Patterns of Swallows (48 page)

"They're
my favourite," Ruth said. "And wild roses, too. For
fragrance, I mean."

"Well,
better get on with my job. Didn't mean to intrude. Just thought I'd
better come and say hello."

"Thanks,
Bo."

As
he turned to leave, Gabe began to pout and fuss. He'd been ignored
by Bo. It had never happened before. Though they saw each other
usually only at church, Bo was a particular favourite of Gabriel's,
and Gabriel was a particular favourite of Bo's.

Ruth
laughed at Gabe's protruding lower lip.

"It's
all right, Bo. You don't have to run off. Gabe's trying to tell you
you've hurt his tender, little feelings."

"Well,
I would never want to hurt anyone's tender feelings. My apologies,
little man. C'mere then, you young bull. Look at the size of him!
Are you feeding him fertilizer in his bottle?"

"Just
good, wholesome, fake milk the way nature never intended it."

"Well,
it seems to be doing the trick all right."

"He's
not wasting away."

"Surely
not. Young greedy guts! We'll have to get you out in the orchard
pretty quick, make you work it off. That'll slim you down in a
hurry." With his large, calloused hands engulfing the baby, he
swung Gabriel till he laughed.

"Better
wait till he's walking at least, I think."

"I
suppose. But then the walking will probably slim him down some."

"Sure.
Though I imagine he might turn out to be a husky one. He started
off life as a pretty good size."

"Ah,
you can't go by that. The tiniest babies can end up as the largest
adults, and the biggest babies can turn into small adults."

"I
had no idea you were such a baby expert."

"Oldest
of six, remember. I should know a thing or two about babies. Why
d'you think I'm so good with this one? But here. I'd better give
him back to you, let you get on with ... what you were doing, and I'd
better get on with what I came to do."

"Well,
thanks for coming back to play with him. I'm afraid he is starting
to think he's the centre of the universe. I can't imagine where he
gets that idea!"

Bo
laughed as he handed the baby back.

"Ruth
..." he said, apparently forgetting that he was leaving. His
tone had turned serious.

"Yes?"
she said, her voice barely louder than the thumping of her heart.

"We
haven't seen much of each other lately."

"Not
much," she said.

"I'm
sorry. It's my fault. I made a promise to you once upon a time way
back when. I promised you that I would always be your friend, that
nothing would change my offer of friendship. I found that promise
harder to keep than I thought it would be."

Ruth's
heart thumped louder. Surely Bo would hear it.

"I
want you to know I'm sorry. I admit that we haven't seen much of
each other lately, and to be honest, I know that's my fault. I make
excuses for it to myself, but nothing changes the fact that I offered
you my friendship, and then, I withdrew it when you really needed it.
I think I can do better in the future though. I plan to try."

The
thumping stopped with a dull thud, and her heart sank to the bottom
of her stomach.

She
understood.

Bo
was telling her that ... well, that he didn't feel anything for her
anymore. He was over her. That was why he thought he'd be able to
be a better friend from now on. His hurt was gone.

His
voice held no trace of nervousness. He was relaxed around her in a
way he hadn't been for quite some time. It meant only one thing.

And
then her mind jumped from Conclusion A across a vast expanse of space
to land squarely on Conclusion B.

Had
he found someone else? Who was she? There was that new girl at
church. The one whose family had just moved to Arrowhead. And she
was a natural blonde, no doubt Bo's preferred type, very sweet and
feminine. A little young for Bo, perhaps, but she'd age.

Ruth
rested her head on Gabriel's. She couldn't look at Bo.

"Thanks,
Bo. I appreciate it."

"Are
you upset with me for deserting you when you needed a friend?"

"No!
No, of course not! I'm not upset with you at all."

"Well,
you'd have the right to be."

"I'd
have no right at all! After everything you've done for us! You
can't possibly think I'm that ungrateful."

"Friends,
then?"

"Of
course." She shook the hand he offered and made the effort to
smile in the same natural and easy fashion he was smiling. But her
heart wasn't in the smile. It was still somewhere in the vicinity of
the bottom of her stomach.

*
* *

A
car had pulled in next to the curb by the sidewalk where she was
strolling with the buggy. The car was following her at walking
speed. If it had been after dark and somewhere other than Arrowhead,
Ruth would have been frightened. As it was, she was merely annoyed.
Whoever it was, she wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of
turning around. She could play deaf with the best of them.

But
when a wolf whistle erupted from close behind her left ear, she
whirled in a fury.

From
the driver's seat of a metallic blue convertible, James Hardcastle
laughed at her expression.

"I
was sure hoping that was you. Lucky thing for me it was. If I'd
whistled at some strange woman with a baby, I might have an angry
husband to answer to."

"I'm
not so sure you're lucky it was me. What makes you think you'll get
off any easier with me?"

"My
good looks and unfailing charm. Good to see you, Ruth. Just wait
till I get this beast properly parked, and I'll step out for a minute
and walk with you."

James
parked and shut off the ignition, then hopped over the side without
bothering to open the door.

"Say,
he's a good size," he said, admiring the sleeping Gabriel in the
buggy. "No need to throw that one back in. He's a keeper if I
ever saw one. How old?"

"Four
months."

"What'd
you name 'im?"

"Gabriel."

"Well,
congratulations!"

"Thanks,"
Ruth said, not bothering to put James in possession of the full set
of facts regarding Gabriel. "What are you doing in Arrowhead?
Are you still living in Camille?"

"Still
in Camille. Not boarding at Mrs. Goodhope's fine establishment any
longer, though."

"Are
you finished your engineering course already? I thought this would
be your last year."

"It
is, and I'm not quite finished. I'll be done by summer. Just on
spring break right now. But I've had a job offer already. Or
rather, an interview I'm on my way to. Just passing through
Arrowhead on my way to Alberta. My interview's not for a few days,
but I was going to go early and spend my week of spring break in the
town where I have the interview, get to know the lay of the land a
little. So I'm not in any rush. I was thinking it would be fun to
look you up while I was going through Arrowhead, but I didn't have
to. Here you are. I'll have to tell you everything that's been
happening with me. But we shouldn't be standing out here shooting
the breeze in the middle of the sidewalk. Is this diner any good?
I'll tell you all about it over a milkshake."

The
pair were standing outside of Judy's Diner.

"I
hear the milkshakes are all right. Not sure about the food. I
haven't actually eaten here if you can believe it," Ruth said.

"Well,
I'm not worried about the food. I'm not hungry. Just parched from
driving. I'm only offering a milkshake. Or a pop, if you'd prefer.
I wouldn't want to buy you a meal even if it is only a hamburger and
french fries. Your husband might object to that. Too much like a
date."

"I'm
widowed," Ruth said simply, thinking it was best to get the
information out of the way at the beginning.

"Oh!"
James flushed and stammered. "I didn't ... I hadn't heard that.
I'm sorry. How long?"

"Not
long. Just since last September."

"Oh."
There was an awkward silence.

"Well,
in that case, have a burger and fries. Order anything you like,"
James said suddenly.

They
laughed and pushed open the door to Judy's. Ruth was enormously
grateful for James' utter lack of curiosity. She wasn't eager to
explain the entire situation.

*
* *

"I've
got to go. I was supposed to meet my mother-in-law outside the Co-op
five minutes ago," Ruth said, just then remembering to look at
her watch.

"Your
shake's only half-finished."

"Can't
help it. It's been great seeing you, but I've got to run."

She
stood up to leave but got no farther than the door. Mom, coming in,
met her going out.

"There
you are! I thought I'd start walking to meet you when I didn't find
you at the Co-op. I saw Doris Steiner, and she told me you'd popped
into Judy's. She must've been watching out the post office window.
She doesn't miss a trick, that one."

"I'm
sorry I'm late. I ran into an old friend I knew from my days in
Camille, and we got chatting, and I forgot to watch the time."

"No
harm done. I was a little early is all. That's why I started out
walking. This must be your friend. How d'you do?"

"Mom,
this is James Hardcastle. James, my mother-in-law."

"Nice
to meet you, Mrs. MacKellum. Sorry to inconvenience you. It was my
fault. I cajoled Ruth into going for a milkshake and then dazzled
her with my scintillating conversation so that she forgot to watch
the time."

Mom
smiled graciously. She was in the process of being charmed; Ruth
could see it.

"Don't
worry. I only picked up a few things at the Co-op, and they weren't
heavy, and it's a gorgeous day to walk, so I didn't mind a bit.
Where are you from, Mr. Hardcastle?"

"James,
please. Right now I'm living in Camille, finishing up my last year
of civil engineering, but I'm on my way to Alberta to see about a
job, and I had some time to burn, so I thought I'd stop and look up
Ruth as I was going through Arrowhead. Oddly enough, I spotted her
as I was driving main street. Guess it was meant to be."

"Were
you planning on staying in Arrowhead tonight?"

"Oh,
no. I just drove from Camille today. I've barely started my trip.
I should be pushing on, really."

"Well,
if you're not in a rush to get to where you're going, why don't you
take room and board with us tonight? Then you and Ruth can have a
good catching-up session."

"Well
..." he hesitated and looked at Ruth. She gave no sign one way
or the other.

"I
could I suppose. I don't have to be in Alberta till Wednesday."

"Good.
It's settled. You can follow us out to the farm. Ruth has the car
parked just down the street. Well, hello, little man. Look who's
awake! Were you a good boy? Did you miss me? Did you miss your
grandma? Come here, then, young man. Come and say hello to your old
grandma."

And
Mrs. MacKellum was lost to any further adult conversation.

*
* *

Once
in the car away from James Hardcastle's listening ears, Ruth said to
her mother-in-law, "Do you think that was wise?"

"What
do you mean? Asking your friend James to stay over? Why on earth
not? He's a friend of yours, isn't he? He seems very nice. I
thought it would be nice for you two to have a little more time
together." She smiled to herself like the proverbial cat in
possession of the proverbial canary.

"Why
don't I like the gleam in your eye?"

"Yes,
why don't you? Why shouldn't I have a gleam in my eye every now and
again?"