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Authors: Elizabeth Goddard
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explore the farm. She’d lost track of time, and as a result, they would have to eat a late dinner. While she stored the stroller in the mudroom, Chad wandered through the entryway to the kitchen. She trailed behind him then marched to the sink to wash her hands and splash water over her face.
“Juice, juice…” Chad pointed to the plastic apple juice container she’d left on the counter earlier. Only it was empty.
“I’m sorry, it’s all gone. How about water?” She filled his cup with the filtered bottled water she’d purchased. Every time she watched Grandpa drink from the tap, she squirmed. She wasn’t accustomed to drinking the hard water on the farm.
The child took a sip then threw the cup on the floor, shaking his head. “No. I want juice.”
Riley huffed and lifted Chad, hoping to distract him. “How about milk?” She set him in the high chair and buckled him in. “Better yet, how about chocolate milk?” At the moment, she didn’t want to risk his discontent with her new suggestion and would try anything to please him.
Tired and frustrated, she allowed her mind to think about her life in California. After a long day, she had time to kick off her shoes and recuperate, even though she had brought work home. Things were different with a child.
She opened the freezer to rummage through its offerings. Grandpa stomped his boots outside before entering the mudroom. He appeared in the kitchen wearing socks, his clothes covered with grease and dirt.
Riley gasped. “Grandpa. You look a mess.”
“The irrigation pump’s broken. It’s beyond repair, so I’m going to need a new one.”
She closed her eyes at his statement. Everything was breaking at once. She stifled her desire to ask him if he’d replaced or upgraded anything in all these years. She was here to help, not hurt.
“I’ve got to get cleaned up. Say, you wouldn’t mind popping in a frozen dinner for me, would you?” he asked.
Riley stared at the diminishing contents of the freezer. “You know, I need to do some shopping. I’m sorry that we’ve been eating everything. I need to share the responsibilities; I just haven’t had time.”
Though she’d decided to live in her grandfather’s house and divide the expenses, she hoped to have a place of her own at some point.
“Grandpa, what do you like to eat?” She glanced at the tray standing by his favorite recliner in the living area. “You can’t exist on TV dinners all the time.”
“If you want to cook something for you and Chad, I might share a bite with you.” He grinned. “Whatever you decide will be fine with me.”
After washing his hands with grime-removing soap, he grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water from the faucet. She would have to encourage him to clean up in the bathroom. Maybe she could talk him into drinking purified water, too.
He emptied the glass then sighed. “You know, your grandmother did all the cooking. I never learned. Since it has been just me here, it hasn’t been worth the effort.” He headed through the living room and up the stairs to his bedroom.
Great, just great.
Not only was she going to raise a child and run a farm; she’d have to learn to cook. She understood her grandfather’s sentiment, because she hadn’t made the effort to cook for herself much, either, but she’d soon have to pick up the skill. She looked over at Chad, who busied himself with the empty plastic juice bottle he’d somehow managed to reach from the counter.
“I’m sorry, I forgot all about your chocolate milk.” Riley retrieved the jug from the fridge and noticed this would be Chad’s last cup until she went to the store. Unless, of course, he was willing to accept water. Maybe she could stretch it into two cups if she only poured him half. She stirred in some chocolate syrup, something she kept on hand for stressful moments. After handing the cup to Chad, she poured a spoonful of the delightful syrup and stuck it in her
“Juice, juice…” Chad pointed to the plastic apple juice container she’d left on the counter earlier. Only it was empty.
“I’m sorry, it’s all gone. How about water?” She filled his cup with the filtered bottled water she’d purchased. Every time she watched Grandpa drink from the tap, she squirmed. She wasn’t accustomed to drinking the hard water on the farm.
The child took a sip then threw the cup on the floor, shaking his head. “No. I want juice.”
Riley huffed and lifted Chad, hoping to distract him. “How about milk?” She set him in the high chair and buckled him in. “Better yet, how about chocolate milk?” At the moment, she didn’t want to risk his discontent with her new suggestion and would try anything to please him.
Tired and frustrated, she allowed her mind to think about her life in California. After a long day, she had time to kick off her shoes and recuperate, even though she had brought work home. Things were different with a child.
She opened the freezer to rummage through its offerings. Grandpa stomped his boots outside before entering the mudroom. He appeared in the kitchen wearing socks, his clothes covered with grease and dirt.
Riley gasped. “Grandpa. You look a mess.”
“The irrigation pump’s broken. It’s beyond repair, so I’m going to need a new one.”
She closed her eyes at his statement. Everything was breaking at once. She stifled her desire to ask him if he’d replaced or upgraded anything in all these years. She was here to help, not hurt.
“I’ve got to get cleaned up. Say, you wouldn’t mind popping in a frozen dinner for me, would you?” he asked.
Riley stared at the diminishing contents of the freezer. “You know, I need to do some shopping. I’m sorry that we’ve been eating everything. I need to share the responsibilities; I just haven’t had time.”
Though she’d decided to live in her grandfather’s house and divide the expenses, she hoped to have a place of her own at some point.
“Grandpa, what do you like to eat?” She glanced at the tray standing by his favorite recliner in the living area. “You can’t exist on TV dinners all the time.”
“If you want to cook something for you and Chad, I might share a bite with you.” He grinned. “Whatever you decide will be fine with me.”
After washing his hands with grime-removing soap, he grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water from the faucet. She would have to encourage him to clean up in the bathroom. Maybe she could talk him into drinking purified water, too.
He emptied the glass then sighed. “You know, your grandmother did all the cooking. I never learned. Since it has been just me here, it hasn’t been worth the effort.” He headed through the living room and up the stairs to his bedroom.
Great, just great.
Not only was she going to raise a child and run a farm; she’d have to learn to cook. She understood her grandfather’s sentiment, because she hadn’t made the effort to cook for herself much, either, but she’d soon have to pick up the skill. She looked over at Chad, who busied himself with the empty plastic juice bottle he’d somehow managed to reach from the counter.
“I’m sorry, I forgot all about your chocolate milk.” Riley retrieved the jug from the fridge and noticed this would be Chad’s last cup until she went to the store. Unless, of course, he was willing to accept water. Maybe she could stretch it into two cups if she only poured him half. She stirred in some chocolate syrup, something she kept on hand for stressful moments. After handing the cup to Chad, she poured a spoonful of the delightful syrup and stuck it in her
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