Sarah - An offer to Ma

From last time ...

"Good thinking, Billy. I like it. Good ... good ... okay, let's get Mackey home. I'm sure Ma's worried about where he is by now, and besides ... I think it's past his bedtime."

And Billy drove. And Mackey gently snored.

And now ...

"How's yer Ma doin', Sarah?"

"Oh, she's okay, I guess. Physically, anyway. It's her mind I'm worried about."

"Why. What's been goin' on?"

"I wish I knew, Ma. It just that she gets funny, sometimes. Weird. She acts like she doesn't know me, one minute, and the next minute it's like it never happened. I've taken her to the Doctor about it and all they ever tell me is that it's 'Senility' - 'she's getting senile, and you'll just have to keep an eye on her, that's all. She'll be fine'. It's crap, Ma. It's all crap and I don't know what to do about it."

"Just love 'er, Sarah. She's yer Maw and you don't git more 'n one. Well, in yer case ya do, but that's only 'cause I love ya like you was mine."

"I know you do, Ma. I love you too. Listen, is it okay if I stay here, tonight? I don't feel like driving back to the Adobe."

"Sure, Sarah. Yer room is open. Don't see much traffic in here anymore since the new highway was put in. Trucks don't hardly come down this road no more and locals ain't got no good reason to be comin' here, so yeah. Yer room is open."

"Oh Ma, are things that bad? Mackey never said ..."

"Nah. He wouldn't. We're okay. The money you pay Mackey keeps us jus' fine. 'Course, that don't help the diner none - Donny says he's closin' up next week and the gas station been closed most of a month already. Things change, Sarah. But we'll be fine."

"Well, why don't you guys close this place up?"

"What would I do, Sarah? Ain't much for an old woman to do out here but dry up and die, and I ain't ready yet. Besides, somebody's gotta keep Mackey in line, ya know?"

"You are not old, Ma. You guys could live in the Adobe. There's plenty of room and I'm sure Mackey could use some help keepin' those miners honest. Besides, then you and Mackey would have a real house to live in."

"I don't know, Sarah. I'm not willin' ta see our little wide spot in the road here jus' blow away. We been here a long time. We got history here."

"Alright. Alright. I'm just sayin'. If you ever want it, it's there. I mean, Mackey already spends most of his time there. He uses it as an office. Why couldn't you both just use it? Period."

"SARAH!! Don't make me yell at you."

"Sorry, Ma. I was ... nevermind. Just think about it, okay?"

"Sure. Sarah. Sure. I'll think about it. Give me your keys. I'll put yer car 'round back."

"Oh. I told Two Feathers to take it and drive himself home. He's gonna pick me up in the mornin'."

"You did, huh?"

"Uh, yeah. I did. He's gonna drive me to the airport."

"You did that before ... girl, you need a spankin'."

"What?"

"I'll give you 'what'? What if I was full up? What would you have done then? Got in bed with me and Mackey? I love ya, girl - but I don't love ya THAT much."

"Cranky old woman. I've know you for almost 10 years and in that time I have NEVER seen you full up. I knew there'd be an open room."

"Well. git on back there and go to bed. I'm tired."

"G'night, Ma."

"G'night, Sarah."

With that, Ma turned out the lights and crossed the lobby to her room, mumbling under her breath - something about how Mackey was never gonna get THAT lucky.