SO FAR:
Divorcee and short-term prostitute Jilli Drummond has endeavored to escape from her sordid past and on the coast meets a young man Joe Wright who has taken a month off to recover from the aftermath of his divorce. Joe takes the former hotel restaurant manager home. 'Home' is a 26,000 cattle ranch in South Dakota. Thus begins a cultural shock including some exciting times and now it's time to introduce Jilli to local society.
Chapter 5
Hostess Mae Zimmerman met Joe and Jilli at the door as they drove up and greeted them both warmly. She raised her eyebrows in exaggerated fashion and said to Joe, "I haven't seen you in a suit since your wedding." He smiled, declined the offer of a tie and kissed Mae, looking ever so handsome thought Jilli as he stood back to let the two women do the inevitable.
Mae said the strong color of Jilli's little red dress and matching shoes made her look stunning; Mae's very fashionable multi-hued mid calf dress with matching cape received lavish comments. Daughter Grierson arrived clad long in daffodil that made her appear 7ft tall followed by father wearing a tux and a young guy and inch shorter than Grierson in her very high heels who was introduced as Gene Perkins. He seemed polite and agreeable to Jilli who thought that would be just fine for Grierson, allowing her to dominate.
"Everyone into the family room for drinks," said the general. "You'll have to excuse me as I'll be darting away from time to time as I'll be needed in the kitchen."
"Wait, could everyone grab a dish from the back of my vehicle," Joe called and the general gasped when she saw the six dishes of beautiful looking food under the see-through wrappers.
Two young women dressed as professional bar waitresses – which they probably were – appeared and poured French champagne. There was only time for glasses to be clinked and the first sip when a vehicle horn blasted in staccato.
"That will be your parents," Mae said to Joe. "I invited them to come early to allow us to socialize briefly as two families. Abe in a tux ushered in Jess in black and both looked almost over-excited. Jess kissed Mae and then made a beeline for Jilli who was watching Abe whispering to Joe.
"Oh darling, the well-perfumed Jess said, smothering Jilli with kisses and rubbing Jilli's back as if the younger women had just announced she were pregnant which was something Jilli had only just begun to wonder about herself.
"Everyone," Abe called importantly looking at his watch. "Just ninety minutes ago we signed papers for the closing that will make us owners of the Paterson horse ranch on the outskirts of Belle."
Jilli jumped up and down in excitement and hugged Jess who said, "Our Realtor told us it might not have happened if it weren't for you Jilli because the Paterson's are such ditherers and were attempting to buy before they sold." It was a moment when Jilli became hugely aware of her miniscule relationships with such a few people in her new life – relationships that had not had time to develop and hold – that she'd once again contributed added-value to one of those relationships that placed her beyond being neutral or even worse, a 'taker'.
Momentarily she imagined she could feel the energy of Jess's feeling flowing into her, a feeling that distinctly felt like love – the love of a foster mom?
Just as well she felt the euphoric of those moments because the magic ended brutally. They were all still standing. As the burble died Mae drew Grierson to her and turning to focus on Joe said in a very clear and stern voice, "Now that are will be taking full control of the ranch Joe, isn't it time you chose who is to be your next wife?"
Jilli's throat caught, she didn't know why as she'd been making no claim. It was Mae's astonishing comment that had choked her and then she knew why – with Mae and perhaps the rest of her family this wasn't about ensuring comfort in life for Joe; this was about land ownership. Grierson marrying Joe would also tie the knot between the Zimmerman and the Wright ranches. Jilli thought what a hard woman Mae really was under that pretence of cuteness although she'd always been away the cuteness seemed a little short of being genuine.
Jilli now wondered about Grierson: was she genuine or was that sluttish afternoon spent in Jilli's arms at the lake a calculated way to compromise Jilli? The intent behind that juicy afternoon under the been may well have been a preparation to expose Jilli for 'her disgusting behavior' in a community of conservative people who may have accepted Grierson's waywardness to dip into female-on-female sex but only because she was Mae's daughter. Amid any such accusation the stray from the city would be totally ostracized and to avoid isolating himself Joe would have to reconsider where his loyalties lay. Oh God, what a mess; Miss Smart-Ass had spiked herself perhaps fatally.
Then amazingly as Jilli swept her gaze around the room some of the reactions appeared most unexpected. Grierson appeared upset and was fighting to break out of her mom's hold – an evil grip? Gene looked bewildered while Sly was yawning as if bored by another of his wife's emotional outbursts. Jess who appeared horrified was looking across at her husband; Abe was smirking so what was the story behind that look?
Joe – Joe was the most unexpected reaction of all: he was grinning! Jilli was now totally confused.
"Adding Matchmaker to your well-earned title of First Lady of the county Mae?"
"That's community not county Joe," Mae replied frostily and snapped, "Stop wriggling girl."
"Wouldn't it be easier for you and Sly to offer big money to buy out the Wright family trust than to intrude into my personal affairs? Be careful Mae; don't tempt me to intrude vocally on your personal affairs."
Mae turned white and that shock allowed Grierson to break free.
"Mom – you have it wrong. Joe and I didn't break up over height; that was the only dignified reason I could come up with at the time and you honed in on it. He dropped me because he thought I was too promiscuous and was unlikely to change after marriage."
Mae sat down on the sofa with a thump and Sly said, "Okay guys, enough of this crap; our guests will begin arriving within the hour. I'd like to propose a toast to Jess and Abe on their new purpose and congratulate Abe for finding a safe environment for Cowhand Warrior who is emerging as a top Quarter Horse sire. Abe and I now jointly own sixty-eight percent of Warrior so want to bring him home to add a strong new bloodline to our ranch horses in this state."
Joe looked at his dad in amazement and then to his mom who shrugged, indicating she also knew nothing of this.
"You two are majority owners of Cowhand Warrior?" Mae said, mouth agape. "What will it take to acquire those remaining shares?"
Everyone laughed and made the toast.
Jess pushed at Jilli, noticing Joe had just winked at Jilli but the young woman resisted. "No, if he wants me he'll come to me."
Jess sighed and watched Sly walk over to Joe and begin chatting.
The group was split by the arrival of the first guests. Mae remembered who she was and the reason for this occasion so took Jilli under her wing and made the introductions. She made no effort to apologize for any embarrassment she made have brought on Jilli who wasn't surprised and who had decided from now on she'd squeeze Mae for any advantages she could gather. Unstable but influential neighbors did have their uses.
Dinner was served buffet style; Mae announced it was 'continuous supper'.
At one stage Jilli went to the nearest bathroom and found the door locked.
"Who is it?" Grierson called, sounding a little under stress.
"Jilli."
The door unlocked and she was told to enter quickly. She brushed past Grierson and only then saw that Gene was behind her uplifted skirt pumping away.
