Mustang Dreams (COMPLETED)

Chapter Thirty Two

          "Well, thank you all so so much for all of the wonderful gifts. You really didn't have to get me anything at all, but I really appreciate it." Misty started, smiling at her family members who were all watching her open presents. 

           "Umm, well, actually, you have one more gift." Clay started, nervously. 

          "Oh, did I miss one?" Misty began looking at the floor around the wooden kitchen chair that she sat on in the living room.

           "Just mine. I wanted to give it to you first, but by the time I worked up the courage to give it to you, you had already opened everyone else's gift." Clay handed Misty a medium sized, deep white box, tied with a beautiful blue ribbon. 

           "Did you wrap this?" Misty asked, grinning as she carefully untied the ribbon on the four-inch-by-four-inch box. Glancing to her right, she saw Clay nod. 

            Misty took the lid off of the box, seeing a folded up piece of paper in it at first. She felt her eyebrows flicker together in confusion as she pulled out the paper, looking intently at it. It was a picture taken from the sky of a bunch of pastures, corrals, a few barns, and a house. 

         "There's a couple other things in the box, too." Clay said, kneeling down beside Misty.

         Misty pulled out the second piece of paper, opening it up. Across the top "Deed of Ownership" was written, and on the middle of the paper was a sticky note that said "Congrats, love Clay." The last thing in the box was a key, tied to the same blue ribbon that the box was wrapped in. 

         "What is all of this, Clay?" Misty asked, not picking up on any of the hints. 

         A smile rose to Clay's lips as he looked at her and said, "You got the ranch." 

        Misty swore her heart stopped for a second when Clay gave her the news. "What? How could I have gotten the ranch? I never went in to the bank to-"

         "I paid for the down payment." Clay's smile was wider than the Rio Grande. 

         Everyone in the room was wide eyed, and joined in a conglomerate of "aww's" and "that is so sweet," among other various compliments. 

          Clay could clearly read the hesitation on Misty's face as she stared at what was in her hands. She was trying to wrap her head around what just happened. The ranch of her dreams was finally hers; her biggest dream was starting to come true. But, it wasn't hers. It was partially Clay's since he paid the down payment. "I-I don't know what to say." Misty whispered, partially because she was still blown away, but also because she really did not know what to say. 

           Clay's voice was quiet too, even though the room was loud with chatter about how sweet it was of Clay to give Misty such an extravagant gift. Standing up, Clay went behind Misty to wrap his arms around her chest, giving her cheek a kiss. "Surprise, darlin'. You like it?" 

          Misty reached up, resting her hand on Clay's hands, interlacing their fingers. "Yeah, yeah, I do. Thank you so much, babe." She turned her head to give Clay a quick kiss. 

           Everything about Misty's body language and hesitation told Clay that something was wrong, and that she wasn't entirely happy with his gift. Letting out a sigh, Clay pulled away from Misty, saying that he was going to go grab a trash bag to put all the wrapping paper and everyone's plates and such in. 

           While Clay was in the kitchen, he leaned against the counter, dropping his head, asking God what he should do. He had honestly thought that when Misty had said that all she wanted for her birthday was her ranch, that that was a sign to Clay to snatch it up before it was gone. It was too good of a deal to pass up, and he wanted nothing more to make Misty's dream come true. Taking in a deep breath, Clay grabbed a trash bag, walking back out into the living room.