Page 11 of Buttercup Farms

“It will be easier if I talk to him on the phone,” Theron said.

“And if he says no?” Vada asked.

“Then I will put my things away,” he answered, “but I think he will say yes.”

From the time he started talking at a year old, he used very proper English—when he wanted to say something. To hear him verbalize as much as he had the past two days was mind boggling.

Vada wrote Lucas’s number on a scrap piece of paper and slid it across the table to Theron. “Here you go. Let me know what he says so I can get my things together, too.”

“I will,” Theron said with a brief nod. “My research says kids like me have trouble with change, but I need to work through that.”

“I’ll be right there beside you, son.” Vada blinked back tears as she got the sausage out of the microwave and put it on a plate. “If it gets to be too much for you, we can get in the car and come home.”

Theron nodded but didn’t say anything. Vada decided that she wouldn’t start packing to be away for a whole week until after Theron had really made the call. Her heart hurt for her son, knowing how much courage he would have to muster up to even poke the numbers into the phone.

***

Lucas’s phone rang and he answered it without checking the Caller ID. “Good morning.”

“This is Theron,” the voice in his ear said. “May I come stay on the ranch for a week, so I can see Buttercup and Tex every day?”

“I think that would be a very good idea.” Lucas did a fist pump and mouthed the word, “Yes!”

“May we come this morning?” Theron asked.

“Of course, but you should know the place where I live only has one bedroom. You and your mama can have the bunk beds in the living room, or you and I can take them and let her have the bedroom. You decide which would work better for you,” Lucas said.

“I have researched both bunkhouses and bunk beds, and I will take the top bunk. Mama can have the bottom one. Older folks might hurt themselves if they fall out of a top bunk,” Theron said.

Ouch,Lucas thought, but he said, “That sounds like a fine idea. Then you will be here in just a little while?”

“Yes, sir,” Theron answered. “Will you tell Buttercup and Tex that I am on the way?”

“I will certainly do that,” Lucas said. “Be sure to bring a warm coat and boots. A cold front is headed our way.”

“I have researched the weather, and I am ready,” Theron said. “Goodbye.”

Lucas started to tell Theron goodbye, but when he looked down the phone screen was dark. “Man, that had to take a lot of courage,” he said.

“What took courage, and who were you talking to?” Mia, his niece, asked as she tossed the last bag of cattle feed into the bed of the ranch’s old work truck.

“Theron Winters wants to spend a week in the bunkhouse,” Lucas said.

Mia closed the truck’s tailgate. “Is he coming today?”

“Yes, he is,” Lucas answered.

Mia rounded the truck and slid into the driver’s side. “Then we better get this feed out to the pasture. You need to be here when he arrives, or he might change his mind. This is a good thing you’re doing for him.”

“I wonder if he’s moving too fast,” Lucas said as he settled into the passenger seat and wondered just how things would go with Vada living in the same house with him, “but he seems determined to be here a whole week. I’ll be happy if he lasts a couple of days this first time.”

Mia started the engine and backed the truck out of the barn. “I hope I get to meet him while he’s here.”

“Me, too.” Lucas nodded. “He’s super intelligent but isn’t comfortable around people.”

Mia drove down the pathway that was just a couple of ruts in the pasture. “There was a kid like that at college. He was maybe fourteen and taking advanced classes. I kind of felt sorry for him. He didn’t fit in, and it was plain that he just wanted someone to talk to.” She pulled up to the place where they needed to dump feed and pointed to the cattle that had fallen in behind the truck. “Looks like we’ve got a waiting line. Maybe if Theron gets more comfortable at being around people, we can bring him out here some morning.”

A blast of cold air that could be promising sleet or snow hit Lucas in the face when he opened the truck door. “I’ll take care of this. You keep the vehicle warm.”

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