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Authors: Carolyne Aarsen
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kids alternately cleaned up and entertained mine.
I shot a yearning glance over my shoulder at the chaos of the kitchen and the kids. Call me immature, but that party seemed
like much more fun.
“So, Mom, how are you doing? Really?” Judy asked point-blank during a lull in the conversation. “Keith's been gone two months
now. Have you heard from him?”
Wilma shook her head as she toyed with her wedding ring and released a long, slow sigh. “Not a thing. It's like our marriage
never even existed.” Wilma's voice wavered. The hint of vulnerability softened the starch in my spine I habitually felt around
her. I grasped that moment of pity I couldn't find when she was her usual pillar of strength. She pressed trembling fingers
against her cheeks. “I wish I knew what God is trying to teach me through this.”
A heavy silence followed that remark, and I resisted my usual urge to fill it.
Give me a sucking chest wound or a broken arm and I was Mrs. Capable and Efficient.
Broken hearts and questions about God were best left to those with more experience and wisdom.
Gloria patted her mother's shoulder instead. “God will make His purpose clear, Mother. We have to be patient.”
“But what are you and Dan going to do about the farm in the meantime?” the ever-practical Judy asked, her elbows resting on
her knees man-style. “Let's be honest, Mom. Keith was a worse farmer than he was a stepfather.”
“Judy, you shouldn't say that,” Gloria protested, glancing at me as if to gauge my reaction. “Keith did the best he could
with what he had.”
“Hey, Glor, is it time for your medication or mine?” Judy said in exasperation. “Keith was lazy. Straight up.”
“Judy, that isn't humorous,” Wilma said, but her tone held an air of resignation.
“I'm dead serious,” Judy continued. “Forgive and forget is important, but let's be realistic, Mom. He wasn't treating you
well the past few years. And we all know Dan left the farm because of Keith. This isn't classified. I'm sure Leslie knows
that he was a lousy stepdad.” She glanced at me, singling me out and in a moment of what could be described only as non-inspiration,
I gave a lame shrug.
“Now, now, Judy. That'll do.” Dayton put his hand on Judy's shoulder in a “down, girl” gesture that netted an angry glare,
but when she saw Dayton's smile, she laughed herself and sat back. Dayton turned to Dan. “Now that we've covered the past
we're supposed to forget, I'm sure you and Mom have gone over the bank stuff. Why don't you tell us how it's doing?”
Dan's shoulder drifted up as he glanced at Wilma. “Mom has a better handle on the money part than I do right now. I've been
concentrating on getting the cows fed and going over the equipment in time for spring seeding.”
I felt embarrassed for my husband. Wilma should have brought him up to speed on the farm's finances, but it was as if Wilma
had regained control and wasn't going to relinquish it too quickly. Which made me even more convinced that the farm needed
to be assessed before Dan did one more minute of work on it.
“I know each of you has your own farm and your own problems to deal with,”Wilma said, “but I hoped you could give Dan some
advice. He's been away from the farm for a while, and I'm sure he could use the help.”
I tried to catch Dan's eye, but the shag carpeting held his intense concentration.
Wilma informed everyone of the farm's financial affairs. Though it seemed the farm was doing well, it hadn't prospered under
Keith's tenure. Equipment hadn't been maintained, and land had been mismanaged. Income was steady, but it was down. The farm
would need an input of cash before Dan put a crop in. Gerrit recommended a short-term loan. The wheat futures were good, as
were cattle prices. With proper and diligent care, the farm looked like it might pull out of its current slump and pay it
back.
Which meant that the farm would be worth more
I shot a yearning glance over my shoulder at the chaos of the kitchen and the kids. Call me immature, but that party seemed
like much more fun.
“So, Mom, how are you doing? Really?” Judy asked point-blank during a lull in the conversation. “Keith's been gone two months
now. Have you heard from him?”
Wilma shook her head as she toyed with her wedding ring and released a long, slow sigh. “Not a thing. It's like our marriage
never even existed.” Wilma's voice wavered. The hint of vulnerability softened the starch in my spine I habitually felt around
her. I grasped that moment of pity I couldn't find when she was her usual pillar of strength. She pressed trembling fingers
against her cheeks. “I wish I knew what God is trying to teach me through this.”
A heavy silence followed that remark, and I resisted my usual urge to fill it.
Give me a sucking chest wound or a broken arm and I was Mrs. Capable and Efficient.
Broken hearts and questions about God were best left to those with more experience and wisdom.
Gloria patted her mother's shoulder instead. “God will make His purpose clear, Mother. We have to be patient.”
“But what are you and Dan going to do about the farm in the meantime?” the ever-practical Judy asked, her elbows resting on
her knees man-style. “Let's be honest, Mom. Keith was a worse farmer than he was a stepfather.”
“Judy, you shouldn't say that,” Gloria protested, glancing at me as if to gauge my reaction. “Keith did the best he could
with what he had.”
“Hey, Glor, is it time for your medication or mine?” Judy said in exasperation. “Keith was lazy. Straight up.”
“Judy, that isn't humorous,” Wilma said, but her tone held an air of resignation.
“I'm dead serious,” Judy continued. “Forgive and forget is important, but let's be realistic, Mom. He wasn't treating you
well the past few years. And we all know Dan left the farm because of Keith. This isn't classified. I'm sure Leslie knows
that he was a lousy stepdad.” She glanced at me, singling me out and in a moment of what could be described only as non-inspiration,
I gave a lame shrug.
“Now, now, Judy. That'll do.” Dayton put his hand on Judy's shoulder in a “down, girl” gesture that netted an angry glare,
but when she saw Dayton's smile, she laughed herself and sat back. Dayton turned to Dan. “Now that we've covered the past
we're supposed to forget, I'm sure you and Mom have gone over the bank stuff. Why don't you tell us how it's doing?”
Dan's shoulder drifted up as he glanced at Wilma. “Mom has a better handle on the money part than I do right now. I've been
concentrating on getting the cows fed and going over the equipment in time for spring seeding.”
I felt embarrassed for my husband. Wilma should have brought him up to speed on the farm's finances, but it was as if Wilma
had regained control and wasn't going to relinquish it too quickly. Which made me even more convinced that the farm needed
to be assessed before Dan did one more minute of work on it.
“I know each of you has your own farm and your own problems to deal with,”Wilma said, “but I hoped you could give Dan some
advice. He's been away from the farm for a while, and I'm sure he could use the help.”
I tried to catch Dan's eye, but the shag carpeting held his intense concentration.
Wilma informed everyone of the farm's financial affairs. Though it seemed the farm was doing well, it hadn't prospered under
Keith's tenure. Equipment hadn't been maintained, and land had been mismanaged. Income was steady, but it was down. The farm
would need an input of cash before Dan put a crop in. Gerrit recommended a short-term loan. The wheat futures were good, as
were cattle prices. With proper and diligent care, the farm looked like it might pull out of its current slump and pay it
back.
Which meant that the farm would be worth more
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