"But where are you going to put a horse?" Morning Glory looked from Lauren to Hedy and back again. "That's not a small item like a Bluebird of Happiness."

"I've got an idea." Hedy looked like the cat that ate the cream. "Kent's got an empty barn, doesn't he?"

Lauren couldn't keep from chuckling at her aunt the matchmaker. "As a matter of fact, he does indeed, and he volunteered it. I think we'll start there till we see how everything goes in Wildcat Bluff."

"Everything will go just fine," Morning Glory said with finality. "But don't you dare start using that place till you clean it first."

"I saw it this morning and it looks fine."

Morning Glory narrowed her bright eyes. "That's not what I mean and you know it. Stay right there and I'll get what you need to move forward with that place." She quickly turned and disappeared into her store.

Lauren glanced down at her aunt. "I don't think she's changed a bit since I left here."

"I agree." Hedy smiled fondly. "She's got more energy than a two-year-old and enough ideas to float a fleet."

"Here you go!" Morning Glory popped back through the open doorway and held out two items. "These are for you."

"Thanks. What do I owe you?" Lauren felt skeptical as she accepted what looked like a roll of dried leaves wrapped and tied with a red cord along with a long, braided section of gra.s.s.

"Not a thing. You'll do something for me sometime and it'll all come out in the wash," Morning Glory said. "Now, that's sage and sweetgra.s.s. You remember, don't you? Once you light them, they'll burn slow and steady. You want to smudge by swirling the smoke around inside the barn. That'll remove any lingering odors or negative vibrations."

"Oh yes." Now Lauren remembered the ancient Comanche and other native nation cleansing system that Morning Glory recommended for all new enterprises. It couldn't hurt to try it. "I'm sure this will do the trick."

"Groovy," Morning Glory agreed.

Listening to her, Lauren couldn't help but remember how Wildcat Bluff was built by strong, independent settlers who had minds of their own when it came to life and happiness. They came west so n.o.body could tell them how to live their lives. They fit right in to the former Comancheria that had been created by the fiercely protective Comanche. Wildcat Bluff's descendants were of that same strong persuasion. And Lauren was glad to be back amongst her people.

"What about that cup of tea?" Hedy gestured toward the tearoom. "I've got pomegranate green tea steeping for us."

"Sounds delicious," Lauren said. "Morning Glory, do you want to join us?"

"Wish I could, but I've got work to do." She waved a languid hand toward her store. "We'll have plenty of time to chat later."

"Bye for now." Lauren watched Morning Glory hurry away before she smiled down at her aunt. Fish or cut bait. She hoped this chat went well. Still, she didn't see how Hedy couldn't love her idea.

"Come along." Hedy zipped toward the tearoom.

"I hope you've got my favorite blueberry m.u.f.fins, too." Lauren followed her aunt, feeling as if she'd truly stepped back in time.

"Blueberry?" Hedy stopped, and then gave a big smile. "Of course, blueberry m.u.f.fins. I'd almost forgotten. Those were good days, weren't they?"

Lauren returned Hedy's smile, but she could tell her aunt hadn't remembered the m.u.f.fins. She felt uneasiness spread like a chill up her spine.

Chapter 24.

Lauren sat across the small table from Hedy in the tearoom area of Adelia's Delights. She took a sip of tea from the to-go container, remembering nostalgically when they'd enjoyed drinking tea from pretty, delicate china. Earlier she'd carefully put her sage and sweetgra.s.s in her purse and hung her bag over the back of her chair.

"I bet I know what you're thinking about the cups. I never thought I'd do it, but I've changed with the times." Hedy held up her tea. "I miss the old days when we drank from beautiful china, but that time is long gone for me. I even use paper plates at home. It's just not worth the bother to wash and dry anymore."

"I understand," Lauren agreed, even as she knew the old Hedy would never have resorted to paper products. "I use plenty of paper, too. And don't even get me started on the trouble with the new dishwashers."

"Mine's twenty years old and still chugging away." Hedy chuckled. "It'll probably last me forever since I don't use it much anymore."

"That's the legacy I want from you." Lauren smiled, thinking of all the problems she'd heard from friends about their new, flaky appliances. "Vintage dishwasher, range, washer and dryer, freezer. Those are like gold."

Hedy laughed harder. "You don't want my beautiful china and silver?"

"If you insist, I'll eventually take that, too-only it all gets washed by hand."

"Good choice. I've already packed those away for you since I'm not using them nowadays."

"But don't you want to keep enjoying your fine things?"

"No buts' about it. You're the child of my heart as well as my family. I want to pa.s.s my heritage, meaning my stuff while it's in good shape, down to you. You can keep it, use it, or pa.s.s it along to someone who'll enjoy it."

"Aunt Hedy, please don't talk like that. You're much too young to think about the distant future."

"Not a bit of it. Seventy is about the right age to get your affairs in order." Hedy glanced around the store, then back at Lauren. "I'm working on it, but it's going to take some time."

"You've got too much going on in your life to start planning on how to limit it now."

"Truth of the matter"-Hedy leaned forward-"I'm not feeling as spry as I used to when I was younger."

"There's not a medical reason, is there?" Lauren held her breath, not wanting to hear some devastating news.

"No. I'm the same-ole, same-ole, but I'm feeling more like a sourpuss every day."

"That doesn't sound like my Aunt Hedy."

"Not the old me, but the new me."

"Let's back up here. You're too important to Wildcat Bluff, what with the fire station, Adelia's, and everything else you do to even think about-"

"I'm going to cut back. Let the younger ones step up to the plate."

"They won't know what to do."

"I'll train them." Hedy set down her cup and looked down at her motorized wheelchair. "I've been meaning to talk to you about-"

"I want to talk to you about-" Lauren stopped once she realized they were about to speak over each other. "Excuse me. Go ahead."

Hedy leaned back, picked up her tea, and cradled the cup in both hands. "No, you're just back in town. I want to hear what's on your mind besides a certain good-looking cowboy firefighter."

Lauren couldn't help but smile. "I admit he is that." Now was the time to take the plunge with Hedy before she got cold feet, particularly since she was more concerned than ever by the way her aunt was feeling and thinking about life. No wonder she appeared so dispirited to everyone.

"Even Hannah adores him," Hedy said.

"True. I'm thrilled she's reaching out to others here."

"Wildcat Bluff folks have a way about them, don't they?"

"Just like you." Lauren set her cup on the table. "Aunt Hedy, all this talk about horses and barns has given me an idea."

"Really?"

"I'm beginning to think I can make Wildcat Bluff work for me, as well as Hannah."

"Well, of course it'll work for you."

"I mean, I'm thinking about starting a business here."

Hedy appeared puzzled, frowning as she stared at Lauren. "But I thought now that you're back you could help me in the store. That'd just be for a start. Didn't I mention that you'll be inheriting and running Adelia's when I'm gone?"

Lauren's breath caught in her throat as she realized that she and her aunt were going in different directions for her future. "Truthfully, I never thought about you being gone. And I still can't, or won't, go there."

"Darlin', as much as I love you, I simply will not be here forever. Your mom and I are discussing plans for your future, and Hannah's too, but not ours anymore."

Lauren couldn't stand the idea. It went against everything she had in mind for her aunt. She stood up, paced toward the Bluebird of Happiness display, glared at the happy-looking bluebirds, and turned back.

"I didn't mean to upset you." Hedy gestured toward the table. "Please come back and talk to me."

Lauren sat down, feeling weighed down by the past and the future, then she sat up straight. She wasn't going to borrow trouble. She'd deal with the present. Everything else could take care of itself. "Okay. You know I'll always help you in the store. Hannah will love it, too. But I'm a physical therapist. I have a pa.s.sion to help others be the best they can be no matter their circ.u.mstances or physical ability. I can make a difference in folks' lives. I have made a difference, and I want to continue doing it."

"That's wonderful. I had no idea you were so pa.s.sionate about it. I've always felt the same way. It must run in the family, what with your mother being such a wonderful nurse."

"Thank you. But you and Mom are the ones who've made such a big difference in the lives of others. I'm just getting started now."

"I think it's a great idea." Hedy leaned forward with bright interest in her dark eyes. "We have a clinic here, but folks must travel to Sherman, Denison, or Bonham for physical therapy. Some even drive to Dallas or Fort Worth."

"I want to do more than that." Lauren took a deep breath, hoping against hope that her aunt would support her idea. "We're in horse and cattle country here."

"Right. Horse riders and rodeo folks can get pretty stove up."

"I'd like to take my skills in that direction."

"Sounds good."

"You've heard of equine-a.s.sisted therapy, haven't you?"

"Yes." Hedy looked away from Lauren and down at her legs. "I hope you're not thinking about me."

"I can get you up on horseback. You'll feel like you're walking again. We can build up your core strength. Hippotherapy works."

Hedy shook her head as she glanced up at Lauren with tears filling her eyes. "And to think I was so happy you'd come home."

"Aunt Hedy, I didn't mean to upset you. I only want to help you and others."

"Don't you think every day of my life I've yearned to ride again?"

"We can make this work."

"Do you really think I haven't researched every which way but Sunday to come up with a better way of life?" Hedy backed away from the table. "But I've never, not even for one moment, deluded myself that I could ever get on the back of a horse once more."

Lauren felt her jaw drop in astonishment, and then quickly closed her mouth with a snap of her teeth.

"You go right ahead and teach Hannah to ride, start your equine-a.s.sisted therapy. I wish you the best of luck. I'm sure you'll help many people."

"But I want to help you."

Hedy backed farther away. "I don't need help. I want peace and quiet in my final years. I want to leave my legacy to you, but if you don't want it-"

"Of course I want it." Lauren jumped to her feet. She didn't know how this could have gone so wrong. "Your heritage is my heritage. Hannah's, too. But we can have more many good, long years together right here in Wildcat Bluff."

"I may be strong and I may be courageous, but there's nothing on this good, green Earth that could get me back on a horse again. I've got what I've got and I'm thankful for it. I've lived a good, long life and I'm thankful for that, too."

"I'm thankful for you in my life." Tears blurred Lauren's vision as she stood helplessly looking at Hedy, one of the strongest, smartest, and bravest people she'd ever known. Suddenly she was struck by the terrible realization that her aunt was terrified of change. Hedy was afraid of losing what she'd built in life. She'd rather slowly slip into the sunset than risk what could make her whole in body and spirit once more.

"Go now." Hedy spoke in a clipped tone, as if she was barely holding her emotions together. "We'll talk more later. You're the child of my heart, but right now you've deeply wounded me. I always thought you respected me and my choices even if I'm confined to a wheelchair. Now I wonder about that fact."

"I do respect you. Perhaps more than you can ever realize. But I want more for you. I want to help."

"Go to your daughter. Show her what it's like to ride like the wind. I'll never know it again. And that's okay. I had my day, and it was a good one."

"But Aunt Hedy-"

"Please, leave me now." Hedy turned away and zipped toward the back of her store.

Lauren simply stood there, not knowing what to do. She felt tears slip down her cheeks, then wiped them off with the back of her hand. She straightened her shoulders, picked up her handbag, slung the strap over her shoulder, and marched toward the front door. When she reached the Bluebird of Happiness display, she stopped and looked at the cat curled peacefully amongst the beautiful gla.s.s birds.

Rosie raised her face, c.o.c.ked her head, and twitched her ears.

"Take care of Aunt Hedy for me, will you?"

Rosie meowed, stood up, stretched, leaped down, and headed for the back of the store.

"Aunt Hedy," Lauren called, putting steel in her voice. "We're not nearly done here. Right now I'm headed to Sure-Shot to pick out a pony-and a therapy horse."

She waited a moment, but got no reply. "Okay. I'll see you later."

When she opened the front door and stepped outside, she caught the scent of pine and cedar drifting on the breeze. She inhaled deeply, as if drawing in the strength of Wildcat Bluff's founders and the powerful Comanche who'd made this land their home.