Triple Creek Ranch - Part 7

A Good Morning to my Favorite Friday Fiction Fans,

I
can't believe it is Friday again! I seem to have lost several days this
week, so if anyone seems some days or maybe just hours lying around,
would you send them to me? :}
I
thought this week was going to be a quiet one were I could get a lot
done. Well . . . think again. Monday was kind of Monday-ish, if you
know what I mean. I didn't seem to really get anything done. I did go
babysit some friend's kids in the morning so the mom could go to JoAnns
with my mom and S. (Yes, finally we have a JoAnns again. Haven't had
one since the tornado.). On Tuesday I did get a doll outfit cut out for
a little friend from church, and then after lunch I went with my best
friends (who I've known since we were 6) out to get their birthday
Sunday at Culver's. That took a couple of hours because I ended up
going to their house and looking at pictures when we were done.
Wednesday morning I was sure I'd get some things done.:} I did. Only
this time I spent it playing with my niece and two of my nephews
outside for hours in the morning while Mom and S helped J price books
for the upcoming home school conferences. Baby Doodle Bug was sleeping.
But we all did get to hold and cuddle him before we left. Yesterday
Mom, S and I went to the place where S and I have a booth with
different things and added a few more and tidied it up. Then last
evening we went to babysit the kiddos.:) We did everything from reading
stories, to building a house with the dinning room chairs and a sheet
to playing "rodeo" and rabbits in my garden.:) Got to cuddle the baby
before we left again. And then today, we will probably we going over
this afternoon to help with more pricing. Hump! Like I said, I seem to
have lost days or hours or something!

I
did manage to get three westerns written Monday and Tuesday evening. I
was hoping to get another one at least written on Wednesday, but I got
stuck, bewildered, confused, unsure, befuddled and so couldn't go on. I
have since that time fixed the problem and now I can write. If I can
find the time.

I
still haven't written anything but Westerns for a long time. At least I
still have enough things written to keep going on Fridays. To those of
you who are really enjoying the Triple Creek Ranch, sorry, this week is
the last I have written. You can ask me questions about what you want
to know and maybe I can squeeze another 1,000 words of it in soon. With
that story, I really don't know where it is going or what is going to
happen. Any suggestions?

Oh, and keep the titles for Meleah's Western coming. I have yet to decide on one.
Is that enough ramblings for those of you who like to read this part of my posts?:)

Part 7

Dropping the hairbrush he had been using, Norman suddenly stepped
across the room, put a finger under Jenelle’s chin and lifted her face
up to looked deep into her blue eyes which sparkled with life, joy and
love. “Sweetheart,” he whispered tenderly, “I love you.”
The clock on the mantle ticked loudly and Norman drummed his fingers on
his chair. Supper was ready and waiting, and he was hungry. He would
have liked to eat quickly and go out to talk with Hardrich, his
foreman, about the ranch, but Orlena had yet to make an appearance.
Where was she?
“I’m going to go see what is keeping her, Norman,” Jenelle came into
the dining room from the kitchen.
Mounting the stairs lightly, Jenelle wondered if her new sister had
fallen asleep, worn out by the trip, or if she was crying for
homesickness. “The poor dear,” she thought as she approached Orlena’s
door. “Orlena,” she called gently as she knocked softly.
“Come in,” was the calm and completely unexpected answer.
In amazement, Jenelle opened the door to behold Orlena with hair loose,
seated in the chair near the east window. She didn’t appear to be
homesick or even extra tired. She looked simply bored.
“Yes?”
“Supper is ready and waiting. Aren’t you going to come join us?”
Speaking in the haughty fashion she used for her grandmother’s
servants, this young, spoiled girl replied, “I wish my supper served to
me here. I don’t want to go down.” She shrugged.
“Are you feeling all right?” Jenelle was puzzled by this state of
things.
“I am just fine. I only wish my supper served in my room. And send the
girl up to unpack my trunks. I wish to supervise while it is done. That
will be all,” she added as Jenelle opened her mouth as though to say
something.
Feeling herself dismissed, Mrs. Norman Mavrich withdrew and shut the
door. For the first time in her life she had been ordered away with
instructions of what she must do, and all by a mere child. Always one
to find the humorous side of things, by the time she reached the
stairs, she couldn’t hold back her laughter.
On reaching the dining room she sank onto a chair putting her hands
over her mouth to try and suppress her merriment.
“Jenelle, what is it? Is she coming down? Darling, you’re laughing.”
Norman exclaimed, striding across the room to stand in front of her.
“What is going on?” He folded his arms and stood waiting.
“Oh, I suppose I really shouldn’t laugh, but it was all so comical and
not in the least what I was expecting.” And she burst into fresh
giggles.
Her husband tried to look annoyed, but couldn’t keep back a grin. His
wife’s amusment was contagious. “Then do share it, Darling, for really
I am quite famished. I was too busy to eat in the city before we left
and I haven’t had a bite since.”
As he figured, Jenelle’s sympathies were instantly aroused, and she
sprang up. “Oh you poor thing! Just sit down and I’ll have Flo bring it
right out. It is a shame to have made you wait. And I know you want to
go talk with Hardrich.”
“What about Orlena?” Norman wanted to know as the steaming dishes were
brought out.
“She asked that her supper be served to her room since she didn’t want
to come down this evening.”
“No.”
Jenelle looked up somewhat startled. “What?”
“Unless she is sick, Orlena will eat her meals with us here in the
dining room.” Norman’s voice was firm and full of decision. “I don’t
want to be harsh, but if we give in to her every whim now--” he looked
at his wife for support.
She smiled. “Of course. I can see no reason why Orlena must have her
meal served in her room except that she is used to being catered to.”
Norman placed his napkin on the table and half rose, “I’ll go tell
her.”
“No, Dear,” Jenelle put in sweetly, “you eat. I’ll tell her. You are
much too tired to try dealing with your sister tonight. I’ll manage.”
And before Norman could protest, she had slipped from the room.
Though still somewhat amused by Orlena’s earlier orders, Jenelle had a
feeling that Miss Orlena wouldn’t be amused by her refusal to follow
them. What would Orlena do? Would she submit and come down to eat in
the dining room or would she stay
in her room? What if she refused to leave her room tomorrow unless her
wishes were granted? For the first time since Norman had told her of
old Mrs. Mavrich’s passing, Jenelle began to wonder how they would
manage with this young household tyrant. She was thankful she had
refrained from mentioning to Norman all Orlena’s words.
Opening the door in answer to the command, Jenelle refrained from
dropping a curtsy at the look of aloof superiority on Orlena’s
countenance. Before she had time to say anything, the new member of the
Triple Creek Ranch burst forth.
“Where is my supper? It has taken long enough to have gone half way to
China by now. And where is the girl to unpack my trunks? Why didn’t you
send her up?”
Jenelle quietly closed the door before replying. “If you wish to eat,
your place is waiting for you in the dining room. Norman had to eat
quickly so that he could have a talk with our foreman. As for the
‘girl,’ she is only here for a little while longer and I’m afraid
doesn’t have time to unpack for you. If you would like, you and I can
do it together tomorrow.”
Then Jenelle was treated to a flash of eyes and a blaze of cheeks which
rivaled a fireworks display on the Fourth of July. Orlena was furious.
Not only had her wishes been tossed aside by this “mere sister-in-law,”
but her brother apparently didn’t care about her now that he was back
on his ranch.

Thoughts? Questions? Ideas?