Part 22 (1/2)
”Now there's something I can't even begin to picture-my sister on a horse.”
”Yeah, I don't think we're going to see that picture anytime soon.”
”Is Brianna there?” Gladys asked.
”No, she's out on a date.”
”A date? My, that girl works fast. Who's she dating?”
Savannah thought for a moment and then said, ”Well, maybe 'date' isn't the right word. She just went someplace with our vet tech, Bud to...do some research.” She wasn't ready to tell her mother about the curse or the fact that she was trying to get pregnant-not yet. She hoped she wouldn't be sorry that she had told Brianna. This was something she felt was personal between herself and Michael, and it didn't seem right letting others in on her private life. Even though she asked Brianna to keep their secret for now, she wasn't sure her sometimes scatterbrained sister could do it. She tended to speak out of turn when it was least expected.
”Is he a nice boy-this Bud?” Gladys asked.
”He's a nice young man, Mom-he's twenty-eight or so. Same age as Brianna. She's not dating boys anymore, is she?” Savannah laughed.
”No, I guess not. It's hard to believe you girls are so...grown up.”
”Thought you were going to use the 'O' word for a minute.”
”'O' word?”
”Old.”
”Oh no, honey. That word applies only to people in my age group and your aunt's.”
”Don't let her hear you say that,” Savannah warned.
They both laughed.
”Mom, call back tomorrow if you get a chance and you can talk to Brianna. We should be home from the ride by dinner time. Speaking of dinner, Michael just came in and I'd better go finish fixing ours. Love you.”
”Love you, too, Vannie.”
”Your mom?” Michael asked as he took off his shoes and wriggled his toes. Michael loved wearing flip-flops and wore them most of the time, but drew the line for work. He often took his work shoes off and either went barefooted or slipped on his flip-flops as soon as he got home. And this routine held true no matter the season.
”Yes, it was Mom,” she said.
”She always calls on the landline phone, doesn't she? Why is that?” Michael asked.
”I don't know-old-fas.h.i.+oned, I guess. She calls on my cell once in a while. And she has a cell phone, but uses her landline most often.” She walked over to where he sat on the sofa.
”So how was your day?” she asked, slipping down next to him, sliding her arm around his neck, and resting her head on his shoulder.
He reached over and squeezed her thigh while leaning his head down to kiss her on the forehead. ”Good. No emergencies. Everything went smoothly. I missed you, though.” He turned to face her. She sat upright and he kissed her on the lips. He then looked around and asked, ”Where's Brianna?”
”Out with Bud, would you believe?”
”Oh,” he said before taking her face in his hands and kissing her again. When he pulled away, he noticed they were not alone. ”h.e.l.lo there, Miss Buffy. How are you this evening?” He reached over and petted the cat.
”You sweet thing,” Savannah said smiling down into her clear blue eyes. ”I'll bet you guys are hungry.”
”Yes we are,” Michael said. ”What's for dinner? And what's up with Brianna and Bud?”
Savannah stood and headed toward the kitchen. Michael followed. ”Dinner is whatever you want it to be. And I guess so are Brianna and Bud,” she quipped over her shoulder.
”What kind of answer is that?”
She turned to face him. ”Well,” she laughed before explaining, ”it's sort of a potluck dinner. I brought home leftovers from our lunch at the Bistro, we have leftovers from last night, and there are a couple of homemade chicken pot pies in the freezer, if you'd rather.”
”Oh, I have to decide...after working all day?” He laughed. ”Isn't that why I married you, to have someone decide what's for dinner?”
”Are you kidding me? Really?” she said playfully. ”You married me for my brain?”
”Isn't that what most women want to hear?”
”I don't know if you've noticed,” she said in her most sultry manner, ”but I'm not most women.”
”You sure aren't,” he said, moving toward her and pinning her against the counter, forcing a pa.s.sionate kiss on her. ”Hey, I know what I want for dinner,” he said giving her a come-hither look.
She stared into his eyes, a smile on her face. ”I like your way of thinking, handsome-just let me feed the gang and I'll be right there.”
He pulled her to him. ”Meet you in the boudoir.”
The next morning, Savannah's friend and riding buddy, Bonnie, drove over with her horse trailer and picked up Peaches. Savannah and Brianna met her at the stable. While Savannah saddled her horse, Bonnie introduced Brianna to Wilson. ”We used to use this gelding in a program for children with disabilities,” Bonnie explained while brus.h.i.+ng a wayward curl from one of her chocolate-brown cheeks. ”He's just about the most dependable horse on the property.”
”Sounds just my speed, then,” Brianna said. She walked over to look the horse in the eye. ”Hi, Wilson. Pleased to meet you. I hope you don't mind if I climb up on your back. I brought you an apple.”
”You don't have to bribe Wilson.” Bonnie laughed. ”He's quite the gentleman.”
”Well, you can tell what kind of guys I've been hanging out with, then, can't you?” Brianna said with a chuckle.
”Are you sure you won't join us, Bonnie?” Savannah asked.
”Naw, I have a student coming this morning and I promised my husband I'd take his horse through his paces. He needs a little tune-up in the arena.”
”Sure do appreciate you coming out and picking up Peaches,” Savannah said.
”It's great to see her again and I'm glad old Willie is getting some exercise. He doesn't get out much unless you bring Charlotte over.”
Savannah gave the cinch on Peaches's saddle one last pull before tying off the leather strap. She led her mare over to where Brianna was brus.h.i.+ng Wilson. ”Here, let me help you put that saddle on, Sis,” she said while tying the lead rope from her mare's halter to the hitching rail.
”Thanks, I'm likely to get it on backwards or upside down,” Brianna confessed.
Once the horses were saddled and the riders mounted, the sisters took off down the dirt road toward the trail Savannah had ridden with Bonnie numbers of times. Bonnie's Queensland heeler, Bella, chose to trot along, so they packed her collapsible bowl and an extra bottle of water in the saddle bags. After they'd traveled for a while, Savannah suggested they stop, check the cinches, and have a drink of water. They poured some for the dog, too.
”So how was your date last night, Sis?” Savannah asked after handing Brianna a bottle of water and taking a swig of her own.
”Not a date.”