Ginger happily called Raymond Saunders and Michael (Sharpie) Rogers to come to the house for lunch and to talk. She asked Juanita, Helen and Irene to join them.
Sitting around the round dining room table, and drinking hot tea, Ginger was nervous about telling Juanita who “Sharpie” really was. She breathed a prayer hoping that Juanita wouldn’t get her feelings hurt and be angry. First she told the women about the latest arrests and that the law officials thought they were closing the cult and stopping the harassments.
Ginger took a deep breath and hated to face Juanita. “These two gentlemen, Saunders and Sharpie are not really who you think they are. They are undercover Park Policemen and I have been sworn to secrecy about telling their reason for being here. No, I haven’t been paying them to work for me; the State of Montana has done that. They are both reputable gentlemen and above reproach. We have been blessed to have them. Saunders is Lt. Raymond Saunders and Sharpie is Lt. Michael Rogers. He pretended to be a low life gambler and a flirt as a cover. Michael is not a gambler or a low life person.
There was complete silence as the women sat in shock. Juanita began to get red in the face, glared at Ginger and Michael, pushed her chair back and stalked out of the room. Ginger started to go after her but Michael put a hand on her forearm and shook his head. “Give her time to assimilate the information. She’ll be all right.”
It took two days for Juanita to be able to talk to Ginger about the undercover officers. “Why couldn’t you have told me? You know how I’ve felt about Sharpie, I mean Michael.”
“Juanita, you heard me say I was sworn to secrecy.”
“But you’re like a sister to me. Surely you could have told me.”
“I wanted to but was ordered to not tell anyone but Hank and Frank. Jack finally found out because he has been in the business.”
Juanita apologized to Michael for being so cold and sharp with him. He smiled and told her to forget it and then explained that he would like to give her time to know him better. She shyly agreed. They dated and spent a lot of time visiting and talking.
The first session of the guest trials opened and Ginger was so very proud of her men who welcomed these guests and gave them a memorable three weeks. Ginger had deliberately chosen the first twelve couples that had no children. She felt this was more fair to her hands until they learned to adapt to the wishes of strangers. Juanita, Helen and Irene worked so hard but offered delicious food and very clean cabins. The guests left excited and planning to return.
Hank was withholding comments and feelings until the end of the summer. Frank admitted that it was better than he had anticipated. Jack was in seventh heaven, so to speak, teaching roping and playing his guitar and singing. He gave a demonstration of the tricks that his horse had learned to do.
The last week in May, Juanita told Ginger that she and Michael were getting engaged. Ginger was elated for her.
“Ginger, I don’t intend to leave you and I’ve told Michael so. We’ve, or rather I’ve been wondering ---”
“Yes, go on. What have you been wondering?” Ginger grinned.
“I hate to sound greedy, but you told me you had made provisions for me to inherit this house and land around it in the event that anything happened to you. I’m not going to wait around for something to happen to you because I hope we’ll be together for a hundred years yet.”
Ginger laughed aloud. “I hope we’ll be together for the remainder of our lives and that I’ll help raise your children. But what are you trying to say?”
“Welllll, I have been thinking that Michael would be uncomfortable living with me here in the house.” She blushed and hesitated. “Instead of leaving me this house, would you consider letting me have ten acres of land as you did for Hank and let us build a house of our own on it? Of course Michael still cannot tell he is a National Park Policeman, but maybe in the future he can.”
“Juanita,” Ginger jumped up to hug her, “I’ll do better than that. Yes, you can have the land and I’ll build a house of your dreams.”
Juanita wiped her eyes and hugged Ginger. “No, you don’t need to spend your hard earned money on a house. We’ll build our own but I want to stay near you and continue to be your housekeeper, if you’ll have me.”
“Have you! I would be lost without you. Would Michael work for me and earn his keep?”
“Not yet. He’ll still be paid by the state. Don’t forget though, we can’t allow it to get out that he is an officer. We’ll work that out later.”
“Juanita, I can’t wait.” Ginger was up dancing around. “Let’s draw up plans for your house now. When do you want to start building?”
“We aren’t married yet,” she laughed. “I’d like to wait until Michael can join us and put in his two cents. I’m sure he would appreciate that.”
“That’s fine with me. Just let me know when you’re ready.”
The June session went even better than the first one. Everyone left ecstatic and planning on returning. Ginger was just thankful there were no accidents or sicknesses.
The last week of June Aretha and Jordon were married in the St. Ignatius church and Ginger gave them a dream reception in the Fellowship Hall. They had purchased a house and five acres in Poison but would keep in touch.
Irene was floating with her happiness. She did look lovely in her turquoise gown and matching slippers. She carried a bouquet of pink baby rosebuds. Helen’s dress was a yellow with matching slippers and she carried a bouquet of white baby rosebuds with a yellow ribbon. Juanita was a princess in her lilac gown and matching slippers and carrying yellow baby rosebuse. Ginger’s gown was an ice blue with matching slippers. She carried a bouquet of a mixture of the flowers.
Aretha was lovely in a tea length white dress of satin with a matching coat and white heels. She carried a white Bible and three white gardenias. She glowed and Jordon forgot to answer the priest because he was looking at Aretha with such love in his eyes and paying no attention to what was going on.
Children were included in the July guest session and the hands had a ball teaching the eager four girls and two boys about the ranch and all they were supposed to learn. Jack was extra good with the children teaching them how to play a guitar, throw a rope and ride horses.
On Ginger’s birthday James came over and ask her to take a ride with him. They saddled War Shield and Dakota Joe and rode out to a spot along the river under some cottonwood trees.
“Ginger, just listen to me and then you can tell me what you think.”
James seemed nervous. “I’ve known you all your life and have felt that you’re like a little sister to me. These last few weeks I’ve come to recognize that I actually love you and admire you.” He held his open palm up when she looked as if she were going to speak. “I know this comes as a shock to you because we’ve been so nonchalant about our friendship. When I thought your life was in danger, my heart actually hurt and I recognized that I truly love you.” Her eyes grew wide with shock.
James reached into a pocket in his vest and brought out a small velvet box. “I would be the happiest man in the world if you’d accept this and wear it until we make more permanent plans. My mother is now in an assisted living facility and Marlene, my mother, and I have a promising relationship. She is bringing her husband and my half siblings for a visit this month. I find I need you desperately by my side.”
He opened the box and showed her a gold band with a diamond-shaped diamond with a circle of smaller diamonds. “If you don’t like it, we can go into Billings and you can choose one you do like. He dropped on one knee. “Please say you’ll be my wife. I love you with my whole heart.”
“I - I don’t know what to say. This is a surprise. To tell you the truth I wondered about the strange feeling I had when I thought you were going to marry Vicki. It dawned on me that it was jealousy and I cared a lot about you. Yes, we’ve known each other all our lives and there’ll be no surprises when we are married.” She laughed and held out her hand for James to slip the ring on her finger. He kissed her soundly and kept stealing little kisses until they had returned to the house. Ginger ran in to show Juanita, Helen and Irene. They were all dancing around and hugging and laughing. They finally joined hands and jumped up and down in a circle.
“I’m so happy for you Ginger -- and you, too, James.” Ginger looked up to see James had come in the back door. She smiled and went to him to be enveloped in a warm hug. Juanita placed an arm around them both and hugged them. “I would suggest a double wedding but that wouldn’t do.”
“Why not?” Ginger asked.
“You’re the owner of a big ranch and will soon join the two ranches to make the largest in the state. I’m just hired help. Your wedding should be bigger and more grand.” Juanita explained. Helen and Irene agreed.
“You’re never just hired help, Juanita. You’re the sister I’ve never had.”
James left because the women were excitedly chatting and making plans.
His heart was sad knowing that his grandparents would not be present.
Maybe Marlene would want to be included. They’d wait and see.
The August session went even better than the others and even the hands were satisfied. The people in this session felt they got extra for their money because they were present for the wedding of Juanita and Michael.
Ginger had hired people to come in and decorate the yard as an old fashioned setting. It looked as if it came from the early 1900s.
Juanita wore a white satin gown with a hoop under it. An apron overlay was made of lace and ruffles. The top was form fitting with tiny pleats leaving her shoulders bare. Short sleeves attached to the top were puffed on her upper arms and white gloves came to her elbows. She carried a white umbrella with ruffles around the edge. The bonnet had long white ribbons running down the back. Her white button shoes came well above her ankles and had a two inch heel.
Jordon had blue pants with narrow width legs and black boots. His coat split in the back and the end hit about the back of his thighs. He had a vest with a pocket watch and a white shirt pleated with ruffles down the front. He had a black top hat and black leather gloves.
The musicians had practiced and played songs of the early 1990s; “While Walking Through The Park One Day,” “I Want A Girl Just Like The Girl That Married Dear Old Dad” and others.
Two newspapers and a television crew were taking pictures. Ginger refused to allow them to photograph her and include a write-up on the troubles they’d had with the cult. “This is not my day, it belongs to the couple who are being married today. I’ll talk to you another time.”
The new couple had two weeks to go to Hawaii as a gift from James and Ginger.
Ginger had deeded ten acres beside and slightly behind Hank to Juanita and Jordon. The three of them had drawn up plans for a four bedroom, two and a half bath house with a dining room separate from the living room. The kitchen would have all the state of the art equipment. Fireplaces would be in the living room and in the master bedroom. Central heat and air condition would be used. Winter storms with electricity down were frequent so they had several lanterns and a supply of oil. A garage was built with a door leading into the kitchen and an area to stack wood for the fireplaces. A storage building was at the back.
The couple stayed in Juanita’s quarters in the main house until their house could be built. Then Helen and Irene moved into the suite.
Ginger and James had first decided to wait until the following year for their wedding but Juanita and Jordon talked them into having a Thanksgiving wedding even with the snow and cold.
Ginger was outside checking on the horses when she saw Jack riding toward her. She couldn’t decide what she was seeing but she was glad to see him. There seemed to be a light around Jack and the horse. He stopped and smiled at her. “Sorry I won’t be here for your wedding but I know you’re going to have a beautiful wedding and a wonderful life. Keep God in your hearts and in your home and you’ll be fine.” He rode off down the driveway.
Juanita came out to talk to Ginger and asked her why she was staring at the driveway looking so puzzled. “Jack just rode off down there after telling me good bye but I don’t see him in sight at all and he hasn’t had time to go that far. Why would he ride off anyway instead of taking a truck and trailer?”
Frank came out she told him about Jack’s mysterious disappearance. “I don’t know what you think you saw Ginger, but it wasn’t Jack. He left yesterday and left this note for you.”
She took the note and read. “Remember what I’ve said and remember that I am very fond of you. Read Hebrews 13:2 and you’ll know what I mean.”
Ginger hurried into the house and picked up her Bible to find the reference. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. She could hardly breathe. “I was right all the time.”