"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven..."
Ecclesiastes 3:1
By Atonia and Jo
Jo writing Maximus, Caroline, Bud, Marie, Lachlan, Hope, Cort, Daisy, Ben, Zack
Atonia writing Terry, Dee, Alex, Linda, Jack, Tarwyn, John, Bethany, Dino, Max, Sophia
PART 7:
“Well, it is a terrible thing to happen to him. And they were just married.” Sophie chewed a nail. “What can we do for her, for Bethany?”
Tarwyn looked up. “I’m not sure she wants anything done for her right now. Maybe…just let her be with John.”
“Well, of course she should be with him. She will stay here with him, yes.” Sophie looked over the group of women.
“We could bring her some things. She’s here with nothing except what she has on,” Dee suggested.
“That’s a good idea, Dee. We could bring her some night things, a nice robe and a change of clothes.” Linda was thinking. “Probably some bath items, too. You know how the soap here is.”
“She forgot her medicine, too,” Tarwyn added. “She has vitamins and thyroid meds she takes.”
“We could make a run to her house and pack a bag for her. All the shops are closed by now,” Linda said.
Zack stood, looking down at Bud. “I could really use someone to walk all the way across this big room with me. Might fall over, you know.”
Bud shook his head and stood up, too. “You’re turning out to be one of these fuckin’ nice versions, aren’t you?”
Tarwyn and Linda left for Beth and John’s house to pack a bag for her.
Beth sat staring at the monitors attached to John. He didn’t move and only the rise and fall of his chest let her know he was really alive. Terry squatted down beside her and took her hands.
“Bethany, when was the last time you slept?”
“Sleep? I woke up around 5:30 yesterday evening. I’m…I’m okay, Terry.”
“For how long…how long can you stay awake and not eat? Not good for the baby, luv.”
“I’ll…I’ll sleep…later.”
Terry looked up at Dr. Canfield, hoping he’d do something for her. “Look, Doctor Canfield,” Terry stood up. “I know it’s against your regs to have another bed in here but this kid needs to lie down before she falls over. How long is he going to be down here? You can’t take him to six?”
“Not while we’re keeping his head cold like this, Terry. He could need surgery quickly. We just don’t know yet.” He looked over at Beth. “Best I can do is get one of those chairs in here that reclines way back and has a footstool. Someone’s tired enough they can sleep in those just fine. I’ll go make arrangements.”
Terry stayed with her until a chair was brought in and she was settled. As he was leaving the room Tarwyn and Linda came to the door with a bag and a quilt.
“You girls moving her in?”
“This is her comfy quilt, Terry. I wouldn’t expect you to understand about things like that,” Tarywn smiled and passed him into the room. Linda smiled, too, and handed the bag in.
“It’s good that you all are looking after her. We were all so worried about John…”
“She’s part of John, Terry,” Linda reminded him. “Terry, I want to talk to you…not right now because now is not the time. Soon…we need to talk.”
Terry tilted his head. “About what?”
“HAWCO…later.” She placed a hand on his arm for a moment. “Later.”
It was another one of those nights nobody wanted to leave because of the imminent danger John was still in. After awhile, they settled around the waiting room, some sleeping leaning against one another, others tipping chairs back or trying to get a little comfortable across two or three chairs. There was a small couch and Lachlan sat there, Hope’s head in his lap.
Bud couldn’t sleep, wouldn’t sleep, not until he knew John was out of danger. He had a headache from being tense for so long and Marie rounded him up some Tylenol from Canfield.
It was definitely uncomfortable, but they were together and that’s what mattered.
Jack woke with a start. He’d been dreaming he was aboard ship in the rocking motion of his bed. The motion stopped and he woke. It was dawn and the soft early light was streaming though a long window out in the hallway, sending tentacles into the waiting room they occupied. All the seats were taken up by his family. He rubbed his chin, feeling a rough need to shave. Next to him Tarwyn was balled up in a chair still sleeping. On the other side Max stretched out and looked in imminent danger of sliding right off the seat. Only Sophie’s arm linked with his kept him anchored.
Down in the corner Terry was awake with Dee leaning against him. He’d tried to get her to go home but she wouldn’t leave with the rest of them there. It had been a long night but a quiet one. The last update on John had come around three in the morning. He’d slept little after that. John was holding his own and the swelling of his brain seemed to have abated.
Linda and Alex were both awake and he was up stretching his back a little. A night in a chair hadn’t done him any favors. He went over to the coffee machine and started a new pot.
Maximus came out of the bathroom, surveying the scene. Bud wasn’t there. He sighed, worried about him.
Bud was standing outside the glass partition of the ICU room, his forehead leaning against it, staring at John. Come on, Buddy, he urged silently. You can do this. You’ve got to do this. He closed his eyes, tired to his core after a long, sleepless night.
He jumped, startled, when a hand touched his shoulder. “Bud, for Pete’s sake, go sit before you fall down.” It was Canfield, looking at him in concern.
“Can’t fall down. Not until John’s ok.”
“I’m just on my way in to check on him. Wait here then and I’ll let you know what’s going on with him.”
Bud watched through the glass as Canfield read several print-outs and studied various monitors, then adjusted one or two things. When he came back out, he said, “Swelling’s going down pretty well, Bud. I’d say he’s past where we might have to operate on his skull.”
Bud let out a long sigh of relief. The thought of John having a piece of his skull removed had haunted him all night.
“His vitals are improving, infection seems to be under control. So you go find yourself a place to rest for a while. Doctor’s orders.”
As Bud went back to the waiting room, he saw Maximus talking with Alex by the coffee machine so went over and told them what Canfield had said. “Beth was still sleeping in the recliner near John,” he added. “Good she had a place to settle.”
“This is rough on her especially in her condition.” Alex took a sip of coffee. “Good to hear about the swelling. I wish he’d wake up, though. It’s almost like standing over Zack…although I was mostly sitting or lying down then.”
“I’m glad you’re doing better, Alex,” Bud said, managing a small smile, but rubbing hard at his forehead with his fingers.
“You did not sleep at all last night,” Maximus observed. “Find some place to rest and I will wake you should there be any news.”
Bud just looked silently at Maximus, then nodded, and sought out a chair.
“What are you thinking?” Tarwyn took Jack’s hand.
“I believe it is Sunday, is it not?” He glanced at her and kissed her hand. “There is a chapel hereabouts in the hospital. I think I should like to pay a visit there.”
Tarwyn smiled. “Then let’s go. We’ve got a lot to pray about.”
Terry watched Jack and Tarwyn leave the waiting room. He looked over at Dee. “Are you all right? How’s the neck?”
“I’m all right, Terry. The neck feels like I’ve been sitting up all night. And…no, I’m not going home and rest. I’m hungry. Why don’t we find the cafeteria and eat some powdered eggs and runny grits?”
Terry grinned. “I’ll pass on both but a sausage and a piece of toast might work.”
Sophie was massaging Max’s shoulders. “What do you want to do? Should we leave for breakfast? Is there a place to eat here?”
“Yes and no. There is a place here but I don’t recommend it if you really want to eat. There’s always the fast food place across the street with nice biscuits and…”
“Ah, what a choice. I say we run across the street. Perhaps others would like something from there too.”
Linda decided to go with Max and Sophie. She gave Alex a kiss and found her handbag.
Beth came out of the bathroom dressed for the day and grateful her sisters thought to bring her some things from home. She walked over to the bed and lightly touched John’s face. “I know you’re in there. Be safe in there until you’re ready to come out. I love you, John…husband.”
Zack had awakened and was talking quietly with Cort. Looking across the room he commented, “I guess that’s Lachlan’s lady asleep there on his lap. I haven’t met her yet. Really pretty young lady.”
“My daughter,” Cort smiled. “I guess there hasn’t been time yet for any explanation of that.” At Zack’s surprised expression, Cort proceeded to tell him the story of how that was possible.
“I’m glad Sid’s not around right now,” Zack said fervently. “He really messed up a lot of things.”
“He did,” Cort nodded, “an’ I have in my time been among the chief of those who hated him, but I have also come to understand that he is one of us, though separate an’ alone by his own choice.”
“I guess I need to watch his movie. I don’t really know yet who he is.”
“I have them all at my house, Zack, so whenever it works out with John an’ we go home, they will be available to you there.”
Alex wandered back to John’s room. Beth was standing by his bed. “Hey, Bethy, how’s the sheriff?”
Beth looked drained but she smiled a little. “He’s still here…sleeping and healing.”
He came on into the room and slipped an arm around her and hugged her. “One thing I know about us, we can take a beating and come back. I was near death when they brought me in and here I am. He’ll be here again too, honey.”
“I…I don’t want him to be hurt anymore. He was shot in Yuma and now…I’m worried about his mind, you know? His skull is fractured.”
“So was mine and I still get headaches from it but nothing I can’t handle with a couple of aspirin. The body is an amazing machine. You look at him lying there and you see all the outward signs of his injuries but inside that machine is working like crazy trying to repair all the damage. Imagine all them little guys running around in there with their tool boxes.”
Beth smiled and looked up at him. “Alex…thank you.”
“You just stay strong for him. Anything you want, anything I can get you?”
“No, thanks, I’m fine. I had some juice and some toast. I’m good. Is everybody still here?”
“Yep, even Zack is down with the family.”
“Good gracious. Really ya’ll ought to go home. There’s no need for you all to stay here.”
“I know, but we’re here. John’s been here for me and everybody else that was laid up on the
6th floor. We’re here for him too.”
“We appreciate that but I know you all have your own lives that need tending to.”
“Bethy, you let us worry about all that stuff.” Alex kissed her cheek and laid a hand on John’s arm above his IV and then left to see if Linda was back with breakfast.
Hope had awakened and Lachlan took her over to meet Zack. “Cort, um, your father, was just explaining to me about how the two of you are related.”
“It takes some getting used to, I imagine,” she smiled, “when you first find out. I hear you’re going to be staying with Daddy and Daisy for a while. I’m glad. You’ll like it there, Zack.”
“Everybody has been unbelievably kind and I just…”
“It comes with the territory, mate,” Lachlan grinned. “Oh, and Hope and I are getting married Saturday. Cort’s doing it and you need to be there, all right?”
“I’d like that, yes.”
“Good. All we need now is for John to be well enough to come. John is one of us that Hope sees as uncles. That would be Terry, Maximus, Bud, and John because they were around when she was little. You get to be a brother-in-law.”
Zack chuckled. “Very complicated, all this.”
Beth was still by John and did not notice anything when Alex touched him. Dr. Canfield came in and she looked back at him…had his hand moved?
“Dr. Canfield…I…I think he moved his hand a little…look!. I know his fingers were curled before.” She touched his fingers, placing her hand inside of his and his fingers curled around hers. She looked up at the doctor with her eyes wide and hopeful.
Canfield immediately bent over John then looked up after a moment’s examination with a smile. “Looks like he’s starting to come around.” He turned back to John. “John, can you hear me, John?”
John was drifting to and fro and fighting to reach the sounds and light around him.
“John, John, baby, come back now. Come back to us, darling!” Beth pleaded, holding his hand.
His eyes fluttered and opened just a little. The light over the bed hurt his eyes and he closed them and tried to clear his throat. His mouth was so dry. “B…Beth.”
“I’m here, I’m here.” She brought his hand up to her lips. “I love you, John.”
Dr. Canfield shone a light into his eyes and then switched off the bright light above his bed.
John opened his eyes but the pain he felt was clearly evident. Dr. Canfield injected something into his IV. John focused on Bethany and she felt pressure from his hand in hers.
Canfield watched closely as the pain med he’d given John took hold and the tension in his face relaxed, then he went out to the waiting room.
When he had their attention, he said, “John woke up. He’s in a lot of pain with his head and leg, but it’s looking like he’s going to be fine given time. I’ve given him something for the pain and Beth’s going to stay with him for a while. My suggestion now to the lot of you is that you go home and tend to your own needs right now. You’ve all had a very tense, uncomfortable night and it’s time to take care of yourselves. The word will come to you should anything change. You know by now it always does.” He singled Zack out. “And you, young man. I am aware you did not spend the night up in your room. Go home with Cort now and settle in. I want to see you in my office in a couple of days for a check up.”
There were sighs of relief and smiles all around as they began gathering up their belongings and standing. Terry slipped by the doctor and went down the hall. Alex was outside the door, smiling. “Son of a bitch woke up.”
Terry grinned, “Good. It was about time.” He went into the room and looked across at Beth. “He’s going to be all right. Takes some time, you know.”
“I know.”
“John? Are you still with us?” Terry leaned over his bed.
John was drowsy from the pain meds. “Terry…how?”
“Later, later when you’re a little better, I’ll tell you all about it and you can tell me about it too.”
“Yeah,” John closed his eyes.
Jack appeared next to Terry. “He’s awake then?”
John opened one eye. “Still here.”
Jack smiled. “Good, we can rest easy now.”
John worked his mouth a few times. “Bud?”
“He’s out here. Do you want to see him?” Terry asked.
“Yeah.”
Jack and Terry went down the hall to find Bud.
“Hey, Bud, your partner wants to see you,” Terry said, giving him a pat on the shoulder.
Bud sucked in a long breath, squared his shoulders and went down the hall. “John, I’m here.”
“Bud…I…”
Bud chewed his lip. “I’m so sorry, John…about the phone. I don’t…I can’t…I….”
“I…I fucked up. I’m sorry.” John looked him in the eye “Delrado…I…fucked it up.”
“I should’ve been there for you, with you, John. I’m so sorry I let you down.”
“No, not you. I shoulda waited. Shoulda called somebody. It…was me.”
Bud cupped a hand lightly over John’s shoulder. “Maybe we both fucked up, huh? I’m still sorry about the fuckin’ phone. First time I’ve forgotten it like that and then Marie and I got all busy and I just didn’t notice. I’ve been kicking myself around the block ever since. God, John…if…if you hadn’t made it I don’t know what I would have done.”
John smiled just a little. “Not so good at this job.” He frowned then, “We need to get Delrado… tried to kill me. Tell police.”
“He’s here, John. He totaled your car in a big pile-up on the interstate. No seat belt…went into the windshield. Which reminds me I need to find out how the shitbird is doing.”
John closed his eyes again drifting with the pain medication.
Tarwyn lent her car to Terry and Dee and she rode home with Jack. They talked about John for a little while and then Tarwyn remembered something.
“I forgot to tell you, tomorrow they’re coming to tear the house up.”
Jack glanced over. “What? Tear it up?”
“Yes, all the old wallpaper is coming down upstairs and they’re going to start painting downstairs.
Jack sighed, “I should move a bed out to the barn.”
Tarwyn raised a brow. “They won’t be working nights.”
“We could stay in the cabin.”
“I didn’t think it was habitable.” Jack had found a cabin on their property, near the boundary with only a narrow overgrown path to its door.
“It’s sound as I could make it out. However there are several broken windows. I shall repair them.”
“If you want to camp out in a deserted cabin you go right ahead. I’ll fight the drop cloths to the bed in a heated house with running water and flushing toilets.”
Jack hid his grin by looking out of the side window.
“Marie,” Bud said, “can you get me back again to where Delrado is or at least find out how he’s doing? I’ve been so worried about John I almost forgot he was here, too.”
“I think it’ll be better if you just let me check for you, ok. I’ll be right back.”
Bud paced back and forth across the room while he waited. Marie was back sooner than he expected. “No trial, no jail sentence, Bud. Delrado died at 4 this morning.”
Bud rubbed his hand hard back and forth across his lower face. “Let’s go home.”
“I was hoping you’d say that. Curl up in bed with me for the rest of the morning then maybe this afternoon we can do some more packing.”
“Curling sounds good. Packing we’ll discuss later.”
Ben drove home alone, stopping by to pick up Outlaw from Hank. He was glad to see the big dog and have him sitting beside him in the cab of the truck. He had slept little but went out to take care of Ranger, then settled into his bed, Outlaw across his legs. That he was getting used to, too.
He’d barely dropped off to sleep when the woman was there again. This time the land was flat, featureless all the way to the horizon and the sky filled with dark clouds threatening a storm with heavy rains just about to begin. She stood more closely in his view, her back still turned, and for the first time was not wearing jeans. She wore a grey sweater over a white cotton dress that blew out to the right as the wind picked up. Standing silently, staring toward the horizon, her hands at her sides…still…waiting for the storm to break and making no effort to avoid it.
He always woke after one of these dreams as though his subconscious were urging him to wake, to remember. He remembered them all. Pushing Outlaw slightly to one side, he sat up, bending his knees, resting his arms on them. “Why?” he murmured. “Why?”
Alex followed Linda home and pulled around to the garage. Dennis was waiting in the back yard.
“I hope I did the right thing, Linda. You know Jack was looking for someone to help him with the horses. A feller showed up here this morning and he was somebody that Pedro knew from a long time ago. He was lookin’ for work so I sent him over to Jack’s place.”
“Okay, he’s somebody you’d trust?”
“I don’t know much about him except he’s an Apache named Joaquin. He’s what you call a horse whisperer.”
Alex laughed with his hands on his hips. “You sent an Apache over to an Englishman’s farm?”
Dennis looked nervously at Linda.
“We’ll soon know, Dennis, Jack’s on his way home now.” She turned to Alex, “What was so funny about that?”
“Oh, I was just thinking. Good thing he didn’t send him out to Ben’s place. It’s a…well, it’s an inside joke. Jack will size him up pretty quickly, I’m sure.”
“I’m ready for a shower and a few hours in bed.” Linda lifted her hair from her neck and looked at Alex.
“How could I turn down an invitation like that. I think I need, um, showering too.” He slipped an arm around her waist and went inside the house.
“This is it, Zack,” Cort said, stopping near the big white Victorian. Inside, he led the way to a bedroom on the second floor. “We’ll have to be roundin’ you up some personal things but I’ve got extras to see you through till tomorrow. Bathroom’s through here.”
“This is really nice, Cort. Got the feel of ‘home’ all over it.”
“It does, doesn’t it. Daisy’s startin’ to put some of her personal touches to it, too, an’ that’s a good thing. A woman needs to be doin’ that, I think.”
“So you lived here…before?”
“Sure did. Had a few months of peace here before everythin’ fell to pieces. ‘Bout time it was a home again.”
He went into the master bedroom down the hall and returned shortly with a pair of pajamas and a robe and some bathroom supplies. “Hope these’ll do, Zack. You make yourself right to home. I’m mighty pleased you’re stayin’ with us.”
“Ok if I take a little nap? I’m not used to being up and around this long.”
“You go right ahead. An’ feel free to wander around wherever you like. You’re family an’ I want you to feel like it. That’s important.”
“I’m feeling more like it all the time, Cort.”
Jack slowed in the drive, “Who drives a truck like that?” An old faded yellow Nissan truck sat in the drive beside the house.
“I don’t know.” Tarwyn stretched her neck, looking over the vehicle.
The driver exited the vehicle and stood beside it waiting. He wasn’t as tall as Tarwyn, with long gray braids down his shoulders. A plaid shirt and worn jeans, cowboy boots and holding a well worn hat, he looked directly at Jack.
“Good morning, Captain Aubrey. I am Joaquin and I have come to talk to your horses.”
Jack said nothing for a moment. “You’ve come to talk to horses…well, I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand…do they need conversation?”
“Mr. Dennis over at The Lazy L, he sent me over and said you might need some help. Someone to help you on the farm.”
“I see, well, it is a fact that I do need some assistance.” Jack glanced at Tarwyn.
Tarwyn smiled back at him. “I’ll just go inside and, um…yes.”
“Joaquin, is it? Shall we, er, walk down to the barn?”
Tarwyn ran though the house and watched them walk toward the barn. Big Jack and little Joaquin. She hoped he worked out. Jack needed some help. Jack might know something about horses and about farms but he was a gentleman farmer and not one you’d expect to see on a tractor. She’d seen him walking around the tractor and looking at it but he’d never, as far as she knew, climbed up on the seat.
Even though he was still tired, Ben couldn’t get back to sleep after that dream so he saddled up Ranger and with Outlaw along, went for a long ride around his land. It was really disturbing to him, the fact his mind kept coming up with these dreams he didn’t understand the reason for. Yes, he missed having a woman in his bed and the sight of his brothers and their women had intensified that of late. That was the only reason he could come up with at all for the dreams. But why the field, and so often the threat of a storm? Why was her back always to him? Was it even the same woman in all the dreams? He’d never seen her face, how did he know?
Tarwyn had made a pot of coffee and when Jack came to the house about an hour later she walked out back to see what the verdict was.
“I’ve hired him on. I’m afraid camping in the cabin is out now. I’ve offered it to him and he’s gone out to have a look at it.”
“Okay, it’s not furnished or anything, is it?”
“No, not a stick.”
“I suppose we can furnish it with the old stuff.” She walked inside with him and poured him a cup of coffee.
“What old stuff?”
Tarwyn pointed toward the den. “All that is going…now don’t act like you didn’t know…Jack.”
“It must have slipped my mind.” He sipped his coffee. “What is it you’ve done, Tarwyn?”
“Now, remember you said I could do what I wanted to. The whole house is getting a redo. Paint, window treatments, furniture…rugs, you know…new stuff.”
He cocked a brow at her and walked to the open back door.
“Is he planning on staying out there tonight?”
“He doesn’t have a place to stay and he suggested the barn and I thought the cabin might be a better idea, however, he may seek the barn tonight. I’m not giving up my chair tonight.”
“No,” she took a breath, “not tonight…Tuesday…that’s when the new furniture arrives.”
Showered and dressed in comfortable clothes for the day, Terry got Dee settled with her hot pad and he went into his office and sat down at his computer. He checked a few things, answered a few emails from Dino and leaned back in the chair. He wondered what Linda wanted to talk to him about…HAWCO? He shook his head and then remembered he was supposed to look for Jack’s uniform.
Bud settled down with a sigh and Marie, leaning on one elbow beside him, used the fingertips of her other hand to circle around on his forehead. She smiled, pleased, when she saw the tension begin to relax and the lines around his mouth disappear.
“He doesn’t blame me,” he half whispered.
“Then you must stop blaming you.”
“That’s hard.”
“I know…especially for you. You’re too…responsible, too reliable.”
“Is it possible to be too much of that?”
“I think maybe you’ve mastered the art of it, darling. Lots of practice.”
“I’m just glad he’s going to be ok.”
“I know you are. And it’s important to me that you be ok, too. So close your eyes again and go to sleep.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” he murmured.
“Miss. I’m still a miss.”
“Not for long. Thanksgiving’ll be here before we know it.”
“I like the idea of getting married in our new house. There’s something cozy about the thought of the fireplace and candles and the scent of turkey roasting.”
“Mmmmm.”
“Are you asleep?”
“Mmmmm.”
Linda arranged to meet Terry for lunch on Monday. After the preliminaries were over and lunch was ordered she leaned on the table.
“I have something I want to ask you and I don’t expect an answer right away. I don’t know if Max has said anything to you but I’m moving the corporate offices of HAWCO here, just down the street where Max found us two floors in a building. Terry, I need someone to head it up. Someone I can trust and depend on. That’s what I’m asking of you.”
Terry was stunned. “Linda, I know next to nothing about the oil business.”
“I know that and it’s not necessary that you do right away. I don’t know anything about it either. I’m going to bring in someone that can lead us in the right direction for awhile. I want my own people at the top. I know you ran NanoCorp and it was a pretty big operation.”
Terry rubbed his eyes. He felt obligated to Linda for all she’d done for himself and for the brothers. “You know, I’m already involved in a business.”
“It’s not full time though, is it?”
“I’m not involved in the day to day but I’m part owner and I’m pretty much on call. If I’m needed…I go. It’s what I do, it’s who I am.”
“I understand that. Like I said, I don’t expect you to answer me right now. Just think about it. A business is a business no matter what kind it is. The same things have to be done if you run a restaurant.”
“Don’t you think Max would be more suited for something like this?”
“Max is already involved. Right now he’s been acting as my financial advisor. He’s going to assume that for HAWCO.”
Terry leaned back so the server could place their plates. “Let me think about it, Linda.”
“You take all the time you want, Terry. I’m not trying to pressure you at all and if you find it’s not something you want to do, I’ll understand. I want to try and set up a meeting on Wednesday with all the brothers regarding the shares in the company. I’ve had my attorney draw up the papers and all they have to do is sign them and it will be done.”
“You’ve been so generous with us and I hope you know how much it’s appreciated.”
She shrugged. “There’s more money floating around in HAWCO than I could ever count much less spend. All the different companies come under HAWCO. You’ll see on Wednesday, exactly what I’m talking about.”
Terry picked up a breadstick and bit. Chewing slowly he wondered what he was about to get into. Way over his head…way over. How could he tell her no? He smiled suddenly. “I would have thought you’d put Alex in the hot seat.”
Linda chuckled, “Alex is many things and all the things I love, but CEO of a huge corporation…no, he’s going to be involved on some level but this is not for him.”
“I’ll let you know…by Wednesday.”
“Whatever you decide will not make a difference to me as far as being my almost brother-in-law. I want you to know that.”