The Forever Family. Leigh Bale

The books she’d packed so carefully were now bundled in disorderly piles, their ruined boxes tossed to one side. Her precious photo albums lay heaped together, their torn pages and pictures sitting on top. The rocking chair Alex had given her the day she came home from the hospital with Danny had been moved to one side. The spokes and one bottom rocker lay broken on the blue padded seat. Someone had leaned the chair against the far wall of the trailer so it wouldn’t fall over.

      Rachel’s heart wrenched. She couldn’t contain a small moan as she picked up the splintered pieces of wood. Hot tears ran down her cheeks as she caressed the shining oak with her gloved hands. It was just a chair, and yet it meant so much more. Seeing it ruined like this reminded her of Alex’s death and her shattered life. How could she ever repair the damage? When would her heart stop aching for her loss? She was too young to be a widow, and Danny was too young to be without his father. Alex should be here, protecting them, loving them—

      The crunch of footsteps warned her of someone’s presence. She set the broken rocker pieces aside.

      “Everything okay?”

      Sam! Why did it have to be him witnessing her moment of weakness? Of all the emotions she felt right now, why did he have to see her cry?

      Her knees wobbled so hard she feared they might buckle. She took a shuddering breath and turned away. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

      A handkerchief appeared in front of her nose. Not a tissue, but a genuine, crisply starched, white linen handkerchief with his initials embroidered in one corner. Murmuring her thanks, she accepted his offering and wiped her eyes.

      He peered into the trailer. “I tried to tidy up a bit, but I wasn’t sure where everything belonged. At least it’s out of the weather.”

      Her throat tightened and a sick feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. He’d sorted through her things! He’d looked through her pictures and folded her quilts and towels and placed her broken rocking chair against the wall.

      “Yes, that’s fine.” She kept her face averted. No doubt her eyes were red and puffy.

      “I’m sorry.” He laid a hand on her arm.

      No, no! She pulled away, unable to accept his compassion. “Do you think you can close the doors for me?”

      “Sure. I’ve got it hitched to my truck so we can take it out to your place.”

      She stepped back and gave him room to secure the trailer. With his back to her, she dabbed at her eyes, hoping her mascara hadn’t smeared all over her face. She watched as he hesitated, standing in front of the rocking chair. When he rested his hands on the splintered wood, she gave a shuddering breath. Somehow, it felt as though he held her heart in his hands. The gesture seemed too personal, too intimate for her to comprehend.

      Without another word, he stepped back and closed the trailer doors. Then he turned to face her. In his eyes, she saw compassion and the one thing she just could not accept from this man.

      Pity.

      She turned away, praying he held his silence. If he said another word, her broken heart would melt and she’d blubber and cry in front of him. And she couldn’t get that close to another man. Her heart wasn’t ready to let go of Alex yet.

      “Rachel, I can take care of the chair for you.”

      She nodded, realizing it was for the best. No sense in keeping a broken rocking chair just for the memories. He’d toss it into the garbage pile and she’d try to forget about it.

      A snowball came out of nowhere and struck Sam firmly on the side of the head. The missile knocked the scruffy cowboy hat off his head, saving Rachel from an embarrassing moment.

      They both whirled and stared in surprise. A giggle came from behind Sam’s truck and two little heads covered with ski masks popped up. Rachel found herself suddenly bombarded with snowballs.

      “Why, you little monsters.” Sam laughed, then grabbed Rachel’s arm and pulled her with him as he ran for cover. He crouched behind the trailer, scooping up a handful of snow to pack together.

      “We’re about to get pelted. Look out!” he yelled at Rachel.

      She ducked just in time. A snowball exploded against the side of the trailer, inches away from where her head had been. As she stooped beside Sam, more snowballs showered overhead, thudding against the side of the garage or landing harmlessly at her feet.

      Sam reached for handfuls of snow, pounding them together in his big, gloved hands. “Don’t just sit there, lady. We need ammunition.”

      His booming voice shook with amusement and she stared, stunned by this sudden change in him. This couldn’t be the same rude man who told her she couldn’t work for him. The same man who offered his handkerchief and apology for her loss.

      His words spurred her into action and she started making snowballs. Sam fired missiles as fast as Rachel produced them. Soon, Sam gave up on the snowballs and charged. The enemy scattered in a melee of fleeing boots and gleeful screams. Not quite knowing what she should do, Rachel chased after Sam, her ears ringing with laughter.

      Sam tackled the boys, rolling with them, flinging snow in their faces. They clung to the big man like two small koala bears.

      “No fair, Sam,” Danny yelled. “You’re bigger than us.”

      Rachel laughed, until her sides ached and tears ran from her eyes. And when she realized what was happening, it made her heart stand still and she felt such poignancy that she gasped with pain.

      Alex never played with her and Danny like this. He’d been romantic in his own way, but never spontaneous. He’d played with her and Danny, but in a dignified, remote sort of way, usually from a park bench or with a board game between them. In the six years they’d been married, she’d only heard Alex belly-laugh twice. Never this up-close-and-personal, undignified heap rolling at her feet.

      “Okay, okay, I give!” Sam held up his arms and stood before dusting snow off his coat and blue jeans.

      When Danny threw his arms around Sam’s long legs in a bear hug, Rachel’s mouth dropped open, and she stared wide-eyed. “Let’s do it again, Sam. Let’s do it again!” Danny cried.

      Over the tops of the boys’ heads, Sam met Rachel’s eyes. His face flushed a deep red. Then he looked away, breaking the magical moment. No doubt he’d remembered who she was and how she came to be here and that was that.

      “Ahem.” Sam cleared his voice, and he stepped away from Danny. “I think we’d better get going. Daylight’s a’burning.”

      “Yay! Let’s go to your place,” Charlie hollered as he ran toward Sam’s truck.

      Danny followed. Both boys yelled excitedly.

      Gladys came out of the house carrying a picnic basket. Sam took the basket and placed it in back, then helped her into the truck before reaching to take Rachel’s elbow.

      “Careful, it’s slick.” He leaned his head down, his words brushing against her cheek. His nearness made her feel giddy.

      As she stepped up on the high foot rail and climbed inside, she heard the window defroster running against the windshield. Sam got into the driver’s seat. Even with Gladys sitting between them, his attention unnerved Rachel.

      He shifted the truck into gear, ready to pull out of the driveway, but then looked in the rearview mirror. “Buckle up, boys. We’ve got a bumpy ride ahead of us.”

      

      The drive out to Grammy’s place didn’t take long. When they hit the dirt road, Sam shifted his truck into 4-wheel drive and skimmed through the drifts of snow with steady ease.

      Rachel pointed off to the distance. “Danny, there’s our house.”

      Danny scooted forward against the backseat, leaning his face over her shoulder to get a better view out the window. She reached back her hand and pressed her