by Lori Wick
Grace was a nonstop talker after that, so excited that dinner was forgotten. McKay tried to rescue some of his dinner, but Melissa, having gotten that far without being stopped, assumed it was all hers. McKay simply joined her and tried to salvage at least part of his meal. It set the tone for an evening of high spirits. Pup wandered back just ten minutes later and had to steady herself when her daughter came at her full force. With Grace’s arms still wrapped around Pup’s legs, she looked up at her mother.
“That was fun, Mama. Thank you.”
Pup looked tenderly into her eyes. “Did it take away some of the pain of losing it?”
Grace nodded happily, the morning’s discomfort gone. They both went to the table. Pup ate a little but wasn’t very hungry. All Daniel and Grace wanted to do was talk about the tooth trader. Pup listened in delight and then exclaimed, “How will we ever top this?”
“I guess we’ll all have to take a swim,” McKay suggested, also thinking this would wear out Melissa.
“After dinner?” Grace’s eyes gave testimony to the rare treat.
“Right now,” Pup agreed. “Before the sun drops too much.”
Ten minutes later McKay and the children were in the lake. Her skirt hiked up and feet bare, Pup splashed on the beach with Daniel. Melissa was in her father’s arms. Already a good swimmer, Grace was paddling along near him. They lasted until it was nearly dark. McKay finally called Grace from the water and sent her and Daniel ahead. He spoke to Pup with Melissa on one arm and another around his wife.
“Why don’t you grab your robe and come back down and bathe.”
“I was going to work on the dishes.”
“I can do that.”
“What about the children?” McKay always put them to bed.
“I’ll do that, too. You come down and take a long bath, and I’ll see you when you come up.”
Whenever the children went to bed early, Pup and McKay bathed together, but tonight McKay wanted to give Pup more time on her own, since the early evening had been spent preparing for the Tooth Trader. She agreed and thanked him with a kiss, slipped inside and into her robe, and came out with the soap and a piece of toweling. McKay told a Bible story to his children and then put them to bed. He did the dishes quickly and was in bed when he heard Pup come in the door.
She went to the children’s room, to kiss them he was sure, and on her way back out he heard a bump. A low groan then came to his ears. She came limping into the bedroom.
“The kitchen table?” he asked from his place against the pillows.
“I think so. It’s pretty dark out there.” Pup sat with her back against the footboard and brought her legs up so she could examine the injured toe. She no more had it on the bed when McKay captured her foot and rubbed gently. She looked at him, expecting to find him bent over the foot, but he was looking at her.
“Is there something on your mind?”
“Just you,” he said, smiling.
Pup’s answering smile was tender.
“You were good tonight,” he commented.
“Do you think she was pleased?”
“Oh, yes, she was thrilled.”
Pup sighed with pleasure.
“Do you miss it?” he asked for the first time in many years. She knew exactly what he meant.
“Not at all,” she said honestly. “I couldn’t stand to leave you and the children, and now when I’m in the mood, I can join The Boulder Company.”
Boulder had a repertory group which put on a large production every October. The year before Pup had played the heroine. Her monologue, spoken while she’d been tied to the authentic-looking railroad tracks on stage, had moved the audience to hysterical tears. They had talked about it for weeks.
“Come join me,” McKay invited, and Pup moved to the head of the bed and climbed beneath the covers. Her hair was still damp and her cool skin felt wonderful as McKay cuddled her close, his cheek against her hair. There was no need for words. It was a lovely close to the day, but also a normal one. They were a man and woman in love, loved by God, and blessed by Him in an abundance of ways.
Years ago McKay had known that this journey with the wife God had given him would be more than he could ever hope or pray for. And God, who loved to give to His children, had gone far beyond his wildest dreams. If McKay was ever tempted to doubt, he had only to look into his wife’s face or the faces of the three children who looked just like her. The truth stared him in the face every day. God had been good to them.