The Perfect Spouse Read online

  Beth had first talked of a Valentine’s Day wedding, but now decided that she would wait until after tax time. She felt that she was practically buried in paper work and didn’t want to leave and make it more difficult for her fellow workers. Greg, Beth and Grace had begun to feel as if they were in a family of their own with Jason.

  Jason was humbly pleased when Police Chief Aaron Mason not only brought his own business to him, but recommended that others come to Jason. Several people in his church were making use of his services.

  At the beginning of the second week in February, Jason picked up the letter again from the woman who had written to him. He read it through twice and then made up his mind to answer it. That night, at home, he sat with a legal pad on his lap and penciled in a copy of what he wanted to say. He wrote, crossed out, wrote again until he was satisfied and then typed:

  Candy,

  To say I was surprised to hear from you is an understatement. I have never contacted anyone, male or female, in this manner before.

  I’ve been a long time answering because I haven’t known what to say. You have me at a disadvantage. You’ve apparently seen me, and found a lot of information about me, and I know nothing about you.

  Forgive me if I seem suspicious. You probably have heard by now about the hideous death of one of our female members. She was guilty of stalking men and creating a nuisance of herself. I had never dated her, but I had talked to her and knew who she was. Sometimes it seems unreal to think about what has happened in the past.

  I do belong to a church and am content with my lifestyle. I could not be interested in anyone who does not believe and have faith in our Lord. I’m not ignoring people who do not do exactly as I do, but I’m more comfortable with someone who does have a relationship with our Savior.

  Yes, I’m curious to know more about you and hope to be able to meet face to face soon.

  Sincerely,

  Jason

  Jason McBride

  The office was so busy with tax preparations for clients that Jason put the letter out of his thoughts. He had not been to a party at the dating agency for some time, but decided to go on Saturday.

  At Marjorie’s Café having lunch, he was pleasantly surprised when Tucker and Jacob came in and sat with him. Tucker was laughing so hard that he could not talk clearly for several moments. Jacob was laughing also until Jason began to feel they might be laughing at him. He told himself he was just being paranoid and silly.

  Tucker finally got control of himself and between giggles told Jason what he was laughing so hard about. Detective Boggs had invited himself to their Valentine’s party. He had flirted with all the women and bragged to any man that would listen. He began to follow Lisa Madison around and trying to get her attention.

  Jacob broke in. “Remember Lisa? About five-five, long, silky black hair, green eyes, a ready smile and witty. She was an attorney and decided to go into another field.”

  Jason nodded. “Oh, yes. She joined after I did. I know who she is, but I’ve never had a chance to get really acquainted with her.”

  Tucker hurried on. “She’s a psychologist, and, we understand, a very good one. Old Boggs flirted with her until we could see her getting annoyed. Boggs laughed loudly and said, “Hey, Doc. Can you read my mind?” She looked carefully at him and we all waited breathlessly for her response. She gave a little nod and said, “Oh, I tried and then decided it would be a lost cause. All I encountered was a vast wasteland.” She then smiled and walked off to talk to some nearby people. Boggs stood there with a shocked look on his face.”

  By now Jason was also laughing and understanding why Tucker got such a charge out of the story. “What did he do then?”

  “He closed his mouth, looked around, smiled sheepishly and quietly began talking to others. He left soon after that. He might be tops in his work, but he sure doesn’t know how to win friends and influence enemies.”

  Jason privately felt sorry for the detective and decided that, if he was present when the man came in again, that he’d make an effort to be nice to him. Jason hated to hurt anyone’s feelings.

  * * * * *

  Talking a walk one day, Jason was impressed with the beautiful flowers blooming in the garden around the old hotel. The crocus, corydalis lutea, clematis and snowbells were blooming profusely. The Cardinals were flitting all over the place and a beautiful little blue bird with an orange chest was in most of the trees. He felt the peacefulness of the place and could hardly wait for the roses to bloom with the other summer flowers.

  February sixteenth was Beth’s birthday. Jason took his staff to a dinner at the hotel and gave Beth flowers and a generous check. She was pleasantly surprised and declared that her wedding money was building. She had received money from relatives and a few friends of the family.

  She was bubbling over with joy telling of her wedding plans. Her father would walk her down the aisle. Her two older brothers would be ushers and her one older sister would be her matron of honor. Her younger sister would be a bridesmaid with Rebecca Glover and Cary Aimsley from her Bible class. Tiffany Trump, Clarise Goodson and Glinda Beacon were to be her wedding planners and would take some jobs.

  Tiffany and her sister, Alma, would be in charge of the bride’s book and see that everyone signed in. Fran Perkins would keep track of presents and make a list of gifts and presenters so that Beth could write thank you notes.

  Beth turned to Jason. “I want so badly for you to be in my wedding. If my father couldn’t have made the trip, I was going to ask you to walk me down the aisle. I talked to our pastor about it and he suggested that you would be the ideal one to sing. Oh, please say you’ll sing.”

  Grace was beaming at her and finally got to say something around Beth’s excited chattering. “Have you and Darrell set a date yet?”

  Beth bounced in her seat. “Yes, we’ve set it for the twentieth of June. This year that’s the day before Fathers’ Day,” she giggled. “Jason, you will sing, won’t you? Please, pretty please.”

  “Since you ask so nicely, how can I turn you down.” he smiled at her.

  * * * * *

  Jason was pleased more than ever about the amount of work he was getting. He had told his staff that a good name and a good reputation was more important than earning a lot of money, but the money was certainly coming in. He felt blessed to know that he had been accepted and taken into the community.

  February rolled by and March blew in with a horrendous cold rain storm that flattened blooming flowers and filled ditches, pond and waterways to overflowing.

  “In like a lion, out like a lamb,” Franklin reminded them. “I heard that all my life. If March came in with storms or bad weather, it meant an early spring. Boy, I hope that’s true.”

  “I haven’t heard it, but I sure hope it’s true,” Greg rubbed his cold hands briskly, hunched his shoulders and walked back to his desk leaving Franklin at the front talking to Grace. He didn’t try to hear what they were talking about, but did observe how softly they talked together. Grace had to stop a few times to answer the phone. Franklin finally left.

  Greg came hurriedly to the front. “Franklin’s gone? Shucks. I wanted to ask him what would happen if March came in like a lamb and left like a lion.”

  Grace said, “I guess it would mean a late spring and cold until summer.”

  “Booo”, he said and went on back.

  Beth began talking about a honeymoon. “Darrell won’t tell me where he has made arrangements for us to go. I sure would enjoy a trip to some island where we can swim and surf. At least it will be warm,” she shuddered.

  Jason had made a couple more trips to The Perfect Spouse and had even invited a couple of the women to dinner and a movie. He had also taken a couple of young women from the church on a date.

  He had asked Dottie Cornett to go for a horseback ride on a trail out of the Village of Fayette. The Marshall Merry-weather family had a small ranch outside of the city limit, but close by. Dottie admitted that she didn’t
know how to ride, but wanted to learn. She would have gladly gone anywhere with Jason.

  The following Saturday Jason drove over and picked Dottie up to introduce her to horseback riding. “Jason, how do you know how to ride? Haven’t you always lived in the city?”

  “Yes, but when I was little, and went to live with my grandparents, they took me for riding lessons twice a week for a long time, I really enjoyed it. Then I guess I got older and life became more demanding. Too, I sang in the school glee club and the youth choir at church. I played basketball and worked on the high school newspaper. I haven’t really thought about it, but my grandparents were older when they took me and they sure didn’t get any younger. They were probably glad that I developed other interests and they didn’t have to drive me for lessons.

  They arrived at the Merryweather Ranch and got out of the car. Jason walked over and started rubbing behind a horse’s ears. The horse put his head down and rubbed against Jason’s chest showing how much he enjoyed the attention.

  “Dottie, come on over and get acquainted with the horse you’re going to ride.”

  She fearfully walked hesitantly to the horse and stood right in front of it. “Oooo, he’s so big.”

  At her voice the horse threw his head up and backed up a step. Dottie immediately squealed and jumped back causing the horse to jump.

  Jason was trying hard not to laugh. “Dorothea Ann Cornett, the animal doesn’t know you’re afraid of him. He senses your fear and thinks to himself, ‘something to be afraid of? What is it? Where is it? Do I need to run? Running is their first line of defense.”

  “But he put his head up looking down his nose at me as if he doesn’t approve of me.”

  Jason did laugh aloud then. “He’s just trying to get a better look at you.

  Notice how large his eyes are and where they’re located kind of far apart.”

  “Why doesn’t he just look? Why does he have to look like an old British gentleman sneering at me?”

  Jason continued to laugh and then apologized. “Horses have two types of vision; binocular and monocular. Because of the positioning of the eyes, a horse cannot see directly behind him or down below his nose. The binocular vision is for long distance. He can see with both eyes at the same time. He has to raise his head to focus on close objects and lower his head to see faraway objects. Monocular vision allows the horse to see areas on both sides of his body. The good side vision helps protect him from enemies creeping up on him. Remember he has a blind spot directly behind him, so don’t walk behind him without giving him notice that you’re back there. They don’t see as well in the dark as some people think they do.”

  “My goodness, you certainly know a lot about horses.”

  “Not really. One of the first things my instructor taught me was about the vision of the horse and to let him, or her, know when I was around. At first I was so nervous I sang all the time to be sure the horse knew it was me.

  Now, Dottie, put your hands on either side of his jaws and open your mouth to blow gently in his nostrils. Don’t puff and blow; just breath out.”

  “Why in the world would I do that?”

  “Your breath is warm and, hopefully, pleasant. He gets your odor and will remember you.”

  Jason turned to see an older man grinning at them. He must have been in his seventies. His face was weathered and wrinkled showing a lot of outdoor living and work. His sky blue eyes were keen and showed amusement. He wore jeans, a green flannel shirt, an old dirty-looking hat and boots worn down at the heels.

  “Hello. We’re here to ride,” Jason spoke to him. “I made reservations. I’m Jason and this is Dottie. She has never ridden before, so, I’m hoping this is a well-trained gentle, intelligent horse.”

  “Y’all just call me Dusty. I been uh working here nigh onto thirty years. Yeah, the horse she’s uh standing in front uv is one uv the best. He’s twenty-two and has taught loads uh people to ride. He likes people and’ll take good ker o her. Lady, you don’t need to worry. Poco Bueno will teach you to ride.”

  “What a relief, Wait! Twenty-two. Isn’t that too old for a horse to be working?”

  “No, ma’am. I wouldn’t run ‘im too much or ask ‘im to do high jumping, but he’s good fer at least six years with good ker, and we do take good ker uv our horses. Sonny, I take it you know how to ride.”

  “Yes, sir. I learned English when I was a little sprout, but I’m eager to learn Western.”

  “Lot uh ways they’re alike and a lot uh ways they’s different. Yore seat and yore body will be the same, but yore hands and yore signals will be different. I’ll take you’ns in the training ring and start you’ns out if you like.”

  “Oh, I’d like,” Jason laughed.

  “Actually yore legs will be a little different. In English, the stirrup is on the ball of the foot and yore leg is only long enough to let yore knee fit in the front of the saddle. In Western yore stirrup is still on the ball of yore foot, but the leg is longer and more down on the horse’s sides.”

  “Thank you. You can show us as soon as we get mounted.”

  Jason helped Dottie to mount and checked the saddle to be sure it was secure and she was sitting correctly. He smiled at her. “The kidneys of the horse are right under the saddle, so be sure you don’t bang or bump around unnecessarily. I’ll lead you into the ring before I mount, then Dusty can tell us how to hold our legs and hands.”

  Jason took the reins and Poco obediently followed by his right shoulder while his horse, Rampage, followed at his left shoulder. Both horses were beautiful Quarter horses and well trained.

  “Y’all go ahead and walk around while I check you’ns out to see how you’ns need to improve--- just for safety’s sake,” Dusty drawled.

  Jaon started Rampage around to his left beside the fence. Poco fell in line and poked along. Dottie held on to the saddle horn for dear life. She hunched over and looked so afraid that Jason was sorry for her when he looked back to check on her. He turned his horse around and guided him to walk beside Dottie.

  “There’s nothing to be afraid of in here. There’s a fence around the entire ring and Dusty and I are both here for you.”

  “Scuse me, Sonny. Why don’t you go on ahead for a while and I’ll walk beside the lady and help her.”

  Jason touched his horse’s sides and Rampage walked faster to get ahead of Poco. By then Dusty was walking beside Dottie and could take hold of Poco if he started to walk faster than Dottie was comfortable going.

  “Now miss, yore feet are too far in the stirrup. The iron should be on the ball of yore foot. Sit up straight. Now which hand do you write with?”

  “I use my right hand for writing,” Dottie’s voice trembled.

  “Then pick up both rains in yore left hand being sure the reins are even on both sides. Hang your right hand down beside you or rest it gently on yore thigh. Now don’t that feel better?”

  “Why do I let my right hand hang down or rest on my thigh?”

  “Sos it’ll be free to draw a gun, throw a rope or pick up something. The Western way of riding is for working and that hand needs to be free to work. Now make yore seat muscles tight and gently pull back with the reins.”

  Dottie followed his orders and was astonished when Poco came to a complete stop.

  “See. You control yore horse with the reins and with yore body. If’n you want him to go to the right, lay the reins firmly again the left side uv his neck. Put yore right heel back a tiny bit and gently push the rump away with yore foot.”

  Dottie did as he directed and gave a gasp of pleasure when Poco turned to the right.

  They walked on. “You want him to turn to the left, place the reins agin the right side uv his neck, put yore left heel back a tiny bit and gently push the rump away.”

  Again Dorrie was thrilled with Poco’s response. “That’s all there is to it?” she asked.

  “Yep. I think you’d better just walk today and get the rhythm of the horse. If’n you come agin, you kin jog.
The English call it trot and they do what they call posting by coming up and down in rhythm to the horse’s movements.”

  Dusty instructed her how to pick up the reins and gently touch the horse’s side to get him to walk forward. He then walked across the ring to talk to Jason. Actually, Jason was doing well and was turning correctly because he heard Dusty giving instructions to Dottie.

  “Dusty, I want more speed, but I’m afraid her horse will follow and she’ll fall off and get hurt.”

  Dusty gave a shrill whistle and a tall, chestnut gelding jumped the fence and trotted to him. Dusty took a hand full of red-gold mane and swung up on the horse bareback. “You go on, Sonny, cross the pasture and I’ll stay with yore lady and see to it that she enjoys her ride.”

  “Is that all right with you, Dottie?”

  “Of course. I’m really enjoying this, but I’m not ready for the next step yet.”

  Jason walked to the gate, leaned over and opened the gate from horseback. He backed his horse out of the slightly opened gate and then leaned over and shut the gate and latched it.

  “Hey. You’ve done that before,” Dusty called. “That’s good. Now go enjoy yore ride. We’ll be fine here.”

  Jason walked his horse past the farm machinery and went through another gate into the pasture. He talked quietly to his horse often so that the horse would know his voice and be willing to work with him. When he got safely into the pasture, he bumped both heels against the horse’s side and Rampage took off. Jason allowed him to go in a run until he was across the pasture. He reasoned that the pasture might be about fifty acres. He didn’t want to get out of sight of Dottie, so he guided his horse to run in and out around some trees on the edge of the pasture and then asked the horse to jump a big log laying in the field. Rampage easily jumped the log with his ears up and forward showing that he, too, was enjoying the outing.

  In the training ring, Dottie had progressed enough so that Dusty put his horse out of the ring and stepped outside to lean on the fence and watch Dottie.