Page 73 of The Preacher's Bride

Mia smiled. “I do, Mama. Now, get some rest.”

“Okay, but wake me when it’s ready,” Ella said as she turned over.

Mia smiled. “I will.”

“Mia?”

“Yes?”

Ella chuckled. “I thought you might not want to have children after witnessing me give birth.”

Mia laughed, shaking her head. “No, I haven’t ruled it out. I still want to have more children… even though I already have two.”

A smile lit Ella’s lips. “Night.”

“I’ll see you in a bit,” Mia said as she quietly closed the door behind her.

As she walked out to the kitchen, she resolved herself to being the mother of Caleb’s children… no matter what happened between them.

Chapter 16

Caleb

The next day, Caleb woke up early and went out to the kitchen to start the coffee. He thought of making French toast but changed his mind. Mia had spent the day at Ella’s house, and when she came back in, she said goodnight, went straight to her bedroom, and closed the door behind her.

Since it was morning, he hoped that she felt better and that things could go back to… well… if not normal, thentheirnormal.

But Mia came out of her bedroom fully dressed. Somehow, Caleb knew she wasn’t going to stay the whole day. “I’ll start breakfast in just a minute.” Mia headed into the bedroom to check on the children, and then left the door ajar when she left. “What would you like this morning?” she asked, walking past him and into the kitchen, not looking at him.

He shrugged. “Anything you like,” he said angrily, and then headed to the backdoor, emptied the contents of his coffee cup outside, and set it on the table. Without another word, he slipped on his coat and went out to the barn. He didn’t want to go far in case Mia decided to leave again.

Inside the barn, he leaned against a post. He didn’t know why he was so upset. The day before was the first day that she began to distance herself from him… from them. He turned around and punched a board in the barn wall. His hand started bleeding, but he felt nothing.

Of course she started distancing herself from him after he kissed her. Maybe she didn’t love him. It was obvious that she loved his children, but what if she didn’t love him? It was the only explanation he could manage.

He let out a deep breath as he grabbed the wheel barrel and shovel and started cleaning out a stall. When he was angry, this was what he did… shovel stalls. It was a safe way to get his anger out. Physical activity always helped him when he was frustrated, and this time was no different.

Then, a thought occurred to him. Maybe she was distancing herself because he couldn’t give her his heart. He was trying, but he just couldn’t let his guard down enough to let her in completely.

But, somehow, she had wormed her way into his heart, despite his best efforts to keep her at arm’s length. He just couldn’t give her what she wanted… he couldn’t be who she wanted… what she wanted… a husband.

Mia was the sort of woman who needed love in her life. She wasn’t the kind of woman who could love his children and not expect to be loved in return. But he just wasn’t ready. He was mad at himself for thinking that he was. Who knew when he would be ready? Maybe next week? Next year? Maybe never. How could he have done this to himself? To her? Mia had walked into this situation with her eyes open, into his home with an open heart, and he had shut it down. He was the one who did this. He couldn’t blame her, an innocent bystander to the tragedy that was his life.

Caleb walked inside, determined to talk to her. To try and salvage what was left of their marriage, of their relationship. But Mrs. Jenkins was there instead of Mia.

“What time is it?” he asked her.

“Noon,” Mrs. Jenkins replied.

“Oh,” he said as he looked around for Mia. “It’s later than I thought.”

Her eyebrows pulled together in concern. “Are you all right?”

“Where’s Mia?” he asked, ignoring her question as he looked around.

Mrs. Jenkins’s eyes were filled with concern. “She went to see Ella.”

“Again?”

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