Page 32

Chapter

Seventeen

K elby sat inside the crowded downtown church, listening to the preacher in the pulpit extol her father’s many virtues.

She had grown up in this church, singing in the youth choir and playing on its coed softball team, but the clergyman from her youth had retired a few years ago.

The man speaking of her father now was a stranger to her.

West sat to her left, his arm about her, holding her hand. Darby sat on her other side, tightly holding Kelby’s right hand. Chance and Tammy were on the other side of Darby.

She felt numb inside and had ever since receiving the phone call notifying her of her father’s death.

It was hard to believe that Big Jim Blackstone had left this earth, but it was nice to see how loved he had been by the huge turnout today.

Every pew was filled, and many stood along the aisles and back of the church.

West’s father, seated in the pew behind them, stood now and moved to the podium, ready to eulogize his good friend.

Both Kelby and Chance had passed on the offer to do so.

Chance was a man of few words, while Kelby would have been a blubbering mess if she had tried to speak in front of such a large crowd.

Dr. Sutherland looked out over those gathered.

“Everyone here had his or her life touched by Big Jim Blackstone,” he began.

“I have never met a kinder, gentler man. One willing to stand up to any injustice he witnessed and help neighbor and stranger alike.” He paused.

“Of course, Big Jim could also be the most stubborn, hardheaded, ornery guy in the room, too.”

His words caused chuckles to ripple through the sanctuary.

Dr. Sutherland was a terrific speaker, mixing folksy humor with personal anecdotes about her father, bringing him back to life for the few minutes he spoke.

He talked of their shared lives. How they’d become pals in kindergarten and remained close over the decades.

Played ball and double dated. Gone away to college and come home to live and work in Hawthorne.

How they’d both married and had children, the cycle repeating itself as their own sons became the closest of friends.

He spoke of Big Jim’s work ethic and how he had always given back to his Hawthorne community, from donating money to serving as mayor to actual sweat labor, helping to build a new wing onto the very church they now gathered inside.

By the time Dr. Sutherland finished, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house, and yet everyone present basked in the warmth Jim Blackstone had brought anytime he entered a room.

A closing prayer was offered by the preacher, and then West left the pew, heading to the front to act as one of the pallbearers who carried the casket to the waiting hearse.

Other pallbearers were the movers and shakers of Hawthorne, and she saw on each of their faces just how moved they were by the legend’s death, one which had come far too early.

No graveside services would take place now. Instead, her father would be cremated, his ashes scattered around Blackstone Ranch, the same as had been done for her mother all those years ago.

She, Darby, Chance, and Tammy left the church before anyone else, heading to Blackstone Ranch, where the citizens of Hawthorne would gather to complete their mourning of one of their leaders.

In the car, Tammy said, “Dr. Sutherland did right by Big Jim in his eulogy. He had just the right mix of humor and anecdotes as he reminisced about the good things your daddy stood for. I’m glad you chose him to speak on the family’s behalf.”

They reached the ranch and went inside. Though her father had been gone for many weeks due to his medical condition, this was the first time the house truly seemed empty.

Kelby and Darby joined Tammy in the kitchen.

Numerous families had dropped off everything from casseroles to cakes, and Tammy now brewed coffee while Darby and she set out gallon jugs of iced tea and bottled waters.

Soon, they were joined by several ladies from the church, who shooed them from the kitchen, freeing them to speak to those who came to pay their respects to the family.

West found her and continued to stay by her side throughout the next few hours. Everyone who stopped by wanted to share with Kelby a story about Big Jim Blackstone and his influence in their lives. It was satisfying to hear these tales, but she felt drained at the same time.

The final visitor said his goodbyes, and West accompanied the mourner to the door. Darby led her to a sofa, where they both sat and kicked off their heels.

Her best friend looked at her questioningly. “How are you really, Kel?”

She shrugged. “It still doesn’t quite seem real to me, if I’m being honest. I keep thinking I’ll see Dad walk through that door any minute now. The dad I’ve always known, not the one from the last few weeks.”

She swallowed. “I know his death was a blessing in disguise. He wouldn’t have wanted to live such a restricted life the stroke had brought, his body useless and his speech severely limited.

He had been adamant about not having visitors, either at the hospital or the rehab facility.

I think he didn’t want all his friends to see him in such reduced circumstances.

I plan to keep him alive in my heart and remember him the way he was before the stroke occurred. ”

Kelby smiled wistfully. “I think Dad loved Chance and me twice as much as any father loved his child, trying to make up for the fact that we didn’t have a mother.

He imparted the values I live by today. To always be kind to others.

To work longer and harder than anyone else.

To give something my all, no matter how daunting the task which lay ahead. ”

Reaching for Darby’s hand, she squeezed it. “Thank you for coming. This hasn’t been easy, but it’s helped so much having you by my side the last couple of days.”

“You are more than a friend to me, Kel. You’re my sister. I’m always ready to stand by you. To celebrate the good times and comfort you during the bad.” Darby paused. “What does Big Jim’s death mean in regard to your wedding?”

“Honestly, I haven’t even given it any thought,” she admitted.

“Chance and I have had so much to do. West did go visit Dad and ask for my hand in marriage. I also talked to Dad about marrying West, and he encouraged me not to pussyfoot around. I don’t know quite how I feel about it now, though.

It’s such an odd feeling, Darb. On one hand, I’ve lost the man I’ve admired my entire life, and there’s a huge hole in my heart.

On the other hand, I love West so very much, and my heart is overflowing with that love.

I’ve got to decide how to reconcile the two. ”

West and Chance joined them, and her brother said, “The last of the church ladies finished the cleanup in the kitchen. They’re gone. Tammy went upstairs to lie down. Dad’s death has taken the wind out of her sails.”

The two men took seats, and West asked, “Is there anything you need, Kelby?”

She knew exactly what she wanted to do. “I’d like to go for a ride. Dad taught me everything from how to sit a horse to how to throw a softball. I’ve always been most comfortable in the saddle. I draw comfort from the land. It’s what I need now. To feel close to him.”

Chance said, “I’ll go with you.”

West nodded. “I’ll stay and keep Darby company. You two go.”

She went upstairs and changed into jeans and boots.

In the stables, she and Chance saddled their horses and rode out, no destination in mind.

The many ranch hands who had attended their employer’s funeral earlier in the day were back at work.

A ranch never totally stopped, needing its workers to care for the herds.

They rode for over an hour and stopped at a creek, dismounting and allowing their horses to drink from it. Kelby decided to broach things with Chance regarding the running of the ranch.

“You’ve given me a few things to do regarding the ranch, but I can see you’re burning the candle at both ends.

What can I take off your plate, Chance? Better yet, do we need to hire someone to help with the workload?

I know Dad seemed to do the job of ten men.

With him gone, we’ll need to make adjustments. ”

They tethered their horses to a tree and sat under it, Chance talking about things which needed to be done around the ranch. He assured Kelby that he could handle everything for now.

“I promise to be better at delegating tasks to others,” he told her.

“For now, though, I don’t want to bring anyone else in.

I may hire another hand or two eventually so I can devote myself more to the business end.

That’s what I’ve mostly done ever since I returned to the ranch.

Dad was always the one out in the fields. ”

That had been a point of contention between Chance and their dad.

When her brother graduated from SMU with his business degree, he was ready to come back to Blackstone Ranch and work.

Dad had forbidden him from doing so, saying that his son needed to gain experience out in the world, doing other jobs before he came back to Hawthorne.

It had only been in the last three years that Chance had returned to Blackstone Ranch and taken over various business aspects of running the ranch, while Big Jim devoted most of his time to the physical running of their operation.

“Were things settled between you and Dad?” she asked softly. “I know things were dicey for a while. I just hope you don’t have any regrets.”