Chapter Twenty-Five
Hannah couldn’t contain her smile as she watched her siblings play near the creek; obviously enjoying the cool, fresh water after dealing with the hot Texas sun all day.
She’d first suggested taking the children to the river where Garrett had first held her in his arms, however Garrett worried the water might be too deep for the younger children, so he’d suggested the creek instead.
It broke off the main river and wound lazily through a bit of property two acres behind the house, and it was perfect for little feet to jump and splash into.
Yesterday had been one of their best days so far in Twin Rivers, she’d decided.
Taking the younger children into town with cookies to deliver to the congregation members had been an intimidating idea at first, but as they made their rounds and gave their gift and apology, Hannah learned something: people were willing to forgive.
At the front doors of her neighbors she and the children had received smiles and thank-yous, not condemnation or shame.
Their warmth had fueled Hannah’s sense of hope, as had seeing the progress Garrett, Jacob, and Isaac had made on the new addition to the adobe.
Jacob and Isaac were worn out through and through, but even Jacob had a ghost of a smile on his face when the three of them finally called it a day and came back into the house.
It was only Garrett that seemed lost in his own thoughts when they’d come inside for supper, but when she spoke with him about it, he’d been quick to assure her that he was just tired.
Such an admission had been the reason for their current little outing.
Hard work had been completed by everyone in their family, and Hannah had wanted to reward them for their perseverance.
Hannah watched with a happy heart as she presently looked down at Garrett.
He was by her side, just a few scant inches away on the blanket they’d spread out.
He had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing off his tanned, muscled forearms. He had his hands underneath his head, and his handsome face was hidden by the cowboy hat he’d lowered over it.
His broad chest was slowly moving up and down with deep breaths; as if he’d drifted off to sleep in the peaceful quiet of the afternoon.
Unable to help herself, Hannah reached out and gently traced one of the bulging veins in his left forearm.
From under his cowboy hat, Garrett let out a rumbling sound that reminded her of a cat purring, and she suppressed a giggle as she traced the vein up his arm until it disappeared under his shirt, then continued where she imagined it would be until her hand reached his chest. She laid her palm down flat onto his left pectoral muscle.
Quick as a flash, Garrett snatched her wrist and yanked her down, causing a girlish giggle to break from her lips as her head landed on his chest.
“That tickles,” he murmured under his hat as his arm wrapped around her waist.
“Sorry,” she said through her smile.
Happiness flooded through her as she nuzzled her head into Garrett’s chest and snuggled closer into his side, relishing the way his arm tightened around her, as if encouraging the cuddling.
She closed her eyes as she let out a contented sigh and listened to the steady rhythm of Garrett’s heartbeat under her ear.
“I was wrong,” she murmured.
“Hmm? About what?” Garrett said from under his hat.
“About yesterday,” she explained, rubbing the side of her chin against Garrett’s hard chest, “I thought yesterday was my best day here so far, but I was mistaken. This is the best day so far. This moment, being here with you. With the children. Everyone happy and relaxed. It’s exactly what I hoped for when I was preparing to leave Michigan. ”
Hannah’s smile grew as she felt Garrett’s arm tighten around her a little more.
“I’m glad,” he said softly, his voice muffled by his hat.
For a moment Hannah just stayed there, reveling in the warmth and comfort of Garrett’s embrace. Then she slowly lifted her lashes and looked toward the children.
Louis and Rebecca splashed water at one another as they stood in the small creek bed.
She turned her head to the left, looking for Maria, and found her trying to make a little boat out of leaves.
Isaac was not far from her, simply laying on his back in the grass with his feet in the creek as he stared up at the orange sky. Jacob was-
“Where’s Jacob?” Hannah asked when she couldn’t spot him.
“Hmm?” Garrett murmured.
Hannah sat up and took a longer look around her, taking in the creek, the tree line beyond, the field to her left, and the desert to her right. Jacob was nowhere to be seen.
“Jacob,” Hannah repeated, getting to her feet. She turned in a circle, looking for him again as her heart started to beat a little faster.
Garrett lifted his hat from his face and sat up, taking a long look around them as well.
“This is the third time this week he’s done this,” Hannah sighed, “Just up and takes off.”
She shook her head, worried and frustrated that Jacob was so intent on making trouble on the ranch the same way he’d made trouble back in Michigan.
“Don’t worry, we’ll find him,” Garrett assured her, getting to his feet. He put a hand on her shoulder, rubbed it comfortingly, and walked toward Isaac to get his attention.
Hannah watched as Isaac got to his feet and listened to Garrett, a similar look of worry and frustration crossing his face, just like Hannah’s.
She almost smiled at their likeness, but her concern for Jacob overrode the expression.
She watched as her brother nodded to Garrett, and then the two of them stepped over the creek and made their way toward the line of trees a few paces beyond it.
“Rebecca, Maria, Louis, come on,” Hannah sighed, walking up to her younger siblings, “We’ve got to look for Jacob.”
As one, the three younger children let out an aww of disappointment.
“Why does Jacob have to ruin everything?” Maria grumbled, trudging out of the creek.
“Maria, don’t say such things,” Hannah pleaded, going to Rebecca to help her with her shoes.
“Well, it’s true!” Maria insisted. “He’s the one that made Aunt Gertrude mad! And he’s the one that shoved me at the Church lunch! He’s always tugging at my braids, and he’s the one that let the cows out! I bet he lied and he actually did that on purpose! He’s so… so… mean and hateful!”
Hannah pressed her lips together and winced at her little sister’s words, feeling Maria’s tiredness through the way she spoke them.
“I know he seems that way,” Hannah said gently, “But I don’t think he’s hateful. He just gets upset and instead of crying, he does other things that we don’t quite understand. And the cows getting loose was an accident Maria, you shouldn’t say otherwise.”
She paused as she got back up and dusted her hands off from helping Rebecca with her shoes.
“He’ll settle down,” she said, trying to assure not just herself but Maria as well. “He just needs a chance to see that things aren’t as awful as he’s led himself to believe.”
Maria made a face, but didn’t argue. Thankful that the discussion was over, Hannah turned to help Louis, and was startled when she didn’t find him.
“Louis? Louis!” She called, starting to panic all over again.
“Over here!”
Hannah expelled a sigh of relief as she turned to Louis’s voice and saw him waving his hand at her. He had taken off away from the small bit of lush greenery surrounding the creek, and had crossed over to a patch of land where the grass faded into dry desert dirt where the water did not run.
“Stay there!” Hannah ordered, taking Maria and Rebecca’s hands, “We’re coming!”
“Come on, I think I know where Jacob is!” Louis called back, waving an arm for them to follow him as he turned back toward the desert and took off.
“I said wait!” Hannah called, hurrying her sisters along, “Louis! Just give us a minute to—”
Her words cut off in a scream as Louis suddenly disappeared from view, as if the earth had just opened up and swallowed him.
“LOUIS!!!” she frantically yelled and took off toward him, hoping her little sisters would keep up.
Her heart racing, thoughts panicked, Hannah ran as fast as she could toward Louis, and when she saw the deep crack in the earth, she threw herself back, causing her to fall and slide on her knees; barely coming to a stop just as she reached the precipice.
“Girls, stop!” She shouted, throwing out her arms.
To her great relief, Maria and Rebecca obeyed, their little bodies bumping into her arms as they caught up to her with heaving breaths.
The three of them peered down into the deep crevice in the earth, and Hannah let out another scream for help when she saw the outline of Louis’s little body crumpled up about eight feet down.
“Louis!” Rebecca cried, going to her hands and knees in front of the crevice.
“Louis, sweetheart, please answer!” Hannah called down.
For a moment all three of them held their breath as they strained their ears to listen. Then a groan echoed up from the crevice, and Hannah grew dizzy with relief.
He was alive, thank God.
“Louis, say something,” Hannah urged.
“My arm!” Louis wailed from the bottom of the crevice, “It hurts!”
From behind them, Hannah heard the rushing of footsteps, and she turned and held her hands up just in time to get Garrett and Isaac to slow down.
“We heard your scream,” Isaac panted, doubling over as he tried to catch his breath.
“Where’s Louis?” Garrett asked through his panting breaths, walking closer, “Is he- Oh, God.”
Hannah looked up at Garrett’s face just in time to watch the color drain from his cheeks.
“What is this?” She demanded, “How is this here and how do we get him out?”
“Flash flooding,” Garrett explained, taking another cautious step toward the opening, “Sometimes we don’t get rain for months, then all of the sudden it pours.
The ground can’t always take it, and it causes fissures like this.
Louis, buddy, I’m coming down! Can you try to sit up and scooch toward the wall? ”
From the bottom of the fissure, Hannah heard Louis groan, but she watched as he was able to manage Garrett’s request as Garrett laid down on his belly and started to lower his bottom half down into the hole.
“Garrett, wait!” Hannah said, clutching at his shoulders, “You can’t go down there, it’s too deep! We have to get something to pull him up. I’ll send Isaac to the barn, maybe he can get some rope and we can fashion—”
“Hannah, look at me,” Garrett cut her off, his deep voice surprisingly calm despite the catastrophe.
She obeyed, her eyes drawing to these deep pools of rich brown that she was growing to love.
“That angle his arm is in?” Garrett said quietly, “It’s not good. We can’t waste time. I can go down and lift him up so you and Isaac can take him, then when he’s safe, you and Isaac are going to reach down while you’re lying on your bellies, and help pull me up, alright?”
Hannah shook her head, unable to believe that it could be so simple.
“I’m not strong enough,” she protested, “what if it’s deeper than we believe? What if you get stuck down there?”
“I won’t,” Garrett answered calmly. He untangled one of her fisted hands from his shirt and brought it to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. “I can do this, and so can you. We just have to trust each other.”
Despite her fear, Hannah nodded and let him go.
“I trust you,” she breathed, sliding back so he could finish lowering himself down, “Just be careful.”
“Always,” Garrett replied, a playful smile forming on his lips. Then he let go and disappeared down into the fissure with Louis.