Whispers of Moonlight (38 page)

The older woman appeared, her brow knit with confusion.

"Are you ready for coffee in the living room already?"

"No, but the boys have something to say to you."

Lavena glanced crossly at Travis, but he leveled her with a look. He turned to his silent children.

"Thank you for the cake," Travis prompted them.

"Thank you for the cake," Wyatt said, but Garrett sat quietly, his eyes going
from his father to Lavena and back again.

"Now, Garrett," Travis said softly.

Wyatt's face was tense as he stared at his brother, but Travis was done waiting. He picked up the top dessert plate.

"We'll only need three of these tonight, Lavena. Thank you."

The plate was in the housekeeper's hand, and she was headed away from the table when the little boy blurted out a desperate thank you.
Lavena turned to tell him he was welcome, returned the plate to Travis, and then slowly moved from the room.

"Good job, Garrett and Wyatt," their father told them. "I knew you could do it."

Rebecca had to work at keeping her mouth closed. She had never seen such looks of pride on her sons' faces. Why, they nearly beamed at their father. Rebecca ate the cake mechanically, but as with the rest of the meal, she barely tasted it.

"That was good," Wyatt said, the chocolate frosting and cake on his mouth attesting to that fact.

"Go tell Lavena you liked it."

"All right. Come on, Gary."

The boys shot off, and before Rebecca could guess his intentions, Travis moved to the
seat beside her. He leaned close, his arm on the back of her chair.

"If I help you put the boys to bed, will you join me for coffee in the living room?"

Rebecca looked into his warm eyes and wanted to melt. She was so tired of doing everything on her own, and Travis was clearly waiting to catch her if ever she fell.
But he's taking over,
Rebecca reminded herself.
And if you don't resist him, there will be nothing left of you.

"All right," she spoke outloud and then sat up very straight. "Actually, I have some things to say to you."

"Great." Travis smiled and touched her arm before he rose. He went after the boys and a moment later walked back through the dining room, one son flung over each shoulder. Listening to their high-pitched giggles, Rebecca rose slowly and began to follow them from the room. However, she stopped and looked at the mess on the table. Travis had taken a few dishes with him when he'd gone out, but most of them were still there. Right now Rebecca couldn't find a reason to go upstairs. The boys were delighted to be taken off by their father, and Rebecca, with no reason for her poor mood, was feeling put out about the whole thing. She turned to the table and gathered some dishes into her hands. From there she went to aid Lavena in the kitchen.

"And it's a true story?" Wyatt asked.

"Yes. That was a story from the Bible, so we know it's true."

"How big was the man?" Garrett asked again.

Travis smiled. They had missed his main point, but he was still delighted with them. They were more awed by the size of Goliath than by David's actions with God on his side.

"He was very big."

"Bigger than you?"

"Much bigger," Travis assured them, and watched their eyes widen.

"I think it's time you slept now."

"Where's Mama?" they wanted to know.

"I'll get her. You sit tight," Travis told them, but they made to follow him when he rose. He turned and looked at them, and without so much as a sound they scrambled back into bed. It was becoming more and more clear to Travis that his sons never obeyed, not even the simplest commands. Rebecca was so hard and angry with him, but with the boys she was so soft it was ridiculous. They were bright children. It wouldn't take them long to figure out who the pushover was. As he walked back down the stairs, he prayed a prayer of thanks that they had asked for her. The last thing he wanted to do was to replace Rebecca, but the boys were only going to have contempt for her if she didn't make
them mind.

"The boys tried to tell me some story about a giant man," Rebecca spoke as soon as she entered the living room.

"Right," Travis said calmly, although he was feeling anything but calm. "I told them about David and Goliath."

Rebecca blinked. "From the Bible?"

"Yes."

Rebecca would have stood staring at him, but Travis was offering her a large mug of coffee. Rebecca welcomed the warmth and the distraction as she took the cup from his hand and sank down into the other chair in front of the fire. The flames danced and crackled, and for a time she kept her eyes on the logs.

Travis kept his eyes on Rebecca. With the reflection of the flames in her spectacles, he couldn't see her eyes, but her mouth looked sad. What was all of this doing to her? Was she miserable or confused or both? And how did a man go about telling his stranger-wife that he had come to a saving knowledge of Christ? Travis simply didn't know. He did know, though, that if they didn't learn to talk, their relationship was never going to work.

"Are you still upset about this morning, Rebecca?"

She looked at him. "No, I think I understand why you did what you did. The boys can be rambunctious."

Travis wanted to tell her to face facts, but he refrained. The boys were not rambunctious, they were . . . Travis' mind hesitated. What were his sons? He wanted to call them brats or monsters, but in truth they were sinners. Self-seeking sinners, as all people are.

Please, Lord, let me show them You. Help my attitude and care of them to be such that they will see a difference.
Travis would have prayed on for his family, but he suddenly noticed Rebecca's scrutiny of him.

"Will you miss Pine Grove, Rebecca?" He asked the first question that came to mind. "Or should I not assume you're staying?"

Rebecca's eyes went back to the flames. "I don't know what to tell you. I can't say as I'm sorry
we married, Travis, because I have the boys and I can't imagine life without them. But you have to admit, ours was not the best of beginnings."

Travis nodded. "Do you believe in second chances, Rebecca?"

He heard her sigh. "I don't know. I don't know you anymore, Travis." She now looked at him. "I'm certain you would say the same about me."

"Can I ask you some things?"

"Sure."

"I don't really want answers from you right now, but I want you to think about some of this."

"Okay."

"You grew up without your mother, is that right?"

"Right."

"And your father moved away when you were, what?"

"Eight."

Travis nodded. "I think I understand your reason for leaving, Rebecca, and I won't try to convince you that I didn't marry you for this ranch. I think you'll have to find that out on your own. But I hope you'll give us another chance. You basically grew up without your parents, and for different reasons, I did the same. I want better for our sons." He could
see that he had her attention. "I'm not saying I don't care about you and me, because I care more than I can say, but if you need a reason to stay, Rebecca, please stay for the boys."

Rebecca's lower lip went between her teeth. This was the last thing she'd expected. She was glad he didn't want answers right then, because she couldn't have come up with any.

"We've both changed," Travis continued. "We're not the same people we were a few years ago, but we
are
husband and wife. I'd like us to try again." He wanted to tell her that he had no choice. He wanted to say that before God they were husband and wife and not to work on their marriage was not an option, but he feared putting too much pressure on her. Instead he left it as it was and waited for her to comment. When she didn't, he asked about what she'd said earlier.

"Did you say you had some things to talk to me about?"

"Oh." Rebecca seemed to come back to him from a faraway place. "I, yes, I wanted to tell you that—" but the words had left her. What had she wanted to say?
Don't correct our sons, Travis, because I'm jealous of the fact that they obey you rathier than me?
It sounded as ridiculous in Rebecca's mind as it was sure to sound if she voiced it outloud.

"I guess I don't have anything to say. I was a little concerned about your treatment of the boys, but they seem to be all right."

"Are you satisfied with their manners and obedience, Rebecca?"

She hesitated. No one had ever asked her that. They had called her children brats and threatened them if they stepped out of line, but no one had ever asked her if she was happy with the job she'd done as a mother.

"I don't know, Travis," she told him honestly. "After all, they're only five, and I want them to be happy"

Travis could have told her she was going about it the wrong way, but something stopped him.

"I want them to be happy as well," he said, "and I think the best way to accomplish that is to let them know their boundaries and do whatever I have to do to keep them there."

Rebecca could hardly argue with that because it had worked so far, but the day had been long for her because she'd been afraid to let the boys outside.

"I could tell they felt very cooped up in the house today," she mentioned almost absently.

"Why didn't they go out?"

Rebecca's brow creased in sudden anger. "Because no matter what you said this morning, Travis, they would have gone to the barn. Also, I don't know what else is off limits for five-year-olds on a working cattle ranch. For all I know, there's some big hole out there that they could fall into!"

"It must have been a long day for you."

But Rebecca didn't want his understanding; she was suddenly in the mood to argue.

"Yes, it was," she said tersely.

Travis let silence fall between them for a time, Rebecca was looking bitterly into the flames, and Travis was watching her.

"I'll take the boys out in the morning and show them what's allowed. I'll also tell you what they can get into, so there will be no argument. If my orders are not followed, they won't be given a second chance. It's too dangerous for that."

Rebecca looked thunderstruck. "But Travis, they'll never make it. They'll be inside for the rest for their lives."

Travis stared at her. "You expect them to disobey, Rebecca, do you realize that? I give them a command, and I expect them to carry it out to the letter. Here on the ranch, that could mean their lives."

She looked so defeated by his words that Travis stood. He moved to the front of her chair and, taking her by the hand, lifted her from her seat. He was very close as he looked down at her.

"I've overwhelmed you after a long day. I'm sorry."

Rebecca didn't reply. She did feel overwhelmed, but over his presence, not his treatment of the boys. She didn't mention any of this to her husband. Still holding her hand, Travis reached with his free hand to draw a finger down her cheek.

"Your skin is still so soft."

Rebecca's heart sighed, but then Travis lowered his head and she stiffened. There was no need. Travis pressed only a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Why don't you go get some rest?" he asked softly, his voice full of caring. "I'll stay in long enough in the morning to talk with the boys. Do they have warm enough clothes to wear to play outside?"