Continuation of a story I've posted here from Pt. 1. Mods: If it's no longer wanted here, let me know.

Pt. 13 The party begins, Toms surprises & Julies too:

Jake spent some time after watching Stormy run around her pasture in laps, then, quieting some, walk back and forth in front of him squatting and peeing again. She nickered to him again, but this time he only talked soft to her and stayed outside the fence. She started to run again and he thought, "She's gonna worry herself into a lather!"

Jake grabbed a lead and, entering the gate, brought Stormy to a halt. She was already covered in sweat and breathing in hard, determined huffs. Jake walked her around the pasture a while till her breathing eased, and then a bit more, then tied her to a ring on the shelters side. Grooming her with a sweat scraper, then brushing her down, he could feel the heat lower coming off her body. He took time combing her long mane and longer tail, then took her to the cement wash rack and hosed her lightly from the neck back, again scraping her coat nearly dry. "You'll be in early tonight, I think, pretty girl," he said, "I've a date to keep, and I don't want you worrying yourself out here all night!" After a good rub-down with a coarse towel, and a check on her hay and grain, that's just where she was.

Jake, exiting the stall, looked at his watch. "Four O'clock! Damn, I'm gonna be late pickin' the gelding up!" He ran for the truck, then looked down his clothes. Covered in horse-hair and grime, and soaked through in places, there was no way he'd have time to get ready for the party! He slammed the old trucks dented door, and ran instead for the house! A quick phone call to Toms got no answer, the machine picking up. "Tom, I'll be up to get the horse a little late, but I'll get him!" he shot into the receiver, then slammed the phone and ran for the shower!

Tom stepped from his bedroom at 5:20 dressed to the Cowboy Nines. The old, dirty Stetson replaced with a shiny white version with a snakeskin band capping slicked back hair and a clean shaven face. This topped a black three piece suit and starched white shirt closed at the neck by a black bolo tie held by a glittering silver and turquoise clasp. The silver was repeated in a lapel stickpin, and turquoise filled links at the cuffs. The belt was a hand-tooled job covered in broncing horses held tight at a still narrow waist by a large silver and gold buckle that proclaimed him Bronc-riding Champion of the 1962 Reno Rodeo. Down the stiff creased pantlegs was a silver rope running hip to cuff, and below them appeared a pair of gray snakeskin cowboy boots tooled with lariats down the center of the sides, and with hand etched silver caps on the pointed toes! He looked at himself in the mirror, adjusted the hat, buffed the toe-caps with the back of the opposite pant-leg, and smiled. Then he saw the answering machine blinking...

Jake stepped from his bedroom about the same time. Dressed in a clean pair of older jeans and a white tee-shirt with a pocket, he was unremarkable. His hair on a hatless head was combed though, sort of. He darted from the house into the truck and headed toward Toms.

Ann put down her phone and turned to Julie, "That was Tom. They'll be a little late, Honey." "But Mommy, what about the roast?" "It'll stay warm in the oven, Dear, but I don't know about the fixings." They began putting food in the oven with the meat, hoping.

Jake, pulling his old truck into the big farms drive, nearly lost it and hit the barn! "What the hell!" he exclaimed in shock! There on the porch stood a man from the past! A real Cowboy, in all his finery, smoking a cigarette! "What the hell'r you dressed up for?" He laughed when he finally got the truck straight and jumped out. "The same party yer goin' to, I'll bet." Soft and slow. "I'm just going to Anns for a little dinner." Cautiously. The older man bellowed out laughing! "Boy, it's a set-up!" "W-whaddaya mean?" "Let's get the gelding loaded. I'll tell ya on the way." Still chuckling. "On the way?" Tom hopped off the porch laughing and headed for the barn. "I'm ridin' with ya Bucko! Ya gotta bring my trailer back anyways!" Jake shut up and loaded the gelding. Tom, a small, wrapped package in his hand, got in the truck. "I didn't get her nothin'," Jake said as he climbed in the truck, "and I'm way under-dressed!"

Julie had been looking out the window for a little shy of an hour, but to a little girl it seems longer, when she saw Jakes truck pull in to his house. "Jake's home Mamma!" "Good," Ann thought, and started bringing food back to the table. She had turned the oven on to 100 and the dishes were still warm. "Thank God" She muttered, but hoped she hadn't dried out the roast!

"Just because we yelled a little and didn't talk for two weeks?" Jake laughed as he unloaded the horse. "Yeah, boy," Tom wasn't laughing, "some people take things like that to heart." Quietly, though. Jake looked at Tom, the cowboy suddenly seeming a lot older. "Tom, I..." "Later, kid, we'll talk later." Tom took the geldings lead and started down the road. "You keep standing there with yer mouth hangin', we'll be even later!" he called over his shoulder.

Julie, standing on the porch, suddenly shouted, "Mom, oh Mamma come look!" "I haven't got time Julie." Ann was busy settling the table. "Oh, Mamma, please!" Something in the little girls voice. Ann put down the plates, and walked to the door. "Look Mamma! There's a real Cowboy walking my horse!" Ann, as shocked as the child, gaped at the site! She'd never seen a picture like the cowboy made, and never had seen the gelding step so, head and ears up and prancing! Then she saw who it was under the hat, and grinned! "Honey, that's your 'Uncle Tom'!" "Oh, Mamma, he's so handsome!" Tom stopped at the driveway, the horse standing proudly beside him. "Howdy Ladies," with a tip of the hat, "I'll just put the horse in barn. if you don't mind?" "Hello, Sir," Ann laughed, "Go right ahead, and hurry in! Your food is getting cold!" She shooed Julie in the house ahead of her as Jake approached. "Damn," Thought Jake, "I AM under-dressed! I don't even rate a hullo!" He waited, Tom's forgotten present in his hand, till the cowboy came out of the barn. "Here, Tom, you left this in the truck." "That's fer you ta give her, son. I knew you'd ferget." "But it's your present Tom!" the boy protested. "No, I just gave her mine." the old man laughed as he reached for the door.

Ann was pleased as she cleared the table. Everybody had complimented her on the dinner, even though she knew the roast was dry, and they had all talked and laughed through it. Tom, ever the gentleman she thought, had even offered to do the clearing! Now, they were in the living-room, with Tom telling Julie stories and Jake listening to them too, and the little girl was thrilled. She finished the table, and was getting out the cake and ice cream when it went quiet, and she worried a bit. She strained to listen, then heard Jakes and Julies voices talking. "Can I help ya, Ann?" She jumped at Toms voice beside her! "Damn that man!" she thought, "You can never hear him coming!" To Tom she said, "No Tom, I'm just getting the dessert out." "I'll get the bowls then. Where are they?" "In the second cupboard there," she pointed, "and thanks Tom." "Thank you Ann. This was a nice thing you did." "Your welcome. I just.." she let it trail. "I know what you just." Tom smiled to her, "Don't worry, I ain't mad at the boy, and I don't think he's too mad at me, now. This helped." "I'm glad Tom. It's not right to see you two fighting. You're important to him, I know you are." Ann looked at Tom, a long look. "If he were 20 years younger.." She thought, then felt foolish. "You clean up nice by the way." she said. "Thank's Ma'am." Tom bowed slightly and chuckled. Ann laughed, and picked up the tray with the dishes and Ice Cream on it. Tom, helping again, took the cake!

Julie stared at Tom's lighter as he lit the candles. A fancy Zippo, it proclaimed yet another Rodeo prize, so he showed her what it said, then reminded her to blow out the fires. She closed her bright little eyes as she did, then spoke. "I didn't wish for nothing!" The little girl exclaimed, "I thanked God my Uncles aren't fighting anymore, and for Mommy, and tonight!" Ann and Jake, at a loss, just looked at her. Tom leaned down and gave her a hug. "That's real nice, Darlin'. I'm kinda thankful fer all that too!" Jake, coming up for air, said, "I've got a present for you Julie." then felt funny as he handed her the package. She tore at the wrapping, then looked up smiling as she held out a Beyer horse. "Why that's one from Toms collection!" Jake thought, remembering having stared wide-eyed at them when he was a teen. Tom had shown him later the ones all in boxes, saying, "These are the more valuable ones" This one, Jake noted, was still in its too. "I've always wanted one." the girl was saying when Jake glanced at Tom. Tom winced a bit when Julie opened the box, but smiled at Jake. "I've got something for you too, Honey." he said to the child, and reached inside his suit to pull out an envelope. Julie thanked him as she took it, then tore it open. A childs card, but Julie read it dutifully. Opening it, she looked at her mother, "What is this, Momma, it says a hundred dollars." Ann took the piece of paper and read it. "Oh my!" she ejected, then "Tom, it's too much!" "It ain't," he replied, "'sides, I got nothin' else to do with it now, since I quit buyin' whiskey." Ann and Jake both looked at him, surprised. Julie just looked confused. "Mommy, what is it?" she repeated. "It's not one hundred Julie, it's one thousand!" she folded the check, "And it'll start off your college fund." "I'll give ya that much more for a college fund, Ann, let the kid have fun spendin' that." Tom said. Ann looked at him again, and knew she'd best not argue. "It's bed-time now Julie." "Aww." But she got the same look from Ann. Julie had to hug every-one good-night. Jake noticed Tom rated a kiss too though he hadn't, and laughed to himself. The little girl off to bed, Ann invited them to the kitchen for coffee. Jake and Tom both politely refused, with apologies, and said their goodnights.

"You were really something back there," Jake said as they walked up the road. "Thanks, kid. Learned a bit tonight too, did you?" "Yeah, Tom, alot." Jake didn't say what. "Tom, I'm sorry." he added. "Yeah, me too. Lets us not help it happen again, hey kid?" "Sure Tom, sure," Jake smiled, "Tom, you can call me son if you want."

to be continued...