Mountain Town: Tommy
By Ivory Harlow
Part One
I.
Tommy expected to wear many hats owning and operating his own metal shop. He’d enlisted the help of his parents to ease the struggle of being a single parent during the long hours and unpredictable schedule. He even made peace with the high startup costs and the growing stack of supply bills on his kitchen table. Actually, those aspects of owning a business were less of a challenge than he expected, as was winning jobs. As soon as word got out that Metalwerx could handle any task from simple frames to highway infrastructure, ranchers came to him for custom gates, livestock trailer repairs and modifications. Equipment operators brought him welding jobs. He fixed HVAC ducts and stainless steel restaurant equipment for local business owners. Within weeks of opening his doors, Tommy had more business than a solopreneur could handle. He hired two apprentice welders fresh out of tech school in the next town over, and a part time machinist still, Tommy was falling behind.
He had never had to worry about time management when he was working in someone else's shop. He clocked in at 8 and out at 4. Now, 8 to 8 wasn’t uncommon. His problem was that he took every job that came his way, estimated it’d take less than it needed, and was a perfectionist about the work. As a result, his family life was suffering. He hadn’t spent quality time with his three-year-old son Branson in weeks. If it weren’t for his mom Jackie and dad Tom picking up the slack, Tommy would crumple into the corner and cry.
His parents rekindled the teenage romance that resulted in him 40 years ago. Last week they eloped at the Mountain Town courthouse and planned an impromptu honeymoon road trip to visit places Tom had been on the rodeo circuit while they were estranged: Denver, Cheyenne, Deadwood, Dodge City…
Tommy was happy his mother found love again. It had been six years since Derek Durran, his sibling’s father and the man who adopted him as an infant, had divorced. He was even more thrilled she’d found it with his father in her hometown. But the elopement and subsequent honeymoon couldn’t have come at a worse time. Business was booming, and he relied on his mother to watch Branson during the day, and his father’s help after he finished his workday as Trail Boss at the Bar C Ranch.
“I know you are so busy honey,” His mother said in a soothing voice over the phone, “and that Bran can be a handful without help.”
“Don’t worry about it, mom. We’ll be fine.” Tommy was determined not to let his growing anxiety about running Metalwerx while managing a house and caring for a toddler show. He paced around the living room while he was on the phone to burn off nervous energy. Tommy picked up the toys and tossed them into a bin. He didn’t know why he bothered the moment his son woke up, the toys would be back on the floor.
“While I was worried until I found a solution!” Jackie said excitedly.
“What solution is that?” Tommy asked, balancing his phone on his shoulder while he put plastic spikes back into Spike the hedgehog’s back.
“You know the Reese Family? Megan and Jim Reese and their girl Cheridan?”
“Hold up mom. I know what you are going to say, and I won’t leave Bran with strangers.” He only trusted his family and a select few, close family friends to watch Branson. That was easier when they all lived in the Dallas area, now, his mom and Tom were the only family he had within 500 miles.
“Here me out Tommy,” His mother insisted. “Cheridan is a competent professional. She teaches kindergarten and 1st grade at Mountain Town Elementary, but since school is out for summer, she has a wide open schedule.”
“The best part is that you don’t have to bring him anywhere. I already arranged for her to come to your house, 8-6, Monday through Friday!”
Tommy groaned. Not only would a stranger be watching his kid, but she’d be in his house. He was a homebody- his sister used the term recluse to describe him. Tommy’s house and shop were sacred places… Alas, he reminded himself that his mother was only trying to help.
“I appreciate it mom, but please call Cheridan back and tell her we don’t need her.”
He hardly had the sentence out of his mouth when he heard a knock at the door. “Hold on, someone’s knocking at the back.” It obviously wasn’t his mom or dad. His employees let themselves into the shop when they arrived. The only other people that came through the back were his friends from the Bar C; and they didn’t knock…
“That’s her! I told her you never use the front door,” Jackie said excitedly. “She is a sweet girl, y’all will love her!”
“Now don’t overwork yourself, honey. We’ll see you in a couple of weeks!” His mother made a kiss sound into the receiver and disconnected before he could contest.
Tommy took a deep breath as he walked towards the door and swung it open wide.
II.
Cheridan Reese was not what Tommy expected. First, his mom’s introduction as “Megan and Jim Reese’s girl,” conjured the image of a gangly teenage babysitter. He recalled his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Walen’s cartoon-like voice. Mrs. W had themed jewelry for every holiday: flashing bulb lights for Christmas and pom-pom cotton tails for Easter. Cheridan Reese was gorgeous! Tall for a girl, at 5’9” but not at all gangly. Her long limbs were graceful. His eyes traveled from her bubblegum pink toes up to her long blonde hair, pulled back in a high ponytail. She wore jean shorts and a turquoise top that made her blue eyes pop.
“Hi there! I’m Cheri. You must be Tommy?” She stuck out her hand to shake his in a way that was friendly and professional.
“Yeah.” Tommy stuttered. He had to pull his head out of his ass, quick. “Sorry. Please come in.”
He took a step back from the doorway, providing Cheridan space to pass, willing his eyes away from her tan, toned legs.
Instead, he turned his attention to the phone he was still holding in his hand. “I just found out you were coming. My mom…”
“Your mom is the sweetest,” Cheri walked through the door and into his living room. Her blonde ponytail swayed from side to side as she surveyed the cabin’s high ceilings and exposed beams.
She looked young. His mother said she taught kindergarten, which meant she’d gone to college and gotten a teaching license. How young could she be? He did not know, but he was sure it was too young for his 40-year-old craggy self. Christ, these were not thoughts he should have about an employee, and that’s exactly what she was for the next two weeks…
“Your mom text me Branson’s sleep schedule, a list of his favorite foods, toys, books…”
Tommy cleared his throat. “She has a tendency to go overboard. In her defense, when Bran was born, I didn’t know his top from his bottom. Mom posted a laminated feeding schedule on my fridge and installed car seats in my truck, her car, and both of my siblings’ vehicles in case of emergency…”
Cheridan laughed.
“In the beginning, her micromanagement taught me how to be a father. But these days, take mom’s instructions as suggestions more than rule.”
“Sounds like the first day of school. Parents drop off their kids claiming, ‘Lanie can’t have gluten’, ‘Oliver is hypersensitive to scratchy fabric’, ‘Aria is shy and gets left out.’ By the end of week one, Lanie is stuffing her face with graham crackers, Oliver is rolling on the shag carpet, and Aria is leading a dance party.”
“Rules are always more for the parent’s peace of mind,” she concluded.
Tommy chuckled. Jackie was right. He did like Cheridan.
“Dah!” a little voice drifted from down the hall.
“That’s Bran announcing he is awake,” Tommy told Cheri as a sleepy Branson emerged from his bedroom. The little boy had puffy, sleep-filled eyes and disheveled hair.
“Dah-Dee!” He said a second time. He walked towards the living room, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Cheridan.
“Hey buddy, come here. I want you to meet Cheridan.” Tommy encouraged him.
Branson eyed her suspiciously. “No, thanks.” He said and veered into the bathroom instead. He shut the door behind him.
“Sorry, he’s used to my mom being here, and he is a bit stand-offish with strangers in the best of circumstances.” Tommy told her. He did not tell her he was adamantly against to leaving him with strangers until 10 minutes ago when she walked in the door.
“Let me talk to him.” Tommy approached the bathroom door and knocked gently. “Can I come in bud?”
“No. I potty.”
Cheridan suppressed a laugh.
“Okay, let me know when your done.” Tommy shook his head, amused..
“Okay. Just you.”
“Cheridan can’t come in too?” He teased.
“No!” Branson screamed.
“Privacy is important.” she winked.
Tommy entered the bathroom to talk to his son. By the time they emerged, Branson understood Cheridan would watch him while his grandparents were on a trip. He was smiling, with his tiny hand wrapped around Tommy’s big finger.
“Hi Che-wee-din.” Tommy had clearly coached Branson to greet her by name.
She knelt down to his level. “Hi Branson. You can call me Cheri. That’s what my friends call me.” She gave him a warm smile.
“Okay.”
“Are you hungry?”
He nodded yes.
“How about we make breakfast, so your dad can get to work?
“Okay.”
Cheri motioned for Branson to follow her to the kitchen. Tommy watched her rummage through the kitchen cabinets to retrieve Branson’s favorite Cheerios before going to the fridge for fruit and 2% milk. She looked comfortable in his home; it tricked him into feeling comfortable leaving Branson there with her.
“Help yourself to anything…” he said, wishing he knew what kind of breakfast person she was. His breakfast of champions, a Monster energy drink, was probably not her jam.
“I’ll be in the shop.”
“You know where to find us,” she chimed. “Say, ‘See you later, Dah!”
“See you waiter Dah…” Branson’s voice trailed off as he became more interested in breakfast than his father’s whereabouts.
III.
Tommy was lucky he didn’t cut off his arm with the metal grinder. He tried and failed not to think about her all morning. Her blonde ponytail, her pink pillowy lips… Cheridan Reese was undoubtedly pretty, but he found her competence caring to his son even more alluring. His impression of twenty-something females is that they were showy; they had a permanent filter on to face the world. As a result, they appeared inauthentic. Cheri, however, was genuinely nice and easy to talk to.
His late wife Mia had been gone three years. It wasn’t like he hadn’t noticed other women since she passed, but he had not been struck dumb by one. Tommy had to get ahead of this infatuation. He moved a piece to the power hammer for forging while making a mental list of reasons Cheri is off limits.
She is way too young for me.
She is Branson’s nanny.
I have a lot of baggage from the Army, with Derek [Jackie’s first husband], a dead wife…
I’m a single dad.
I put in long hours owning a business. The little free time I have is for spending quality time with Branson.
The list was full of good reasons, but it did not stop him from looking up every time the shop door opened, hoping it was Cheri.
By 2 p.m. Tommy had still not heard a peep. I should probably check on them… he thought. After all, he had not given Cheri his cell phone number if there was a catastrophe and she could not get to the shop.
Tommy walked the short distance to the house, pausing at the door to listen for signs of life. Nothing. He raised a knuckle to knock, then decided that would be weird, and opened it slowly announcing his presence with a low,. “Hellooo?”
Branson and Cheridan were sitting on the living room floor, assembling a tower out of blocks.
Branson looked up. “Dah!” He exclaimed with delight then quickly turned back to the tower like it was breaking news.
“Just came to see how it’s going?”
“Great!” Cheri said as she balanced a block on top of the stack. It swayed slightly. Cheri made a cringing face. Branson watched her with wide eyes.
“Phew!” Cheri gave her forehead an animated wipe. “That was close!”
“Close!” Branson wiggled and clapped his hands like this was the most excitement he’d even experienced. The toddler eagerly retrieved an unused block and handed it to Cheri.
Cheri blew out a breath as if she was about to attempt an Olympic pole vault. With great trepidation, she balanced the block at the top and quickly removed her hand. The tower stayed intact for a split second before it crashed to the ground.
Branson burst into a fit of wild laughter. His unabashed glee at the silly thing caused contagion. Cheri was laughing so hard she had to wipe tears from her eyes. Tommy, typically the strong and silent type, covered his mouth with his fist to suppress his amusement. He loved seeing his son happy like his.
“Again!” Branson began collecting blocks from the fallen tower.
Cheri regained composure. “I thought it’d get less funny, but this was tower number 8,” she told Tommy.
“Juice first?” She waggled a sippy in front of him.
“Oh! Thanks!” he took it from her and chugged as if rehydrating after finishing a marathon.
“He’s very intense for a three-year-old. He must get that from you…” she smirked.
Tommy had been watching them with his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He relaxed his stance to defy her statement. ‘Intense’ didn’t seem like a desirable trait.
“I didn’t mean that in a bad way. At school, the intense kids are emotionally engaged. They have strong opinions about what they like and don’t like, but they don’t cry or whine when they don’t get their way,” Cheri explained. “I just meant that I can see that Branson and you are driven, but can roll with the punches.”
“Thanks?” Tommy’s voice ticked up.
Cheri laughed. “You’re welcome. It was a compliment,” she assured him with a kind smile.
“I fed Branson an hour ago. I left a sandwich for you in the fridge- in case you’re hungry.”
“You didn’t have to do that…” Tommy was surprised. His mother occasionally left him a covered plate in the oven when he worked a long day, but he was used to fending for himself. Microwaved hot pockets were his go to.
“I was in the kitchen.” She shrugged, downplaying the gesture.
“Thank you.” His eyes rested a moment too long on her smile.
“I thought I should give you my cell number- in case you need it,” he stumbled over his words.
Cheri pulled out her phone, opened a new contact, and handed it to Tommy.
He entered his information and handed it back to her. “Durran?” Cheri read his last name aloud with a look of confusion. “You have a different last name than Tom?”
It was an innocent question with a complicated answer. “Derek Durran was my mom’s first husband. He and mom got married when I was a baby. He legally adopted me.”
“I was in the Army when they got divorced. My sister Alyssa had her first post-college job in Dallas, and my brother Austin was in undergrad.”
“I met Tom Saunders, my real dad, last year, when mom moved back to Mountain Town.”
“Wow. Was meeting Tom like looking in the mirror?” Cheri asked.
He chuckled. “Yeah, it was a trip. I didn’t fit in my family growing up…meeting Tom- I suddenly made sense.”
“What do you mean?” she tilted her head.
“For starters, I’m 6’3”, light skin and hair, blue eyes- like you noted, I look exactly like Tom. The Durrans are short, olive skin, dark eyes and hair.”
“Derek works in finance. We grew up in a mansion on a golf course. Alyssa is an influencer, trades her Beamer in for a newer model every couple years. Austin just finished an MBA. I wanted no part of that world.”
“Within a few minutes of meeting Tom it was clear we were into all the same stuff, enjoyed working with our hands, getting them dirty.”
“And you didn’t resent him, for being out of your life all that time?” Cheri asked.
“He didn’t know I existed,” Tommy explained.
“I’m sorry, that got personal. I didn’t mean to…”
“No worries,” He smiled at her. “I have a great relationship with my dad now. We are making up for lost time now. Me and Bran spend time with him every day, when he’s not gallivanting around the country with mom that is.”
“Chewee!” Branson had pushed his firetruck down the hall while they talked, and was now calling from his room.
“Duty calls.” She stood up from the living room floor and thumbed a quick text.
Tommy’s phone pinged. “That’s me, so you have my number.” She smiled at him, then stuffed her phone in her back pocket and heeded Branson’s call.
Tommy turned towards the kitchen so he would not watch her go. He fixed his eyes on the fridge, remembered the sandwich, and grabbed it on his way out the door.
IV.
Tommy, Branson and Cheri fell into a comfortable schedule the rest of the week. Cheri’s arrived early to work each day to talk through the day’s logistics with Tommy. Tommy looked forward to those few minutes alone with her every night before he went to bed, and when he woke up each morning.
On Tuesday Cheri took Branson to Toddler Time at the library. Wednesday afternoon they went to ‘Pa’s [grandpa’s] work’ i.e. the Bar C Ranch to ‘pet baby cows.’ In Tom’s absence, ranch Patriarch Les Calder cooed over Branson, and gave his son Post and live-in girlfriend Chauncey a hard time about giving him grandchildren.
On Thursday afternoon, Tommy rushed in the door at 6:15 p.m. Tired, sweaty, and covered in black residue. Cheri was gathering her keys and phone, putting them in her purse on the kitchen table.
“Sorry Cheri, I lost track of time trying to finish a rush job for Buck Faulkner.”
Cheri set her purse back on the table. “Did you get it finished?”
“Almost,” Tommy sighed. “I’ll feed Bran and spend some time with him before bed, then take the monitor out with me and finish up while he sleeps.”
Cheri bit her lip. “I’d offer to stay while you finish up, but I have a horse club meeting tonight at the fairgrounds. I am a volunteer 4-H club leader.”
Of course she volunteers to lead 4-H club in her spare time, Tommy thought.
“Thank you, but I promise we’ll be fine. The monitor is pretty high tech, I can project it to the flat screen in the shop. If he wakes up, I’m literally right there,” he pointed out the window at the pole structure.
Tommy thought about telling her he’d used this set up dozens of times in the past with no issue, but worried she’d cast judgement on his parenting.
“I can take him with me,” She suggested.
“You’ve had him for nine and a half hours. I’m not asking you to do that.”
“You didn’t ask me. I offered,” she reassured him. “My club is 4th and 5th graders, but lots of little brothers and sisters tag along. It’ll be an excellent opportunity for Branson to socialize with other kids!” She was already filling Branson’s cup for the road and stuffing the Bluey crackers into her purse.
Tommy had enough sense to know he’d lost the battle.
“I’ll pick him up after the meeting so you don’t have to drive all the way back out here.”
“I don’t mind...”
“Please, just text me when the meeting is over,” he said exasperated.
“Okay, Dah…” She said in a teasing tone.
“Branson!” she clapped, “Change of plans. We are going on an adventure while Dah finishes a job.”
Branson was delighted with the change of plans. Cheri waved as they headed down the driveway and Tommy headed back out to the shop.
Tommy’s phone pinged at 7:30 p.m. Buck’s job was taking longer than he expected- per usual.
Cheridan: Just finished at the fairgrounds. Do you mind if I take Branson to supper at my folks?
He’s a hungry monster…
It occurred to Tommy he hadn’t thought about feeding Branson tonight. He probably would have just stopped at the gas station and got him a hot dog. Father of the year, he thought.
Tommy: Are you sure?
Cheridan: OMG yes. They are dying to meet him.
Tommy glanced at the time on his phone. Another hour should be enough time.
Tommy: 8:30?
Cheridan: Thumbs up emoji.
Cheridan: Texts address.
He finished the job, and text Buck it was ready for pickup. Tommy left the bay doors open so Buck or one of his guys could back into the building, then trotted to the house to grab his truck keys off the counter. He didn’t have time to shower, so he scrubbed his face and hands free of soot, and changed into clean clothes before rushing to the Reese’s.
He opened the address in Google Maps and was surprised to see that the Reeses’ place was only 11 miles away. Still, it was nearly 9 p.m. when drove his blue F-150 down their driveway. He’d passed the little farm many times admiring the slate blue house and matching stable, but saw it with fresh eyes now that he knew it was where Cheri grew up.
The property was fenced for horses; he counted three. The Cape Cod style house had three dormers, paned windows and an overhand covering the wrap-around porch. Tommy parked next to Cheri’s car, walked up the steps and knocked gently on the front door. He could see and hear Branson’s favorite cartoon, Bluey through the leaded glass.
A moment later, a smiling Cheri welcomed him inside.
“Hey. I’m sorry I’m late. I’m suer this is getting old,” he said, annoyed with himself.
“Tommy, it’s truly no problem.” She motioned for him to follow her. “Branson is watching my dad. So it all worked out,” she joked.
She pulled him into the kitchen briefly. Cheri’s mom was cleaning up after the meal.
“Tommy, this is my mom Megan.”
“Mom, this is Tommy, my boss.” She winked at Tommy, which made him blush.
“Tom Saunders boy! If you aren’t a spitting image of Tom in 1999!”
“Jim!” she yelled toward the living room.
“What!?!” A man’s voice boomed.
“Come meet Tom Saunder’s boy!” she yelled back.
Cheri rolled her eyes.
A tall man walked in with a slight limp. He beamed a big smile when he saw Tommy. “We’ll hell! He sure looks like him.” Jim extended his hand. “I’ve known your dad for-ev-er! Good man.”
“Thanks,” Tommy said.
“That kid of yours is a ham!” Jim chuckled. “I want to keep that little bug! You feel free to bring him by if you ever need a hand.”
“My parents basically had me so they could have grandchildren,” Cheri explained.
“That’s only partially true,” Jim admitted.
“Jim!” Megan scolded.
“Thank y’all for taking him tonight,” Tommy said as he followed them into the living room.
Branson was propped in a couch fort watching cartoons. His blonde hair was damp from a bath, and he was wearing PJs. Tommy hadn’t noticed Cheri grabbed a change of clothes before leaving the house.
Tommy leaned over the back of the couch and tickled him.
“Oh! Dah!” He said, noticing Tommy for the first time.
“You look relaxed.”
“Bluey!” Branson pointed to the TV, and then to the cartoon dogs on his PJ pants.
“Time for Bluey to go home.” Tommy held out both arms.
Branson frowned but didn’t put up a fight. He stood and lifted his arms to his father.
“I’ll walk y’all out,” Cheri said.
Megan intercepted them on the way with a covered plate of leftovers for Tommy. “It’s just grilled pork, mashed potatoes and green beans; nothing fancy. But Branson ate his weight in potatoes and gravy, so I sent extra.”
Tommy thanked her again for the hospitality, and they walked to his truck.
“I think your mom sent the whole hog. This plate weighs 30 lbs,” he said when they were alone in the driveway.
“She loves to feed people.”
“Sounds like someone I know,” Tommy said. The sun had fully sunk behind the mountains. They air was fresh and cool. He walked slow to drag out the time.
“Chewee coming home?” Branson asked when they finally reached his truck.
“Cheri has to go to her own house tonight, bud.” he explained.
“Actually, I live here, with my parents.” She said sheepishly.
“I got the job teaching at Mountain Town Elementary right out of college. I moved back in with my parents while I looked for a place to rent, but finding a rental in Mountain Town was difficult. Impossible to find a place where I could keep my horses. If I rented an apartment, I’d have to come here before and after school every day to take care of them.”
“So I just stayed.”
“I’m an only child and we’ve always been close, so…”
“It’s lame, I know…” she rambled. Clearly embarrassed.
“I don’t think it’s dumb,” Tommy threw her a bone, “Sounds like a win-win-win. You get a great place to live, spend time with your horses, and see your family everyday.”
“I’ve got 16 years on you and, under normal circumstances, if my mom and dad aren’t at my house every day I’m at theirs.”
Her self-consciousness faded and face softened.
“Why don’t you take the day off tomorrow? Today was a lot. You deserve some downtime.”
Cheri shook her head. “I’ll see y’all in the morning. Bye bye Branson.” she latched him in his car seat and kissed his forehead.
“Bye Dah,” she said in a soft and low voice that made him want to toss her in the truck too.
“See you tomorrow.” Tommy replied.
She stood in the driveway waving as Tommy turned around and crept down the gravel drive.
Branson was asleep by the time they turned onto the highway, but Tommy felt amped up from the accidental evening with her. Tomorrow morning couldn’t come fast enough.
V.
“Just calling to check in on y’all. How are you? Is Bran behaving himself?” Jackie asked.
Tommy turned off the hood fan to hear his mother’s voice. He balanced the phone on his shoulder while he marked the steel pipe with a sharpie. “Be honest mom, you called to check if we survived the week with you gone.”
“I did not!” She shot back. “I am 100% confident y’all are just fine without me. I just worry.”
Tommy hmmd.
“Did you show Branson the picture of the giant Jackalope? It was a ‘roadside attraction’ in Wyoming.”
“I did show him the picture. He is terrified the cottontails on the property will grow up to be that.” Tommy sighed. “You ruined Easter for him forever.”
“Poor kid,” Jackie chuckled.
“Cheri told him Jackalopes doesn’t live in Texas, only Wyoming. That seemed to help.”
“So, Cheridan worked out?” Her voice ticked up.
Tommy paused and considered how to answer the question without his mother catching wind of his growing feelings for Cheri. His mom had a keen bullshit detector. He determined less is more. “She worked out fine.”
“Uh huh,” Jackie said knowingly.
Tommy panicked. His mom was on to him.
“I mean, she’s doing way more than she agreed to do.”
“Yesterday I got caught up with a job and she had him nearly 13 hours yesterday; She took him to her 4-H meeting then to dinner at her parents’.”
“I offered her today off, but she arrived this morning with homemade cinnamon rolls for the shop and one with sprinkles for Branson.”
“How thoughtful!” was Jackie’s only reply.
“She did our laundry.” He offered further evidence.
“Sounds like she’s filled her time and is being extra helpful,” Jackie challenged him.
Tommy huffed. That morning when he’d showered he thought his towels felt softer and smelled like lilacs. He didn’t give it any thought until he reached into his underwear drawer and found his socks folded in neat rolls, grouped into grays and blacks, long and short styles.
“This morning, when I tried to pay her extra for the time and help, she waved me off and said she ‘doesn’t mind’ and ‘enjoys staying busy’.”
“Well, if that’s what she said, respect it.” Jackie paused. “Maybe you can do something nice for her at the end of the two weeks?”
Tommy immediately thought of a list of not so nice things he would like to do to Cheridan.
“I invited your sister and brother to Mountain Town for the Labor Day picnic at the Bar C,” The abrupt change of subject jolted him back to the conversation.
“When is Labor Day again?” Tommy scratched his stubbled jaw.
“First weekend in September!”
“You promised you, your truck, and trailer that entire weekend to haul tents and set up tables with dad and the cowboys!”
“I remember,” he offered a white lie. “I am at your disposal ‘that whole weekend’.”
He did actually remember Cheri mentioning her first day of classes starting the Monday after Labor Day weekend. He thought about how the sweet smile and chipper ‘good morning’ she greeted him with when she walked through the door every day would transfer to them, and felt a pang of resentment.
“So the picnic is Saturday, and we’ll do family dinner Sunday. The day after the picnic, before your brother and sister head back to Dallas?” Jackie confirmed.
“Yup.”
“Okay sweetie, y’all stay safe.”
“We will,” he pulled the phone away from his ear to end the call then heard.
“Dad says ‘hello’.”
“Hey Dad.”
Tommy tried a second time to end the call but Jackie intercepted, “Tell Branson and Cheri ‘Hello’ from us.”
“Will do.”
“See you next week!”
Tommy ended the call feeling an impending sense of dread. One week down meant only one week to go. He had the bright idea to ask Cheridan to stay on for the rest of summer, making the excuse that his mother was busy planning the picnic among other volunteer obligations. But summer would inevitably come to an end, Cheri would go back to school, and his life would revert to gray scale.
Tommy remeasured the pipe. Measure twice, cut once, he reiterated the line he’d learned as an apprentice in the Army. He made the cut, letting the squeal of the saw drown out his head chatter about already missing Cheridan and kicking himself for the chance he did not take.
VI.
Tommy lost the ability to sleep in on the weekend long ago. If the Army had not done it, bringing baby Branson home from the hospital and caring for him alone did.
He typically spent Saturday mornings cleaning and tacking piles of laundry that accumulated during the week, and the afternoon futzing around with Branson, spending quality time outside and away from screens. But since Cheri had caught up on chores during the week, he and Bran spent the entire day digging worms and trout fishing at the creek on the Bar C.
Tommy stopped by the bunkhouse to deliver fresh filets to Juan, the ranch cook, to make his famous trout tacos with mango salsa.
By the time they got home Saturday night, Tommy realized he had nothing to cook for dinner. A trip to Ron’s Foods was on the docket.
Tommy did not notice Cheri’s car in the Ron’s Foods parking lot, or see her round the corner into the snack aisle. He was reaching above and beyond the empty spot that usually housed Bluey crackers, to retrieve a cardboard box of them that had not been stocked. It was a perk to be tall in a poorly stocked store.
He retrieved the box, held it in one arm, while flipping open his pocketknife with the other. He tossed two boxes of Bluey crackers into his cart, set the other four on the shelf, and laid the empty cardboard box flat on the side of the aisle, where it would not catch any cart wheels.
“Is that Branson and Dah!?!” Her bright voice made him look in her direction.
Cheridan Reese was strutting towards them in a short, tight dress. It was the color of champagne, sparkling as it caught light bouncing off the polish linoleum. If it weren’t for the rapid succession of click click clicks as she came towards them in three-inch heels, Tommy would have thought it was happening in slow motion. She wore her long blonde hair down in loose waves that spilled off her shoulders.
He gulped.
Cheri gave Branson a special little wave to say ‘I see you!’
Branson bounced in the cart and pointed at her, “Chewee!!”
Tommy had not shaved that morning. His normal stubble had grown into scruff. His boots were muddy, his shirt had dirt stains where he wiped his hands after digging bait, and he smelled like fish guts.
Branson was no better for wear. His jeans had mud circles on the knees from running his toy truck up and down the creek bank. There were fruit punch dribbles down the front of his shirt. Cheri hugged the child and covered his face in kisses.
Branson beamed up at her.
“Did you have fun with Dah today? It sure looks like it!”
“This happens when you take a day off.” With no chance of impressing her, Tommy attempted self-deprecating humor.
Cheri giggled. “What did I miss?”
Branson launched into a description of digging for worms in the dirt.
“Darn it! This is my worm digging dress!” She said with a great flourish.
“Che-wee,” Branson said disapprovingly.
“What? I can’t wear this outfit fishing with you and Dah?” She asked.
“Noooo!”
“What do you think Dah? Fishing dress?” she posed.
“I might get distracted and put a hook through my finger, but wear whatever you want,” Tommy said before he thought better of it. The flirtatious smile she rewarded him with let him know he had not crossed a line.
Her eyes darted to her friend group laughing and shopping at the end of the aisle. The mix of male and female 20-somethings were dressed for the club, carrying an array of booze and snacks. Tommy remembered those days like a distant memory.
One guy, wearing his shirt too tight to give the appearance of muscles gave, Tommy a once over. His dark hair was slicked back with more product than his sister Alyssa used. Douche bag, Tommy thought, feeling a surge of protectiveness. He straightened and squinted his eyes at the loser. He had a half foot of height and 40 pounds on the guy- no problem.
“Where are y’all off to?” Tommy returned his attention to Cheri. “I didn’t realize Mountain Town had a club scene.”
”Ha! We are headed to the city. Just making a pit stop.”
“What are you and Dah doing tonight?” she asked Branson as he petted her hair.
“Oh, the usual, Bluey and dino nuggets,” Tommy sighed. “Typical Saturday night.”
Cheri leaned towards him as if sharing a secret. “I’d take Bluey and dinos any day. They,” she signalled towards her friends, “talked me into it. Probably because they need a designated driver.”
Her friends began moving towards the registers. “I should go. I’ll see you Monday.” She shook Branson’s little fist.
“Chewee coming home?” he asked in a small voice as if pained to see her go.
Tommy could relate. “Nope, just you and me tonight dude.”
Branson’s lip quivered. His eyes began welling with tears.
I will come to your house to play, not tomorrow, but the next day.” Cheri attempted to keep his tears at bay, giving clear expectations when he would see her next.
Branson shook his head furiously.
“Dah has the dino nuggets! Y’all will have fun without me tonight.” Her second attempt was at cheering him up.
Branson let out a blood-curdling scream that was so out of character both Cheri and Tommy starred at each other wide-eyed. “He’s exhausted, long day outside- no nap,” Tommy instinctively picked his child up to console him.
“Cheweee!” Branson began sobbing, reaching for Cheri.
“I’m so sorry. How can I help?” Cheri was as much at a loss how to handle Branson’s outburst as Tommy was.
“I got it. We’ll see you on Monday.” He nodded at her as to not appear dismissive.
“Okay…” she looked towards her friends, sad and uncertain.
“Have fun tonight, be safe,” he didn’t know why he used his mother’s go to sign off. He mentally kicked himself for sounding lame.
He whispered in Branson’s ear to ‘Get it together,’ as Cheri clicked towards the register where her friends were checking out.
“Chewee! Cheeewee!” Branson screamed after her.
Tommy was mortified.
Branson didn’t calm down until they were halfway home. Tommy surveyed his kid’s snotty face in the rearview mirror. “What was that, Bran?” he asked in the low, disciplinary tone he rarely used with his son.
Branson turned his face towards the window.
“You can’t lose it when a girl won’t come home with you,” Tommy told him. “Life lesson.”
Branson ignored him.
“You know, Cheri is only helping for a little while. We don’t get to keep her.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because grandma and pa are on vacation.”
“No.” He shook his head. “Why?”
“Why can’t we keep her?”
“Because Cheri teaches school and has to take care of other kids.”
“Oh.” Branson’s voice sounded so small and sad. It broke Tommy’s heart.
“In a couple of years you’ll be old enough to go to school. Cheri will be your teacher.” By then she’ll have met someone. Probably be married. Possibly starting a family, Tommy thought. Hell, she might date the motherfucker staring him down in the cracker aisle.
“Cheri might be your teacher…” He revised the statement.
“I want her now,” Branson said. A couple of years was a very long time for a three-year-old.
“Yeah well, we don’t get everything we want.” Tommy said matter of fact.
Branson humphed.
When they arrived home, Tommy fed Branson then gave him a bath. He only made it three pages into a Pigeon book before falling fast asleep.
Tommy took a long, hot shower, then carried the armload of stinky fishing clothes to the laundry room to start a load. As he doused Branson’s juice stained shirt with stain remover, the overhead light illuminated tiny gold sparkles that must have come off Cheri when she was kissing him. He pumped the spray bottle with great vengeance, like stain remover had the power to wash away his feelings for Cheri.
VII.
Monday morning Tommy trotted over to the shop early. Zander and Luke, two cowboys from the Bar C, had text they were on their way to borrow a hitch.
They were all standing around, talking shop, when Cheri walked in, carrying the Monster energy drink Tommy absentmindedly left on the counter when he raced out the door.
“Forgot this!” she dangled it between her slender fingers.
Tommy took it, thinking seeing her in the morning was more effective at speeding his heart rate than caffeine. “Thank you.”
She recognized the cowboys immediately. “Hey Luke,” she smiled sweetly.
“Hey dog breath,” she addressed Zander with a frown.
“Good morning to you too, Cheri,” Zander grimaced. “You look…”
Cheri raised an eyebrow expectantly.
“Like a budget Disney princess. Must be the box blonde…”
“Screw you, loser.” Cheri tossed a lock of shiny blonde hair over her shoulder.
Tommy looked between them, at a total loss.
“What are ya’ll doin’ here?” She asked.
“Workin’,” Zander said, unphased by her attack.
“Borrowing a hitch,” Luke raised up a heavy steel contraption to display.
“The real question is: what are YOU doing here?” Zander asked.
“Also working, except I am doing important work.”
“Door Dash?” Zander nodded towards the Monster in Tommy’s hand.
“No. Care and feeding of the next generation,” Cheri corrected him. “Another week and Branson will be able to teach you your ABCs.”
“Cheri is helping with Branson while mom and Tom are gone,” Tommy explained. Tom was the Bar C trail boss, and technically Zander and Luke’s boss.
“I’d better get back to it,” she turned on her heel. “Later Luke.”
“Fingers crossed you get trampled in a stampede today, Zander!” she skipped out of the building.The shop door flung shut behind her.
“What was that?!” Tommy asked, bewildered.
Luke stifled a laugh.
Even Zander, who endured her insults with stoicism, didn’t hide his amusement.
“Cheri is basically my little sister,” Zander explained. “My grandparents live next door to the Reeses and mom and I lived with them when I was growing up.”
“Cheri’s mom and my mom are best friends. We are both only children, so we sort of got stuck with one another.”
“Cheri is younger than me, so she’d basically been annoying me since she was born.”
Tommy would have assumed the moms were conspiring for Cheri and Zander to end up together. But judging by their sibling-like repartee, there was not a smidge of attraction between them.
“I grew up with Alyssa,” Tommy’s mention of his own over-the-top younger sister, whom Zander knew intimately, made him pause. “Cheri can’t have been that bad.”
“Oh, she was. She peed in the pool, wiped boogers on me, hid one of every pair of shoes I owned.”
“My grandpa bought me an old truck when I turned 16. Said it was mine, free and clear so long as I drove both myself and Cheri to and from school. Cheri was a cheerleader, which meant I had to hang out and wait for her to practice every day. I ended up hauling the entire cheer squad around.”
“Truck full of cheerleaders. Sounds like torture,” Luke joked.
“Remember, she’s two years younger, so I was a junior desperately trying to appear cool in my truck while a giggly squad of her tween friends blasted Ariana Grande pop songs.”
The men laughed.
“I am surprised she didn’t have a boyfriend to drive her around,” Tommy probed for info about Cheri’s dating life. Fortunately, Zander didn’t catch on.
“She dated the quarterback senior year of high school. They broke up when he got a football scholarship and moved to San Angelo. She wasn’t torn up about the break up though,” he added. “She never talked about him again,” Zander scratched his beard, deep in thought.
“Then dated a couple of guys in college. She told me about them, but she didn’t bring anyone home ‘to meet the rents’, so I assume it wasn’t serious.” Zander shrugged.
Tommy scrunched his brow.
“I know what you’re thinkin’. A girl that looks like that should have a line at her door, vying for her attention.”
“She’s actually a sweet girl,” he admitted, “to people that aren’t me.” Zander laughed good-naturedly.
“She has no problem attracting guys. Her problem is…” Zander quieted for a minute, as if deciding how much to share.
“Cheri gives off serious lock down energy that sends dudes running for the hills.”
Tommy had been bracing for Zander to tell him Cheri had a fatal heart condition, was betrothed, or led a secret double life. He exhaled, relieved.
“When we were kids, Cheri used to wear her mom’s wedding dress and parade her dolls up and down the driveway.” Zander continued, “In sex education, that week when we had to carry around eggs to learn the responsibility of caring for a child, Cheri sewed a different tiny outfit for her egg every day of the week.”
“The last guy she went out with peaced out by telling Cheri that he wasn’t ‘ready for a relationship’. He was out with someone else the same weekend. She didn’t understand, so I asked if she showed him the list of baby names she keeps on her phone and she was like, ‘Baby names naturally came up in the conversation!’.”
“I was like, ‘Girl, that’s your problem. Right there’,” Zander poked the air to emphasize his point.
“I suggested she tone it down a bit, at least until the dude gets to know her.”
“Did she?” Tommy asked.
“Hell no.” Zander said.
And Tommy was thankful for that.
To be continued…
Mountain Town: Tommy, Part Two publishes July 15, 2025
Listen to Tommy on the Mountain Town Podcast