Because of a Cowboy

Telling the Family

I inserted my twelve-week ultrasound picture into the envelope that contained my letter to Whisper. I sealed it, slapped on a stamp, and addressed it to her group home before running it out to the mailbox. Another one down, only the entire household left to go.

"Willa, can you give your brother a hand with setting the table?" my mother called from the kitchen as I walked in the door.

"One sec! Just need to grab Dad's present from upstairs!" I said, running through our house full of people.

I nearly took out Wesley, the oldest, as he carried a stack of dishes that was up to his chin. Once I made it to my room, I put the finishing touches on the two gifts. They were on my desk, right next to the framed picture Grandpa gave me weeks ago.

Winne had a full-length mirror on her side of the room. I walked over and stared at my reflection, then turned and lifted up my oversized sweater. I was definitely showing. I gave my bump a few little pats as the doorbell rang.

I grabbed the presents and ran downstairs. The presents were tossed into the pile with all the rest, and I rushed through the front door to let Toby in.

"Wow, you're looking way sharper than you need to," I said.

He straightened out his suit jacket and gave me his classic, warm grin. "It's a big night."

I rolled my eyes as he handed me my dad's present and walked in. He was greeted by the cheers of my family, who he'd known since we were both in diapers. Toby, whose parents owned the ice cream stand across the street from the ranch, was just like family to me.

Being homeschooled and so far from civilization, Toby had always been my closest friend. Well, the only one, for that matter. Even though his sarcasm and smartass coments drove me nuts sometimes.

I helped Wesley with the table and finally it was time to eat. My father took off the light-up party hat Waldo gave him. I nervously ate my mother's casserole, even though it came out perfect.

It felt like forever before we could open presents. But finally, after the longest dinner and dessert of my life, my dad was ripping open the wrapping paper of his first gift, then his second. He reached over for mine.

"Wait! Do mine last!" I said.

"Uh-oh. It must be some gift, Willa," he said, chuckling.

He was having such a good time on his sixtieth birthday. I didn't want to ruin anything right in the middle of it.

"Okay, time for the big mystery present!" he said, throwing more wrapping paper into the garbage bag beside him. He reached over and untied the ribbon around the two boxes.

"You have to do the big one first," I said, my voice a little shaky. Toby held my sweaty hand under the table.

He opened the first shoebox and pulled out a pair of sleek, black leather boots. "Look at that! These are perfect," he said, eagerly moving on to the next box.

He lifted the lid and all the color drained from his face. Everyone went silent. Wrylie, Whisper's twin, leaned over to peek at the box and gasped. Everyone else followed suit. In a moment of sheer panic, I curled up into a ball under the table. Toby instantly pulled me back up.

Once I was in that chair, everyone's eyes were on Toby. He put his hands up and said, "Don't look at me! It's not mine. I'm still forever in the friendzone."

Everyone fell silent again, before my mother spoke up.

"If it's not Toby, then...who?" she asked.

I lowered my head. "Holden, the one we hired for summer help."

"That cocky prick I fired because he was flirting with all the guests?" Wesley asked, gritting his teeth.

I sighed. "Yup. That one."

There was a long pause, and everyone took a moment to calm down. All my siblings took their seats. Winter, who I was always closest to, solemnly served us more chocolate cake before sitting back down with her husband John. I always told her everything, and I could tell she felt betrayed.

"I'm so sorry everyone. I really screwed up," I said.

"Hey, things happen," said Watson, who was only a year older than me.

"Yeah, look at that scare I had with Daisy last summer," said Will, his twin who looked nothing like him.

"What scare?" Dad asked.

My mother sushed him. "Let's stay on topic. Willa, did this happen when he was here for the Christmas party in the barn?"

"I...don't want to say."

"Do you want to keep it?" Winter asked me.

"Yes. I do. I have no idea how I'm going to do this but I'm going to figure it out. I was going to ask to move into the guest house with it after Winter and John move out in August," I said. "We already know I'm not interested in school because I want to stay here and help run the ranch, so it wouldn't be too much of a burden. I could even have it with me while I'm in the gift shop."

My mother backed up in her wheelchair and came around to me, enveloping me in a hug. The rest of my family did the same. I found myself gasping for air and started wriggling myself away.

"Wait, you guys aren't mad?" I asked.

"Surprised," Mom said, "but also excited."

"A little disappointed, but you can't turn back time. You can only go forward," Dad said, lifting the pair of tiny cowboy boots out of the shoebox. "And I can't wait to teach them how to ride!"  

In the midst of all the excitement, Wesley got out of his chair, grabbed his coat, and left the house without a word. I knew he was retreating back to the apartment he made out of the storage space above the gift shop. My stomach churned with guilt.

"Don't feel bad, dearie," Grandpa said, patting my shoulder. "He's just being a big baby because he was promised the guest house next."

"Hmph," Wrylie said, crossing her arms. "Maybe he can finally get his butt out of his office and build himself a place like I did."

"We all know you're proud of your tiny house, Wrylie," I said. Everyone turned to look at me, their faces twisted with confusion. I wasn't normally one to snap. Then, all of a sudden, I was crying again. "Sorry! It's the hormones!"

I wiped my eyes with a napkin. I thought this would be easier after I told my family, but now it seemed like this was only the beginning of what was going to be a long, complicated journey.