After and Again by McLellan Michael

Author:McLellan, Michael [McLellan, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-10-11T07:00:00+00:00

11

The Sanderson’s dogs started barking when Zack and Tal came within view of the house. Max, who had paced them the entire way, stopped and would not go further no matter how much Zack tried to coax him.

Leaving the wolf to his own devices they continued on to the ranch. “Ain’t quite ready to sit at your feet on the front porch is he?” Tal asked, mostly rhetorically.

“No, I guess he isn’t,” Zack said, leaning forward in the saddle and waving at Holly Sanderson.

The house wasn’t nearly as grand as the Martin’s, it was large but simple, built by Bert Sanderson’s grandfather out of hand-cut unmilled logs that were cunningly fitted together and sealed with clay.

“Tal, Zack! Hi! Tie up right here,” Holly said, pointing at a hitching post below her front porch. “Sadie! Jack! You quit now!” she exclaimed, scolding the barking dogs. “You’re just in time,” she said, coming down the porch steps. “We were just about to have some lemonade.”

Zack and Tal tied up and followed her around to the back of the house where a table was set up beneath a huge oak tree. The Goodman women, Jonus, and the Kings were all sitting there in the shade with mugs in front of them. “Should have known that shiftless ‘ol Jonus would be sitting on his haunches when there’s work to be done.” Tal joked, striding forward and patting Jonus on the back and giving him a friendly but rough shake.

“He’s been a godsend,” Holly said, filling two mugs with lemonade

Mary King stood up “Come over here, Zack, and let me take a look at you.” Zack—whose mother had been friends with Mary her entire life—walked over obediently, allowing himself to be hugged fiercely by the plump, large-bosomed woman. She released him from the bear hug and held him at arm’s length: “How’s the shoulder dear?” she asked, scanning his eyes with hers.

“It’s fine Mrs. King, really. It’s healing up good, see?” he said, rotating his shoulder and trying not to show how much it still hurt.

“Okay, well you be careful boy, Holly told me about all of this turning back time nonsense and I don’t know what to make of it. Sounds like a bunch of craziness, and you all believing it—”

“Now Mary, you just mind your manners,” Hal King said, getting up from his place at the table and taking his wife by the hand. “Don’t you tell me what I can or can’t say Hal King! You said yourself that you thought this whole thing was a big load of horse pucky and that folks should get to grieving and forget this nonsense!”

Hal King, a wiry but well muscled man in his fifties, with skin tanned dark from long years working cattle in the sun, still managed to flush considerably and said simply, “Okay ma, you said your piece, let’s go have our lemonade. It’s good to see you Zack.” he added, giving Zack a sort of melancholic smile before walking his wife back to the table.

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