Big Sky Homecoming

Okay, she’d at least tell herself the truth. There was something about Duke that intrigued her. Perhaps it was only a need to find out how sincere he was.

Or perhaps it went deeper than that. There was something in his probing gaze that touched a spot deep within her, like the gentle strumming of a guitar string. It sang soft and quiet in her heart. What would it be like to hear it wild and exuberant? Her pulse beat faster as if fueled by the beat of a drum.

She set her brush aside and braided her hair for the night. She was Rose, the practical sister who meant to stay home and care for her parents. Where did thoughts of wild and exuberant belong?

In someone else’s life, to be sure.

In bed, she picked up her Bible to read a chapter as she’d done since Ma and Pa had given the girls each a Bible of their own when they were twelve years old. On the flyleaf of each Bible, Ma had written a verse and blessing for each of the girls.

Rose looked at the well-worn page. The verse Ma had chosen for her was Psalm 139:14: “I will praise Thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

She sighed at the words Ma had written.

Rose, my beautiful flower, I pray for you to continually walk in the joy of who God has made you to be.

Some days she rejoiced in who she was. She loved her family and her life on the farm. The work brought her deep satisfaction.

But she had to confess that she didn’t always experience that contentment. Sometimes she questioned why God had given her red hair, why He had allowed her to be born into a family that abandoned her. Still, she never ended that thought without a prayer of gratitude for Ma and Pa adopting them.

She read a chapter and turned out the light to say her prayers. God, keep my feet on a straight path. Guide me to make wise choices.

Duke simply did not belong in that prayer.

Her thoughts settled. Duke was a neighbor who’d needed help. Whether good neighbor or bad, it made no difference. She was foolish to think there could be more. She would not be so unwise as to let her emotions get involved.

* * *

“Morning, Ma. Morning, Pa,” she called as she hurried from the bedroom the next day. She tramped to the barn, shivering in the cold to feed the animals. She pulled the collar of her coat closer against the winter wind.

She sang as she did the chores, then returned to the house. No cows were milking now, but they had frozen milk to use throughout the winter. They had a good supply of butter stored in the garden shed, as well.

“You’re cheerful this morning,” Ma said as Rose joined them for breakfast.

“What’s not to be happy about?” She grinned at both parents, happy to see Pa sitting at the table. “I have two wonderful parents, a barn full of healthy animals, storerooms full of produce and the snow has held off.” It had snowed heavily after Christmas but only drifts remained. “God is good.”