Amateur Hour

By the time they got back to Tuck’s house, a kind of artificial dusk had fallen, thanks to the miserable weather. All of the pole lights had come on, and the porch light had been turned on, too, signaling that Will and Toni were back. Nickie loped up, to meet them, and after politely waiting for Gil to be released, she took off with him.

It was blessedly warm inside, both from the heater and from the fireplace. Lisa was happy to shed her coat, and the rain poncho, which Tuck took from her, to hang out over a chair on the porch with his own.

“Where are your kids?” Lisa asked him, when he returned.

“Napping, maybe? It’s been a long day, for all of us, and theirs isn’t over, yet. Coffee, tea, cocoa?”

“Cocoa, I think, she answered, following him out to the kitchen.

To her surprise, Tuck didn’t heat water and open a packet. He put a two saucepans on the stove and put cocoa, sugar, vanilla and a jug of milk on the counter.

“This is VIP treatment,” she remarked.

“If I’m going to drink cocoa, I want the good stuff,” he smiled, with a shrug. He poured milk into one pan, and plopped a thermometer in it. While they waited for it to heat, he stood on his good leg, and flexed the injured knee, several times.

“Is it bothering you?”

“A little. There’s aspirin on that shelf, over the sink.”

Lisa found them, shook out a couple, and ran him a glass of water, from the tap.

“Thanks, dear. If you want marshmallows, they’re in a bag on the wire shelf rack, by the china hutch.”

She found these, too, after a little searching.

“What’s that Cheshire cat smile about?” he asked, when she handed them to him.

“Nothing. It just seems like I’m taking a lot of direction, lately.”

“Sorry about that,” he smiled. “On the other hand, I wouldn’t ask you to do something, if I didn’t have confidence that you could do it. You were a good hand, with the horses, today.”

“It would have been fun, if it hadn’t been so cold.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” He mixed the cocoa, sugar, and a pinch of salt into a little bit of water, and brought it to a boil, in the other pan. “Now, this is where the magic happens.” He added the scalding milk to the hot cocoa water, and stirred the mixture.

It smelled delicious. Lisa found got two mugs from the cabinet, making sure one of them was his Deputy Dawg. She added marshmallows to the cup he filled for her, then to his as well, when he nodded.

The dogs barked at the back door and Lisa let them in, before joining Tuck in the living room.

“They don’t look very wet, do they?” she asked.

“They probably did their business, and romped a little before sheltering on the porch.”

“This looks domestic,” Will said, coming down the stairs, an hour later. His gaze took in the scene, which included a crackling fire and two dogs flaked out on the hearthrug.

“Getting a little shuteye?” Tuck asked, as his son in law descended.

“A little. Now, I’m starving. Toni—shake a leg!” he called up the stairs.

Tuck checked his watch. “You’ll be dining out again, I take it.”

“If you want to call a drive-thru burger ‘dining out’,” Will shrugged. “And if Toni doesn’t get down here, we won’t have time, for that.” He yelled the last part, over his shoulder.

“Keep your britches on,” Toni said, emerging onto the landing, carrying the bag that held their scripts, notebooks, some music, and a pair of red stilettos. “You forgot your boots.”

They were in her other hand, and Tuck turned to laugh silently in Lisa’s direction, mouthing the word, ‘taps’. Lisa glanced at the boots, to verify that they were, indeed, equipped with shiny new taps on the heels and toes. She stifled her own grin.

Aloud, he asked Will, “How do you walk, in those?”

“Very carefully, Pa. Very carefully. I fell on my ass twice, last night. Woman! I’m hungry.”

“Well, I’m not, so that sounds like a ‘you’ problem. I think I had too much grease, at lunch. And, those dogs stink to high heaven.”

Seeing Lisa’s abashed look, Toni’s scowl eased.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “That was rude. It’s just me—the smell of the goats nearly did me in, this morning. I made Will feed them, this evening. Looks like I may have to pick up a test, from the pharmacy,” she sighed. “I’m too old for this. I blame you,” she accused Will, with a return of her sense of humor.

“I do hope so,” he laughed. “I’d hate for you to blame anyone else.”

“Ha-ha. Let’s go, funny man. Later, you two,” Toni waved, and stepped out, with Will at her heels.

“Well.” Tuck couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“I guess Gil’s hygiene is going to have to improve,” Lisa chuckled. “You look nearly catatonic, Grandpa.”

“I’m on the verge. I mean, she’s only thirty-five, but…”

“Did they want kids?”

“I never asked. As more and more time went by, I assumed either they didn’t, of that one of them might have a problem. Patty would have quizzed Toni right down about it, of course, but mothers can do that. Fathers, not so much. If Will had ever brought it up… But, he didn’t.”

“Hmm… Men and women communicate, differently,” she nodded. “What kind of pony will you be buying?”

“Pony, hell! Any grandchild is going to ride a horse, from the get-go! Pfft—pony,” he snorted.

On Christmas morning, Tuck loaded Lisa’s wrapped boxes and bundles into his car, while she put Gil out in his yard, for a quick run.

“This seems like a lot of presents, Lady,” he remarked with a frown, when she reappeared.

“Not everything costs a fortune, Deputy. Some of these are cute, but inexpensive. Relax. Come to church with me,” she urged, with a smile, tugging his arm. “It’s only fair.”

He couldn’t deny that, since she had agreed to go with his family for services, later.

Tuck’s first impression of the sanctuary was that it had been gutted. All but a few of the old pews were gone, and the remainder had been lined along the walls, on either side. The carpet had been taken up, to expose the heartwood pine floors. They were very nice, he admitted, to himself. Once refinished, they would be striking.

The old podium had been demolished, and replaced by a new one, still bare and unfinished, but very safe to walk on. The lighting, however, took his breath away. Lisa had personally scrubbed every inch of the stained glass until it sparkled, and the colors were magnificent, as the winter sun streamed through them.

“The old railing will go back around the podium, of course, when it’s finished. I’m going to wait to have the floors done, until the walls have been repainted, but…”

“This is just…amazing. I mean, I could sort of see it, in the beginning, but now I can really see it. The light must have been just like this, once upon a time.”

“Are you sad, that the church is gone?”

“Yes,” he answered, honestly. “But, it was gone, long before you got here. It just didn’t know it, yet. What are you going to do with the altar?” He nodded toward it, in its place of removal, off to one side of the podium.

“Nothing, until it’s been deconsecrated. I’ve even asked the workmen not to put anything on it, while they’re in here. It’s not just some ordinary table. In the end, I may put a glass case on it, with some of the church artifacts, and a bit of a history.”

Tuck nodded. “That sounds about right.” He was silent, for a moment. “We don’t want to be late for church,” he said, at last.

“Right. I’d better put Gil inside.” He could see that she was a bit nervous.

“I especially wanted you to come, today, because the bishop is going to be there. When the service is over, he’s agreed to talk to us about deconsecrating the church.”

“And here I thought you just wanted my company.” She smiled, as she linked arms with him, but she also looked a tiny bit disappointed.

“Mostly that–but why waste an opportunity? Besides, we can offload your packages to Toni and Will, then swing back by for Gil. Nickie has a few presents for her best buddy, under the tree.”

Bishop Blake was younger than either of them had expected him to be; a short man in his thirties, with blue eyes and a calm manner.

“Yes, of course I’ll file the papers, right away. I’m surprised and pleased that you’d think to ask about a formal rite of deconsecration of the building. Many people wouldn’t.”

“This won’t affect the cemetery, will it?” Lisa asked. “I very much want to leave it as it is.”

“No, only the building,” he reassured her.

“Good. There’s something else, too, Your…” Lisa floundered for the proper title.

“’Father’, is fine,” Blake smiled.

“Father, then. There is one other thing.”

“Yes?”

“There’s a mass grave from the Civil War which is also on the property, but it was placed outside the consecrated ground. We’ve learned the names of the men buried there, but so far there has been no interest from anyone in moving them, though their status in the records has been updated. Would it be possible to consecrate that grave?”

“Absolutely. It would be a pleasure to do it.”

“Thank you, Father.” She looked immensely relieved.

Blake smiled, and traced the sign of the cross on her forehead. “Bless you, child, for your impulse to heal old wounds. And you, son, for helping her to do so,” he said, repeating the process for Tuck. “Go in peace, and have a blessed Christmas.”

“Now, why didn’t I think of that?” Tuck said, when they were in the car.

“You would have. I just thought of it, first.”

For Christmas, Lisa received a pair of boots from Toni, with stern instructions to “get them dirty”, a supply of goat milk soap in lavender and rose scents, and a pale blue Western shirt. She gifted Toni with a garnet necklace and earrings, some DVD musicals (Will had helped her select these), and a baby afghan.

“Did you make this? When?” Toni demanded.

“I worked on it a little bit, in the evenings,” Lisa shrugged. “It’s the first thing I’ve ever crocheted that wasn’t a square potholder.”

“It’s beautiful, Lisa! Thank you,” Toni exclaimed, giving her a warm hug. Toni was looking and feeling much better, now that the first month of her pregnancy was nearly past.

Will gave her grooming tools, for Luna, a pearl grey scarf, and a silver and turquoise stickpin for it, shaped like a crescent moon. In return, he received a new steel thermos (suggested by Toni), leather working tools, and as a joking reference to the play, a partially carved wooden chain and a Texas A&M ball cap.

“Depending on how you’re feeling on any given day,” she smiled at his laughter. But, I hope you can use this, and that it fits,” she handed him a rather bulky package.

Will grinned from ear to ear, when he opened it. It was a tailgate net, for his truck. “I’ve wanted one of these since I bought that truck—just never got around to getting one. Thanks, Miss Lisa.” Will wasn’t one for physical displays, but he grabbed Lisa’s hand and kissed it.

Tuck couldn’t wait to hand her his first gift, which was likewise bulky.

“Oh, Tuck—“ she marveled at the bright blue horse blanket, a slightly deeper hue than the one he’d lent her, though nowhere near Navy. It was personalized, with Luna’s name in black, accented by a silver crescent moon.

“She’s one of the foundation horses, so she should look the part,” he grinned. “No crying,” he warned, as she was starting to mist up,” or you won’t get the rest of your presents. “This is for everyday.”

The box was large, for how little it weighed. Inside was a sturdy, brown straw Bailey hat. “You can shape the brim, to suit you, and rain will roll right off it,” Tuck explained.

Lisa tried it on. “It actually fits!”

“I measured your ball cap, on the sly. This,” he handed her a nearly identical package, “is for competition.”

Lisa gasped, when she pulled out the white Stetson, turning it in her hands, to admire the band. The copperhead’s skin was impressive, augmented with four silver and turquoise conchos.

“Let’s see how it looks,” he insisted. It looked better than he had hoped.

“Now, with a light blue shirt, a grey scarf, and a turquoise stickpin, that’ll be perfect,” Toni said.

“My turn,” Lisa smiled, having gently returned the Stetson to its box. She handed Tuck a long, rather heavy box.

Tuck opened it with great curiosity, and laughed as he drew out four slabs of wood, each with a name of one of his horses, and emblems to match the ones on their respective blankets. “You can see where I got the idea,” she said, smiling.

“Pass them around, Dad,” Toni prompted. Tuck did.

“But, where’s Luna’s?” he asked.

“I got one, for her, but I wasn’t sure whether or not to presume.”

“Crazy broad. You’d better hang it on her stall. They’re perfect, Lisa.

The next box was small. Tuck opened it with some trepidation. He always worried about getting anything that could be jewelry, since he wore very little, as a rule. The box contained a shiny silver box chain.

“In case you feel like getting dressy, with your arrowhead,” she explained. I’ve noticed you’re never without it.”

“Darlin’ that’s just the right length, and I do like silver.” He did, too. He leaned over, to deliver a light kiss to her lips. It disconcerted her, and she shot an anxious glance at Toni, who looked perfectly at ease with it.

“This is more practical,” she rushed to hand him a third, squishy package. It was a new fishing vest. “I know men get attached to their old things,” she grinned, but you can put it by, for when you’re ready to switch it up.”

“I’m ready, now. The one I have is falling apart.”

“You seem to be brooding,” Lisa remarked, when they were halfway to her house.

“What?” Tuck was startled out of his reverie. “Sorry,” he slanted her a smile. “Guess I was, a little. I was thinking about how I’m going to be fifty-five, in February. Provided I don’t fall into the next casket I trip over, of course.”

“Your knee is almost healed up.”

“It’s never going to be the same, though. Once you start to sprain joints, it gets easier to sprain them again. That’s why it caved this last time. I’ve just about decided to put in for early retirement, Lisa.”

“Won’t you lose some benefits?” she asked, hating to point it out, because she, personally, was in favor of the idea.

“Probably. But, I’m starting to damage myself, and I think I’ve had enough. You know, I looked at all you’ve accomplished so far, with the bookstore, in just a couple of months. You came here with an idea, a property, and some seed money. You didn’t know a soul.”

“I didn’t do it alone. I couldn’t have done it alone.”

“It would have taken you longer, but I think you could have. Friendships do count for a lot, and I already have those. You had to build yours. I’m just saying that I think I’ve fallen in love with the idea of a boarding and training stable.” He said the last as if it were a confession.

“Thank God!” Lisa exclaimed, rolling her eyes heavenward.

This elicited a chuckle, from the driver. “You’re awfully happy about it, for someone who likes to call me ‘Deputy’.”

“You love it,” she scoffed.

“Yeah, I kinda do,” Tuck admitted.

“I am happy about it. You’re my best friend, excluding that brother of mine, and I can’t help that. I’ve known him all my life. I’d like to hang on to your friendship, for a while, and law enforcement is a hazardous job. It’s purely selfish.”

By this time, they were pulling into her driveway. Tuck turned off the engine, and turned to face her.

“Why don’t you ever just say what you mean, Lisa?” he asked, laughing at her, with his eyes. “It’s me you want to hang on to, not my friendship.”

“Are you lodging a complaint?” Lisa asked, growing nervous.

“It’s just us, right now. You don’t have to be cute.” He had become serious.

“All right—yes. I’d like to hang on to you, for a while. Satisfied?”

“Yes. Thank you. I’d like to hold on to you, too.”

He kissed her, until Gil interrupted, lapping at his face.

“Buddy, you really aren’t much fun, on a date,” Tuck laughed, tousling the dog’s head.

“You don’t have to quit your job, for my sake,” Lisa said.

“I know that.” He planted another kiss on her lips, and opened his door. “I wouldn’t,” he continued, opening her door, and handing her out. “I’ve been thinking about it, for the last year or so, to tell you the truth. But the question has always been, ‘then what’. Now, there’s a grandchild on the way, an idea for an alternative career—which you inspired—and the possibility of a life with you in it. I have more reasons to retire than to stay on.”

“Will you miss it?”

They entered the house, Lisa carrying a bag with her smaller gifts, and Tuck toting the hat boxes.

“When I was young, I loved it. I really loved it, though Patty wasn’t too thrilled about it, in the beginning. She got used to it, and after ten years or so, I still loved it, though the shine had worn off, a bit. When she got sick, I got distracted. I liked the work, but my worries for her, and my need to make sure all of her needs were met, made it less vital, to me. When she passed away, it was something important to do, and it helped me survive, I think. Lately… I still like the people I meet, for the most part. Even some of the people I arrest,” he laughed, shaking his head. “But maybe the best time to quit is while I still have some regard for the job.”

He accepted the bottle of tea that Lisa offered him, and pulled her down to sit by him.

“Before something happens, to sour you on it, you mean?”

“Exactly. Leave with good memories, and keep the good friends.”

“Tuck, how long ago did Patty die?”

“Ten—no, ten and a half years ago. Why?”

“Just wondering. She doesn’t come up often, in conversation.”

“She’s gone, Darlin’. She suffered, for quite a while, and now she’s at peace. It was early onset dementia. She lasted four years after her diagnosis. I don’t like to think about it. She deserved so much better than the loss of function and dignity she had, at the end.”

“I’m so sorry…”

“It’s all right. You were bound to ask, eventually. It was a very hard thing, but it’s over.” He reached out to squeeze her hand. “I try to remember the good years we had, together.”

“What was she like?”

“A lot like Toni, to look at. A fair-haired Georgia peach,” he smiled. “More domestic, though. She was content with house and home, bringing up her daughter. Loved to quilt and sew. She’d have been your best customer, I reckon. I never saw such a bookworm.”

“Did she like horses, as much as you and Toni do?”

“No—they scared her. They were too unpredictable for her taste, when really, most of them aren’t. I used to tell her they’re exactly like people. When you know the individuals, you get an idea of how they might react. She wasn’t having it, though.” Tuck chuckled at the memory. “The first couple I bought, she used to refer to as my ‘useless eaters’. Made me so mad! In a way, she was right, though. I did spend more time feeding them than riding them. But, one of them was Toni’s first. She was about four, the first time I put her on a horse’s back. I mean to start the grand-baby at two.”

“On Tango, of course.”

“That’s the plan. You won’t need him. Your own mare is ready to go, ma’am. You can come out and ride Luna, any time you’re ready. Will and Toni took her out on one of the trails yesterday, and he said she was a perfect lady. Luna, that is, not Toni.”

“Should Toni be riding?”

“Sure. It’s fairly safe, until she starts showing. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed it but even though Luna likes to run and cut capers, out in the pasture, she’s a lamb the minute you snap a lead rope on her. Toni has more than enough experience for any notions a two year-old might get.”