Chapter
Thirty-Nine
Sawyer
Driving the combine was even more fun than I had imagined, and Soren was diligent in teaching me everything. A woman in a pastel tracksuit with a face-splitting smile came from the porch as we turned into the lane toward the barn. Her hair was a bright blonde, and it swished around as she exuberantly waved using her whole body. There was an older man sitting much more calmly on the porch swing. He raised his head and stood.
I heard Soren mutter something as he took over driving. I rolled my lips in to suppress a smile because this must be his mom and dad. Admittedly, I was somewhat nervous to meet them, but something about the pastel blue jogging suit moving toward the now parked combine told me I had nothing to fear. She visibly bounced with excitement, and I swore I even saw her clap her hands at one point. The much calmer man had made it to the top of the porch steps and descended at a much more reasonable pace. I stood and collected my water bottle as Soren pushed open the door muttering, “Here we go.”
“Soren sweetheart, couldn’t you take her on a better date than in a combine?!”
Soren’s mom immediately turned to his dad and proclaimed, “He must take after you, Harvey, although you did win me over with combine dates, so that’s not saying much for me is it?”
She laughed at her own joke and Harvey walked to her side. As I reached the bottom of the ladder, I was squashed into a hug unlike any I’d ever received and she did not let go. I think if I knew her better, I would have enjoyed it. Tears stung my eyes at what it must be like to be loved by a mom so much. Even if the hug felt like a little too much.
“Gayla, let the girl breathe,” the man that I now knew as Harvey reasoned.
Gayla let go and put both of her hands on my cheeks.
“Sweetheart, I can’t believe I’m seeing you again after this many years.” Her hazel eyes shone with tears, and Soren took my hand. I didn’t say anything because I wasn’t sure what to say, but there was something in her eyes that made me want to get to know her better. She seemed a little familiar, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of the things Soren had shared with me or if I’d simply forgotten the other times I’d seen her before. Something inside of me wanted to remember any memory I had of seeing her, although logically, she had most likely only seen me from a distance. She pulled me in for another fierce squeeze and Soren made the introductions.
I learned that Harvey was similar to Soren, except more quiet. He had a deep kindness behind a quiet smile that simply exuded from him. If anyone could ever be considered the human form of sunshine like Talia, it was Gayla. I knew she and Talia would be fast friends. They both had that gift of making people feel welcome, and appreciating people as they are. We made our way toward the porch after a back-slapping hug between Harvey and Soren and a rib-crushing embrace between Gayla and Soren. After more catching up and visiting, we settled in around the kitchen table to a meal that Gayla prepared, and there was never a moment of awkward silence. There was never a moment where I felt like I didn’t belong.
Three hours later and I was driving back home. Soren’s parents were everything that parents should be. They were kind and supportive to their son. His mom was hilarious, and his dad was reserved and quiet, but not in a rude way. More of a watchful and shy way. He rarely talked, but he appeared more comfortable in letting his wife do most of the talking. The thing I didn’t miss was how his eyes lit up when he looked at her. She’d said they had been married for thirty-eight years, but their love still seemed like a cross between puppy love and two people that knew each other exceptionally well. Gayla had explained that the ranch was from Harvey’s side of the family, and they had dedicated twenty-five years to running it. After Abel had passed, they decided they needed a change. Farming and ranching had always been Soren’s passion. After he had completed his agriculture degree, they wanted him to feel free to make the changes he wanted without being limited by their opinions. Gayla worked in insurance, most of which involved hurricane damage, therefore allowing them to travel along the southern coastline. Harvey had discovered a love for birdwatching and golfing and those activities kept him busy in retirement. Gayla said that she required more activities in her life and working part-time allowed her to be around people more which she loved. I felt a tinge of pain wondering what it would have been like to grow up with a family that loved each other. Knowing that no matter what hardships you faced, you had a family there to face them with you. I was thankful knowing that Abel had such a loving family for his short life. He had known what it was to be truly loved and cherished, and I imagined that must be the best feeling in the world.