The sounds of the video game echoed in the background, Gabe’s full-bodied laughter causing her heart to trip. Melanie took a sip from her cup. If the other two brothers were anything like Gabe, the women of Hawk Ridge needed to watch out. “Where are they?”
“Zac’s in Denver. He went to college there and decided to stay.”
Grace returned to the sink and refilled her watering can. “Nick got a burr in his drawers one day. Hawk Ridge wasn’t where he wanted to be. Left the house he built up on the ridge and everything. He’d rodeoed all through school and thought he’d take off and see the country on the backside of a bull. He’s the one sending the cattle for the auction.”
“Sounds like exciting lives.” She scooted to the edge of her seat. “I’ll bet you miss them.”
“Well, it’s good for them to find out what they really want. Gabe never really wanted to go anywhere. He went to school in Gunnison for four years and then came home to do exactly what he’d done his whole life.”
“Awww, c’mon, Gabe.” Jason whined from the other room. “That water came out of nowhere.”
“Bud, you had to know it was coming.” Buttons clicked. “You’re driving right next to a river.”
“No fair…”
“You’re a lap behind. Stop bellyachin’ and get to movin’.”
A tiny bell tinkled each time the cars made a lap. Melanie watched the entire game—and cringed.
“And what about you, Melanie? You and Jason getting by?”
Melanie took a sip of her coffee and held the cup to her lips. A loaded question if she’d ever heard one. What kind of answer was Grace looking for? She took another sip and lowered her cup. “We take each day as it comes.”
“Does Jason get to see much of his dad?”
Okay, Grace. Just cut to the chase. “He never met his dad.” Melanie lowered her eyes, still unable to completely justify the past. She blew a quick sigh. How things could have been different. “He’s been gone a long time.”
Grace dropped the water can on the counter and wiped her hands on the dish towel. “Oh, honey. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Grace. It’s been a long time.” Melanie frowned as the older lady sat down beside her, grabbed her fingers and squeezed. She wanted to pull away, but Grace kept hold. “We’re fine.”
“Happened to my oldest boy, Nick. They hadn’t been married but a couple years when his wife died. He hasn’t been right since.” She squeezed tighter and shook her head. “Death can do awful things to those left behind.”
Paul? Dead? Melanie opened her mouth to correct the misunderstanding and then pressed her lips together. Paul might as well be dead to them. And she didn’t know Grace or the family well enough to explain the entire story.
Jason didn’t even know the whole truth.
“I’m sorry for Nick’s loss, Grace.” She searched the kitchen for words. “Time heals all hurts.”
Grace nodded. She patted Melanie’s hand before sliding her palm back and reaching for a napkin to blow her nose. “Time and prayer. God knows what He’s doing, even if we don’t understand.”
Wasn’t that the truth? She’d spent sleepless nights trying to come up with answers that just didn’t seem to exist.
“Do your parents help you?”
Melanie automatically cringed at the question.
Seconds later, Grace groaned. “Oh no. Losing your husband and your parents so young in life, poor thing.” Grace patted her hand. “Accident or illness?”
“Neither. My folks are fine. I just haven’t seen them in a while.”
Grace stared at her, searching for what Melanie couldn’t begin to know. Even though she hadn’t known Grace long, Melanie liked her and didn’t want to disappoint her, as she had her parents.
A slow nod made the gray streaks in her dark hair sparkle. “Life’s too short for that, honey.” Grace softened her tone. “Parents try as hard as they can to do the right thing. We’re only human, living by the grace of God. All the prayer in the world won’t give us the right answers for the difficult questions in life. But the good Lord knows we try.”
Appalled she might have insulted Grace, Melanie scrambled. “Of course you do. Raising children is the most difficult task in the world.” She pointed toward the doorway leading to the living room. “Gabe’s a fine man. A gentleman to be proud of.”
“All three of my boys are fine men. But that doesn’t mean mistakes weren’t made along the way.” Grace took a deep breath. “Someday our family will be restored. Melanie, don’t let the chance pass you by.”
“Trust me on this one, Grace. They won’t understand.”
“If you trust the Lord with your life, He’ll make the right choices for your life. But if you don’t trust the Lord, then you’ll never find out what He had in mind for you.”
Easy for her to say. If the shoe had been on the other foot and Melanie hadn’t wanted her child, maybe she could beg forgiveness. But how could she explain that her parents didn’t accept Jason? Even after all the years, the words still tasted acid on her tongue. “It’s hard to make everyone happy. Especially with difficult choices.”
Grace relaxed her shoulders and refilled both their mugs. “So tell me about this job. Do you have friends in Montrose?”
How did she explain the situation to Grace when Melanie barely understood the reasoning herself? “No, I don’t know anyone there. I’ve never even been to Montrose.”
Grace sipped her coffee, looking at her with questions in her eyes.
“I want a new start.” She pushed strands of hair from her face and took a deep breath, encouraged by Grace’s patient silence. “I’ve done nothing but research projects in an office no bigger than a bathroom for six years. Not exciting, but stable. Now, a gigantic corporation bought the company where I work. Reorganization. Cutbacks. My job is safe, but the parameters will change. Same money. More work. Less time with Jason.”
She traced a pattern on her mug. “When this opportunity came up, I didn’t give it a second thought. I called for an interview, packed up the truck and away we went. I’ve never done anything like this before.”
“Is that what you want?” Grace asked in an even voice. “Adventure?”
“Adventure?” It sounded frivolous when Grace said it. “I don’t need adventure. I need a solid, stable home for my son. I can’t do that when I’m working sixty hours a week.” Melanie stood and wandered to the sink and stared at the reverse reflection of the kitchen in the darkened window. “Jason is my world, Grace. I want to do all I can for him.”
“The mark of a true mother. It’s not easy, is it? You try to do everything you can to keep your children safe, but you can’t do it all. Only God is perfect. We have to remember that.”
Melanie released a quiet sigh. “I learned that a long time ago.”
She needed to change the subject before Grace unearthed more of Melanie’s failures.
Bells and sirens rang in the other room, signaling the start of another game. She nodded toward the living room. “I so wanted to get Jason away from video games. And what happens? We end up meeting the video game king himself.” Melanie blew another sigh. “This is all he does at home. He’s an addict.”
Grace sat silent a moment, the game ringing to announce the end of the race. “You know the more you push, the harder he’ll buck, right?”
“He’s