“Not yet, ma’am. But I did have a break, so I came home to surprise my family.”
She patted his hand. “That’s right good of you. I know your mama has sure been pining for you.” Pulling a pencil out from behind her ear, she was back to business. “What can I help you with?”
“Any mail for my folks? Figured I’d bring it out with me.”
“Let me check.” She turned toward all the little cubbies on the wall behind her. “Nothing today, sorry.”
“That’s all right. Thank you for checking.” He headed back toward the door.
“Won’t Miss Lakeman be surprised to hear you’re back.”
The words stopped him short.
So Anna wasn’t married. That was the best thing he’d heard all week.
five
“Time is fleeting, moments hasten, days are passing, years go by.”
~Earl Douglass
Even the long, arduous trek out to his family’s ranch didn’t diminish the glimmer of hope in Joshua’s chest. To hear that Anna was stillMiss Lakemanhad released the shackles he’d wrapped around his heart.
One large hurdle down, about a hundred more to go.
First, much-needed time with his family.
A small figure appeared in the distance, darting back and forth, chasing after something in the dirt. Then the figure stopped, and Joshua smiled.
He’d been spotted.
“Uncle Josh!” His nephew barreled toward him.
Picking up his pace, he ran to meet Caleb. The boy had been his shadow before he left, and Joshua had to swallow down a sudden clogging in his throat from how much he’d missed him.
Long, gangly limbs accompanied Caleb’s giant smile, dirt-smudgedface, and hair that stood up in a dozen different directions.
Joshua dropped his trunk and braced himself for the boy who launched himself into his uncle’s arms.
The unmistakable scent of dirt, manure, and hay clung to Caleb. Joshua couldn’t love it any more as he hugged him tight. “You’ve gotten heavy!” Dropping Caleb to his feet, he gripped the boy’s shoulders. “Let me look at you.”
His nephew straightened and lifted his chin. “I’m a lot taller, too.”
“That you are!”
“I’m glad you’re back. Things have been so boring around here.”
“Boring? Around here?” Joshua picked up his small trunk and Caleb grabbed his other hand.
An exaggerated groan left the boy’s lips. “It’s awful. Mama won’t let me go exploring by myself and it’s the same ol’ chores every day.”
Oh, how he remembered those days. When all he wanted to do was play in the creek or climb rocks and trees. “Chores have to get done. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have food to eat and a way to keep shelter over our heads.”
“But I’m tired of being treated like a little kid. I want to be a grown-up like you. Then I can ride the train to the big city by myself.”
Covering a chuckle, Joshua cleared his throat. “If you want to be a grown-up, then that means less play time and evenmorechores. And there’s no one to do them for you. You should enjoy being a kid while you can.”
His nephew kicked a rock with his shoe. “That’s what Grandpa said.”
