decisions. You gave up so much for me—including Colton. I bet if he knew why—”

“—can we just not talk about that.” Elaina interrupted. It still hurt too much, and Colton moved on as easily as the weather changed around there. She had done her best to put it behind her, but now she had to endure him at work and it was taking its toll. To top it off, her mother had to bring him up. She just couldn’t escape.

“I’m sorry honey. I just want you to be happy.”

“You think that you are a burden. You’re not. You are my mother and I’m grateful for every day I have with you.”

She smiled, “You are possible the best thing that ever happened to me, but you need a life.”

Looking at her mother’s familiar determined expression made her know that she was adamant in this decision. It was hard but she’d honor it.