listen to what you have to say.”
“If I were you, I’d go buy the woman a television. You don’t have to listen to it. Just let her watch it sometimes. Maybe she’ll ease up on the other stuff then.”
“I will give thought to what you say.”
“Good, now, then, come here and give me a hand. I will teach you about motors if you want to learn—but you’ll have to do most of the work. I don’t have the grip I used to.”
“Grace says I paid too much money for an old tractor that I don’t know how to keep running.”
“Yeah, well, let’s prove her wrong.”
“I have one more favor to ask.”
“Anything, Levi.”
“Would you stay a few more days?”
“Why?”
Levi gave him a sheepish grin. “There are other motors around here that I do not know how to fix.”
Tom knew exactly how to get a broken spark plug out of an engine block. It was a pleasure teaching his nephew, who was so quick to learn, how to accomplish this tricky task. Levi had just successfully replaced the broken spark plug, and Tom was in the process of giving his nephew an awkward high five, when Elizabeth walked in.
“What are you boys up to?” She was wearing a purple dress, a rope of pearls around her neck, a big quilted purse, and white tennis shoes.
“I thought I was supposed to come and get you,” Levi said.
“Hazel brought me home instead.”
“I think it might start now,” Tom said. “Give her a crank.”
Levi hopped onto the seat, turned the ignition, and thetractor roared to life. The grin on Levi’s face was worth every second Tom had spent helping him. He grew even more satisfied when Levi drove it out of the barn, down the driveway, and toward Claire’s without mishap.
“I saw your note inside the house,” Elizabeth said. “It said you were leaving, but you are still here.”
“I’m sorry about that,” he said. “I really was leaving, but Levi was having trouble and I stayed to help him.”
“Have we done something to offend you?”
“No. Of course not. It’s just that I’m stronger now, and I don’t want to intrude any longer.”
“That’s the happiest I’ve seen that boy since he bought that piece of junk from old Harold Givens. I could have told him that Harold would try to take him—and he did—but Levi was trying so hard to act like he knew what he was doing that he wouldn’t listen to me. Came home with that mess that he’d paid too much for. It made Grace mad when she saw it and she said some things that hurt him. He’s been tinkering with it ever since. Looks to me like you kinda handed him his manhood back. It might help if you’d stay around and teach him how to do some things he doesn’t know how to do.”
Tom scratched his head. “Levi did ask me to stay.”
“And I’m asking you to stay, too.”
“But Grace . . .”
“Grace is either working, puking, or fussing at Levi. She won’t hardly notice whether you’re here or not. Besides, it’s my house and there’s plenty of room.” She handed him the envelope with the money still in it. “Now that you’re feeling a little better, it will be good for Levi to spend some time with you. It’s been hard on him trying to transition. Frankly, it’s been hard on me having to watch him. Having you here has been a relief.”
How well he understood. If it hadn’t been for an understandingcommanding officer and some Marine buddies, he would have been in sad shape himself.
“I guess I could stick around for a few more days.”
“I’d appreciate it,” Elizabeth said. “And I’m sure Levi would, too.”
• • •
“Do you miss it?” Grace asked.
They were in the living room. She was sorting some baby clothes a coworker at the hospital had given her. Elizabeth was working on a class for her Wednesday-evening Bible study, and Levi was still out plowing, even though it was getting dark. Apparently he was so thrilled with having a tractor that worked, he did not intend to come in until it was
“If I were you, I’d go buy the woman a television. You don’t have to listen to it. Just let her watch it sometimes. Maybe she’ll ease up on the other stuff then.”
“I will give thought to what you say.”
“Good, now, then, come here and give me a hand. I will teach you about motors if you want to learn—but you’ll have to do most of the work. I don’t have the grip I used to.”
“Grace says I paid too much money for an old tractor that I don’t know how to keep running.”
“Yeah, well, let’s prove her wrong.”
“I have one more favor to ask.”
“Anything, Levi.”
“Would you stay a few more days?”
“Why?”
Levi gave him a sheepish grin. “There are other motors around here that I do not know how to fix.”
Tom knew exactly how to get a broken spark plug out of an engine block. It was a pleasure teaching his nephew, who was so quick to learn, how to accomplish this tricky task. Levi had just successfully replaced the broken spark plug, and Tom was in the process of giving his nephew an awkward high five, when Elizabeth walked in.
“What are you boys up to?” She was wearing a purple dress, a rope of pearls around her neck, a big quilted purse, and white tennis shoes.
“I thought I was supposed to come and get you,” Levi said.
“Hazel brought me home instead.”
“I think it might start now,” Tom said. “Give her a crank.”
Levi hopped onto the seat, turned the ignition, and thetractor roared to life. The grin on Levi’s face was worth every second Tom had spent helping him. He grew even more satisfied when Levi drove it out of the barn, down the driveway, and toward Claire’s without mishap.
“I saw your note inside the house,” Elizabeth said. “It said you were leaving, but you are still here.”
“I’m sorry about that,” he said. “I really was leaving, but Levi was having trouble and I stayed to help him.”
“Have we done something to offend you?”
“No. Of course not. It’s just that I’m stronger now, and I don’t want to intrude any longer.”
“That’s the happiest I’ve seen that boy since he bought that piece of junk from old Harold Givens. I could have told him that Harold would try to take him—and he did—but Levi was trying so hard to act like he knew what he was doing that he wouldn’t listen to me. Came home with that mess that he’d paid too much for. It made Grace mad when she saw it and she said some things that hurt him. He’s been tinkering with it ever since. Looks to me like you kinda handed him his manhood back. It might help if you’d stay around and teach him how to do some things he doesn’t know how to do.”
Tom scratched his head. “Levi did ask me to stay.”
“And I’m asking you to stay, too.”
“But Grace . . .”
“Grace is either working, puking, or fussing at Levi. She won’t hardly notice whether you’re here or not. Besides, it’s my house and there’s plenty of room.” She handed him the envelope with the money still in it. “Now that you’re feeling a little better, it will be good for Levi to spend some time with you. It’s been hard on him trying to transition. Frankly, it’s been hard on me having to watch him. Having you here has been a relief.”
How well he understood. If it hadn’t been for an understandingcommanding officer and some Marine buddies, he would have been in sad shape himself.
“I guess I could stick around for a few more days.”
“I’d appreciate it,” Elizabeth said. “And I’m sure Levi would, too.”
• • •
“Do you miss it?” Grace asked.
They were in the living room. She was sorting some baby clothes a coworker at the hospital had given her. Elizabeth was working on a class for her Wednesday-evening Bible study, and Levi was still out plowing, even though it was getting dark. Apparently he was so thrilled with having a tractor that worked, he did not intend to come in until it was
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