I tried to put her aside and concentrate on my upcoming journey. I’ve never been to California. I hear it’s pretty out there. But expensive. I wonder how much I can buy for $2,000…not much…
I sighed and stopped Bear. I could at least ask. I don’t think she’ll laugh in my face, and I’ll never see her again, so what difference does it make…I sat on the road for five minutes, my stomach one, great, big knot…I turned Bear around…well, here goes nothing, probably the dumbest thing you’ve ever done in your life, Ross…
I arrived back at the ranch, after having stopped three more times in the road and almost turning back to Blantonville. But I decided to go through with it. My heart was thumping, and I wondered just how stupid she thought I would be. I didn’t see her anywhere, so I tied Bear to the hitching post outside and walked up to the front door. I hesitated before knocking and almost turned around again. But I steeled myself for the inevitable foolishness I was about to perform, and knocked.
Susan was in the living room and happened to glance out the window when Ken rode up. She froze. What does he want? Go away, I’ve put you aside. Quit coming into my life…She watched him walk up the steps to the front door. After a moment, he knocked. He hasn’t seen me. I could just…not answer…and he’ll go away…
The door opened and there she was. She had a puzzled expression on her face, but she smiled. “Hi. I didn’t expect you back.”
I nodded, and tried to smile back. “Well, I…I…” I had a speech all planned. I had worked it out on the road back to her house. And I forgot every word of it. I stood there with my hat in my hand, shifting the brim back and forth between my fingers. My mouth was dry and I was sweating—in 40 degree weather.
All I could think of to say was, “Susan, I want to ask you something.”
Oh, no…he can’t…surely not…No, Susan, it’s something totally different. Of course it is…
“Ok.”
I looked at her. Her abrupt response and her still perplexed expression didn’t inspire confidence. Ross, you’re an idiot…But I went through with it. “Susan, I want to ask you to…I want us…I mean…” I sighed, disgusted with myself. And blurted out, “Susan, will you marry me?”
If I read the expression on her face correctly, she was horrified…
It wasn’t horror on Susan’s face. It was incredulity. Oh…oh…he…DID ask…I can’t believe it…he really asked…She couldn’t find her voice.
Upon seeing her expression, I couldn’t look at her any more. I dropped my head, still fidgeting with my hat. I tried to save face, realizing the fool I had just made of myself.
“I mean…I know…we don’t know each other very well…”
“Ken…”
“I can’t offer you much. I don’t have anything. I don’t even have a job…”
“Ken…”
“Garret…he can take you lots of places…I’ll never be able to do that…”
“Ken…”
"I know you can do a lot better than a retired ranger…”
“Ken!”
I looked up at her. I saw tears welling up in her eyes, and then one slowly rolled down each cheek. And then she spoke the one word—the only word in the English language that could have done it—one word that lifted me from the lowest pit of hell to the highest level of heaven.
She said, “Yes.”
The End
I'm a tender-hearted fellow, so the ending to this one touches me a bit. Thank you, dear reader, for spending your valuable time reading this story. I hope the time was well-spent. Please overlook any mistakes you may have noticed. I have a full-time job, and only write these stories as a hobby, thus I simply don't have time to research as fully as I'd like. I hope any errors you may have found did not detract from your enjoyment of the tale.
And if you see fit to read any other of my westerns, I hope that will again be time well-spent for you. If so, then it was time well spent for me to write them.
Mark K. Lewis