Early Spring, 1974
“Hello?” The female voice sounded tired.
“Mom?”
“Gabriel, is that you? I can’t believe it’s you! How are you?”
“I’m doing really well, Mom . . . really well.”
“I was wondering if you were ever going to call. I’ve been worried about you.”
“I know. I know. Life at The River has been amazing. I have so much to tell you. You know I’m not great at talking on the phone.”
“I don’t care if you’re good at it. I just want to hear your voice,” his mom, Maggie, said.
“Okay, okay, Mom.”
“What about that girl you mentioned to me before? You spending any time with her these days?”
“Yeah, Mom. Her name is Tabitha and she’s amazing.” Gabriel shot a grin to Tabitha who was sitting next to him in the office. “I want you to meet her sometime. So you have a big day next week, huh?”
“What are you talking about?” She sounded confused.
“Mom. Your birthday?”
“Oh yeah, that. I’m getting less and less excited about those.”
“You going to do anything fun?”
“I’ll probably work, bake a pie, eat it, and that’ll be the end of it.” Maggie chuckled.
“Well, I hope it’s a great day for you. You deserve it.” He paused. “Well, I’ve got to get back to work on some things here.”
“Okay, honey. Thanks for calling. I always love hearing from you. Please be careful . . . Oh, and come visit me sometime. I want to see your face.”
“I will, Mom . . . maybe in a few months.”
“I love you, sweetheart.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
Gabriel hung up the phone and looked at Tabitha.
“That wasn’t too painful. She really lets me have it sometimes.” Gabriel rolled his eyes and smiled. “I have an idea,” he continued.
“Me too,” she said as she snuggled in close and kissed his neck.
He squirmed at the thought of Jacob walking in on them in the office. “I do like your idea, but I have another.”
“What’s that?” she asked as she kissed him again.
“Let’s surprise my mom for her birthday. I want you to go to Kansas with me for a few days. I want you to meet her.”
Tabitha sat up. “Really?”
“Yeah, let’s take a road trip, just you and me. Camp doesn’t open for a few more weeks. Things are quiet around here. Will you come with me?” he asked as he held her shoulders in his hands. “Ms. Vonda, Mister Earl’s wife, you know the family whose farm we lived on, she makes some amazing fried chicken.”
“Uh, okay. Yeah, let’s do it. I want to see where you grew up,” she said as she smiled.
“Go where?” Jacob’s strong voice burst into their moment as he entered the back of the office.
Tabitha jerked back from Gabriel’s embrace.
“You scared me, Dad!”
“Good!” Jacob smiled.
Gabriel fidgeted to cover his embarrassment. “Jacob, I was going to ask you about going to surprise my mom for her birthday next week. I haven’t seen her for a long time. I’d love it if Tabitha could go with me to meet her.”
Jacob raised his eyebrows but nodded. “I see. I suppose we can manage around here for a few days.”
The winters could be quite long in Colorado, which made the awakening of spring that much more enrapturing. The sleeping flowers and trees burst forth, painting the landscape with vivid washes of every color. The wildlife was more boisterous and active again, and the spring sun warmed the mornings earlier and earlier. The signs of life called everyone and everything out of its wintery rest to create, experience, and explore. Gabriel noticed this awakening in nature and felt his own sense of adventure as he and Tabitha were taking big steps in their relationship together.
Gabriel and Tabitha loaded up his old two-tone step-side pickup and started the day-and-a-half trek just after lunch on a warm and sunny Tuesday. They had a cooler full of sodas, sandwiches, and a small basket full of Ezra’s cinnamon rolls, prepared fresh for them that morning. Sadie, Jacob, and Ezra all waved good-bye from the lodge deck as they rumbled out of the gravel drive.
Tabitha and Gabriel waved back.
“Well, here we go. Thanks for coming with me,” Gabriel said as he focused on the road.
Tabitha put her hand on his leg. “I’m excited. I can’t wait to see where you grew up.”
The young couple drove through the night, trading off every few hours so the other could sleep. The hours on Highway 70 felt long. The scenery was the same . . . fields and more fields. It was miles and miles of flat.
“We should be getting close, only another half an hour or so,” Gabriel said as he munched on some jerky.
“There are some really beautiful areas here,” Tabitha observed as she watched out the window. “I love the old windmills. It’s just so open.”
“Yeah. I think that’s why I couldn’t believe my eyes when I got to the Rockies, ya know? It’s so much more wild and extreme.”
“Wild and extreme is awesome, but it’s nice to have a peaceful break and see something different now and then.”
“We’ll pass the Cairo Diner on the way to the farm. Mom should be starting her dinner shift. We can surprise her. They have a great meat and three too.”
“Meat and three?”
“Yeah, meat and three sides. You’ve never heard of that?”
“Nope.”
“Welcome to Kansas!”
Gabriel was excited to show Tabitha around, but he was nervous for the meeting of the two most important women in his life.
They pulled into the sleepy little town around four thirty in the afternoon. With their windows down, the warm air blew through the cab of the truck. Gabriel saw a few overall-clad farmers chatting outside the filling station, and somebody inside the old hardware shop on the left just flipped the sign to “closed.”
“There’s the five-and-dime where I used to work.” Gabriel pointed across her to the store on the corner. “That’s where Jimmy called me to invite me to The River. One of the best days of my life was telling Mr. Baggers, my boss, I was done.”
Gabriel rested his forearms on the large steering wheel as he took in the sights. They came to a four-way stop, and Gabriel saw it.
“There it is. I had many a meal at that diner.”
He turned into the parking area around the back so his mom wouldn’t see him.
“Yep. There’s Mom’s truck.” He slammed the column shifter into park and turned the engine off. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and leaned back on the old bench seat.
“Does it feel weird?” Tabitha asked as she put on her sandals.
“A little. Just coming back here after all that I’ve experienced over the past year. It’s like I’ve lived two lifetimes. I spent the bulk of my years here, but at least for now, it just feels strange.”
“You know what I’m feeling?” Tabitha asked as she fluffed her hair in the rearview mirror.
“What?”
“I’m feeling like . . . I gotta pee.”
“Nice. After you’re done, why don’t you get us a table and I’ll sneak in shortly.”
“Got it.” Tabitha hoisted herself out of the truck and walked around to the front of the old cinderblock building. Gabriel parked the truck and watched through the window as some of the locals having pie at the counter stared at Tabitha. Her fitted cutoff jeans, tie-dyed tank top, and faded orange dew-rag gave away that she was definitely not from around there.
“May I have a table for two please?”
Gabriel watched as his mom came into view.
“Absolutely, sweetie. Follow me.” The waitress took her to a booth in the back of the diner next to a window and slapped a couple of menus down.
“What can I get you to drink?”
“Water, and I’ll have some black coffee too.” Gabriel saw Tabitha’s eyes land on the name tag on the waitress’s white blouse. Maggie. Tabitha grinned.
Gabriel listened through the open window.
“May I use the restroom?”
“Sure, hon. It’s back there . . . the first door on the left.” Maggie pointed.
“Thank you.” Tabitha headed back.
Maggie headed up to the front to get the drinks. “George. Get your eyes back on your dessert.” The sassy waitress obviously caught the old farmer watching the brown-skinned, long-legged beauty as she sashayed to the back of the diner.
The old man choked on his coffee as he spun his bar-stool back around. His friend next to him slapped him on the arm, and they both got a chuckle.
Gabriel’s heart skipped a beat as he peeked through the window and watched his mom head back into the kitchen. He snuck in the front door and joined Tabitha in the booth, facing away from the kitchen.
Maggie came through the swinging door in the back and loaded her tray with two glasses of water. As she was pouring a cup of coffee, the other waitress on duty, a rotund and frumpy dark-haired woman, talked under her breath while looking Tabitha and Gabriel’s way.
The couple overheard the comical conversation.
“Did you see that amazing piece of man that just joined little Trixie back there?”
“Oh please, Jenny.”
“I’m serious . . . I just saw six feet of a bearded mountain man who is begging for this Kansas girl. Can I take the table, please? I’m going to give that skinny little runway model a run for her money.”
Maggie started laughing. “No, I need the tips. Now wipe your chin and get back to work.” Maggie headed down the aisle toward Tabitha.
Gabriel kept his head down and looked away as she approached.
“Here you go.” She placed the waters and the coffee down. “Would you like to hear the specials?”
“Any chance you have any of Maggie’s famous chocolate chip pancakes?” Gabriel looked up at her.
Maggie dropped the empty tray and covered her mouth with both hands.
“Happy birthday, Mom.” Gabriel jumped up out of his seat.
“Oh my gosh! I can’t believe you!” She hugged his neck.
Gabriel grinned. “Are you surprised?”
“Are you kidding? I’m in shock! Let me look at you!” Maggie grabbed his chin. “What’s this? A beard? It’s so good to see you. Oh I just can’t believe this.” She turned her attention to Tabitha, who was smiling from ear to ear.
“You must be Tabitha.”
“It’s such an honor to meet you.” Tabitha extended her arms for a hug.
“Well, I know Gabriel thinks the world of you. She is beautiful, Gabriel.”
Gabriel winked at Tabitha. “I told you.”
Looking at his mom, he added, “I hope Ms. Vonda and Mister Earl don’t mind the surprise. I’m assuming we can stay a couple of days at the farm.”
“They will be thrilled to see you. It’s not the same around the farm without you.”
The other waitress came over to the table. “So, Maggie, you know these folks?”
“Jenny, this is my son, Gabriel, and his girlfriend, Tabitha. Jenny has only been here about six months.”
The waitress looked Gabriel up and down.
“Well, nice to meet you.” She looked at Maggie and pointed her finger up at her. “Don’t you say a word.”
Maggie motioned to zip her smiling lips. “Not a word.”
Jenny smiled. “I’ll cover your tables tonight. You go be with your family. I’ll even give you the tips! I didn’t know it was your birthday!”
“Really? Oh, Jenny, I owe you.” Maggie untied her apron as fast as she could.
“Go on before I change my mind!” Jenny shooed them out with both hands.
Gabriel and Tabitha took Gabriel’s truck, following Maggie in hers, as they both headed through town to the Cartwright farm. They turned off the main highway onto the first of two unpaved roads. The trucks stirred up a cloud of dust as they motored through the infinite fields. They made the final turn through the gate of the Cartwright Farm. The tires crunched along the gravel drive.
“There’s Mister Earl! Hey, Mister Earl!” Gabriel shouted out his window to the old man who was walking out of the barn. The old man squinted and furrowed his brow. The two trucks parked and Gabriel jumped out.
“Holy smokes!” Mister Earl took his John Deere hat off and grinned from ear to ear. Gabriel raced over to the slight man and gave him a big hug. “Where did you come from?”
“I wanted to surprise Mom for her birthday.”
Tabitha got out and walked over.
“And who is this pretty little lady?” He extended his wiry arm for a handshake.
“Mister Earl, this is Tabitha. I work with her family at The River in Colorado.”
Tabitha flashed a winning smile. “I’ve heard so much about you, Mister Earl. It’s so nice to meet you. Your farm is beautiful!”
He ducked his head. “Oh, it ain’t much, but it has served us well. Come on in and see Ms. Vonda. You hungry? You know she’ll want to feed you.”
“We are starved,” Gabriel said. “We’d planned to eat a meat and three, but when Jenny volunteered to take Mom’s shift, we ran out of there.”
They all ascended the steps of the porch and through the screen door to find Ms. Vonda in her apron bustling around the kitchen.
“Oh my!” The little white-haired woman wiped her hands on her apron as she waddled over to Gabriel and threw her arms up for a hug.
“It’s the best birthday present ever!” Maggie said as she watched Ms. Vonda’s reaction.
“Fried chicken and biscuits okay for dinner?” She knew how much Gabriel loved her cooking.
“I was hoping you’d say that. Ms. Vonda, this is Tabitha.”
“My stars, she’s a looker. Are you taking care of my Gabriel? And look how skinny you are. We’ve got to get some food in you. It’s good to meet you, sweetie.”
Gabriel laughed to himself. Ms. Vonda only chattered like this when she was nervous or excited.
That night they enjoyed a fantastic Southern meal complete with fried chicken, biscuits, green beans, and sliced tomatoes. Ms. Vonda made Maggie’s favorite birthday cake, chocolate with fudge icing. They sat around the dining room table for hours, reminiscing about days gone by on the farm. Maggie asked lots of questions, and Gabriel told of his exploits and discoveries on The River.
For Gabriel, bringing Tabitha to his other home and into his childhood memories was like bringing water to a desert. It felt like healing. She was really getting to know him now. He couldn’t wait to show her around. There were new memories to be made on this old property . . . memories that would last a lifetime.