True Love
(Book 2) – Chapter 49

Meanwhile at “The J.M. Pride”.

-Incredible Grisell, these are the most delicious scones I’ve ever tasted. I like it when you add cinnamon.

-You look like a boy Jack, leave buns for the boys in the bunkhouse.

-But how do I do that? You make the best scones and I’d eat all these for me. Jack got up and poured himself some more coffee.

-You always say the same thing, every time I make them, you eat most of them, leaving the boys who are waiting for them with nothing.

-Well, if you made them more often we wouldn’t have these problems.

-Well, three times a week is not enough for you, what does it take to keep you satisfied, boy?

-Well, you make them every day.

He gave Grisell a big hug, she was short and chubby, her hair was between blonde and grey and the years had taken their toll, but she was still beautiful.

-You are impossible, boy, just like your late father. When you get the right woman to tie the knot, I’ll teach her how to make these buns just the way you like them.

-No way. You will continue to prepare them in this house, I will not eat other buns made by another woman. And that’s the noose, get it out of your head, Grisell.

-And when do you plan to put down roots? Of filling this house with children, of having a good woman by your side when you grow old. I call out to him with my arms up in the air.

-Wait a minute, what do you mean, fill the house with children? What do you think I am? A stallion? I think you’re exaggerating a bit Grisell, I’m not in a hurry.

-Unbelievable! You’re not scared of your sorrel when he gets mad, but you’re scared of the idea of getting married and having kids.

-That’s different, midnight is easy to control, a woman with a dozen kids isn’t!

-That’s ridiculous and you know it. You’re thirty-three years old, it’s about time you got your feet on the ground, boy, and felt your head.

-I’ve got my feet firmly on the ground. I don’t need a woman at the moment, and as for children, there are plenty of children here already!

-But they’re not yours, they’re not yours to enjoy all this. -What happens when you’re gone? Who’s left with all this? You’re an only child Jack, and you’re not a child any more!

-Hmm… I’m not ready to get married yet, I like my bachelorhood that’s all!

When Grisell was about to go on with his rant Fergus came running into the kitchen, they called him that out of affection but his real name was Miguel, he was a skinny red-haired boy with a lot of freckles on his face. He was the one who ran the errands all the way into town to the ranch.

-Grisell…” He said breathlessly, paused for a moment, took a breath and then spoke again. – You got a letter!

-Boy, calm down first, have a glass of water. He sat down and held out the envelope. – Does it say where it came from? I asked cautiously without taking the envelope.

-It says Atlanta. Taking one of the ready buns and putting it in his mouth. -This is really good, Grisell.

Atlanta? That’s where she had fled from many years ago. Her ex-husband and her only son lived there, had they found her whereabouts?

-Aren’t you going to read it Grisell, it might be something important. Although it seems strange to me, you’ve never received any correspondence,

-No, I’ll read it later when I’ve finished here in the kitchen.

She took the letter with trembling fingers, put it away and turned away to continue preparing scones.

-No way, read it right now. You’re always working and have no time for yourself.

-Look boy, don’t talk to me like that, I can still give you a few ear pulls. Jack ignored his threat and took out the letter and opened it. Grisell couldn’t get it away from him in time.

-Let’s see, it says here that it’s from a Megan Blake and she writes that she’s your… granddaughter? Jack looked at her with eyes like saucers.

-Megan? Oh my God, my beautiful granddaughter! He took the letter from her hands and began to read it.

It said:

Dear Grandma I’m not sure if you are still at that ranch called “J.M. Pride” I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you are. Grandma, there have been a series of events since you left and I have missed you, I want to see you grandma and know that you are well and above all to be by your side no matter where you are. I am sorry to have to tell you these things through this medium, grandma, but dad and mom died in a plane crash three months ago and grandpa died of a heart attack six years ago. Grandma please if you are there at that ranch answer me so I can come and meet you. Your granddaughter Me misses you.

Grisell blanched as she finished reading her granddaughter’s letter, her son had died, her only son who she hadn’t heard from for years, she felt guilty for leaving him the way he did. Now he was gone and she didn’t have the chance to tell him how much she loved him. Jack, seeing Grisell’s pale expression, ran to her and helped her to sit up.

-What’s the matter? You’re as white as a sheet. You never mentioned that you had family in the city of Atlanta.

-Oh Jack! -That’s not an easy story to tell.

-Well, I’ll be leaving now, boss… -Thanks for the Grisell buns.

-Boy, not a word of this to anyone. Jack told him in a serious voice.

-Sure, boss.

When the boy left Jack returned to concentrate on Grisell who was still pale.

-Why don’t you start telling me about that story of yours, I’ve got plenty of time! He lied.

-You’re a bad liar, you don’t have time for anything, you’d better go and do your work for the day.

-I can’t leave you like this, besides I want to know what’s going on with that letter.

He patted her hand and said.

-Go, in the evening when you finish your work, we’ll talk about this matter.

-All right, but don’t think I’m going to forget about it.

She gave him a smile as he put on his hat and walked out the door to the stables. What could she do now? Her granddaughter needed her and wanted to be with her, she missed her all those years apart, she had missed so much. Although her letter said she would be by her side no matter the place, that was giving her an idea maybe it wasn’t going to work but she could try, as long as her beloved granddaughter wasn’t accompanied by one of those stuffy city slickers who had no grace at all and were surely so shallow, her granddaughter didn’t deserve such a man.

But who was she to say anything about her granddaughter’s love life, she had abandoned her when she was only four years old, if she was married to a man from the city it was normal, she was already a woman, responsible for her own decisions. She just hoped that her late son had not instilled his bad parenting habits, she could not bear the thought of seeing her beautiful granddaughter being a snob. She hoped everything would go according to plan.