Page 39 of Mail-Order Brides Wishes
“I sleeped.”
“You certainly did.”
She tipped her head back, solemn blue eyes studyin’ her aunt. “Outside.”
Seemed it was something new for the child.
Her wide-eyed look came to him. Full of surprise and maybe more’n a touch of pleasure. “I sleeped outside.”
“Yup, you did.”
A little hand reached toward him, and he took it. Warm and soft.
“You ever sleeped outside?”
“Little lady, I think I spent half my life sleepin’ outside.”
Her eyes rounded even further. “Was you scared?”
There’d been a time or two when he was young, and he wakened to find his pa was gone and Flint was alone, that fear had claimed his insides. And other times when bad weather hit, and he feared he’d die. But those weren’t things he meant to tell this sweet child.
“Nope.”
“How come?” She clung to his hand. Seemed she needed to learn some trust lessons just as he had.
“Well, I suppose because I knew my pa was somewhere. He wouldn’t go off and leave me. After he—” What could he say that didn’t make it harsh sounding?
“Died?” She said it so matter-of-factly that he knew she’d heard it many times.
Something that shouldn’t be but was. “Yeah. And now I know I’m not ever alone ’cause God is with me.”
She nodded. “That’s what Auntie Bryn says.”
“Ya ready to move on?” He gathered up the quilts, folded them, and returned them to the wagon. Bryn carried the empty picnic crate and slide it across the wooden floor.
Susie shifted from foot to foot as she watched them. “Where we going?”
“Would ya like to visit our neighbors and meet some children?”
She screwed up her face.
Had he suggested the wrong thing? Was it too soon to expect her to want to meet more people? All strangers? And yet he knew one reason she’d thank him for takin’ her there.
“They’s older’n me? Will they call me a baby?”
“No one will call ya a baby.” He heard the harshness in his voice. Glanced toward Bryn to see if she’d noticed.
She faced him, her eyes dark, steady, holding his. Was she telling him she agreed and would protect Susie from teasing if she could? Just as he would. Or was she warning him to be careful how he spoke?
She gave a tip of her head, and his shoulders lost their tightness. She’d silently informed him she agreed with him.
“How old they is?” Susie’s arms crossed over her chest. Her chin jutted out. She was not so easily convinced.
Flint scratched a spot on his forehead that wasn’t itchy. “I don’t rightly know. Wally and his wife have twins maybe your age. No, they’d be a little older. And a baby. I know Matt and his wife have a little girl. Guessin’ she’s closer to your age. Then Luke’s boy—taller’n you by some.” He nodded, indicating he wasdone. “Wait. I recall Jayce telling me there’s new babies now. Can’t remember who they belong ta.”
“Babies? Can I play with them?”
“They’s pretty new. Don’t know when they’s big ’nough to play with.” He turned to Bryn hoping she’d give an answer.
