Jessie (23 page)

Seth could not believe how quiet and lonely the store felt. He had been somewhat busy but not moving nonstop, and this made Jessie and the girls' absence all the more pronounced. He also forgot to ask Bri if he could pack something for dinner. Noon came and went, and he was starting to wish he'd eaten a bit more breakfast.

“Hello, Seth,” a male voice suddenly said. Seth turned to find that Trace Holden had come in the door.

“Hello, Trace,” Seth said, putting out his hand. The men shook before Trace spoke again.

“It's been a while.”

“It has, yes. Too long.”

A brief silence fell between them before Seth spoke again.

“I hope you're not looking for Jessie. She's not around today.”

“As a matter of fact, I passed her on the road.”

“Did you?” Seth said with a smile. “Did she say where she was headed?”

“She said it was a surprise, so I assume they were headed to see Meg.”

Seth could not stop his smile. Such a thing never occurred to him, and he knew the girls would love it.

Seeing that smile, Trace relaxed a little. He had been a bit concerned about Jessie, knowing that Seth was back in town, but the smile on the other man's face showed that he was genuinely pleased.

“What can I get for you?” Seth finally remembered to offer.

The men worked together for a time. Trace needed to order an item from a catalog that Seth wasn't familiar with, but they finally managed it. The talk didn't get personal again until Trace was ready to head on his way.

“Will I see you Sunday?” the rancher asked.

“I'm planning on it.”

“Do you think Jessie and the girls will join you?”

Seth smiled sadly before saying, “Maybe someday, but I doubt if it will be anytime soon.”

“Well,” Trace said with quiet sincerity, “it will be good to see you, Seth. Thanks for your help.”

“You're welcome, and thanks, Trace.”

Seth was on his own just a moment later and for nearly 30 minutes afterward, a state that suited him very well. He had some things to think about.

Seth hadn't planned to stick around and wait for Jessie and the girls, but they arrived back just 20 minutes before he would have closed the doors. The girls were flushed and smiling, and Jessie looked very relaxed.

“Well, now,” Seth said, concentrating on his children. “Did you have a good time?”

“We saw Joey and Savanna and Cathryn and
Netty!
” Clancy said.

“And we had dinner on the ranch!” Hannah added.

“That sounds fun,” Seth said with a smile, even as he wondered who all those people were.

“What did you do?” Hannah asked, surprising Seth because Clancy was still talking about their day—the barn, the horses, and something about a moose.

“I took care of customers and cleaned a little,” Seth told his oldest.

“Was it busy?” she asked next.

“At times, but overall it was quiet.” After Seth finished saying this he smiled at her in hope of reassuring her. She seemed worried. Once again he wished he knew what her different looks and silences meant. He didn't dwell on it but went back to their day out.

“Who is going to tell me who Joey and Savanna are?”

“Mama's cousins,” Clancy said, and before Seth could look to Jessie for clarification, Hannah cut in.

“Meg is Mama's cousin.”

“Who is Meg?”

“She's married to Brad. They have Savanna and Cathryn, and they're going to have another baby before Christmas. I hope it's a boy.”

“Well, now,” Seth said, remembering again how long he'd been away. “Who is Joey?”

Clancy handled this one, explaining about the little boy and his baby sister.

“Trace was in here today,” Seth told them, “and I didn't even know to congratulate him.”

“You didn't help him?” Clancy asked, her face showing her shock.

“No,” Seth said on a laugh, “I didn't realize his wife had just had a baby. I would have offered congratulations.”

Both girls frowned at him, and he looked to Jessie.

“How do I explain that word?”

“Let's see.” Jessie frowned a little as she thought. “It means to tell someone you're pleased for them.”

The girls looked at their mother for a moment and then back to Seth, their faces open and interested. Looking into their eyes—at the moment so full of trust—Seth was reminded that at times he didn't know exactly what to do with them. He glanced at Jessie and found her watching her daughters as well. Before he could figure out what she might be thinking, she spoke.

“I can lock up,” Jessie offered.

“I'll get out of your way then,” Seth said, taking his cue. “Goodbye, girls,” he added, and headed to get his coat.

“Seth.” Jessie stopped him, and he turned. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” he said but then couldn't turn away. Something in her face stopped him. “Did
you
have a good time?”

“Yes,” she said, not able to stop the smile that came to her mouth. “I haven't had a day off since Bri worked for me.”

“I didn't know Bri worked here,” Seth said, looking as surprised as he felt.

“It was before she and Rylan were married.”

“I don't think she's ever mentioned that.”

“When she comes in, I play with Danny and she waits on herself.”

Seth laughed, not just because the image was funny but because she was unbelievably relaxed. Seth never thought of Jessie as a tense person—she took most things in stride—but her very stance right now spoke of someone who didn't have a care in the world.

Wishing he could find something else to say to any of them, Seth turned for his coat. He was pleased and surprised to find that all three of them waited right where they were and said goodbye to him. Seth walked down the boardwalk in the direction of the Jarvik house, his mind trying to work out if he'd missed something just then or if leaving really had been the best idea.

“What do you think it means?” Meg asked Brad that evening. “I was just so surprised to see Jessie in the middle of the day. She can't have welcomed Seth back with open arms, but she left him in charge of the store.”

“Don't forget that he worked there almost from the first moment he came to town,” Brad said. “And it wasn't long before they were married. I assume he knew every aspect of the business and still does.”

“I guess so,” Meg said, still trying to put the pieces together. She was genuinely pleased that Jessie and the girls had come, but it was still a surprise.

“Did it wear you out?”

“Pretty much. Talking to Jessie is no effort, but I wanted to ask questions and didn't feel I could. That was the most draining part.”

“She's one independent lady—has been as long as I've known her.”

“Yes, she is. Jeb has said she's a lot like her father.”

“Did you know Hiram?”

Meg shook her head now. “I came for my first summer visit after he died—after Seth left too.”

Brad was thoughtful for a moment, and Meg caught his look and asked about it.

“I was just thinking how much things can change, sometimes very swiftly.”

“Were you thinking about that for us or Jessie?”

“At the moment for Jessie. Seth's coming back must have turned things upside down for her.”

“Maybe the Lord will use it to get her attention.”

“Maybe. I must admit that I haven't really trusted God in that area,” Brad said. “I don't pray for her very often.”

Brad grew thoughtful again, but this time Meg didn't ask. She suspected he was praying for Jessie, and she took advantage of the quiet to do the same.

“When you didn't come back,” Rylan said to Seth over supper, “I assumed she wanted you to stay and work.”

“Yes, she did. She and the girls left almost as soon as I arrived and got back right at closing.”

“Where had they gone?” Bri asked.

“Holden Ranch. They said something about Jessie's cousin marrying Brad.”

“That would be Meg. She's Jeb and Patience's niece.”

Seth nodded, still thinking about the interchange.

“Did they have fun?” Bri asked, spooning potatoes onto Danny's plate.

“They did. Jessie looked completely relaxed.” Seth paused and suddenly smiled. “She mentioned that you'd worked for her, Bri.”

“Before I was married,” Bri said with a smile of her own. “I worked part-time for her and part-time for Jeanette.”

“You were a busy lady.”

“She still managed to find time to get into trouble,” Rylan said dryly. Bri laughed.

“I think there's a story I need to hear,” Seth said, watching their warm way with each other and feeling envy.

“Let's just say,” Rylan worked to put it tactfully, “that Sabrina ran into interesting people in her zeal to share Christ.”

Bri smiled in agreement but also said, “There has been some fruit.” “Yes, there has,” Rylan agreed with a smile, thinking of the different women whose lives were changed because his wife reached out. Suddenly coming back to the present, Rylan asked, “How are you doing with the girls?”

“I'm not sure. I wish I knew them better. I wish I could tell what they were thinking.”

“Did something happen?” Bri asked, hearing his quiet tone.

“Not specifically, but sometimes they look at me and I can't tell what they're thinking.”

“They probably don't know themselves,” Rylan said. “A man they didn't know existed has come on the scene and is their father. That happened only four days ago, Seth. They're as confused and uncertain as you are.”

Seth stared at the other man. That
was
what he was seeing on their faces. Why had he not recognized this?

“Has it been only four days?” Seth finally asked.

“This is Wednesday night, and you met them Sunday afternoon. Even the notion that Jessie would leave you alone with the store this soon is a surprise.”

Seth had nothing to say. For him, it felt as if he'd come back to Token Creek weeks ago. So much was familiar—not just the town, people and job, but also the way he felt about things. It was good to be reminded that in the most important things, the things involving his daughters, this was all very new.

“How is it going with Jessie?” Rylan cut into his thoughts.

“That's not as confusing as the girls. It's plain to see there's no trust there. Not that I blame her. I can see the questions in her eyes, and I think it's only a matter of time before she wants to know more than I've told her.”

“Did you hold something back?”

“I didn't hold back incidents, but I didn't share all the specifics. The girls are very curious, and I'm sure you know they come by that honestly. Jessie's used to being the center of information in this town. She enjoys knowing what's going and has gone on.”

“Will she hold it against you if you tell her more?” Bri asked.