Daddy's Girls (75)
“I don’t want babies. And he has two kids already, and I take the pill like a good girl!” Gemma said and Kate smiled at the exchange.
“I think that’s good news. It’s like a renewal of everything and new life. What did Peter say?” Kate asked her.
“He was shocked. It didn’t occur to him either. We haven’t told the kids yet. I don’t know how happy they’ll be about it. Morgan will be seventeen when it’s born, and Billy will be thirteen. That’s embarrassing for them. But Peter is happy about it now.”
“Are you? Never mind them,” Kate reminded her.
“I think I am. It’s like starting all over again, with nursing and diapers.”
“I’m taking two pills tonight,” Gemma said fervently.
“I haven’t made up my mind yet,” Kate said cautiously. “If we have a baby, I’d be forty-four when it’s born. That’s really old.”
“Not if you want it,” Caroline said kindly. “What does Thad say?”
“I think he’d like it, but he says he’s fine either way. He’s leaving it up to me.”
“We could start a nursery for elderly mothers,” Gemma said, laughing at the thought. “An old age home for unwed pregnant mothers. Well, you two are braver than I am.” She hugged Caroline then, and the men arrived a little later. And the whole group went into town for dinner. Rufus was having the time of his life, exploring Santa Ynez and the ranch. He had never imagined his glamorous star on the ranch, riding horses, with cowboys, and a family he liked so much. They were varied and interesting, outspoken, and kind to each other.
He knew that Gemma was coming back for her father’s memorial in May when they were on hiatus, and he promised to try and come with her.
And when they flew back to London, Rufus had a whole group of new friends, and understood Gemma better after meeting her family. They were unique and very special people.
* * *
—
A month after they’d been there, Kate called Caroline in a panic on a Tuesday morning. It reminded her of when she’d called to say their father had a heart attack. She sounded terrible.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen to Thad?”
“No. I have to talk to you. We’ve had an offer. I got a call from a realtor in Santa Barbara. There’s someone who breeds horses who wants to buy the ranch. They’re willing to offer an obscene amount of money.”
“How obscene?” Caroline asked her, instantly curious. Kate told her and she gasped. “That’s way more than obscene.” The buyer was Russian.
“I know. What do you want to do? They want a rapid answer. They’re considering another property. But our seven thousand acres is bigger so they prefer ours. Caro, do you want to sell?”
“I don’t know. Do you? You’re more attached to it than I am, but I like it now that it’s ours and we all meet up there.”
“I don’t want to sell, but it’s a lot of money to turn down. Should we think about it?” Kate wasn’t sure.
“I guess we have to. We’d both be pretty well fixed with that kind of money.”
“Do you want to ask Peter about it?”
“No,” Caroline said emphatically. “I don’t. This is our decision. We can decide for ourselves.” She didn’t defer to him now the way she had before. She had her own mind, and had found her own voice.
“Why don’t you sleep on it, and I will too,” Kate suggested. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
It was a long twenty-four hours after that. Caroline turned the numbers around in her mind again and again, and so did Kate. Kate wrote it down, and Caroline thought about all the things she could do with it, a bigger house, especially now with a baby coming, but Peter could provide that. She didn’t need that kind of money, no one did, but it would be nice to have. And it would give her independence from Peter, since she and Kate were now land rich and cash poor, as their father had said.
They both fell asleep and woke up early. Kate hardly slept all night, and Caroline got up at four A.M., and sat in the kitchen, thinking about it. She finally called Kate at six.
“What do you think?” Kate asked her, worried about what they’d do if they disagreed.
“I know this sounds crazy, and you may hate me for it,” Caroline said cautiously. “I’ll probably regret it for the rest of my life, but I love the place, Kate. It’s our home, and our roots, and it’s part of Dad. I don’t want to sell. I don’t care how much money they offer us, I want to keep it.” She sounded agonized when she said it.
“Oh, thank God, that’s what I think too. I thought you’d kill me for spoiling it for you,” Kate said.
They were both laughing with relief.
“I’ll call the realtor this morning. Thank you, Caro. I think we’re doing the right thing. How can we sell this?”
“I hope we never do,” Caroline said with feeling, and they hung up, and Peter came in a few minutes later, looking for her.
“What are you doing up so early?” he asked her, looking suspicious, he had heard her laughing.
“I was talking to Kate.”
“What about?”