Page 19 of Take Me Please, Cowboy (The Calhouns & Campbells of Cold Canyon Ranch #1)

T he next few days passed so slowly that Ansley thought she was losing her mind.

Since returning home Sunday afternoon, Uncle Clyde had been demanding, irritable, and a bewildering mixture of lucidity and confusion.

Although he was supposed to get out of bed and walk every day, getting some exercise, he only left bed to use the bathroom before he’d return to bed.

Ansley overheard him talking to someone on the phone that he didn’t need help and he wasn’t going to be going to any physical therapy appointments.

Uncle Clyde just wanted to be alone, and have his meals served to him in bed.

He even resorted to using the bedside urinal, so he didn’t have to get up too often.

In theory, Ansley didn’t mind dumping his urinal and washing it out before returning it to his bedside, but he was supposed to be regaining mobility and independence.

He wasn’t making the slightest effort to do either.

He asked her to move the TV set into the bedroom, and she agreed, but then worried that if she moved a TV into her uncle’s room, he’d have no incentive to become more independent.

She tried to call her mom, but she was out, or unavailable, Ansley’s call going to voice mail.

Ansley knew better than to call her dad.

Her dad refused to get involved. She’d always respected her dad so much but his inability to forgive his brother, and his unwillingness to help make decisions for his care and the ranch, deeply disappointed her.

Troubled, Ansley drove to the Wyatts to get advice. Melvin and Summer Wyatt welcomed her warmly, and they sat at the kitchen table having tea and banana bread which Sophie had baked that morning.

“I worry that Uncle Clyde is regressing,” Ansley said, feeling guilty for coming to the Wyatts but she didn’t know what to do, and the Wyatt family had been neighbors with the Campbells for generations.

If anyone outside the family knew how to deal with Clyde Campbell, it would be them.

“He’s asked me to bring the TV into the bedroom and there’s no cable access in the bedroom.

I could ask the cable company to come and put in access, but I’m not sure it’s the right thing to do.

The doctor was adamant that Uncle Clyde has to get out of bed and walk every day.

He needs the exercise and stimulation, but he’s only getting up to use the bathroom once or twice a day and he won’t allow me to schedule the physical therapist. Insurance will cover someone coming here and working with him. ”

“But he’s getting up to use the bathroom?” Summer asked.

Ansley hid her embarrassment. “He’ll use it once a day, but the rest of the time he prefers peeing in the plastic urinal the hospital sent home with him. I then empty it for him.”

Melvin glanced at Summer who appeared equally concerned. “That’s not right. He should be up and moving around, strengthening his legs.”

“And working with the physical therapist, doing the exercises,” Summer said sternly. “Even I do my exercises.”

“I’m glad you’ve come to us,” Melvin said. “You shouldn’t have to be dealing with those all on your own. Hopefully your parents will be coming soon. This shouldn’t fall on you—”

“Or you,” Ansley interrupted carefully. “You have your own family to take care of. I don’t want you being burdened. I just hoped you might have some ideas. I’ve never done any elder care. I never even did much babysitting when I was younger, so this is all new to me.”

Summer reached over and placed a light hand on Ansley’s. “We have a long relationship with Clyde. His wife Sandy was one of my good friends. We’ll start paying Clyde visits. He’ll come ’round, you’ll see.”

Ansley gave Summer’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Thank you, but I hope you don’t think I’m complaining—”

“No. You’re trusting us, which is good,” Melvin said. “And I’ll be stopping by later today but won’t mention that you’ve been here.”

Ansley nodded gratefully. “Thank you, and I should be getting back. It’s probably not smart of me to leave him alone.”

“You’ve only been gone twenty minutes or so,” Summer said. “If he’s sticking to bed, he should be fine.”

But Ansley was already on her feet, reaching for the car keys. “Thank you again—”

“Don’t thank us,” Melvin said, interrupting her as he, too, got to his feet. “Think of us like family. We’ve got to stick together and take care of each other. It’s the only way to get through life.”

Impulsively, Ansley hugged Melvin, and then gave Summer a careful hug, too. “Lucky to have you as neighbors,” she said.

“We feel the same way,” Melvin said, walking Ansley out to her car.

She opened the driver-side door and hesitated. “If Summer knew Clyde’s wife, Sandy, then you must have known my dad and Uncle Clyde as kids.”

“I did. My boys grew up with the Campbell boys. They played sports together and competed in amateur rodeo events together, but Sam and JC went pro, and Clyde and Callen had their own careers. Your dad enlisted and he never returned. That was a shame. He was missed.”

She looked up at Melvin, curiosity filling her. “You knew why he didn’t come back.”

“I knew. We all knew.”

“Why did he do it?” she asked, thinking of the photo in the Campbell living room of two little boys all dressed up for church.

“You mean, why did Clyde steal Sandy from your dad?” Melvin sighed.

“Why does anyone do anything? Desire, fear, anger, insecurity? But of all those things, I think your uncle truly cared for Sandy. I think he’d always envied Callen’s relationship with her—he’d harbored secret feelings for her—and so once your dad was gone, Clyde saw an opportunity and he took it. ”

“What was Sandy like?”

“Pretty, petite, and very lively. She was raised on a ranch close to the town of Emigrant and she was as social as they came, always organizing picnics and barbecues. In winter, she’d have everyone out at Miracle Lake ice-skating and building a bonfire.

She tended to be the life of a party, which I think appealed to Clyde.

Clyde was not as outgoing as your dad, and not as confident.

Clyde was quiet and shy, and Sandy was the opposite. ”

“I can’t imagine my uncle with someone like that. He seems so… crochety.”

“All I know is that he truly loved Sandy. From the start, he adored her, and after they married, he treated her like a queen. She brought out the best in him, and she was his world, and since they didn’t have children, he was hers.”

“They didn’t want children?”

“Sandy couldn’t have them. Summer knows more about this than me, but Sandy was pregnant a half dozen times but none of the babies made it to full term. The losses were devastating. Clyde became even more protective of her.”

The miscarriages sounded devastating. Ansley couldn’t imagine going through all that. And how awfully ironic that Sandy would have six miscarriages while her mom and dad have six healthy children. “I wish I’d met her,” Ansley said, meaning it. “I’m sorry I never did.”

“Not sure if you know, but Sandy and your mom worked for years to create a reconciliation between the Campbell brothers, but your dad wouldn’t have it.”

“My uncle wanted it, though?”

“From what I understand, yes.”

Ansley’s heart hurt. “It makes me sad. I don’t understand how one can go through life unwilling to forgive.”

“Your dad was deeply hurt. He felt betrayed.” Melvin hesitated. “Despite the difference in personalities, Clyde and Callen had been close. I’d say they were best friends, which is why your dad felt betrayed.”

“But if my dad had married Sandy instead of my mom, I wouldn’t be here. None of my brothers would be here.” She hesitated. “He probably wouldn’t have had a family.”

“Exactly. None of you would exist. And it’s a wonderful thing you do.”

*

Three hours later, Melvin showed up at the Campbell farmhouse, bringing a baked pasta dish for dinner and telling Ansley he intended to spend the afternoon with Clyde so Ansley could run errands or paint, or just take a long nap. She was free to do whatever she wanted or needed to do.

Grateful, Ansley gave Melvin the biggest hug, thanking him so many times that he patted her on the back. “This is what friends do,” he said. “Friends show up.”

Friends show up.

The warmth and conviction in his voice made the air catch in her throat and her eyes sting. She’d never needed neighbors before. She’d always had her family, but Melvin was right—people had to be there for each other. People needed community.

Delighted to have a few hours free, Ansley drove to the nearest grocery store, picked up fresh bread, eggs, cheese, and produce, including her favorite, apples.

But instead of immediately heading home, she drove one of the old roads that paralleled the Yellowstone River, enjoying the sunlight and shadow dappling the river.

Eventually she found a little pullout where she could park and have an apple, and maybe sketch.

She always kept a sketch pad and charcoal pencils with her, and leaving her car, found a perfect spot to sit and draw.

It was wonderful to be outside, wonderful to stop thinking, wonderful to just be in the moment.

The world fell away. Her worries faded. She spent nearly two hours lost in her work before realizing the time.

She quickly packed up and returned to the ranch, finding Melvin and her uncle sitting in the family room together, watching TV.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Melvin said as he left. “I could tell Clyde enjoyed the company.”