The Secrets Between Them

“Can we make the sandwiches now?” he asked eagerly.

“Yes, we can. But first be sure to wash your hands. And let’s leave Nellie on the porch, okay? ’Cause her paws are kind of muddy.”

“Okay, Mommy.”

“I should probably take off my boots and leave them out here, too,” Evan said.

“Good idea, but put them just inside the door so Nellie won’t chew on them.”

In the house, Hannah headed for the kitchen while Will and Evan peeled off in opposite directions to wash up. By the time they joined her again, she had the sandwich fixings laid upon the counter and was ready to start assembling meat, cheese, veggies, bread and condiments as requested.

“Ham and cheese for you, Evan. Right?”

“Yes, please,” he replied, adding, “I can pour the drinks if you’d like.”

“That would be a big help. Glasses in that cabinet,” she advised with a nod of her head. “There’s ice in the freezer, too. I’ll have tea and I’d like Will to have a small glass of milk.”

“Done.”

“Do you want lettuce and tomato, mustard and mayo on your sandwich, too?”

“Lettuce, tomato and mustard,” he said.

“How about you, Will? Ham or turkey or PB and J today?”

“Turkey…just plain turkey.”

“Okay, just plain turkey for you.”

Hannah put the sandwiches on plates, including a turkey with lettuce and tomato for herself, two each for her and Evan and one for Will. She carried them to the table along with a bag of chips she took from the pantry as Evan set their drinks on the table, as well.

So hungry were all three of them that they ate for several minutes in relative silence. Finally somewhat sated, Hannah looked up to see Evan eyeing her from across the table. He had spiked his short, blond hair with damp hands while upstairs, making him appear a little younger, a little…softer. A slight, quizzical smile also edged up the corners of his mouth.

“What?” she asked, afraid that she might have a bit of bread or a dot of mustard smeared on her face.

“I was just thinking how glad I am that I’m not the only one who’s ravenous,” he replied.

“What’s…rabanis?” Will demanded, stuttering over the unfamiliar word.

“Very, very hungry,” Hannah explained.

“Well, I’m rabanis, too.”

Her son took another big bite of his sandwich.

“Not surprising for any of us. We all worked hard this morning—especially you, Evan. You’ve done an amazing job on the vegetable gardens in a really short time,” Hannah said.

Evan’s full mouth took on a more sheepish slant as he reached for his glass of iced tea, winced, then subtly rolled his shoulders.

“I hope you won’t be too disappointed if I slow down some this afternoon. I’m starting to feel joints and muscles aching that I’d forgotten I even had.”

“I’d be surprised if you didn’t slow down a lot,” Hannah assured him. “And it’s perfectly all right. I’d much rather have you pace yourself than burn out in only a day.”

“I don’t think I’ll burn out, but I can see that pacing is going to be a good idea.”

“Maybe you should take a nap like me and Nellie,” Will interjected. “Only I don’t always fall asleep. Sometimes I talk to Nellie. But Nellie’s paws are all muddy today so she might have to take her nap on the porch.”

“I try not to take naps ’cause if I do, I have trouble sleeping at night. Although I have a feeling I’ll be out like a light once my head hits the pillow tonight,” Evan admitted in a wry tone.

“My daddy took a lot of naps,” Will said. “We had to be real quiet so we wouldn’t wake him up ’cause that made him mad. I don’t get mad when I wake up from my nap, though. I get happy ’cause Mommy gives me cookies and milk for an afternoon snack.”

Evan glanced at Hannah, a questioning look in his eyes again. She met his intense gaze for a moment, wondering what he must be thinking of her son’s bald statement. She didn’t want to explain to him about Stewart’s behavior in front of Will—didn’t want to drag that sad, frightening time into the peacefulness of the present moment.

But she should say something to smooth over the awkwardness between them, shouldn’t she?

As if sensing her discomfort, Evan came to the rescue. Reaching out, he tweaked Will on the chin, making him giggle, then said, “Hey, for some of your mom’s cookies, I’d take a nap any day, buddy.”

“You are more than welcome to cookies and milk in the afternoon even without a nap first,” Hannah said, grateful to him for so considerately putting her at ease again.

“That’s one offer I plan to hold you to, regardless,” Evan replied, a purely mischievous twinkle in his bright blue eyes.

“I promise not to renege.” Slightly uncomfortable with the flutter his statement caused, Hannah waved a hand at his empty plate. “Would you like another sandwich or more chips?”

Sitting back in his chair, Evan patted his flat stomach with a hand and shook his head.

“I’m full, as I should be after eating both of those sandwiches you made. They were really good.”

“And you were rabanis,” Will added.

“Yes, I most certainly was,” Evan agreed.

Standing along with Hannah, he picked up his plate and glass and carried them to the sink, his hip bumping gently against hers as they paused there together.

“Oh, sorry,” she said, suddenly embarrassed by their close proximity.

“I’m the one who should apologize for getting in your way. But I didn’t want you to think I expected you to either wait on me or clean up after me.”

“It’s not like my kitchen’s all that small. It’s just that I’m so used to cooking and cleaning up around here on my own that having you help out threw me off just a little. I could get used to it, though,” she acknowledged before she had time to really consider what she was saying.

“That’s good to know because I’m here to help you any way I can,” Evan said, again getting them past an awkward moment in a lighthearted manner. “Which means I’d better head back to the vegetable gardens and go to work again.”

“Let me get the sunscreen for you.” Hannah put a hand on his arm to stop him as he turned away. “You should probably wear a hat, too.”

“Good idea,” Evan replied. “I have a baseball cap in the Jeep. I’ll be sure to grab it on my way down the drive.”

Hannah took the tube of sunscreen off the shelf by the kitchen door that opened onto the wood deck. She had intended to give it to Evan and let him take it with him. But she hesitated a moment, remembering what he’d said about taking off his T-shirt when he went back to work. It was even warmer outdoors now, and without his shirt on, he’d be even more exposed to the more intense rays of the afternoon sun….

“I…I could rub some lotion on your back if you’d like,” she offered in a tentative tone, afraid of appearing to be too forward. “That is, if you’re going to take off your shirt later.”