They decided to go out again. Hartley was wearing a new hat he'd bought in
town that afternoon, and he had bought one for Linda. Emily said they
looked like fancy Texas ranchers. The hat's had been steamed and shaped for
them. They were the real thing these hats and they made a handsome couple.
Funnily enough they had both worn navy blue, it was something Hartley said
that couples sometimes did unconsciously when they were particularly in
tune with each other. But it warmed Emily heart to see them. "You two are
so cute."
She loved the fact that he was so good to Linda. She never had a problem
with Vince until now. He expected too much from Linda, and in Emily's
opinion he had taken her for granted. He had the perfect house, perfect
wife, perfect children, and he always expected it that way. She wondered if
he really did appreciate it and how often he actually thanked her. But no
matter what he sure as hell was going to have a stroke when Linda walked up
to him and tell him its over. Even the faxes he sent made Emily and Angie
sick, they were so cold and aloof and so unfriendly. Hartley was the total
opposite from Vince, he was warm and kind and concerned about everyone
around him. Emily really though that he was perfect for Linda and they
looked perfect together, it was funny they even looked alike, except that
his hair was gray and he was ten years older. But that didn't make any kind
of difference.
The next day they went on a morning ride and retreated to the cabin, Angie
and Emily decided to go into town to run some errands, they asked Linda if
she wanted to join them but she said she was going to stay with Hartley.
Emily and Angie chatted and laughed all the way back to the ranch and when
they arrived, Hartley and Linda were having a quiet conversation in the
cabin. They never seem to run out of things to talk about, and it was
obvious when the other tow came in, that the couple had been kissing. It
was like interrupting teenagers making out on the couch, and Linda blushed
at the raised eyebrow Emily.
"Stop!" She said under her breath to Emily as she went to get Hartley and
her a drink.
"I didn't do anything." Emily smiled.
"Yeah okay." Linda laughed.
After dinner, Angie decided to go to bed early, Hartley and Linda went into
town for a movie, and Emily had snuck off down the Charles.
By Thursday, they were holding on to their last days there at the ranch. Out of the three of them Angie was excited to get home to her daughter and her job. She felt as if she was getting lazy sitting around there. In their face of departure, Hartley was beginning to fear that they had been too cautious, that they should have had an affair, that they should have done more than kiss and hold each other. Linda told him not to be foolish, that because of pain and loss they'd been through, it was wiser for both of them to proceed with caution. She didn't want to begin their relationship with bad karma like that. She didn't want guilt to be with them, when all they had to do was wait. Hartley smiled for a moment he had panicked. "You know you could always just run off with me and mail him the papers," he smiled, "You could come with me everywhere I go and there will never be a dull moment and you and I would be happy." She smiled at the thought, "You know I can't do that. I have to get this done right. But I'll call you the minute I've talked to him." She smiled gently as they walked along. They had ridden that morning, but not that afternoon. They wanted to get away from it all, get away from everyone. Hartley was very quiet the next afternoon as they rode alone; he was trying to cope with the idea of losing her, if she didn't come back. "Don't do that to yourself," Linda said gently when he told her what he was thinking. "I have to. I mean there is a chance that you won't come back. What will I do then? I just found you and I can't imagine losing you so quickly. You can't promise you'll be back. You don't know that." "True. But we have so many losses in life. Why taste them before they happen?" She asked. "I'll miss you so much if I lose you. You've saved me from a dark hole I thought I would never get out of." "I'll do my best to return quickly." She said, but what he said next surprised her. "Don't come back if you can save your marriage." He said wistfully. "Be open to whatever happens. That's the fairest thing I can tell you." "I always love you," she said softly. "And I you." They talked late into the night and just as the sun came up, he wrapped her in a blanket and they went outside and watched the light on the mountains. "This won't be our last sun rise you know. When the sun comes up over the ocean it's the most beautiful thing you'd ever see," he said. "And I'll be there to see it." She smiled "I hope so," he said holding her close. No one could do it, they were all crying as they said their good-byes. Hartley held her in his arms for ages, Angie said good-bye to her doctor friends, and Emily was all upset about the wrangler Charles.
By Thursday, they were holding on to their last days there at the ranch. Out of the three of them Angie was excited to get home to her daughter and her job. She felt as if she was getting lazy sitting around there. In their face of departure, Hartley was beginning to fear that they had been too cautious, that they should have had an affair, that they should have done more than kiss and hold each other. Linda told him not to be foolish, that because of pain and loss they'd been through, it was wiser for both of them to proceed with caution. She didn't want to begin their relationship with bad karma like that. She didn't want guilt to be with them, when all they had to do was wait. Hartley smiled for a moment he had panicked. "You know you could always just run off with me and mail him the papers," he smiled, "You could come with me everywhere I go and there will never be a dull moment and you and I would be happy." She smiled at the thought, "You know I can't do that. I have to get this done right. But I'll call you the minute I've talked to him." She smiled gently as they walked along. They had ridden that morning, but not that afternoon. They wanted to get away from it all, get away from everyone. Hartley was very quiet the next afternoon as they rode alone; he was trying to cope with the idea of losing her, if she didn't come back. "Don't do that to yourself," Linda said gently when he told her what he was thinking. "I have to. I mean there is a chance that you won't come back. What will I do then? I just found you and I can't imagine losing you so quickly. You can't promise you'll be back. You don't know that." "True. But we have so many losses in life. Why taste them before they happen?" She asked. "I'll miss you so much if I lose you. You've saved me from a dark hole I thought I would never get out of." "I'll do my best to return quickly." She said, but what he said next surprised her. "Don't come back if you can save your marriage." He said wistfully. "Be open to whatever happens. That's the fairest thing I can tell you." "I always love you," she said softly. "And I you." They talked late into the night and just as the sun came up, he wrapped her in a blanket and they went outside and watched the light on the mountains. "This won't be our last sun rise you know. When the sun comes up over the ocean it's the most beautiful thing you'd ever see," he said. "And I'll be there to see it." She smiled "I hope so," he said holding her close. No one could do it, they were all crying as they said their good-byes. Hartley held her in his arms for ages, Angie said good-bye to her doctor friends, and Emily was all upset about the wrangler Charles.
