by Jayna Morrow
They polished off their plates in silence.
And the moment the last bite went down, sleepiness overcame her.
Sparrow was honored that Gabriel had revealed as much as he had. So she let him drive her home without further questions. She welcomed the warmth of a much-needed shower before bed. And once she laid her head on her pillow, her thoughts filled with the man she’d grown so close to over the past few months. A complete contentedness spread over her as she smiled and went to sleep.
~*~
Several loud taps on his bedroom door startled Gabriel from a deep sleep. “Slade, is everything OK?”
Slade poked his head around the doorframe. He’d been healing nicely the past few weeks, but the pained expression on his face told Gabriel that something wasn’t right. He sat bolt upright, the pointed edge of panic poking at the back of his mind.
“Nothing’s wrong. I just couldn’t find a comfortable sleeping position, so I was wondering if you could make me an ice pack.”
Gabriel blinked. “I can do that, son. Give me a minute to get my eyes adjusted to the light. Do you want to take something for pain, too?”
“Just the ice, Dad. I need a good night’s sleep.”
The past few weeks had been eye-opening for Slade. Limited movement, dependent on others for help, and completing tasks with one arm. Gabriel was surprised Slade hadn’t given him a hard time. And he was really surprised by the change in his son’s attitude. He couldn’t let Slade know how happy he was about it or how good it felt to be needed. He’d learned a lot about responsibility lately. “How about I find some extra pillows to prop your arm up? Didn’t the doctor tell you at your follow-up appointment that you needed to stop holding your arm so tightly against your chest?”
“Yeah, but it hurts to lift it.”
Gabriel swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. He had gone through several scenarios in his mind of what it would be like to have a loving, healthy relationship with his son, but he’d never imagined Slade needing him in this way. He’d heard somewhere that one didn’t have anything if one didn’t have one’s health. And sometimes a health scare is what it took to shove someone back on the right path.
The darkened hallway opened up to a moonlit kitchen. Slade trudged along ahead, his left arm hugged against his side. He had never really had to rely on his dad to take care of him, but Gabriel hoped his son now knew that he’d do anything for him. A spark of hope ignited in Gabriel’s heart. “Healing is painful, but you can’t take the easy way out. Relax your arm even if it’s uncomfortable. It’ll help you in the long run.”
“OK, Dad.” His words were more like a sigh, but he slowly lowered his arm, his shoulder following suit. He winced.
Gabriel flipped the light switch and opened the freezer. He always kept several ice packs for sack lunches. They worked well for soothing injuries as well. He wrapped it with a thin dishtowel to absorb any moisture as the pack melted. “Here’s the ice. Go ahead to your room, and I’ll bring you a couple extra pillows.”
“OK.”
Slade pressed the pack to his shoulder and padded back down the hall to his room.
Gabriel retrieved two pillows from the linen closet and helped him position his arm in an elevated position.
“Once my collarbone is healed, I’d like to spend some time with my friends.”
The request halted Gabriel’s pillow fluffing progress, and he glowered. With the heavy curtains drawn to block all light, the darkness matched the dark cloud that now shrouded his mind. “Which set of friends are you referring to?”
Slade’s so-called friends from Bishop were a major part of the problem. He couldn’t turn his life around if he still hung out with them.
“My baseball friends. I haven’t seen them since I got suspended from the team. You said I could have them over sometime for a cookout or to watch a game.”
“I think that’s a great idea.”
“I also want to work at the dairy. At the hospital, Uncle Holden told me how he runs his own business, and he said he learned how to do it by working at the dairy.”
Um, sure. Close enough. “That’s right.” He didn’t know how it would go with them working together, but he didn’t want to say no to any positive suggestion Slade came up with. This was another part of Sparrow’s plan—supporting the positive behaviors—so no matter what he suggested, Gabriel was determined to go along with it. Party with his baseball friends—great. Job at the dairy—fantastic. What else?
“I’ve always planned to bring you into the family business. I think you’ll learn a lot by having a job.”
And they could continue working on mending their relationship.
14
“Hungry?” Gabriel slid a sideways glance at Slade and bit back a grin. It felt so darn good to have his son’s collarbone healed and his behavior on a positive path. It had been a month-long learning experience for both of them. With each passing week, Slade regained more use of his right arm and required less assistance. Gabriel feared the return of Slade’s independence would ignite another round of rebellion, but he was starting to understand that something happened in the woods, when Slade fell from the tree, that jostled his faith as well. He’d broken his collarbone, but also the ties that held him in bondage.
“Huh?” Slade stared dreamily out the truck window.
He seemed different somehow…more at peace, less on edge. Something. Whatever it was, Gabriel liked it. “Burgers? Steak? Mexican? You want something to eat before we head to the house?”
They’d spent the morning tearing down an old barn that had been on the verge of collapse and salvaging the wood. His truck bed looked like a lumberyard delivery service.
“I don’t want to go home yet.” The dreamy expression slipped away as an excited grin broke out across the kid’s face. “I’d like to grab some lunch and then start working at the dairy.”
Sudden understanding for his son’s enthusiasm lifted his spirits and re-energized him for the task at hand. “It’s Saturday, but I’m sure there’s something we can do there. I like that we’ll get to work together, son, but I also want to go hunting sometime.”
“OK. And you’ll come to my games?”
“Yep. And we can go fishing.”
“How about movies?”
“I guess I could sit through a movie at a theater.” He grimaced, and Slade chuckled. Gabriel’s dislike of movie theatres was no secret. “I could get you a four-wheeler so you could ride with me.”
“Yeah!” Leaning forward, Slade drummed on the dashboard with his fingers, his feet tapping out a rhythm on the floorboard. “We should’ve been doing all these things already. That’s why I wanted to live with Uncle Holden. Whenever MeMaw and Papaw would take me to visit him, he would take me everywhere and do all kinds of things with me. I always wished it was you instead of him.”
“I can’t change the past, son. But things will be different now. I’m gonna try to be a better father and spend more time with you.”
“Let’s eat at the Sweet Homemade Cafe. I could really go for some country food.”
They sat at a corner booth inside the Sweet Homemade Cafe and reminisced over the pictures of people they knew attached to every surface until the waitress brought their chicken-fried steak platters. They’d even splurged on dessert.
Gabriel looked around for Robin, but she wasn’t working today. The diner was empty of customers and only one cook and one waitress were on duty. Good. He wanted to talk about something with Slade. Plus, he was too full to work just yet. “I want to talk to you about everything that’s been going on.”
Slade scowled. “Please, not another conversation about my behavior.”
“Just the opposite. I want to talk about my behavior.” He tapped his fingers on his chest. His mood was reflective as Slade looked out the window and watched a crew framing a house across the street. Those going up in this new, planned community were large and luxurious, unlike anything Sweet Home had ever seen. Hoping to
attract wealthier residents, this neighborhood would feature mini-mansions on large lots with attractive amenities, such as a golf course, country club, and a private water park. Unbelievable. Such a waste of good land. Gabriel shook his head in disgust. But back to the problem at hand.
“I don’t want to dwell on the past, Slade. I just want you to know how much you mean to me. We’re a family.” He paused to muster up courage. “Speaking of which, we’ve never talked about MeMaw and Papaw since they died. I know you considered them your parents and that you miss them a lot.”
Slade’s eyes reddened. He nodded stiffly. Heavy breaths escaped his nose, and his nostrils flared several times. He was trying not to cry.
Gabriel kept his voice even. “They were my parents, too. I miss them every day. I was their oldest child, and they had a lot of expectations for me. My world was very different from the one my siblings enjoyed. In some ways, I was very grounded, very responsible. But in other ways, I was the exact opposite. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life.”
“Me.”
Slade’s harsh statement took Gabriel’s breath. His eyes widened. Had his son thought of himself as a mistake all this time? “No, Slade. You were not a mistake. You just arrived a little ahead of schedule. You’re an amazing kid, and I would have taken you at any age, under any circumstances. My only regret is that I wasn’t ready, and I let my parents take over.” He cleared his throat and fought to maintain control of his emotions. “At some point, I knew I’d lost you. You were about two or three, and anyone could see you were MeMaw’s baby. You were so attached to her. I tried here and there to take control, but you saw me more like a big brother than a father. Finally, I just…moved on.” He shook his head, still unhappy with the decision. “You know, son, I never thought my parents would die so young. I thought you would be grown before that happened.” He choked up.
Slade looked him in the eyes for the first time during the whole conversation.
“I was grieving, but I had to take care of you. My life was turned upside down. I felt alone—so alone that I thought settling down and getting married should be my first step. That’s when Lyra came into the picture. She was such a confident, take-charge kind of person. At a point when I was completely at sea in my own life, her certainty about everything was like a breath of fresh air.”
Lyra had come along at a time when he needed a gorgeous distraction to take his mind off the reality of his parents’ deaths. Lyra was a whirlwind who fancied herself a wealthy landowner’s wife. A city girl at heart, she liked being around country folks she could awe with her sophisticated ways. She’d convinced him that, with her city flare and his wealthy influence, they would be the envy of Sweet Home. Gabriel was happy to go along. He liked the way she fluffed his feathers and made him believe he was the most powerful, respected man in Sweet Home.
“Lyra.” The name lashed out of Slade’s mouth.
His son’s opinion of Lyra had never been a secret. She’d had big plans for him as well, but Slade hadn’t been so easy to convince.
Now the tragic end to their relationship made perfect sense. Lyra was with a hollow, grieving man who went through the motions because it kept him from dealing with the loss of his parents and his new parenting responsibilities. He couldn’t give himself completely to her. Their relationship had been doomed from the beginning. He’d just been too blind to see it. And too blind to see his own son. “Can you forgive me, Slade?”
The boy didn’t hesitate. He nodded vigorously “I forgive you, Dad.”
Gabriel’s eyes stung. He rubbed at them and leaned back.
After a few moments, Slade stood. “Let’s go to work.” Spoken like a true businessman.
Gabriel jumped to his feet, grinning, and placed a hand on Slade’s shoulder. “I love you, son.” He’d never said those three important words to Lyra because his feelings for her weren’t real. But his feelings for Slade were genuine, and he wasn’t letting another moment go by without telling his son how he really felt. The words propelled him forward. He wrapped his arms around Slade’s neck and gave him a squeeze.
Slade accepted the embrace awkwardly. “What’s this all about?”
“You heard me. I want you to know that I love you. You need to hear it.” He should have told Slade he loved him long ago. But, until now, he’d never said those words to anyone, not even his parents. He held Slade at arm’s length and met his gaze full on. For the first time, he saw himself through Slade’s eyes. This young man was his son, his only child.
“I love you, too, Dad.” Slade ducked his head, obviously a little embarrassed…but also clearly pleased. “I thought I was a disappointment.”
“No, Slade. You’re wonderful. I’m a blessed man to have you for a son.” Gabriel draped an arm over the kid’s shoulders and smiled. “This is the way things should have always been. It’s how they will always be from now on. So…” Time to move on. “You want to work at the dairy, eh?”
“Yep.”
“Good. The cow stalls are a mess. You can start there.”
“But...”
Gabriel matched Slade’s look of horror with a huge grin. “That’s where I started, but don’t worry about it too much. You’ll be running the place soon enough.” A movement drew his attention, two feminine forms in sweats and running shoes.
Sparrow and Robin looked out of breath.
Robin leaned on the counter. “Water,” she panted to the waitress. “Please.”
Gabriel’s gaze met Sparrow’s. He hurried over and gave her a quick kiss. “Y’all been running?”
“Just started. Since we live so close now, we can be running buddies. I didn’t expect to see you and Slade today.”
“We just had a bite to eat and were about to head up to the dairy.”
His son was taking in the scene.
With his own confession about Lyra still fresh, there was no telling what the boy might say. Slade and Sparrow hadn’t really talked since his apology for the window incident. And Gabriel hadn’t spoken to Slade about how he would feel having Sparrow in their lives. Right now, he looked surprised but not angry.
“You two got a thing now?”
Gabriel wrinkled his brow and looked at Sparrow. “What?”
“That’s teen talk for ‘are we together’ or ‘are we a couple?’”
“I see. Thanks for the translation.” None of his previous girlfriends had ever met Slade’s approval so this moment could get touchy. He looked at Sparrow, and then back at Slade.
Robin and her glass of water disappeared around the counter.
“If we did have a thing, how would you feel about it?”
“If you pushed me away, I wouldn’t like it.”
“I’m not pushing you away again, ever. We got a good thing going now. Sparrow wants us to spend time together and have a great relationship, so you don’t have to worry about her coming between us.”
Slade nodded but still didn’t look convinced. “Can we go now?”
Sparrow gently pushed Gabriel away. “Don’t let me keep you guys from your plans.”
Slade was already out the door and heading for the truck, so Gabriel followed. “I’ll call you later.”
“Go spend time with your son, Mr. Hearth. You’ve worked hard for this.”
~*~
Sparrow only read three pages in the thriller novel she was reading when she heard knocking at the door. Gabriel, good grief! He always found some excuse to see her before she went to sleep each night. Not that she minded. She flung the door open and froze solid. Her stomach flip-flopped, and her heart skipped a beat. Miraculously, she found her voice. “Dad, what are you doing here?”
His lips were drawn into a tight pucker, his eyes incandescent with anger. He carried a small box in his hands, one she recognized. Just as her heart recovered a steady rhythm, it sank. Of all the boxes to find a way into her father’s possession. “I can explain.” She felt like she was fifteen and caught sneaking back in through her bedroom window.
/> “I told you not to contact Phoenix. How could you go behind my back like this?”
He thrust the box of cards and letters representing years of communication with her brother into her arms. Her eyes brimmed with tears. “He made mistakes but he’s still my brother. I love him very much.”
“He put our family through a lot, young lady. Now he needs to learn his lesson.”
“Dad, I’ve always tried to be respectful to you, but I can’t just disown my brother. I know a man who changed everything in his life for his son. Phoenix deserves no less.” She jerked the box from his hands and slammed it onto the counter. “You can be angry with me if you insist, but I believe in fighting for the ones you love.” She crossed her arms and braced herself for his tirade.
He shook his head and stepped back into the darkness. The porch light illuminated the deep creases in his forehead. “Whatever comes of this, I put the responsibility entirely on your shoulders.”
She flinched but refused to back down. “I accept that responsibility. And you’ll see. Things will be different when he comes home.” Her words ricocheted off his emotional bullet-proof vest. She slammed the door quick to ward off any shrapnel. She so did not need this right now.
Once he’d gone, Sparrow went to her knees in the living room and opened the box. She took her time going through its contents. Of course, there were letters from her brother. There were also family photographs that she’d rescued from the garbage and several of his favorite t-shirts. Knickknacks, awards, and trophies spanning almost two decades nestled in the very bottom. She carefully put everything back inside and closed it up. Then she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and returned the box to the closet for safekeeping. Phoenix’s belongings. She cried every time she looked through them.
Stop, tears. Stop.
Emotion ignited an urge from within to clean. Furiously, she gathered supplies and began her attack. Countertops, floors, windows—nothing was a match for her determination. As she cleaned, she prayed. For her dad, for Phoenix, and their broken relationship. She prayed for past mistakes and second chances. But most of all, she prayed for renewed love and awakenings of the heart. She wiped away the pain, dusted the disappointment, and scrubbed the despair. When she was done, she stood back and admired her now spotless, perfectly organized house. Her head and heart weren’t looking too shabby either.
