Realigning Destiny - Part 8: Cheating
By TT
Disclaimer/Notes: See part 1
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Realigning Destiny
By TT
Sometimes chance intervenes in our lives and causes destiny jumps the tracks. When this happens, fate steps in and realigns destiny’s course to bring us to where we need to be. But, as with the course of true love, the road of realignment doesn’t always run smooth.
Part 8: Cheating
“And I'm telling you he darn well deserved it after what he did!” Misty-Rose shouted, finger pointing accusingly at her husband.
“Mrs. Hilbert,” Stephanie said calmly and firmly. When it appeared she was being ignored, she repeated more loudly, “Mrs. Hilbert!”
“What?” Misty-Rose Hilbert demanded before noticing to whom she was speaking. “Oh. Sorry, deputy,” she said, looking truly abashed.
“That's OK,” Stephanie assured. “Why don't we step over there and you can tell me exactly what happened.”
“Alright,” Mrs. Hilbert agreed.
Three hours later, Stephanie was just finishing the last of her report on the incident out at the old Hilbert place when the bell over the door jingled.
Looking up from her desk, she smiled as Bucky Miller came into the station.
“Hey, Bucky,” she greeted. “What can I help you with?” she asked, moving to stand by the counter.
“Just wanted to stop by and let the chief know the cruiser's all set. Oil's changed, tired rotated, the whole nine yards.”
“Thanks,” Stephanie replied, holding her hand out for the keys.
Bucky hesitated just as he was about to drop the keys in her hand. “I don't know,” he said, his voice light and teasing. “Last time I gave you the keys, the cruiser got hit by a meteorite before I left the building.”
Stephanie rolled her eyes. “Acts of God are hardly my fault,” she protested. “It's not like I could do anything to cause or prevent that.”
“Uh-huh,” Bucky replied, his tone filled with disbelief. “And the tree branch that fell on it?”
“It was deadwood!”
“And then there was the horse that tried to jump it – supposedly.”
“He did try to jump it!”
“And the crash caused by droppings in the road, the electrical wire which fried the electronics, the elk that caused you to run into a ditch...”
“All right! Enough!” Stephanie protested, laughing and holding her hands up. “I surrender! I won't touch the keys.”
Bucky let out a loud belly laugh. “That's OK,” he assured her after regaining control. “I was just teasing you,” he admitted, handing the keys to Stephanie who immediately walked them back to the board where the keys for the car hung. “Say, did Misty-Rose say why she shot ol' Henry with rock salt?” he asked.
Stephanie turned and pursed her lips, trying to keep from laughing. “You know I can't divulge that information,” she informed.
“Sure you can,” Bucky denied. “If you don't, you know Jed will tonight.”
Jedidiah Williams was the sheriff and Stephanie's boss. He had been a detective in Chicago for a number of years before retiring to Montana. When the town was looking for a new sheriff, they had gone straight to Jed to ask him to take the position. It had taken some doing, but now, ten years later, no one would have it any other way.
Stephanie knew it was true. Among his many fine qualities, Jed had a few problems as well, one of which was keeping secrets on certain things. An incident like this one with the Hilberts would be something he'd never keep quiet.
Of course, given that Misty-Rose was the biggest gossip in the area and that she had already most likely shared the story, Stephanie was able to justify sharing the information.
With a sigh, she moved back to the counter to stand in front of Bucky. “Henry was cheating,” she informed the mechanic.
Bucky's jaw dropped open in shock, his eyes wide. “Cheating?” he demanded. “Henry doesn't have an unfaithful bone in his body!” he defended.
“He didn't cheat on Misty-Rose,” Stephanie continued. “She caught him cheating on the diet the doctor had him on for hit blood pressure.”
Bucky's shock turned to amusement as he waited for more information.
“She caught him sprinkling salt on his food when she was away from the table. You remember how upset she was when he had his problems? Well, she was furious when she found out. She screamed at him that if he wanted salt so badly, she'd give it to him. Then she put one of the shells they'd filled with rock salt into the shot gun and fired at him.”
Both Stephanie and Bucky were laughing at the thought. “Guess rock salt doesn't just scare away unwanted critters,” he finally said, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes.
“Nope,” Stephanie agreed.
“She sure does love him, though,” Bucky observed of Misty-Rose and Henry. “Of course, my Sarah would do the same . Hope that someday you can find someone who loves you like that, deputy.”
“Thanks,” Stephanie replied. As Bucky turned to leave, flashes of her time with Ranger ran through her mind, ending with the look in his eyes that morning when she told him she was a deputy. “I already have,” she whispered, not noticing that she was once more alone in the station.
To be continued in Part 9 – 051. Fireflies