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have been returning from the barn. “Where
in thunder have you two been? I could have used some help with the
milking this morning. Lefty’s got a terrible cold, and Derrik’s bad
shoulder is acting up. I had to send Lefty back to the bunk house,
and I made Derrik return to bed with a heating pad and some pain
reliever.”
    “We had an errand to do, Mother. We’d like to
discuss it with you.”
    “Certainly. Come on in. I could use a cup of
coffee, and I bet the two of you could too.” Sheila opened the door
and let them inside.
    In a few minutes three cups of coffee sat on
the table ahead of three people who eyed each other carefully.
    Matthew sat forward and took a sip of coffee.
He stared at Sheila who sat directly across from him. He opened his
mouth, but Sheila spoke before he could say anything.
    “Did you go into town?”
    “Yes.”
    Sheila grinned broadly. “I was hoping you’d
gone to town. Let me see the ring,” she said, reaching toward
Melinda.
    “What?”
    “The ring, dear. Your wedding band. That’s
what you went to town for, isn’t it?”
    “Certainly not!” Matthew exclaimed. “We went
to the courthouse to try to intercept the fax you sent before it
was recorded.”
    “Oh?” Sheila’s expression was impossible to
read. She didn’t seem surprised or hurt or disappointed or
confused.
    “It wasn’t there, Mother. Either it’s already
been filed, or you lied about faxing the license. Which is it?”
Matthew leaned forward a little farther. “Did you lie about the
fax?”
    Sheila shook her head. “I didn’t lie. I sent
the fax just as I said I did.”
    “You sent the fax?”
    “Yes.”
    He let out a sigh and leaned back in his
chair. “Then I guess the paper’s already been filed. That
complicates everything.”
    “Not really,” Sheila said. “If the paper is
already filed, it simplifies everything. Instead of going through
the rituals of dating and taking months to learn what I already
know, that you two are perfect for each other, you skip right to
the part where you can start giving me grandchildren.”
    “Mother, you are absolutely impossible.”
Matthew turned to Melinda. “As soon as the road is clear, you can
get out of this madhouse and on to your sister’s wedding. I’ll find
out the legalities of our situation and arrange to dissolve this
relationship if indeed it is legal in the first place. You have my
word on that, Melinda.”
    Her heart broke a little when he spoke of the
permanent separation which would come to them all too soon.
    Sheila pushed herself away from the table. “I
can’t stand this another minute,” she said as she stood. She walked
to the desk and retrieved two pieces of paper. She held them close
to her as she spoke. “Matthew, I really did fax the license to the
courthouse just as I said I did, but it was never filed.”
    “How do you know the paper wasn’t filed?”
Melinda asked.
    “I know because I have the fax right here
along with the original license.” She laid both papers she was
holding on the table. “I felt quite foolish the morning after you
arrived, Melinda, when we discussed what I’d done the night before.
I’m ashamed I went as far as I did, but I was so sure I was right
about the two of you being soul mates. I’ve always had a sixth
sense about people, and I was absolutely certain the two of you
were star crossed.” She sat down and sighed. “Maybe I was
wrong.”
    No, you weren’t! Melinda mentally
shouted.
    “Maybe you were,” Matthew said.
    “How did you get the fax back if you’d really
sent it?” Melinda asked.
    Sheila nodded toward her son. “As you know,
Matthew, the sheriff is a good friend of mine.” She looked at
Melinda. “I had him pick up the fax and bring it to me when he made
his rounds on his snowmobile early this morning.”
    “Well, I guess there is nothing further for
us to take care of then,” Matthew said flatly.
    “Not at the moment,” Sheila said as she
stood. She went to the