When they arrived home, Nizhoni informed them that Colby and Frank had come home only long enough to pack up some extra supplies and head east. Some of their stock had wandered off in search of better grazing, so the men needed to round them up and bring them back. They would be gone a few days.
Ginny had to admit that she was pleased by this. For one, she wouldn't have to deal with Colby. But it would also give her time to put her plan into action, getting Vas to see Georgia as something other than a child.
That night at dinner, Ginny made a few more subtle comments, directing Vas to what a good wife Georgia would make. How considerate she was for helping with the boy's schooling and what a wonderful mother she'd be someday. Vas smiled and acknowledged her comments, keeping quiet afterwards, hopefully thinking.
It wasn't until late the next day, after Ginny and Nate had worked through some challenging math equations together, that Ginny bumped into Vas again. He was mucking stalls in the barn, looking hot, sweaty and simply delicious. Ginny had to wonder why she wasn't grabbing him for herself.
“Hi Vas,” she said, walking over and sitting on one of the bales of hay.
“Hey Ginny,” Vas put the rake down and walked over to where she was sitting. “Where's Nate?”
“He's still working on math. Got to say, not my favorite subject.”
Vas smiled and took the seat next to her. Looking at his feet, he asked, “I was thinking about...” When he paused, Ginny turned and looked at him.
Prompting him, she said, “You were thinking about...”
“Aww, Ginny. I don't know how to tell you this.”
“May I suggest you just spit it out.” He looked at her, and she smiled back.
“I was thinking of courting Georgia.”
Ginny's face lit up like the sun. “That's great, Vas. I happen to know that she really cares about you too.”
“But... I thought... you and I...” It was almost sexy watching him sputter.
Putting her hand on his arm, he watched her intently. “I'm sorry if I led you on. To be honest, I really like you, but I don't think we were meant to be together. The kiss was... well, it was spectacular. But I obviously have a few things to work out with Colby before I can consider another man. Thanks for making me feel special.”
Vas turned his head slightly, then whispered, “You are special, Ginny. And if things don't work out with you and Colby, I know a few guys who would love to show you just how special you are.”
Strangely, Ginny felt tears in her eyes. She turned her head, not wanting Vas to see how she felt. She'd had two guys fall in love with her and make her their world. Maybe she was just getting used to the feeling. Colby did not make her feel that way, that was for sure.
Standing up to leave, Ginny said, “Thank you. If I can do anything to help you out, with Georgia I mean, just let me know.”
Ginny walked from the barn, feeling both elated and deflated. She was happy that Georgia would get her happy ever after. Still, being stuck in this limbo didn't sit well. She remembered how she sat for a year waiting for Colin to return. She certainly didn't want to go down that avenue again. Maybe it was time she moved things along. But how was she ever going to get Colby to stop being so angry with her and fall in love with her instead?
Colby, Tim and Frank were gone for four days. A lot had changed in that time. Vas was courting Georgia at a furious pace. Ginny had warned both of them to keep their time together respectable. They had plenty of time to get to know each other biblically after they were married. Ginny caught them kissing a couple of times, always breaking them up and sending Georgia away. Vas would smile at her, but she let him know that she was in charge of keeping Georgia out of trouble, just as much as Nate and Frank.
The trio returned early in the afternoon, with Nate running out to greet them. Georgia and Ginny had taken the cart to town to retrieve a few things from the mercantile. Nizhoni knew that Vas was asking for Georgia's hand, and wanted to make a special dinner to honor it, so she asked the girls to get a few supplies.
It was after three o'clock by the time Georgia and Ginny returned. Georgia stopped the cart in front of the house, so Ginny could deliver the needed supplies to Nizhoni. Jumping down, she rounded the cart to pick up the food when the front screen door slammed against the house. Out came Colby, looking his usual pissed off self.
Walking down the front steps at a face pace, Colby turned to his sister. “Is it true?” was all he asked, but everyone knew what he was referring to.
Georgia's head dropped to the reins in her hands. Barely above a whisper, she responded, “Yes. I love him.”
“What?” Colby screamed. Ginny jumped at the sound, watching Colby to make sure he wouldn't do anything violent. Colby gave the impression of bite, but, so far, he'd been all bark. Ginny didn't want to know what would happen if that changed.
Georgia was crying now, sitting in the front of the cart, shaking. Ginny decided it was time for her to interrupt. After all, Colby already hated her, so what difference would it make if he hated her more. She didn't want him ruining the relationship he had with his only sister.
“Georgia, go into the house and bring the supplies to Nizhoni.”
Georgia, who had been waiting for help, jumped at the chance to get away from Colby and his anger. Getting down from the cart, she came the long way around the cart, picked up the supplies and ran into the house. Colby was surprisingly quiet while his sister disappeared.
“Come on, Ginny. Let's return the cart and horses.” His calm voice did nothing to quell Ginny's fear. He was saving something up for her, she could tell. It was going to be a very unpleasant afternoon. So, swallowing the saliva in her mouth, Ginny climbed back into the cart next to the waiting Colby.
He stopped the cart in front of the barn and proceeded to remove the horses. Once both horses were stabled, with new feed and water, Colby turned to look at her. Ginny stood up straight, trying to give the impression of no fear. She wasn't afraid of him hurting her, just of her losing her temper and making things worse.
“I got to talking to Frank.”
Okay
, she thought.
Maybe this isn't about Georgia after all. Maybe he just wanted to talk to me about something Frank needs to work on.
Ginny's disposition brightened a bit. Still, something told her to remain silent.
“He's developed quite a vocabulary since you came.”
Scrunching her face, Ginny looked confused. Wasn't a better vocabulary a good thing?
“When I asked him where he learned all these new words, he tells me from you.”
Well, I am his teacher.
“Did you tell him that you would teach him new swear words in exchange for his good behavior?” Colby's voice was still calm, but the look on his face was decidedly troublesome.
Taking a deep breath, she answered, “Yes. He tried to shock me with his use of swear words when I met him. I saw it as a way for us to connect. I told him that his... vocabulary was limited. That I could teach him how to swear properly. It has been an effective way to ensure Frank's compliance.” Thank God for Dilbert cartoons or Ginny would never be able to talk like that.
“Your job wasn't to teach him how to curse. It was to teach him how to read and write.” With every word Colby spoke, his voice got higher and higher. His face was turning red and his posture was alarmingly hostile.
Trying to diffuse him somewhat, Ginny said, “I understand that you're a little mad about Vas and Georgia. But you'll see what a great couple they make. He's so sweet to her, and she just adores him.”
When Ginny decided on a course of action, she usually expected it to work well. In this case, she couldn't have chosen a worse topic to bring up to try to calm Colby down.
“Dammit, Ginny. Vas told me that you got them together. Do you have any idea how many women Vas has had? It won't be you picking up the pieces of my sister's broken heart when he takes off.”
“What makes you think he'll leave...”
“Because it's what he always does. When his father died, he took off, not caring what happened to his share of the ranch or his mother. He'd come back when the money was gone, work a few months, but then he'd always take off again. I knew my sister was sweet on him, but I never encouraged it because Vas is completely unreliable.”
“Didn't you take off too?” Ginny had a wonderful way of making things worse.
“That was not the same thing, dammit. I wanted a different life. I was willing to put off marriage. I just wanted to take care of myself.”
“I don't know Vas all that well, but maybe he's seen the other side and wants to come back to this life. Maybe he's grown up and is ready to settle down. Just because it's not the life you would have chosen doesn't mean that he might not like it.”
“You have no idea what you're talking about. You haven't been here. You barely know any of us, but you seem too ready to make decisions for all of us.”
“Bullshit. Sometimes it takes an outsider to see things clearly. Your sister was miserable, because she knew that the only man she ever wanted couldn't look at her as anything other than a child. Frank wants so badly to be a man, that his teenage mind told him that cursing would somehow achieve that for him quicker. And Nate... he's just so desperate for your approval, and you put him aside like he's not worth your time. It's not that I haven't been here long enough, Colby. It's that you're too close and too fucking angry to see what is so damn obvious.”
Walking forward, Colby grabbed Ginny's arms and pulled her up to his face. He was so mad that he was seething, eyes blazed. “You will pack your bags tonight. First thing tomorrow morning, I'm going to drive you back to Cheyenne. What you do there, I don't care. All I care about is getting you away from my family.”
He shook her twice, then let her fall to the ground. He turned on his heel and walked out of the barn, never looking back to make sure she was alright.
Ginny sat on the ground for a few minutes, rubbing her arms to take the sting out of where Colby had grabbed her. She tried to slow her breathing down and keep the tears at bay. How had she messed up that badly? She didn't think there was anything she could do to make him fall in love with her now. She doubted he even cared about the money he'd spent on her. One of these days, Ginny was going to learn her lesson. Stop interfering and start going with the flow. She would learn if it damn well killed her.
Needless to say, dinner was ruined. Vas and Georgia were there, along with Frank and Ginny. Colby was off doing God knew what, and Nate disappeared after Colby got home. When Ginny asked where he was, Frank assured her that sometimes he just liked to be alone and would be back before bedtime.
Everyone ate in silence, Georgia giving worried looks to everyone around the table. Ginny hadn't told anyone yet that she was leaving. Her mind wandered to what she would do in Cheyenne. Although she was smart and filled with future knowledge, she didn't know if that would translate to anything useful. She supposed she could find a doctor or hospital and see about a position as a nurse. If nothing else, she wouldn't swoon at the sight of blood.
Frank kept his head down until he finally decided that he needed to get something off his chest. “Ginny. I'm real sorry about telling Colby about the swearing. He sure was mad.” The boy looked close to tears. It was breaking Ginny's heart.
Putting her hand on his arm, Ginny tried to reassure him. “Frank, it's okay. I know you weren't trying to get me in trouble. We didn't do anything wrong. And if you want, I'll teach you another one right now, just because your brother's not here.”
Smiling, Frank nodded his approval.
“Let's see. Have I told you peckerhead yet?”
Laughing, Frank shook his head. “What's a peckerhead?”
“Well, pecker is another word for a penis. I guess it's just a not so nice way of telling someone that they are being stupid.”
“Like Colby?” Frank asked, his good mood dissipating.
“Listen Frank. I know we don't agree with Colby, but you still need to respect him. He's your big brother, and although he seems to be in a very bad mood all the time, he does a lot to keep this family together. It's okay to disagree, but don't be disrespectful. Okay?”
Looking down, Ginny thought she saw a ghost of a smile on his face. “Okay, Ginny. I'll try.”
Smiling back, she replied, “That's all I could hope for.”
Georgia spoke up for the first time that evening. “Ginny, I was wondering something. I thought that maybe you'd be my bridesmaid at the wedding. Vas and I decided that we wanted to get married right away, like maybe next week sometime. Would you stand up with me?”
Her heart breaking, realizing how much she was going to miss this family, Ginny said, “Of course. I would be honored. We'll talk about it later, though, okay?”
Hearing her voice, Georgia thought that maybe Ginny was embarrassed because she didn't have anything to wear. “I plan on making my wedding dress. I bet if we work together, we can make you something to wear as well.”
Ginny smiled, but it was tired looking. “That would be great.”
I'm such
a coward
, she thought, not being able to bring herself to tell them. Obviously, they were going to find out tomorrow. She hoped that the news didn't rip the family apart. It was amazing how close they'd gotten in such a short amount of time. Ginny had been the youngest sibling in her family, by several years. She was the “oops” baby, the one that neither of her parents ever dreamed would happen. Now, being the older sister in a lot of ways was fun for Ginny. Finally, she could be the superior one.
Just as they were finishing up their dinner, Colby walked into the kitchen. The silence was deafening. No one spoke, and it seemed like no one took a breath.
“Where's Nate?” Colby asked, standing in the doorway.
Frank spoke up first. “He's off sulking somewhere about something. He's not in our room and wasn't in his usual hiding place in the barn.”
“Well, I guess I'll talk to him later.” Colby came forward, clearing his throat. “Ginny's leaving tomorrow.”
Everyone's head whipped around to look at her, while Ginny stared daggers at Colby. He was purposely being insensitive, but what did she expect? He was a grown man who behaved more like a petulant child. Before Ginny could explain, Vas spoke up.
“Where are you going?” He sounded hurt, like Ginny was abandoning him.
“I'm driving her back to Cheyenne. From there, she can arrange transport back to St. Louis.”
Georgia looked at her brother. “How? She hasn't got any money.”
“Ginny's resourceful. I'm sure she can figure something out.”
Georgia and Frank looked incredulous. Frank was sputtering something, but nothing coherent came out. Georgia stared at Vas, as if to try to get him to do something. For the woman he loved, he would do anything.
“That won't be necessary, Colby. Ginny can come and stay with me.”
Ginny smiled at Vas and Georgia. It was a nice thing to do. The best part was the look on Colby's face after he said it.
Colby began to breath harder, as if he was doing his best to contain his anger. Now, with the tables turned, it was Colby's turn to look incredulous. Taking a last ditch effort to rid his family of Ginny, he said, “Why would you want to do that? You are marrying my sister. Does Georgia know about you two out together the other night? Ginny only in her nightgown?”
Georgia gasped, but her fury was not for Vas or Ginny. Her anger was set squarely on her brother. “How dare you? How dare you say such a thing about your best friend and my best friend? Vas has never betrayed me, and I know Ginny wouldn't. And to think that Ginny was just telling Frank to respect you despite you being angry all the time. You don't deserve our respect.” Georgia jumped up from the table and left through the back door. Vas was hot on her heels, all that could be heard was the sound of him trying to soothe his fiancée.
Frank got up from the table and looked at his brother. “I don't think I want to go out with you anymore. Especially if you're going to act like such a peckerhead!” Frank pushed his way past Colby and went up the steps to his room.
Colby was furious. This could not be happening to his family. Why didn't he go with his instinct and leave Ginny behind? He could have gone into Denver, checked to see if there was any eligible, desperate women there willing to come and live in the frontier. But, no, he felt sorry for her. He felt sorry for himself.
“This is all your fault,” was the best he could do, in his state of near apoplexy.
Ginny turned her gaze to his eyes. She could go one of two ways with this. She could get angry again, be childish and lash out at him, or she could try to reason with him. She decided on the latter, but knew that it would probably degrade into the former eventually.
“I don't know where it went wrong, Colby, but I did not turn your family against you. I've tried to be patient. I think I was doing a damn good job with your brothers. Your sister has become a good friend. Tell me what you want me to do, and I'll do it. Just please, don't make me go. I really like it here.” Ginny's voice dripped with sincerity, but unfortunately, it was lost on her “husband.”
“The only thing I want you to do is leave. You can't fix this, Ginny. It's too late.”
“You're finally right about one thing, Colby. I can't fix this. But you can. And you should before you lose them forever.” Ginny's eyes were brimming with tears as she got up from the table and left to go to her room. She knew her message was lost. She hoped she'd have one more chance before he made her leave. All she could do was try.
*******
Georgia and Vas went for a walk in the moonlight. They were holding hands, Vas' thumb occasionally stroking the top of her hand. He couldn't begin to imagine how to make this right. Vas knew Colby would be mad about the engagement. He didn't think he would stoop so low to try to get Georgia to believe he'd been unfaithful to her. Not knowing what she was thinking, he felt it best to come clean.
“Colby didn't lie, Georgia. Ginny and I were out together one night, and she was wearing only her nightgown.”
“So?” was all Georgia said. She wasn't a fool. She noticed how they looked at each other when Vas first got home. She'd even assumed that Vas was interested. But all that was in the past. Georgia knew how Vas felt about her, and she was secure about it.
“I kissed her. Just the once, though. And never since I started courting you.” His voice was pained, like he thought this was going to ruin their budding relationship.
To set him mind at ease, Georgia turned toward her fiancé. “Do you love me, Vas?”
“Yes. Oh God, yes.”
“Then I have nothing to worry about. I know it was Ginny who made you see me as a woman. Why would she do that if she wanted you for herself?”
Vas stopped short and pulled Georgia back into his arms. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he buried his nose into her hair and inhaled the sweet smell of her soap. How had he not seen her himself? Why did it take Ginny to make him realize that the perfect woman was right in front of him?
“You don't want her to go, do you?” Vas whispered into her hair.
“If I didn't already know I loved you, I would have been certain when you offered her your home. It was so chivalrous. I don't deserve you.” Georgia felt the tears in her eyes. She was so proud of Vas for standing up to Colby. She was also proud of herself. She rarely spoke up, but for a friend like Ginny, she felt it was her only option.
“I don't deserve you, my love. Maybe we should go into town tomorrow and speak to Reverend Thomas. We'll take Ginny with us... for moral support.” Vas pulled away and looked into his love's eyes. Then he bent down and kissed her soundly, letting all his love for her flow through his kiss. Georgia responded in kind, hoping that all would work out in the end.