Page 58 of What Remains True
“Do you have a bunch of horses?” Zan asked.
“I do. Have you ridden before?”
“Tons of times with Mommy. I like horses.”
“Me too,” he said. “I have to go feed all mine. Do you want to come with me?”
“Okay.” She slid down from her chair. “I better put my jeans and boots on.”
“Do you need help?”
“Nope. I can do it.” She walked into his bedroom and shut the door. He sat there waiting for her, wishing Carly would get back soon. She’d made her point.
Zan walked out in the clothes she’d been wearing the day before. “I’m ready.” She lifted her hand in the air for his.
He took her hand, and they walked outside. He fed and watered the horses and used the tractor to put some hay out for the cows. It was a little tricky with Zan underfoot, but her infectious giggle made it worth it.
“All our chores are done,” he said.
“We did good.” Zan looked happy with the accomplishments. “I’m hungry.”
“Already? Where do you put that food? You ate more breakfast than I did.”
“In my mouth.” Her head cocked. “It must get used up in my boots, because the more I do, the hungrier I get.”
“Is that right?”
“I think so.” She propped her hands on her tiny hips in a way that made her look even more like Carly.
Adam took Zan back up to the house. As luck would have it, he still enjoyed several kid-friendly foods, so he had some options. “How about we make sandwiches? I’ve got turkey, or I can make peanut butter and jelly.”
“PB&J!”
“You’re my kind of girl. Crust or no crust?”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“That must mean crust. We’ll know in a minute.” He made the sandwiches, cut them both in fourths, and served them up on paper towels. He lifted Zan to sit at the bar-height table in the kitchen.
“Wheeee.” Her feet swung, and her eyes danced with excitement at the sandwich.
He poured two glasses of milk and sat down with her.
“Can we say the blessing before we eat?” he asked.
“I can do it.”
That warmed his heart. “By all means, please do.”
She sang, “Thank You, Jesus. We love You. Many, many blessings. We thank You. Amen.”
“That was beautiful.”
Zan lifted her sandwich and chomped the corner of it, crust and all.
He hadn’t taken two bites of his sandwich when his phone rang.Has to be Carly. Thank goodness.“You wait right here, okay? Finish your lunch. I’ll be back.”
Adam grabbed his phone and walked into the other room, ready to give Carly a quiet piece of his mind and tell her exactly what he thought about her little disappearing act.
