MARCH 12, 1861
Jacy and Melissa were sitting in the dining room of the hotel discussing Lilly and Javier's wedding. "Hi Marta," Melissa said as she approached their table to take their order.
"Hi Melissa, Jacy. What can I get you for lunch?" Marta asked as she smiled at the two sisters.
"How about a wedding present?" Melissa inquired and smiled at her own little joke.
"A wedding present?" Marta looked quizzical.
"We're trying to decide what we can get Lilly and Javier for their wedding present." Melissa stated.
Marta was tongue-tied she didn't know how to reply to Melissa's question.
"Melissa, Tally and I were just discussing the same thing." Caller Bob had been invited to lunch by Tally. Caller Bob thought it was just to discuss the rodeo idea that Kimberly had suggested, but soon Caller Bob was to find out differently.
"What were you discussing?" Sheriff Teaspoon asked as him, Rachel and Jesse came into the dining room.
"We're trying to figure out what to give Lilly and Javier as a wedding present." Melissa spoke before Caller Bob had a chance to.
"Oh and what have you come up with?" Sheriff Teaspoon pulled out a chair for Rachel. Jesse sat down simultaneously as Rachel did so. Teaspoon sat down but only after reprimanding Jesse for not waiting until Rachel had sat down before he did so.
Jesse frowned and said, "I'm sorry, Rachel."
"It's ok, Jesse." Rachel replied.
"Quit coddlin' the boy Rachel. He has to learn to respect his elders and especially ladies." Sheriff winked at Rachel to let her know that he wasn't that upset. She smiled back.
Meanwhile in the kitchen Desiree and Ted were wondering why Marta hadn't came in to tell them what the people wanted for lunch. Ted decided to go out and see if Marta needed any help. He came up behind Marta and whispered near her ear, "Is there anything wrong?"
Marta turned to see Ted standing beside her. "No, no! We're just talking about what to get Lilly and Javier for their wedding."
"I've been trying to think of something, too." Ted said.
"Well, you're in good company then, because we all are." Ted and Marta turned as they heard the words coming from Jacy's mouth.
Walter came walking into the dining room and saw both Ted and Marta standing in front of Jacy's and Melissa's table. Worried that something was wrong, he strolled over and along the way he said hello to the others. "Is there something wrong?"
"Yes!" Melissa said
But at the same time, Ted and Marta both said "No sir."
Seeing the puzzlement on his boss' face Ted continued, "It's nothing wrong with the food. Everybody is just trying to figure out what to give Javier and Lilly for their wedding."
"Oh, you all don't know what to get them?" He asked everybody in the room, and they all agreed.
Desiree decided to leave the kitchen to see what the commotion was and to find out what had happened to Marta and Ted. As she was about to come through the door, she saw Walter and changed her mind, but before she could pop back into the kitchen she heard, "Desiree come join us." Walter motioned for her.
As she joined them Marta said, "We're trying to come up with some ideas for a wedding present."
"Oh! For who?" Desiree asked.
"For Javier and Lilly." Ted replied.
"I have an idea." Caller Bob said and everybody turned to look at him. "Why don't we buy them the Mustang Hill Ranch. It's still in good condition. It just needs some tidying up, and with all of us pitching in we could have it all fixed up by the time of their wedding."
"And with all of us contributing the money to buy the place, we won't have to chip in that much." Tally stated. "We can also purchase some lumber and build on two extra rooms, an extra room for when they have a kid and a bathroom. I think they would appreciate it."
"I like the idea. I don't mind helping clean up the place." Melissa thought it was a great idea.
All of them agreed to the idea. So it was decided that Tally, Caller Bob, Ted, Walter, Teaspoon and Jesse would build the two extra rooms, and Desiree, Marta, Jacy, Melissa, and Rachel would fix up the inside of the house and barn. They would make their wedding present to Lilly and Javier a very pretty, special surprise.