Big Sky Daddy

“Papa, it smells awfully good,” Teddy whispered.

“It does indeed.” Caleb glanced about. It was a usual-looking kitchen—cupboards to one side, a big stove belting out heat, a wooden table. But there were touches that revealed the family, too. A rocking chair with a basket of mending. A spinning wheel and a basket of carded wool. A stack of papers teetering on a side table. And on the cupboard, four golden brown loaves of bread were cooling beside jars of applesauce and jars of dark blue-purple jam. He could almost taste the jam on the bread.

He and Teddy seldom had bread. A man on his own didn’t have time to make bread, even if he knew how. They ate biscuits unless they found bread to purchase in one of the many towns he’d visited in his search for a doctor who could help Teddy.

The woman by the stove turned at their entrance.

Lilly pulled them forward. “Ma, this is Caleb Craig and his son, Teddy.” Lilly and her mother’s love for each other was evident in the way they each smiled. “Caleb, my mother.”

Both Teddy and Caleb offered their hands and Ma shook them. “Pleased to meet you.”

Mrs. Bell indicated two chairs at the table and he and Teddy sat down.

The others took their places. Rose and Lilly sat across from him and Mr. Bell sat at the end, facing his wife.

Caleb glanced around the table, but his gaze stalled when it landed on Lilly. She smiled as if to assure him they were welcome.

“Papa.” Teddy tugged at his sleeve to get his attention. “This is like we used to have.”

Caleb nodded. “Yes, son.” They’d once known family. Though Amanda admitted she didn’t love him and had married him only to get away from her overly strict upbringing. He’d tried to love her as a man should love his wife, but she had rebuffed every attempt, so they had lived together in peaceful coexistence, both committed to providing their son with a pleasant home.

But that home had never felt as warm and welcoming as this one did already.

Mr. Bell cleared his throat. “Welcome to our guests. I’ll give thanks.” He reached for Rose’s hand on one side and Caleb’s on the other. Seeing what Mr. Bell meant for them to do, Teddy reached for Ma’s and Caleb’s hands.

Caleb hesitated. Regret, refusal, confusion and pain all flashed through his brain. Being invited so intimately into this family circle had set his nerves to jangling. He had vowed to distance himself from people after Amanda’s murder. Or maybe it had begun long before that, during the years when Amanda had remained cold to his love. Slowly, over time, he had closed his heart in order to protect it. Now he was grateful he had done that. It kept him from overreacting to this current family situation. He’d only be here one day. He sucked in air and allowed Mr. Bell to take his hand.

He sought Lilly with his eyes. She smiled and gave him a tiny nod. Confused by the way his heart tipped sideways at her gesture, he bowed his head as Mr. Bell asked the blessing. A question blared through his mind. Why had he looked to Lilly for reassurance? He didn’t need or want assurance from anyone. And yet his insides felt soft and mellow knowing she was sitting across from him, and she cared enough to take note of his hesitation.

He jerked his thoughts to a halt. If he kept going in that direction he would lose sight of his every goal. He was only there to get a dog tended to, his son looked at and a savory meal or two eaten. Then he would return to the Caldwell ranch.

All that mattered was getting Teddy to that doctor down east.

“Amen,” Mr. Bell said, and the word echoed around the table.

Throughout the meal Teddy raved about the food. He turned often to Mrs. Bell to ask questions.

Mrs. Bell helped him cut his meat and butter his bread. She filled his cup with milk three times. “You can have as much milk as you like,” she said. “We have lots of it. Milk is good for strong bones.”

“Would it make my leg work again?” Teddy latched his trusting, begging gaze on Lilly’s ma.

She didn’t answer at first. “It might depend on what’s wrong with it, but it can’t hurt.”

“Then can I have some more?” He downed the contents of his cup and pushed it forward for a refill.

“Son, remember your manners.” Caleb spoke softly, not wanting to spoil Teddy’s enjoyment of this family meal, but needing him to be polite.

“Please,” Teddy said. As Mrs. Bell filled his cup again, he added, “Thank you so much.” He drawled the words to make sure Mrs. Bell understood he was terribly, terribly grateful.

Lilly and her sister glanced at each other and ducked their heads to hide their amusement.

Mr. Bell smiled at Teddy. “A young boy with a healthy appetite is a good thing to see.”

Caleb murmured his thanks. He had no objection to the kindness and attention this family seemed prepared to heap on his son.

Mrs. Bell patted Teddy’s hand. “You’ll go far.”

Lilly watched Teddy. She swiped at her eyes and glanced at Caleb. Then she ducked, as if uncomfortable that Caleb had seen her tears. Rose also swiped tears from her eyes.

The tenderness of this family’s behavior toward his son stirred Caleb’s heart. Perhaps the boy would find something here he hadn’t had since his mother’s death—the loving care of a mother figure. Only in this case, two mother figures, a grandma figure and a grandpa-type man.

Too bad he could only spend a day with them. No. He didn’t want more time. He clanged shut the doors guarding his heart, doors he’d built with steel and sealed with rock. His future did not include a loving family and a warm home. He had Teddy. That was enough.

When the meal ended, Mr. Bell spoke. “We’ll have our Bible reading now.” He lifted the Bible from a nearby shelf and opened it.

“Papa,” Teddy said, “you used to read the Bible every night. How come you quit?”

Caleb shrugged. “Things change.” It hadn’t been intentional. At first he’d been in shock. Then his energies had been bound up in caring for Teddy. Then the two of them had been on the move, going from one doctor to another.

Mr. Bell turned pages. “God changes not.”

Caleb nodded. “For which I am grateful.”

“Tonight’s reading is from Job, chapter thirteen.” He glanced about the table, giving each person a moment’s attention. “May we each be blessed by the hearing of God’s word.” He read the chapter until he reached a verse that he emphasized. “‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.’ We’ll stop there. Job, a man like us, faced troubles and trials most of us will never know, thank God, yet he chose to trust God through them all. Shall we pray?” He again reached out for the hands on either side of him and prayed that each be blessed, and each have a good night’s sleep. “May we honor You in all we say and do. Amen.”

Teddy clung to Caleb’s hand even when the others started to push back from the table. He pulled at Caleb to draw his attention. Caleb leaned toward the child. “What is it?”

Tears flooded Teddy’s eyes.

Caleb groaned inwardly. What had upset the boy so much? “Do you miss Mama?”

He nodded. “But that’s not why I’m sad.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

The room had grown quiet. Caleb glanced up and met Lilly’s gaze. Her lips lifted at the corner—it was not quite a smile, but there was no mistaking that she meant to encourage him. He nodded and turned back to Teddy.

“What is it?”

“He asked God to bless me.”

“Yes. Mr. Bell asked God to bless each of us.” He didn’t understand why that had made Teddy cry.

“Can God make my leg better?”

Lilly hurried around the table and knelt beside Teddy. She touched his head and looked at Caleb. He felt her concern clear through to the bottom of his heart.

“Can He, Papa?”