Read Online Glorious Montana Sky (The Montana Sky Series) by Debra Holland - Free Book Online
Authors: Debra Holland
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stands out.”
The quiet words settled into the hollowness in Joshua’s soul, warming him. “Well. . .” He trailed off.
Jonah grinned. “Once Lina came into my life, she changed everything. Church or Mass every Sunday that we can make it to town.”
Lina Barrett lifted her chin in obvious satisfaction.
Joshua clapped his hand on the side of Jonah’s shoulder. “A good wife is above rubies.” He smiled at Lina. “I’m glad things changed for you.”
“Like night and day.” Jonah nodded toward the children with him. “This is my son, Adam, and my daughter, Maria.”
Joshua glanced from the girl with the curly brown hair in Jonah’s arms to Adam who’d been eying Micah. He broke into a grin. “I can’t believe you have children.”
Jonah’s green eyes sparkled. “So do you.”
“I know. But I still remember us as so young.”
Seth Flanigan stepped forward and playfully jostled Jonah. “Let someone else get in a word, Barrett,” he said in a teasing tone, reaching out to shake Joshua’s hand.
Joshua barely recalled Seth. The son of a saloon girl, the older boy had kept to himself in school and hadn’t attended church.
Seth held a toddler who possessed the same compelling gray eyes as his father.
Joshua glanced at a girl, who looked almost Micah’s age, standing next to a pretty blonde woman in the early stage of pregnancy, and then at the young one in her arms. Both children had the gray Flanigan eyes.
Seth introduced his wife, Trudy, who wore a fashionable blue gown and matching hat.
“My sister and her husband are missionaries in Africa,” Mrs. Flanigan said. “Do you know Anna and Martin Ramsey?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t.” Joshua shook his head. “Where in Africa? We were in Uganda.”
“Cameroon.”
“Ah, I know some information about Cameroon and would be glad to discuss it with you, give you details of the life of a missionary and his family.”
Smiling, Mrs. Flanigan placed a hand on her chest. “I’d like that. Thank you, Reverend Norton. I dearly miss Anna.” She pulled her daughter to her side in a hug as if needing comfort.
The Barrett and Flanigan children looked well-fed and well-dressed, bright expressions on their faces—as different as could be from the thin, scruffy boys their fathers had once been.
Seeing the two happy families made Joshua realize what he was missing. I want what they have: a stable home blessed with an abundance of joy, me having meaningful work, and Micah with a happy smile on his face.
Micah and Adam Barrett warily eyed each other—a pair of male dogs sniffing, not sure whether to fight or be friends.
Adam pulled a wooden slingshot out of a pocket.
Micah’s expression brightened. “I have one, too. Father made me pack it in the trunk. Can I see yours?” He set down the valise and held out his hand.
The locomotive behind them gave a hiss and a chortle. The whistle blew, and the train inched forward.
The Barrett boy handed his over.
Micah studied the slingshot. “Mine is made of wood with a figure carved here.” He pointed to the Y. “These are the legs.”
“Come, Micah,” Joshua said. “We are keeping your grandparents waiting. Give Adam back his slingshot. Perhaps you two can go hunting later.”
Micah’s face closed up, obviously remembering the hunting he’d done in Uganda with his friends. He returned the slingshot and picked up the valise.
Mrs. Barrett leaned forward toward Micah. The breeze lifted a strand of hair from her chignon. The corkscrew curl bounced against her cheek. “Your grandmother told me about you on our wedding day,” she said to the boy and glanced over at Mrs. Flanigan. “Do you remember that conversation, Trudy?”
The other woman nodded, her expression nostalgic. “I do.” She looked over at Joshua’s mother. “Dear Mrs. Norton. You were worried about baby Micah, whether he’d be healthy in Africa. Yet, here he is, safe and sound, reunited with you. The answer to your
The quiet words settled into the hollowness in Joshua’s soul, warming him. “Well. . .” He trailed off.
Jonah grinned. “Once Lina came into my life, she changed everything. Church or Mass every Sunday that we can make it to town.”
Lina Barrett lifted her chin in obvious satisfaction.
Joshua clapped his hand on the side of Jonah’s shoulder. “A good wife is above rubies.” He smiled at Lina. “I’m glad things changed for you.”
“Like night and day.” Jonah nodded toward the children with him. “This is my son, Adam, and my daughter, Maria.”
Joshua glanced from the girl with the curly brown hair in Jonah’s arms to Adam who’d been eying Micah. He broke into a grin. “I can’t believe you have children.”
Jonah’s green eyes sparkled. “So do you.”
“I know. But I still remember us as so young.”
Seth Flanigan stepped forward and playfully jostled Jonah. “Let someone else get in a word, Barrett,” he said in a teasing tone, reaching out to shake Joshua’s hand.
Joshua barely recalled Seth. The son of a saloon girl, the older boy had kept to himself in school and hadn’t attended church.
Seth held a toddler who possessed the same compelling gray eyes as his father.
Joshua glanced at a girl, who looked almost Micah’s age, standing next to a pretty blonde woman in the early stage of pregnancy, and then at the young one in her arms. Both children had the gray Flanigan eyes.
Seth introduced his wife, Trudy, who wore a fashionable blue gown and matching hat.
“My sister and her husband are missionaries in Africa,” Mrs. Flanigan said. “Do you know Anna and Martin Ramsey?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t.” Joshua shook his head. “Where in Africa? We were in Uganda.”
“Cameroon.”
“Ah, I know some information about Cameroon and would be glad to discuss it with you, give you details of the life of a missionary and his family.”
Smiling, Mrs. Flanigan placed a hand on her chest. “I’d like that. Thank you, Reverend Norton. I dearly miss Anna.” She pulled her daughter to her side in a hug as if needing comfort.
The Barrett and Flanigan children looked well-fed and well-dressed, bright expressions on their faces—as different as could be from the thin, scruffy boys their fathers had once been.
Seeing the two happy families made Joshua realize what he was missing. I want what they have: a stable home blessed with an abundance of joy, me having meaningful work, and Micah with a happy smile on his face.
Micah and Adam Barrett warily eyed each other—a pair of male dogs sniffing, not sure whether to fight or be friends.
Adam pulled a wooden slingshot out of a pocket.
Micah’s expression brightened. “I have one, too. Father made me pack it in the trunk. Can I see yours?” He set down the valise and held out his hand.
The locomotive behind them gave a hiss and a chortle. The whistle blew, and the train inched forward.
The Barrett boy handed his over.
Micah studied the slingshot. “Mine is made of wood with a figure carved here.” He pointed to the Y. “These are the legs.”
“Come, Micah,” Joshua said. “We are keeping your grandparents waiting. Give Adam back his slingshot. Perhaps you two can go hunting later.”
Micah’s face closed up, obviously remembering the hunting he’d done in Uganda with his friends. He returned the slingshot and picked up the valise.
Mrs. Barrett leaned forward toward Micah. The breeze lifted a strand of hair from her chignon. The corkscrew curl bounced against her cheek. “Your grandmother told me about you on our wedding day,” she said to the boy and glanced over at Mrs. Flanigan. “Do you remember that conversation, Trudy?”
The other woman nodded, her expression nostalgic. “I do.” She looked over at Joshua’s mother. “Dear Mrs. Norton. You were worried about baby Micah, whether he’d be healthy in Africa. Yet, here he is, safe and sound, reunited with you. The answer to your
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