“Okay,” they answered together and took off down the hall to the living room where the blaring football game on TV, preventing them from hearing the next conversation.
It didn’t take Jenna long to burst out her feelings.
“I’m their guardian! How dare you move them into your house!” Jenna seethed at Riel before turning to her father.
“I thought they were going to your house, Dad. Why did you let them come here?”
“One, Riel offered, Jenna. And two, the children need to be settled where you and Riel live,” Ken answered his daughter with parental authority.
Jenna was silent a long moment while eyeing her parents. “Mom, you agreed with their plan before they left Dallas, didn’t you?”
“Yes. Your dad and I will help you out, but only as the children’s grandparents. You and Riel have planned out your life here on the ranch, so the children should be here with you.”
Riel wanted to wrap his arms around Jenna’s sagging shoulders and hug away her pain and fatigue, but she wasn’t ready for that yet.
Sherry gathered teary-eyed Jenna in her arms instead. “You need sleep, Jenna. It’s been a very rough, emotional week going through all the Sharpe’s things.”
Jenna sagged in her mother’s arms, just like Amie had last night in his. No matter what age, a child still needs her parents.
Amie and RJ’s parents were gone though. And after a week with them, Riel had fallen in love with the kids and was ready to step in as their father—if Jenna would let him.
“Let’s eat pie, then you can take a nap while we watch the football game and keep the kids entertained,” Sherry suggested.
“And where am I sleeping now that you’ve changed everything around?
Ken gave his daughter a one-armed hug to defuse her questions. “Any bed you want, including your own in the bunkhouse.”
“It’s still there? I’m guessing you’ve piled a lot of stuff in the bunkhouse this week seeing what you had to take out of two rooms here.”
“There’s still a path to the bed,” he teased her “although you might have to turn sideways to get to it.”
Jenna shook her head, then looked at her parents, and finally him. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for Amie and RJ.”
“We’re happy to help, Jenna. They’re your children, and our grandchildren now,” Ken kissed Jenna temple before pulled her into one more hug.
“Now I’m ready for pie, Sherry. Want to cut me a slice?” Ken held his hand out to his wife and they left the room together, leaving Jenna and Riel alone.
Riel grabbed Jenna’s hand as she started to leave with them. She didn’t turn toward him, but didn’t pull her hand away either.
“Jenna, when I asked you to marry me, I had already thought through the wedding vows and was ready to honor them.”
She turned to study his face.
“When I gave you Grandma’s engagement ring, I knew we’d have good and trying times, just as my grandparents had. And as Grandpa pledged to Grandma, I will always stand beside you and support you. Even if in the next fifty years you go blind, paralyzed…or old like me. I won’t abandon you.”
Hope mixed in with the doubt in Jenna’s tired face. Maybe it wasn’t time to talk about this when she was too tired, but he went on.
“I know we talked about not having children, but this is one of the ‘for better or worse’ situations we must accept. And after a week with the children, I think they’ll be a blessing.”
“Riel, I’m just so overwhelmed, and tired,” Jenna broke down and finally wrapped her arms around his middle. Riel hugged Jenna close and held her tightly as she cried. Tears run down Riel’s cheeks with his own exhaustion, but also relief that Jenna was finally thinking they could to be together after all.
“I think we’ll be tired a lot for the next decade, but it will be worth it.”
“The next decade?” She groaned against his chest.
“Amie’s first date and RJ getting his driver’s license will keep us awake a few nights besides tummy aches and throw ups now.”
“Have you really thought this through, Riel? Taking on two children is forever.”
“Just like our marriage will be, Jenna.”
Jenna sighed before pulling away to walk down the hall. “Thank you for everything you’ve done, Riel. I have a lot to think about.”
“I understand. You didn’t expect to become an instant parent to two young children either. But I can assure you, the idea will grow on you.”
Jenna paused to look in Amie’s new room. “I never expected pink walls in your office.”
“Neither did I, but it eased a little girl’s traumatic week, so it was worth it. Making those clouds was a real pain though. The instructions made it sound so easy…” Riel said as he kissed Jenna’s forehead.
“What do you want first? A piece of pie or an unmade bed among a pile of boxes in the bunkhouse? What’s your choice?”
“The bed and some time to think.”
“Wise choice. I’ll ‘hold down the fort’ while you rest up.”
Before reaching the living room, Riel pulled Jenna back into his arms and gave her a light kiss on her lips. “A year ago, I never thought I’d be out of the army, let alone lose a foot. I’m so thankful I met you though. You’ve helped me recover and to see I had a future. We’ll get through this next crisis too.”
“I can’t see that right now because losing Jim and Becky put me in a tail spin back to losing Tug.”
It hurt Riel that Jenna was hurting for Tug, but he understood.
Chapter 8
Jenna uncurled her body and stretched her toes to the end of the bed. It felt so good to be back in her own bed. She stretched her shoulders up and down against the warm sheets before slowly opening her eyes.
She blinked realizing it was the low light coming from the side table lamp in the room, not morning light from the bedroom window. Reality slammed into her brain. It wasn’t a normal morning on the ranch where she’d tend the animals on the ranch and then work on the house remodeling.
Tears formed as she closed her eyes, which ran down her face as they had every morning for the past week. She knew the pain would lessen in time, but it was still fresh for so many reasons.
Jenna blinked her eyes to rid them of the tears and looked around the room. She’d barely noticed the haphazard stacks of cardboard boxes of varying sizes lining the walls when Riel guided her to her bed. He wasn’t kidding when he said there was a path to the bed.
The men had cleaned out two rooms for two grieving orphan children, without her help, or her permission. It stung her pride that Riel had already decorated the rooms too, but it was to help the children.
Everything Riel had done this week had amazed her, and she probably didn’t know half of it.
If Jenna had been on her own with the kids this first week, the three of them would still be crying in the Sharpe’s house with unpacked tubs stacked everywhere.
She leaned toward the lamp on the night stand and turned it on. On the edge of the table was a thermal coffee mug and a plate, with a cookie turkey and piece of pumpkin pie on it. Jenna couldn’t help but smile at the gesture. He knew she’d be hungry whenever she awoke.
She picked up the scribbled note on a piece of paper beside the plate
Dear Aunt Jenna,
Please eat the pie and then sleep until tomorrow. Grandpa and Grandma went home, and Grandpa Russ is already sleeping in his bed.
Love and Hugs, Uncle Riel, Amie, RJ and Lucy.
The children had signed their own names and there was paw print drawn under Lucy’s name.
Jenna traced the children’s names with her finger. Their wabbly handwriting took up most of the paper, but she loved their efforts.
Jenna looked upward and whispered, “You raised great kids, Becky. I’ll try my best to take care of them for you.”
And to do so, she had to take care of herself. Jenna sat up in bed, cross
ed her legs and reached for the plate.
The pumpkin pie custard was creamy and the crust flaky…and tasted as if it had been baked at the Mabel’s on Maple Café in Sweet Grove. Jenna wouldn’t have put it past Riel to try to make a pie if he’d had time though.
She picked up the turkey cookie to study it. A sideways small peanut butter cup was stuck, with frosting, to a chocolate sandwich cookie, to make the base. Then another sandwich cookie was stuck upright on the end of the cup to make the base for the tailfeathers, which were candy corn stuck in the cream filling. A chocolate malt ball made the head and broken off ends of corn candy made the turkey’s beak and feet.
What a cute idea. Jenna would have loved to help with the project. She’d have to search online for Christmas cookie ideas before Riel did. Or maybe they should do it together with the kids?
She had dreamed of raising kids with Tug, doing just this sort of craft thing for the holidays. Now she could do it with Amie and RJ, but…she felt so guilty. Jenna received the chance to raise these children because of their parents’ death.
Jenna slipped out of bed, picked up the empty plate and mug and walked into the combination living room and kitchen. She stopped short. What a mess! Jenna enjoyed a clean-living space and now the extra furniture from the house was shoved into the room’s open spaces, with lamps and bedding haphazardly stacked on top everything.
She pushed the pillows to the side of the sofa and sat down, tucking her feet underneath her. Her first sip from the mug surprised her. Jenna expected coffee, but the sweet flavor of cocoa swirled in her mouth as she savored it. Life was going to be like this mug from now on. She didn’t know what to expect anymore.
The screen door creaked as someone opened it and slowly turned the knob on the wooden bunkhouse door. Was Riel trying to be quiet coming in to check on her?
Russ looked around the room as he entered the room. Typical. She wasn’t making any right guesses today.
“Oh, sorry, Jenna. I was trying to sneak in without waking you,” Russ grimaced.
“Not a problem. I had a good nap and just finished the piece of pie which mysteriously appeared on my night stand.”
The old man shuffled into the room. “Looks like you found some coffee too.”
“No, actually hot cocoa.”
“Yep, we’ve been drinking that more than coffee this week.”
Jenna motioned for him to sit down in the recliner, which he did, after moving a stack of sheets.
“Ah,” Russ sighed as he pushed the side lever to recline the chair, and his feet.
“Hard week?” Jenna asked after she took another sip. The two of them had spent a lot of hours talking over the year. Jenna missing Tug, and Russ missing his wife, Irma, who died three years ago.
“I forgot how much noise two young children could make. Then add an excited puppy…”
"Since I'm second guessing everything this week, was it the right thing to move the kids into the house? Why not here in the bunk house?"
"Sure, would be been easier to move into the bunkhouse first—instead of disrupting both places—but the kids need their own rooms, instead of all their stuff being crammed into one small bedroom here."
"Sounds like they are sleeping in Riel's room though."
"Yes, part of the night. But they’ll soon be sleeping in their own beds, until there's a storm, or a monster in their closet, then they'll be back in your and Riel's bed."
"I'm not sure if it's the right thing for us to marry now," Jenna confessed.
Russ pointed his index finger at her. "Yes, it is, for all four of you."
"I thought of renting a house in town and applying for the clerical job in the register of deeds at the courthouse. That way I'd be in town while the kids are in school."
Jenna sipped from her mug waiting for Russ's reaction.
"The kids can ride the school bus to town, but a part-time job might be a good idea. Kids are expensive. I saw the invoice for all the stuff Riel ordered online which was shipped overnight.
"Good golly! I paid less for my daughter's hospital bill when she was born that what one of RJ's new bed spreads cost."
Jenna smiled, knowing Russ would have splurged too, if he hadn't already. Candy would be treats Russ would gladly buy for the children, so he could enjoy it too.
"Since you men seem to be in charge, what's the next goal?" Transforming the house had clearly become a military-style mission for Riel.
"Move your bedroom things and your clothes in the closet from here, into my bedroom in the house and vice versa. I'm moving out here now instead of after the wedding as we'd planned. You need to be in the house with the kids and I need some peace and quiet now and then."
Jenna groaned thinking about the wedding, which was set for three weeks from tomorrow. Even if Riel convinced her to marry him after all, they needed to postpone the wedding. This was too soon for the children, and her adjusting to what they needed.
Tears pricked her eyes again. The Sharpes were planning to come to Sweet Grove for her wedding and Christmas. Becky was to be her maid of honor. Jenna planned for them to stay with them here at the house in their newly-painted and furnished guest bedroom. That new furniture was now stacked in this room along with the new bedding she'd bought for the room.
"Don't worry, you can put the new bedroom furniture in my old bedroom. You use it now, then it'll be a guest bedroom after you marry and move into the master bedroom."
And if she and Riel didn't marry? Then she'd be a "guest" in Riel's house until she could afford to move the kids to town.
"Jenna, it will work out. Trust in the Lord's plan, and Riel's." Russ changed the chair lever to put his feet back on the floor and stand up.
"I forgot my night medicines in the bathroom, so that's why I tried to sneak in the bunkhouse."
Jenna rose to give the older man a hug. "Russ, I'm so sorry for all the upheaval this has caused you and the ranch.”
Russ laughed. "I'm not. It's been hectic but fun at the same time. Between bouts of crying, the children have discovered the joys of life on the ranch."
He went into the bathroom, retrieved his medicine and but turned back to Jenna before leaving the bunkhouse. "I know you might not be able to keep the wedding date you planned, but would have meant a lot to me if you could." Russ gave her a nod then let himself out the door.
Jenna sunk back onto the sofa automatically looking at her left hand, where the engagement ring once sparkled until she took it off in a panic.
Riel and Jenna planned to marry on the same day, December 23rd, that Russ had slid the same wedding band on his bride's hand sixty years ago.
What should she do?
Jenna went back to her bedroom and retrieved her wedding notebook. At least it hadn’t been lost in the shuffle, just abandoned with the Sharpe’s deaths.
She crawled back in bed, pushing pillows against the iron-frame headboard so she could lean against it and pull the covers over her legs.
Compared to her first wedding, which she had written details in a white satin-covered journal, this was a simple spiral notebook of lined-paper. It wasn’t even new, but one Russ had pulled from his desk. The red cardboard cover had 1989 Livestock Sales written on the front with a black marker. Jenna had asked if he had an extra notebook and he’d ripped the used pages out of the notebook before giving it to her to use. Jenna figured the contents of the file cabinets, now stacked in the bunkhouse’s living room, contained many more like this one.
Jenna had listed things to do as she thought of them.
Of course, her dress was the first thing on her list, and it was already hanging in her closet. By luck, she found a dark red velvet, knee-length dress in the “vintage” section at the thrift shop. Her mom altered and changed the sleeves, so it didn’t look like the 1970s dress that it was. She didn’t plan to wear a veil.
They’d planned a small wedding, with only Riel’s family who would drive down from Kansas, and her limited relations. Riel didn’t want to in
vite any of his army friends because they’d want to be with their own families during the Christmas weekend. Since the Sharpe’s didn’t have any relatives to be with on Christmas, they planned to spend it on the ranch with them. Riel’s parents were going to stay with Jenna’s parents.
Flowers included a single long-stemmed white rose for her and a matching rose boutonniere for Riel. The church would be decorated with red and white poinsettias, so they didn’t plan to spend the money on any other flowers.
Instead of a wedding dinner and dance, they were having cake and sandwiches at the ranch house after the ceremony.
Now that she looked through her notes, the ceremony hadn’t taken much planning because they’d kept it simple to save money.
The rest of her list contained things she had to do to combine their marriage status. Joint bank account, change her driver’s license, contact the social security office, add her to Riel’s retired military benefits package, etc.
Jenna paused at the next line.
Add my name to ranch deed and vehicles.
She laid the notebook on her lap and closed her eyes. Riel was giving her so much, land, property, insurance—because he loved her and believed they’d work together to build a solid, loving marriage.
And what did she do when their first crisis hit? Leave the engagement ring on the kitchen table instead of talking to him. Jenna should have run to Riel the second after she answered the call from Dallas.
And he continued to support her by taking in two children for her, transforming his house for their needs, even though she’d canceled their engagement.
The man was a saint.
Jenna rubbed her temples as scenes from past and present flashed through her mind. So many of them were of her and the children crying, but when she slowed her breathing and calmed down, one thing—or person—stood clear in her mind.
Riel.
Even though Riel had his own nightmares and problems, he was supporting the three of them.
Jenna laid the notebook on the night stand and then turned off the lamp. She needed to pray for guidance, and then get more sleep.
First Street Church: Love's Double Blessing (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Clear Creek Legacy Book 2) Page 5
