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Authors: Gilbert Morris
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question! Of course not.”
“But if you’ve got more children to love, you’ll have to divide your love up,” Kat said. “It’s like a pie. If you got one pie, and you’ve got four people to eat it, you cut four slices. But if there are five or six, you have to make the slices smaller.So you can’t love me as much because you have to give some of your love to Temple and Sam and Michael.”
“What an idea!” Lewis said. He reached over and pulled the girl into his arms, knowing her desire for affection. He thought for a moment, trying to find a way to put it that would assure her of the very deep love he had for this youngest daughter of his. “Love isn’t like a pie. It’s just the opposite. True enough with a pie you’ve only got so much to give away, but with love the more you give away, the more you have.”
“Is that right?”
“It’s absolutely right, and I want you to always give it away. For if you keep it, it spoils and goes bad, like milk that’s not used.”
Kat pondered this for what seemed like a long time. Both of the men were watching her, fascinated by the processes of her mind. She was the brightest and most inquisitive youngster either of them had ever seen, and finally she sighed and smiled brilliantly. “I’m glad you told me, Daddy. Now I won’t have to worry about that.”
“Why, of course not. We all have those boys to love, and you’re going to have a fine time helping raise them.”
“I will too! Ma’s going to let me change a diaper pretty soon.”
“That’s quite an honor.” Lewis made a face at Clint.
“Come on, Daddy, let’s go hunting. You promised me you’d take me.”
“I’ve got to help Clint with this.”
Clint said quickly. “I’m about finished up here. You might as well take her while it’s daylight, Lewis.”
“All right. We’ll do it. Come along, Kat.”
The two left and Clint watched them go, conscious, as always, of the miracle of family. He had been alone for so long in his own life that he had known nothing of family love, but the Winslows had shown him the wonder of it. And after he had married Hannah, he felt closer to the Winslows than ever.
He watched for a moment as father and daughter left thehouse, the dog bounding along at their heels. Lewis was carrying the shotgun, and Clint could hear Kat begging to be allowed to carry it and Lewis denying her the privilege.
“Where are those two going?”
Clint turned, surprised, and saw that Hannah had come out.
“They’re going out to scare squirrels. I think they’re pretty safe, though. I’ve never figured out how Lewis could be a war hero when he can’t hit the side of a barn except with a shotgun.” He stood up, stretched, and asked, “How’s Missouri?”
“She’s doing fine.”
“She’s a wonderful woman. I’ve never known anybody quite like her.”
“She’s not the woman I would’ve thought Daddy would have fallen in love with, but they make a perfect match.”
Clint reached over, pulled the rag out, and wiped the grease from his hand, then came over to pull her into his arms. “No more perfect than we are,” he smiled. He kissed her and then shook his head. “Every day I wake up thinking the dream will be over and I’ll be back on the road or in a jail somewhere. And here I am with the prettiest wife in the whole world and the sweetest.”
Hannah had done without male appreciation most of her life. As a young woman, she had had a bad experience with a man and then had lived the life of a recluse, avoiding all men for years. But she had always longed for such words as this, and now life seemed to glow within her, and she reached up and put her hand on his cheek. “I’ve got something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“We’re going to have a baby, Clint.”
Clint stood staring at her and shook his head as if he hadn’t heard, and then he saw the smile on her face. He let out a whoop. “A baby! Well, glory to God!” He put his arms around her
“But if you’ve got more children to love, you’ll have to divide your love up,” Kat said. “It’s like a pie. If you got one pie, and you’ve got four people to eat it, you cut four slices. But if there are five or six, you have to make the slices smaller.So you can’t love me as much because you have to give some of your love to Temple and Sam and Michael.”
“What an idea!” Lewis said. He reached over and pulled the girl into his arms, knowing her desire for affection. He thought for a moment, trying to find a way to put it that would assure her of the very deep love he had for this youngest daughter of his. “Love isn’t like a pie. It’s just the opposite. True enough with a pie you’ve only got so much to give away, but with love the more you give away, the more you have.”
“Is that right?”
“It’s absolutely right, and I want you to always give it away. For if you keep it, it spoils and goes bad, like milk that’s not used.”
Kat pondered this for what seemed like a long time. Both of the men were watching her, fascinated by the processes of her mind. She was the brightest and most inquisitive youngster either of them had ever seen, and finally she sighed and smiled brilliantly. “I’m glad you told me, Daddy. Now I won’t have to worry about that.”
“Why, of course not. We all have those boys to love, and you’re going to have a fine time helping raise them.”
“I will too! Ma’s going to let me change a diaper pretty soon.”
“That’s quite an honor.” Lewis made a face at Clint.
“Come on, Daddy, let’s go hunting. You promised me you’d take me.”
“I’ve got to help Clint with this.”
Clint said quickly. “I’m about finished up here. You might as well take her while it’s daylight, Lewis.”
“All right. We’ll do it. Come along, Kat.”
The two left and Clint watched them go, conscious, as always, of the miracle of family. He had been alone for so long in his own life that he had known nothing of family love, but the Winslows had shown him the wonder of it. And after he had married Hannah, he felt closer to the Winslows than ever.
He watched for a moment as father and daughter left thehouse, the dog bounding along at their heels. Lewis was carrying the shotgun, and Clint could hear Kat begging to be allowed to carry it and Lewis denying her the privilege.
“Where are those two going?”
Clint turned, surprised, and saw that Hannah had come out.
“They’re going out to scare squirrels. I think they’re pretty safe, though. I’ve never figured out how Lewis could be a war hero when he can’t hit the side of a barn except with a shotgun.” He stood up, stretched, and asked, “How’s Missouri?”
“She’s doing fine.”
“She’s a wonderful woman. I’ve never known anybody quite like her.”
“She’s not the woman I would’ve thought Daddy would have fallen in love with, but they make a perfect match.”
Clint reached over, pulled the rag out, and wiped the grease from his hand, then came over to pull her into his arms. “No more perfect than we are,” he smiled. He kissed her and then shook his head. “Every day I wake up thinking the dream will be over and I’ll be back on the road or in a jail somewhere. And here I am with the prettiest wife in the whole world and the sweetest.”
Hannah had done without male appreciation most of her life. As a young woman, she had had a bad experience with a man and then had lived the life of a recluse, avoiding all men for years. But she had always longed for such words as this, and now life seemed to glow within her, and she reached up and put her hand on his cheek. “I’ve got something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“We’re going to have a baby, Clint.”
Clint stood staring at her and shook his head as if he hadn’t heard, and then he saw the smile on her face. He let out a whoop. “A baby! Well, glory to God!” He put his arms around her
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