Read Online Montana Morning by Sharon Flesch - Free Book Online Page A

volunteered to stay in and
help Adrianna move a few things around upstairs. 
    Will stopped at
the door and looked back at them.  “By the way, I got to wonderin’ last
night, how is Scotty going to make it up and down the stairs?”
    “On his butt, one
step at a time,” Adrianna explained.  “When my son, Chad broke his leg
skiing, that’s how he did it and it worked just great.”  She looked up
from the sink to see Will shaking his head in wonder.  “Builds shoulder
muscles, too.”
    ***
    Jack and Adrianna
moved the single bed into the room next to Adrianna’s and all the sewing
equipment into the attic room she would use for a classroom. 
    She asked Jack to
help her sort and store the boxes scattered around the room.  “I don’t
feel right about going through your things,” she explained.
    “I don’t
mind.  Actually it’s kind of interesting.  An attic is like a history
book in 3-D,” he replied, as he looked around the room.  “Aren’t you going
to need a table or desk in here?”
    “A desk or table,
two chairs, broom, mop, dust pan . . .”
    “Whoa!  Hold
your horses, gal.  I’ll get the table and chairs out of the cubbies under
the eaves.  You’ll find all the cleaning supplies in the cupboard, next to
the freezer on the back porch,” he finished, as he ducked through the short
door in the wall.  By the time she arrived back upstairs, he had all the
boxes next to the table and was sorting.
     She started
cleaning on the far end of the room.  The window was large and after
washing off years of grime, she discovered a wonderful view of the mountains
and high pastures, covered with early morning sunshine.  She was standing
absorbing the beauty, when she heard Jack clear his throat. She turned to find
him grinning at her.
    “If you’re going
to take a break every fifteen minutes, this may take a while,” he chuckled.
    “Slave driver!”
 The toys in his hand caught her eye.  “Toy soldiers, how many did
you have?” she asked, as she rushed over to the table and looked into the box.
    “Boxes full,
why?  Planning war games?”
    “Sort of.  As
a matter of fact, playing games is a wonderful and painless way to teach.” She
glanced over at him across the small table.  “Would you mind if I used
them?”
    Jack shook his
head and went back under the eaves.  He came back with four more boxes of
soldiers.  “Do you want a folding table too?” he asked, heading back even
before she answered. 
    ***
    Both rooms were
finished and sparkling clean by the time Will and Andy got back to the house
for lunch.  Adrianna had whipped up a batch of baking powder biscuits to
go with the leftovers, and Jack gave Will and Andy a tour of the upstairs,
while she set the table.
    “Looks just fine
up there,” Will offered, as he sat down and dished up his plate.  “Think
we can make Scotty feel at home here, Adrianna?” 
    She could feel the
men watching her as she returned to the stove for the coffee pot.  “Can
you love him?”
    “Of course, we
can.” Will replied, when he finally found his voice.  “How can you ask
that?”
    “I can ask because,
even with the best of intentions, sometimes people are impossible to like, let
alone love.”  Her eyes went from each man’s face to the next. 
“Scotty has a lot of scars, not just physical ones.  I have an idea he’s
going to put us all through the wringer more than once.”  She looked to
Jack for support.
    “I think what
she’s trying to say is we’re all going to have to be patient with him,” he
added.
    “Patient, but
firm,” she said, as she poured the hot liquid into their cups.  “Just like
you need to be patient with me, until I learn to make coffee like Will’s.”
    “Heaven Forbid!”
Jack and Andy roared, tipping their chairs back on two legs.
    “And firm, just
like I’ll be, until I teach you not to abuse the furniture,” she growled,
giving them a withering glare.
    ***
    The men headed for
the barns for