When The Geese Fly North

by Dragon, Tracey L.

  The house shielded the table and chairs from the brisk breeze making it a perfect place to enjoy a meal. The crocuses and daffodils had sprouted and within a few weeks would add a variety of color to the front yard.

  “I made soup and sandwiches. I’m afraid I’m not the best cook.” She set a tray with two bowls of vegetable soup and a plate of fried bologna sandwiches on the table and pulled up a chair to join him.

  “I’m not fussy. Having experienced months of mostly K-rations during the war, anything would be an improvement.”

  They each reached for a sandwich at the same time and their hands bumped.

  “Sorry, after you.” Will snatched his hand back. The more time he spent around Amy, the more difficult it was to remember why exactly it was he needed to keep his distance.

  They ate in silence until a flock of geese honking and soaring in perfect V-formation flew north overhead toward the lake and Canada.

  Amy glanced up at the birds and sighed. “I love the sight of the geese ushering in spring with its promise of hope and new life. They fill me with optimism that the long winter is behind us and better things are yet to come.”

  He watched the flock head north and realized for the first time in a number of years he too felt something akin to a flicker of hope. Delicate and fragile but if fanned, he might eventually weather the stormy seas of his past to smoother sailing ahead.

  Amy’s gaze shifted from the birds overhead to him, her brown eyes soulful. “Thank you, for being here,” she said quietly.

  He locked eyes with her then gave a brief nod. Nothing else needed to be said.

  ~ ~ ~

  Within a couple of days, Will finished the harrowing and felt satisfied the fields were ready for planting. His plan was to put the early crops in next week. On Wednesday he had enlarged the victory garden and planted peas, lettuce, onions, and spinach. It would be May before he could sow the summer vegetables and plant corn in the third field. He prayed for good weather.

  Amy’s mother had dropped by on Thursday and given him a thorough inspection. He assumed he passed muster when she patted his arm and said, “You’ll do, young man.” Then she got in her car and left.

  Will kept busy during the day preparing for the spring planting and completing small jobs around the outside of the house and barn. He often found his eyes straying to his young curly-haired partner and her son as they played outside. A wishful longing would come over him at the oddest times, almost bringing him to his knees. The evenings were long and lonely. He was glad to see Travis arrive on Friday night. He was sorely in need of male companionship.

  “Hey buddy,” Travis called as he came toward the barn. “You up for some music tonight?”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “That band we heard last week in Medina is playing in Fancher at The White Elephant. Thought we’d grab a bite to eat and then head over for a couple of beers. You can stay at my place afterwards. I thought you might like a pup from the litter my German Shepherd whelped. They’ve been weaned.”

  Will liked the idea of a dog. He always had one growing up but had left the last ole boy at the farm when he enlisted. It died while he was overseas. Faithful and loyal, a dog made a good companion—better than most women in his mind. “Let me go to the house and inform Amy I won’t be in for dinner. That way she won’t prepare anything for me.”

  “Go ahead and check with the little woman,” Travis said with a smart-ass grin. “Becoming quite domesticated, aren’t you?”

  He ignored his friend’s teasing and rapped on the back door.

  “I’m in the side yard,” Amy called to him.

  He swung around the corner of the house and stopped short. The sun shining on Amy’s hair and the maternal pride in her eyes as she watched her son playing on the lawn with his trucks was an image right off a Norman Rockwell, Saturday Evening Post cover. He swallowed then moved forward, more convinced than ever he needed a day or two away from the farm. “Hey, I wanted to tell you Travis is here, and you won’t need to fix dinner for me.”

  “Oh.” Her expression tensed. “You going out?”

  “Yeah, we plan to grab a bite to eat in town and then head on over to The White Elephant to listen to the band.”

  “You’re going drinking?” Her voice rose slightly.

  The sharp edge to her voice had him confounded for a moment until he realized she thought he might return to the farm drunk. Damn her ex-husband. He’d like to get the man alone in a dark alley. The thought of beating him to a bloody pulp was very satisfying.

  “No worries,” Will said, keeping his voice low. “I never drink more than a couple of beers when I’m at a bar, and I plan to stay tonight and possibly tomorrow with Trav.”

  “Oh, I see,” she said, although she didn’t appear any happier at his reassurance.

  “All right then, maybe I’ll see you at the diner in the morning.” He started to leave then turned back. “Oh, by the way, I’m thinking of getting a dog. Do you have any objections?”

  “It’s your life, if you want a pet, get one,” she said as if in a snit. “Thomas,” she called, then turned her back to Will. “It’s time to go in.”

  He watched her pick up her son and go in the house. He was pretty damn sure he’d just gotten the cold shoulder, but why, he couldn’t say. He didn’t think it had to do with the dog. He shrugged. Those beers were sounding better and better.

  Chapter 17

  Amy rushed into the house and set Thomas down. She had no business being annoyed with Will, he certainly had the right to a life beyond the farm, and if he wanted a dog to keep him company who could blame him spending his evenings alone sitting around in the barn. She at least had Thomas for company, but even she had to admit she was still lonely.

  She picked up the receiver to the phone and keeping her fingers crossed, placed a call to her best friend. “Hey Fran, what are you doing tonight?”

  “Sitting out on the porch drinking an Orange Crush and chatting with the neighbor, why?”

  “You want to go to The White Elephant with me?”

  “I thought you said you weren’t going to drink on the weekends now that you’re working at Ray’s.”

  “That’s not exactly what I said. I said I wasn’t going to get drunk.”

  “Parsing words, now are we? You want to tell me why you’re suddenly all fired up to go out?”

  “Nothing, I just need to get off the farm and have a bit of fun.”

  “Okay, why don’t you bring Thomas over and we can make sundaes and play cards.”

  “Not tonight. I’m headed for The White Elephant if Mom will keep Thomas, you want to go or not?”

  “If you tell me what’s going on.”

  “Nothing’s going on. Okay? Can’t a girl have a little fun now and then?”

  “Uh-huh, you told me on Saturday with your working weekends, our forays to the bars would have to be limited. Now suddenly you’re dying to go dancing. Where’s your new farmhand tonight?”

  “He’s not my farmhand, he’s my partner,” she said defensively. “And what he does is his business. I’m not his keeper.”

  She waited for Fran to respond, but only silence ensued.

  After a long pause, Fran replied, “Let me guess, he’s out with his buddy Travis.”

  “So?” she responded irritably.

  “Fine, I’ll go,” Fran said. “If your mom agrees to watch Thomas, ring me back with the time you want to leave, and I’ll be ready.”

  Relieved, she thanked Fran and called her mother who bless her heart had no problem with Thomas coming tonight instead of in the morning. She then rang her friend back and said she would be by at eight-thirty.

  Amy showered then dug through her closet searching for something besides her usual pants to wear. She drug out a
red cap-sleeve dress with a keyhole neckline that she had bought at the end of last summer on sale and held it up. As the weather had cooled, she’d never had the occasion to wear it. It might be a little over the top for The White Elephant, but she knew red complemented her black hair. Besides, the only other choice was one of her flowered day dresses or skirts she’d worn a hundred times. She slid on a pair of silk stockings and carefully lined up the seams before attaching them to her garters. A black pair of pumps added three badly needed inches to her height. When she went to pick up Fran, she was glad to see that her friend had worn a dress as well. She didn’t feel quite as conspicuous.

  The band was playing their first set when the girls arrived. They quickly grabbed a table on the left side of the room and ordered their drinks. Fran wouldn’t dance until she had at least one under her belt. Amy didn’t understand why. Her friend was the best female dancer around, which Amy deduced was the reason Fran often lacked male partners. Not because of her shyness or her physical appearance which was better than average, but because anyone who had seen her dance was rightfully intimidated by her. Amy knew she didn’t hold a candle to Fran when it came to mixing it up on the dance floor, but she enjoyed it anyway.

  Fran quickly finished her sloe-gin fizz. “Okay, let’s go. That’s my favorite song.” After three fast ones, the band slowed it down and she and Fran returned to their table.

  “Ames,” Fran said, “isn’t that your farmhand and his sidekick at the end of the bar?”

  She glanced around searching the line of bar stools until she came to Will’s tall frame. He seemed deep in conversation with Travis and oblivious to the crowd around him. “Yeah, do you think they saw us when they came in?” She ran her hand through her curls.

  “Maybe not, the floor was pretty crowded.”

  “They’ll probably stop by once they notice we’re here.”

  Fran’s expression was doubtful.

  “What?” she said. “Before, in Medina, they didn’t know us. Now it would be downright rude, don’t you think, if they didn’t come by the table?”

  “They seem pretty engrossed in whatever it is guys talk about. They’re even ignoring the two girls standing by the bar drooling over them.”

  “Where?” She hopped up to see over the other tables then sat down again. “That figures. Maribelle Riley and her cohort Helen Sargeant must be hunting for new fish to fry. I heard Maribelle and Johnny broke up.”

  “They sure don’t appear to be making much of an impression. Oops, I take that back.”

  Amy shot up out of her seat, being short was a real pain sometimes, and felt her temperature rise. Maribelle had pulled out a cigarette and was leaning toward Travis for a light, no doubt giving both the boys an eyeful of her ample cleavage. Then she said something to Travis who laughed and turned to Will, drawing him into the conversation.

  “Well,” Fran said, “I guess we don’t have to worry about them coming over to our table. I’d say they have their hands full.”

  Amy struggled to keep her gaze from straying to the bar every few minutes. She knew she had no right to feel irked, but she did.

  “Ames, since you can’t seem to take your eyes off of Will,” Fran said with a smirk on her face, “why don’t you go and ask him to dance?”

  “I can’t do that, Fran. I told you about his leg.”

  “I don’t see why that would stop him from slow dancing. I gather that’s your preference anyway.”

  “You’re talking nonsense.”

  “Am I? Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure we’re here tonight not because you had any great desire for my sterling company or to be out dancing your feet off when you have to work tomorrow. Matter of fact, I’d bet my bottom dollar if Mr. Marine over there was at home on the farm that’s exactly where you would be.”

  “That obvious, huh?”

  Fran’s cheek dimpled as she nodded at her. “Plain as the nose on your face.”

  “I guess I’m being stupid. But when Will said he was going out tonight it made me angry, and I know I have no right to be. I panicked. I was afraid something or someone might make him rethink what he’s doing on the farm, and he’ll change his mind and leave. Then what would I do?”

  “I don’t think you need to worry about that. He made an agreement with you and shook on it. He’s too honorable to quit before the job’s done, but you and I both know there’s more to it.”

  Amy glanced at the man at the bar and then back to her friend. “You’re right.” She sighed. “I couldn’t bear the thought he might meet a woman while he was out. Somehow, I imagined if I were here I could prevent it, but it doesn’t appear like that’s going to happen. Maribelle eats men for breakfast.”

  “The evening’s young yet, let’s wait and see. My odds are on your Marine.”

  Amy wished he were hers.

  “Oh boy, here come the Wright brothers. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Let’s see if your big strapping farmhand gives a penny farthing if you dance with another fella.”

  “Would you ladies like to dance?”

  Amy glanced over at the bar and then back to the tall blond standing at her side. “I’d love to.”

  Chapter 18

  March 2016

  Callie was dying to find out what Will did after Amy accepted a dance with one of the Wright brothers, but unfortunately it was Will’s turn to tell the tale and he’d begun to feel unwell. Amy did not want to continue the story until he felt better because he’d become so animated when he recalled their younger days.

  Callie watched carefully and kept a close eye on him but became concerned when she suspected he’d come down with a cold. A cold would normally be nothing to worry about, but in a ninety-five-year-old man who was mostly bedridden it could easily turn into pneumonia. By Friday night, she became worried when he developed a fever and debated whether she should take him to the hospital. Reluctantly, she dialed Michael’s number.

  After six rings, it went to his voicemail, annoying the hell out of her. Thank God, it isn’t an emergency. She tried to be professional when she left a message for him to call her but knew her voice sounded more than a bit snarky. She didn’t imagine the sexy doctor spent his Friday nights at the hospital holding his patients’ hands. He was probably out on a hot date with his star-struck colleague, Miss Cutsie- pie, from the other day. God, now I’m really being snarky. What the man did on his time off was really no business of hers as long as he listened to his messages and called her back. Really, he could be in the sack for all I care. That thought wasn’t as palatable as she expected it to be.

  She had just walked into the kitchen when the phone rang, annoying her all over again as she spun around and returned to the living room to pick up the receiver.

  “Michael here.”

  He sounded curt and when Callie heard a woman’s voice in the background, she assumed she knew why. “I apologize if I interrupted anything, but I need to speak with you about your grandfather.”

  There was a pregnant pause, and Callie thought perhaps Michael was cursing under his breath. Finally, he responded, “What’s going on?”

  “Your grandfather caught a cold a couple of days ago, and he’s now spiked a fever. I’m concerned about pneumonia?”

  “How’re his lungs?”

  “They’re clear, but at his age I thought perhaps I should take him to the hospital. I won’t be able to get an appointment with his doctor until Monday.”

  “If his lungs are clear, and he’s not struggling to breathe, give him Tylenol for the fever and keep me informed. I’ll contact you later. I’m tied up at the moment, but if you feel he’s becoming distressed, don’t hesitate to call EMS.”

  “Will do.” Callie responded to the click of the receiver by slamming hers down. Asshole. She must be one hot babe.

 
; Callie made a pot of homemade chicken soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner and encouraged Will to eat what he could. She suggested Amy sleep in another room, so as not to catch Will’s cold, but she pooh-poohed her. Said it was too late by now, if she were going to catch it, she’d catch it. She hadn’t slept apart from Will since they were married, she wouldn’t start now.

  Callie recognized a losing argument when she heard one. She left them watching their favorite Friday night television show and went to make a cup of chamomile tea. She curled up on the sofa in the living room with her novel and must have dozed off because the creak of the front door opening and closing startled her to alertness. She glanced up surprised to see Michael standing there with a duffle bag in one hand and his medical bag in the other.

  “Sleeping on the job, huh?” His blue eyes darkened when they met hers then moved over her reclining form. “How’s Gramps?”

  Feeling as though she’d been caught sluffing, she slid her feet to the floor and stood up, tucking strands of her auburn hair behind her ear. “God, you startled me.” She rose and nodded toward the den. “Why don’t you go in and see for yourself? Last time I checked, his fever had dropped.”

  Michael inclined his head, set his duffle on the floor by the door, and headed for his grandparents’ room.

  Callie couldn’t believe Michael had actually come. Well, wonders never cease. Miss Cutsie-pie or whatever her name was must be annoyed at having to take a raincheck. Well, she had to give the man credit, he obviously cancelled his plans, and then drove all the way from the city to check on Will. Kudos for the doc. Normally, when Michael came on Sundays to check on his grandparents she took the opportunity to get things done while he was visiting thus limiting her interactions with him. She was well aware of the fact that Amy and Will’s grandson had not wanted them to hire her but wished instead for them to move into an assisted-living facility in the city. Tonight, she made an exception and decided to join them in the den. As she moved into the doorway, she could her Michael speaking to his grandfather in a voice she’d never heard before. Gone was the clipped, efficient tone she was familiar with. Now both love and caring were evident in every word spoken. There was a gentle teasing, and obvious affection. She stepped further into the room amazed at the change in Michael’s demeanor.