Mountain Town: Tom
Part Two
By Ivory Harlow
VI.
Tom stared at Jackie dumbfounded.
She shifted in her chair. “I’ll start at the beginning. Okay?”
His throat felt so dry it was painful, so he just nodded.
“My parents sent me away to have an abortion, but I refused. A counselor at the clinic suggested an alternative: Sampson Academy, a school for pregnant girls in Dallas. I promised my parents that I’d give the baby up for adoption if they sent me there instead. I thought, at least he’ll have a chance...” she took a breath and continued, “And, I could select and open adoption and list your name on his birth certificate along with mine, so he could find us, when he turned 18, if he chose to.”
“But he hasn’t contacted me. And he’s…38 now?” Tom said, trying to hide his disappointment.
Jackie held up her hand to stop him. “When they handed him to me in the hospital, It was like holding love itself in my arms. I just couldn’t give him up.”
Tom started to tear up. He should have been there. He averted his eyes.
“My parents were furious. I told them to fuck off. I told them if they wanted to write me off, the baby and I would take our chances.”
“I swear giving birth made me fearless! I was prepared to do whatever it took to keep him.”
“My threats didn’t sway them, but holding their grandson did. They paid for me to stay residential at Sampson for two years. I finished school, learned how to take care of him, and got an administrative certificate. My parents set us up in an apartment, and dad called in a favor from the Dallas bankers network to get me a secretary job.”
“Why didn’t you contact me then?” Tom asked.
“I called friends who had stuck around Mountain Town and casually asked your whereabouts. They told me you were riding rodeos in Denver, Cheyenne, San Antonio- but nobody knew how to get in touch with you. I figured I’d broken you. That you didn’t want to be found.”
“Damn it Jackie,” he said resigned. “If I’d have known you were looking for me…”
“By the time you made it back to Mountain Town I was married and Derek had adopted our son. Then I had Alyssa and then Austin.”
Tom took a moment to process the information.
“Say something,” She begged.
“Does our son know about me?” he asked.
“I told him his real father was someone I met when I was very young and we didn’t stay together.”
“I should have said more. I tiptoed around the issue because I sensed he always felt fundamentally different from Derek and his siblings.”
Tom’s eyes urged her to say more.
“Tommy and Derek are different in every way.”
“Derek is short, dark hair and eyes, olive skin. Tommy is tall, with a light complexion. Derek is high-strung and driven; Tommy is laid back and easygoing.”
“On top of that, they have opposing personalities and priorities. Tommy pushed back against everything Derek thought was important. Derek insisted Tommy get good grades; Tommy wasn’t into school. Derek pushed extracurriculars; Tommy would rather spend his time fishing. Derek thought Tommy should go to college, so Tommy joined the Army. The last straw was when Derek lectured Tommy about their decision to have children despite Mia’s health condition. Tommy told him off. They have not spoken since.”
Tommy. Tom thought. She gave his son his name. “I’d like to meet Tommy, and Branson too.”
He could sense Jackie’s resistance.
“I knew you would. Let me talk to Tommy, tell him I reunited with you in Mountain Town, and that you want to meet them,” Jackie pleaded, knowing full well that Tom would leave the Lawry’s house, speed straight to Milford, and show up on Tommy’s doorstep on his own accord.
Instead, Tom returned to the Bar C that afternoon feeling like he’d walked a thousand miles since that morning.
“You look wrecked,” Ryan said when Tom walked into the bunkhouse dayroom.
He’d grabbed a beer from the kitchen on his way through. Now leaning back into the worn leather couch, he popped the top and took a long drink.
“How’d it go?” Travis asked without looking up from the football video game they were playing on the big screen TV.
Tom did not answer.
“Must have been some coffee!” Hunter poked fun, but when he looked over at Tom’s crestfallen face, he softened his tone. “You alright dude?”
“I have a son,” Tom said.
Travis paused the game. Zander’s hands dropped the controller in his lap. The cowboys looked at Tom in shock, then at one another.
Ryan snatched the half empty beer from Tom’s hands. “I’m breaking out the whiskey,” he said walking to the kitchen and returning with a bottle and glasses. He set it on the coffee table and poured.
“Que estamos celebrando [What are we celebrating]?” Juan asked as he joined them in the dayroom.
“Tom just found out he has a kid,” Ryan said as he poured a double and passed it to Tom.
Juan’s eyes widened.
Tom nodded confirming it was true.
Tom spilled his guts about the highschool pregnancy, Jackie attending the school for unwed mothers, her marriage to Derek and that he adopted Tom’s child- all unbeknownst to Tom himself.
“That’s fucked up,” Luke said.
“Some Maury Povich Show shit man,” Hunter said.
“She didn’t even give you a chance,” Travis added.
“Are you pissed?” Jake asked.
“No. I’m…” Tom looked at the ceiling trying to describe the hollowness he felt. “Is there a word for missing something you never had?” Tom asked rhetorically. “It was hard enough to get on with my life knowing Jackie was out there somewhere. Now I know he was too.”
“Dude,” Hunter said solemnly.
“You can’t beat yourself up about it Tom,” Ryan tried to redeem him, “You didn’t know.”
“El pasado es pasado,” Juan offered sagely advice, “You can't change the past, but you can change the future.”
“After 38 years of absence, I don’t know if he’ll even want to meet me. Would y'all?” Tom asked the group.
“Yes.”
“I would.”
“You’re a badass, Tom,” Luke said. “He’ll be lucky to know you.”
“You’re more of a dad to us than most of our real dads, if it’s any consolation,” Jake said.
“It is. Thanks Jake,” Tom slapped him on the back.
“So what now?” Travis asked.
“I wait to hear from Jackie.” Tom twirled the last spot of whiskey in his glass, “Just like I have for the last 39 years.”
VII.
Tom usually left his phone charging in the kitchen overnight, but that night he slept with it under his pillow. ‘Slept’ was a generous description since he really tossed and turned all night until his alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. signaling the start of his workday.
The ranch had spotty cell reception. Tom didn’t have an opportunity to check his phone again until Juan rolled the chuck wagon out to the working pens for lunch. Tom grabbed a couple biscuits to eat in the saddle and rode to an elevated spot where he got 3 bars.
His heart skipped a beat when he saw the missed call from Jackie. He fingered his reins nervously while he returned her call.
“Tom.” Jackie picked up on the first ring. He searched her voice for distress. Detecting none, he said, “Sorry, I was in the field. Called the minute I could.”
There was a brief pause, then Jackie said, “Tommy’s coming to Mountain Town. He’s bringing Branson. To meet you.”
Tom looked up to the sky, thanking God. “When?”
“Next weekend. I invited Alyssa and Austin down for Easter as well. Is that okay?”
“Of course it’s okay!” He pictured a full family gathered around the holiday table, something he thought would always be out of his reach.
“Good.” Jackie seemed to breathe easier. “Just Tommy and Branson will be here Saturday, to give you some alone time with them. Then Sunday, Alyssa and Austin will join us?” Jackie suggested. “You’re sure it’s not too much?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything.” Tom’s smile carried over the phone.
VIII.
The week until Easter passed painfully slow. Les, Post, and Chauncey got back from the horse show on Tuesday. Tom told him the entire story, from Jackie’s exile to reuniting with her at Roger Lawry’s funeral to learning she gave birth to their love child 38 years ago.
Post and Chauncey sat on the edge of their seats, knee deep in the drama, while Les’s greatest takeaway was, “I can’t believe you beat me to grandbabies! Best get on with it,” he directed at Post and Chauncey.
Overall, they were happy for Tom and hopeful he would rekindle the romance with Jackie, and start a new relationship with the son and grandson he didn’t know he had.
“They will be lucky to have you in their lives, Tom,” Chauncey reiterated what the other cowboys had told him.
“You’re a good man,” Post reassured him.
“No matter how this turns out, you’ll always be part of the Bar C family,” Les stated matter-of-fact.
Thursday morning, Tom woke up unable to stand it. He wanted to see Jackie before Saturday. He text, telling her so, at 5:34 a.m.
Around 8 a.m., she text back: ‘Early bird gets the worm [laughing emoji]. Dinner tonight?’
Tom suggested the Bighorn Bar & Grill because it was the nicest restaurant in Mountain Town, but Jackie said she missed the shakes at Carl’s, so he made plans to pick her up at 7.
Tom was relieved when waitress Ruby sat them in a booth far from the ill-fated one, where Jackie told him Tom was pregnant, then ghosted him, 39 years earlier.
Tom kept Jackie talking nonstop through supper, desserts, and refills of their iced teas. They talked about what Tommy was like growing up, his time in the Army as an allied trades specialist where he learned metal work. He asked a million questions about Tommy’s side hustle.
“He spends every spare minute in his garage. It’s his passion. He’ll talk your ear off about it on Saturday,” She promised.
Tom listened, feeling overwhelmed by everything he missed. He must have been staring at Jackie a little too long, because she averted her eyes to break the spell.
Tom leaned back in the booth to give her breathing room.
Jackie absentmindedly wrapped it around her manicured finger.
“Why did your marriage end?” Tom had been wondering since Jackie mentioned it at coffee. He just now felt they’d returned to a level of closeness comfortable enough to ask.
“Derek is a good man, an excellent provider, and a devoted father. When we met, I was struggling to make it through the day. He had his life together. Marrying him made it feel like I had mine together too,” Jackie explained.
“We were married for 25 years. Our life together always revolved around the kids. When Austin was out of the house, we realized we’d never actually had anything in common, we were just excellent co-parents.” Jackie shrugged. “It was a good marriage and a good divorce. No hard feelings.”
“Did you love him?” Tom asked. All these years he could imagine loving no one but Jackie.
“I spent a lot of my marriage convincing myself Derek was the love of my life. But when it ended, I came to terms with the fact I never loved him. I still feel guilty about staying as long as I did for the wrong reasons,” Jackie admitted.
“Don’t feel guilt. You gave him children, a family, a home. You may not have loved Derek, romantically, but there was love.”
“There was love,” Jackie repeated softly.
She turned the conversation to Tom’s life. “As long as we’re asking the hard questions…why didn’t you marry and have children?”
“I dated, if you can call it that, while I was on the rodeo circuit. Nothing serious. The lifestyle doesn’t make settling down easy.”
“And after the busted leg? When you came home to Mountain Town?”
“I didn’t date when I got back to town for a couple reasons. First, I’d matured a lot traveling the country alone those 8 years, I had little to talk about with the local 20-something dating pool. Second, there is a shortage of female prospects on the Bar C, and I rarely leave the ranch,” Tom explained. It was a partial truth. The whole truth was that he’d met no one that captivated him like she had.
He walked Jackie to her door that evening when he dropped her off.
“This feels a little like being back in high school dropping you off, except your mom was peeking through the windows,” He strolled towards the door with his hand in hers.
“These days parents have a front seat to watch the drop off on their phone’s Ring app.”
“Can’t get away with stealing kisses anymore,” Tom said playfully.
“We would have found a way.” Jackie said and turned to face him. “Tom, I know we’ve only just come back into one another's lives, and there is a lot riding on how this weekend goes, but…”
She paused. His eyes filled with longing.
“Maybe we see where this goes?”
Tom didn’t answer with words. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her like it was 1986 and they had a lifetime together ahead of them.
IX.
Tommy text Jackie when he left Milford Saturday morning, with an ETA in Mountain Town for a late lunch.
Tom text Jackie, having already finished chores with plenty of nervous energy to burn.
Tom: Need any help at the house before the boys arrive?
Tom: Or pick up anything from town?
Tom: ‘Killin’ time is killin’ me,’ he quoted country singer Clint Black.
Jackie text back a laughing emoji and
Jackie: I have everything I need for lunch, but my kitchen sink is draining really slow. I called a plumber but they can’t come out until after the holiday.
Jackie: Do you know anything about plumbing?
Tom: Cancel the call.
Tom: Be there in 30 min.
Tom unclogged the sink and installed a union trap and a rubber coupler to prevent the problem from happening again. Next, he replaced drawer slides to fix a sticky kitchen drawer, then changed the furnace filter. He was caulking cracks in the exterior stucco when Tommy pulled up in a blue F-150.
Tom set the caulk aside and walked to the driveway just as Tommy put the truck in park. His heart was racing was a tall lanky man emerged from the driver's side.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Tom said. It was like seeing a younger version of himself. “Sorry!” he said walking towards him, extending a hand “It’s just…”
Tommy grinned and extended his hand for a firm shake. “It’s good to meet you. Put a face with… my face,” he said good-naturedly. Tom did not sense a hint of resentment.
“Can I help you carry anything?” Tom asked, assuming Tommy had an overnight bag.
“Sure,” Tommy said, opened the passenger door, retrieved Branson, and plunked him into his grandfather’s arms.
“This is Branson. He turned two last month.”
Tom squeezed the baby in his arms, making Branson giggle.
“He’s mostly potty trained, but I can’t promise those pull-ups are dry after a six hour drive,” Tommy warned.
Jackie emerged from the house wiping her hands on her apron. “Hey y’all,” she bounced down the steps, embracing Tommy in a hug.
“I see you’ve already met. Tom, Tommy; Tommy, Tom.” She motioned between them, making introductions, then swooped in to kiss the baby.
“Branson!” He reached out to touch his grandmother’s face. “Hi baby.”
“Why don’t y’all have drinks on the patio while I finish up in the kitchen?” She said, signaling them to follow her inside.
Tom retrieved two beers from the fridge and joined Tommy and Branson on the patio. He handed a beer to Tommy and sat down. They watched Branson teeter around the yard.
“Thanks for driving out,” Tom said to break the ice. “Jackie said y’all live south of Dallas?”
“A small town called Milford,” Tommy said, taking a swig of his beer. “I took a job there when I got out of the Army.”
“Jackie told me you work in a metal fab?”
“You call mom Jackie? I never heard anyone call her that; She’s Jac-que-line to most,” he said, emphasizing her name with loftiness.
“Old habits die hard.” Tom said.
“It suits her,” Tommy smiled at the endearment.
“My day job is metal fabrication for energy transmission infrastructure, turbines, pipelines, power lines, and the like,” Tommy said resigned. “It pays the bills. But this is my genuine passion…”
Tommy pulled out his phone and opened his photo app. He handed it to Tom to scroll as he pointed at pics. “I was doing pipe fittings on site for an oil company. The CEO stopped and asked me to do a custom gate for the entrance.” He displayed a picture of a heavy black gate with cut out pump jack rigs on each side.
“I made this for a sign for a Dallas subdivision,” Tom pinched the image to study in on the rustic metal design. ‘Majestic Oaks’ was scrawled under a sprawling Live oak tree. The metal work was mounted on an ornate limestone entry to a gated community.
“This is a railing panel for a hunting cabin in the Pineywoods.” Tom zoomed in on the detail, a buck and doe standing beneath tall pines. “Guy is a zillionaire. This hunting cabin puts my rental home to shame.”
“This is one of my favorites. It’s a reproduction of the original cupola from a 150-year-old barn.”
“I did this custom BBQ trailer for PiggyQue. It’s basically a 8 x 16-ft tandem-axle trailer that acts like a mobile food truck.” He swiped through more pics.
Tom studied each picture. Tommy had skills and artistic ability. “Why not do this full time? You’d make a killing.”
“That’s the dream. I’ve been making excuses to stay since I started 11 years ago. Not because I like it, but because it’s a good job, a union job. When my wife Mia was sick, I stayed for health insurance. When she passed, I became a single dad and a steady paycheck and regular hours took priority. Now, I’m 38. I worry I’m too old to start a business.”
Tommy watched Branson pick a handful of dirt out of the flower bed and sprinkle it on the lawn. “He’ll be in school soon. Mom has great memories of growing up out here. Not locking doors and all that. I’d like to give him that kind of childhood.”
“How much does it cost to outfit the shop you’d need?” Tom asked. The mid range stuff they used for simple ranch repairs at the Bar C cost ten grand.
“$90,000 to build the size shop I need. Concrete foundation, HVAC, and vents. I own a lot of equipment, but my boss lets me use the shop for some things, so I’m looking at another $30,000 in equipment and supplies depending on what I can find used.”
Tom let out a low whistle.
“So for now, it’s a pipe dream,” Tommy took another swig of his beer.
Jackie called everyone to the table for lunch. She told funny stories about Tommy when he was a kid over Monte Cristo sandwiches. Branson ignored everything but the watermelon fruit salad. They lingered over lemon icebox pie and coffee afterwards.
The conversation turned serious when Tommy told Tom about Mia’s diagnosis and decision to have kids. Tom knew it was a point of contention with Derek’s stepfather and decided listening was the way to make it safe for him to talk about.
“It took five years to get pregnant with Branson. Mia thought it was a miracle, and he was our one chance to have a child,” Tommy explained. “They recommended against it, but Mia’s mind was made up. They gave her blood transfusions, but she only lived a few hours after the delivery.”
Tommy looked at Branson bopping to a cartoon on the ipad, propped against the kitchen table. “Of course I wish she was here. But my only regret is that he didn’t have more time with her.”
Tom knew exactly how that felt.
X.
Tom invited Tommy and Branson riding on the ranch on Sunday morning, before Alyssa and Austin arrived for the Easter dinner. He beamed when they pulled up in Tommy’s truck. Tom rushed to the passenger side and scooped Branson out of the car seat while he shouted “Hi horsey!” and mooed at the cattle.
The Calder men and Chauncey joined the cowboys in front of the bunkhouse to meet Tom’s son and grandson.
“Damn Tom, he has your face!” Chauncey shook Tommy’s hand first.
“Definitely your height,” Post surveyed the men standing side-by-side.
“Glad y’all could come out. Our house is your house,” Les smiled warmly. “Y’all are always welcome here.”
Tommy had never ridden a horse, so Tom saddled an easy rider for him, and took Branson on his dependable ranch horse.
“You look like a natural,” Tom praised him. “We’ll make a cowboy out of you yet!”
Tom pointed out his favorite parts of the property as they rode across what he called ‘24,000 acres of heaven.’
“The house and barns are at the lower elevations because that land is basin, sparse vegetation. The lower pastures have to be irrigated. The upper pastures are lush native grasslands, making for good grazing. We push the stock up there to fatten up.”
Branson pointed at the cattle grazing peacefully. “Baby cow!” he clapped. “Moo!” He shouted to communicate with the livestock. Tom laughed and bounced Branson on his lap.
“We’ll pet them babies later,” he promised, kissing the little boy’s head.
They followed the foothills to the entrance of a canyon. “The horses and cattle like to hang out in summer, plenty of shade. It’s a steep descent, so we’ll take the long way around. There’s a magnificent view from the top of the mesa.”
The spring air was cool, but the sun felt spectacular. They enjoyed it while Tom told Tommy his side of the story. He was careful not to incriminate Jackie for her choices. He recalled Tommy’s refusal to denounce Mia for her decision to go against medical advice and have Branson, and how he said his only regret was that Branson didn’t have more time with his mother. Tom could make peace with the past, knowing he had a future to spend with Tommy, Branson and hopefully, Jackie.
The view from the top of the mesa did not disappoint. They had a panoramic view of the canyon. The layers of rust red, dark brown, and gray ground were breathtaking. Spanish dagger yucca boasted creamy white blooms. Even Branson pointed and said “Wow!”
“It never gets old,” Tom agreed.
“Is the canyon the property line?” Tommy asked, pointing to a cabin on the other side.
“No. That’s Calder land. When Les made me trail boss, he offered me that cabin. It’s on about 40 acres.”
“He was just going to let you live there?”
“It’s typical for the trail boss to have a private residence on the ranch. A trail boss has more experience, is typically older, often married, and has a family,” Tom explained. “I didn’t have any family, and thought I’d get lonely out here alone after living in the bunkhouse with the boys for a decade.”
“Did you always want to be a cowboy?” Tommy asked.
“Nah. I was working at the quarry mine when I met Jackie. It was a good job, a sure thing. I planned to start full time there after graduation.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Your mom left Mountain Town and I… I couldn’t stand it here without her,” Tom told the truth.
“I bucked broncs in every major city in the western United States for the next eight years. I busted my leg pretty bad my last ride. I couldn’t go back on the circuit, so I came back to Mountain Town and hired on at the Bar C.”
“You still love mom,” Tommy said. It wasn’t a question as much as a statement.
“Yeah. I’ll always love your mom.”
Tommy took that in before saying, “She’s different around you. A lot more relaxed. I noticed yesterday.”
“When we were growing up, mom was on the PTA, ran us kids to a dozen activities, volunteered for every fundraiser. Even after we were grown and she divorced Derek, she was always ‘on’, you know? Full face of makeup and fake smile on by 7 a.m.”
“With you, it’s like she finally let her guard down.”
“As much as I’d like credit for that, it probably has more to do with escaping expectations in Dallas and settling into the slower pace of life in Mountain Town,” Tom countered.
Tommy was not convinced. “Or maybe she’s come home to herself.”
“Regardless, she’s happier here, with you,” Tommy told him. “I can see why. You have everything here.”
Tom glanced at his son seated in the saddle next to him, then smoothed his grandson’s tufts of blonde hair while he sat in his lap. If Jackie was happier here, maybe they would be too? Maybe it wasn’t too late for Tom to have the family he always wanted.
XI.
Austin and Alyssa had arrived at the former Lawry residence by the time Tom, Tommy, and Branson walked in the door. Tommy entered the house without knocking, Tom behind him, with Branson in tow.
When they walked into the living room. Austin and Alyssa were seated on the couch, scrolling their phones, they looked up at Tom and Tommy, then at one another, shell shocked.
“You must be Austin, and Alyssa?” Tom extended his huge, callused hand. “I’m Tom,” he introduced himself.
“Well, that’s obvious!” Austin bust out a grin. “It’s like looking at the future Tommy!”
Alyssa smacked her brother’s shoulder. “Austin means, it’s nice to meet you Tom.”
“There is a slight resemblance,” Alyssa teased. “He certainly didn’t get the height from mom.” Alyssa stood to her full height, just over 5 feet, and swept her hands down herself to illustrate.
“We used to tell him he looked like Big Bird in family photos,” Austin said standing next to them at his full height, Tom guesstimated 5’6” or 5’7” tops.
Jackie told Tom Aylssa is four years older, but standing side-by-side, they could have been twins. They both had brown eyes and hair. Austin’s was clean, cropped short, while Alyssa’s was wavy, highlighted with caramel, and fell just below her shoulders. Alyssa was petite like Jackie while Austin had a slight frame.
“Ain’t my problem y’all are midgets,” Tommy said as he plopped down in a giant armchair. “Derek’s minions,” He added, joking.
“Makes for a more compact and controlled golf swing,” Austin shot back, seemingly unfazed by Tommy’s insult.
Alyssa just rolled her eyes.
Jackie walked into the living room, with Branson in tow. He had followed his nose to the kitchen while the adults got acquainted.
“You boys look like you just rode in from the range,” Jackie said, dusting off Branson’s little jeans.
“We literally did,” Tommy confirmed. Branson neighed, then nickered.
“Whhhaaat!? Mom said you were at the ranch, not that y’all were riding horses at the ranch. You should have waited for me!” Alyssa pouted.
“You a horsewoman Alyssa?” Tom asked.
“Hell no,” Tommy answered for her.
“She just wants to pose for the picture,” Austin said.
“I have the perfect boots for such an occasion, Tom,” Alyssa leaned towards him conspiratorially.
“I’ll take you riding before y’all head back to the city then,” Tom said.
“Really!?!” she squealed with delight. “The brothers groaned.”
“You’re the best other dad I have, Tom.”
“Just because he’s my dad doesn’t mean he’s yours,” Tommy told her.
“Share, share alike, Thomas,” she glared at her brother.
Tom ate up every minute of their fighting over him.
“Dinner is served!” Jackie ushered everyone to the formal dining room. There was sweet tea brined ham with pineapples, roasted potatoes and carrots, macaroni and cheese, and a strawberry spring salad.
“Your mom said you're studying finance, Austin. What are your plans after school?” Tom asked as they passed dishes.
“Dad wants me to come work for his firm but I have my eye on Orlando.”
“What’s in Florida?”
“The best golf in the nation!” Austin beamed. “There’s a strong job market too,” He said as if it was an afterthought.
“And a high cost of living, horrible traffic, gators…” Alyssa listed cons.
“Only 5% higher cost of living than Dallas,” Austin countered.
“Why am I not surprised you know that?” Tommy shook his head like Austin was a lost cause.
“You both hate Dallas too,” Austin defended himself.
“I don’t hate Dallas,” Alyssa said.
“You said you only stay because of your job?” Austin argued.
“I work for Verge, a line of high end boutiques in Dallas,” Alyssa explained for Tom’s benefit. “I do it all, procurement, merchandising, marketing.”
“Alyssa chose the career that let her shop for a living,” Tommy divulged.
“What’s wrong with that?” Alyssa shot back.
“You like the work?” Tom asked.
“Yes, I do like the work. The city of Dallas- not so much.”
Several times throughout the afternoon and evening, Tom and Jackie’s eyes met. Somehow they’d regained access to the silent communication language they had in high school. Messages of comfort and contentment passed between them. Tom restrained from public displays of affection in front of her kids, because it felt like the appropriate thing to do. But he didn’t shy away when she squeezed her little body next to his on the oversized patio chair, while enjoying drinks and conversation, and watched Alyssa chase Branson around the backyard.
“Thank you,” he whispered in her ear as he wrapped an arm around her middle and intertwined his rough and calloused fingers between her soft, manicured ones.
They made plans for a sunset ride Monday evening at the Bar C, then lunch Tuesday to introduce the next generations to Carl’s Diner before the kids headed back to Dallas and Milford.
Tom was bone tired when he returned to the ranch that evening. The bunkhouse was dark and empty. But the big house lit bright like a beacon at the top of the hill, which meant the Calders’ and the cowboys Easter festivities: drinking and Texas Holdem, would continue well into the night. Tom walked right past the bunkhouse door and trudged up the hill to spend the Easter evening with his other family, feeling a fullness in his life he thought he’d never have.
XII.
Monday morning Tom had coffee with Les and Post on the big house porch. “Thought I might ride out to look at the condition of that cabin today,” he mentioned casually.
“Only took you 24 years,” Les said as he scanned Mountain Town Dispatch headlines. “Been vacant since 01’.”
“I never checked on it after that big hail storm last year. You might take the truck instead of a horse, and bring a ladder to check out the roof,” Post suggested.
“The roof is fine! That cabin was built back when things were made worth a damn,” Les dismissed Post’s concern. “The first Calder cabin was built on that spot in the 1880s. The current cabin was built to replace it in the 1940s, after Rural Electrification.”
“Want to drive out there with me and have a look?” Tom asked Les. Les seized the opportunity to pitter around on the ranch ever since Post took the reins of ownership responsibility.
After lunch, Tom loaded a ladder in the ranch truck. It took three times as long to drive the road to the cabin than to cut across the canyon to it on horseback.
They checked the condition of the exterior first. There was a small amount of termite damage to the cedar wood, a few warped porch boards, and minor hail damage to the roof. Nothing Tom couldn’t tackle himself.
Les unlocked the door and gave it a shove with his shoulder to open. The interior was very 90s: dark wood paneling, hunter green walls, gaudy gold light fixtures.
There were three bedrooms. All they needed was a good dusting. Shell white walls and original wood floors were timeless. The master and second bathroom would benefit from updated cabinets and faucets for aesthetic reasons, but everything was in good working order.
The kitchen walls were dark red with a faded southwestern design wallpaper border. The cabinets were the same 90s golden oak as the bathrooms, and the laminate counter had to go. The good news was that when Les turned the water on, it worked.
“How did it go with the kids yesterday?” Les asked. Though Tom’s smile at the big house Easter party was confirmation the reunion went well. He and Les didn’t have privacy to discuss it in detail last night.
“Great. Alyssa, was sorry she missed the ride yesterday morning. So I’m taking them riding tonight- if that’s okay.”
“Oh course it’s okay.” Les said. “I meant it when I said our house is yours. Them kids and their kids are always welcome here.”
“They got anything to do with the newfound interest in the cabin?”
Tom paused, considering how much of his dream to share. Les Calder was his oldest friend. He didn’t want to put him in an uncomfortable position of turning him down when he requested to buy the cabin and land for Tommy. On the other hand, he was prepared to offer him fair market value for the property, and a promise that it would stay in the ‘family’ indefinitely.
“Tommy’s day job and lack of funds to start his own business are the only thing keeping him and Branson in Milford. I can solve both those problems if you let me buy this place off you, for Tommy.”
Les met Tom’s eyes with intrigue. “I told you it was yours 24 years ago. I don’t give a rat's ass if you live here or if Tommy does.”
“I need to put a building on it for a metal shop, and bring in some heavy equipment.”
“We better scout some spots for a foundation then! How many square feet are we talkin’?” He patted Tom on the back as they walked the property.
XIII.
The Durran family arrived at the Bar C at 5:00 p.m. Jackie, Tommy and Branson were dressed in clothes they didn’t mind getting dirty. Even Austin dressed casual in jeans, an old t-shirt, and a frayed UT ball cap. Alyssa looked like she walked out of Cowgirl magazine. When Tom told her so she said “It’s all for the Gram, Tom.” and tossed her hair back.
“I don’t even know what that means,” He chuckled.
“None of us do,” Tommy commented.
The cowboys greeted Tommy like an old friend, were polite to Jackie and Austin, and scanned Alyssa appreciatively. Tom felt a rush of papa bear protectiveness, even though he knew the ‘boys respected him too much to hit on his almost-daughter. The 6th sense amused him more than anything else. He didn’t know he had it in him.
Zander was particularly enamoured by Alyssa. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her, and took it upon himself to give Alyssa a brief instruction in horseback 101, while he saddled her horse for her.
Tom shared a knowing look with Jackie, while Alyssa swooned.
Juan insisted on packing them a picnic supper to eat on the trail since they would not be back in time to join the cowboys at the Bar C.
After an hour and a half riding, they stopped to unpack ham sandwiches with slices of avocado and pickled peppers, esquites (Mexican corn salad), tortilla chips and fresh mango sprinkled with lime and chili powder.
The cottonwood trees along the creek bank provided shade and the perfect setting. Branson threw rocks into the shallow water while Alyssa took off her showy boots to wiggle her toes. “At least they look good in pictures,” she said, making an ‘ouch’ face.
“Told you,” Austin leaned back against a rock.
Alyssa turned her attention to Jackie, sitting next to Tom on a saddle blanket on the ground, scooping corn salad into her mouth with a tortilla chip. “What did you decide about the house, mom?”
Alyssa’s question was casual, but Jackie’s intention to keep the house meant she was staying in Mountain Town, and would likely influence Tommy’s decision to stay and start his business here. Tom was waiting for a sign to propose the idea to Tommy; this might be it. He held his breath.
Jackie finished chewing and took a drink from her water bottle. “I’m keeping the house. I’m staying in Mountain Town.”
“You’ll avoid paying capital gains that way,” Austin approved.
Tommy looked at Austin sideways like he’s said the wrong thing. “He means we can tell you like it here mom.”
Alyssa nodded approvingly.
Tom tried and failed to hide his high beam smile. He shadowed Branson while the rest of the family finished their meals and discussed putting Jackie’s Dallas house on the market, and helping her move out here.
He felt Jackie’s presence behind him before she reached the creek bank. She plopped down next to Tom on the ground, and stretched her legs out next to his, they fell barely below his knee. She rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’m really happy you’re staying,” he turned and kissed her head.
Jackie sighed. “I planned to tell you in private first. I didn’t know Alyssa was going to bring it up tonight. We stayed up late last night weighing the pros and cons.”
“I can’t think of one con,” he took her small hand in his large one, rubbing her palm with his oversized thumb.
“Three and one half cons: Leaving Austin, Alyssa, Tommy and Branson behind.”
“Austin is in grad school, his world is still wide open with possibilities, and according to him, ‘Orlando has the best golf courses in the nation!’,” Tom quoted Austin at Easter dinner.
“Alyssa’s job is in Dallas, but her heart isn’t. She aspires to have her own boutique; not necessarily in Dallas.”
“And I’m working on a plan to help Tommy do what he really wants to do.”
Jackie looked up at Tom, curiously.
“I’ll tell you all about it…”
“Are you going to sit there and make googly eyes at each other all night or are we gonna ride!?” Alyssa shouted towards the creek, interrupting their moment.
“If we ever get a minute alone,” Tom finished. He stood up, laughing, and extended an arm to lift Jackie to her feet.
The sun was setting as they rode back. A light breeze feathered through the grasslands. Branson pointed at the windmill, turning methodically, then looked at Tom in awe. Tom pointed to the water storage tank, then to a herd of antelope grazing the valley beyond. The antelope often came early morning and evening to drink and graze. They passed a set of pipe cattle pens they used to sort and work cattle in spring and fall.
Tom led them out to a limestone plateau with steeply sloping arroyos property for a breathtaking panoramic view of the sunset. Jackie and Alyssa snapped pictures while Tommy and Tom held back.
Tom turned to look at him, leaning forward onto his saddle horn, enjoying the view. “You know son, between the ranches, oil fields, manufacturing and construction companies out here, there is plenty of metal work to keep a custom shop busy. And between me living here and your mom moving out here, childcare won’t be a concern.”
“This could be your life.”
Tommy sighed, still believing having his own shop was too risky, too expensive, and too far from his reach. “It’d make the transition easier for sure, but I can’t live in mom’s basement while I get this shit off the ground. I mean, she’s leaving the city to escape the chaos; it ain’t fair for her adult son to move in with a two-year-old.”
“You’ve thought about moving then?” Tom asked, playing it cool.
“I think I can make a go of it. I just gotta bite the bullet. Alyssa found an S.B.A. small business loan that I qualify for and Austin offered to help me with the proforma.”
Tom cleared his throat. “I can cover it Tommy.”
Tommy looked at him confused.
“I bought the cabin and 40 acres from Les Calder this morning for you and Branson. The house needs a little work, but it ain’t nothin’ we can’t do ourselves. Les and me scouted a couple of potential building sites for your shop.”
“Les sold it to me for a son and dance. I have the cash for building construction and the equipment you need.”
Tommy was speechless. It took a moment for him to say, “I can’t accept that. It’s way, way too much.”
“I’m your dad,” Tom said simply.
“Maybe I can’t accept it because you’re my dad.”
“Just think about it as back pay child support,” Tom lightened the mood.
“I have the money Tommy. I’ve lived an expense free life on the Bar C for the last 30 years. Saved all my paychecks because I never wanted nothing. Now I do,” Tom said.
“What do you want?” Tommy asked.
“Time with my son and grandson,” He reached over and gripped Tommy’s arm affectionately. “I’ve never had the chance to do anything for you. Now I do. And I can. At least think about it,” Tom pleaded.
Tommy looked at his father’s hand on his arm, then at his son, sleeping in Tom’s arms.
“I’ll think about it, Dad.” Tommy pledged as the sun bowed behind the mountain.
XIV.
“Tom could put down two burgers, his waffle fries and half of mine back in the day,” Jackie said as the Durran family looked over the menus at Carl’s Diner Tuesday afternoon.
“My order has not changed,” Tom said proudly, patting his stomach. He carried a little extra weight in his middle these days, mostly because of Juan’s excellent cooking, but his labor-intensive job kept the roundness most men his age exhibited at bay.
Branson scribbled crayon on a kids’ menu, while Austin, Alyssa, Tommy and Jackie decided what to order.
Ruby, their waitress, returned with drinks to take their orders and cooed at Branson. “This one looks like his grandpa!” she said, without confirming Tom’s relationship to the group. It was delightful, how easily they’d gotten along in such a short time. He wanted a relationship with Jackie. He wanted Tommy to accept his offer of the house and business financing. Hell, he wanted Alyssa and Austin here too. But regardless of what the future held, Tom was committed to being part of their lives from this point forward.
“These fries are spot on!” Austin loaded a waffle fry with ketchup.
“Perfection,” Alyssa agreed, snapping a picture of Branson smashing a fry in his mouth.
“Dessert first,” Jackie said, slurping her shake.
“You better hurry, your fries are getting cold,” Tom stole some off her plate. Jackie swatted at his hand.
“I should have skipped the shake,” Alyssa said. “You’re going to have to drive back, Austin, I’ll be in sugar comatose.”
The kids were driving back to Dallas after lunch. They had to return to school and work. Jackie was already talking about the kids coming out for Memorial Day weekend in May.
Tom paid the bill, and they moseyed to the parking lot. Alyssa and Austin walked ahead, swinging Branson between them, while Tom, Jackie and Tommy brought up the rear.
Jackie prompted Tommy with a look.
“I talked to mom about your offer last night.” Tommy sounded nervous.
“Oh?” Tom tried not to get his hopes up, though he was confident Jackie would have made a case for taking Tom up on it. “What did you decide?” He asked.
“I’m gonna do it- But I’m gonna pay you back every penny. Just like a bank loan,” Tommy promised.
Tom wrapped Tommy in an enormous hug and lifted him off the ground despite him being as tall and weighing as much as Tom himself. The cowboys called this Tom’s ‘old man strength.’ Tom set Tommy down and patted his back once, then again, his happiness clear.
“Monthly payments,” Tommy insisted. “That’s the only way I’ll feel okay about it.”
Tom would open a savings account for Branson at Mountain Town Bank and funnel the payment there instead.
They said their goodbyes. Tom stood with his arm around Jackie as Austin and Alyssa pulled out of the parking lot onto Main.
“See y’all in a couple weeks,” Tommy pulled his truck up next to them.
“Drive safe, son,” Tom patted the side of the truck while Jackie blew a kiss to Branson in his car seat.
They waved until the vehicles were out of sight, then turned to one another for a long overdue embrace.
The End
Listen to Tom on the Mountain Town Podcast