What Were They Thinking?
34 Moving to the Ranch
LIL AND I closed up the house for a month after Lexi graduated and we helped her move to Bloomington. Casa del Fuego was in their new home which meant the upper level of the barn was occupied by dormitories and the sewing room. They had to do some schedule shifting because they couldn’t have sewing machines running at the same time they were filming in the studio below.
We left them to figure out their systems and went to Italy. Liliana’s mother was still alive, though her father had passed on a couple of years earlier. We visited but did not stay in her home. We could afford decent hotels and no one complained about the noise we made as we reconnected our bodies with our spirits.
“I told you the night I became your American girlfriend that when I swore my vows, no other man would have touched me and none ever would. I have kept my vow, Sly. But I also promised my partner would find everything he needs and everything he desires in my arms. I fear I’ve failed you in that, my beloved. I have been too caught up in being a mother to be a good wife.”
“Lily, you have not failed. I still find everything I need and desire in your arms. And I am faithful to you. Being a mother was the most important thing you could have done for the past twenty years. I love you even more for the way you love our daughters.”
“But I have not been as available to you as you desire. That changes right now, Sly. Your slightest touch will be the only signal I need to make love to you. I… I guess I have missed it, too.”
“This touch?” I asked as I playfully traced her lips with my finger.
“Any touch, my husband,” she answered pressing her lips toward me until I relented and welcomed them to my own.
The touches we shared that night rekindled all our passion. Mmm. Not that we were going to make love three times a day as we did when we were first married, but often. And that night… only twice. And twice more in the morning.
“It’s so quiet,” she sighed. Not only quiet, but stuffy. We went around opening the windows to the August air. Lily returned from the basement with two box fans that I set in the windows to get air circulating through the house. We’d visited Spain as well as Italy, finding my mother’s and father’s homes. Of course, there were no relatives there but we found several nice hotels where we could make love as we visited the sights in Barcelona and Catalonia. Spain was now a constitutional monarchy under King Juan Carlos but it still seemed they were attempting to screw our region at every opportunity.
“Let’s go outside and have a drink. There’s ice.”
“I’ll meet you out there. I need to get out of these travel clothes,” she said. I had kicked off my shoes when I entered the house and dropped my jacket in the study. I pulled off my dress shirt and tossed it into the laundry room so I had only my undershirt on. On second thought, I pulled off my socks and tossed them in the laundry as well. I fixed us tall gin and tonics and went to the deck. It took a minute to get the deck furniture wiped off but before long I was stretched out looking up into the cloudless night sky.
The light on the deck went out a second before the door slid open. That would decrease the number of bugs flitting around, I supposed.
“Is this seat taken?” Lil asked as she settled into my lap on the lounger. Naked.
“Lil? You are… Oh, my baby…” I knew my wife’s body intimately and had renewed my acquaintance with every inch of it while we vacationed, but having her unexpectedly settle on my lap and wrap her arms around my neck to kiss me while I caressed every part of her my hands could reach brought me to instant attention. And we were outside! This felt deliciously sinful.
“I thought I’d get in practice for the ranch,” she whispered as her lips brushed mine again. “I’m sure none of those kids are wearing a stitch of clothing right now.”
“They’re good kids, Lil.”
“I didn’t say they were having an orgy. Or even making love under the stars as we are about to do.” Her hands were busy unfastening my belt.
“Is that what we are about to do?” I asked, stripping off my undershirt.
“Yes. Out here under the stars. And then we are going to figure out what we need to do to be nearer to our daughters without making them feel that we are spying on them or hovering.”
Oh, yes. I made love to Lil in the darkness of our deck under the stars that decorated the sky. And though I was certain the neighbors couldn’t see us, I was equally certain they could hear us.
“Papa Sly! Mama Lil! How wonderful you could come for a visit. You’re here mid-week, so no one is competing for the master suite tonight. We’ll take your bags upstairs.”
“It’s lovely to see you, Brian, but I came to visit your cónyuge,” Lil laughed.
“She’s working at the moment. There will be a break in about half an hour when we change audiences. I had a bad cold and couldn’t talk, so I’m picking up most of my shows starting tomorrow.”
“We could go over to visit Lexi,” Sly said.
“It’s better if no one uses the doors during taping,” Brian answered. “How about if I show you what’s new since you were here a couple of months ago. You’ll love it!”
He was as excited as a little boy as he led us back outside and across the studio parking area. On the other side of what had been a property boundary, graders were moving earth around to level roadways and crews were marking out sewer, water, and electric routes.
“You knew we acquired the farm next door last spring, right? Now we’re laying the foundations for the Village of Corazón. Of course, as far as the government is concerned, it’s just a planned unit development. But Papa John and Papa Rex say that we should be able to get a charter as a community if we have enough residents. With all the younger kids taking up residence this summer and the several we’ve added since we got here, we’re really overcrowded on the ranch.”
“How many units do you think you’ll put on this piece? Fifty?” I asked.
“Oh, no! We don’t want to look like a bunch of row houses. We plan to develop fifteen residential lots and a business center around the village square. Maribelle Swanson will run a produce market to get that started. But the kids are already outgrowing the barn loft for Designed by Leonard. They’ve crowded the dormitories so they have room to cut and sew. I think Elaine’s wardrobe almost fills the space up there anyway. Mama Bear has been working with Rhiannon and Papa Rex to design an office and manufacturing facility on one side of the square. Eventually, we’ll put a small apartment building on one corner so people who don’t want to continue living in dorms after graduation can have a reasonable place to live if they want to stay with us here in the Village.”
“You’re so enthused!” Lily laughed.
“Mama Lil and Papa Sly, I hope we’ll be able to convince you to buy one of the lots and move down here with us. Papa John and Mama Bea have already reserved one and Rhiannon is working with them on the design. Marshall and Martha are moving out of the farmhouse up the road to a retirement cottage here in the village and Del and Maribelle will move in there. I want you to know that we’d love it if you decided you could move down here as well.”
“We?”
“Me, for one. But I’ve talked to Samantha and Hannah. A lot. They’ve felt awfully cut-off from family since they moved down here and if it weren’t for the productions going on all the time, I think they’d feel downright lonely. And Lexi… I don’t want to speak out of turn, but a few days ago I held her in my arms by the fire while she cried because she missed you. We. We’d all love it if you moved here.”
“We’ll think about it. I should talk to John and Rex and Hayden. Are your folks planning to move here?” I asked.
“They’ve reserved a lot but Grandpa put some rigid stipulations in his will. If they don’t stay on the property in Mishawaka until he dies, the whole farm and all his assets go to charity. I’d be happy if they just left the old grouch and came here to live, but… Well, it’s not just the will that keeps them there. Dad really loves his father and wouldn’t abandon him. I guess I get that side of me from him.”
“You do a good job, Brian. I couldn’t have asked for a better son-in-law.”
“John, this is huge! Isn’t it a bit much for a retirement home?” I asked when he showed me the plans and renderings for his house in the Village. It was slated for delivery soon after the first of the year. Lil and I had reserved a lot just up the street but I’d been thinking a little two-bedroom bungalow that we could retire in and just be near the kids.
“Sly, did it ever occur to you how unusual the family relationships are in this group?” he asked.
“As if I could miss it,” I laughed.
“Brian entered into a three-way relationship with Samantha and Hannah. Sometimes it’s five-way, but that is because of the closely tied three-way between Brian, Jennifer, and Courtney. Last Christmas, I held Cassandra in an embrace with Brian, Mary, and Josh and gave them my blessing as Rose tied a thread around their combined wrists. Brian has that same relationship with individuals as well as multiples. He’s tied the thread with Whitney, Rose, and Liz who have no other ties. What’s the common thread, if you will?”
“Obviously, Brian,” Lily said. “We knew that when we consented three years ago.”
“Exactly. Brian is the clan leader, but he is in six very distinct family relationships. I guess seven, since I didn’t even count the one with Doreen and his son. Bea and I got to thinking that it must be very difficult for any one family to get time that doesn’t include all the others. So we decided to design our home so that when they needed a place just for them, Brian, Cassie, Mary, and Josh would have a place. Kind of an auxiliary home.”
“And the grandchildren,” Bea added. “We’ve got plans to finish out the basement if they need a place for children’s rooms. Can you imagine what the big house where they all live now will look like when there are half a dozen children living there, too? Or a dozen?”
“Oh, my,” Lily gasped as she realized the implications. “We need room for Brian, Sam, and Hannah in our home. And for Lexi when she decides if or with whom she’s going to settle down. At the moment, I can’t imagine anything but a foursome in that relationship. Sly, we should talk to Rhiannon about getting a house similar to the Clintons’.”
Our new home in the Village was completed in March and Lily and I moved in immediately. We were so pleased that as soon as we were settled, Brian, Samantha, and Hannah occupied one of the two spare suites and Lexi, Judy, Ross, and Monte occupied the other for an entire weekend. We could never have accommodated that whole crew in Mishawaka. I joined the campaign to elect John Clinton to the Township Board as soon as we’d changed our legal address. It wasn’t only the kids we were close to, but we became much closer with the Clintons. And with Marshall and Martha Jacobs. And crazy Dinita Kimes. We always needed to call ahead when we visited the nurse or she’d answer the door stark naked.
Even Bart and Sylvia Wood decided almost at once that they would buy one of the lots and a big house for their three daughters. And Mama Bear had her home under construction with the unique design of making her own quarters more of a mother-in-law apartment off the main house. I wasn’t sure who all would share the main house with Leonard.
It was quite a festival for the ranch the first of April when Designed by Leonard officially launched. Elaine had taped her show months ago with the girls of the clan acting as models for Leonard’s fashions. Tres Chic, a women’s specialty store in town, agreed to be the exclusive catalog storefront for the line and everyone was busy sewing. Even Lil and Bea helped. Heaven had come to town to host the grand opening of the line. It seemed I was busier than I’d been in the past five years coordinating security for the event. Judy was my righthand man, but she was in school and couldn’t put full-time effort in on it. Nonetheless, we coordinated our efforts well. Heaven’s two bodyguards handled her personal security and Judy and Monte handled Leonard’s. I handled site security for the event and received my share of thanks from Tres Chic.
The foundation had been laid for the office and manufacturing facility on the Village Square. Lexi called everyone who had a part in the grand opening together in the middle of the foundation.
“I’ve talked things over with Susan and Leonard,” she began. “We all agree that the numbers tell us we have a success. Tres Chic had to put on a temp to answer the phone and take orders. We’ve put two new seamstresses on in the facility in town where we’ve been sewing since we outgrew the loft. So, I’m happy to say that we have the cash on hand to secure our mortgage for this property. Mama Bear has signed the lease agreement with Ron’s company and there is no further reason to delay putting walls on this foundation.” Everyone cheered.
“Let me say that Lexi has been a dynamo in getting the business handled,” Leonard said. “Good designs don’t sell themselves. You’ve all made our company a success.”
“Which is why I’m going to have the office on the corner two floors above where I’m standing right now,” Lexi laughed. “I love you. I love each and every one of you!” She proceeded to show her partners just how much by kissing them right there in the open.
The election on Tuesday approved the Village of Corazón as a community under Indiana State Law and moved John Clinton onto the Township Board. I started training to become a volunteer fireman like so many of the younger residents of the ranch had. The fire in January in which our crew was the first on the site had been a turning point in community relations. When we proposed a firehouse in the village, the response to becoming a community was almost unanimous. It would take a while before there was a firm enough base to become a town, but the community was organized around integrated residences and businesses. The time would come. Eight of the homesites had been spoken for and it seemed there was a house delivered at least once a month. Everyone was involved in something as the school year-end approached. Samantha and Hannah had been in Indianapolis all week with Nikki and Elaine to rehearse her one-woman comedy special coming up in just over a month. The season had wrapped up daily taping for two months and would resume sometime after the special. Our daughter and three of her friends had even succeeded in pledging a sorority and would be sworn in or inducted or whatever they called it on Sunday. Of course, that wasn’t a public ceremony, so parents were not invited.
Lily decided we needed to have our own celebration and invited the four girls to dinner Saturday night. Lexi, TK, Amber, and Addison accepted the invitation and Lil put on an elegant feast. I even poured the girls each a glass of good Tuscan wine we’d brought back from our trip.
“It’s going to be a madhouse,” TK said. “Every sorority on the row is inducting at the same time. I guess they do that to keep from having one sorority haze the pledges to another.”
“Do the fraternities conduct their initiation at the same time?” I asked. College life was still something that I was learning about as if it were all a foreign language.
“No. The Greek Society set the schedule so the frats would be available to escort girls to their induction and then the girls escort the guys to theirs. No one wants an event that is all male or all female like it was in the old days,” Lexi said.
“And who is escorting you to the big event?” Lil asked.
“I have a boyfriend who will escort me. Ray is a real hunk and I’m lucky to have met him this year,” Addison said.
“I convinced George to be my escort,” TK said.
“And Rich is going with me for old times’ sake,” Amber giggled.
“Of course, Brian is escorting me,” Lexi said.
“Brian? Is that okay with your sister?” I asked. I knew many of the girls had dates with any guy in the clan, whether they were a couple or not. It had been that way for years. I was a little surprised that Lexi had chosen Brian instead of Ross or Monte.
“Oh, it’s no problem, Dad. You know Samantha and I have shared everything for nineteen years,” she giggled.
“Be careful that your sharing is welcome,” Lil said.
“I want to propose a toast,” I declared, filling everyone’s wine glass again. I held my glass up and all the girls and Lil raised theirs. “I have watched you grow up. TK and Lexi for longer than Amber and Addison, but each of you have become a part of our family over that time. When we moved into this house I told you all that you were welcome here any time, just like you were in Mishawaka. What I have seen is little girls become incredible young women. You have comported yourselves with dignity and honor. You have created a profitable business and become involved in that and in the production company. I wish we had invited all your crew this evening because what I have to say is directed to all of you and each one of you. Lexi, you are my daughter and I love you beyond words. But TK, Amber, and Addison, I’ve grown to love each of you as well. You are all my daughters and I love you like life itself. Here is to the next step of your great adventure in this life. May it be filled with all the joy you have brought into ours.”
“I love you, Dad.”
“We love you, Papa Sly. We love you, Mama Lil.” We touched our glasses and I looked into the eyes of each of these precious girls.
They had other places to be, of course, and after dessert we kissed each of the girls on the cheek and sent them on their way as Lil and I cleaned up the dishes.
“What a wonderful bunch of kids we have,” Lil said.
“I feel like a father to all the kids on the ranch,” I added. “We did good, Lil.” I reached over and touched her ear with the tip of my finger. She reflexively leaned her ear toward her shoulder. “Liliana, I seem to recall something about any touch.”
“Sly? Now? The dishes…”
“Will wait until later. Come with me, Lil. I want to make love to you.”
My wife dried her hands and melted into my arms and my kiss.
Our lovemaking was slow and intense. It was filled with tender caresses and whispered words.
“Do you remember when we were trying to get pregnant after we were married? I’d almost given up when I found out I was carrying Samantha.”
“When I held my little daughter in my arms, I couldn’t wait to get you pregnant with another.”
“I loved being with you in Italy and Spain.”
“I love being with you here.”
“I love you, Tesoro.”
“I love you, Cariña.”
We slept late, read the Sunday newspaper, and washed last night’s forgotten dishes. I was thinking of a walk around the town and the ranch when there was a knock on the door. Then the doorbell. No one seems to remember to ring the bell before they knock. I went to open it. Two sheriff’s vehicles were in the driveway with lights flashing. Sheriff Donaldson and a deputy I recognized were at the door.
“Sheriff?”
“Sly. I’m sorry. There’s been a shooting at the university. Your daughters have been taken to the hospital. I’m so sorry, Sly.”
“My daughters? Samantha and Alexandra? They’ve been hurt? Lily!” She was at my shoulder and the look on her face reflected the horror I felt on mine. A shooting. The sheriff’s lapel mike squawked and he stepped away.
“What happened?” I demanded of the deputy.
“We don’t have all the details. They contacted us because some of the victims identified the ranch as home and begged the police to contact you. There are at least thirty who have been taken to the hospital but it isn’t clear yet who was shot and who just fell down and hurt themselves. I’m sorry we don’t have details.”
I needed my gun. I turned to go to my safe and Lily clasped me to her. While I tried to comfort her, Sheriff Donaldson returned from his car. The look on his face was grim.
“Deputy Robertson will take you to the hospital, Sly. I have to notify other parents. Samantha is in critical condition and is in the operating room as are Brian and Dani. I… I’m sorry, Sly. Lily. Lexi didn’t make it.”
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