AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When he reached Interstate 40 and made a turn toward Memphis, “Sand in My Boots” was playing, and Lucas nodded in agreement with lyrics when they mentioned that all the vocalist was taking home was sand in his boots.
“I may not have been to the beach, but all I’m taking home is worn-down-at-the-heel boots and a nervous stomach at the idea of settling down,” he muttered.
His hat didn’t have anything to say about that, so he settled in for the long nine-hour trip. Before he had gone very far, a few snowflakes began to swirl around and shoot up past his windshield—nothing to be worried about. They brought back memories of the times when they gotten snow in Honey Grove. Hard winters meant freezing weather and ice, but seldom snow.
He visualized his dad standing at the kitchen window and saying, “Boys, we’ve got snow. It’s just a flake to the acre, but it’s sure enough snow.”
Lucas had seen real snow in his travels since those days. He’d seen snow that was belly deep on horses in Wyoming. On the flip side, he had ridden through sandstorms in Arizona, and he had spent time on every continent in the world. Still nothing compared to a Texas sunrise or sunset—winter or summer—in any of those places.
Maybe the reason for that is because you shared so many with your dad.His mother’s voice whispered so softly in his ear that he whipped around to see if she was sitting behind him.
“Maybe so, Mama,” he said.
***
On some days, Vada Winters swore she would never forgive her ex-husband, Travis, for leaving her and their then three-year-old son, Theron. Other days, she was glad he was gone. If Travis couldn’t deal with Theron’s special needs and super intelligence, they were better off without him. But, boy, it was exhausting some days to handle everything on her own.
Since their divorce seven years ago, her ex had moved to West Virginia, remarried, and started a new family. He still paid child support, but he hadn’t come around to see Theron or even called to talk to him in all those years.
Of course when Theron was having a bad day, Vada wished that she, too, could run away from all the stress and anguish of not knowing how to help her son better fit into the world.
She took Theron’s bowl of dry cereal to him—no milk, no sugar, no fruit; just Cheerios in a bowl with a bottle of orange juice on the side. She went into his bedroom, and the blinds were closed. Only the light from his computer screen made it possible to see anything at all. His back was ramrod straight, and his eyes never left the screen. He wore sweatpants and a hoodie with the hood pulled up. Vada glanced down at his screen and it looked like his normal classwork, but today was Saturday.
“Good morning, son,” she said cheerfully.
“Mornin’,” he answered. “I’m researching ways to help kids like me who are really smart.”
“That’s good. Let me know if I can help.” She set his food down on the edge of his desk and left, easing the door shut behind her. The coffeepot had just gurgled out its last drops when she made it to the kitchen. She poured a mug full and sipped on it while she made herself a scrambled egg sandwich. She had just sat down at the table when someone knocked on the door, and a familiar voice yelled.
“Hey, Vada, it’s cold out here,” Stevie called out. “Can a wayfaring stranger find a warm fire?”
Vada hurried to open the back door. “Come in, girl. I’m so glad to have company this morning. Coffee is ready. Can I make you an egg sandwich?”
“I brought pastries from the doughnut place.” Stevie held up a paper bag and crossed the room to the table. She removed her heavy coat, hung it on the back of a chair, and poured herself a cup of coffee. Taller than Vada by several inches, Stevie had red hair and bright green eyes, and was married to Cody, the middle son in the Ryan family.
Vada opened the bag and put the pastries on a plate. “Thank you for these. You must’ve read my mind. I wanted a doughnut for breakfast, but I was too lazy to get dressed and drive up to Main Street to get one. What are you doing out this early on a Saturday morning?”
Stevie carried her coffee to the table and took a seat across from Vada. She blew on the hot liquid and then pushed a strand of curly red hair behind her ear. “Vet duty. Joe Don Clement’s old mare needed help to birth her colt. Little filly was healthy, and the mama took to her once it was on the ground.”
Vada sat down, ignored her sandwich, and picked up a doughnut with maple icing. “Sounds like you had a good start to the day.”
She and Stevie had gone to school together right there in Honey Grove and graduated almost twenty years ago. Vada had married Travis Winters, her high school sweetheart, right after they had finished college. Stevie had gone to a different university, and their paths hadn’t crossed again until this last year.
Aren’t you glad that she came back to Honey Grove, and y’all became good friends when you really needed someone?Vada’s grandmother’s voice popped into her head.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Stevie had dunked a maple glazed doughnut into her hot coffee and taken a bite. “I’m sorry. Did you say something to me?”
“No, I was talking to my grandmother,” Vada answered. “She was such a big part of my life until she passed away last year that I can still hear her voice sometimes.”
“I understand,” Stevie said with a nod. “My mother pops into my head all the time. I’m grateful for those times.”
“Me, too.” Vada bit into her doughnut and sighed. “This is still warm.”
“Yep, I brought it straight from the bakery to here,” Stevie said between bites. “There’s also a couple of bear claws and doughnuts with sprinkles for Theron.”
“I’ll offer them to him and hope that he will eat one. He’s on a Cheerios kick right now. Breakfast and supper. Dinner is a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of hot chocolate. No vegetables and no fruit.”
