Kristen Ashley - Play It Safe

“Not a problem, Janie, just as long as he doesn’t come back. Don’t worry about it.”

“It’s, I think…” another pause then, “it was really nice how you wanted to step up for Gray but he talked to me and he was kind of…” again a pause then, “not happy.”

I bet.

She kept going.

“So, he’s going to do his thing and we need to stay out of it. But, again, it was really nice of you to want to kick in.”

So Gray was going to go forth and lose his land, lose everything.

Men.

Stupid.

I tried not to let that hurt but when I failed I tried to pretend it didn’t hurt.

I was better at that.

“Right, well, I hope he works it out,” I told her.

“No chance of that,” she muttered.

I didn’t want to, I really didn’t want to…

But I did.

And what I did was ask, “Sorry?”

“Movin’ Mirry out next month, Ivey. Gray can’t afford the home anymore. They’re puttin’ her in some state funded place. Never been there but I got a coupla customers had people in there. They say it isn’t all that nice. For her, seein’ as she’s in a wheelchair, they reckon it’ll be worse. Guess it’s not super clean and the staff isn’t all that attentive.”

Shot to the heart, I stood still and steady but I was reeling.

Janie wasn’t done.

“Gray’s beside himself but what can he do? He can’t pay the bills. Got buyers comin’ in from everywhere, sellin’ all his horses. Every last one. Tryin’ to raise money to pay on the note. First time in over a hundred years that ranch won’t have mustangs on it. Town is reeling. You wouldn’t think it would be a big deal but it is. Old-timers sayin’ it’s the end of an era. And even me, only lived here half my life, still, I feel it. It’s a loss.”

Another direct hit, I felt myself going down.

She didn’t stop.

“And that fuckin’ family of his, won’t even take care of their Momma. It’s crazy. No one gets it. Leavin’ Gray to be picked over by the buzzards, that’s already totally uncool but leavin’ their Momma to go to that place?”

She stopped abruptly and went silent.

I hit the dirt, lifeblood oozing out of me.

“I’m sorry, Ivey,” she whispered. “I shouldn’t lay this on you. Sorry. Gray was seriously pi…” she stopped again and then continued, “I guess, thinkin’ on it for a spell, you had your reasons to pick up and go without explanations to even Gray. And, thinkin’ on it, you were a good gal. And I’m glad you found your place where you can be happy. I guess I just wish that was with Gray so he could be happy.”

More blood sinking into the earth.

I needed to fight it.

“I left him a note,” I whispered.

“What?”

“I left him a note, Janie. I don’t know what he told you and I know Gray is a good guy and you care about him so I don’t want to color how you feel about him but he isn’t giving you the full story. He knew exactly why I left, what I was doing and that I intended to come back as soon as I could. Why he didn’t share that with you, I don’t know. I guess he had his reasons and years have passed so it doesn’t matter now.”

“You didn’t leave a note,” she told me.

“Janie, I did.”

“Where?”

“In my room,” I paused, “your room, whatever.”

“Ivey, I went up there with Gray and there was no –”

Seriously? Why were we going over this?

I shouldn’t have said anything.

“Right, Janie, I’m sorry,” I cut her off. “But my man’s mother is here and I can’t talk. I’m sorry all this is happening to Gray, what you’re feeling, what the town’s feeling. It’s awful. But you’ll all get through it. I know you will.”

“Ivey –” she started but I kept talking.

“You take care and be well. Bye.”

Then I beeped the phone off.

Then I stared at it.

It rang again but I didn’t answer it.

When I didn’t, Lash shouted, “Babe? You gonna get that?”

“No, letting it ring,” I called back. “Tell you later,” I finished.

Nothing from Lash.

The phone stopped ringing.

Then it started again.

I didn’t answer and Lash didn’t shout.

It stopped ringing and didn’t start again.

I kept staring at it.

But I didn’t see it.

The only thing on my mind was the only woman who was even close to a mother to me even if it was just for a blink of my life was going into a shoddy, state-funded nursing home that wasn’t very clean and didn’t have good staff. And the only man I ever loved was losing everything he had, everything he loved, everything his family had built for six generations. And the only town that ever felt like home was losing a huge piece of its history.

And with that on my mind, I found my feet moving.

They moved to Lash’s office where they took me to his chair.

Then my hand moved to turn on the computer and wield the mouse.

Then I did what I had to do.

Then I went to my purse, got my car keys and called out to Lash and Rhonda I’d be back in an hour.

Then I went to my bank.

Then I went home and walked straight to Lash and my bedroom.

Then I started packing.

Then Lash walked in and saw what I was doing.

Then I told him my plans.

Then Lash started packing.

Then Lash went to the computer and did what he had to do.

Then he phoned Brutus.

The next day, Brutus drove us to the airport. But he didn’t drop us off.

He parked and went with us.

It was a nice place. You could tell that right off the bat. Very attractive building, one-story, sprawling. Extensive lovely grounds, safe walkways through them, lots of flowers lush even in May in Colorado.

I could see why Gray picked this place.

She was bossy but she loved him and Grandma Miriam deserved to be around pretty.

I walked up to the front door, huge-ass, movie star, black shades on my nose. My body encased in crimson. A see-through blouse with puff sleeves that fit me like a glove, body-hugging blush camisole under, sexy, alluring but just hints you could take and let your imagination soar. Skintight, crimson pencil skirt that hugged my ass, hips, thighs and went down to my knees. Crimson slingbacks with a pointed toe and a high, lethal heel. Smart, thin, crimson leather clutch tucked under my pit. A ruby pendant surrounded by diamonds at my throat, not huge, not small but still, it had to be said, borderline ostentatious. Matching studs at my ears. Tennis bracelet dangling from my wrist. All of this given to me by Lash including the jewelry on our one year anniversary of moving in together.

I gave him a Rolex.

It was his second.

Still, my fake boyfriend loved watches and I loved him so Rolex it was.

I picked the outfit because if Mustang thought I was a scarlet lady then I was going to show them they hadn’t seen anything yet.

Lash and Freddie trailed me, leaving the shiny, long, black, shaded-windowed, rented Lincoln at the curb.

Freddie was carrying a briefcase.

I pushed right in through the door and went directly to the reception desk.

“I’d like to speak to the Home Administrator,” I announced, shoving my sunglasses back into my hair.

The receptionist blinked at me then she blinked at the tall, built beauty of Lash settling on one side of me then she blinked at the enormous, powerful black beauty of Brutus taking my back then her eyes came back to me.

“And you are?” she asked breathily.

“I’m Ivey Larue.”

Yes, I had my last name changed to Larue. Firstly for me because it meant getting shot of the only thing I had left that I shared with my mother and Casey. Secondly, I did it as a present upon moving in with Lash. He loved it so much, tears hit his eyes. He was butch so that was a surprise and told me exactly how much he loved it.

I kept talking.

“I’m here to pay for Miriam Cody’s stay for a year.”

She blinked again but this time she added her mouth dropping open.

Then she whispered, “What?”

“I’m here to pay for Miriam Cody’s stay for a year.”

“But… Mirry’s movin’ out next month,” the receptionist told me.

“Not anymore,” I replied.

“I… should we… I don’t know…” Her eyes were darting everywhere, taking all of us in. Then she pulled it together, focused on me and said, “I’m not certain sure but I think we need to call Gray.”

“I would prefer you didn’t do that simply because I don’t have the time. I have two other stops scheduled and a dinner reservation tonight. I’d like to do this and move on,” I told her.

“Are you doing this anonymously?” she asked.

“No,” I answered. “You’re welcome to tell Mr. Cody and his grandmother about my gesture I just don’t have time for you to call Mr. Cody at this juncture.”

“Your, uh… gesture?” She sounded dumbfounded.

“Indeed,” I replied.

“I, well, you know, a year on a private room like Gray has for Mirry is…”

Then she told me how much it was.

I immediately divided it to monthly.

Jeez. No wonder Gray was losing the ranch. Holy crap.

I turned and looked over my shoulder at Brutus. He stepped up, slapped the briefcase on her counter, flipped the latches and opened it, twirling it around so she could see the stacks of money in it.

Her eyes bugged out.

Then they shot to me.

Then she whispered, “I’ll just go get the Administrator.”

“I’d be grateful,” I replied.

Then I smiled.

* * *

We settled at the desk, the man in his cheapish but well-fitting suit across from us, Lash in the chair beside me, Brutus standing at my back with his briefcase.

I saw him when I walked in.

Buddy Sharp sitting behind a huge desk in a glass walled, corner office.

He’d undoubtedly moved his way up in the last seven years.

Dickhead.

The loan officer’s eyes settled on me.

“This is highly unusual, Ms. Larue, and I must inform you again that I cannot discuss the details of Mr. Cody’s loan with you.”

“I don’t want the details. I simply want to know how much it will cost to bring his payments current, including any penalties, and how much you’ll need for me to pay his payments for a year in advance. I will then give you the cash. You’ll print out and provide me with a statement for this transaction and send a copy to Mr. Cody,” I told him.

“Again, Ms. Larue, this is highly unusual,” he told me.

“That may be so but that doesn’t interest me. I have very little time, sir, and I have more business to see to today so if you’ll just…” I paused, twisted my neck, looked up at Brutus and he did the briefcase trick, this time on the corner of the loan manager’s desk. Once it was open and the loan manager was facing the cash, I kept going. “Give me a figure, we can proceed.”

Freddie and my schtick didn’t work a treat like the last time, unfortunately.

“Ms. Larue,” the loan manager started, “unless you’ve arranged with Mr. Cody to invest in his property, this is essentially a gift and the Internal Revenue Service needs to be informed of any gift to an individual that’s over five thousand dollars. What you wish to do is well over five thousand dollars. There will be taxes to be paid.”

“That’s not your concern,” I replied. “That’s between myself and Mr. Cody.”

That was a lie. I was never going to talk to Gray again. I paid for Grandma Miriam’s nursing home, I got his land safe, he could pay the taxes on me doing it.

His eyes slid to Buddy’s office.

My stomach curled.

Lash saw it and stepped in.

“It is highly likely that an established institution like this refusing payment on a citizen’s loan regardless of where the money was coming from might be misconstrued and definitely would be questioned by certain authorities especially if the property in question were to end up in the hands of an employee at the bank that refused the payment. Indeed, it might lead to an inquiry. And it is equally highly likely that inquiry would be uncomfortable and public. It is my understanding that Mr. Cody and the land he owns has a special meaning to the people of the county next to yours which would no doubt garner further attention should you refuse payment to keep that land safe in the family that has tended it for six generations. Ms. Larue has explained her intentions as well as the fact that we’re facing time constrictions. I would be grateful if you would quickly consider what I just explained and then didn’t delay further.”