Page 95 of Somewhere We Belong

The barn door creaked open, Colt and Atlas peaked around the corner.

“Everything ok?” Atlas asked, worry bled through his tone.

“Momma told me you're her boyfriends!” Sol yelled, rushing to them.

“You ok?” I asked, helping her up.

“She scared the shit out of me but I’m glad we got to the bottom of her being grumpy,” Nova said, dusting herself off. “I swear I thought I was doing the right thing but I got it wrong.”

“You were trying your best,” I said.

Nova sighed. “Sometimes it feels like that's not good enough.”

“You are good enough, Nova,” I said, cupping her face in my hands. “I know you think you are not, but you show up every day, you try, and you keep trying. That's all we want as kids, is a parent who tries and shows up.”

“Thanks, Theo,” she said, picking at my jacket. “I want her to have a life free of expectations and to just be a kid. I guess I want her to have everything that I didn't have emotionally and physically. I guess that’s what most parents want anyways.”

“Not all parents,” I muttered, as she gave me a sad smile.

Colt walked over to us with Sol in his arms.

“Now, Sundae, you can’t be running off on us like that, your momma almost had a heart attack,” Colt said. “She got really scared.”

Sol frowned. “I needed to think.”

“Well, next time, think in your bed. I’ll leave you alone, but you can’t be going outside by yourself where no one knows where you are at,” Nova said, narrowing her eyes at Sol. “Especially in the cold.”

“Ok, I’m sorry,” Sol said softly. “Sorry I made you worry.”

“Thank you. Now, let's never do that again.” Nova kissed her cheek. “Let's go inside because I am cold.”

“Can I get a group hug?” Sol asked, as we walked to the door.

“Yeah, we can,” Nova said, hugging Colt as I pulled Atlas towards me and we completed the circle.

Sol sighed dramatically. “Best Christmas ever.”

“Yeah, Sweetheart, it's a pretty great Christmas,” Nova said, as we shared a look.

It was one of the best Christmas’ in a long time. Atlas was finally home. Nova and Sol had found their way to us, and it was starting to feel like my life was shaping up to be what I had wanted and so much more. I hoped this was only the beginning.

“When was the last time we hung out like this?” Jude asked, as Luke, Iris, him and I rode horses down the pasture. “I think it was before the funeral; it’s wild to think that was a year ago.”

“I don’t think we have ever done it and it’s weird to think it's almost been a year,” Luke said, looking thoughtful as just the four of us rode together. “When I left for college, it felt like I got to see less and less of you guys even when I went home.”

“I don’t ever remember hanging out with you guys. If it wasn’t chores or cooking and cleaning, I felt like I was always separated,” Iris said, riding next to me. “It feels like it just happened yesterday.”

“I think this needs to be a yearly thing,” Jude said, looking around. “We don’t have anything holding us back. I miss you guys.”

“I’m glad we aren’t separated anymore. I've missed you guys. But when it's calf season, Luke can come down and we can all deliver calves,” I chuckled.

Luke made a face. “I don’t miss delivering cows, but sometimes I do miss the animals and farm life.”

“I don’t miss it,” Jude said disgustedly. “Waking up early and working all week till you were bone-tired sounds awful. I don’t know how dad did it for all those years.”

“He had no choice,” Iris said sadly. “All that debt was crushing him and in the end, it’s what killed them.”

“I’m sorry, you had to sell the farm, Iris,” Luke said.

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