Fresh-Start Family

by Lisa Mondello

  Jenna’s shoulders sagged, but not from the weight of the groceries. “Can it be returned?”

  “Your dad still has the receipt, so I can do that the next time we fly to Valentine for Brian’s treatment,” Tag said.

  “That’d be great. I can call ahead and have the auto parts store hold the new part there until then.”

  Of course, that meant a wait of a few days. Her father no doubt was in a sour mood about that, too. She could almost see him pulling his hat off his head and brushing his silver hair back in frustration. The image that flashed in her mind reminded her that her father was getting older. The last few years had taken their toll on him. He was getting tired, and from what Tom said, he was no doubt grumpy because so much of the work he’d planned had been put on hold while he waited for the truck to be fixed.

  Jenna wished it could be different. Her moving to Chesterfield had made some things easier on both of them to some degree, but it had made other things harder. The wear and tear she’d added to the truck was only part of it.

  “Thanks for warning me,” she said.

  “I figured I should. He’s really disappointed,” Tom said.

  “I’m sure that’s putting it mildly. There’s a whole lot of work piling up around here, and he needs that truck to get it done.”

  “I offered to take him into town to get the supplies he needs. He can even borrow—”

  “Your truck?” She smiled and felt her cheeks heat up. “It bothers him that he has to ask for help.”

  “He didn’t ask. I offered. Having a second set of arms to load the truck with supplies will make the job go quicker, too. Speaking of load, why don’t you let me take those?”

  “Thanks.” She handed him one of the packages.

  “Where is Brian?” he asked, looking around.

  “He’s at a playdate with a friend from school. He’s going to be dropped off around dinnertime.”

  “Oh, then you’re out playing in town on your own?”

  Jenna chuckled. “Yeah, if you can call grocery shopping playing.”

  “Why don’t we head across the street and have an ice cream cone at the café. I hear it’s really good.”

  She smirked. “Dessert before dinner?”

  “Live on the wild side, Jenna. I promise I won’t tell.”

  With a shrug of her shoulder, she said, “Why not? It’s not often I have a free afternoon.”

  “That’s the spirit.”

  Tom’s truck was parked outside the hardware store. He stowed her grocery bags in the truck before they ran across the street to the Freeze Factory, an ice cream parlor she’d gone to many times as a child. They ordered two double chocolate ice cream cones—hers with rainbow sprinkles—and sat at an outside table, watching the downtown Chesterfield traffic go by.

  When Tom broached the subject of borrowing his truck again, stating it was not charity to borrow a friend’s car, Jenna braced herself, trying to find the right words that would make him understand her father’s resistance.

  “I hear what you’re saying, but it still feels like charity to him,” she said delicately. “You don’t know my father. He hates depending on other people. He was independent for so long. It bothers him now that he can’t handle everything himself. Whether my father likes to admit it or not, he can’t take on the same workload he did when he was twenty.”

  “I don’t know about that. I’ve seen him lift quite a hefty load. He’s still pretty fit. And he has a lot of energy in him with Brian.”

  Jenna smiled. “Brian brings out the best in him. It’s one of the many reasons why I’m glad we moved here.”

  She closed her eyes for a brief moment as the spring breeze blew her hair forward. This was Jenna’s favorite time of the year. Looking around, she saw that the crocuses that Mrs. Shasta had planted years ago had come and gone and only a handful of bright yellow daffodils remained in narrow boxed flower beds snug up against the ice cream parlor. Somewhere there was a lilac tree still blooming. She recalled it was her mother’s favorite flower, and Jenna made a mental note to visit the nursery in town to see if there were any lilac trees still in stock. She knew the perfect place to plant one on the farm would be right outside the kitchen window.

  If you grew up in Chesterfield, you either stayed or you left for bigger and better things. Jenna had left and come home, feeling more battered by life than she cared to admit.

  Now she was with Tom. It had been a long time since Jenna had enjoyed the companionship of a man, and she decided she liked it. It had been missing from her life for quite some time.

  It wasn’t until Tom spoke that she realized she’d been lost in her own thoughts.

  “Where’d you go?”

  A warm blush crept up her cheeks. “Just thinking.” Looking around, she added, “I never realized how much I missed Chesterfield until I came home.”

  “I think I understand why. Chesterfield is a nice town.”

  A warm feeling spread through her with his appreciation of what they had here.

  An older-model sedan with a teenage couple pulled in to a parking space in front of the table they were sitting at. The young couple got out of the car, holding hands, and walked into the ice cream parlor. The young girl looked dreamily at her boyfriend, making Jenna remember what it was like to be that young.

  She smiled wistfully before turning her attention back to Tom. He was at ease. Some of the rough edges she’d noticed when they first met had smoothed out. His comfort level had reached a good point, where she didn’t feel like he was always ready to bolt when he was around her.

  “You know, I have to say I’m surprised you chose Chesterfield. Being in the military, you must have traveled the world at lightning speed. Country living doesn’t seem too slow-paced for you?”

  “Yeah, I’ve traveled, but I wouldn’t call myself a world traveler. And it was the slower pace that drew me to Chesterfield. My love of being in the country comes from my experiences in childhood, and the military.”

  “Really?”

  “After growing up in the suburbs, I found I liked wide open spaces. Since I’m an only child, I spent a lot of time as a kid with my cousin Wolf. We’re about the same age, and the two of us used to go out to the lakes every chance we got with Oma and Opa.” At her confused expression, he added, “Our grandparents. They grew up in Germany and came over to America after World War II. Opa lived on a farm back in Germany and liked the outdoors, so he took us camping a lot. Then when I was in the marines, I spent a lot of time in the jungle, the swamps.”

  Jenna made a face. “Gee, sounds fun.”

  He laughed. “Actually, I didn’t mind it. The bugs were killers, but if you were prepared, that was okay, too. I loved the sound of the night and having nature all around me.”

  “Well, I tell you what. You and Brian can trade bug stories at dinner. I’m sure he’d enjoy that.”

  “I’d be happy to talk bugs as much as Brian wants. He’s probably found some interesting ones around here. I wish I’d grown up in a place like Chesterfield. Wolf and I would have spent a whole lot more time exploring.”

  She quirked an eyebrow. “Something tells me you really mean getting into trouble.”

  He laughed. “Probably. But this really is a great place for kids to just get to know nature. It’s clear that Brian loves it. I’m surprised it took you so long to move back here.”

  A familiar stab of pain pierced her. “I wanted to be closer to the medical facilities in the city.”

  Jenna looked down at her hands, felt another cool breeze blow down Main Street, carrying a few errant dried-up leaves with it.

  “It was more than that,” she finally said. “I was used to being on my own. Military life prepared me for that. Kent seemed to find reasons to volunteer to be anywhere but where I needed him. So I was alone a lot. And when he died and it was just me and Brian, I realized it was strangely the same as when he was alive and out on a military mission. Being without him wasn’t any harder than it had been t
o be with him. But without a husband tying me to a nomadic life, I realized I really missed Chesterfield. And yes, I missed the quiet and being closer to nature, but what I missed more than anything was the sense of community, the way people band together to help each other. So I came back.”

  “And have you done that? Asked for help?”

  Chuckling, she looked away in embarrassment. “You should know. It seems like the only thing I’ve been doing with you.”

  He patted his stomach. “It’s not the only thing. Besides, accepting an offer is not asking. You see, when my grandparents came over from Germany after the war, they were met with a lot of anger by Americans who’d lost loved ones overseas. They didn’t speak a word of English, but Oma said they didn’t need to know English words to understand the anger and unkindness of people who hated them for where they’d come from. So Oma always taught us that kindness came first. It costs you nothing but is worth everything. I try to remember that.”

  “That’s a beautiful lesson.”

  He shrugged, lifted himself from the bench they were sitting on and threw away his napkin before returning to the bench. “I’ve taken a lot for granted in my life. I had the illusion of that luxury when I was out on military operations. I guess I’ve just come not to expect things.”

  “You talk an awful lot about the military. Not that I mind. Brian loves your stories and so do I. I’m just curious why you decided to leave when it’s clear being a marine was an important part of your life.”

  Tom’s face changed, tightened, and Jenna knew she’d hit a raw spot. She knew those spots hurt plenty. She had her own raw spots, and wondered quietly if she’d just forced open a wound that Tag was having trouble healing.

  Wishing she could take back her words, Jenna quickly said, “It’s none of my business. You don’t have to answer that.”

  “No, it’s okay.” Tom thought a moment, and after a brief pause he continued. “Like for all things in life, I decided it was time. Some things just have a normal shelf life, and the military had reached its expiration date for me.”

  She smiled at his metaphor. “That simple, huh? I guess that’s a good way to put it.”

  He grinned. “I have my moments. There are things I miss about being a marine. But my life has moved on.”

  He sounded convincing, but Jenna had known plenty of people in the military, and experience had shown her that once a military man, always a military man. If he had the chance, would he run back into active duty? Many military men did.

  She wondered just how long it would be before the pull of service would claim Tom. And what she’d do if he left.

  Chapter Five

  “You were in the military a long time. Do you ever think you’ll miss it?”

  Jenna’s question had Tag thinking about the job offer he’d received from his CO to work at Fort McCoy training Army Rangers.

  Miss the military? Maybe. Wolf had suggested as much when he’d urged Tag to take the position. Fort McCoy wasn’t too far from where their family lived and Tag knew the whole family would like nothing better than for him to accept the position. But if he did, his days would be filled with memories he just wasn’t ready to face. Memories that might cause the return of old problems.

  The flashbacks that had plagued him during his recovery when he’d first returned home from Afghanistan had all but ended. He hadn’t had a single flashback of his captivity or time in the military since he’d moved to Chesterfield. Life here was too different, with nothing to remind him of things he’d much rather forget. He liked it that way.

  No, it was best that he stayed put. Chesterfield was far enough away from his family that he could lick his wounds and start a new life.

  It surprised Tag just how much he liked talking with Jenna Atkins. He wasn’t a chatty guy by any means. But she had a funny way of getting under his skin, and it didn’t feel as uncomfortable as he thought it might.

  Chesterfield had just been a dot on the map when he’d purchased the old Nelson farm, but Jenna’s friendship had changed that. Now it was starting to feel more like home.

  “I was offered a training position at Fort McCoy. But Chesterfield is growing on me.”

  “Well, I’m certainly glad you moved on to here,” Jenna said. “I came back to Chesterfield because I wanted a stronger support network to lean on, but I never could have guessed the way a complete stranger would step in and make my life so much easier.”

  Her open appreciation made Tag feel a little embarrassed. “You seem like you have it all together. You’ve done a good job handling your job and Brian.”

  Jenna shrugged. “That’s just it. I’ve handled it.” Deciding she was losing the battle with her melting ice cream cone, she tossed what was left of it in the trash and wiped her hands. “It was only when I came back to Chesterfield that I realized I really needed someplace safe to vent my fears or at least have a good cry every now and then. I can’t do that when I’m alone with Brian. He needs me strong.”

  Tag thought of how many times Nancy had complained about that very same thing. When Crystal was four, she’d had a high fever from the chicken pox she’d gotten from one of the kids at day care. He’d been out on a mission, leaving Nancy to handle it alone. No one could even get in touch with him when Nancy had appendicitis. Crystal ended up staying with one of the other families on base while Nancy healed. Tag hadn’t heard anything at all about her surgery until he’d returned.

  He hadn’t been there for his family, and he was getting a clear picture of how that felt from the other end as he listened to Jenna.

  Jenna covered her face with her hands and then pulled them away, shaking her head. “I’ve said too much again.”

  “No, you didn’t.”

  “Yes, I have. I have a tendency to do that. You were just starting to get comfortable, and now I’ve made you crawl back into that shell you’ve been hiding in again. I didn’t mean to heap too much on you.”

  “Isn’t that what friends do? Talk about their feelings?”

  “Some people have an easier time than others. Being the only female in my house leaves me jabbering on, I’m afraid.”

  “It’s okay.”

  She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “You remind me a little of those cowboys you see in old Western movies.”

  He chuckled. “A cowboy? How so?”

  Jenna glanced up and thought a bit. “You’re the strong, silent type. You walk around like you’ve got a lot on your mind, but you don’t share much. You help take care of others, do what needs to be done, but like those cowboys, you’re fine alone. They don’t need much and don’t ask for anything.”

  “Not unlike me coming here to Chesterfield? Maybe I need to get a dog and a horse.”

  Her face was filled with questions, which made Tag want to bolt from the bench.

  “And usually they’re wounded. Is that what happened to you, Tom?”

  He shifted, and Jenna immediately sat back.

  “Now I have said too much. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “I can’t seem to keep my thoughts to myself when I’m around you, and now I’ve made you uncomfortable again.”

  She was too close to something he wasn’t ready to talk about. He wondered if there’d ever be a time when he’d feel comfortable opening up about what had happened. Today wasn’t the day to do it, though. That much he knew.

  “If you don’t mind, that story is best kept for another time.”

  “Fair enough,” she said quietly, watching the sun sink lower in the horizon. Brian would be coming home soon. “Besides, if I don’t get home to put that roast in the oven soon, none of us are going to eat dinner. And then my dad will be a grumpier old man than he is right now.”

  “Get ready for bed, Brian,” Jenna called out from the kitchen. She’d just finished washing the last of the dinner dishes while Tom and Brian played video games in the living room.

  Since Tom had planned on coming over for dinner, anyw
ay, it hadn’t made sense for her father to pick her up in town. Tom had driven her back to the farm, to Brian’s delight when he got home from David’s to find Tom already there. Dinner had been filled with conversation about the truck and Brian’s playdate with David. He seemed to have had a good time, so Jenna made a mental note to make plans to have David over to the farm next week.

  For now, she knew she should be focusing on all the work she had to do tonight after Brian went to bed. And yet, she wasn’t ready to cut her evening short by having Tom leave.

  “I don’t want to get ready for bed,” Brian said, dragging himself into the kitchen, Tom walking in behind him.

  “You know the rules,” said Jenna. “I’ll never get you up for school if you don’t get to bed on time. Now get upstairs and get ready for your bath.”

  Brian scurried out of the room, and she heard him stomp his way up the staircase.

  From the other room her father called out, “Easy on the feet, Brian!”

  Tom smiled in response to the commotion that was so normal a part of her life. Then he said, “If I make it to Valentine before Brian’s next dialysis treatment, I’ll exchange the part for the truck. Otherwise, we’ll wait until we go together.”

  “I want you to know I appreciate everything you’ve done for us, Tom.”

  He gave her a crooked grin. “Now, if you go thanking me every time I do something, I’ll feel like I’m overextending my boundaries.”

  She cocked her head to one side. “How could you be overextending your boundaries? I’m the one who is getting all the favors.”

  “I’m not the only one doing favors here, Jenna.”

  “Friendship is not a favor.”

  His eyes warmed. “No, it’s a gift. Are we friends?”

  “I’d like to think we’re becoming friends. Even if you do hide yourself behind that wall so much.”

  He chuckled on a sigh. “Is that what I do?”

  “Don’t pretend you don’t. Except, of course, when you’re with Brian. He seems to bring out the kid in you.”

  He gave her a smirk. “Not everyone is an open book like Brian. He makes it easy.”