Page 13 of Montana Bride By Christmas
Hugh nodded slowly. “I like the idea. Just so long as you don’t expect too much of him.”
“I hope I’ve learned my lesson about pushing him before he’s ready.”
Hugh got to his feet and waited for Annie to go ahead of him.
“I brought a storybook.”
He remained in the sitting room as she hurried to find the book from among her belongings and rejoined him. Together, they entered the kitchen.
Grandfather nodded in his chair. He must be exhausted. It had been a long day. She would suggest he go to bed but knew he wouldn’t go while both she and Hugh were still up.
“I’ll make tea.” She filled the kettle and set it on the stove, then brought out a selection of cookies from the pantry. As she waited for the water to boil, she talked, knowing Evan listened even when he gave no indication of it.
“I think it’s nice to have tea together before bed,” she said, looking to Hugh to see if he understood her need to explain for Evan’s sake.
Hugh’s slight nod and barely-there smile encouraged her to go on.
And it brought a sudden stutter to her voice. She forced herself to speak firmly and steadily as she continued. “When I was about Evan’s age, I remember my mother making milk tea for me. And I always got two cookies. Of course, I always chosethe two biggest ones.” She contemplated how best to connect with Evan. “My mother died a few years ago. So no one reads me bedtime stories anymore, but that’s okay because now I can read them to Evan.”
From the slight tilt of his head, she knew he listened.
She poured the tea and gave a cupful to Hugh and Grandfather. She made milk tea and set the cup and a small plate holding two cookies before Evan and then she sat across from Hugh.
He gave her a smile that seemed to say he approved of her efforts. Good. It meant they were headed in the right direction. He’d soon learn she had much to offer him and his son.
She sipped her tea slowly and enjoyed the two cookies she’d chosen. Then she opened the storybook. It was the same one her mother had read from when Annie was Evan’s age, and as the memories of those days assailed her, tears filled her eyes and clogged her throat. Not wanting Hugh to see how fragile her emotions were, she kept her head lowered.
“Are you okay?” he asked after a moment.
She nodded, unable to speak.
Grandfather squeezed her hand. “It’s okay to miss your mama.”
“Of course it is,” Hugh assured her.
A strangled squeak drew the attention of all three adults to Evan. His shoulders twitched. As if he cried? It was impossible to tell as he turned his back to them.
Annie looked at Hugh and raised her eyebrows to silently ask if they should go to him.
He lifted his shoulders ever so slightly. He didn’t know any more than she did, and his mouth worked.
Her heart tore at the sign of his uncertainty. She couldn’t imagine how difficult it would be to watch his son struggle with so many problems and not know if any offer of comfortwould send him into a fury...one born of fear, she was certain. It made her doubly grateful to have had a tender mother and a supportive family, and she promised herself she would give Evan the same if he would let her.
It seemed no one quite knew what to do, and she could only think of one thing, so she cleared her throat and began to read. The book was a collection of Bible stories and moral tales, and her favorite had always been about the old farm dog who rescued some orphaned kittens and raised them. The dog fought off a coyote that tried to get the kittens and chased away a hawk. At one point, she was sorely injured, but she kept on tending the three kittens.
“The moral of the story,” Annie read, “is that God loves us even better than that dog loved her kittens. He claims us because He loves us. He takes care of us—1 John 3 verse 1 says, ‘Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.’” She needed to say more for Evan’s sake. “Some children are in families they weren’t born into, and they are loved. My brother Logan and his wife adopted three children.” It struck her that the children’s circumstances were somewhat like Evan’s. They’d been neglected and abused by a man claiming to be their stepfather. Perhaps now was not the time to talk about that. “And my brother Conner and his wife have adopted a little girl and love her dearly. My oldest brother Dawson has a daughter, but his wife died, so Mattie had no mama.” She sensed Evan straining toward her. “Dawson married a very fine lady by the name of Isabelle, and Isabelle is Mattie’s new mama. They love each other very much. God loves each of us even more.”
She and Hugh considered one another across the table. The tension seemed to have left his face. If the things she’d said had accomplished that, thanks be to God for guiding her words.
“My mama or papa always said prayers with me before bed.”
Hugh nodded. “I’m your papa, so I’ll do it.”
Annie knew he wasn’t excluding her but simply helping Evan understand his role in the family.
“Let’s pray,” Hugh said, and the adults bowed their heads.
Annie stole a look at Evan. He’d turned his head slightly to watch his father. She knew the boy would have shown her his thin back if he realized she watched him and would have disguised the longing in his eyes. Seeing it gave Annie hope. Evan knew what he wanted but was afraid to believe it could be his.
