Part 8 (2/2)
Hannah nodded as she held up one finger. ”One, I need a pony.” She held up two fingers. ”Two, I need a hat and boots.”
”Those are doable.” Hedy leaned forward, hands resting on the arms of her wheelchair.
Hannah glanced at Lauren. ”Mommy says first things first.' What's first?”
”I'll be happy to teach you,” Hedy said with a twinkle in her brown eyes so much like Hannah's own. ”Now that you're in Wildcat Bluff, all sorts of folks will be happy to help you become a cowgirl.”
Hannah set the cowgirl hat on top of the bar. ”That's Aunt Ruby's hat. Maybe one in my size is better.” She looked hopefully from Hedy to Ruby to Lauren.
”Sounds like there's a trip to Old Town and Gene's Boot Hospital in our future,” Ruby said. ”We might all need a new hat or some other fancy thing just for the fun of it.”
”True enough.” Hedy grinned, perking up. ”A gal's got to keep up appearances, doesn't she?”
Hannah nodded as she gave a big sigh. ”I like aunts-and mommies.” She clasped her middle with both arms and twisted back and forth. ”I like daddies a lot, but sometimes they go away.”
”Oh, sweetie.” Lauren felt concerned, as she always did nowadays, at her daughter's sadness.
”That's why,” Hannah continued in a stronger voice, ”it's good we've got aunties and great-aunties and mommies.”
”And plenty of them,” Hedy quickly agreed.
Hannah flipped back a strand of long blond hair as she looked at Hedy. ”I always give Granny a bear hug. She says it heals most anything. Do you want a hug?”
Hedy grinned as she held out her arms. ”I can always use a hug, particularly one from my very own great-niece.”
Lauren sniffed, holding back the tears that were filling her eyes. She couldn't be prouder of her daughter for being so generous with a stranger. Maybe love was what was missing from her aunt's life. If so, she and Hannah had plenty to give. And it wasn't a one-way street. They needed love, too.
Time seemed to stand still as she watched her daughter and aunt hug each other. She could've sworn it was only yesterday that Hedy had enclosed her in strong arms and helped make everything right in her younger years. Now it was Lauren's turn to help her aunt get her through to the other side of whatever was adversely affecting her life.
Hannah patted Hedy's face with her small hand, then stepped back and clapped her hands. ”I know! Cookies first. Barbeque second.” She glanced from one surprised face to another.
Ruby broke out in laughter and the others quickly followed her lead. ”You've got a good point.” She picked up a large cookie jar in the shape of a white cat and set it in the center of the table.
Hannah peeked under the counter at Temple. ”Cookie?”
”I think he's biding his time for more beef,” Ruby said. ”Most likely he's napping between courses.”
Hannah nodded sagely, then sat down at the table and reached for the cookie jar. But her arm wasn't long enough.
”Here, let me help.” Lauren took off the lid and the delicious aroma of chocolate chip cookies wafted into the air. She picked up the cookie jar and held it out to Hedy first.
”Yum!” Hedy picked up a napkin, selected a cookie, took a big bite, and rolled her eyes in delight.
Ruby took the next cookie and made happy noises as she chewed her sweet treat.
Next Lauren offered the jar to Hannah, expecting her to grab a cookie or even two.
”Mommy, you're next.” And then Hannah appeared confused by her own words. ”Is that right, like you taught me?”
”Yes, sweetie, that's socially very polite.” Lauren selected a cookie and waited for Hannah to pick one before she set down the jar.
Hannah held her cookie in two hands as she watched Lauren. ”Go ahead, Mommy. It's good.”
Lauren took a big bite and moaned in delight. As soon as she swallowed, she smiled at her daughter. ”That's a delicious cookie. I'm proud of you.”
Hannah shyly glanced down, then looked over at Ruby. ”I had help.”
”You did the hard work,” Ruby said. ”And I'll expect your help from now on out.”
With a big grin on her face, Hannah took a bite of her own cookie. ”Sweets first!”
”This time, yes,” Lauren said. ”Our special day deserves a special treat.”
”You bet,” Hedy agreed, finis.h.i.+ng her cookie with gusto.
Lauren was glad to see her aunt enjoy the food. Maybe Hannah's presence in Hedy's life would make a positive difference. Still, she needed to have a heart-to-heart talk with her aunt and hopefully Hedy would open up to her.
”Okay, folks, looks like we're all set to go.” Ruby dusted her hands over the sink and then lifted the last Chuckwagon Cafe container out of a sack. She rose up on tiptoe, reached into a cabinet, and pulled out a stack of plates that she set on the breakfast bar. ”We're using Mom's Plainsman prairie green plates tonight in honor of the occasion.” She reached into the cabinet again and selected matching green gla.s.ses that she set on the table.
”Are you sure about the Frankoma pottery?” Lauren asked. ”I wouldn't want anything to happen to it, being vintage and special and all.”
”Mom always said to use it all because saving it for a better day might never come.” Ruby set Slade's delicious-looking pie with the browned-to-perfection crust on one of the plates. She pulled flatware from a drawer and set it beside the stack of plates. ”And we're using Grandma's d.u.c.h.ess silver. It's about a hundred years old now and better than ever.”
”Gladys always was a wise one,” Hedy agreed, smiling as she looked at the pottery.
”So true.” Ruby opened the refrigerator door and put her hand against a prairie green pitcher of sweet tea. ”Cold enough. Now all we need is our man of the hour.”
”What's that?” Hannah asked as she crumpled a napkin in her hands.
”That would be Kent Duval,” Ruby explained.
”He and your mom used to-” Hedy said.
Lauren quickly cleared her throat to interrupt her aunt. ”He's one of the local kids I grew up with.”
”Oh.” Hannah looked disappointed. ”I hoped that was the name of a horse.”
When everyone burst out laughing, Lauren looked at her daughter in amazement. Sometimes Hannah was just too cute for words, and other times she revealed wisdom beyond her years.
”Man of the hour better get here quick or I'm raiding the cookie jar.” Hannah gave them a mischievous grin.
Temple yowled from under the counter, voicing his displeasure that supper was being held up.
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