He soon swung open the gate, entered, then closed it again before slowly approaching his mother’s gravesite. He stepped to the right of his own footprints before he stopped and removed his Stetson.
Jake kept his focus on her memorial stone as he said, “Well, Mom, I’m leaving tomorrow morning. I know you and Dave don’t want me to go, but Sara understands why I can’t stay. And she has a much better reason for keeping me here than even you do. What do you think of her, Mom? I know you were pleased that I was visiting Kay, but I have a feeling that you were just happy that I would settle down. I’m sure that you know about what Kay had planned back then and what she may be planning now. I wish I did, but I’m sure Sara can handle it.”
After another glance to the north to make sure no one was coming, Jake said, “Jerome White told me about Mrs. Kemper. But he only knew that dad had him pay off her mortgage and put money into her bank account. He didn’t know why he did it, but I’m sure that he arrived at the same conclusion that I did. I can’t imagine how much that must have hurt when you learned about it. But I still should have been here, Mom. If I knew what he’d been doing before the fight, I would have confronted him. I don’t know if I would have been able to beat him, but you would still be alive.”
Jake lapsed into silence and simply stared at her gravestone. He didn’t pray or even imagine what might have happened had he learned of his father’s affair. He simply let his mind fill with memories of the wonderful times he’d spent with his mother. As he stood quietly, a smile formed on his lips as he envisioned her happy face and heard her light laugh.
After another five minutes of reflection, Jake said, “I love you, Mom,” then turned and walked to the gate.
After opening it and stepping away from the hallowed ground, he pulled on his hat and closed the gate before heading to the house. He didn’t bother looking for incoming riders as he continued taking long strides to the back porch. He felt at peace after the visit, and it wasn’t because his feet hadn’t frozen. It was because he hadn’t concentrated on how his mother had died, but how she had lived.
_____
Twenty minutes later, he was sitting in the office checking the ledger again to make sure he’d left Dave enough money for payday and typical expenses. He was about to close the ledger when he heard a courtesy rap on the front doorjamb then loud bootsteps crossing the main room.
The only man who could enter without permission was Dave Forrest, so Jake shouted, “I’m in the office, Dave!”
He heard Dave change direction before he appeared in the doorway seconds later.
“I imagine you’re all packed,” the foreman said before he plopped down in the chair at the front of the desk.
“Pretty much. Charlie will fill a pannier with food, but I’ve got everything else ready.”
“Well, I guess all I can do is hope that you either find your father or give up soon and come back.”
Jake grinned as he said, “That’s all you can do, Dave. If it makes you feel any better, I decided that if I got to Helena and still couldn’t find him or learn where he might have gone, I’ll probably just turn around and come back. So, I should only be gone a week or so.”
Dave smiled and said, “I guess I owe Miss Smith for your change of heart. You seem awfully smitten with her, Jake. All the boys like her, too.”
“It’s more than smitten, Dave. Sara told me she’s blunt and stubborn, but I think she’s just honest and confident. She challenges me in a good way. She’ll keep me on my toes.”
“She’ll be taking over from me; won’t she?”
Jake laughed before replying, “Only by providing me guidance and making me laugh. There will be many more things she can add to my life that you couldn’t.”
Dave snickered then said, “I was never planning to marry you, Jake.”
After a brief pause, Jake asked, “While I’m gone, could you do me a small favor, Dave?”
“Sure. What is it?”
“Could you ask the boys to stop calling me ‘boss’? Aside from my youth, I don’t want to be reminded of my father. Every time one of them calls me that, I almost want to turn around and look behind me expecting to see my father. Maybe I’ll get over it in a while, but for now, I’d rather be called Jake just like before.”
“Okay, Jake. I’ll let them know after you’re gone.”
“Thanks.”
Jake momentarily thought of asking Dave if he’d heard any rumblings about his father and Mrs. Kemper but decided not to insert the rumor if no one on the ranch knew about the affair.
Instead, he said, “I just checked the books, and you should have more than enough to cover July’s payroll. Anything other than routine purchases can just be added to our accounts. I’ll pay them when I return. The extra money should handle any emergency expenses.”
“It’s more than sufficient, Jake.”
Jake nodded then said, “Let’s go to the chow house, so I can enjoy my
