One Too Many Surprises

 by Jacki E.

(During Riley and Andi’s courtship)

 Andi sat on top of Shasta as Riley slid from Dakota’s back and whipped a red checkered blanket from his saddle bag.

   “Riley, what-” Andi trailed off.

   “Ta-da!” Riley exclaimed as he spread out his hands.

   “Riley-” The word came out in a whoosh. She looked along the horizon. Blue and red hues lined the sky. The white stucco walls of the Carter house gleamed orange from the setting sun.

   Andy slid off Shasta and walked over to Riley. She was very surprised.

   “What do you think?” Riley asked grinning.

   Andi turned in a full circle. They were standing on a high hill. To their right was the Carter house, gleaming in the sun. Barns and corrals holding horses dotted the yard. To their left, a stream bubbling by in mid-September. Tree’s bordering the other side of it. And all around, a lush green carpet with patches of clovers here and there.

   It was beautiful.

   “What do I think?” Andi looked at her fiancé. “I love it.” Andi stood on tip toes and kissed his cheek.

   Riley scratched the back of his head. “Aw, thanks.”

   “No, thank you.” She glanced at the setting sun.

   They sat down and just chatted and joked. Andi couldn’t help but laugh at some of Riley’s stories from when he was little.

   Half hour later, they packed up.

   “Wanna race home?” Andi asked grinning. She didn’t wait for an answer, and took off.

   “Andi!”

   She ignored Riley and gave Shasta all the head he wanted, and in return, Shasta gave Andi all the speed she wanted.

   The wind ripped Andi’s braids out. She was having a glorious time, until Shasta stopped suddenly. But Andi kept going. Over his head she went and into the mud face first. He hair went every which way.

   She groaned. Everything hurt all of the sudden. Her head, neck, and back hurt so much she couldn’t move.

   Then she remembered that they were having Sunday dinner tonight with all the family.

   Everyone.

   She moaned. Riley dropped to her side, mumbling something about Chad skinning him alive.

   He helped her stand up and Andi stumbled into the kitchen. She glanced at the clock. Andi’s eyes went wide.

   “I’m late!” She exclaimed. She hurried toward the dining room.

   “No Senorita! You must change!” She heard Nila shout before she burst into the dining room.

   “I’m so sorry mother. I didn’t mean to be late. Me and Riley just got caught up and-”

   “Andrea dear! What happened? Surely you didn’t roll in the mud?” came a familiar voice.

   Andi had forgotten all about her visit for the week.

   “Hello Aunt Rebecca!” Andi pasted a smile on her face.

   “Please, go on up to your room and change put something suitable on. You must look nice when your fiancé comes for dinner. And-”

   “Hello.” Riley walked into the room right then. He walked up to Andi and planted a kiss on her cheek. He pulled a chair out for Andi.

   “Goodness no, Mr. Prescott. Andrea must go up and change. Andrea-” Aunt Rebecca trailed off when she saw Andi’s face.

   “Andrea Rose Carter! What on earth happened to your pretty little face?” She, along with Melinda, Lucy, and Ellie, gasped in horror.

   “I just took a tumble off Shasta-” She turned to face Riley. “Did you find out what made Shasta stop so suddenly?” Her eyes wide.

   Riley nodded. “A rattler. I killed in and disposed it. Don’t worry.”

   “Good.” Andi breathed. She turned and headed up to her room two steps at a time. She glanced in the mirror and gasped. Her hair was everywhere, her nose swelled big, and there were cot and bruises all over her face.

   She quickly grabbed a cloth and washed her face through and through. She ripped off her riding clothes and put on a dreaded skirt and blouse. She combed all the dried mud out of her hair, and braided in in one, thick braid over her shoulder and tied it with a blue ribbon.

   She re-entered the dining room, and Aunt Rebecca was on a rant.

   “You have to set limits for that girl. None of those dreaded split skirts, no riding astride, and she must be careful of how much sun she gets. She’ll be as brown as in Indian.”

   “Miss Carter, if I may?” It was Riley. “Why don’t you just let Andi do as she like? She’s as good as any hand around here. And she must learn if we’re gonna have a ranch of our own someday.”

   Andi drew in a deep breath. Riley was brave to speak to Rebecca in that way.

   Aunt Rebecca was speechless. Her face flamed. “I think I shall retire for the night.”

   Mitch jumped up and scooted her chair out.

   “Luisa, would you escort Rebecca to her room please?” Mother called.

   “Yes senora.” Luisa and Rebecca soon disappeared down the hall.

   “Well, wasn’t that conversation lovely?” Leave it to big brother Justin to make Andi laugh.

   “Andi, what happened.” Chad asked. He looked ready to burst with anger. Andi didn’t if it was anger toward what Aunt Rebecca said or that Shasta dumped her.

   Andi shrugged. “Me and Riley were racing. Then Shasta stopped suddenly.” She waved a hand toward Riley. “Riley said it was a rattlesnake.”

   “Oh, you poor thing.” Andi heard Lucy whisper. Little Gracie cooed from her lap and the supper conversation continued like nothing happened.

   Andi just realized that Kate, her oldest sister had joined them. Andi smiled at her, but she was too tired to actually greet her.

   Hannah gobbled on her biscuit and smiled at ‘Auntie Andi’. Betsy and Levi were whispering and holding in snickers. Andi grinned, they were no doubt laughing at her appearance.

   “Andrea, please go and get some ice for your nose. We wouldn’t want it to swell more, would we now.” Mother smiled faintly.

   Andi nodded and stalked off to the kitchen.

   “Tsk tsk. I told you not to barge in Senorita. But you didn’t listen.” Nila shook her head.

   Andi gave a small smile. “Sorry. I totally forgot Aunt Rebecca was visiting. It’s a different story if it’s just Kate and the kids, but Aunt Rebecca.” Andi threw up her hands.

   Andi got the ice and headed for the barn. She climbed the ladder for the loft with one hand and sat down.

   Andi heard heavy footsteps below. The man began whistling a jaunty toon Andi didn’t recognize.

   “Alright Dakota. We’re sure to give Andi a startle with this surprise, huh boy.” Riley’s words rung loud and clear, making Andi blush.

   For sure she wasn’t supposed to hear those words.

   Andi heard a crinkle of paper, then a hammer banging on a nail. Then the sound of tack buckles jingling.

   Riley led Dakota out the barn door. Andi peeked through the bard loft window. Her ice for her nose had melted by now.

   Riley swung onto Dakota’s back and galloped off to the east pasture.

   Andi wanted to follow him. She climbed down the ladder and headed for Shasta’s stall.

   A piece of paper was nailed to his stall post. Its words stood out to Andi.

                                       Meet me in the east pasture

                                                   -Riley

Rose petals lined the way to the east pasture. Andi couldn’t help but smile. She could see Riley standing in the distance. She trotted Shasta up to Riley and came to a standstill. Riley was grinning like the chestier cat from Alice in Wonderland.

“What’s all this?” Andi asked suspiciously.

“It’s for you.” Riley answered, helping Andi down from Shasta.

Andi noticed a picnic blanket. “But we already had a picnic today.” She frowned.

“Well, this is for something different. Sit.” Andi sat.

Riley sat beside her. He took a little package from his shirt pocket and handed it to her.

“What is this?” She asked grinning.

“Open it and you’ll find out.” Riley urged.

          Andi carefully unwrapped the package. She opened the little box and gasped.

“Riley, it’s beautiful.”

Inside was a amethyst diamond necklace with a gold chain.

“How in the world di you find the money for this?”

“Never mind that.” Riley grinned. “Do you like it?”

Andi looked up at Riley. “I love it. Thank you.”

“Well,” Riley scratched his head. “It’s just a thank you for agreeing to marry me.”

Andi hit him playfully. “You didn’t need to thank me. Marrying you in going to be the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” She kissed his cheek.

 

                                                   THE END