fiction

A Christmas in Spencer Valley: Beyond the Season Chapter 9

/ Lisa R. Howeler / 1 Comment

Welcome to the ninth chapter of a twelve-chapter story I am sharing on the blog. This is being shared with minimal editing, just for fun, but it will be fully edited once it is complete.

You can catch up on chapters HERE.

If you would like to read more about the characters in this story, you can find full-length novels on Amazon for purchase or on Kindle Unlimited HERE,

The first three chapters of the first book, The Farmer’s Daughter, can be found HERE.

Once all the chapters have been shared here, I’ll be providing a free Book Funnel link to blog readers and placing the story on Amazon for 99 cents.

Chapter 9

“I wish I could tell you I have good news.”

Terry Harper’s expression already let Robert know the parts hadn’t arrived, even before he’d spoken.

“Couldn’t get them here in time?”

“Holiday shipping delays. It will be here the week after Christmas instead.”

Robert chewed on his bottom lip. “Where did you say the store is again?”

“Between Harrisburg and Lancaster. Maybe a three-hour drive.”

Robert nodded, rubbing his chin. “Give me the address. Maybe I’ll take a drive down.”

“I’d be glad to do it but there’s a storm coming in. You sure you can’t just show Annie what you’ve got so far and give it to her after Christmas?”

Robert shrugged a shoulder. “I could, but it wouldn’t be the same.”

Terry scribbled an address on a piece of paper. “Well, if you decide to go just be safe. I’ve heard another storm is coming in and PennDOT isn’t great about taking care of that lower stretch of the highway. There was a ten-car pile-up down that way three winters ago.”

Back in the truck, Robert dialed Bert’s number.

“Where did you say that part was for the engine?”

“York, Pa. Down below Harrisburg. Why?”

“I’m heading that way to pick up some bolts for the swing, why don’t I just grab it while I’m in the area. I’ll need some help making up an excuse for my absence, though.”

“That’ll be hard to do. How about I call Brad instead? He can run down, and everyone will think he’s picking up a delivery for the store.”

Brad Tanner was Robert and Bert’s sometimes-reliable-sometimes-not nephew.

“I don’t know. I need it back here as quick as possible and it would mean pulling another person into the secret. Brad’s not known for keeping secrets well.”

He wasn’t known for staying sober well, either, he thought but didn’t say out loud.

Still, Bert was right, Brad could slip away from the farm easier than him.

“Okay, I’ll give him a call and see if he can head down for me. Give me the address of your place.”

Luckily Brad seemed delighted at the prospect when he was asked. Standing in the upper barn at Walt’s farm, he nodded enthusiastically and promised he wouldn’t let the secret for either project slip.

“No problem, Uncle Rob.” He took the pieces of paper with the address. “It will be nice to get out of the area for a bit too.”

Robert hesitated before turning away. Last year Brad had been in a car accident with Jason’s wife Ellie. For several hours the family had feared the worst when her car was found, but Ellie wasn’t in it. Brad had been in the car with her but somehow he’d ended up back at Walt’s house without Ellie.

It turned out Ellie had decided to hike over the hill for help and had fallen into an abandoned well. It was like something out of a movie, but Jason and Alex had found her and were able to call for help to pull her out. Brad had been drunk at the time. Since then he had apologized more than once, but Jason was still struggling with forgiving him. Brad also seemed to be trying his best to be a better person by working hard for the family at the farms and the family farm store.

“Thanks, Brad. I appreciate you being willing to help out. If the roads get dicey, though, head back. This isn’t life or death. It’s just something nice we’re doing for Annie and Molly.”

Brad laughed and pushed a hand back through his red-blond hair, reminding Robert again how much he looked like his mom, Marcia. “No worries. I’m stupid, but not that stupid.” He winked and walked toward the house. “I’m going to give Dad a heads up on what I’ll be doing. I’ll just tell him it’s for a pickup and leave it at that. You know how bad he is at keeping secrets.”

Robert snorted a laugh. “Yeah, Brad, I know.”

On the way back to the farm, Robert took a detour, turning onto the road that led to an overlook on the hill where he could look down on most of Spencer Valley. His breath sparkled the air as he stepped out of the truck. Snow and branches crunched under his boots as he walked to an opening of tree branches that allowed him to look down on his farm and the rest of the snow covered Valley below him.

From there he could see his farm, his mom’s house where the original farm had been, his brother’s farm, which had once belonged to a neighbor of his great-grandfather’s, the Lambert’s farm, and other houses dotted in between.

When he’d been young, the Valley had been mainly open fields of farmland and while much of the area was still farmland, there were also spaces now being filled in with houses or other structures as farmers were forced to sell their land to try to make ends meet. Farming had never been easy but in recent years it had become even more of a struggle with rising costs and falling income.

Robert was grateful his family had been able to diversify with the farm storm and by bottling and selling A2 milk. He was grateful they were still able to do what they love. It was hard work, no doubt about it, but it was worth it to be able to put food on their tables and the tables of people all around the area and the country.

As the setting sun sent a splash of pink and orange along the horizon, his gaze fell on a star on the hill across from him. It was probably a three mile drive to reach it. He was amazed he could see it so well from where he was. He knew it was Jerry Franklin’s star, the one he’d built and put up every year on the hill behind his house to remind those who saw it of the real reason for the season, of a gift and a hope that was for any time of year – that stretched beyond the season of Christmas.

He swept snow off a log that had fallen and sat on it, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and focused on the star.

“Thank you, Father, for the gifts you have given, for my family, my livelihood, my faith and for most of all your son.”

He closed his eyes against the tears, feeling the loss of his earthly father again this year but also the hope of a future in heaven when he would see him again, embrace him and thank him for all he’d done for his family here on this side of his everlasting home.

After several moments of praying and thanking God, he stood and drew in a ragged breath. It had felt good to take a few moments in the rush of finishing Annie’s gift and trying to stay on top of all the issues at the farm to just pause and be thankful; to remember that what really matters in life is not the gifts, not the busyness, not feeling like you have it altogether, but the presence of family and the ultimate offering of redemption from a creator to his creation.

As he walked back to the truck he spotted a section of Princess Pine and stooped to gather some as his father had used to do when they’d walked in these woods together. He’d use it to decorate the Bible, opened each year to Luke 2: 8-12 and the nativity scene, which is father had carved 40 years ago.

Inside the truck he flipped on the local Christian radio station and smiled as O Come, O Come Emmanuel played. It fit his mood perfectly and he hummed along as he drove home.

A Christmas in Spencer: Beyond the Season Chapter 8

/ Lisa R. Howeler / 1 Comment

Welcome to the eighth chapter of a twelve-chapter story I am sharing on the blog. This is being shared with minimal editing, just for fun, but will be fully edited once it is complete.

You can catch up on chapters HERE.

If you would like to read more about the characters in this story, you can find full-length novels on Amazon for purchase or on Kindle Unlimited HERE,

The first three chapters of the first book, The Farmer’s Daughter, can be found HERE.

Once all the chapters have been shared here, I’ll be providing a free Book Funnel link to blog readers and placing the story on Amazon for 99 cents.

Chapter 8

Robert stood back and inspected his work.

His hands ached from the cold. Holding a paint brush wearing gloves had proved too difficult.

The swing itself was ready to go but there were still bolts to be added to attach the chain the swing would hang from. He planned to swing by the hardware store later in the day and see if they were in yet. For now, he had to swing by the house and grab the lunch that Annie had made for his mother and drive it down to her.

When the lunch was retrieved, along with a quick hug from Annie who was on her way to church to finish decorating for the Christmas Eve service, he drove up the hill to his mother’s house, shooing away chickens as he walked down her sidewalk. While the rest of the farm operation had gone to Robert and Walt, Franny had opted to keep a flock of chickens and dutifully fed them and collected their eggs each morning. She said it would give her something to do and a reason for the family to still come visit her if they knew she had all the fresh eggs.

Robert shook his head and laughed. As if they wouldn’t visit her if the chickens weren’t there.

He knocked gently on the front door before opening it. “Mom? I’ve got some lunch for you.”

“I know you do. Get on in here.”

The house was warm, cozy, and smelled of fresh bread – just like when he’d been growing up. A fire was roaring in the woodstove and Robert smiled, knowing she’d loaded it herself this morning from wood Alex and Jason had cut up for her. She was getting older, but she could still outwork most people half her age.

Across from the woodstove in the other corner was a small fake tree that he knew Molly and Alex had helped her decorate the week before. It was sitting in a stand his father had made for a real tree. Franny had said she didn’t have the energy or patience to clean up pine needles any more so she’d purchased the fake tree.

Family photos dotted the wall next to the tree and Robert let his gaze slide over them as he took off his coat and muddy boots. The photo of him, his dad, his brother Walt and his sister Hannah caught his attention as he pulled off his second boot. They were standing in front of the cow barn. He had been about 16, his brother 14 and Hannah 11.

The three of them had never known a life without hard work and determination, with a little bit of heartache thrown in. They’d never known a life without the joy of seeing the good results of all those aspects of life either. Farming wasn’t easy, but it was rewarding in more ways than providing a living.

The lessons Robert had learned and passed down to his children were more valuable than any check from the milking company or from the bottom line at the store. There were some days, however, he had to remind himself of that.

“You coming in or did you fall asleep standing up?”

His mother had stepped into the doorway between the kitchen and the living room, a small smile tugging at her mouth.

He closed the door behind him and headed toward the kitchen. “I’m guessing Annie called to let you know I was bringing you lunch.”

Franny set two plates on the table. “She did, and I made some biscuits to go with it. You’re eating with me, aren’t you?”

He laid the containers of food on the table. “I had planned on it, yes, and I’m even more willing now that I know you made biscuits. I hope you didn’t go to the trouble of homemade.”

Franny huffed out a breath. “Robert Theodore when have you ever known me to make biscuits out of a box or can?”

He laughed and held up a hand as if to defend her verbal blow. “Never.”

“Exactly. Now sit yourself down. I’m sure you’re more than ready to eat after the long days Annie says you’ve been pulling lately.”

He sat as she instructed, taking her hand as she sat to his right and said a quick blessing.

The interrogation began as he served her mashed potatoes and stew fried chicken.

“So what’s been keeping you out so late these days?”

He knew she was fishing for information on how the farm was doing. “This and that. Odds and ends. Like always.”

“Did you get the heat fixed in the barn?”

“We did. It took a bit but got it working before the temps dropped down this week.”

“Walt said it was the second time this month. Did you call the people who put it in and tell them?”

Robert smiled. “I did, yes. They’re coming out Friday to take a look.”

Franny gave a satisfied nod. “Good. They should fix it at no cost. It’s been nothing but trouble since they put it in.” She paused long enough to butter her biscuit and take a bite. “Now, I have something I want to talk to you about. I’d preferred if Annie was here too, but I think I’ll go ahead and take the opportunity since I actually have you in front of me.”

He nodded. “Go ahead.”

“I don’t know if Molly mentioned to you what I talked to her and Alex about last week.”

He shook his head and took another bite of chicken. “She didn’t.”

“I’m thinking of moving into Shady Pines next year.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You are? Why?”

“I think it’s time to pass this house on to someone else.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Molly and Alex.”

He coughed gently. “Excuse me?”

“Robert, don’t be naïve. You know that boy is going to eventually get up the courage and propose to your daughter and when he does and they finally get married, they’re going to need a place to stay. This house is perfect as a starter house. Somewhere for them to raise some children.”

He set his fork down on his plate. “But do you really want to move off the farm into town? The houses down there are pretty close together.”

“Well, yes, they are, but at my age it might be good to have people close by.”

“Mom, if you’re really determined to give this house to Molly, you know you’re welcome to come live with me and Annie.”

Franny made a face. “Oh, Robert, you know we’d never survive living together again. Plus, you and Annie are finally alone again. You don’t need your mother breaking in on kissing sessions.”

Robert laughed. “We’d adapt. We can make sure our kissing sessions only happen after you’ve gone to bed. Like when we were teenagers.”

Franny laughed with him. “Listen, it’s something to think about anyhow. I’ll think about your offer, but I really believe that moving into town will be good for me. It will be a change and I’ll be closer to Leon and Eleanor and we can play cards together without them having to worry about driving home from here late at night. Leon’s eyesight isn’t what it used to be.”

Robert knew his father-in-law’s eyesight wasn’t as good as it had once been. He’d started saying so himself.

“Okay, let’s think on it, then. It’s not like we have to make a decision right away. We don’t even know if Alex is planning on proposing any time soon.”

Franny sipped from her glass of water. “I hope sooner.” She looked around the kitchen, letting her gaze drift into the living room. “The place will need some fixing up, but I think you’ve trained Alex enough over these last six years for him to be able to handle it.”

The idea of his mom no longer living up the road from him left a funny feeling in Robert’s chest – a feeling that was a mixture of sadness and fear. What if his mom needed him? It would take him 20 extra minutes to get to her instead of the five it took now. What if she developed health problems and what if –.  

He took a deep breath, held it a few seconds and let it out quietly. There would always be what ifs and they could address each of them as they each came up. Plus, moving her in with him and Annie was something he and Annie had already discussed in the last year or so. He knew Franny could be a challenge, but taking care of her in her later years would be something he’d be glad to do after all she’d done for him over the years.

***

It had been three days since the doctor had told him to rest and Alex couldn’t stay at the house any longer. For one, Matt had invited Liz over and Bella was with her grandparents. The couple probably wanted some time alone to watch a movie and snuggle together on the couch. More importantly, though, he had to finish the paint job on the truck.

Bert had already installed the engine and was finishing it up today – if a part he needed arrived that was.  

“It’s about time you got here,” Bert said as soon as he walked in the door. “I just had to have Troy chase off Molly by telling her that Hannah needed to talk to her about how they’re going to handle the situation at the store without the freezers for another week. It wasn’t a lie, but still – it was a close call. She almost walked back here.”

Alex worked to take off his coat, grimacing with each movement.  “Thanks for keeping her away. I appreciate it.”

Bert frowned. “What’s up with you? You look like you’ve been hit by a truck.”

“A concrete floor actually. I fell through the roof of the calving barn last week.”

“Oh man. So that was the accident you were talking about. I’m surprised you’re walking. How did the calves fare?”

“They’re completely fine. Little buggers just wanted to know what I was doing in their sleeping area.” He tossed his coat over a chair and reached for the spray paint can. “Now let’s get these doors painted so I can finish the rest of the truck in the next few days. How is it going with the engine?”

Bert winced. “Still need one part. A supplier about three hours away has it but doesn’t have a truck coming until the end of the week.”

Alex didn’t like the sound of that. “Maybe we’re not going to make it.”

Bert  slapped a hand hard on Alex’s back. “Now, now, my boy let’s not be negative.”

Alex groaned. “I could be more positive if you stop slamming your hand on my sore back.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry about that.” Bert wiped some grease off a car part and laid down to slide under the truck. “So, have you thought anymore about that whole proposal thing?”

Alex placed a painting mask and respirator over his face. “You know, I’d like to talk about it but I don’t think you’ll be able to hear me well under this mask so I’m going to get to work.”

“What?” Bert called from under the truck.

“Exactly,” Alex mumbled glad to have avoided the topic again.

A Christmas in Spencer: Beyond the Season Chapter 7

/ Lisa R. Howeler / 3 Comments

Welcome to the seventh chapter of a twelve-chapter story I am sharing on the blog. This is being shared with minimal editing, just for fun, but will be fully edited once it is complete.

You can catch up on chapters HERE.

If you would like to read more about the characters in this story, you can find full-length novels on Amazon for purchase or on Kindle Unlimited HERE,

The first three chapters of the first book, The Farmer’s Daughter, can be found HERE.

Once all the chapters have been shared here, I’ll be providing a free Book Funnel link to blog readers and placing the story on Amazon for 99 cents.

Chapter 7

There had been more than one Christmas over the years when Annie and Robert had questioned if they’d be able to provide gifts for the children. Farming didn’t always provide a consistent income. Some years weather made bringing in a profit a challenge. Other years it might be sick cows, falling down buildings, or broken equipment.

That inconsistency had certainly taken its toll on the family’s emotions over the years, but Robert felt like it had also brought them closer. Annie had certainly been his one constant during all the turmoil, besides God.

Christ had been the ultimate anchor for both of them. Without him and his provision, they never would have made it through the trials, the heartbreaks, and the day-to-day uncertainty of life as a farmer.

The seats at Grace Community Church were soft now, unlike when Robert had first started attending twenty years ago. Hard pews had filled the sanctuary back then. They had been pews his own father had helped build, along with the rest of the church, sometime in the early 1960s. Robert couldn’t remember the exact date the church was built but he could remember that for years he had no interest in attending church. He’d been too busy and too independent to think about God in high school and afterward. During those difficult first years with Annie, he’d relied on his own strength to make it through, rarely asking for help from God or thanking him.

That change came slowly, so slowly he thought Annie might give up and walk away, taking the children with him, when he refused to go to church with her. She never gave up hope, though. She prayed for him, loved him, and kept inviting him. It wasn’t a rock bottom moment that sent him back to the hard pews at Grace Community.  It was love and a realization that there was more to life than getting up and milking cows, working on the farm all day, milking cows again, and falling asleep early in the evening just to start it all over again. It was the beauty of the sunrise and the sunsets.

The days he thought he wasn’t going to make it and the farm wasn’t going to make it but they did. It was the smile of his daughter, the laughter of his son, and the feel of his wife’s arms around him. He knew all those blessings couldn’t be something he’d earned or something he deserved. Someone greater than him had given him it all as a gift and he needed to start thanking that someone. It was the same God his parents had raised him to believe in, but he had rejected not out of anger but simple apathy.

Standing outside the church, Robert leaned leaning back against his truck and waited for Annie to stop chatting with town librarian Ginny Jefferies and her husband, Stan. He took a deep breath and took in the view of the church, decorated inside and out to celebrate the birth of Christ. It reminded him that no matter what happened with his gift for Annie, Christ was the ultimate gift of Christmas. The joy and peace He brought to his and Annie’s life could never be matched with physical, earthly gifts.

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as Annie walked toward him, her Bible tucked in her arm, against her chest.

“What’s so funny?”

“Funny?”

“You look like you’re going to laugh.”

He shook his head. “Nothing’s funny. Our life is just beautiful. As beautiful and wonderful as you are.”

Annie’s eyebrows raised. “Wow. That’s sweet of you. What did I do to deserve such praise?”

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Just by being yourself.”

She leaned back and looked up at him, eyes glistening. Reaching up, she laid a gloved hand against his cheek, and then, without a word, she kissed him, where anyone walking out of the church and to their cars could see them. Robert was sure no one would be offended by the public display of affection. Couples their age would be glad to see an older couple who wasn’t embarrassed to show their love for each other. The younger couples would probably smile and say –

“I hope we’re still in love like that when we’re their age.”

Jason snorted a laugh and Robert pulled back from the kiss and made a face at him. Ellie’s arm was looped through Jason’s and she tapped her husband’s arm with a gentle admonishment.

Robert motioned his son away. “Go on, ya’ whippersnapper. Get on out of here and let an old couple have a kiss.”

Annie playfully tapped his shoulder. “Old? Speak for yourself.”

She winked and pulled out of his embrace to head to the car, sliding her hand down to his. “Come on, old man. We can pick up our kissing session when we get home.” She looked over her shoulder at Jason and Ellie and winked. “Now that all our children are out of the house and living their own lives, we have more private time for such things.”

Inside the car, she pulled her gloves off, laid them on her lap, and intertwined her fingers with his. He raised her hand and kissed it before shifting the car into gear and heading out of the parking lot and down the road toward home.

***

Another searing pain shot from Alex’s lower back to his upper. He gritted his teeth and clutched the side of the bed. The painkillers he’d taken two hours ago weren’t even touching the pain and he was beginning to reluctantly agree with Molly that he might need to visit a doctor. The pain was coming in spasms now. No surprise since he’d fallen from a height of maybe ten feet. He was lucky he hadn’t broken any bones.

Robert and Annie had urged him to go to a doctor, but he’d declined. He had, however, accepted a couple of ice packs after a hot shower and a warm cup of tea made by Molly. The attention she’d given him, checking on him every hour before he fell asleep, then checking again first thing in the morning, had been nice too.

What wasn’t as nice was the fact he’d missed the tree lighting and then the church – which he’d finally started attending with the family about six months ago – and three days of working on the truck. Molly had connected by video with him for the tree lighting, which also included caroling. She also filled him in on the sermon. Caroling had never been his thing in the past, but for some reason, hearing the hundred or so people gathered around the tree sing Silent Night had caused his throat to tighten with emotion. He’d desperately wanted to be there with Molly in that moment, though he wasn’t sure if he’d been able to hold back the tears. He must be getting old with all these sentimental emotions rearing their ugly heads.

He hadn’t necessarily understood everything Molly shared with him about the sermon, but living in the hopeful spirit of Christmas beyond the actual season had made sense to him.

“Pastor Joe said Christmas is something we can always carry with us in our heart because Christ’s love is something that will be with us no matter the time of year,” Molly told him. “Being a Christian is an all-year-round celebration. Not simply a once or twice a year event.”

All of that made sense to Alex, even as he was still trying to figure out what being a follower of Christ meant.

Bert had found almost all the parts they needed for the engine, pulled off the bumpers to be replaced with new ones, and even found a new pair of headlights. He was leaving the rest of the paint job for Alex. That was if Alex could figure out how to move off the bed without pain spasming through his back.

The door to his bedroom opened as the latest spasm eased up. He raised his eyes slowly and squinted at Jason and his roommate, Matt McGee, standing in the hallway looking in.

“Yep.” Jason nodded. “You’re right, Matt. He looks like garbage.”

Matt folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the doorframe. “I told you. Now we’re going to have to do something about it.”

Alex glared. “Both of you go away.” The last thing he needed right now was their harassment.

Matt stepped into the room and stood over him, hands on his hips. If Alex didn’t know him so well he might have looked intimidating standing there in full uniform for his job as a police officer with the Spencer Police Department.

“Come on, Stone. We’re taking you to the doctor.”

“No. You are not.”

Jason stepped behind Matt and looked over his shoulder. “I’m going to take one arm and Matt is going to take the other and we’re going to hoist you into Ellie’s car, so you don’t have to climb up into my truck, and I’m driving you to town.” He stepped around Matt and wrapped a large hand around Alex’s bicep. “Now come on, we’re not taking no for an answer.”

Alex groaned as he sat up and then let them both swing his arms around their shoulders. “I need shoes and my wallet.” He winced. “And maybe a tranquilizer like we used on the bull last year.”

“One step at a time, bud,” Matt said with a smile. “You can do this.”

“Yeah,” Jason added. “We need you to get better, so I don’t have to keep doing all your work.”

Half an hour later Alex tightened his jaw against the pain as the doctor helped him from the exam table.

Dr. Cartagenese handed him a prescription. “Like I said the best medicine for this, besides these muscle relaxants is bed rest. At least five days worth. I know you work at the Tanners and they aren’t good about resting when they’re injured or sick.” He winked. “Don’t be like them, okay?”

No way. He didn’t have five days to lay in bed.

“Thanks, Doc. I’ll take that into consideration.”  

Outside in the passenger seat of Liz’s car, though, he’d already considered it, and he was going to give himself two days to rest, and then it was back to working on the truck or he’d never get it completed by Christmas.

Jason closed the car door for him and walked back to the driver’s seat.

“What’d he say?” he asked as he started the car.

Alex sat back in the seat slowly. “He gave me muscle relaxants and if it doesn’t get better he wants me to have x-rays.”

“Anything else?”

“Yeah. Bedrest, but I’m not going to do that.”

“If bed rest will help you heal faster, you probably should.”

“Don’t have time.”

“I can pick up your work at the farm. It’s no problem. I can’t remember you taking more than a couple sick days in the entire time you’ve worked with us.”

Alex gritted his teeth against the pain again, closing his eyes. He let out a breath a few minutes later as the pain lessened again. “It’s not that. I’m working on a gift for Molly. I need to get it done.” He glanced at Jason. “You can’t tell Molly, okay? It’s a surprise.”

Jason’s eyebrows raised and he tipped his head down a bit to encourage Alex to continue.

“A surprise for Christmas.”

A small smile started to play across Jason’s lips. “Oh yeah?”

Not Jason too. “It’s not what you might think. I’m fixing up your grandpa’s truck for her.”

Jason turned onto Main Street to head out of town. “Oh. Hey. That’s great.” He genuinely looked pleased. “What all are you doing to it?

“New paint job, new engine. The works. Almost all of my savings is going into it.”

“What else needs to be done?”

“I have the body sanded and two doors painted. I need to get the body finished. Bert is going to help some but he’s also finishing up the engine and he’s got a full shop of cars that need to be worked on for actual customers.”

Jason shrugged. “I can help.”

Alex closed his eyes, suddenly exhausted. “You’ve got enough work to do.”

“I can take some time away from the farm to help with the truck.” He gently tapped Alex’s shoulder with his fist. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure my sister knows it was your idea and you did most of the work.”

“Me and Bert actually.”

“You and Bert. Okay.” A sly smirk pulled at the corners of Jason’s mouth. “Sooooo. You’re not planning any other surprises for Molly, are you?”

Alex narrowed his eyes. “Like what?

Jason held up his left hand and pointed to his ring finger. “You know.”

Alex groaned. “Put your hands back on the wheel and no! Not you too! First Bert then Franny and now you. What is it with you Tanners?”

Jason laughed. “Well, what can I say? Great minds think alike, buddy.”

Alex looked out the window at the houses flying by, many of them decorated with bright lights for Christmas. He hated the idea of being laid up at the house, unable to work on the farm or the truck. He hadn’t always been a hard worker, but for the last six years since moving to Pennsylvania, all he’d known was hard work. Silence settled over the truck as his mind drifted to a mental list of all the work he still had to do before Christmas.

“So, are you?”

Jason’s question pulled him from his thoughts. “Am I what?”

Jason cleared his throat. “Proposing to Molly.”

Alex rolled his eyes up to the ceiling of the truck. “That wasn’t part of the plan, no.”

Jason nodded. “Okay, well if it does become part of the plan, I want you to know —” He reached over and gripped Alex’s shoulder with one hand and squeezed gently. “You have my blessing. I know I harass you and Molly about your relationship but you’re my best friend, and there’s no one else I’d like to have as my brother-in-law.”

Alex nodded. “Thank you, Jase. I appreciate that. I do.”

Jason turned the heat up and the radio on. “Listen, I’m going to head down to Bert’s in the morning after I go to the gym. I’ll see what I can help with. At least take it easy a couple of days. No man is an island, Stone. Don’t be like us Tanners. Take the help when it’s offered.”

Alex grimaced against the pain. “At this point, I really don’t have a choice.”

A Christmas in Spencer: Beyond the Season, Chapter 6

/ Lisa R. Howeler / Leave a comment

Welcome to the sixth chapter of a twelve-chapter story I am sharing on the blog. This is being shared with minimal editing, just for fun, but will be fully edited once it is complete.

You can catch up on chapters HERE.

If you would like to read more about the characters in this story, you can find full-length novels on Amazon for purchase or on Kindle Unlimited HERE,

The first three chapters of the first book, The Farmer’s Daughter, can be found HERE.

Once all the chapters have been shared here, I’ll be providing a free Book Funnel link to blog readers and placing the story on Amazon for 99 cents.

Chapter 6

“That’s a lot more snow than they were calling for.”

Alex looked out the front window into a barely lit front yard at the Tanners. He’d spent the night at Robert and Annie’s instead of heading back to Matt McGee’s place, which he guessed was his place for now, at least until Matt proposed to Liz and he was back to finding a new place to stay. He’d already been displaced when Ellie had moved in with Jason after the wedding, but he hadn’t minded. There was only so much affectionate newlywed behavior he could handle in a day.

Molly had spent the night at her parents too, sleeping in her old room while he crashed in Jason’s old room, which they now called the guest room.

Robert stepped next to him. “We’ll have to see what it ends up being when all is said and done. I’m going to get my coat on and go make sure it’s staying off the roof of that back barn. I should have fixed up that one spot before now.”

Actually, Alex could have easily fixed that weak spot in the roof over the calf barn himself. He’d been too distracted with Molly’s gift to tackle it. “I’ll head out instead. You stay in here this time. You can have the next round.”

He knew they’d both be awake most of the night, checking on the barn, making sure the new heating system was still working. The system was supposed to be top of the line, but so far it had been rating at the bottom. The fact it had stopped working right when it was supposed to be working, and less than a year after being installed, didn’t instill a lot of faith in Alex that they’d chosen the right company to help upgrade the barn.

The upgrade had come with the construction of a bottling plant to process A2 milk, a type of milk that allowed consumers with a dairy protein allergy to still be able to drink milk. The milk was being sold at the Tanners’ farm store and a few other small markets across the state. Not all of the Tanners’ cows had the A2 gene, which meant the operation was small and hadn’t yet paid off all the improvements and additions that had been undertaken, but Alex was confident it would someday.

When he walked to the calf barn an hour later, his worst fears had been confirmed. The roof was sagging worse than it had been the day before. Forecasters’ predictions of one foot was quickly turning into two feet and the storm wasn’t supposed to stop for another six hours at least.

Finding a ladder in a shed, he propped it against the back wall of the barn, slid on a pair of gloves and hooked the shovel under his arm. Snow pelted him in the face as he made his way up and he wished he’d grabbed that knitted cap Molly had tried to make him wear the other day.

The shovel scraped against snow as he tried to push the shovel into it. It took an effort to push it down and lift it but when he finally did he began flinging the snow off, knowing he probably should have told someone in the house what he was doing. Twenty minutes into shoveling he felt the roof under him sag and he raised his arms out to his side to catch his balance.

 A loud crack split the silence and he braced his legs in place on either side of the weaker part of the roof. A few seconds later it didn’t matter because the roof gave way under his feet anyhow. Suddenly he was in mid-air, falling and then crashing hard onto the concrete floor of the barn below, in the middle of a calving pen. Splinters of wood and shingles rained down on him, into his face and across his body. He raised his arms quickly as clumps of snow followed, slamming into his chest.

Pain shot through his back and down his legs. He grimaced, laying his head back against the shredded woodchips of the pen and groaned as small eyes watched him and a calf bleated a protest at having her warm, cozy evening interrupted.

He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, lifting one arm slowly, then the other. He tried his legs next. Everything was moving at least. He was grateful that he hadn’t hit his head on impact. Warm breath huffed against his cheek. He slowly opened an eye, closing it again as calf slobber hit his skin.

“Hey, little lady. Move back a bit, will you?”

He felt more warm air on him and knew he was being inspected by small, curious baby cows.  He grunted as he opened his eyes and worked to sit up.

He admonished himself. “Idiot.”

He managed to make it to a sitting position then rolled to his hands and knees and pushed himself back on his calves before slowly standing, a low growl rumbling in his chest. He was already in pain, but he was definitely going to feel this even more in the morning. He took two steps forward to make sure nothing was broken, then patted the calf nuzzling the hem of his coat.

“Nothing exciting in there, bud, promise.”

He tipped his head back and looked through the hole in the roof, snowflakes speckling the dark sky and falling into his eyes.

He huffed out a frustrated breath and reached for his phone in his back pocket, wincing when he saw the crack across the screen. He tapped the screen, but it wouldn’t respond.

Luckily the barn wasn’t too far of a walk from the house.

“Alex?”

Looks like he wasn’t going to have to walk. Molly must have realized how long he’d been gone.

He cleared his throat, hoping his voice wouldn’t give away how rough his body felt. “Yeah. Back here.”

“You’ve been out here a long time. What are you –” She gasped as she came closer. “Oh my gosh! Did you just fall through the roof? Are you okay?”

She quickly pulled open the door of the pen and walked toward him briskly, laying her hands against his arms and chest.

If he told her he wasn’t okay, would she keep touching him all over? He grinned at the thought. “Yeah, I’m okay. I think anyhow. I’m moving at least.”

She touched a hand to his forehead. “Did you hit your head?”

He started to shake his head then winced at the pain slithering down the back of his neck. “No, but my neck isn’t doing great.” He pressed a hand against his lower back. “Or my back.” He winked. “Maybe you better keep checking me for bruises.”

She took his hand, shaking her head. “Come on. Let’s get you to the house. Maybe we should take you to the –”

He held up a hand. “I don’t need a hospital. I’m fine.”

“Then lets at least get you back to the house and into a bed.”

He grinned. “I like the sound of you wanting to get me into a bed, Molly dear, but not until we’re married.” She laughed and he looked up at the hole in the roof. “But seriously, I need to get this hole fixed first. I can’t have your dad out here trying to do it by himself.”

Molly cocked an eyebrow. “You mean like you were doing?”

“Exactly.”

She turned and started to walk away. “Come on, I’ll get some wood and we’ll climb up together. We can at least get it temporarily fixed for tonight to keep the snow off these babies and then we can do a more permanent job in the morning.”

“Molly –“

She turned to face him again. “What? I’m a farm girl, Alex Stone. Don’t tell me to go back in the house and get warm. I’ll climb up first and shovel the roof and then you can hand the boards up to me so I can hammer them in place.”

He watched her walk to the back room in amazement. He knew for a fact there were parts of her life where she wasn’t confident, but when it came to hard work there wasn’t a bit of doubt in her. She knew how to do anything and everything on the farm as well, or many times even better, than any of the men.

Still, the protective side of him wanted to send her back in the house. He didn’t want to see her get hurt. The snow was falling fast and the roof was sagging in other spots. It could easily send her crashing down too.

An hour later they finished the job without either of them falling through or off the roof. The snow was removed, the hole was temporarily patched, and they both headed toward the house. He stopped her before she could open the back door, though, pulled her against him abd slid a gloved hand behind her head, kissing her hard on the mouth. She returned the kiss by clutching the front of his coat and holding on.

She pulled back a few minutes later, dragging in a ragged breath. “What was that about?”

“Just felt the need to kiss you.”

“Do you feel the need to kiss me again?”

He smiled and kissed her again as snow swirled around them and she slipped her arms around his neck.

That was the one great thing about snow. It was the perfect excuse for a warm kiss and embrace.

A Christmas in Spencer: Beyond the Season, Chapter 5

/ Lisa R. Howeler / 1 Comment

Welcome to the fifth chapter of a twelve-chapter story I am sharing on the blog. This is being shared with minimal editing, just for fun, but will be fully edited once it is complete.

You can catch up on chapters HERE.

If you would like to read more about the characters in this story, you can find full-length novels on Amazon for purchase or on Kindle Unlimited HERE,

The first three chapters of the first book, The Farmer’s Daughter, can be found HERE.

Once all the chapters have been shared here, I’ll be providing a free Book Funnel link to blog readers and placing the story on Amazon for 99 cents.

Chapter 5

Snow and ice crunched under Alex’s feet as he walked to the barn. The snow had started to stick overnight, but not enough to leave much more than a dusting. Inside the barn, Robert and Jason were already preparing the cows for milking.

Molly was busy cleaning the stalls to prepare for fresh bedding to be laid down. It wasn’t until a couple hours later that he and Robert were alone, preparing the feed for the afternoon milking.

Robert looked up at him as he measured the nutrients to pour in for the calves’ feed. “How’s your project going?”

“Not great.”

Robert laughed. “Mine either.”

“What’s happening with yours?”

“Supply issues. Limited time. Yours?”

“Same.”

Robert yawned.  “Think you’ll get it done?

Alex nodded. “Burt is working on the engine and I’m working on the exterior. Even with that one part for the engine delayed, I think we’ll pull through.”

“Good. We can’t let our girls down, can we?”

Alex laughed softly. “No. We can’t. Even though they don’t even know what we are doing.”

Robert started filling the calf bottles. “They don’t, but I know they will appreciate whatever we do for them. We’re two lucky men.”

A muscle jumped next to Alex’s eye. Was Robert about to venture into the topic of conversation his brother-in-law and mother had? The subject needed to be changed as quick as possible.

“Yes, we are. Hey, I’m off to repair that fence in the upper field. Don’t want to take a chance on the new bull getting out.”

He walked briskly toward the door before Robert could ask him anything about his “intentions with Molly” or some similar line of conversation. Inside his trucks he let out a quick huff of breath.

Crisis averted. For now, anyhow.

He had grown close to Robert, a man who had been like a father to him more than his own had ever been. Sometimes that made dating Robert’s daughter even more awkward. Alex still vividly remembered the night the man had walked in on them kissing in the barn about a year and a half ago. He’d thought Robert was either going to punch him or have a heart attack, or maybe both – the heart attack after he punched him.

 Despite the awkwardness, Alex was grateful for the Tanners and the way they had become like family to him.

Before coming to live with Jason, Christmases had been awkward, especially after his parents had divorced. Alex was glad he’d been in college when they divorced and that there had been some happy Christmases when he was younger, even though his dad was rarely home and his parents argued often. There had been a few traditions he and his brother had tried to keep alive, even when the relationship between his parents started to sour, around the time Alex was 11.

Decorating the tree the day after Thanksgiving was one tradition they held on to, sometimes decorating it alone while their parents hissed insults at each other in the next room.

They kept that tradition alive until they both had gone to college. Then Sam had started working for their dad, taking the road their dad had wanted for both of his sons, and the distance only grew between them. For the last five years, Alex had spent his Christmases with the Tanners and had either called or texted Sam instead of visiting. A couple of years ago he had driven four hours to Baltimore the week before Christmas to meet up with Sam and his current girlfriend, Brittany.

Even though he and Sam kept in contact Alex wouldn’t define their relationship as close, especially as Sam became more and more like their father – obsessed with his career and looking like he had it all together, whether he did or not. Alex still held good memories of Sam, though, and didn’t want to completely lose the fragile relationship they had.

Parking his truck next to the fence line in the upper field, Alex reached for his phone and started to text.

“Hey. Wanted to connect and see if you want to meet up after Christmas this year for some lunch somewhere. I could meet you halfway or head down to Baltimore. Let me know.”

He clicked send, a large part of him hoping Sam would decline or didn’t answer at all. Sliding the phone back into his pocket he looked out over the field, the yellow and brown grass dotted with snow. Seven years ago, he’d stood here with Molly’s grandfather, Ned Tanner. Alzheimer’s had already started showing itself, but the man was connecting well that day. Alex was shocked by how quickly the disease had progressed and how Ned went from chatting away to slipping away within only a couple of years.

In some ways he was grateful that heart failure had claimed the man three years after the Alzheimer’s diagnosis, sparing his family from having to experience the man forgetting them altogether. Yes, there were days he briefly mixed up a family member or forgot that Molly, for example, was his granddaughter, but in the end, he’d at least known who Franny was.

Alex could still remember Ned’s words that day they’d stood in this field.

“If you love the land, it will love you back, did you know that, boy?”

“No, sir, I guess I didn’t until I came here.”

“Then it’s good you came here. We’re glad to have you. Hope you know that at least.”

At that point, he’d only been at the Tanners a year but had already felt like family. Robert, Annie, Jason, Franny, and especially Ned had all made sure of that.

He’d met Ned a few times before moving up to stay permanently and he wished he’d been able to know him longer before he became sick.

“Thank you for letting me work with you, sir,” he’d said to Ned.

Ned had clapped a large hand on his shoulder and squeezed, gray-blue eyes glistening, either from the wind or emotion. “Thank you for working so hard and being the extra support we’ve needed now that I’m getting all old and gray.” He’d flashed a captivating grin that had made Alex chuckle and reassure the man he wasn’t washed up yet.

Alex had never experienced acceptance like that before, other than his own grandfather, who he’d lost while he was in high school. His father had rejected him time and time again, telling him he’d better “get it together” if he wanted to be part of the business. Alex didn’t want to be part of the business, though. He’d gone to college to get a degree in computer programming on the off chance he did work with his dad, but he knew his dad wanted him at a desk, crunching figures and making deals, not in the IT department. Sitting at a desk wasn’t the future Alex wanted. When Jason had invited him to come work and live on the farm, he’d jumped at the opportunity.   

Taking a deep breath of cold, winter air, he closed his eyes briefly, the image of Ned forefront his mind. “Miss you, Ned. Thanks for everything.”

He shook his head as he opened his eyes. “Man, these Tanners have made me all sappy. I need to get a grip.” He wiped a hand across the dampness on his cheek and pulled a hammer out of the toolbox to start repairing the fence.

He’d learned a few important lessons from the Tanner men over the years and one of them was if you wanted to stop thinking too much, you went to work.

***

Robert stood and grimaced as his knee cracked. He shouldn’t have been kneeling that way. His leg still wasn’t a hundred percent since the accident and it never may be again.

The pain would be worth it, though, just to see Annie’s smile.

The pieces were coming together nicely. Soon he would be able to paint it, but hopefully the bolts to affix the chain to the swing would come soon.

His own father’s words came to him as he leaned back against the tractor behind him and reached for the mug of coffee he’d brought.

“You’re sure, Robert? You’re only 18 and –”

“You and mom were even younger, Dad. What’s this really about?”

“It isn’t about anything. I just want to be sure this is what you really want.”

“Dad, being married to Annie and running the farm with you is what I really want. She wants to be in farming too. We’ve thought about it. A lot.”

Ned had patted his back briefly and nodded. “Okay, then, you have my permission to talk to her parents about marrying her. I’ll support you both however I can.”

And Ned had supported them, day in and day out. That support had come in finances, yes, but also in advice, in emotional support, in love that Robert could still feel to this day.

Ned’s physical body was gone, but his loving, hardworking spirit definitely lived on in his family.

Robert reached for the phone in his pocket as it rang, deciding he’d look at the caller ID this time to see if he wanted to answer it.

Jason.

He’d better answer it.

“Where are you at? Have you seen the weather yet?”

“No, what’s coming?”

“Maybe a foot. Starting tonight.”

Robert let out a breath. “Better get the chains on the big tractor. The plow is already on the truck but we’ll need to be able to clear a space for the milk truck to get in in the morning if they can even get here.”

“That’s not all. The heater in the barn is on the blink again.”

“That’s not good at all. I’ll be up in ten to take a look.”

“Up from where?”

No use trying to keep it all from Jason. He needed all the help he could get at this point. “The shed in the lower field. I’m working on a surprise for your mom. The key word here is surprise, okay? So zip your lips about it.”

Jason laughed. “So that’s where you’ve been slipping off to every afternoon. No problem. I can keep a secret.” He paused. “Well, better now than I used to be able to.”

Robert reached for his gloves and the key to the truck. “Call Walt about the heater too. He knows more about this new one than I do. I’ll see you soon.”

Outside in the truck he looked out over the field in front of him, a field he’d laid in after the accident, the tractor pinning him down. Running a farm wasn’t easy, not by a long shot, but he was glad to be alive to do it, even on the days when challenges rose up faster than the river after a heavy rain. “It’s good to be alive, Lord.” He smiled and started the truck. “Good to be alive.”

A Christmas in Spencer: Beyond the Season, Chapter 2

/ Lisa R. Howeler / 3 Comments

Welcome to the second chapter of a twelve-chapter story I am sharing on the blog. This is being shared with minimal editing, just for fun, but will be fully edited once it is complete.

If you would like to read more about the characters in this story, you can find full-length novels on Amazon for purchase or on Kindle Unlimited HERE,

The first three chapters of the first book, The Farmer’s Daughter, can be found HERE.

Once all the chapters have been shared here, I’ll be providing a free Book Funnel link to blog readers and placing the story on Amazon for 99 cents.

Chapter 2

“You ready to learn how to paint a vehicle the right way, Mr. Stone?”

Alex winced and made a face. “Yes, as long as you stop calling me Mr. Stone. It makes me think of my dad and I’m nothing like him.”

Burt laughed and pounded his hand on Alex’s back. “Okay, then, Alex, let’s get started. The first thing we have to do is sand the paint off this old truck and get it ready for a new coat.”

“So, we can make it look new but what about the engine? Are we going to be able to save it?”

Burt’s smile faded briefly. “Save it, no. Replace it, I hope so.  The biggest issue is finding a new engine for a truck this old. It’s definitely testing my scavenger-hunting skills right now.”

Alex rubbed his chin, nervous energy buzzing through him. “Let’s at least get the paint job started. Maybe we can set it up somewhere as a display if nothing else.”

Burt retrieved a large box of supplies from the other side of his garage and carried it to the truck, setting it down at Alex’s feet. “Tell me something. Is there anything else you plan to do along with presenting her with a newly refurbished truck?”

Alex laughed. “What, spending half my savings on fixing up her grandpa’s truck isn’t a big enough Christmas gift?”

Burt’s eyes glistened mischievously. “I’m not saying that, but, I mean – will you, possibly, be planning to present her with — ” He raised his hand and tapped his wedding band on his ring finger. “A lovely piece of jewelry?”

Warmth rushed from Alex’s chest up into his face. He choked on the coffee he’d been sipping and continued to cough for several seconds.

Burt’s laughter echoed off the high ceilings of the garage. “I’m guessing the answer to that question is a big no.”

Alex worked to recover, wiping a hand across his mouth. “I hadn’t really – I mean, that wasn’t part of the plan right now, no.”

Burt reached into the box for the sander. “My niece is a sweet young lady, Alex. Don’t let her slip away.”

Alex shook his head. “No, sir. I don’t intend to.”

Burt straightened and winked. “Then you might want to think about securing her long-term presence in your life with a ring. A fancy one. With a gold band and a diamond.”

Alex took a deep breath and let it out again. “No pressure or anything, though, right?”

Burt pushed a sander into his chest. “None at all. Now let’s get to work on your first surprise. You can mull the possibility of the other one over for a bit, but don’t wait too long. You’re going to need some time to pick out the ring.”

Alex swallowed hard. This harassment was most likely some sort of cosmic payback for how he’d harassed Jason about his need to propose to Ellie a couple of years ago.

There was no denying he loved Molly. More than he’d ever loved anyone before. Marriage, though? He’d seen what happened to his parents. Marriage didn’t always mean happily ever after, and it was a reality that weighed heavy on him and made him hesitant to do the one thing he wanted to do but was too afraid to.

***

Robert shivered, pulling the door to the shed closed behind him. In front of him sat a pile of boards he needed to cut to size, sand down, and put together in the next six weeks.

To the right of the boards sat a broken porch swing, tilted on its side and propped up against a piece of old farm equipment. A rusted chain, broken in two places, had been draped over the back of it.

A faint smile tilted his mouth upward as he looked at the broken remains of the swing.

In his mind he was sitting on that same porch swing on Annie’s parents’ front porch, the setting sun casting light pink across her skin, transforming an ordinary evening into an extraordinary one. He’d leaned forward, his 18-year-old heart pounding out a high-speed rhythm as he tilted his head to press his lips gently to hers.

The kiss was innocent and brief, but it had sent a rush of energy skittering through his entire body. He had been wanting to do that for over a year and the fact he’d gathered up his courage to do so made him proud.

Her parents had been away at an adult fellowship at the church that night, and she’d stayed home with her younger sister, who had been inside coloring and watching a cartoon. She’d leaned back from the kiss and smiled, touching a hand to her cheek and then her fingertips to her lips. Then she’d shocked him and leaned in for another kiss that he had welcomed. What was as welcome was the sound of footsteps inside the house, the front screen door bursting open, and the teasing voice of Annie’s sister Brenda.

“Are you two kissing? Eewww! That is so gross and I am totally telling mom and dad!”

Removing the swing from the front porch ten years ago had been emotionally hard for Robert, but the chains had rusted out and the boards on the seat were splintering. He’d planned to repair the swing sooner, but time had gotten away from him and now most of the boards were in even worse shape. The entire swing would need to be replaced at this point, but it would be worth it to see her face light up 33 years after they’d first sat there together.

That’s if he could finish the project in between milking cows, running the farm, and helping his sister with the family farm store.

Keeping it a secret from Annie would be hard since she could read him so easily, always able to tell when he was hiding something, even something good.

Already this morning she’d asked him what he had planned for the day, where he’d be and if he needed any help. She’d been by his side since the day they’d married, a constant support, a partner in life as much as in marriage. Her protective nature had kicked into high gear after his accident and she’d quickly joined forces with his daughter and mother in frequently checking up on him, asking if he was too tired or needed her to tag along and lend a hand.

Right now, though, what he needed most was for her to check on him less. Otherwise, she’d find out the surprise before he could reveal it on Christmas.

He started at the sound of a phone ringing. Getting used to carrying one of those smartphones around and actually answering it had definitely been a challenge in the last year but if he didn’t answer it, family members came looking for him.

The caller ID told him someone was calling from Harper’s Hardware.

“Robert?”

“Yeah. Hey, Terry, got those bolts I ordered?”

Terry Harper let out a breath on the other end of the phone. “Wish I could say I did. I called the supplier again and it looks like those bolts are out of stock just about everywhere. There’s some kind of supply chain issue out west.”

“California, I’ll bet.”

“Probably, yeah.”

“You said you don’t have any other bolts in stock similar, though, right?”

“Right.” Terry sounded as disappointed as Robert. “Is there any other way you can complete your project without them?”

Robert shook his head, even though the owner of Harper’s Hardware couldn’t see him. “Unfortunately, no. Anything else won’t be sturdy enough for what I need it for.”

“What’s your deadline?”

“I’d like to have it done by Christmas Eve. Sooner if possible so I can install it.”

Terry huffed into the phone. “Hmmm. Well, I’ve got one other supplier I can try. I’ll give them a call and see what we can do.”

“Thanks, Terry. I really appreciate this.”

“Of course. You know I’d do anything to help you make Annie smile. She’s a good woman. She deserves the best.”

Robert smiled, looking at the pile of wood he hoped to transform into her gift. “Yes, she absolutely does.”

A beep in his ear alerted him he had another call. He thanked Terry again and said good-bye before answering his brother Walt’s call.

Like usual, Walt didn’t bother with a greeting. “We got a problem.”

“What’s up?”

“A fuse has blown on the freezers at the store. A whole row is out.”

Robert’s eyes widened. “A whole row of freezers?”

“Yes, and if we don’t get that product somewhere cold, we’re going to lose it. Has Benny Jenson still got that freezer truck?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll give him a call. I’ll get a hold of Jason and Alex and send them up ahead of me.”

“I’ve got Brad going too. We’ll need all hands on deck.”

Robert pondered the pile of wood and huffed out a brief sigh as he hung up.  He looked at the broken swing one more time before he closed the shed door and headed to his truck.

Christmas in Spencer Valley: Beyond the Season Chapter 1

/ Lisa R. Howeler / 5 Comments

Welcome to a Christmas short story with the characters from Spencer Valley. I thought it might be fun to revisit Robert and Annie, Molly, Alex, Jason, Ellie and others around Christmas time and share the story here on the blog for 12 days leading up to Christmas. I’ll share a new chapter each day for 12 days. I hope it will be a fun walk through the winter in Spencer for all of us.

Without further ado . . .

Chapter 1

Cold bit at Robert Tanner’s skin, stung his lungs and made him wish he could stay inside under a blanket with a warm cup of coffee. Instead, pulled his winter cap down further on his head and stepped out into the cold.

Between the house and the barn, snow swirled wildly, darkening the sky, and making it feel like dusk instead of late afternoon.

Inside the barn it was warm, and he was grateful for it, even if his arrival did mean he’d have to start cleaning out the cow’s sleeping area and preparing the second milking of the day.

Truthfully, his mind was far away from the tasks of the day, consumed with a gift he hoped to have completed for his wife of 32 years by Christmas.

He couldn’t even believe it had been 32 years.

It felt like it had only been a day ago when they’d held hands in front of the minister and all of their friends and family in a small country church. Her soft brown hair had been shaped into curls and hung down, framing her delicate features. Looking at her he had felt as if his heart would explode out of his chest.

He’d felt the same way a year and a half ago when he woke up from a coma and saw her looking down at him, tears in her eyes as she smiled.

The barn door opened as he reached for a pitchfork, a cold wind blowing in with his son Jason.

Jason tossed a wrench into the toolbox on the far wall and started pulling his gloves off. “I think I fixed the tractor. Again. For now. Whichever.”

“Just in time since it looks like the weather app might be right this time. Carburetor again?”

“No. Oil line was plugged. How much do you think we’ll get?”

“Who knows. Probably only a couple of inches. Too early for a big one”

Jason leaned back against a stall and reached for the tumbler of coffee he’d brought with him to the barn this morning. “I got that lumber and unloaded it into the shed in the lower field like you asked.”

Robert tipped his head in a quick nod as he began cleaning out a stall. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“Should I even ask what it’s for?”

Robert smiled and winked at his son. “Not unless you want me to add more work to your list.”

Jason sipped the coffee and smiled. “Nah, I’ve got enough to do. I’m going to start prepping the cows.”

Robert nodded and continued to work. He wasn’t ready to tell anyone about his plans yet. If he did, they’d probably offer to do it for him, worried he’d overdo, which was something they needed to stop worrying about.

While he still limped from the broken leg that hadn’t healed correctly, he’d almost fully recovered from the stroke he’d suffered during surgery on his cracked pelvis. He understood and appreciated their concern. His family had been so used to protecting him for the last sixteen months, they didn’t know how not to.

 He understood that, but this was a project he wanted to do on his own – something he hoped would show Annie how important she was to him.

***

Snow fell fast, peppering the ground around Alex Stone, landing on his clothes and even his eyelashes.

 Out in front of him the snow had begun piling up in an empty field across the road from the house, creating a smooth surface the sun would reflect off in the morning when the snow finally stopped.

He pulled the collar of his coat up around his neck and stepped off the front porch, toward his truck, almost completely obscured by the snow now. Pulling his signature cowboy hat down low across his forehead he kept his mind on who was waiting for him inside the cab instead of on the cold slivers of ice scratching against his cheek and bare hands.

“Ever hear of gloves?”

Her teasing voice brought a smile to his face as he climbed inside and closed the door against the wind.

“Sure have. They’re the things delicate women wear on their hands in cold weather, right?”

He grinned and leaned over for a kiss, glad they were alone without the prying eyes of Molly’s older brother, and his best friend, Jason.

Sliding across the truck seat he pulled her against him to deepen the kiss, jumping back a second later as a pounding on the driver’s side window startled him. He cleared the steam with the side of his hand, matching the glaring eyes of Jason with a glare of his own.

Jason pointed two fingers at him through the window. “Take your hands off my sister, Stone!”

Alex stuck his tongue out while Jason grinned and then walked away.

Molly and Alex had been dating a year and a half now and though Jason seemed to have adapted to the fact for the most part, he still occasionally threatened Alex with bodily harm for showing affection toward Molly.

Alex knew Jason worried that he would somehow corrupt sweet Molly, but Jason should know by now that it was Molly who was influencing Alex.

Molly looked out through the windshield as he turned on the wipers. “I hope this snow lets up before I need to head back to town. Liz and I are watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving tonight.”

“This is a four-wheel-drive.” Alex winked at her as he shifted the truck into gear. “I’ll get you there one way or another.”

For now, though, he only had to get her to her parents, half a mile down the road from Jason’s house where they’d just finished lunch with Jason and Jason’s wife Ellie.

They would finish the chores at the barn and then he’d drive her the six miles to town where she now lived with her best friend Liz and Liz’s daughter, Bella.

He’d drive her to make sure she got there safe, but also because her truck, which used to belong to her late grandfather, was in the shop. Her uncle Bert’s mechanic shop, to be exact. The truck, a 1976 Chevy, was one of the last physical connections to the man who had meant so much to her and passed away four years earlier.

While it was true that the engine on the truck had finally died, it was also true that Alex had purposely delayed the work on the truck for a personal reason that he hoped would pay in dividends at Christmas.

Next to him Molly scrolled through her phone. “I think I’ve found what I want to get Ellie for Christmas. This scarf is totally her. Don’t you think?”

He glanced at the screen of the phone briefly. “Uh. Yeah. Sure.”

He really had no idea if the scarf was Ellie or not, but it was better to talk about scarves than –

“So, are you going to go visit your mom at some point around Christmas? Or maybe your –”

Here they went again. “No. I’ve already planned to be here.”

“Of course, you’ll be here for Christmas day, but what about after Christmas? Or the weekend before?”

“There will be too much work to do before and after Christmas. I don’t think I’ll have the time.”

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Molly chewing on her bottom lip. It was what she did when she wanted to say more but also didn’t want to push the issue.

She reached over and squeezed his upper arm gently. “Well, maybe you can at least send your mom and dad a card. Anyhow, I called Uncle Bert earlier but couldn’t get an answer.”

He admired the way she’d resisted trying to find another way to convince him to see his parents and how she quickly changed the subject.

“Ah, he’s probably busy. I wouldn’t worry.”

The skin between her brow knitted. “I’m just wondering what the verdict on the truck is.”

“I’m sure he’ll let you know as soon as he can.” He pulled his truck next to the barn and shifted it into park, clearing his throat. “Listen, Mol, I know how important that truck is to you, but you should probably prepare yourself. It’s old. It may be time – I mean – it’s possible it won’t be able to be saved.”

He hoped the truck could be saved. He planned to do the best he could to make sure it could, but if it couldn’t, he had a backup plan.

Her shoulders fell for a brief moment. “I know. I’m trying to prepare myself for that.”

He reached over and took her hand in his. “I know how much the truck means to you. I’m sure Bert’s going to try his best to save it.”

She took a deep breath, eyes glistening. “I know and even if he can’t, I know it’s not all I have left of Grandpa. Not really. I have photos and my memories. No one can take that away from me.”

She gave him a shaky smile.

He squeezed her hand tighter then leaned over and kissed her cheek gently. “Have faith. She’s on the operating table and that’s the first step toward her healing.”

Molly laughed. “You know women don’t assign gender to their vehicles, right?”

He wrinkled his nose, eyes bright with laughter. “You don’t? Why not?”

“Because they’re inanimate objects, not people.” She shook her head and kissed him briefly. “Now, listen, I love sitting here with you, but your hands are cold. I can feel them through my gloves. If you want to hold hands with me outside during the winter you’re going to need to act more like a weak woman and wear some gloves.”

He grinned and touched the palm of his hand to her cheek. “Whatever makes you happy, my dear.”

She squealed and pushed his hand away before jumping out of the truck. “Alex!”

Inside the barn, Molly took over hooking up the milking machine from her Dad, while Alex headed toward the back of the barn to prepare the feed. Robert followed him.

“How’s your plan going?” Robert asked when they were alone in the feed room.

“Bert’s seeing what can be done now. How about yours?”

“Jason picked up the lumber today to replace the rotting boards.”

Alex rolled the wheelbarrow to the feeding station. “You think we can make it a few more weeks without them finding out?” Robert winked. “Of course, we can. I’m living proof that God still does miracles, young man.”

Special Fiction … Wednesday? Mercy’s Shore Final Chapters

/ Lisa R. Howeler / 4 Comments

Umm…whoops! I completely forgot I had promised to post the final chapters of the book Sunday night so here they are now.

As always, this is a continuing/serial story. I share a chapter a week and at the end of the story, after I edit and rewrite it, I self-publish it. To catch up with the story click HERE. To read the rest of the books in this series click HERE.

If you would prefer to read the book when it is all complete, you can pre-order a copy HERE on Amazon. It releases on January 31, 2023. There is also a link to the previous chapters HERE.

Chapter 36

Judi snatched the phone off her bedside table. So much for sleeping in this Saturday.

The caller ID said Evan, though, so she didn’t mind losing a couple hours of sleep.

“Hey, you.”

“Hey, you,” she said back, a broad smile tugging at her mouth at the sound of excitement in his voice.

“I’m back in town for a week, maybe more. I was wondering if you’d like to meet me out at the Tanner’s new pumpkin farm today. Maybe around noon?”

She rolled on her stomach, propping herself on her elbows. “That sounds very nice. I wasn’t sure you’d want to be around me again.”

Evan laughed. “You got all those flowers I sent, right? Of course I still want to be around you. I thought maybe I could buy you a donut and a cup of apple cider. Plus, it’d be somewhere  — um —neutral.”

She agreed to meet him at noon and spent the next two hours looking for the perfect autumn outfit. She spent another half an hour looking at herself in the mirror, adjusting her makeup, brushing her hair, then wiping some of the makeup off. Letting out a huff of breath she blew her bangs out of her eyes and shook her head in resignation.

“Don’t overthink it, Lambert. Just go.”

But she did overthink it. All the way to the pumpkin farm and in the parking lot, looking at herself in the rearview mirror. When a face appeared at her window out of the corner of her eye she screamed, then burst into laughter as she watched Evan lean back and laugh loudly.

“You jerk.” She laughed as she climbed out of the car and gently slapped his upper arm with the back of her hand.

“Sorry. That was just too funny.” His smile made her heart lurch. “You look beautiful, by the way. You don’t have to keep fixing your hair.”

Warmth spread up from her chest to her face. “Thank you.”

He tipped his head sideways to the entrance behind the store. “Care for a walk? I think the cider and donuts are back there.”

“Sure. That sounds nice.”

Leaves crunched under their feet as they walked. Judi slid her hands in her sweater pockets, her gaze drifting across a pumpkin field to her left, filled with pumpkins but also children swarming the pumpkins, loading them into carts, or carrying them to their parents. Beyond the pumpkin field were drying stalks of corn and a sign marking the entrance to the maze. Haybales were positioned at various places around the walkway, and she breathed in the scent of the drying hay, remembering her time growing up on the farm. During her teenage years, she avoided barn chores, using any excuse not to help with the milking, or shovel manure, or feed the calves. She was glad her dad had her sister and young men he’d hired to help him in the barn now, but a part of her did miss that time, a much more innocent time.  

“How’s work going?”

The question was one that used to cause her stomach to clench. In the last few weeks, though, she’d helped Ben draw up wills, help close sales for properties, and watched Ben calmly walk a woman through a divorce from an abusive husband.  Working for Ben gave her more of an opportunity to help others than any other job she’d ever had. She felt like she was actually contributing to society instead of floating through it.

“It’s going well, actually. I still don’t really know what I am doing, but Ben’s been patient with me.”

Evan ordered them apple cider and donuts at the small concession stand and motioned toward a wooden bench off to one side. “How are you doing otherwise?” he asked and she noticed he positioned himself a good distance from her as they sat, practically on the other end of the bench.

“I’m doing okay, really.” She sipped her cider. “I’m sure Ellie filled you in on some things.”

He shook his head once. “No. She said it wasn’t her place to and I respect that.”

She sipped more of the apple cider, enjoying the tartness on her tongue as she considered what to say next. “I’m sorry, Evan. I don’t know why I reacted that way. Well, I do, but I shouldn’t have with you.”

He laid an arm across the back of the bench, watching her as if waiting for her to continue. Concern etched his face.

She cleared her throat. “One night a year and a half ago, a little more, a guy tried to get further with me than I wanted. I was able to get away from him but another woman, a girl really, wasn’t as lucky.” Tears pricked at her eyes. “I don’t know why he let me go and not her and maybe other women, but he did.” She laughed softly, a tear slipping down her cheek. “Of course, my knee to his groin probably didn’t do much to make him want to try to keep me there.” She drew the back of a finger across the tear. “I guess I didn’t realize how much it had all affected me. I tried to laugh it off, drink it off, and run away but it seems like it all has been catching up with me lately and hit me full force that night with you.”

He winced and reached a hand toward her, but then pulled it back again, closing his fingers into a fist briefly before letting the hand drop to the back of the bench again. “Judi, I’m sorry. If I had known, I never would have been so forward.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Evan. It was me. I tried to move faster than I was ready that night. I wanted to forget everything, and I guess I thought I could erase all the memories of him by being with you. I’m the one that is sorry.” She pulled her lower lip between her teeth briefly. “And embarrassed.”

“There is nothing to be embarrassed about. You couldn’t control that reaction, as much as you wanted to. I understand.” A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Well, I don’t totally understand, because I’m not you and didn’t experience what you did, but I can see how that could have triggered some negative memories.”

Judi reached out and laid her hand on his. “I just don’t want you to think that you somehow triggered anything negative. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Evan kept his arm over the back of the bench and sat the cup of cider on the seat next to him. “What happened to this guy? Did you report him or anything?”

She pushed a strand of hair back from her face and hooked it behind her ear. “No, I never did. He’s going to trial for the other woman he assaulted, though. He’s somehow out on bail and called me a few weeks ago.”

Evan’s eyebrows lifted. “He called you?”

“Yeah and he doesn’t want me to tell anyone what happened, but I’m going to. This girl’s lawyer called me a while ago. Ben and I talked to him yesterday.” She drew in a shaky breath, startled by the emotion gripping her. “I talked to the girl a few days ago. Her experience was so similar to mine, from everything he said to everything he did.” She closed her eyes briefly against the tears. “I knew she wasn’t lying.”

When she opened her eyes, Evan’s jaw had tightened, and he swallowed hard.

 “I’m scared,” she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. “But I’m going to be with her in the courtroom. I don’t want her to feel like it’s her against him. It will be us against him.”

Evan leaned toward her, then leaned back again. “I’ll be there for you if you want me to be. I really want to hold you right now, but I don’t want to touch you unless you want me to. I talked to a therapist friend of mine and she said I shouldn’t try to make the first move in any way. I should let you tell me when it is okay for me to physically be near you.”

A smile pulled at her mouth. “You talked to a therapist about me?”

Crimson colored his cheeks. “Yeah, but I mean, I didn’t tell her your name or anything. I just told her a little bit about the situation and asked how I should handle it because I care about you and — yeah —” He rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “I just told her I want to pursue a relationship with you, so I want to know how to help you heal from all of this.” He cleared his throat. “That’s why I thought it might be good to meet here where it’s a little more neutral.”

He cared enough to talk to a therapist about how to talk to her? Was this for real?

A small laugh came from her throat. “Evan McGee, I think that you really are as sweet as I’ve heard your brother is.”

He made a face. “Ew. Don’t compare me to Saint Matt. I’m not that good.”

She moved closer to him on the bench, touching a hand to his cheek. “Well, you are very close and that’s not a bad thing.” Leaning closer she lightly touched her mouth to his. “Thank you.”

He grinned, tipping his head closer to hers. “You’re welcome. And listen, we can take this slow and just hang out. We can go out to public places, or have friends over when we watch movies, or —”

She slid her hand to the back of his neck and pulled his head down to hers, pressing her mouth to this.

“Thank you,” she whispered several seconds later, her lips grazing his. “All of that sounds really nice. I’m not used to men being so nice to me so it may take me a bit to get used to it.”

He smiled. “That’s fine by me. I’m a patient man.” He pressed his forehead against hers. “Is it okay if I kiss you again?”

She tilted her face toward his and they resumed their kiss, pulling apart a few minutes later when Judi heard a voice call out behind them.

“Oooh! Judi and Evan sitting on a bench, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.”

Judi glowered at Ben. “Bench doesn’t have the same ring to it, you know.”

Ben laughed. “Yeah, I know, but you’re not in a tree.”

Judi glanced at Angie beside Ben. “How about you two? Any k-i-s-s-i-n-ging between you two?”

Ben held up a hand. “That, ma’am, is privileged information.” He gestured toward a hay wagon to the right being pulled by a tractor being driven by Alex. “Anyone care for a hayride? I’m willing to ride with you two, as long as you can keep your hands off each other.”

Judi scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. “With Alex at the helm. I don’t know if I’d feel safe.”

Alex looked over his shoulder and scowled from under his hat. “I heard that, Lambert. Even over this tractor engine, which just shows everyone what a big mouth you have.”

Judi hooked her arm through Angie’s. “Come on, Angie, let’s go find the pumpkin cannons instead. We can pretend we’re shooting them at Ben and Alex.”

“Hey!” Ben cried. “What did I do?”

Evan laughed. “I don’t know, but I’m glad I wasn’t included in that list.”

Judi fell into step with Angie, glancing over her shoulder at Ben and Evan. “You think you two will be able to work things out?”

Angie smiled. “Yeah, I think so. I hope so anyhow. How about you? Will you be sticking around the area for a while?” She winked. “Maybe hanging out with Evan?”

The light feeling in her step and the way her muscles had lost their tension was a foreign, but welcome feeling to Judi.

“Yeah. I think so. I hope so anyhow.”

Epilogue

“Hey, you still coming to dinner tonight at mom’s?”

Judi paused at her car and looked up at Evan, smiling. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. I can’t wait to taste her cooking again. I have to do something quick before then, though. Meet you there?”

 “How about I pick you up. Say 5:30?”

“Yeah. I’d like that.”

After years of being fiercely independent, she wasn’t lying when she said she would like to be picked up. She’d also been liking Evan being home more in the last two weeks as he started a job with a local construction company.

She turned the music up as she pulled away from her apartment building, wishing the cold temperatures didn’t preclude her from sliding the window down. Half an hour later she pulled into a parking space and checked her hair and make-up, then laughed at herself. She didn’t need to worry about her hair.

She had a feeling he wouldn’t care.

The sanitary smell and squeak of her soles on the newly mopped floor reminded her of where she was and where she was headed. Her chest tightened. Hospitals weren’t her favorite place, and she wasn’t sure what reaction she’d receive.

She asked for his room number and if visitors were allowed at the nurse’s station.

The shades were open. Sunlight poured across his bed. She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders, trying to recapture the confidence she’d once possessed. She pulled a chair up to the side of the bed and sat quickly before she changed her mind.

“Hey, Jer. You’re not looking so great.”

Jerry blinked the one eye free of the bandages, grunted through bruised and scarred lips, and lifted one stitched-up hand. Judi was expecting a rude gesture, but instead, his thumb raised slowly. 

He pointed at the notepad on the small table by the bed. She handed it and a pen to him. After a few long minutes of scrawling, hampered by bandages and fingers that didn’t seem to want to bend, he pushed the pad toward her. The letters were shaky and a couple were missing, but she got the drift.

I owe you more than one. Not a beer. A soda. When I get out of here.

A smile pulled her mouth up and she looked up at him. “You definitely do. How about a root beer float down at that new ice cream place on Main? Be warned, though, I might look light a lightweight, but I can pack it away.”

A raspy laugh came from Jerry and to anyone else it might have been unnerving, but to Judi it was one of the best sounds in the world.

Special Fiction Saturday: Chapter 34 and 35

/ Lisa R. Howeler / 3 Comments

I’ll post the last chapter of this story tomorrow.

As always, this is a continuing/serial story. I share a chapter a week and at the end of the story, after I edit and rewrite it, I self-publish it. To catch up with the story click HERE. To read the rest of the books in this series click HERE.

Let me know in the comments what you think. Or don’t. That’s okay too. *wink*

If you would prefer to read the book when it is all complete, you can pre-order a copy HERE on Amazon. It releases on January 31, 2023.

Chapter 34

“You’re not alone, okay?”

Talking via video chat to a young woman who had gone through something even worse than Judi had required the words to be said. The young woman nodded tearfully and a few minutes later goodbyes were exchanged and Judi disconnected. She leaned back against the couch and blew out a long breath, wiping tears from her eyes.

Ellie laid a hand on her arm. “You okay?”

Judi nodded slowly and accepted the tissue her sister handed her. “Yeah, I think so.”

She’d asked Ellie if she’d be there when she called the young woman — whose name she learned was Vickie — an unusual move for her. While she was normally independent, and determined she could do things on her own, a calm settled over her at the thought of her sister being there with her.

Judi had decided on her own to talk to the girl, assure her that she’d have support for her case, and tell her how brave she’d been to go to authorities, something Judi wished she had done.

Ellie handed her a tissue. “You were really great with her. You seemed to know just what to say.”

Judi sniffed and tried to smile. “That’s very unusual for me.”

Ellie tipped her head and laid her hand on Judi’s shoulder. “Judi, come on. Don’t run yourself down. You did great.” She smiled and bumped her knee against Judi’s. “Maybe it was God helping you.”

A small laugh came from Judi. “God doesn’t work through people like me, El. You can stop all that stuff.”

Ellie leaned back, brow knitted. “First, I don’t know what you mean by people like you, but second, God can work through anyone. Don’t forget that.”

Judi stood to walk to the kitchen, rubbing the back of her neck. “Yeah, I guess. Can I get you a soda?”

“Yeah, that would be great. Maybe we could watch a movie before I head home.”

Judi opened the fridge, smirking. “Don’t you need to get home to Jason?”

“Nah. He and Alex are hanging out with Matt tonight. Some kind of guys night where they watch football and eat junk.”

Pouring a glass of lemon-lime soda she knew Ellie liked, Judi glanced over her shoulder. “In that case we should find a good chick flick and call Molly to see if she wants to join us.”

Did she really just suggest a girls’ night? What was happening to her.

Ellie was clearly delighted at the idea, based on the tone of her voice. “Oh yes. After working mainly with the guys in the barn today I bet she’d love a girls night. She can bring Liz and the baby.”

Judi inwardly cringed. A baby? At her apartment? She wasn’t too sure about that, but, well, she was trying to change some of her past attitudes. She could try at least.”

Judi’s phone rang as she walked back to give Ellie her drink. She glanced at it then clicked the button on the side to send it to voicemail as she sat back down on the couch.

“It’s Rachel. I’ll call her later.”

Ellie sipped the soda. “What’s she doing? Checking up on you?”

“Yeah, well, I told her I fell off the wagon a couple weeks ago so she’s been keeping a closer eye on me.”

Ellie cleared her throat and looked down at her glass. “Oh. You did?”

Judi pushed a hand back through her hair and let it fall down her back. She wanted to work on being more open and honest so she might as well start now.

“Yes, briefly. I went to a bar with Jessie and drank part of a beer and four sips of whiskey and got very sick to my stomach. Apparently, I can’t handle alcohol any more.”

Ellie leaned forward slightly, crossing one leg over the other. “Judi, you know you can call me if you need to, right? I mean if you get tempted. You don’t have to do this alone, okay?”

“I’ve done things alone for a long time.” Judi winked and popped a chocolate candy from the dish next to her in her mouth. “Give me some time to get used to not doing that anymore.”

Ellie’s expression became serious. “What drove you to the bar that night?” She paused, chewing her lower lip for a brief moment. “I mean, if you don’t mind me asking.”

Judi pulled her feet under her and hugged a pillow. “I don’t know. I couldn’t get my mind to slow down for one. I kept going over and over everything I had done wrong all of my life, that night with Evan, then the night with Jeff and how I didn’t go to the police or really talk to anyone except Seline about it. Maybe I could have stopped him or kept him from hurting this girl and whoever else he’s hurt.” She shrugged. “I just keep wondering why he let me go but not this girl or the others. Why did I get away? I think I have some sort of survivor’s guilt.” She laughed softly. “I mean, I nailed him pretty good that night in his privates so maybe that is why I got away.”

Ellie slid next to Judi on the couch and put an arm around her. “It wasn’t your fault. What he did to you or the other girls. You didn’t know he would do it again.”

Judi leaned into Ellie. “I should have known, but I don’t think I wanted to think about it. I was so focused on me I didn’t want to think about anyone else. It was too horrible to think he was trying to force himself on girls as young as Vickie.” She let out a quick breath. “I’m not sure what is scarier some days, my brain going too fast or the thoughts I have when it starts to slow down.”

Ellie leaned back a little to look down at Judi. “Let’s call Molly and get this movie going. We can give your brain a break for now. Just know I’m here for you. Mom and Dad are too. I know you aren’t big on church, but our pastor is great, and we have a ladies’ Bible study on Wednesdays and —”

Judi at up, laughing and holding up a hand, palm out. “El, calm down. I’m already planning to go to church with you, but please don’t try to get me to go sit with a bunch of women and talk about my feelings over vanilla-rose tea.”

Ellie clapped her hands together. “Oh, I am so excited!” She hugged Judi briefly then leaned back again. “Also, we don’t drink vanilla-rose tea. We usually have lemongrass or peach and occasionally blueberry.”

Judi rolled her eyes. “You’re not going to convert me into drinking herbal tea. Just call Molly and let’s move on from the tea conversation, kay?”

Ellie sighed. “Okay, okay. I’ll take my victories where I can.”

She reached for her phone, but Judi reached out and laid her hand on hers. Ellie looked up and Judi squeezed her hand. “Thank you, Ellie. I know I don’t say it a lot — or ever — but I love you.”

Ellie’s eyes glistened. “I love you too.”

Judi let go of Ellie’s hand and grimaced as she reached for a blanket. “Okay, this is getting too Hallmark-like for me. Call Molly and I’ll find a movie.”

She rolled her eyes again, but couldn’t help smiling back at Ellie who was tapping Molly’s name in her phone.


Chapter 35

Ben honored Angie’s wishes for two weeks, giving her time to think, visiting every other day, taking walks with Amelia and even taking her to visit his parents. Angie had been polite, helpful, and didn’t speak to him with the tension she had before, but she also kept her distance, excusing herself shortly after he arrived or declining to join them on walks or trips to his parents.

Now he was standing at the Tanner’s Pumpkin Farm behind their store, nervously rubbing damp palms on his jeans and sipping from a hot cup of coffee. Angie had called him this morning and asked if he’d like to meet her and her parents there for a day out. She’d actually called and invited him.

Maybe she was just being nice or maybe it was something more. He wasn’t sure and that’s why he couldn’t stop fidgeting while he waited for them. When Adam’s SUV pulled into the parking lot his heart rate picked up and he took a deep breath.

“Good grief, Ben,” he whispered to himself. “You’re a grown man. Get a grip.”

A chuckle came from behind him. “Knew you’d finally crack, Oliver.”

Jason Tanner walked around in front of him carrying two pumpkins he set on a display by a bench. He looked over his shoulder and grinned. “You okay?”

Ben nodded and smiled, glad to see that Molly’s brother didn’t hold anything against him from all those years ago. “Yeah. Just talking to myself.”

Jason drew the back of his hand across his forehead and then placed his hands at his waist. “I do that a lot too. Nothing unusual there.”

Ben nodded toward the corn maze behind the store. “The place looks great. This is going to be a real boon to the area.”

And also great for local farmers, which went without saying.

Jason adjusted his John Deere cap. “Thanks. I hope it will be. It’s been a lot of work, but it already seems to be paying off. We’ll be offering a lot more next year. For now we have the corn maze, pumpkin cannons, a couple bounce houses, the petting zoo, and of course the pumpkin field.”

Ben lifted the cup of coffee. “And great coffee.”

“Of course.” Jason winked. “We need it as much as the visitors, maybe even more.”

“Ben! Ben!”

Ben turned to see Amelia running toward him wearing a red and white dress and black shoes, blond curls flowing out behind her. He lifted her in his arms as she reached him and propped her on his hip. “Hey, kid. You look excited.”

“Mommy said I get to pet a goat!”

Jason laughed. “You sure do. The petting zoo is on the other side of the store. There are calves, rabbits, sheep, and a bunch of kittens too.” He nodded at Ben. “You guys have fun today. I’ll see you around.”

Angie and her parents came next, walking slower than the ball of energy in Ben’s arms. They walked to the petting zoo, bought donuts and cider and then Leona suggested she and Adam take Amelia on a hayride.

“Why don’t you two try the corn maze and let us know how complicated it is,” Adam said with smile. “We’ll take Amelia after the hayride.”

Pink flushed along Angie’s cheeks, but she didn’t respond.

Amelia gave Ben a quick hug then ran to her grandmother and clutched her hand. “Be back soon, Daddy!” she called over her shoulder.

A burst of shock slammed Ben and he audibly gasped, unable to speak for a few seconds. By the time he even attempted to speak, Amelia was on the other side of the yard, almost to the wagon.

He turned to Angie. “Wha — I mean — Did you say something to her?”

Angie lifted her shoulders and dropped them in a quick shrug. “I started to last night and she told me she already knew. I told her she was a smart kid.”

She turned to walk toward the corn maze, and he followed her. “What did she say exactly?”

“Well, I said, ‘honey, I need to talk to you about Ben and who he is,’ and she said, ‘You mean that he’s my daddy?’ I asked how she knew and she said Uncle Mark said it that day we were arguing after she fell off the swing.”

Ben let out a breath as they entered the maze. “Yeah, he did. I forgot about that.” He pushed the emotion in his throat down with a gulp of coffee. “What did she think about it?”

Angie laughed. “You saw how excited she was when she saw you, right?”

Ben rubbed a hand along the back of his neck, warmth spreading there. “Yeah. Yeah I did.” He smiled. “It was really nice.”

They walked in silence for a few minutes, dry leaves and corn husks crunching under their feet. A cool breeze brushed across them and Ben smelled the sweetness of apples in it.

Angie stopped, turning to face him. “Ben, I want to tell you something.”

Here they went again. He braced himself for another tongue lashing, even though her tone was much friendlier and calm this time.

“I appreciate you explaining to me a couple of weeks ago some of the reasons you never contacted us.” She took a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly. “But four years of no real contact is a long time. I can’t just get over that in a few months.” She opened her eyes again, hands clenching and unclenching at her sides for a few seconds, then relaxing and matching the softness her tone slipped in to. “I can’t deny I love you, Ben. I think there was a time I loved a version of you that wasn’t real and now that I know the real you it’s very confusing because as much as I don’t want to love you, I still do. I love the good parts of you, the parts that are broken and you’re trying to put back together. The parts that are trying to be a better father. I can’t fully trust you yet, though. That’s something you’re going to have to rebuild with me, but if you’re willing to do that then I’m willing to work with you and see where this goes.”

He nodded slowly. “I understand.”

She pulled her lower lip between her teeth and released it again. “Do you — I mean — do you want to see where this goes?”

He reached out and lightly touched her hair with his fingertips. “Yes, I do, but I need to tell you something. I hope this,” he gestured a hand toward himself, then her. “Leads us to where it should have led us years ago.” He stepped forward, cupping his hand against her cheek. “In a church, with me promising to have and to hold you, for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.” He leaned closer and kissed her mouth gently. “For as long as we both live.”

She reached up and laid her hand over his, wrapped her fingers around it, and pulled it back, kissing his palm. “One day at a time, Mr. Oliver, okay? One day at time.” A smile tilted her mouth upward. “But, yeah, I’d like that to happen too.”

He wanted to kiss her again, but he didn’t want to push his luck. “Can I get you a cup of coffee?” He looked around him. “If we ever find our way out of this maze?”

 She laughed and looked at his cup, sniffing. “Yours doesn’t smell like regular coffee. What are you drinking?”

“Coffee with pumpkin spice flavoring and a bit of farm fresh cream.”

Angie snorted a laugh. “You’re drinking flavored coffee? What brought this change on?”

He laughed softly. “Judi. She kept bringing in flavored creamers and adding them to my coffee. She said I needed to liven up some.” He took a sip. “Now I’m addicted.”

“Going to church, drinking flavored coffee.” She shook her head once. “You have changed, Ben. I’m not sure what to make of it. Are you still organizing your closet by color?”

Ben mocked gasped. “Now, that, I’ll never change.”

Angie laughed as they walked, looping her arm in his. “Come on, let’s get out of here. I’ll take you up on that cup of coffee.”