Page 8 of Taken By Storm

“We, um… We didn’t plant anything there this year.”

Levi frowned—because that was a hell of a lot of farmland to leave unplanted.

However, before he could ask why not, there was a loud crash inside and the sound of glass breaking. Kasi quickly opened the front door, dashing inside, and Levi followed.

She pulled up short in the doorway to the kitchen and quickly threw her hands up. “Daddy. Don’t move,” she said.

Levi took a second to study the scene, concerned by what he saw. Kasi’s father was standing in the middle of the kitchen, surrounded by several broken dishes. A tray lay nearby on the floor as well. All of that was easily enough explained. Mr. Mills got clumsy and dropped a tray.

What Levicouldn’treconcile was this version of Mr. Mills to the man he’d known his entire life. He did a quick calculation, trying to decide when he’d last seen the man.

Then it occurred to him.

At his wife’s funeral.

It wasn’t that his path and Mr. Mills’ crossed on a regular occasion, but they usually ran into each other at least a dozen times a year, either at town events, the grocery store, or even at Rain or Shine Brewery. Mr. and Mrs. Mills had spent more than a few restful Sundays doing tastings there, and enjoying the changing colors of the leaves or the return of spring.

But it had been eight months since he’d seen the man, and that time hadn’t been kind to him.

Always a tall, lanky guy, Mr. Mills seemed to have lost weight he didn’t have to lose. Same as Kasi. His thinning hair was almost completely gone, and his tanned complexion had fadedto a chalky white, something unheard of in professional farmers, who spent their days out in the bright sunshine.

The worst part was the man’s vacant expression.

He was looking at Kasi as if confused.

Kasi moved forward slowly, trying to avoid the larger pieces of glass. “Stay where you are, Daddy. You’re not wearing shoes. Let me clean up this glass so you don’t cut yourself.” She knelt down, intent on picking up the sharp shards with her hands.

“Where’s the broom and dustpan?” Levi asked.

Kasi pointed to a closed door. “In the pantry.”

Levi crossed the room to grab them. “Don’t try to pick it up with your ha?—”

That was all he was able to say before Kasi gasped. She’d sliced the end of one of her fingers, blood instantly welling.

“Ouch.” She quickly covered it with the other hand, applying pressure.

Levi grabbed the broom and dustpan, sweeping the glass into a pile and scooping it up. It took several trips between the pile and the trash can to get most of the glass.

In the meantime, Kasi walked to the sink, running her cut finger under the water.

“How bad is it?” Levi asked, looking at her from the floor as he scooped up the last of the mess.

“Not bad at all. Little more than a paper cut,” she said, though Levi wasn’t sure he believed her. Kasi was fairly accomplished at underplaying things.

Levi captured her gaze from where he knelt on the floor. “Mmm-hmm. Let me finish cleaning this mess and then I’ll take a look at it.”

“It’s fine,” she insisted, reaching into a cabinet by the sink and pulling out a Band-Aid. Wrapping it around her finger tightly, she grabbed a washcloth from the sink, wet it, then kneltnext to him, running the cloth over the floor to pick up any tiny shards left behind.

Through all their efforts, Mr. Mills remained still, wringing his hands.

“Are you okay, Daddy?” Kasi said, both of them rising once they’d finished cleaning the mess.

“I carried my tray down,” he said, his voice so quiet, Levi had to strain to hear him. “I smelled…” Mr. Mills swallowed heavily, his hands shaking, a tear sliding down his wrinkled cheek. “I smelled pot roast. I thought…your mother always made…it smelled just like hers. I thought she was here.”

“It’s okay,” Kasi said softly. “It’ll be okay. Are you hungry? I bought some rolls to go with the roast. I just need to pop them in the microwave. Why don’t we eat together down here?” Kasi was using that same cheerful tone she’d used with Levi, even though he knew she wasn’t feeling happy.

Mr. Mills shook his head. “No. Tray in my room is…” His words faded as he rambled out of the kitchen, heading upstairs.

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