CHAPTER 11
T here was nothing like being home to humble a man’s pride, Matt mused. So far, his visit to his parents’ house had been anything but smooth sailing. Very quickly, he’d learned that sleeping on either a hard twin bed or a lumpy foldout couch was not for him. He’d spent a restless and painful night in hopes of a comfortable position. To make matters worse, he’d even managed to stub his toe on the corner of a dresser and then had overslept. Jonny had had to wake him up!
After suffering through that embarrassment, he’d moved to a nearby new hotel. There, he had a king-sized bed, four pillows, a roomy walk-in shower, and his own coffee maker. He also had a way to charge his phone and connect to the internet—two things that he’d begun to take for granted. His younger self might have been embarrassed by his new needs for modern comforts, but his current back was thanking him.
He’d woken up early and had arrived at the farm in time for breakfast. The meal had gone well. Jonny had seemed to thaw a bit, and his parents were their usual giving selves. After his mother had refused his offer to help with the dishes, he’d turned to his father and asked how he could help.
Which led the two of them to their current spot.
His usually implacable father seemed to be at a loss for words.
Or maybe it was more a matter of him worrying about the state of his beloved barn.
“Are you sure you want to help me in here, son?” his daed asked. “It’s a dirty job for someone used to working in an office.”
“I’m sure,” Matt replied. “There’s nothing I have on that can’t handle a little dirt.”
“We’ll see.” He cleared his throat. “At least you’re wearing sturdy gloves.”
“ Jah . I bought them at Lehman’s. I might not be as fit as I used to be, but I can muck out stalls and tend to horses well enough.” He hoped so, at least. It had been decades since he’d done such things.
If his father heard the touch of hesitation in his tone, he didn’t show it. Instead, he continued to look at Matt in his usual, steady way. “I’m not saying you can’t. Only that it was never your favorite type of work. I don’t suppose that’s changed none.”
His father was right. He’d never been afraid to work hard on the farm, but he’d always preferred working in the fields. He’d used to say that working for hours in a dark, dusty barn made him feel trapped and stifled. Ironically, he’d spent most of his life in a small room hunched over a computer ever since he’d jumped the fence.
“It hasn’t.” Sharing a smile with him, he added, “I’ve gotten a lot more used to being indoors, but I don’t sit on my rear end all day long. I do try to get some exercise.” Sure, it was in an air-conditioned gym with trained associates supervising his workouts and handing him towels and water bottles after every session. But, it still counted. “I’ll be fine.”
His father’s expression eased. “All right then.”
When he paused, Matt wondered if his daed was finally going to ask him about his job and his life. Though Matt didn’t visit very often, he did call every now and then. What’s more, Matt knew his success was no secret. He’d become very wealthy and influential in the finance world, which was no easy feat for anyone, but almost unheard of, given that he’d left home with only an eighth-grade education.
But so far, even though his father had always asked him if he was happy, he never seemed to want to talk about Matt’s life in the outside world.
It was a small reminder that Matt’s departure hadn’t been what his father had wanted and that it still remained a sore subject between the two of them.
“Well now, let me tell you a bit about Ribbon.” Moving to stand beside the mare, his daed ran a hand along her dark brown forelock. The horse nudged against him, obviously enjoying the attention. After rubbing her nose and murmuring something to her, his daed straightened. “Matt, mind yourself around Ribbon. She looks sweet as can be, but she’s full of attitude. She’ll have you wrapped around her hoof if she thinks you’re a pushover.”
“Will do.”
“And don’t forget to put the old straw in the barrow and then wheel it out to the compost pile.”
“I won’t.”
After another nod of his head, his father walked away.
Watching him head out to one of the fields, Matt felt a burst of affection for his father. Though he’d shrunk an inch or two over the years, he was still fit. From the back, he looked exactly like Matt remembered him looking when he was a boy. Loose dark blue trousers, loose blue shirt, suspenders, a canvas barn coat over the shirt, and muddy, well-worn boots on his feet.
His gait was the same, as well. His father had always walked with a purpose on the land. It was in other areas that he wasn’t as confident.
When they were all alone, Ribbon swung her head in his direction, giving him a curious look. She was a pretty thing, and that was a fact. “A lot of women would pay big bucks for eyelashes like yours, Ribbon.”
She blew out a burst of air, making him grin.
Unable to resist, he walked over and rubbed his hand over her soft muzzle. When she pressed against him, he petted her cheek and neck. “You’re a gut gaul , ain’t so?” he whispered.
She scraped the dirt floor with a hoof.
He laughed, wondering if she was pleased that he’d noticed.
“All right then, let’s see if I can remember how to get you out and clean out a stall good enough for my father.”
Hooking up the lead to her bridle, he led Ribbon out of her stall and down a couple of feet. To his relief, she seemed agreeable enough around him.
Hooking her lead to the post, he patted her side. “I’ll spruce you up in a little bit, Ribbon. Until then, feel free to watch me make a fool of myself.”
And then he got to work.
Fifteen minutes in, Matt was feeling very glad that his father hadn’t stayed in the barn. If he had, there was a good chance that he wouldn’t have been able to stay quiet while Matt did everything a little bit backward.
His muscles were also letting him know that his hours in an air-conditioned gym were no match for raking up old, soiled straw and tossing it into a wheelbarrow. Even though it was fall and the air was far from stifling, he soaked his shirt in no time. “I should’ve brought an extra shirt.”
Ribbon whickered.
“Laugh all you want. I won’t be offended. It’s shameful how out of shape I am. Looks like my thirty-minute workout in an air-conditioned gym doesn’t exactly pack the same punch.”
He couldn’t deny that the hard work was doing him good, however. His mind felt clearer, and his sense of peace became more pronounced.
Even more surprising was the sense of accomplishment he was feeling. A different mindset was involved when it came to doing a task for someone else’s benefit. Even if it was a pretty, flirty Tennessee Walker.
An hour later, he had swept out the last of the dirt, had allowed Ribbon to graze a bit in the small field, and had put her back inside her stall.
Deciding to take a break, he filled a cup from the spigot like he used to as a boy and sat back behind the barn under the shade of an oak tree. He felt good. He had serious doubts about whether he was ever going to be able to stand up again, but he felt good.
“Hi, Dad.”
The sweet voice startled him enough to jump to his feet. His muscles protested, but they couldn’t compete with his happiness. “Kelsey.”
It was obvious that his unkempt appearance shocked her. “You’re all sweaty.”
“Indeed, I am.”
Looking confused, she asked, “What have you been doing?”
“Mucking out stalls and tending to Ribbon.”
“You’ve been taking care of Dawdi’s horse?”
“None other.”
Looking even more puzzled, Kelsey walked toward him. Matt took a minute to appreciate how pretty—and how perfectly Amish—she looked. Today she had on a light-blue dress, plain black tennis shoes, and her white kapp . The sleeves on her dress were pushed up a bit.
She also looked happy. Very happy. He said, “I’m glad to see you, honey.”
Her eyes softened, but she still couldn’t seem to get her head around him being in the barn. “How come you were doing all that?”
“I asked your grandfather how I could help him. After he hemmed and hawed, I volunteered to work in the barn.”
“Jonny should’ve been doing that.”
“There was no need. I still remembered what to do.” Rubbing a spot on his neck, he added, “Though I have to admit that the rest of my body isn’t too thrilled with the chore.” Grinning, he added, “I’m fairly sure I’m going to be hobbling around like an old man tomorrow.”
Her lips twitched in amusement. “This is going to sound dumb, but sometimes I completely forget that you ever lived this way.”
“It doesn’t sound dumb at all. Sometimes I forget it, too.” Realizing that they were standing in the sun and that Kelsey had likely come over for a reason, he asked, “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.”
Something was up. She either looked embarrassed or . . . shy? Was she sick? “Did you, ah, come to see your grandma? And where’s Richard?”
“Richard wanted to visit with Martin for a moment. He’s in town again seeing Patti. You know she’s our closest neighbor.”
“Ah.” He wanted to say that Richard’s errand had become his blessing, but it would no doubt sound too stilted. Kelsey might not believe him, either. He really did want to have a better, easier relationship with her. With all his children.
“Dad, I came over to talk to you.”
“Well now. That’s . . . great.” He flashed a smile. “I’m glad.” He just hoped she wasn’t gearing up to tell him that she didn’t want to see him again.
“You do have time, don’t you?”
“Kelsey, I always have time for you. For all four of you.” He paused. Letting that sink in for a moment. “Now, where would you like to chat?”
She pointed to a couple of turned-over barrels. “We could sit here, if you’d like. It won’t take long.”
“Honey, no offense, but I smell to high heaven. Would you mind sitting on the front porch or in the house with your grandma while I take a quick shower?”
“I wouldn’t mind.” Giggling softly, she added, “You do smell like a dusty barn.”
“Come on, then.” He walked her to the main house. “Do you want to come in?”
“ Nee . I mean, no. I’ll stay out here, if you don’t mind.”
She was being so polite. So tentative. Something was going on. “Do you want me to tell Grandma to come out or give you some space?”
She scrunched up her nose. “Is there a way to ask her not to come out without hurting her feelings?”
He nodded. “I’ll find a way. And I’ll be back down in ten minutes.” Please don’t leave before I return , he silently added.
She looked relieved. “Thanks, Dad.”
Taking off his boots, he left them on the bottom of the porch steps and hurried inside.
“Matt?”
“Hey, Mamm.”
“Is someone outside?”
“Yeah. Kelsey’s here. She came over to talk to me. I’ve been cleaning the barn, so she’s going to wait for me on the porch.”
“There’s no need for that. She should come in the kitchen.”
“Mamm, she asked not to see you just yet.”
She stiffened. “Why?”
“I don’t know, but I guess it’s probably because she’s got something to say to me.” He shrugged. “You know how many mistakes I’ve made. Maybe it’s something about that. Or she might have something to ask about her mom.” He steeled himself, ready to push back if she argued.
Luckily, although a line formed between her brows, she didn’t put up a fight. “All right. I’ll give her space. But, I’ll make you two some glasses of lemonade.”
“ Danke , Mamm.”
She smiled up at him. “You’d best hurry.”
Sore muscles forgotten, he trotted up the stairs, took one of the fastest showers of his life, and was in the kitchen picking up the glasses in less than eight minutes.
“I’m back,” he said as he joined Kelsey on the porch. “And I brought lemonade.”
“Mommi made us glasses of lemonade?”
“Yep.”
“So she knew I was here.” Looking more agitated, Kelsey added, “Was Grandma upset that I didn’t want to see her yet?”
“Honey, you know your grandmother. She understands that sometimes everyone needs space. Even granddaughters.”
“I hope so.”
“I promise, Mommi wasn’t upset at all.” Perching on the edge of the rocking chair next to her, he said, “What’s on your mind?”
As Kelsey visibly pulled herself together, Matt cautioned himself to remain calm and listen to whatever she had to say. Please God, he prayed. Give me the strength to be what she needs. Help me listen to her needs before spouting off excuses for whatever problem she has with me.
Kelsey looked down at her lap. Fiddled with the fabric of her dress. “I . . . I’m not sure how to tell you this.”
Was it Richard? Had that husband of hers been making her cry? He had better hope not. “Whatever it is, we can figure it out. And I won’t be mad.”
A line formed between her eyebrows before it vanished in the midst of a beautiful smile. “Oh, Dad. It’s nothing bad. It’s the best news ever. I’m pregnant.”
He gaped at her. “What?”
She giggled. “Dad, I’m going to have a baby. Richard and I went to the doctor yesterday.” She laughed again. “She said I’m ten weeks along.”
“You’re ten weeks,” he parroted.
Reaching out for his hands, she gripped both. “Dad, you’re going to be a grandfather!”
Finally, finally . . . her words sank in. His darling daughter wasn’t upset with him. Instead, she’d come to find him to tell him the news.
Before his parents.
“Dad?” she said in a soft voice. “Um . . . are you upset?”
Jumping to his feet, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. When she gazed up at him, her pretty face surrounded by the white kapp , he’d never thought she’d looked more beautiful.
Kissing her cheek, he said, “I’m not upset at all. I . . . you just gave me the best news I’ve received . . . since the moment the doctor told me that Jonny was a healthy eight-pound boy. I’m very happy for you. For both you and Richard. Congratulations, sweetheart. You’re going to be a wonderful mother.”
Tears filled her eyes. “You really think so?”
“I know so.”
When he released her, she did a little hop. “I’m so excited, Dad. So excited and happy. And Richard . . . well, I don’t think he’s stopped smiling . . . or fussing over me.”
“That’s how it should be, I think. Now sit down, sip some lemonade, and tell me all about what the doctor said.”
When she did, he realized that he had tears in his eyes, too.
Happy tears. The first ones in ages.
They felt good.