Their ride in the afternoon was just as pleasant as the one that morning.
Angie started to chat with doctors again and Emily was up trying to talk
with the wrangler. Linda and Hartley were both discussing a book they had
read.
But when they returned this time there was a little boy sitting on the
steps of their cabin. Hartley who walked them back too noticed this boy.
"Hi" Emily said to him "What's your name?" Emily asked
"Bernie." He said formally. "My mommy is having a baby and she has to stay
inside today." He said adding more information then needed.
Linda who was standing a distance away talking to Hartley was frowning and
looked deeply upset. This little kid looked amazing like Shane at his age.
"My aunt looks like you." Bernie said walking over to Linda. He was
fascinated by her. Although she was the only one who had of the group who
hadn't talked to him and didn't want to. Hartley has sensed something in
her eyes that made him wonder.
"Do you have children?" He asked. He had noticed the wedding band on her
hand earlier that afternoon, but from things she'd said about deciding
where to spend the summer, and the impression he'd gotten that she was
alone. He wasn't really clear on her marital status. And frankly neither
was Linda.
"Yes, I do." She answered vaguely in answer to his question. "A daughter
and a son, who passed away." She said awkwardly and he could see the pain
in her eyes and didn't pursue it. She then turned around and walked into
the cabin with Hartley.
"Was he." he was hesitated, wanting to reach out to her, but not sure how
to. "Was he young when he died?" He asked cautiously, wondering if he
shouldn't have mentioned it at all. There were so many questions he wanted
to ask her, was it an accident? Was she still married? Or even perhaps he
passed away to?
"Shane was 26 when he died." She said quietly. "It was only last year."
"I'm so sorry." Hartley said softly, and dared to touch her hand for an
instant. He knew all to well the pain of loss. He and his wife had been
married for twenty-six years when he lost her.
"I can't imagine what it's like to lose a child. It was bad enough when
Sharon had died. I really thought it would kill me. It must have been
really hard on your husband also." He said trying to get information.
"He took it rather hard, our marriage did survive it." She said.
Hartley nodded, "Where is he know?"
"Somewhere, At this point I really don't know." She said
He asked if they would like to join him for dinner, she said she would have
to ask the others and he left her to do some work. He promised to see her
at dinner and when the others came in, she told them about the invitation.
"He's a very nice, very intelligent." Linda said
"And very interested in you. I'm not blind. I think you've been married so
long, you don't even see it when a guy looks at you." Emily teased.
"Oh and what about you and the wrangler Charles?" Linda smiled, "He seems
to over come that speech block. I believe I saw him smiling."
"I think your both blind." Angie addressed both of them. "Hartley Bowman
looks like he's crazy over you Lin and unless I've lost my touch entirely,
I'd say by the time we leave that Charles is going to be head over heals
for Emma. I predict it for the yearbook." They both laughed at her.
"And what about you Angie? You have to be getting lonely by now. I mean all
you do is work, work, work." Emily said laying down she was tired from
riding all day.
"I'm not lonely." Angie corrected her. "I'm very happy. I have my daughter
that's all I need."
"I know you're a saint." Emily said and they all laughed.
"Forget all these guys, I'm going out with Bernie." Angie said with a
smile. He was an adorable child and they both liked him.
Linda said nothing but asked them what they wanted to do about dinner.
"Why not? Maybe we'll get Lin all fixed up with him." Emily smiled.
"Simmer down," Linda said soberly, "I'm still married remember."
"Does he know that?" Angie asked with interest.
Linda wore a wedding band, but he might have wondered where her husband
was.
"He didn't actually ask," Linda said, confirming her belief that he was
only interested in friendship. "He asked where Vince was, and I said
Europe"
"Oh-oh." Angie said wisely. "You'd better clear that up. I think that's
what he was asking, he may have gotten the wrong impression from that."
"I better clear this up." Linda said. Or was the impression that she gave
Hartley really the one she wanted him to have.
