Diamond S Ranch

50 Loose Ends & Amends

A little after lunch time Sunday, Maria and Lillie had arrived at the ranch. Since Maria worked there she didn't bother knocking and just walked in through the kitchen door. Cappy and Lorenzo gave her a warm, if not slightly surprised greeting, as this was not her usual day, when she and Lillie stepped in. Jake having seen her car pulling up and joined them in the kitchen. 

"Hey, thanks for coming." He said as he walked in. 

"No problem," Lillie's mom responded. "got me out of having to help do the after dinner dishes." She said with a wink." 

"Hey, Lillie, I'd like to talk with your Mom, if you don't mind. Elle should be back pretty soon, you're welcome to wait for her in her room or the den, or wherever you would like." Jake said. "Just don't wander to far, okay." 

"Okay, thank you." Lillie politely replied. 

She tried to act normal but actually she suddenly had a sick feeling wash over her. Elle had told her all about what happened yesterday. So Lillie knew, that Jake knew, that she and Elle knew, all about Gage and Garrett's business adventure.  And now she and her Mom were here and Jake was wanting to talk to her mom, alone. And, he told her not to wander to far...oh, yeah, this can't be good she thought to herself. 

Once Jake and her Mom disappeared through the kitchen doorway, Lillie decided to seek privacy in Elle's bedroom and quickly made her way up there. Once in her room, she plopped down on her bed, sitting cross legged, she immediately texted her. 

Jake just took my mom to the office to talk alone. Told me not to wander to far. Bad feeling about this. When you getting here?  

She didn't have to wait long for a reply.

Almost home now. 

Lillie texted her back, she was waiting for her in her room. She wanted to add, "hurry" at the end but that really wouldn't do any good, so she didn't. 

*****

"So, that's pretty much everything." Jake finished as he, Zach and Maria sat in his office.

Maria could hear the heavy sigh that accompanied his final statement. It didn't feel like it was for a dramatic effect. It felt more like it was coming from someone who was feeling emotionally and physically drained. She could see it in both their faces as she sat there with both of them. 

As a Mom her heart went out to them. She had been with this family for quite some time now and she had seen these particular two young men really grow.  From just being sons helping out on their father's ranch, to now responsible owners running a business and helping to raise their siblings. And if anyone could understand better, you can't control the choices others make, it was her. Her family alone had enough drama to make some of those people on crazy those talk shows look like they are in a Hallmark movie. She was not one to judge.

"So, you really don't believe Lillie and Elle had anything to do with this?" She looked to Jake as he sat across the desk, then to Zach who sat opposite her. They both could not only hear the concern in her voice but there was a slight uncertainty flickering behind those maple brown eyes of hers. 

"No, we really don't." Jake answered. "From what Garrett told us, they followed them last Sunday morning and that's all they did. They weren't involved in anything the boys did. From what we can tell, we have no reason to believe they've even tried to go back there. So, we feel it's safe to say, they weren't involved in this at all." Jake said trying to reassure her.

"I'm sure they weren't expecting to stumble across what they did." Zach added. "I think, they were just being little girls, sneaking around following the older boys with no idea what the boys were doing."