Page 22 of Mail-Order Bride Mommy
“You coming?” she called.
To see the child peering down, Gwen’s heart jolted to her throat and hung there. It didn’t seem safe. “Are you allowed to be up there?”
“Sure. It’s where the cats are. How else would I see them? Come on.”
A four-year-old had no trouble ascending. Joining her shouldn’t be a big challenge to an adult. But Gwen couldn’t force her limbs to move. She must not let Lindy know how much she did not want to do this. She grabbed a wooden rung and shook it. The wood didn’t budge, offering reassurance that the rung would hold her weight. She’d sooner it had provided her an excuse to refuse to go any further.
She lifted a foot to the first bit of wood. Her shoe caught in the hem of her skirt. She forced herself to release one hand and pull the fabric free. But that left her having to do the same for the next step. And there was no way she would let go of her handhold once she got several feet from the ground. She grabbed her skirt and palmed it and lifted her foot to the next rung.
Now off the solid floor of the barn, she stared at the stained wood before her, sucked in feeble courage, and lifted a foot to the next rung. And then the next. She was at eye level with the surface of the loft. “Where are the cats?” She could see them fine right here without letting go of the solid rungs.
“They’s over there. You gotta come and see them.” Lindy stood back, expectant, and impatient.
I can do this. I must do this.Gwen looked around for something to cling to. There was a wooden crossbar above her. If she stretched…. She eased up one more step, grabbed for the stud, and clung to it as she found footing.
“Come on.” Lindy took her hand and half dragged her forward. In the corner, on an old rug amidst a mound of hay lay a cat with three kittens. The mama cat meowed a welcome to Lindy who fell to her knees and rubbed mama cat’s chin. She lifted one of the kittens. “You can hold this one if you want.”
Gwen accepted the tiny creature. The solid gray kitten meowed weakly. She pressed her cheek to the silky fur.
Loneliness ached through her at the memories flooding her heart. Her cat—Silky—was gone by now. She knew Patricia had made Maurice promise to destroy Gwen’s pet as soon as she left. The only thing about that decree that surprised her was that Patricia didn’t insist on it while Gwen was still there.
Silky had been bigger than this kitten when Mama and Gwen brought her home. Mama loved cats too. Gwen closed her eyes and drew in slow deep breaths to hold her sorrow at bay.
There was no point in dwelling on the past. She was beginning a new life.
“That one is named Stormy.” Lindy lifted the second kitten. It was gray with white and orange areas. “This one is Patches.” She put the kitten in her lap and picked up the third one which was black with a white nose and white paws. “This one is Mittens.”
“Perfect names. What’s mama cat’s name?”
“She’s Cat.”
“Cat?”
“That’s what Papa always called her. ‘Where’s Cat? Here, take some milk to Cat. Cat caught a mouse for you.’” She giggled at that and then concentrated on the kittens in her lap. “Papa will never see them get big, will he?”
Gwen sat beside Lindy on the dusty floor. “Your papa liked cats, didn’t he?”
Lindy nodded. Gwen tried to think how best to reassure the child. She’d suffered a horrible loss. One that a four-year-old couldn’t begin to understand. Death was so final. Even knowing one’s parents were in a better place did not ease the pain. She remembered her own struggles and spoke from the heart.
“Lindy, honey, I think I’m right in saying your papa would want you to enjoy the kittens as much as he would have. I believe he is sorry he didn’t get a chance to tell you goodbye before he left. But God surrounded you with people who love you and will take care of you.”
Lindy silently stroked the kittens. After a moment, she turned her face toward Gwen. “Did God send you to take care of me?”
Gwen hugged the child, her heart bursting with love. “I believe so and I’m so very happy He did.”
Lindy pursed her lips, her expression sober. “I am too.”
Tears stung Gwen’s eyes at those words. Whatever it took to earn Matt’s approval she would do. And not just to secure a home for herself, but more importantly, to provide Lindy with the love she needed.
One by one, Lindy put the kittens back with Cat and got to her feet. Gwen stood at her side, waiting to see what she wanted to do next. With a whoop of joy, the child ran a few steps and then slid the rest of the way across the floor. “Come on, Auntie Gwen, it’s fun.”
“Only if you’re little.” She moved toward the gaping hole in the floor, prepared to catch Lindy if she slid too close. She wanted to tell her to stop but she couldn’t let her own fears dictate what the child did.
Lindy skidded to a halt in front of Gwen. “You wanna see more?”
Gwen put her hand on Lindy’s shoulder to hold her back from the opening. Shaking away her fears, she reveled in the pleasure of Lindy’s offer.
“I’d love to.”
