Page 123 of Always to Remember
“Mr. Tucker from the general store brought over a box of supplies this morning. He said when you feel up to it, to come see him, and he’ll extend you credit.”
The pain in his head increased as he furrowed his brow. “Why’d he do that?”
She sat in a chair and folded her hands around his. “Maybe because you saved his granddaughter’s life yesterday.”
“His granddaughter?”
“The little girl you threw yourself over yesterday was Helen’s daughter, his granddaughter.”
“I didn’t know Helen had a daughter.”
“I imagine there’s a lot about these people you don’t know, and some of them are anxious to change that.”
Clay rubbed his brow. “What’s that infernal pounding? I thought it was in my head—”
Laughing, Meg rose from the chair and pulled him to his feet. “Come outside and I’ll show you.”
They stepped onto the porch, and Clay stared at a sight he’d never expected to see again. People were milling about on his land.
His old bam had been torn down. A new frame had already been put up. He recognized Sam Johnson, Tom Graham, and John Wright as they pounded boards into place.
He saw Robert Warner. And then he heard Kirk’s father issuing orders, and he felt a lump form in his throat.
Women were setting food on a table beneath the shade of a tree. Children were laughing, playing, and carrying water to the men who were working.
He wondered briefly if they thought he had died and had come to celebrate. “Why are they here?” he asked.
“To welcome you home. Mr. Lang brought some lumber from the mill this morning, and they came to help put up a new bam,” she said.
“I can’t pay for the lumber.”
“Mr. Lang said not to worry about it. Your credit is good with him. Besides, he figures it won’t be much longer until you’re family anyway.”
He snapped his head around and glared at her. His head rebelled at the movement. “What does he mean by that?”
She smiled, and the pain in his head eased. “He gave Lucian his blessing to marry Taffy.”
Clay pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead. “Meg, what happened yesterday? Or have I been sleeping longer than that?”
Her smile increased. “Nope. Just one day.”
Dr. Martin ambled over and held two fingers in front of Clay’s face. “How many fingers do you see?”
“Two. Doc, what’s going on?”
Dr. Martin shoved his hands into his pocket and looked toward the bam. “Amazing, ain’t it? Meg said some things yesterday that got these good people to thinking. You putting that little girl before yourself got them to understanding.” Dr. Martin laid his hand on Clay’s shoulder. “Between you and me, Clay, you weren’t the only one who could have gotten to her in time, but you were the only one who tried.” He dropped his hand. “Reckon I’d best go look for Pru. Seems she found out how the fire in Johnson’s field got started, and that wild boy of hers was behind it. She’s decided she needs me after all. Hope I can adjust to married life.”
Clay watched him walk away. Everything had happened too quickly to be true. He couldn’t believe—
He heard tiny footsteps patter across the porch. He looked down to find a small girl wrapping her tiny hands around his large one. She looked up at him and smiled. “You’re my hero.”
Clay shook his head. “I’m not a hero.”
“You saved Melissa’s life,” Helen said quietly as she came up behind her daughter. “That makes you a hero.”
“I’m shellin’ pecans so Miz Meg can make you a pie,” Melissa said.
“No, she ain’t,” Josh said. “She’s eatin’ ‘em. Me and Joe are shelling ‘em.”
