took the
handkerchief and wept into it. “So much happened so fast. I thought
I had control over everything. But then Charles had an accident,
Ben got into the canister of sugar, and Bob and Doug tried to help
but things just got worse. Then people came by to sell cookware,
and the woman suggested I needed a nanny. I can’t do anything
right.”
“ Everyone’s settled down
now,” he softly said, lightly brushing some stray strands of hair
from her face. “You succeeded, sweetheart.”
“ Oh sure. Just in time for
you to come home.”
He laughed. “Hannah used to say the
boys had a way of knowing when I was going to be here because
things fell into place right before I walked through the front
door.”
“ She’s right. They do know,
and what’s scary is that I didn’t even have to tell
them.”
Sighing in sympathy, he helped her sit
up. He gathered her into his arms and let her lean against him.
“I’ve been there. I know what it’s like. You did better than I did
the first time I had to be alone with them.”
She glanced up at him.
“Really?”
“ Yes. You have the house
looking nice and everyone is clean. When it was me and the boys, I
didn’t get around to feeding them supper until nine at night. I
spent so many hours running after them. I don’t know how you women
do it.”
She wiped her nose with the
handkerchief. “You’re not just saying this to make me feel
better?”
“ No, I’m not. It’s not easy
to take care of four children. The kids are happy and the house is
in order. You did well today.”
She relaxed and smiled. “They are good
boys. Even with the way everything was around here, they were
trying to help me, especially Doug and Bob.”
“ Well, they want to make
their ma happy.” He kissed her cheek and stroked her back. “It’ll
get better as you get used to it.”
“ You think so?”
“ It did for me. And I had no
idea what I was doing.” He cupped her face in his hands. “You did
great, Margaret. Try not to be so hard on yourself,
alright?”
She nodded. “I’ll try.”
“ Good.” He gave her a kiss,
and since the boys weren’t around, he lingered at her lips. She was
such a good woman, and it occurred to him that she didn’t know her
worth. When he ended the kiss, he said, “I don’t trust my children
with just anyone. Their well-being was my biggest concern, and now
yours is too. I’m sorry Debra gave you a hard time. If I see her,
I’ll tell her to go back to Ohio.”
“ Thank you,
Joseph.”
“ I’ll have Sunday off, and
we can all go out to the park as a family.”
“ I’d like that.”
The front door opened and Bob and Doug
entered the house and talked about what they thought their new ma
would make for supper.
She chuckled. “Their minds are always
on food.”
“ They’re growing boys.” He
grinned at her, glad to see her happy again. After he helped her to
her feet, he gave her a quick kiss. “I’ll keep the boys out of your
hair while you cook.”
She thanked him again, and they left
the bedroom.
Chapter Eleven
Two days later, Margaret was sitting on
the porch swing Joseph had put up, and she had Ben and Charles down
for a nap while Doug and Bob were playing tag in the front yard.
She had decided to work on sewing a pattern into one of the
pillowcases she was making for her new family. She thought Bob
might like a design of his soccer ball, so she was currently
filling in that pattern with her brown thread. Next, she would sew
his name into it.
“ Hello, Doug and Bob,” a
familiar voice called out.
Margaret looked up and smiled as
Jessica waved to the boys and walked up the porch steps. She moved
aside and placed her sewing basket next to her feet. “I didn’t
think you’d be in town this soon,” she told Jessica. “I’ve hardly
seen you since you married Tom.”
Jessica’s face glowed as she sat next
to her. “I just found out I’m expecting a baby!”
Margaret’s jaw dropped. “So
soon?”
“ It’s
handkerchief and wept into it. “So much happened so fast. I thought
I had control over everything. But then Charles had an accident,
Ben got into the canister of sugar, and Bob and Doug tried to help
but things just got worse. Then people came by to sell cookware,
and the woman suggested I needed a nanny. I can’t do anything
right.”
“ Everyone’s settled down
now,” he softly said, lightly brushing some stray strands of hair
from her face. “You succeeded, sweetheart.”
“ Oh sure. Just in time for
you to come home.”
He laughed. “Hannah used to say the
boys had a way of knowing when I was going to be here because
things fell into place right before I walked through the front
door.”
“ She’s right. They do know,
and what’s scary is that I didn’t even have to tell
them.”
Sighing in sympathy, he helped her sit
up. He gathered her into his arms and let her lean against him.
“I’ve been there. I know what it’s like. You did better than I did
the first time I had to be alone with them.”
She glanced up at him.
“Really?”
“ Yes. You have the house
looking nice and everyone is clean. When it was me and the boys, I
didn’t get around to feeding them supper until nine at night. I
spent so many hours running after them. I don’t know how you women
do it.”
She wiped her nose with the
handkerchief. “You’re not just saying this to make me feel
better?”
“ No, I’m not. It’s not easy
to take care of four children. The kids are happy and the house is
in order. You did well today.”
She relaxed and smiled. “They are good
boys. Even with the way everything was around here, they were
trying to help me, especially Doug and Bob.”
“ Well, they want to make
their ma happy.” He kissed her cheek and stroked her back. “It’ll
get better as you get used to it.”
“ You think so?”
“ It did for me. And I had no
idea what I was doing.” He cupped her face in his hands. “You did
great, Margaret. Try not to be so hard on yourself,
alright?”
She nodded. “I’ll try.”
“ Good.” He gave her a kiss,
and since the boys weren’t around, he lingered at her lips. She was
such a good woman, and it occurred to him that she didn’t know her
worth. When he ended the kiss, he said, “I don’t trust my children
with just anyone. Their well-being was my biggest concern, and now
yours is too. I’m sorry Debra gave you a hard time. If I see her,
I’ll tell her to go back to Ohio.”
“ Thank you,
Joseph.”
“ I’ll have Sunday off, and
we can all go out to the park as a family.”
“ I’d like that.”
The front door opened and Bob and Doug
entered the house and talked about what they thought their new ma
would make for supper.
She chuckled. “Their minds are always
on food.”
“ They’re growing boys.” He
grinned at her, glad to see her happy again. After he helped her to
her feet, he gave her a quick kiss. “I’ll keep the boys out of your
hair while you cook.”
She thanked him again, and they left
the bedroom.
Chapter Eleven
Two days later, Margaret was sitting on
the porch swing Joseph had put up, and she had Ben and Charles down
for a nap while Doug and Bob were playing tag in the front yard.
She had decided to work on sewing a pattern into one of the
pillowcases she was making for her new family. She thought Bob
might like a design of his soccer ball, so she was currently
filling in that pattern with her brown thread. Next, she would sew
his name into it.
“ Hello, Doug and Bob,” a
familiar voice called out.
Margaret looked up and smiled as
Jessica waved to the boys and walked up the porch steps. She moved
aside and placed her sewing basket next to her feet. “I didn’t
think you’d be in town this soon,” she told Jessica. “I’ve hardly
seen you since you married Tom.”
Jessica’s face glowed as she sat next
to her. “I just found out I’m expecting a baby!”
Margaret’s jaw dropped. “So
soon?”
“ It’s
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