Softly and Tenderly (31 page)

“Help me.” Mama stretched out her arms, struggling to sit forward. “I want to get dolled up. And take me outside. Being cooped up in here will take me to the grave faster than the leukemia.”

“Outside, Mama, I don’t know . . .” Jade took hold of one arm, Willow the other.

“Jade, why not? I love this idea.” Of course Willow would.

“This isn’t my finest beauty hour, but here we are together. Other than Jade’s wedding and Mother’s funeral, when were we all in one place?” Mama’s eyes shone. “And getting along? I want us to take pictures, even if I’m not around to enjoy them. Gives me a chance to make up for some things, and don’t you dare deny me, Jade-o.”

“Yeah, Jade-o.” Willow shoved open the window. A cool breeze shot into the room along with the rustle of tree limbs and tweeting birds. “Bonita, muy bonita. Hey, let’s use the old red felt chair of Granny’s . . . the one with the wood frame.”

“Good thinking, Wills.” Mama struggled to her feet. “I think it’s in the attic. Maybe Max can bring it down, help out, feel a part of this family. Jade seems intent on freezing him out.”

“Mama?” Forthright to her dying day.

“Well, am I wrong? Ooo, my bones.” She reached for Willow. “I’d like to be photographed on the Indian mounds.”

“Beryl, fabo idea.” Willow ducked into the closet to gather clothes.

Fabo?
“Hold it.” Jade held up her hands. “We’re not taking you outside, Mama. It may be the first days in April, but it’s still too windy, too cold. You just had pneumonia.”

“Pick warm things, Wills.”

Aiden returned to the room, his camera around his neck, his bag over his shoulder, and a tripod in his hand. “If we move quickly, the light is perfect.”

“Absolutely not. It’s too cold, Aiden.” Did she want to die tonight? Well, Jade just wasn’t ready. Everything in her life was unbalanced, out of control, walking along a high wire, and darn it . . . “No, Mama. Just no.”

“What’s going on?” June commanded the room as she entered. Behind her, Max waited in the hall with Asa in his arms.

“We’re taking Mama outside for a photo shoot.” Willow held up a couple of outfits to the natural light. “June, can you do her hair and makeup?”

“My specialty.”

“What? Am I wood? Isn’t anyone listening to me?” Jade said.

“We hear you and are ignoring you. It’s what Beryl wants.” When did kite-in-the-wind Willow become a general? “Max, can you get the red chair from the attic?”

“Sure.” Max glanced at Asa, then up at the open attic. He started to set Asa down, but hesitated, looking for someone to hold him. All hands were occupied. Except Jade’s. Her role of protester left her hands free. “He fell down the stairs this morning, Jade. Can you watch him?”

“Never mind, I’ll get the chair.”

“Jade, oh come on, that thing weighs a ton. Max will need Aiden to help him. Remember when we tried to carry it . . .” Did Willow have to remember
every
thing?

“Then how did it end up in the attic?”

“Linc and Chancy carried it up there,” Mama said with soft laugh. “Used a pulley.”

When Jade glanced back at Max, he tipped his head to one side. “If you hold him, you won’t melt.”

“And what does that mean?” She motioned to the floor. “Just put him down in here; I’ll make sure he doesn’t run to the stairs.”

Asa wailed the moment his feet touched the floor, raising his arms to Max. “Hey, buddy, it’s okay.” He picked Asa back up, looked at Jade. “A lot of changes for him in the past few weeks. He’s still adjusting, not sure what’s going on.”

“Jade, for crying out loud.” Willow popped out of Mama’s closet. “Hold the baby.”

“If he’s adjusting, he’s sure as heck not going to want me.” Jade glanced around. “June, why don’t you take Asa? I’ll fix Mama’s hair and makeup.”

Max was in front of her, passing off his son. If she didn’t raise her arm, he’d fall. Jade cradled him in the crook of her elbow, pressing her hand to his back to keep him from tipping. “Smooth move, Benson.”

“I had to do something to get you to shut up.” Max went to the hall and tugged on the attic rope. “Aiden, you coming?”

So Max’s son ended up in her arms for the first time. His hazel eyes scoured her face, curious, not afraid.

“H-hey . . .”
Cough
. “. . . you.”

Asa had Max’s expression. His fragrant, clean skin mingled with the Downy scent of his little overalls and slipped through her nose down to her heart. Emotion swelled in her throat.

The boy reared back, his spacious eyes taking in Jade’s face. She braced for his panicked wail. But instead, he raised his little hand and gently touched her cheek, his fingers wiggling up to her eyes.

The sensation in her throat moved to her eyes and burned.
No, no, no
. A
bump!
from the end of the hall broke the spell. The red chair lay on its side with Max and Aiden hanging out of the attic opening.

“I could’ve done that,” Jade said, walking toward them, laughing. “Just tossed it down.”

Asa rested his head on her shoulder and gently wound his fingers through her hair.

“He looks good on you,” Max said as he climbed down the attic steps. “I think he likes you.”

Jade steeled every emotion. He would not manipulate her through her desire for a child. She turned for the bedroom. “Willow, did you find the old suitcase? There are some clothes in there that would be perfect for Mama.”

“Beautiful.” Aiden bent in front of Mama, holding the camera to his eye. The shutter whirred.

June had styled Mama’s hair so the top didn’t appear so thin, and brushed color onto her cheeks and lips. She wore the leather headband Jade found among her treasures along with the tattered moccasins with a pair of forty-year-old bell-bottoms and a yellow, embroidered tunic top. And Paps’s old fatigue jacket.

She’d returned to her former glory. Her eyes shone like the surface of an Iowa pond reflecting the summer sun.

Poised and serene, Mama fixed her even smile for the camera. The budding green of the grass and trees meeting with the sky’s blue and Tank’s rich, textured field created a spectacular backdrop.

Jade watched Mama posing, so happy, so alive, laughing when she made a face just as Aiden snapped the shutter. With a glance over her shoulder, she found Max with the boy over on the bench swing. Asa climbed over him, sitting on his right side, then his left, then sliding off the bench and falling forward onto the ground. He popped up, patting dirt from his hands.

In the two days he’d been on the farm, Max had moved into the basement bedroom with Asa. Linc fixed a gate to keep the boy from climbing the stairs.

Max remained vigilant around Jade, but quiet, doing a lot of work on his iPhone, playing with Asa, and talking with June.

It’d been easy to avoid him, yet easy to observe him. He’d changed. Ever so slightly. Jade couldn’t put her finger on how she knew, but Max had come to a new place in his life.

Rebel’s swearing in was on Friday, so Jade figured he’d leave by Thursday. Why he came in the first place and hung around was beyond her. Seemed he’d have a lot to do, preparing to take over Benson Law.

“Willow, get in the shot . . . stand over Mama’s right shoulder,” Aiden said.

But Willow could never do anything straight up and simple. Jade turned just as her sister flitted around Mama, striking an odd pose, bending backward over her lap. Aiden’s shutter caught her every move.

Aiden lifted his eye from the viewfinder, laughing. “Willow, stand still and smile like you have half a wit in your head.”

“Oh, leave her be, Aiden, and click the shutter.” Dying had done nothing to Mama’s spirit.

Willow flitted and the shutter whirred.

“Jade.” Aiden motioned for her to get in the shot with Mama. “And, I guess, do whatever you want.”

Jade knelt beside Mama and rested her head on her shoulder. She didn’t want goofy or posed. She wanted heart. She wanted to remember Mama’s shoulder, how broad and strong it was even when Jade refused to place her burdens there.

Mama gazed at her, the gentle breeze lacing her hair across her cheek. Aiden whispered, “Beautiful,” and let the shutter fly.

Right in the middle of Aiden posing all three of “the girls,” the redbird Jade had watched the day before fluttered to the ground at Mama’s feet. He peered up at her, then hopped once, landing just beyond her toe.

Aiden lifted his head from behind the camera. Willow stopped flitting and Jade forgot to breathe.

So brave and bold, this little bird, his black eyes on Mama, his tiny red head tipping to one side. Mama leaned forward and whispered, “What is it, little bird?”

Aiden dropped to his belly and squeezed the shutter release.

The bird seemed unaware of anything but Mama. He lifted his beak to the heavens, fluffed his feathers, and sang—a pure, clear tone with a guttural beat. His melody sweetened the breeze. The song ended with a sweet, high, lingering warble.

Tears streamed down Mama’s cheeks. “Oh, little bird. You’ve sung for me.”

The bird switched his gaze toward Jade and hopped toward her, fluffed his wings again, and offered a single, shrill twitter. Then he spread his wings and caught the current and soared. After a few moments, he’d completely disappeared into the sunlight.

A heavy hush remained on them. June’s arm linked with Jade’s. “I do believe God was just here.”

Mama brushed her hand over her cheeks. “And He sang to me.”

Twenty-five

At the kitchen sink, June washed the casserole dishes, empty now after feeding the brood. She’d done more dishes in the past week than a year in Whisper Hollow. She’d forgotten the comfort of soaking her hands in warm, soapy water.

What a beautiful day. June liked the hum and fullness of kids being in and around the house. Even if two of the kids were at odds with one another.

After taking pictures, Aiden and Max dragged out the lawn furniture, cracked open a couple of beers, and sat on the picnic table talking. When June brought out the chips and dip, all of them, Jade included, gathered around, laughing and munching.

And that Asa. What a charmer. Like his granddaddy and daddy.

Warm water rushed over June’s hands as she absently cleared away the suds, gazing out the window, night gathering round. Max was a good son. A good man. And he belonged to Reb.

But the truth? She didn’t know for sure. She told Jade she was already pregnant when she met Bill, and she had made love with Rebel a few nights before. Spent the night with Bill. Made love with Rebel when she came home. So passionately that night. The next month she was pregnant. Reb had to be Max’s daddy. Had to be.

But doubt remained in the fruit.

June had heard through Queenie that Bill had five children and three times as many grandchildren.

June and Rebel had one. Then none. With a heavy sigh, she placed the dish in the drainer.

Carla said she’d come by after her book club and pick up the dishes.

A flame flickered. Look there, Linc had brought over tiki torches.
Well now.
How lovely. And there goes Max with Aiden and Linc. What are those three about?

Jade talked with Beryl and Willow.

Seeing her with Asa earlier about had June in tears. If her daughter-in-law would just let down and stop holding on to her right to be angry. Though, mercy a’mighty, that crazy boy deserved to have nails spit at him. What was he thinking bedding Rice the week before his wedding? Couldn’t even claim he was drunk.

Just stupid.

The fellas came around the barn with shovels, Linc with an armload of wood, and aimed for the fire pit. Beryl’s smile was brighter than the tiki flames.

June dried her hands and headed upstairs for her jacket and a blanket for Beryl. They could scoot her close to the fire, but not too close . . . the smoke would be too much for her lungs.

By the time she came out, Beryl was by the fire pit. Jade took the blanket and wrapped it around her mama while giving Linc and Willow drink and food orders.

“Marshmallows, graham crackers, and Hershey’s?”

“Yeah, we know how to make s’mores, Jade. What else?” Willow bumped Linc with her hip. He bit his lips trying to hold in his smile. Seems somebody was smitten.

“Mama, do you want a chocolate shake?” Jade knelt in front of Beryl. She loved shakes.

“I believe I do. But a small one, Willow. Not a medium, a small.”

“Got it.” Willow turned to Aiden and Max. “Want anything?” The boys claimed to be “all good.”

As Linc and Willow hopped in his truck, Jade called after them, “Hey, no stopping to mess around.”

June gave her a wide-eyed what-in-the-world look.

“They used to have a thing.”

“Oh my.”

“Jade, hush,” Willow called. “I’m not like that anymore.” She ducked inside the cab, but land sakes, didn’t June see Linc pause, glance through the window at Willow, and let his shoulders droop.

Good for Willow. Part of maturing is changing. Stop leading with one’s heart. One’s lusts. Choosing self-control over wanton desire.

“You doing okay, Beryl?” June fixed the blanket around her legs.

“I’m doing better than okay.” Beryl’s hand patted June’s. “I’m perfect.”

As Aiden and Max stoked the fire, Carla Colter parked by the house, shouting a “hey there” as she came across the lawn.