Mail Order Farmer

by Marie Johnston

  Back in Abbi’s room, the girl didn’t twitch. Her eyes stayed closed as Dalisay swiped the device across her forehead.

  Abbi’s breathing rate was fine, her pulse okay, but her temperature was too high, especially if she’d already taken something.

  “I really think you should go in, Abbi.”

  Abbi frowned, squirming under covers. “I just can’t get warm. It can wait until morning, right? I’ll make an appointment with my own doctor.”

  “If you’ve taken fever-reducing medicine and still have a fever this high, you need to be looked at.”

  Abbi didn’t look convinced. Her face was so washed out, the effort of getting dressed and going to the clinic was probably too daunting.

  “Abbi, Cash is worried sick. I’m worried. Please go in. If it turns out to be nothing, no one gets hurt. I know you’re tired, but they could help you get better.”

  “All right.” Abbi sighed. “But I won’t win any fashion awards.”

  Cash had the baby loaded into the carrier and passed him off to Aaron within minutes to help Abbi. Dalisay went outside with Aaron and clicked the car seat into place and helped load a tired and apologetic Abbi.

  The pickup flew away. Dalisay glanced at Aaron. He beamed at her.

  “What?” she asked. Self-consciousness snuck in.

  “First, Mark Rio and now Abbi. I think you might have knack for this stuff.”

  She shrugged and walked back to their ride. “I didn’t do anything special.” Anyone could’ve done what she’d done.

  “But with your cousin you jumped in before I could and managed to calm him. Abbi would’ve turned us all down, but she couldn’t say no to you.”

  “It’s all in the tone,” she teased. “Cash would do anything she wanted, and she wanted to try to stay home.”

  “Very true. Still, it’s a gift.”

  Not a gift she could do anything with.

  “Why don’t I ask the boys to do the lamb runs this evening and we go out to eat?”

  Dalisay’s smile could’ve cracked her face. The weariness from the early morning and the spurt of adrenaline clashed inside of her. She was tired to her bones, but in better shape than Abbi had been in. Restless energy swirled around her. She wanted to know how Abbi was doing, but like with her cousin, the event had driven home everything she’d missed out on and would still miss out on.

  Slowly, she was starting to accept that nursing school wasn’t in her future. But her future was here, with Aaron, with his family, jumping in where they needed her, and that she could live with.

  Chapter Nineteen

  One week and he’d be a married man. One week and three days.

  Justin had returned and lamb duty had been turned back over. It didn’t free up as much time as he’d hoped because they were heading into planting season.

  And since he had a suite booked all next weekend for their wedding, he had catching up to do.

  The morning dawned with a promise of sun and more melting snow. He slipped out of his temporary room and glanced at the closed door of his bedroom, the one he’d snuck out of hours ago. Soon, they’d be officially sharing it.

  When Cash had called back that night and informed them that Abbi had been diagnosed with both influenza and strep throat, he’d gushed his thanks over and over for the magic Daisy had worked to convince her to go in.

  The incident with Cash and Abbi had infused a new life Aaron hadn’t seen in Daisy. Her smile came quicker, but the cloud of sorrow at her missed career still hung over her. They’d find a way. Once she got her driver’s license, she’d see that commuting wasn’t impossible. If he had to drive her, they’d make it work.

  If it took years, and they had kids, he’d rock and bottle and strap the kid on to make Daisy’s dreams come true.

  He was filling his orange juice when Daisy’s voice drifted down the hall. The door was shut, but she was talking fast. He didn’t recognize any words. Was she speaking to her mother?

  It didn’t sound like it. Her speech was clipped. Frantic?

  He abandoned his glass and drifted down the hall. Daisy wasn’t bothering to smother her volume. Was everything all right?

  The door flew open, the light blinding him. He blinked as Daisy charged right into his chest.

  “Whoa. Everything okay?”

  She held the phone to her chest, her face tight. “Ina fell. She broke both her wrists. Her employers have taken her to the hospital. She’s going into surgery.”

  He enclosed her in his arms. She sought solace for a second, but then spun out of his embrace.

  “She won’t be able to work. Her employers didn’t say, but they can’t hold her position. She’ll need months to recover.” She stumbled into the bedroom and stared at her suitcase. “She won’t have a place to stay. I have to take care of her.”

  “What about the rest of the family?”

  A choked sob came from Daisy. She pressed her hand against her head, her gaze still on her luggage. “Sally will help care for her, as much as Ina will detest being helpless around her.” Daisy’s hand dropped. She turned on him, her eyes watery. “Then what? Her injuries are so bad they need surgery. She’ll be dependent on someone for months.”

  A slow realization dawned on him. Daisy hadn’t said it yet, but she wanted to go home. Anyone in her position would. And she should be able to.

  Only… They weren’t married yet. Leaving would nullify her visa. His throat constricted.

  “Daisy.”

  Her eyes were stricken, her face pale. She was hurting. “I need to go back,” she said in a ragged whisper.

  He nodded. Because talking might make him do something like cry, and he wasn’t ready for the reality to set in.

  “It’s, uh… almost seven in the morning. We could wait until the courthouse opens.”

  Daisy sniffled and looked away. “She’s going into surgery. I’m not sure how long it’ll take, but I need to start back as soon as possible.”

  As soon as possible. But if she nullified the visa, they’d have to reapply again, and it’d be months before he could see her.

  “Only a few more hours and we could get married before you go.” He stepped toward her, but she jerked into action. She lifted her case onto the bed, then went to the dresser to pack her things.

  His heart strummed a hard beat. She needed to leave. They weren’t married yet, and they’d be an ocean apart. Then what?

  “I want you to be with your mom, Daisy. I’ll do everything I can to make it happen.”

  She still didn’t look at him, but her shoulders shook as she dragged clothing off the hangers in the closet.

  “But, what about us?” He could go visit her, but spring was here. Planting season. Long hours in the field. Longer hours away.

  Tears streamed from her dark eyes. “It wouldn’t be fair to you. You wanted to celebrate the day with your family.” She dumped her armload into the suitcase. Her hands landed on her hips. “How am I going to buy a ticket?”

  Her strangled voice kicked him into action. She was hurting. Worry for her mother was paramount, but like him, the question of them was killing her.

  What about them?

  He dug out his wallet and laid his credit card on the covers of the bed. After they were married, they were going to open a joint account. He’d been looking forward to when he could introduce Daisy Walker around town.

  The dream was fading.

  He caught her by the shoulders. “Look. You get home. Take care of Mari. You and I will figure it out.”

  She caught her bottom lip between white teeth. Was she stopping herself from disagreeing?

  They’d be okay.

  To prove his confidence in them crossing this hurdle, he picked his card back up. “You finish packing. I’ll reserve your tickets.”

  She peered at him for a moment. “You take care of everyone, Aaron. Thank you.”

  Why’d that sound like a bad thing?

  He left her, his feet as heavy as mason blocks, to hop
on his computer. The ease of finding times that worked was bittersweet.

  Daisy’s voice drifted down the hall. She was on the phone again. Peejong? It had to be killing her not to know the details on Mari.

  He rubbed his face and clicked through buying the rest of her tickets. If they left soon, she’d make it in plenty of time for the first flight out of town.

  Picturing the mighty Mari down and frail wasn’t easy. She’d been a determined ball of energy, her keen gaze always assessing him and Daisy. Both wrists. The pain the poor woman must be in.

  He was being selfish with his questions about him and Daisy. Getting her back to her mother took priority. They’d work them out later.

  She hauled the bag down the hall past his office while still on the phone. A long-sleeved shirt and leggings was all she wore. He followed after her to the mudroom, where she stepped into her Chucks and left the rest of her outerwear hanging. Packing snow gear wouldn’t make sense.

  His gaze drifted to her snow pants and parka as they walked out the door. They’d probably hang there as reminders until she got back.

  ***

  Dalisay’s stomach churned as she hung up with Peejong. Her brain spun over what was happening. Ina. Flying back to the Philippines. Alone. Goodbye visa and goodbye Aaron.

  Anxiety over Ina’s status made her nauseous. It was one thing to be in the viewpoint of the medical professional, but to be the family of a patient was a subtle form of hell. And to be thousands of miles away…the helplessness…

  Both wrists. Ina would need assistance going to the bathroom and cleaning herself. Feeding herself. She’d need help dressing. She’d probably lose her job. Her employers were nice enough, but Ina had gotten hurt out in the market when she’d slipped during some bad rains. They had no responsibility otherwise. Ina had only worked for them for a few months. As much as they liked her, it was business.

  Peejong and Sally were rushing to the hospital. They’d take Ina to their home after she was discharged. Daisy was welcome to stay as long as she needed. They’d figure the rest out later.

  Just what Aaron had said.

  Only she’d already figured it out. Before the dreadful phone call, she’d seen how much those closest to Aaron relied on him. She fully understood why he’d left the Philippines early. There was so much responsibility on his plate, and his home was here.

  Sure, they could reapply for the visa, wait longer, but what about Ina? Would she recover and be able to work again? Ina needed her more than ever.

  Dalisay’s stomach sank. She wouldn’t be able to come back to America for months. Aaron couldn’t come to see her.

  If they were married, she’d move heaven and earth to make him happy. But in a stasis, with her in another country, she couldn’t make him happy. He wanted a marriage. Kids. To wake up to his wife each day.

  They approached the airport. She rubbed her hands up and down her thighs. She wanted to scream, No, not yet. But she also wanted to run right onto the tarmac and crawl into the plane and demand, Fly now.

  Without more than a few words to each other, he parked. She got out, and he grabbed her bag.

  The check-in process was smooth. Only five other people milled around the tiny building. This airport had one flight going out in the morning and one in the afternoon. Good thing Ina’s employer had called early enough.

  They sat by each other in the waiting area. Dalisay hardly noticed the speculative looks shot their direction.

  Did they know Aaron? Did they think she was leaving him?

  They’d be right.

  She checked her phone every few minutes. No calls. No updates. Until Peejong reached the hospital, there wouldn’t be any. By the time surgery was over, she’d be en route and the doctor might not be able to get through.

  She released a shaky breath and stared at the ceiling. Aaron rubbed circles between her shoulder blades. Having his support meant everything.

  Losing his support darkened her world.

  “Aaron—”

  The announcement for the flight blared with static from the lone speaker in the room.

  “Time to go.” He stood and held out his hand.

  She accepted his touch one last time. Tears sprang into her eyes. “I’m afraid this is the end.”

  “We’ll work it out.”

  She shook her head, her hair a heavy mantle offering little comfort. “No, Aaron. I’m sorry, but this has to be it between us.”

  Color drained from his face. “What?”

  The other passengers filed out the exit. She’d chosen the coward’s way. They could’ve talked all the way here, but the pain ripped her apart and made her head spin.

  “You have so many people here. I can’t come back—”

  “Of course, you can. I’ll re-file when I get home—”

  She squeezed his coat. “And then what? I wait for six months? Can you come out and see me?”

  He opened his mouth, but his words faltered.

  “Exactly. You want someone who’ll be around. Someone who’ll be a help, not a hindrance. I can’t be that person. This emergency has showed me that.”

  “But, Daisy.” He caressed her cheek, his voice a whisper. “I love you. We can make this work.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut. It was the first time he’d said those words. She’d felt them for so long, but neither of them had ventured there. Had that been a sign they knew the plan was going to implode?

  “How can we?” She sounded like she was begging.

  “I’ll just… We can…”

  “See? We don’t even know where to start.” Her hot tears streaked over his fingers on her face. “I love you, too. So much.” She steeled herself and went for the heart of the matter. “You had a hard time getting away for two weeks. I was trying to get away from an isolated existence that offered me nothing, but that’s…”

  His features tightened. It was dawning on him, too.

  He could’ve made her happy, brightened each day, but would that have helped make his house any less of a prison?

  She stood on her tiptoes and planted a hasty kiss on his mouth. He didn’t twitch, just watched her with abject disbelief.

  Sniffling, she grabbed her ticket. “You need to let me go. It’ll be easier this way.”

  His hand dropped from her. “I don’t want to. I want to keep fighting.”

  “It would be a waste of time. Each mile between us would win. Goodbye, Aaron.”

  She kept her head down as she approached the ticket agent.

  “Thank you,” the older woman said, her voice low, like an apology. She handed the ticket back and gave Dalisay’s hand a squeeze. “Go on in, sweetie. I’ll make sure he’s okay.”

  Coughing through a sob, Dalisay scurried to the plane.

  Her heart shattered into more pieces with each step, but she forced herself to be strong. She could collapse in her seat. And face her regrets while she sat alone on the flight home.

  Chapter Twenty

  Aaron dumped his lunch into the tractor and backed out. He hit his head on the doorframe but didn’t bother swearing. He was used to pain.

  Daisy wouldn’t return his calls. She only answered his texts, saying Ina was out of surgery and it’d be a long recovery. Then she’d asked him to quit contacting her.

  So he did. And he regretted it every day.

  Maybe he could wear her down.

  But she’d been right. He couldn’t leave his job, his brothers, his parents, or his cousins that had marriages and kids of their own to take care of.

  She’d alluded to being miserable here. He was confident that once winter was over and they were married that would’ve changed. But she’d still be without the career she wanted because of him, while supporting him in his profession of choice.

  It wasn’t fair to her. She’d said it wouldn’t be fair to him, but a life without her wasn’t the key to happiness.

  But he had fields to plant. Then he had fields to spray. Then he had fields to harvest. Then it’d be w
inter and Nicolas would be in his senior year, and there were would be cattle and sheep to help with.

  The same thoughts plagued him every day. He wanted to tear his head off and dropkick it across the shop. Missing her was killing him.

  Two weeks, and the agony was as fresh as when she’d cut his heart out in the airport.

  The ticket agent, Mrs. Downs, had consoled him when he’d dropped into the chair after Daisy left. He hardly knew her, but her husband had farmed and was an acquaintance. Mrs. Downs had been his only hold on sanity while the plane took off.

  The weekend he was supposed to get married had passed. He’d gotten shit-faced at Lucas’s house. Two pathetic, single fucks lamenting over the women who left them. Good thing no one had told them when they were fifteen that this was their future.

  Aaron had thrown himself into his work since then. Which meant his days hadn’t changed and how sad was that?

  His phone rang. Well, there was something new. His family, all of them, had maintained radio silence. They’d left him to grieve the loss of his fiancée.

  He checked the screen. It was Dillon. Had the eldest cousin decreed his mourning period over?

  “What?” Aaron snapped into the phone. That may be another reason they’d backed off. He was a moody bastard and didn’t care.

  “Can you come into the house? I need to talk to you.”

  “About what?”

  But Dillon had disconnected.

  Fucker.

  Aaron stomped across the gravel to the house. The birds sang, too damn cheerful for an early April day. Tulips peeked out of the dirt in his flowerbeds. The ones he’d prepared to gussy up for Daisy.

  There was one task he didn’t have to do anymore.

  Dillon’s truck was parked in front of his house. Why couldn’t he come to the shop?

  Aaron stormed inside and kicked his boots off. The mudroom was a damn mess. But, hey, Daisy’s winter gear was gone. Mom moved off her ass to do that.

  Or maybe it was Jackson. He was a perceptive kid when he needed to be.

  Aaron rounded the corner. Dillon was the first person he saw. A sense of déjà vu hit him. Cash, Travis, and Brock were also there. His brothers were on the couch, watching him. Where were their ever-present phones?