Page 38 of A Steadfast Heart
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They’d need to buy more seed if Kaitlyn was planning a garden this big.
Drew paced off the area his wife had marked halfway between the barn and house. The back door slammed, and Jo ran across the yard toward the barn like something was chasing her. She must have finished her schoolwork.
A thump sounded from the upstairs corner of the house. Then another.
Drew cocked his head. Was Kaitlyn moving furniture up there? He stripped his gloves from his hands and stuffed them into a back pocket. Maybe she could use a hand. When he opened the back door, the muffled thumping got louder. What was she doing up there?
“Help me!”
A chill raced through his veins and raised bumps on his skin. That was Kaitlyn’s voice. Drew dashed for the stairs. “I’m coming!”
More thumps and a crash. What on earth?
He rushed into the girls’ room and looked around. “Kaitlyn?”
“In here.”
The choked voice came from the closet. He turned the knob, but it didn’t move. How had it gotten locked?
Her voice wavered. How long had she been in there?
When the kids were young, they’d frequently locked doors that shouldn’t be locked. Which casing had he used to hide a key in this room? Door, probably. He crossed the room, his heels thumping on the wooden floor.
The door to the closet rattled. “Please don’t leave me!” Terror weighed her voice down.
Drew paused. “I have to find a key.”
“Find one?” Her voice jumped an octave higher.
“It won’t take a minute.” He lowered his voice in response to her higher pitch. “Just a matter of finding the right door.”
“Okay.” Her voice sounded a bit steadier.
He brushed his hand across the top of the door and knocked something to the floor. It clinked and bounced toward the hallway. He snatched it up. “There. I’ve got it.”
He turned the key in the lock, and the closet door swung open. Kaitlyn flew out, lost her footing, and stumbled. He took her arm. She was so slight that it took no effort to keep her from falling. Steadying her emotions, on the other hand? His stomach clenched. He’d never been good with emotions.
“Are you all right?”
She shook her head. A tear slipped down her ashen cheek. Her hands were red and swollen. How long had she pounded on that door? Her breath rasped in and out, and her lips quivered.
What should he do? He couldn’t remember everything from their wedding, but hadn’t he promised to comfort her? Except he didn’t know how.
He wiped a tear from her face. Her cheek felt like wet velvet against his calloused finger. She hiccuped, swallowing a sob. Not the right move.
Her voice had steadied when he’d used a low, soothing tone. Just like he’d use with a frightened filly.
Maybe.
He ran his hand along her back, slowly, the same as he’d touched Solomon when he first arrived.
She crumpled, buried her face in the center of his chest. Sobs shook her shoulders. His heart froze mid-beat. He’d blown it again.
Unless…
His ma had always claimed a woman sometimes needed a good cry. Maybe he shouldn’t try to stop the tears. He pulled her closer. Wrapped his arms around her and rubbed a hand along her back. His shirt dampened.
