Chapter Six
Ande
The drive to town seemed to take hours, but it wasn't really all that long. The narrow road and huge truck necessitated driving more slowly than I normally would have. It also gave me too much time to think.
My heart had leaped out of my chest when Ian broke away and ran toward that horse. Jake had handled him with patience and humor, though, instead of lashing out in anger the way Chris would have. It shocked me. Men simply didn't treat kids that way as a rule. I resolved to keep Ian away from the Quicks and out from under their feet. I couldn't afford to anger any of them.
I stopped off briefly at the church when I saw Kyle's car in the parking lot and let him know things were going well so far, then went on to the store. The baby slept through the excursion, to my surprise, and Ian behaved himself. The promise of choosing some snacks on his own kept him agreeable. I saved that aisle for the end, and let him pick two items. I hoped it would be okay to make extra portions of the meals for us, instead of having to make another whole meal every time. We made it back to the ranch in plenty of time to unload everything and start getting things ready for dinner.
While Ian took his nap, I found a vacuum and put it to use in the living room, started a load of laundry and mopped the kitchen floor. Johnathan hadn't given any indication what time to serve dinner, so I went with my instincts and aimed for six o'clock.
The baby played on the floor and Ian watched cartoons on the TV in the living room while I cooked. I hoped they all liked the things I knew how to cook. Apparently, my guess about the timing turned out right, since they all trooped inside at six. I got everything on the table as they washed up, then scooped up the baby and prayed Ian would stay put.
Johnathan sat and gave a critical look at the pork chops. "Looks good." He nodded toward Ian. "You and him already eat?"
"Um, no, we'll get something later." I bit my lip.
Ian chose that exact moment to plaster himself to my leg. "Momma, I hun'ry."
Johnathan grunted. "Nonsense. There's plenty of food and room at the table. Grab the plates, Jake."
Jake hurried to comply and put the two plates and flatware next to his chair, along with a glass of milk for Ian. I sat gratefully and dished out our portions.
"From now on, you'll eat with us, unless you have other plans. There's no need making the little man wait." Johnathan put more mashed potatoes and gravy on my hungry son's plate. "Dig in, li'l man. You got some growing to do."
It was all too much. Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes and threatened to spill over. When did I become so emotional? Before, nothing fazed me, and I never let anyone see how I felt.
"You okay, Ande?" Jake looked at me with concern.
I nodded and smiled through the threatening tears. "Thank you all for making us so welcome. I wasn't sure, with the kids…" I trailed off and swiped the moisture off my cheeks. "Anyway, thank you."
Johnathan studied the baby for a moment. "Sam, there's a high chair in the attic from when you were little. After supper, go up and get it. Clean it up real good and bring it in here. Little miss will need it soon. There's a crib and some other stuff up there too. Ande, you take a look tomorrow, and anything you want to use, the boys will bring down."
This time, the tears refused to be held back, and I couldn't speak.
"Think of it this way, Ande-girl. You're saving us from starving to death. Least we can do is make things a little easier for you." Johnathan's dark eyes twinkled like he might even smile, but he turned back to his food first.
The rest of the meal passed with the men talking about their work for the day and plans for the next day. I listened attentively and kept Ian quiet. After they finished, they all cleared their space.
"Come on, Ian. Bugs Bunny's on." Sam took Ian's hand and led him over to the living room and settled in a big recliner with him.
Jake started water in the sink again. "I hope that's okay?" He nodded toward Sam and Ian, where they debated the merits of Bugs and Elmer. "Sam's a big kid himself."
I smiled. "This is so much more than I expected. You all are making us feel part of the family. We've never had that before."
He raised a brow. "You weren't close to your family?"
The memories turned my stomach and I hurried to push them away. "No. They didn't approve of my choice of husbands and disowned me before Ian was born. I avoided my husband's family. I should have known the apple wouldn't fall far from the tree." I shivered a little at the memory. "Anyway, I'm all the kids have ever had. This means a lot to me." I couldn't believe how gentle and kind these men were with my kids.
"You're still married to him?" Jake's gaze searched my face.
I nodded. "I've filed, but he refuses to sign. He says I can't keep his kids from him, but they aren't safe near him. He always got mad when Ian played and made noise, or if he cried. I can't trust him not to hurt them."
Anger flared in Jake's dark eyes. "Man like that don't deserve a family." He dried the dishes in silence while I washed. As soon as everything was cleaned up and ready for the next day, he excused himself and went outside.
It took some coaxing, but I finally convinced Ian to come with me to the little house. I needed to get the kids bathed and in bed before I dropped from exhaustion. It had been a long day. Once I found a routine, it wouldn't be so tough, but the first few days were going to be a challenge for all of us. Ian kept rubbing his eyes sleepily.