Sherryl Woods - Do You Take This Rebel?

J ennifer Davis, what have you been doing? Rolling around in the mud?

Cassie stared at her four-year-old daughter with dismay. They were having a party in twenty minutes, and Jenny was covered from head to toe in dirt. It was all over her clothes, even in her hair.

Ive been baking cakes, she announced happily. For Grandma. See.

Cassie followed the direction of her daughters gesture and groaned. There were, indeed, a half dozen cakes on the backyard table, each with a candle stuck crookedly into the mud. The vinyl tablecloth was a mess.

Im sure Grandma will be thrilled, she said. Now get in here and lets see if we can clean you up.

Jennifer darted through the door and straight into her daddys arms. Cole scooped her up before he realized the condition she and her clothes were in.

Sweet heaven, now you need a bath, too, Cassie said. What am I going to do? The guests should be here any minute. Mother will be mortified if Dr. Foster finds half of her family looking totally disreputable.

I dont think your mothers going to be all that worried about a little mud. Were celebrating the fact that shes just gotten a clean bill of health after five years. Shes a survivor, Cassie. Nothing else matters. His grin turned wicked. Besides, I think the doctor is long past being shocked by anything we do. Hes been asking her to marry him for the past four years. Clearly hes accepted the whole package.

Cassie still couldnt get over her mothers long-distance courtship with the surgeon in Denver whod saved her life. It was the happiest shed seen her mom in years.

Of course, she was still declining his proposal for reasons that eluded all of them. Cassie feared it had something to do with her, though her mother flatly refused to talk about it.

Take your daughter and get cleaned up, she ordered Cole. Ill try to scrub up the picnic table. And if you can pry Jake away from his computer, Id appreciate it.

Dont spoil my cakes, Mommy, Jenny pleaded, eyes bright with tears. Theyre for Grandma.

Cassie sighed and went outside. A few minutes later her mother and Dr. Foster arrived, followed shortly by Frank Davis and the Calamity Janes. No one seemed the slightest bit dismayed by Jennys contribution to the food, least of all Cassies mother, who seldom took her gaze away from the doctor, anyway.

They look blissfully happy, dont they? Cassie whispered to Cole.

He grinned. Not as happy as the two of us, but yes, they do look as if theyre in love.

Maybe I should give her a nudge, tell her to marry him.

Shes a grown woman. Im sure she knows her own mind. Maybe our news will help.

She touched his cheek. It will certainly reassure her that there are no more bumps in the road for us.

A few minutes later Cole stood and announced a toast. First to our mom, he said. Youve proved just what a survivor you are.

He turned to Cassie. And to my wife, who is about to make me a father again. Family and friends are what life is all about, and I cant tell you how grateful we all are to be here together today.

To Cassies dismay her mother looked shaken by the news of the new baby. And Dr. Fosters expression turned resigned. Cassie crossed the yard and confronted her mother.

Okay, what is it? Youre not sick again, are you?

No, of course not, her mother said at once. She glanced at the man beside her. Its just that we were considering getting married.

Mom, thats fantastic. I couldnt be happier.

Her mother shook her head. No, its not possible. Youre having another baby. I have to stay. And what Cole said about family. Hes right. We need to be together.

Now, Edna the surgeon began.

Dont, her mother said sharply, cutting him off. This is the way it has to be.

Cassie exchanged a look with the doctor.

Okay, he said finally. Then I guess well just have to go about this another way. Ive talked to a few people. I can move my practice to Laramie. Ill be retiring in a few years, anyway, and this will be a good transition. If need be I can go to Denver and consult if something comes up with one of my patients there.

Cassie watched her mothers eyes begin to sparkle.

You would do that? Edna said to him. You would give up your life in Denver?

He nodded. Im a lot like your son-in-law. I know a good woman when I find her, and Ill do whatever it takes to hang on to her.

Cole joined them then, his gaze questioning. A happy ending?

Cassie looked up at him and nodded. For all of us, she whispered. Definitely a happy ending.

N ine-year-old Jake Collins didnt exactly look like a big-time criminal. In fact, Cassie thought her son looked an awful lot like a scared little boy as he sat across the desk from the sheriff, sneaker-clad feet swinging a good six inches off the floor, his glasses sliding down his freckled nose. When he pushed them up, she could see the tears in his blue eyes magnified by the thick lenses. It was hard to feel sorry for him, though, when he was the reason for the twisting knot in her stomach and for the uncharacteristically stern look on the sheriffs face.

What youve done is very serious, Sheriff Joshua Cartwright said. You understand that, dont you?

Jakes head bobbed. Yes, sir, he whispered.

Its stealing, the sheriff added.

Jakes chin rose indignantly. I didnt steal nothing from those people.

You took their money and you didnt send them the toys you promised, Joshua said. You made a deal and you didnt keep your end of it. Thats the same as stealing.

Cassie knew that the only reason the sheriff wasnt being even harder on Jake was because of her boss. Earlene ran the diner where Cassie worked, and Joshua had been courting the woman for the past six months, ever since Earlene had worked up the courage to toss out her drunken, sleazebag husband. The sheriff spent a lot of time at the diner and knew that Earlene was as protective as a mother hen where Cassie and Jake were concerned.