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ground floor and another two upstairs. 
In addition the ground floor had a great-room with huge windows looking out
over the lake and the kitchen was equipped with fairly modern appliances and a
room that Uncle Rance had used for his office.
    “This is wonderful,” Mesa
sighed, looking at Jory with relief.  “You can have the room across from
Uncle Rance and when we get a nurse, she can take the room next to his. 
Raale and I will take the up-stairs rooms, that is if you’re alright with
that.”
    Jory laughed.  “It
doesn’t matter to me.”  He turned and looked out the window at the
lake.  “We should have come home a long time ago, precious.  This
place is beautiful.”
    Mesa shrugged.  “As
lovely as this place is, it looks a whole lot better knowing I won’t have to
live with my mother.”
    The cowboys were finished and
exited the front door, heading back to the pick-up they’d all arrived in. 
They loaded back up and were waiting for Bob to join them when one of them
honked the horn.  “Let’s go, Bob.  Ms. Howell’s coming down the
road.” Gibby called.  It was obvious that they didn’t want to be there
when Mesa’s mother arrived.
    “Great,” Mesa muttered as she
followed Bob to the door.  “The arrival of the wicked witch of the Rocking
H.”
    “Bring the little one down to
the barn when you can.  I know she’s wanting to look around.”  Bob
said as he hurriedly climbed into the back of the truck.
    Jory sensed Mesa’s
tension.  “I’ll take Raale down to the lake for a while.”
    “There used to be a path along
the side of it.  It’ll do her good to take a nice walk along the
edge.  There might be some screaming going on here.”  Mesa suggested
as she watched Jory lead her daughter out the back door.
    Shirley had stopped the truck
the hands were in so by the time she pulled to a stop in front of the cabin,
she knew Mesa was inside.  She stomped up the steps and pushed the door
open, barging into the room as if it was her home.
    “What the hell’s going on
here?”  She demanded, her bleached blond hair swinging in rhythm with her
angry stride.
    Mesa drew in a deep
fortifying breath before she turned and looked at the older woman. 
“Hello, Mom.  It’s so good to see you, too.”  Her voice shimmered
with unconcealed sarcasm.
    “What are you doing here,
Mesa?”
    Mesa forced a smile. 
“I’ve come back home to make sure Uncle Rance is taken care of and to help him
run the ranch.”
    “Like hell, you are. 
You steal money out of my purse and run off to God only knows where and I don’t
hear a thing from you for years and now, out of the blue, you think you can
just come waltzing back in here and take over the place?”  Shirley
fumed.  “This is my ranch now, and you can just pack up and go back
to where ever the hell you came from.”
    “I’m still an equal owner in
the ranch and since Uncle Rance and I have agreed to this arrangement, I’m
afraid you don’t have much to say about it.”  Mesa was proud that she was
still in control of her temper.
    “We’ll see about that.” 
Shirley snatched a cell phone out of her pocket and pushed in a number. 
After a minute she spoke, her brows knotted in anger.  “I want to speak to
the Sheriff. ----What do you mean he’s not in?  You get him on the phone
and tell him to get his ass out to Shirley Howell’s place.  I have a
trespasser here who is refusing to leave. -----I don’t give a flying flip if he
is at a roping and no I do not want to talk to the deputy in
charge.  I want Rafter Storm Horse out here and I want him here
yesterday!”  She slammed the phone shut but opened it again almost
immediately and pushed in another number.  It appeared no one answered so
she closed it again.  “I’ll have my lawyer out here before dark!”
    Mesa shrugged.  “You do
that, Mom.  This is one battle you’re not going to win.  I’ve already
been over all the papers with my lawyer and with Uncle