Long Time Gone (Rough Riders #16.5)(40)
Author: Lorelei James

Cord looked between Kimi and Carolyn and frowned.

“She’s my little sister,” Carolyn explained to him. “Like Colby is your little brother.”

Kimi saw the younger boy propped on Carolyn’s hip, his head resting on her shoulder. She pushed to her feet. “And who’s this little doll?”

“Colby. Can you say hello to Aunt Kimi?” Carolyn prompted.

He buried his face in his mother’s neck.

“He don’t talk much,” Cord informed Kimi.

“That just means I get to talk to you more.”

“I got Lincoln logs,” Cord said.

“I’ve never played with them. Maybe you could show me?”

Cord nodded. “Someday I’m gonna have a real log house.”

“No!” Colby yelled. “Mine.”

“No yelling at your brother, mister,” Carolyn said. “You can share your toys.”

“That always worked out so well for us,” Kimi said dryly.

Then Colby held his arms out for Kimi to take him.

“That’s new,” Carolyn murmured when she handed him over. “He’s in the mama, mama, mama stage.”

“He’s solid, isn’t he?”

“Both of them take after their Daddy.” She smoothed back Colby’s dark hair. “Come inside. I put coffee on.”

The inside of the trailer hadn’t changed much, except now there were toys scattered around.

Colby wiggled to be let down and he and Cord scampered off down the hallway.

Carolyn poured two cups of coffee and gestured for Kimi to sit at the table. “I’d love for you to stay with me, but as you can see, there’s not enough room here for us.”

Kimi wrapped her hands around her cup. “I’m surprised with all the land the McKays are buying up that there hasn’t been another ranch house you could move into.”

“I stay out of ranch business. I’m sure as the wife of the oldest McKay there’ll come a time when I’ll have to be involved. But right now, taking care of my husband and two rambunctious boys, and doing piece work, keeps me too busy to worry about it.”

She didn’t respond; she just stared into her coffee cup.

An uncomfortable silence followed.

Carolyn sighed. “I’m sorry. I know we’ve avoided talking about this. Or maybe that’s just me because I know I was wrong. I should’ve told you what was going on with Mom. I shouldn’t have listened to Dad or Aunt Hulda.” She fiddled with the crocheted coaster. “The fact I didn’t know you’d had a big row with Mom and Dad that night after I got married… Honestly, I know now that what our dad and aunt wanted shouldn’t have factored in at all, because neither of them could see past their animosity.”

“How’d you find out about the fight?”

“Aunt Hulda told me when we discovered you’d taken off right after the funeral service.” Carolyn’s chin wobbled. “I felt like the most horrible person in the world, for not giving you the chance…” She held her hand over her mouth and started to cry.

Kimi stood and hugged her, letting her own frustrated tears fall.

When the crying had abated, Kimi said, “I was mad. I don’t know if seein’ her before she passed on would’ve made a difference, if I could’ve gotten over my anger at her, but I hated that I was the only one of all the kids who didn’t get to make that choice.”

“I know.”

“And after I’d cooled off, I was still pissed on your behalf. I realized Dad would’ve expected you to do everything. Our brothers knew what was goin’ on and they didn’t help you, did they?”

For once, Carolyn didn’t hedge and try to put a happy spin on it. She just shook her head.

“I’m sorry for that.” She sighed. “I don’t want this to have a hold over us anymore. So can we put it in the past?”

“It’s already there, as far as I’m concerned.” Carolyn dabbed at her eyes with a dishtowel. “I’m glad you’re here, Kimi. And before I start grilling you about Cal, I need to know if I’m supposed to tell Dad or any of our brothers that you’re back in Wyoming.”

Kimi returned to her chair. “You’re in contact with all of them?”

“Dad? Yes. He stops by to see the boys when he knows Carson isn’t here. I want my kids to grow up around cousins since we didn’t have that. I go over to Harland’s because he’s got a sweet little boy named Dag and Sonia doesn’t seem to be in the best health. Darren has changed a lot since he and Tracy had their boy Luke. I hardly ever see Stuart and Janet. Thomas hasn’t been home since Mom’s funeral. Neither has Marshall after he took that job working for the railroad in Cheyenne.”