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At last, something to do with her hands so her thoughts wouldn’t continually run off in silly directions. “Of course. Are you ready to get started?”
Rosie fetched a basket of fabric pieces. “I thought to make one for Junior’s bed, but I don’t intend to take advantage of your generosity or anything.”
Kathleen rubbed her hands together. “We can do this. Do you have a pattern in mind?”
The women pulled out fabric and discussed different arrangements. Once they’d chosen a pattern, they cut out a number of squares, then Kathleen started stitching them together while Rosie continued cutting.
“Where did you spend Thanksgiving last year?” Kathleen asked him.
Guess it was too much for Buck to think their project would keep them occupied and allow him the privilege of watching the subtle changes in Kathleen’s expression as she chose colors and patterns and aligned the pieces. But he realized he didn’t mind talking about the past year. In most ways it was one of the best in his life, with Joey to look after and love. “The two of us spent it in a settler’s shack. The pioneer family had moved to town for the winter, and they were glad enough to have someone occupy their place.” No doubt such simple accommodations were something she would not rejoice over, but he’d been grateful.
Kathleen and Rosie continued to work, but he felt their keen interest. “I really never gave Thanksgiving a thought until the owner of the place rode out with a bundle. Said his wife insisted he bring it to the two of us. I let Joey open it. You should have seen his eyes. I don’t think he could remember receiving gifts before. Inside was enough turkey for the both of us and plenty of mashed potatoes and gravy. There were two oranges and a toy whistle. We had us a real good day. Just the two of us.” He wasn’t sure why he kept saying it was only he and Joey, except he wanted to believe it was how he wanted things to be. Even to his own ears it sounded lonely. But he really did have something to be thankful for—a little son and a warm house, even though the latter was temporary.
Thanksgiving was three weeks away. He should be gone again by then, but only if he remained would Joey know a true family celebration. The temptation to stay was strong.
“It sounds sweet,” Kathleen said, although her voice seemed tight, as if the words didn’t want release.
“It sounds lonely.” Rosie, as always, was bluntly honest. They studied each other. He wished he could stay awhile. Perhaps she did, too, but they both knew the risks. People were less than welcoming when they discovered whom their father was. He and Rosie had been driven from more than one place by a violent crowd.
He and Joey must move on.
Kathleen’s gaze had not left him all the while he and Rosie shared their silent communication, and now he shifted and met her blue, intense look.
She smiled. “The church is having a special Thanksgiving service. There will be a community dinner to share the bounty of the year. It would be nice if you would attend. I think you’d enjoy it.”
Her words fell into a silence, sending ripples through his thoughts. He hadn’t been to church since Ma died. He wondered if Rosie had. He’d attended her wedding, held in the parsonage. It was the last time he’d seen her before yesterday, though he sent her an occasional letter. She wrote to him regularly so he knew she and Bill had moved to this town. Bill knew enough to keep one step ahead of the cruel truth of his wife’s past. “I doubt I’ll be here.” Regret deepened his voice but he hoped no one would notice. “Rosie, you should go. It would be good for you and the kids.”
Rosie allowed him the briefest glance, but enough for him to see her longing ran every bit as deep as his. “I’ll think on it.”
“I’ll keep asking,” Kathleen said.
Buck wondered how she managed to sound so serene, so confident. Not for the first time, and likely not for the last, he wished things could be different so he could get to know her better and discover who she really was.
It wasn’t possible. He shifted his thoughts to other things. Like the children. Rosie’s were happy and full of spirit. Was Joey on par with them? Was he suffering because of the way Buck lived? Not that he could do a thing to change it.
The children woke and the women put away the sewing. Rosie brought Lilly from the bedroom with her two boys following her. At the same time, Joey came from the other room. The boy’s color had improved.
Rosie put Lilly in her chair and the other children sat around the table to eat bread and jam.
“Good food and rest are giving Joey back his strength,” he said.
Kathleen’s gentle gaze brushed him. “God has given us so many reasons to be thankful.”
He nodded. She made it easy for him to believe in God’s bountiful blessings.
“I must return home. I promised Mother and Father I wouldn’t be as late as I was yesterday.”
Buck scrambled to his feet. “I’ll walk you home.”
“It’s not necessary.”
Did he detect a hint of something in her voice he was loath to admit? Was she embarrassed to have him walk her home? “My mother, God rest her soul, would expect no less of me.”
She considered him briefly then nodded. “Very well, though it really isn’t necessary.”
He bent to face his son. “Joey, you stay with Aunt Rosie. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Okay?”
“You be back for sure?”
“For sure.”
“Okay, then.” He returned his attention to the slice of bread.
He slipped into his coat and buttoned it, then held the door for Kathleen, who had already said goodbye to everyone in the room. They tramped along the hardened path.
“Do you realize that’s the first time I’ve heard mention of your mother?”
“Even the likes of Rosie and me have a mother and father, though they are both dead now.” He regretted his words as soon as they were out and hoped she wouldn’t ask about his father.
“I’m sorry for your loss, but you know I didn’t mean you wouldn’t have parents.” She scowled at him, making him feel like a small boy.
“I’m sorry. Sometimes I am too defensive.”
“Both you and Rosie. It’s like you expect someone to kick you in the teeth for no reason.”
Oh, they thought they had reason enough, but he wasn’t about to tell her so.
Kathleen turned to him, her expression a mixture of amusement and something more—perhaps regret? “Rosie’s very fond of you.”
“Like you said, she hides it pretty well.”
Her sweet laugh filled his senses. “Tell me what it was like to have a sister growing up.”
Her questions almost stopped him in his tracks. It took every bit of his well-developed self-control to move forward, to keep his voice steady, as if the memories weren’t filled with a bittersweet taste. “Life was very different then. My parents were alive.”
She didn’t speak, and he wondered how aware she was of the tension gripping his heart.
“There was a time …” He slowed his words to cover his regret. “When my father laughed with joy and said we had much to be grateful for.” How quickly his attitude had changed.
“It sounds nice.”
“It was.” How long since he’d remembered those better days? Far too long. And he vowed right there in the middle of the trail he would give Joey some memories of good times, and he’d find a way to remind Rosie of those happier days when being thankful didn’t require an effort.
“Having a sibling is special.”
Did he detect a lonesome note in her voice? He couldn’t think it was true. She came from a secure, stable, safe family.
They passed the business section of town and climbed a slight hill to a cluster of large houses.
Kathleen stopped walking. “This is where I live.” She indicated a house dominating those around it.
The place was huge. Buck could see why they might need someone to dust and clean. “Just you and your parents live here?” He failed to keep awe from his voice.
“Our cook has quarters here, too.”
“Oh, then that explains why you need such a large house.”
She grinned. “You know it doesn’t. We don’t need a big house, but my father thinks it’s in keeping with his station in life.” Her smile seemed slightly lopsided. “My father has very well-formed ideas of right and wrong.”
“And always does what is right?”
“Always.”
“That’s something to be grateful for, isn’t it?” He knew his voice revealed far more than he wanted to. If his own father had always done what was right, not let his anger and frustration drive him to taking things into his own hands in such a gruesome manner … well, his life and Rosie’s—and now their children’s—would be much different.
Aware that she watched him closely, likely wondering why he seemed so vehement about the idea of right and wrong when they’d been talking about her big house, he again studied the mansion before him. Lots of red brick and white trim around the seemingly endless windows on both the ground floor and second story. “It certainly makes a person stand up and take notice.”
“It’s just a house. Isn’t a house the place where family gathers? Seems to me that what’s important. Not the size of the dwelling.”
He couldn’t take his eyes off the house in front of them. “If you say so.”
“I do. Now stop staring at it. You’re making me uncomfortable.”
He jerked his attention away and toward her. “Why would it make you uncomfortable?”
“Because I don’t want to be judged by who my father is or how large the house I live in is. I want to be judged for my own actions.” Her words rang with fierceness.
“I wish I could think such was possible.” But people would always judge him by who his father was. He couldn’t imagine it would be any different for Kathleen, though for vastly different reasons.
She studied him, her gaze searching out hidden meanings in his words, secrets buried deep in his heart. “Can it not be so between us, at least?”
Her question begged so many things from him. Acceptance of her friendship, but more. Openness, sharing of secrets. He couldn’t offer what she silently asked for, though he ached to do so. “I wish things could be different.”
“Can’t you make them so?”
“I can’t control what others say or think or do.”
“But you can choose who and what you are.”
He searched her frank open gaze. He wanted to point out it was easy for her to choose her own path with the protection of her father’s name. But he didn’t want to spoil the moment.
She continued to study him. “Haven’t you done that already to some extent?”
He didn’t understand. His choice was to leave before people learned the truth or immediately after they did.
She must have seen his confusion. “Adopting Joey.”
“That has never been a hardship.” Though partly because Joey fit into Buck’s way of life … moving on before people got too critical. But was he doing the child a disservice by constantly moving?
“I must go inside.” Kathleen shifted her attention to the house.
“Good afternoon. Thanks for everything.”
She turned back to him. Made him happy he’d said something to accomplish that. “For what?”
“For visiting Rosie and being her friend. For praying for Joey. Reminding me of God.” For being Kathleen and sharing your joy.
She lowered her eyes. “You’re welcome.” Brought her gaze back to his, smiling widely. “I hope you think about God more often now.”
“I surely shall.” Every time he thought of Kathleen and he knew that would be often.
“Goodbye now. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She headed up the brick sidewalk, paused at the door to give a little wave.
He lifted a hand in response, waited until the door closed behind her then headed back to Rosie’s, Kathleen’s promise ringing in his ears. See you tomorrow.
How many tomorrows dare he plan? He clamped his jaw down hard, making his teeth ache. Not nearly enough.
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