The Billy Goat Hill Pundits Ch. 03

The cowed Sara, who, with her parents standing behind her, met Will and San Juana at the door on Friday, bore little resemblance to the haughty bitch that filed false charges against him and laughed at his anguish. Her shamefaced parents were also contrite, and he was welcomed into his own home as if he were an important stranger.

Will surveyed the living and dining rooms with a hard countenance and angry eyes. "He's not here," Sara said quietly. "I wouldn't do that to you."

He quickly turned and looked down at his wife, conjured his most sarcastic look and voice, and replied, "Of course you wouldn't!"

She blanched, her parents flushed, and Will gruffly asked, "Where are my children?"

"Andrew, Saralyn - come downstairs. I have a surprise for you!" Sara called loudly.

Their respective bedroom doors opened and his beautiful children appeared. They hadn't seen each other in fifteen months, and they had grown so much it made his heartache that much greater: he realized he had completely missed a critical stage of their development!

Andrew was nine years-old, Saralyn was seven. Due to the timing of the restraining order, he had missed two of their birthdays and two Christmases. Andrew was tall for his age, with wide shoulders, sandy hair, and green eyes - the spitting image of his daddy! Saralyn was smaller, with darker hair like mom, but with Will's green eyes.

Will's heart swelled with pride when he saw those green eyes light up, the surprised smiles spread across their faces, and heard the exuberant shrieks at the sight of their daddy. He bent over while they were racing down the down the stairs, and they dove into his outstretched arms. Without words or tears, they held one another, and the kids kissed his cheeks as often as he kissed theirs.

Finally, Saralyn held his face in her little hands and, with great emotion cried, "Daddy, we missed you so much! We wanted to call you and go see you, but no one would let us! Mommy said you just left us, but our friends told us the law wouldn't let you talk to us or come see us! Why, Daddy? Why did you leave us?"

Will's eyes flickered up to his wife and her parents, but before he could give his angry answer, San Juana intervened. "Honey, your daddy wanted to see you, but the law made a mistake. They thought he was being mean to you, so they said he couldn't see or talk to you.

"But after I told the new judge what you and Andrew told me, he corrected the mistake and said it was alright for your daddy to see you again!"

Saralyn gave her a puzzled look, and replied, "But we told the other lady, Mom's cousin Clara, the same thing we told you! Daddy never hit us or hurt us! He played with us and read to us and helped us with school! He is the best daddy in the world! He never even raised his voice to us, unless we were really, really bad!"

Nine year-olds understand more than seven year-olds, and Andrew was glaring at his mother and grandparents. "I don't think that's the whole story, Ms. Ortiz! The kids at school said everyone in town knows Mother LIED about Daddy hitting us, and Grammy and Gramps told the sheriff it was true!

"I don't know why they lied about Daddy hitting us, and then lied again about Momma's boyfriend NOT hitting us, but my friends say that their lies are the reason Daddy has been gone so long! And I believe them!"

Will stood up and glared at his wife and in-laws. "Donny hit my children?" he asked in a voice colder than ice, "And you two lied and said he didn't?"

His father-in-law quickly spoke up, "That's not quite the truth, Andrew. Grammy and I were asked if we had SEEN Donny hit you or scream at you or your sister; we told them we had not, but that you and Saralyn had complained to us that he had!"

Will took a step toward his wife; San Juana grabbed his arm and said, "Will, don't!"

In the most threatening voice anyone in the room had ever heard, Will stated, "You, my loving wife and the mother of my children, LIE and say I hit and screamed at the children I love and adore when you know damn well I didn't! And now you LIE and say Donny didn't when you know damn well he did?

"I'll make sure the world knows that story, and I'll amend my petition to deny visitation to you AND these two! As to Donald Bradley, tell him I'm looking for him, and when I find him...!"

"That's enough, Will! Don't say anything else!" San Juana Ortiz ordered. "You're too angry right now. Take your children and go to the ranch. You don't want to make decisions or say things when that Irish temper is in control!

"Just go on - your friends are waiting in the truck. I'll bring their suitcases out and follow you to the ranch."

With a final glare at the Parkers, Will picked his children up as if they were still small, and carried them to the waiting van. He introduced them to Gary, the driver, Danny, Lina, and Lila, before gesturing to Woody and asking, "Do you guys remember this old outlaw?"

Woody grinned at them, winked, and exclaimed, "Of course they remember their favorite uncle, Uncle Woody. Come here, you two - I've missed you!"

Andrew grinned and stepped toward him, but Saralyn screeched "Uncle Woody!" and jumped in his lap. He hugged her and moved their bodies from side to side while growling "Grrrrr"; she giggled and squirmed in happiness.

After turning her loose and setting her on the seat beside him, he reached for Andrew. "Come here, Big Boy! Just because you're all grown up doesn't mean you can't hug your favorite uncle!"

Woody manhandled Andrew like he had Saralyn, and got giggles and squirms in return. When he turned Andrew loose, the boy staggered backward onto the seat with Lina, who immediately opened a conversation among Andrew, herself, and Lila, who was turned sideways on the seat in front of them.

The young women weren't far from their babysitting days, and they showed the men what age-appropriate conversations with a nine year-old boy and seven year-old girl sound like. Once everyone figured out where Saralyn and Andrew fell on the maturity scale, they were able to engage in a van-wide conversation. The fifty-mile drive on Farm-to-Market (FM) roads seemed quick.

San Juana stayed just long enough to deliver the luggage and establish that the living quarters were satisfactory. Before she could leave, Will told her, "San Juana, I need to thank you and apologize for my outburst back there. My patience has been sorely tried by my ex-wife and Donny Smitherman, and hearing what Andrew said sent me into a black hole.

"I'm in control of myself again, and I'll refrain from such conversations with her in the future."

"Your temper is legendary, Will; I'd say you did pretty well, given the provocation. But don't go after Donny physically - that could get you in big trouble, even without his kin running everything.

"A wise man might check into getting a restraining order against Donny, based on what Andrew and Saralyn allege. That would accomplish several things, including separating the lovebirds when Sarah has custody. Think about it," she said with a wink, before getting into her car and heading home.

****

The kids loved the sprawling ranch house sitting on high ground above the river, and wanted to ride in the ATVs parked beside it. Woody just said, "Let's go!" and they piled on for the grand tour.

Andrew spoke up when they stopped the engines on a hill overlooking the Frio River. "I love this place! We've always lived in town, but several of my best friends live on ranches like this and I've spent the weekend with them. Saralyn has too; we're friends with Thomas and Angela, so we stay out at Alexanders' ranch sometimes when mom and Brad go out of town."

"Brad, huh? Is that what he told you to call him?" Will asked.

"Not at first; he wanted us to call him dad, but we told him we wouldn't because we already have a dad," Andrew said defiantly. "Then he said to call him Uncle Brad, and I told him he isn't our uncle. He got mad and screamed a lot, but he finally told us to just call him Brad."

"So he's back to 'Brad,'" Woody speculated with a smirk. "Guess Donny-boy wasn't dignified enough." Will snorted, which drew a look from Lila, who herded the kids inside 'to get a snack' while they waited for their guests to arrive.

"I'm on the hamburgers!" Will declared, before lighting the mesquite fire he had built in the barbeque pit yesterday. "Y'all are responsible for the rest!"

By the time the wood had burned down into cooking coals, the guests had begun to arrive. In addition to twelve of the regulars plus their kids, the guests included three couples with children who were close friends of Saralyn and Andrew, including the Alexanders. Sierra had encouraged Will to invite them, and the happiness of his children told him it was the right move.

Though new to the ranch gatherings, all three couples were friendly acquaintances from Will and Woody's Cowtown High days. They were pleased to be invited and they easily blended with the regulars and the band members.

The main course was grilled burgers or cheeseburgers, grilled onions, and toasted buns dressed with mayo and mustard. Your choice of shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sliced avocados, grilled jalapeno or poblano peppers, and dill pickle chips. The appetizers were tostados with fresh salsa and/or guacamole, and the dessert was chocolate chip cookies. Nothing fancy, just a nice meal for a pleasant fall day in the country.

The games came out, with some set up for adults and some for children. They played horseshoes, Cornhole, darts, Frisbees, and drew chalk lines on the sidewalks and concrete slab for hopscotch and Four Square. Will, Lila, and Lina supervised and played with the children almost exclusively, giving the parents well-earned freedom for a few hours.

By the time the sun reached the horizon, the party had broken up, goodbyes had been said, and the chill of the evening had driven the remaining back inside. Woody and Danny brought kindling and small logs to make a fire in the fireplace, and they gathered around it while the kids roasted marshmallows and then Lina and Lila made s'mores for everyone.

Will's daughter soon climbed in his lap, with a wobbly head and eyes that kept falling shut, so he escorted her and Andrew to their bathrooms. Andrew quickly showered and got in bed, but Lila talked Saralyn into taking a bubble bath with her before tucking the little sweetheart into her bed.

Not wanting to give Sara any ammunition in the looming custody battle, Will and Lina slept apart that night, for the first time in a long time. It wasn't fun, but Saralyn's dash into her Daddy's bedroom early the next morning proved the wisdom.

The jumbo waffle maker was turning out its final delicacies, the third skillet of bacon was frying, and the sixteen scrambled eggs were piled in a bowl while the hungry kids waited impatiently and the adults sipped coffee.

A shiny new four-door pickup with a grill guard pulled up and parked in front; two doors slammed, Will's parents entered, and the hunger of the children temporarily dissipated.

"Nana, Papa!" squealed their granddaughter, echoed by their grandson. They spent the next few minutes hugging and talking excitedly, before Will told them breakfast was getting cold. The youngsters insisted their grandparents sit with them, and everyone else was forgotten while they ate and talked. Six smiling faces watched contentedly as grandparents and grandchildren gleefully reunited for the first time in over a year.

Will's Mother and Dad were serious Episcopalians; the band members were a variety of lapsed Christians: two Catholics, a Methodist, a Baptist, an agnostic, and Will, a onetime Episcopalian. They hadn't been near a church or worship service since they formed the band, but that changed at 10:30, when Mom opened the canvas bag she brought with her, took out her Bible and another book, and handed the bag to Dad.

Some of them might have declined, had they been given a choice; but when she opened the Book of Common Prayer and informed them they were going to have Morning Prayers now, they simply waited for her to begin.

Dad handed out five more books, told them to share, and to turn to page 11. He asked who wanted to read the first Bible verse, and awarded that to Andrew, before assuring Saralyn she would go next; and so they began.

The short service so inspired Lina and Lila that they got out their guitars to offer up some good old gospel music and modern praise songs. The others sang the ones they knew, and everyone was impressed that the two young women knew the words and music to so many songs of worship.

The games from yesterday were still set up and the kids wanted to practice "so we can win next time. They all adjourned to the yard to play games in the warm sunshine and cool breeze. Will, Nana, Lila, and Lina played with the two kids; Papa and the other men had their own competitions, and everyone was having fun.

An hour later, another pickup pulled in and parked. Will frowned and took a step in that direction; his mom grabbed him by the arm, and said, "No, Son; we invited them. We know you're mad at them, but you don't know the whole story! Let them tell you their story, we'll tell you what we know, and then you can decide what to do."

Turning to Lila, she asked, "Would you mind keeping the kids entertained for a while? Will needs to talk to his in-laws, and we need to be there."

"I'd be pleased and honored, Mrs. Callaghan," Lila replied sincerely, before turning back to take her turn at hopscotch with the giggling kids. Before she started, Lina gave him a questioning look; he replied with a shoulder shrug.

Inside, Will let everyone take a seat, and then sat in a chair facing the grandparents. "Will, I know you probably hate us, but we had no choice but to put your precious children first," Peggy began.

Will sat quietly while Peggy and Al recounted the trials they faced and explained their decisions. When they finished, Will looked coolly at his parents. "You had something to add, Mother?"

Beatrice (Bea) knew her son, she knew he was moved but not satisfied, and she knew they had to sway him, for the good of his children. "Will, everything Al and Peggy said is true. As you probably remember, they took your side at first, but when Sarah cut both sets of grandparents off from our grandchildren, the four of us met and agreed that they had to capitulate or the kids would be at the mercy of their angry mother and the Smithermans, who Saralyn and Andrew detest.

"So we made a deal; they would stop defending you and pretend to take their daughter's side, but without saying they had ever seen you injure or berate your children. Sarah and Donny were already starting to go out of town on weekend trips and were leaving the children with teenage babysitters! We were all terrified something terrible was going to happen to them, so the Parkers offered to keep them whenever Sarah and Donny left town.

"They usually left the darlings with Peggy and Al when they were away overnight, or for several days, but they hired babysitters for their weeknight 'obligations' to society and politics. There was a period of several months when they were gone almost every weekend, and several nights each week; and, they were coming home drunk, going to their room, and disregarding the kids entirely.

"We met and discussed our options, including the Parkers filing for custody due to parental neglect, and then your songs began playing on radio stations, CMT, and on media, like YouTube. That quickly became the talk of the town, and people started not only freezing Sarah out, they began taunting her. Those songs about child abuse and neglect knocked her for a loop because she believed everyone thought they were about her and Donny, like the other songs obviously were.

"That's when they stopped going out so much, and completely stopped going out of town on weekends. Donny was so infuriated at you he was spitting nails, and Sarah was hiding out -because of the things that were said about her and to her when she went to town - even to the grocery store!

"I know; it's ironic that she's hiding from the very thing she accused you of, and Peggy and Al will assure you she now understands how it feels to be falsely accused!

"Since their momma was with them full time at that point, we agreed the kids weren't in danger, so we backed off on the custody suit and waited to see what you would do. When the lawsuits started it was obvious that you were taking no prisoners, so we met again and thought of ways Peggy and Al could continue to ensure the kids were okay, and also get you to understand why they did what they did."

"This isn't optimum, but we're trying to cover the events of more than a year in less than an hour," his mom said with a sigh. "What more do you need to know?"

Will's expression had not changed while the Parkers or his mother talked, and it remained stoic. He stared at each person in turn, ending with Al. "So, you demoted me, and the two of you stood by quietly while my reputation as a husband and father was ruined, but you did that for the kids? I'm not sure I understand how that works.

"No, Al, I don't want an answer...yet. Let me go on. In fact, I don't want an answer to any of the questions I'm going to ask until the end - then I'll stop and give you the opportunity to answer.

"You two always talked about how much you cared about me, but how long did you know your daughter was cheating on me before I caught her? It's hard to see you as 'caring friends' when you let me be cucked for months without telling me!

"During all of the time since the restraining order, not once did either of you reach out to me! If you cared about me, why didn't you? You had to know I was going crazy worrying about my children!

"Finally, why did you not allow my parents to see their grandchildren? You could have brought them by while Sarah and Donny were out of town, or out on the town! They love them too, you know!"

Al looked at the others and then fixed his eyes on Will. "The simple answer to everything but the first question is Donny and Donald. They came to see us one night after we scolded Sarah about how much she was away from the children, and told us how the cow ate the cabbage, and would eat the cabbage in the future!

"They said we were being watched, that our phones were bugged, our house was bugged, our cars were bugged, and they knew what we were doing before we did it. Donny warned that bad things would happen to us, and to Saralyn and Andrew, if we didn't stay out of their business, or if we talked to you or your parents again.

"We grandparents managed to meet a few times after that, in Laredo and San Antonio, but all four of us were terrified by their threats against Saralyn and Andrew.

"I'm sorry about the demotion. That was my first chance to take a stand and tell Sarah and Donny to go to hell, and I folded, Will. But I promise we knew NOTHING about the cheating until you exposed it to the world and put Donny in the hospital."

"And myself in jail. I knew the odds were stacked against me, but I did it anyway and made their case for a restraining order," Will replied. "That was stupid, even if it felt good at the time. But why did no one back me when she raised the spurious and slanderous allegations about me beating my wife and children? You and everyone else in town knew I would NEVER do that!"

"That's when we made the deal, son," Bea interjected. "We had to have someone looking out for the best interests of the children. It sure wasn't going to be Donny or his kin, and Sarah was completely under his spell by then. She said and did everything he told her to, no matter how outlandish or hurtful to you! Al and Peggy chaffed, but we knew you would want someone looking out for your precious children, and that was the price!"