Page 6 of Family Forever
Chapter Three
Marissa stared out the window waiting for Dylan to pick her up. It was nearly noon, and she’d been at it ten minutes already.
Her dad’s snoring reverberated throughout the house from his recliner in the living room. That was as far as he made it when he returned home from his late night out. Though he probably wouldn’t notice she was gone, she taped a note to the refrigerator door, letting him know she would be at the neighbors’ if he needed her for any reason.
Dylan pulled into the driveway, and she was out the door before the truck stopped moving. Aric slid out of the passenger side and let her in, just like the last time she rode with them all.
“How’s your grandfather?” she asked, directing her question to Dylan.
“He’s good.”
“It’s so boring, going there. And it’s not like he even really knows what’s going on,” Aric added.
Dylan shot him a sharp look. “I don’t want to hear that, and he does, too, know what’s going on. He just can’t communicate that well because of his stroke.”
Aric rolled his eyes, Dylan’s jaw knotted. It was probably a good thing for Aric’s sake she was sitting between the two of them.
They filed out of the truck, all except Luke. He was in a dead sleep. Dylan reached in and scooped the boy into his arms, carried him into the house and up the stairs. The young boy looked small and frail in the arms of the tall, muscular man carrying him effortlessly.
The others ran upstairs as well, to change out of their church clothes, she supposed.
She was dusting over the baseboards in the living room when she caught a glimpse of Dylan coming down the staircase.
“I’m going to change, and then I’ll be in my office for a while if you need me for anything.”
She nodded.
* * * *
Dylan filed some papers, and then logged in to his computer and called up his bank account. After reconciling his account, he updated his cash forecast. He knew he was freakish about it but he monitored the forecast on at least a weekly basis. Between the farm business and the amount of tuition he’d need for all his brothers, he watched every dime closely. Fortunately, his parents had some life insurance he was able to sock away for future use for his brothers. But nonetheless, he always felt stressed out about their financial future.
He rubbed his throbbing temples. The financial component contributed only partially to his stress. The family aspect was the part that would be the death of him. He worried so much about his brothers he could hardly stand it. Cole being away at college wasn’t much of a problem, but he was kind of a free spirit, so Dylan tried to keep tabs on him from afar as to not infringe on his privacy. He remembered what it was like to be a young adult in college and wanting to be left alone to make decisions. It wasn't too hard to remember since it was only a couple of years ago for him. Aric seemed to hate him. Everything he did for him or said to him was evidently wrong. And Aric had become such a smart-mouth Dylan felt like he was always yelling at him, from the time he woke up in the morning to the time he went to bed at night. As for Braden and Nate, at thirteen and nine, they weren’t too much of a problem for him. Some bickering took place between the two but for the most part it was pretty harmless. Luke, the youngest, was his real worry. The boy was so timid and shy, and hardly ever strung two words together.
Dylan rested his elbows on his desk and buried his face in his hands. What plagued him most of all was the fact the youngest two, and perhaps Braden who was only eleven when their parents died, would have no good recollection of their parents at all. He, Cole, and Aric knew the magnitude and reaped the benefit of the love of their mother and father, but the youngest ones would never know the greatness of it. All he could do was his best to love them and treat them like his parents treated him. But who was he kidding, it wasn’t the same.
A faint knock on his office door drew his attention. He knew before looking up it would be Marissa because any one of the boys would have just barged into the room.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m about to start the vacuum and wanted to know if the noise would bother you and if you wanted me to shut this door?”
“Go ahead, it won’t bother me. I’m used to working among a lot of noise,” he added, trying to lighten his own mood.
“Okay.”
She turned and then spun back to face him. “Are you all right?”
Was he that transparent?
Luke edged between Marissa and the doorway. “I’m hungry.”
Saved by the five-year-old. He rose from his chair. “Well, let’s see if we can find you something to eat.”
The second he walked into the kitchen he could tell the others had already raided the refrigerator for lunch. Crumbs lined the countertop by the fridge.Just once could they wipe up after themselves?
He chatted with Luke as he ate. Okay, he did the talking but his brother did acknowledge him with nods.
His cell phone rang. Will’s face popped up on the screen. “Hello.”
“You’re the proud owner of a new heifer,” his farmhand informed him.
