Lorraine Heath (23 page)

Rushing to catch up with Jesse’s long strides, Paul followed him into the woods. He heard the laughter and a distant splash. Then they walked into a small clearing.

“Paul!” Cassie shouted. She released the rope and waved just before she plunged into the water.

“Good Lord, what’s she wearing?” Paul asked.

“The latest in fashionable creek side wear,” Jesse answered.

Aaron rushed over. “Uncle Paul, let me show you the mud slide.”

Paul followed the boy to the muddy slope. “You say this is a—” His final words were but a yell as Aaron slammed his shoulder against his uncle’s thigh. Paul slid down the muddy embankment and hit the water. He looked up and saw Jesse proudly patting Aaron’s shoulder.

Jesse looked at the man sprawled in the water. “Surprise!” Then he threw his head back and laughed, a deep rumble that sent the birds fluttering from the trees. Paul returned his laughter.

Jesse turned his attention to his brother. Charles was stretched out on the ground, his head resting on Maddie’s lap as she continually ran her fingers through his hair. He walked across the clearing and hunkered before them. “He asleep?”

“No, I’m not asleep,” Charles said, opening one eye. “Not with all the hollering and commotion going on.”

Jesse glanced off in the distance, at the thick cloud formations coating the sky. “Looks like cooler weather heading in.”

“That’s why I decided to spend today at the creek,” Maddie said. “Cassie never swam in a creek before.”

Jesse smiled broadly. “Judging from the expression on Paul’s face when he hit the water, he hasn’t, either.”

“I think you like him,” Charles said.

Jesse looked at the couple splashing the girls at the water’s edge, allowing them to splash back, feigning direct hits. “I guess Cassie could have done worse,” he said grudgingly.

Charles sat up and rubbed his left arm, trying to get the feeling to return to it as he leaned against the tree. “I think you’re just upset because he bested you. You thought he was searching for Maddie when he was really searching for you.”

“He could at least have had the decency to explain the situation to me when I confronted him.”

“When did you confront him?” Charles asked.

Jesse started pulling up weeds. “When he was here before.”

“Exactly what did you say to him?” “I don’t remember exactly. I may have threatened to kill him.”

“What?” Maddie and Charles exclaimed in unison.

He shrugged. “Only if he made Maddie unhappy. Now, I’ll just kill him if he makes Cassie unhappy.”

“I don’t think he’s in any danger then,” Maddie said.

He smiled. “No, I don’t reckon he is.”

Shivering, Taylor walked over, dropped onto Jesse’s lap, and pressed her wet back against his chest. Maddie handed him a towel. He draped it over Taylor and rubbed briskly.

Cassie soon joined them and wrapped a blanket around her drenched body. “That was invigorating.” She glanced around her. “This is wonderful. It’s so strange, and I don’t know how to explain it, but I don’t feel as though we were ever really separated.”

“I know what you mean,” Charles said. “I felt the same way when Jesse showed up on my doorstep.”

“I guess that’s what it means to be a family,” Cassie said softly, “to know that years and miles can never really separate you. Do you know where Mother and Father are buried?”

“Not really,” Jesse said. “There were a lot of graves over the prairie.”

Disappointment wove itself through Cassie’s features. “I had hoped to erect a monument over their resting place, but I shall have to be content with naming the endowment fund after them.”

“What endowment fund?” Jesse asked.

Cassie laughed self-consciously. “My inheritance. We put it in a trust and find worthy causes to dole it out to.”

“You’re not living off it?” Jesse asked.

“My word, no. It was a mere pittance next to Paul’s inheritance when his parents died. We didn’t need it, so rather than have it get lost among his wealth, he suggested I put it in a trust and use it for charitable works.”

Jesse’s eyes narrowed. “He’s got a lot of money?”

“Oh, my goodness, yes.”

“And he just neglected to mention this little fact about himself the other day when I accused him of marrying you for your inheritance.”

“He’s really quite modest and I’m sure—”

“He wanted it to be a surprise,” Jesse growled.

Cassie smiled. “Well, he does enjoy his surprises.”

The cool autumn breeze ruffled Aaron’s hair as he sat on the upper veranda with his father. If Billy saw him, Billy’d call him a sissy for sitting on his father’s lap, but Aaron didn’t care. He knew secrets, secrets his father told him when they watched the sun fall beyond the horizon. Secrets that made him hug his father a little tighter at night. Secrets that made him glad he could sit on his father’s lap in the evening when no one was looking.

“Wish it was spring,” he said wistfully.

“Why’s that?” Charles asked.

“So we could make a kite and fly it.”

“Why do we have to wait for spring?”

“Never seen no one fly a kite in the fall,” Aaron answered.

“Then we’d be the first, wouldn’t we?”

Aaron shifted around until he could face his father. “You reckon it’d be all right?”

“I don’t see why not. I’d like to fly a kite, too.”

Aaron bounded off his father’s lap. “Should we keep this a secret, too?”

“No, let’s share it with the others. See if they want to join us.”

“I bet they will!” Aaron called out as he raced across the veranda and rushed through the door.

Charles took one last look at the sunset before following his son inside.

Aaron tromped down the stairs, two at a time, and skidded into the parlor. Jesse and Paul looked up from the checkerboard. Maddie stopped embroidering the eye on Taylor’s doll. Cassie, Hannah, and Taylor set down their teacups.

“Me and Pa are going to make a kite tonight! Fly it tomorrow,” Aaron announced, the excitement clearly visible in his face.

“Where are you going to fly it?” Jesse asked.

“In the meadow. You’ll have to move your cows to one end.”

Jesse arched a brow. “Oh, I will, will I?”

“Yes, sir, if you don’t mind.”

Jesse glanced at his brother as Charles sat beside Maddie on the sofa and took her hand. “You’re going to fly a kite tomorrow?” Jesse asked.

“If we have a breeze like the one we had today. Aaron doesn’t want to wait until spring. Neither do I.”

“Well, then, just let me claim my victory here, and we’ll make one.”

“Why make only one?” Paul asked. “We’ve got three children here. Seems like we ought to make three.”

“We?” Jesse snorted. “What’s a city boy know about making kites?”

Paul smiled. “I’ll have you know I can make a kite that would make Benjamin Franklin jealous.”

“Oh, really?” Jesse goaded.

“Really.”

“What is it with you two?” Cassie asked. “Why do you have to compete on everything?”

“Madam, we haven’t even begun to compete.” Jesse leaned back in his chair, his eyes on Paul. “Pick your partner.”

Paul glanced around the room. “Who wants to help me make the best kite that ever graced the skies?”

Hannah waved her hand. “I’ll help you, Uncle Paul.”

“How about you, Taylor? You want to help me?” Jesse asked.

Taylor bobbed her head.

“All right,” Jesse said, glancing over at his opponent. “Why don’t you concede, and we’ll work on kites?”

Paul shook his head. “I’m not conceding. This game is mine.”

Jesse slapped his hand on the table. “I’m feeling magnanimous tonight. I’ll concede.”

“Oh, no, you’re just trying to deny me a victory.”

“Paul! If he concedes, you’ve won,” Cassie said.

“No, I haven’t. I won’t win unless I beat him, and he knows it.”

Jesse smiled. “Will you settle for a draw?”

Lifting his hands off the table, Paul returned the smile. “Might as well. It’s the closest I’ll come to an honest victory—until tomorrow anyway.”

They scraped their chairs across the floor in unison, and the girls ran to their sides. Jesse hoisted Taylor into his arms. “Let’s go see what we can find to make a kite.”

As everyone else walked out of the room, Charles squeezed “Maddie’s hand. “You want to help?”

“No, I have something else in mind for my contribution to this evening. You and Aaron get started, and I’ll surprise you with it.”

“All right.” Standing, he wavered, leaned over, and rested his hand on the back of the sofa.

Maddie placed her palm flat on his back. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah, just dizzy for a minute.”

She slipped her arm through his. “My surprise will take place in the kitchen. Why don’t you walk me as far as the dining room?”

Shifting his weight, he leaned against her. “A real gentleman would walk you all the way to the kitchen.”

“Not when he has something as important as a kite to make.”

By the time they made their way to the dining room, the large oak table was covered with kite makings: thin sticks, twigs, newsprint, string. Aaron was busily mixing flour and water to make a paste for holding his kite together. He lifted the spoon. Not content with the consistency of the white matter, he added more water and stirred again.

Maddie pulled out a chair. “You sit here, and I’ll get started on my surprise.” As Charles sat, she glanced across the table to Jesse, his eyes discerning as always, studying Charles. He lifted his gaze to her. “I have some scraps of calico you can use for the tails on your kites,” she said.

She walked into the kitchen and pressed her hands against the table, bowing her head, fighting back her tears, knowing she couldn’t release them until after everyone had gone to bed. She forced herself to listen to the laughter coming from the other room, the innocent laughter of children mingled with the knowing laughter of adults. She heard the lighthearted banter, the feigned arguments, the excited voices of the children. Then she heard the deep voice she needed to hear.

“Where did you say the calico was?”

Turning, she walked straight into Jesse’s strong embrace. He did nothing more than hold her, but it was enough. Taking a deep breath, she stepped back and smiled. “The scraps are in my sewing basket in the parlor.”

He touched his knuckle to her cheek, mouthed the words “Love you,” and quietly left the room, leaving his love and strength behind. She wrapped her heart around his gifts, took a pot off the wall, shoved wood into the stove, and began working.

Some time later, she walked back into the dining room and set a plate beside Charles.

“Pa, you gotta tie the string tighter or the sticks won’t stay together,” Aaron said.

Taking hold of his left hand and moving it to his lap, Charles glanced at Maddie. “My fingers don’t seem to want to work.”

She forced a brave smile for him and for the children who were staring at him. “I have a hard time dealing with string myself, but I’ll help Aaron if you’ll taste the fudge and let me know if it’s worth sharing. Open your mouth.” She popped a piece of fudge into his mouth.

He closed his eyes and smiled. “Yep, it’s worth sharing.”

“Then pass it down here,” Jesse said.

Maddie moved the plate to the middle of the table, then began helping Aaron with his kite. Charles reached across the table for another piece. “Can’t remember the last time I had fudge,” he said.

“Know why I made fudge?” she asked.

“No.”

She smiled. “Because the first time I looked into your eyes, I thought of the fudge my mother used to make at Christmas.”

Charles leaned back. “That’s interesting. My eyes reminded you of fudge. Your eyes remind Jesse of whiskey. What do Jesse’s eyes remind you of?”

She glanced down the table, gazing into black eyes.

“Coffee!” Hannah cried, her hand covering her broad smile. “Cuz Uncle Jesse drinks so much coffee, it fills up his belly and goes to his eyes.”

“And what do your eyes remind me of?” Jesse asked, his own eyes narrowing.

Hannah leaned over the table until the tip of her nose was almost touching Jesse’s nose, and her eyes were big and round.

“Chocolate cake,” Jesse said as he grabbed her and tickled her tummy. “It’s cuz you eat so much chocolate cake it fills up your belly and goes to your eyes!”

Squealing, Hannah collapsed on the table.

“Get your hands off my partner,” Paul said as he worked his hands around Jesse’s and tickled Hannah. She screeched as both her uncles continued their assault.

“What are you laughing at, Aaron?” Cassie asked. Together, she and Maddie pulled Aaron out of the chair. He writhed on the floor as they tickled him.

Taylor climbed down from her chair and crawled into Charles’s lap. “Fud,” she whispered. Charles pulled the plate nearer. Together, they watched the commotion taking place around them as they plucked piece after piece of fudge off the plate.

Jesse stopped tickling Hannah and glanced at the far end of the table. “Hey, what happened to the fudge?”

Paul stopped tickling Hannah, Maddie and Cassie stopped tickling Aaron, and everyone became very quiet. Jesse stalked over to Taylor. She squeezed her eyes shut tight.

“What color are your eyes, Taylor?” Jesse asked.

She shook her head vigorously.

“They wouldn’t remind me of fudge, would they?”

She screamed when he picked her up and set her on the table. “No, I guess they wouldn’t, but your pa’s would!”

Charles didn’t know how it happened, but he suddenly found himself under attack. He tried to escape Jesse’s wiggling fingers and instead found himself sliding to the floor, his laughter echoing around him. “Good Lord! Jesse, stop!”

“You ate all the fudge!”

“Taylor did! I didn’t!”

“No!” Taylor cried as she crawled across the table to the far end.

Aaron jumped to his feet and started tickling his father. When Hannah soon joined him, Jesse eased back. Paul set Taylor on the floor. “Go tickle your pa,” he said, and she ran to the writhing man, her tiny fingers working to increase his laughter.

Charles laughed and rolled from side to side until he was out of breath. Watching him closely, Jesse lifted Aaron and Hannah away. “That’s enough now.” Taylor rested her head on Charles’s chest.

“But what about the fudge?” Aaron asked.

“Maddie’ll just have to make some more,” Jesse said. “If we don’t get these kites finished, they aren’t going to be ready to fly tomorrow.”

Maddie knelt beside Charles. “Are you all right?”

“Yep, I needed that.”

She helped him up, and everyone gathered around the table. Turning their attention to the kites, they no longer worked in teams, but worked as a family.

Maddie eased out of bed and padded over to the window. Glancing out, she saw Charles sitting in a rocking chair on the veranda. She retrieved her wrapper, thrust her arms into it, and joined him. “What are you doing out here?” she whispered, drawing her wrapper more tightly about her to ward away the predawn chill.

“Just wanted to watch the sunrise.” He held his hand out to her.

She placed her hand in his, remembering a time when his had seemed so warm and strong. Now, it felt as though the first frost of autumn had settled over it. He gave a slight tug. “Come sit with me.”

“Just a minute.” She walked back into their room and returned, carrying the quilt from their bed. Easing onto his lap, she draped the blanket around them and snuggled in against him. Charles smiled. “We should have done this before now.”

“It was never this cold in the morning before now.”

“It’ll be warm by noon, but do you feel the breeze? It’s a good breeze for flying a kite.”

Beneath the quilt, Maddie took his hands in hers and rubbed briskly, trying to restore some warmth to his fingers. “I thought I’d pack a picnic, and we’d just make a whole day of it.”

Charles wrapped his fingers around hers, stilling her hands. “Maddie, I want you to know that if a man is allowed to take his memories with him, heaven will be that much sweeter for the gifts you’ve given me.”

Tears brimming in her eyes, she looked upon his beloved face, wanting to deny the implication of his words, but knowing no good would come of it. Instead, she voiced the words she knew would bring him the most peace. “I’ll take good care of your children and love them as though they were my own.”

“I know you will. And you keep making Jesse’s coffee strong and black as pitch. Seems to improve his mood.”

Then, because she’d never done so before, she pressed her lips to his, kissing him sweetly. Cupping her cheek, tilting her face away from his, he gazed into her eyes, a smile gracing his face. “Maybe we should have done that before now, too.”

Smiling softly, she lay her head in the crook of his shoulder. “Maybe so,” she said quietly.

Wrapping his arm around her, he glanced toward the far horizon, past the tree-covered hills, clothed in their autumn colors. “Ah, Maddie, look. It’s going to be a beautiful day.”

She turned her head slightly, but the new dawn was little more than a haze of colors viewed through a rainbow of her tears.

“Let it go!” Charles called out as Aaron ran, his hand holding onto the kite, his arm extended toward the sky.

Aaron released the kite, and it caught the wind, soaring into the blue sky. Hannah released her kite and the wind carried it toward the clouds. Taylor clung to Jesse’s neck as he ran with her. Then she opened her fingers, and the kite momentarily dipped down before fluttering upward. The children squealed, the adults clapped, and smiles filled every face in the meadow. The children ran back and claimed the sticks that anchored the string of the kites.

“Think it’s touching heaven, Pa?” Aaron asked.

Charles hunkered down. “Yeah, I think it is.”

“Think Ma can see it?”

“Yep.”

“I’m going to fly a kite every fall, Pa. Will you look for it?”

With tears clogging his throat, Charles pulled Aaron close. “Yes, son, I’ll look for it.”

“Will you touch it?”

“Yes, I will, and your mother will touch it, too.”

“I’ll share the secrets with Hannah and Taylor when they get old enough.”

“I love you,” Charles whispered. Then he stood, and his step faltered.

Jesse glanced over at him. “You all right?”

He nodded. “Just tired.” He walked over to Hannah and hugged her close. Then he knelt and hugged Taylor. After she turned her attention back to flying her kite, Charles continued to kneel, one hand pressed to the ground, bracing his arm to hold himself up.

Jesse hunkered down beside him. “Why don’t we go sit under the tree for a while?”