“Are you all right?Is it a medical problem?”Terri’s voice registered concern.
“No, no.I’m fine, well, sort of.I’m havingmajor personal problems with my dad and….”She couldn’t even saySandy’s name for fear of crying.
“I get the picture.I thought things weregoing fine for you and…” Terri paused and didn’t fill in the nameeither.
“Don’t worry.Mrs.Morrison, our usual sub,can fill in as a long-term substitute for you.Take the time youneed to sort this out.Please call me if I can help you in anyway.”
“Thank you so much, Terri.Right now, you’rea life-saver to me.”
A smile spread across Lily’s face when shefinished the call.It’ll be all right…
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“What the hell are you talking about?”Veinson Jason’s neck bulged out as he glared at his friend.
“What?”Sandy looked confused.“What’s thematter with you?”
“What’s the matter withme?What thehell’s the matter withyou?”Their staring contestintensified.
Sandy and Jason had ridden out to the easternpart of the property to check on the cattle.While Jason was doinga cursory count, Sandy had been daydreaming about Lily.About theday she danced around in his kitchen wearing his shirt, singingabout what a wonderful guy he was -- that song from the movie.Hesighed and said out loud, “South Pacific.”
“Sandy, you just told me to send the cattleto the South Pacific.Are you nuts?We don’t sell to anyone there.I think our closest customer is in Singapore.”
“Why would we send cattle to the SouthPacific?”
“Exactly my question.”
“Um…” Sandy started and stopped.
“…And while you’re listening, let me voiceeveryone’s complaints on this ranch.You’ve been spitting nails atall of us this week and some guys are talking about quitting.”Hepaused in his rant and said in a softer tone, “This is about Lily,isn’t it?”
They sat on their horses in the middle of theranch land with cross expressions on both frowning faces.
Sandy’s Appaloosa swished her tail to flickoff a few flies.He ran his hand through his hair, which hadn’tbeen combed in a week.Lots of things were falling apart, Jason gotout his logbook, leaned back on his horse, and decided to wait himout.He knew Sandy would talk when he was ready.
It took a while… Jason managed to put in afull day’s entries before he heard Sandy clear his throat.
“Um…”
“Yeah?”
“I think we broke up.”He could barely lookin Jason’s face.
“You’re joking, right?”
“… Don’t think so.”
“What happened?You two have been so happytogether.Oh, yeah, you went to see her father up in Sonoma.Guesshe blew a gasket?You aren’t good enough for his little girl?Something like that?”
“Actually, nothing like that.”Sandy toldJason the whole story from Jeanne to Sam to Miles and back again.About all the fallout that splattered Lily and him…
“Unbelievable.What’s that expression about‘the sins of the father’?Don’t remember it all.”Jason blew out abreath.“Unbelievable.”
“I’m having trouble remembering my name,Jason.I can usually solve most problems, but this is something Ican’t seem to resolve.And Lily won’t answer my phone calls.She’snot home, she’s not at school… she’s nowhere.I can’t findher…”
“Damn, Sandy, I had no idea.It’s a wonderyou’re still upright.”
“Well, I won’t be for long, if I don’t findher soon.”
