The M 6 Ranch

Untitled Part 6

Chapter 5

The place was quiet when the three of us arrived at the ranch. I was thinking, 'where are my guests?' The place should be hopping with horse shoes, tennis, and people gathered around the pool. People trying to rope a fake cows head. But it's dead. I looked around and couldn't believe it. We ride up to the porch and dismounted. Nikki came running out. "Nana, Nana!"

"Don't hurt her." I said putting out my hands to pick her up. I hugged her up close. Anne came through the door and stopped. With the look of confusion on her face, my heart ached for her to make it better. Jane came up behind her and grabbed her by the shoulders. Then she looked at me with concern in her eyes. I looked back at her mentally telling her I was all right. Nikki wouldn't let go so I walked over to Anne and Jane to go in the house. Jane moved Anne to one side so we could pass. I put my hand on Anne shoulder. "We could use a drink honey. Will you get us some tea? It was a long night." I smiled to reassure her.

"Ok, come on Nikki help momma with the tea." She took Nikki and walked to the kitchen. Jane followed her. The rest of us went into the living room. Jimmy sat in a chair facing the door. With his back facing the wall. "That must be a habit of people like you."

"What?"Jones asked.

"Sitting with your back to the wall, Russell used to do that." I said.

"Safer that way, you don't have to keep looking over your shoulder that way." he said nonchalantly.

"Make since." I said sitting down in the chair beside him, where he pointed me to with his hand."

Two girls walked in with the tea but it wasn't Anne. "Sarah, Taura what are you doing here?" I asked shocked to see them.

"We got in last night. Break at school." Taura said.

"We thought we would visit." Sarah added. "Maybe catch us a cowboy." She said looking at Jimmy with daggers. I caught that look. They know each other and so does Taura, But how? Surely my whole family isn't in the mob life.

Jimmy just stared at the girls. Didn't move excepted to take his tea. Then promptly handed it to me and took mine. He took a sip enjoying the coolness going down his dry throat. He looked back at the girls. "Well girls where's your brother? If you're here he is too."

"I'm right here Jimmy." A voice came from the side door. "The big question is what are you doing here? We are debt free remember." He sounded so cold. Just like his father. If I didn't believe it before I do now. He looked at me as if reading my mind. "No mom I'm smarter than that."

"I hope so honey." We all turned and looked at jimmy waiting for an answer.

"I've grown to like this ranch. So I've come to take it over from Laura."

"And what makes you think she will sell it to you?"

"I have a different kind of proposal."

I looked at him. "And what would that be? You do know I'm going to kill you."

He looked at me not sure how to take that statement. All the kids were shocked even more. "I did not stay with Russell all those years and keep a naive heart. The way everyone thinks I did." I looked at Ralph. "Are there any more of his men out there besides that flunky that hit me?"

"As far as we can tell it's just him. He hit you?" he pointed toward the barn. "He's tied up in the barn." A couple of my good friends are here now if any more show up." I got up then and walked over to my girls and gave them a hug. I whispered to then. "We will discuss this later missy."

In Unisom "Yes ma'am" I broke the hug. "How's Anne doing?"

"She's fine Jane is with her and so is Ronnie now."

"Good" I turned to Jimmy. "You're not saying much Mr. Jones." I came up beside Ralph who was standing in front of him. "I thought you had a proposal for me."

He cleared his throat. "Yes I do, of marriage."

"Since when did kid napping become dating. It's not away to get on my good side." I turned away to go to the desk. I sat down at the desk and looked at my children and then at Jones. "Tie him up with his flunky."

"Yes ma'am." Ralph pulled Jimmy to his feet and dragged him to the door.

"Does that mean you say no?" jimmy tried to be funny.

I didn't even need to answer that. I put my head in my hands, with my elbows propped on the desk. I couldn't believe this was happening. I should have known that that life would never over. I finally raised my head and opened my eyes, to see my two beautiful daughters. They are so young but apparently not too innocent. "How long"

They looked at each other than at me. "Since high school; dad would ask us to run a package here or there. It didn't seem to harm anyone. It was never drugs. It was always money from the bookies."Taura said in defense of their actions.

"Oh that makes it better." I leaned back in my chair. "Are you still doing it?"

"Not since dad died and I went to college."Sarah said to fast to give me any comfort.

I looked at Taura. She was quite a few minutes. "Not very often" Taura snapped " but not for Ralphs group of fools." And I wasn't delivering I was being an escort to their business associates to parties and dinners." She looked at her mom's face. "No sex was involved."

"Involved in what?" Ralph asked coming back into the room.

"Your sister here has been playing escort to your other family."

Ralph looked at Taura in shock and anger. "What did I tell you about that family?"

"Ok what did I tell you about marring into the family?"

I just sat back and listened. That's how you learn. After about thirty minutes of them bickering I got up and walked toward the door. "Mom, what are you going to do?" Sarah asked.

"I've got to think. I'm going to see the grandchild I do get to see." I looked at Ralph and walked out.

"You know you're wrong for that."Sarah said sitting back down.

"I know I'm fixing to solve that dilemma soon. But for now." He turned back to Taura. "I thought we agreed to cut all ties with the Daniel family."

"How can you say that? You married one." Taura said to him not backing down. "It gets me through college without asking mom for money." She said sitting down beside Sarah.

Ralph loves his sisters more than life. He understood how his dad let them take his life for theirs. He walked over behind his sisters and put his hand on their shoulder. "We will get through this if we stick together, like we did when we were kids." They looked up at him and remembered the good times too. They nodded their heads in agreement.