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“I think the best way of facing the town’s troubles is raising awareness and opening the conversation.”
“Isn’t that what tonight’s meeting is for?”
Zeke spotted the growing kittens near the first barn and squirmed to get down. “Dad, I’m gonna go play with the kitties. My Lizzie says it’s one of my jobs on the ranch, ’kay?”
“Very okay.” He set him down and watched as Zeke raced across the gravel. The kittens were bigger and faster than they were a few weeks prior. And instead of running from the boy, the kittens chased toward him to play. “They’re not crazy cats anymore. When did this happen?” he wondered out loud.
“We play with them every day, at least two times, so they won’t go feral,” Lizzie answered. “And I think Mrs. Hathaway needs a kitten. She mentioned it when we stopped by her place.”
Old Mrs. Hathaway was an eccentric and fairly grumpy widow whose husband had governed a big spread of land north of Pine Ridge Ranch. The elderly woman lived in a decaying mansion-styled house a little closer to the Payette National Forest. He didn’t know her, but then, he didn’t know much of anyone if he didn’t see them at church services. And it wasn’t like he stayed to talk. Not with so much work to be done.
“She mentioned a mice problem, and I told her we’ve got kittens here. Would you have a problem with her taking one or two?”
“Anything that cuts down rodent populations is all right by me. How did you run into her?”
“She was getting the mail when we pulled up to leave a flyer about the memorial service. She didn’t look well and we helped her back up to the porch.”
“Then we took her some food,” said Zeke from his spot with the kitties. “She said that was a—” He struggled for the word, then aimed his attention to Lizzie. “What did she say?”
“It was a thoughtful thing to do.”
“Oh, yeah!” He grinned. “So that was nice. Wasn’t it, Dad?”
“Real nice.” He tipped the brim of his cowboy hat up slightly. “Mrs. Hathaway isn’t exactly hurting for money as far as I know. She’s kind of a recluse…”
“Lot of that going around these hills,” said Lizzie, and he couldn’t deny it.
“She was hungry? Like for real?”
“I don’t think she’s healthy enough to cook for herself. Or maybe it’s a strength thing, because her appetite was solid. But she’s thin and seems lonely.”
“I haven’t seen her at Sunday services.”
“And I don’t expect anyone’s been checking on her.” Sympathy brought her brows together. “That’s the worst part of this town decline, Heath. No one’s checking on anyone. How sad is that?”
It was sad. Sadder yet was needing Lizzie to point him in the right direction.
“I think I like this little fellow the very best, Dad!”
Zeke’s enthusiastic callout broke the moment. “Maybe orange kitties would be best in our barn habitat!”
“Orange rocks.” Lizzie started to cross toward the barn as Rosie and Harve walked their way, pushing an old-style buggy, the image of a happy family.
He wanted that, he realized as they drew closer. He hadn’t thought of the option in years, but now, with Lizzie on the ranch, making a difference in Zeke’s life and his, he didn’t just think about it.
He longed for it.
Harve was beaming.
Rosie looked happy. So happy. And when the baby peeped a tiny sound from the buggy, Lizzie came back their way. “Is this her first walk?” she asked, smiling.
“Her very first.” Rosie reached in and lifted the tiny girl. “We wanted to show her the beautiful ranch on which she lives. How blessed we are to be part of all this, to be here, in America. To have this new beginning.”
The baby shut her eyes tight against the light. And then she brought one perfect and tiny fist to her mouth in a move he remembered like it was yesterday, from the time he and Zeke had fumbled their way through those first grief-filled months.
“We wanted her first walk to be over here because we wanted to ask you a question.” Harve directed his attention to Heath as he laid an arm around Rosie’s shoulders. “We would like you to be godfather to Johanna. It would honor us greatly if you would accept this. Sean gave us the opportunity to work here, and you have worked side by side with me and Aldo from the beginning. It would be our pleasure to have you stand with us at her christening.”
“Not Aldo?” Heath was pretty sure his voice might have squeaked in surprise because this was a big deal. “Will his feelings be hurt?”
