Cowboy Take Me Away(204)
He didn’t respond for the longest time. When he finally said, “Thank you,” in such a quiet and sad tone she scarcely heard him. Then he disentangled from her embrace and faced her.
His eyes were dry. Not that she’d expected him to be sobbing, but beneath the sadness Carson was seething.
“I’ve gotta meet up with Cal and Charlie and go over the funeral stuff.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Tell the kids. Then we’ll talk about it later.”
She shook her head. “You—we—need to tell them before you leave.”
“Caro—”
“He was your father; this crappy job shouldn’t fall on me. And we broke it to the kids together last year when my dad passed on.”
“Fine. They all here?”
“Except for Cord. You sent him to town.”
“Hell, he’s probably already heard the news about his grandpop at the hardware store. Round the rest of ’em up.”
The kids lined up on the couch, from Colby to Keely, and Carson matter of factly informed them their grandfather was dead.
Carolyn understood the man was in shock, but still, it was a pretty abrupt way to break the news, especially to children. Gently, she said, “How about if we say a prayer for Grandpop, since he’s at peace and in a better place.”
Keely blurted out, “Grandpop Jed is at Disneyland?”
Carson cracked a smile at that. “No, punkin. Grandpop is in heaven now.”
“Oh.”
It was clear by the look Cam and Carter exchanged that they thought Disneyland was a much better option than heaven.
They all bowed their heads, Carolyn said the prayer and before they hit the last consonant in amen and crossed themselves, Carson had booked it out the door.
He didn’t come home until late that night. But Carolyn hadn’t been worried because Cal and Charlie were both out with him, doing whatever.
She’d talked to Joan, who’d been even more subdued than normal. Evidently Casper hadn’t been with his brothers. In fact, Joan hadn’t seen Casper at all.
The next morning Carson bounded out of bed and out of the house before Carolyn. During the day the phone rang off the hook. Friends and neighbors wanting the details on the funeral service and if they should bring food to one place so the four McKay wives could divvy it up for the McKay sons’ families.
When her husband hadn’t shown up for supper, and Cal and Charlie were mum on his whereabouts, Carolyn figured Carson had gone looking for a fight.
She knocked on Cord’s bedroom door.
He barked, “What!”
“I need your help.”
Cord immediately opened the door and stepped into the hallway—probably so she couldn’t see the mess inside his room. “Ma? What’s goin’ on?”
“I need to find your father. You’re driving. I’ll meet you downstairs.” Next she knocked on Colby’s door.
He barked, “What!”
“I’ll be gone a while. Cord’s coming with me so you’re on babysitting duty.”
Colby immediately opened the door and stepped into the hallway—probably so she couldn’t see the mess in his room either. “Babysitting again?”