Hi friends. I hope you all are having a pleasant New Year. With the rush of Christmas behind us, I’m settling in to more writing time. In addition to “Come Away To the Meadow” I’m also writing and illustrating a children’s book about a trumpeter swan pair named Loyal and Penny. Not only does it entertain, but it helps children learn about nature and how to interact with swans and ducks. Over the years, I’ve had a difficult time trying to decide what to do with my painting skills. I finally settled on using my art for children’s books. That’s in addition to my adult books. So I keep fairly busy doing both.
For those of you who enjoy my romance novels, “Legend of the Lake” and “Before You Find Me” are both available on my website: www.sherischofield.com. For those who enjoy heart-pounding suspense, my book “One Step Ahead of the Devil” is also available. It is the true story of a battle I fought to save my husband’s life against incredible odds. I had to write under the pen name S. M. Hausen to protect my identity at the time. This one appeals to men, too. Every man who has read it did so in one sitting, refusing to put it down even to go to bed!
Today, though, let me share with you the next chapter of “Come Away To The Meadow..”
Blessings,
Sheri Schofield
Chapter 6
Ramie held onto the saddle horn and wiggled forward. Ethan mounted carefully behind him, holding onto the reins. With one hand around Ramie’s waist, he adjusted the reins and nudged Buck into a slow walk.
Lord, keep Ethan and Ramie in your peace tonight. I saw the pain on Ethan’s face when he learned about Jodie’s death, and the bewilderment when he met Ramie. I saw Ramie’s sorrow when he said good-bye to Becka. He’s lost his mommy, his grandma, and his aunt. Comfort this child, Lord! Comfort them both. For Ethan, the sun rose and set on Jodie. I don’t know where I fit into all this. But I know you brought me here for them.
I watched Ethan and Ramie ride back home, my heart going with them both. How would Ramie feel without anyone familiar near-by?
***
Later that night, Ethan laid a sleeping Ramie in the twin bed he had moved into his room. He didn’t want the toddler to awaken and be all alone in the dark. Rummaging around in the kitchen, he found a night light and plugged it into the wall near Ramie’s bed. Perfect. That should do it.
With a sigh, he sat down on his own bed and sat looking at his son. Pulling off his boots, he lay down and pulled one of his mom’s quilts over himself, but he couldn’t sleep. Staring at the ceiling in the semi-darkness, he thought back over his day. What a strange mixture of emotions! His ordinarily methodical thoughts were a complete jumble.
Jodie! I can’t believe you’re gone. My heart is breaking again for you … I wonder if the pain will ever go away? I thought I was over losing you. But somewhere in my heart, I couldn’t quite believe you would truly disappear from my life. I still had hope. Until today. Oh, Jodie. Why didn’t you tell me about our baby? How could you do that? Did I hurt you so much by not spending enough time with you? Jodie, my love. I thought I was healing. But today Becka pulled the scab off the wound, and I’m hurting all over again.
Skye. What comfort she’s been to me. I trust her to help me with our son. That’s strange because I haven’t trusted anyone since you left, Jodie. I trust Skye, though. She will help Ramie and me. We’re going to be okay. I’m sorry I failed you.
Our son! Oh, Jodie, he is precious. I’ve never felt such a strong sense of protection as I did when Becka placed him in my arms.
Tears flowed down his cheeks in the night until sometime in the late hours, he fell asleep.
Early in the morning before the sun arose, he awoke suddenly to the sound of sobs. Ramie was sitting up in bed. “Mommy!” he called. “Where are you, Mommy?”
Ethan slid out from under the quilt and reached for Ramie, drawing the crying child into his arms. His own eyes blurred with tears. “It’s okay, Ramie. Daddy’s here,” he murmured tenderly.
He moved back to his own bed and lay down, settling his son against his shoulder and pulling the quilt over them. It wasn’t long before Ramie began to calm down, safe in his father’s arms.
The next thing Ethan knew, his phone alarm began beeping. He started to turn to reach for it, but his shoulder was weighed down. Ramie lay snuggled up close to him, his head on Ethan’s shoulder and his arm thrown across his daddy’s chest.
“Rise and shine, Ramie,” Ethan said softly, leaning over and kissing Ramie’s hair.
The child’s eyes opened sleepily, and he yawned. Looking up at Ethan’s face, he said, “’Mornin’ Daddy. Are we gonna ride horseys today?”
Ethan sat up and lifted Ramey to his feet on the bed. “We will later. Right now, we need to get dressed and have breakfast. Then I’m taking you over to Skye’s house. She has horseys, too.”
“Okay.”
An hour later, having dressed and eaten, Ethan buckled Ramie into his car seat, placed a diaper bag full of things Ramie might need on the seat next to him, and drove over to Skye’s house. Stepping out of the car into the fresh air, he helped Ramie out and removed the car seat. Skye might need it. Turning, he saw Ramie running toward the horse pasture.
***
Standing on the deck to meet Ethan and Ramie, I saw the child heading for the horses and ran after him, swinging him up into my arms and planting a kiss on his cheek. “Later ‘gator. We have to say bye-bye to your daddy.”
Ramie laughed as I carried him back to the car.
“Is there anything else you’ll need?” Ethan asked anxiously as he fastened Ramie’s car seat into my car.
Picking up the diaper bag and checking its contents, I could see he’d brought everything he imagined I’d need. Being used to children, including my niece and nephew, I assured him we’d manage. “We’ll be okay, Ethan. I assume you ate breakfast?”
“Yes. Ramie and I had some cereal and milk, and I made us some scrambled eggs.”
“Good.” I lifted the little boy toward his daddy for a good-bye hug.
Ethan stooped down and drew Ramey into his arms, kissing his hair tenderly. “See you tonight, Ramey.” He looked up at me briefly, his eyes shining. He handed Ramie back to me. “Have fun with Skye today. I’ll see you at dinner.”
I smiled and waved. “See you later.”
“Bye-bye Daddy,” Ramie called, waving his hand.
Ethan’s face shone with wonder as he headed toward town. In that moment, I knew he would be alright. Yes, there would be times when he thought of Jodie and would feel like his heart would break. But with Ramie there, I knew his sadness would pass someday.
“’Kye?” Ramie said, looking at me anxiously. “Will my daddy come back?”
“Yes, honey. He will come home after work today.” I felt tears come to my eyes and blinked them back.
Ramie sighed, rubbed his eyes, and gave a little sob.
I kissed him on the cheek.
“Would you like to help me dig in the garden?” I pointed to the raised beds enclosed by eight-foot-high rabbit wire.
“Okay.” He nodded.
I carried him over to the toolshed and set him down. “We’ll need some little shovels for digging.” The small spades were hanging neatly inside the door. I reached for some gloves, too. Dad kept child-sized gloves in the shed for the grandchildren, and there was a pair just right for Ramey, and another pair for me.
“Here. Let’s put your gloves on first,” I said.
Ramie lifted his hands solemnly and I slid them onto his tiny hands.
“If you don’t want to wear gloves, that’s okay,” I said, noticing how poorly they fit.
“I want to wear ‘em.” Ramey was firm.
A few minutes later, we were inside the garden, enclosed by the eight-foot-high fence Dad had built to keep deer and rabbits out. I showed Ramie a place where he could dig. “Make the dirt all soft, and we will plant some things there later.”
Solemnly, Ramie dug into the soft garden soil.
I worked next to him, digging into the warm earth, turning it over and hammering the clumps out. Watching me, Ramie copied what I did. Dirt flew when he shoveled and pounded it. When we finished, I scooped him up. He was covered liberally with dirt.
“Let’s get you cleaned up a little, then we’ll have cookies and milk.”
“Okay, ‘Kye.”
We went inside. I ran some warm water in the tub, adding a liberal dollop of bath bubbles. A few minutes later, Ramie was playing in the water, happily rubbing bubbles on his head and face.
Dipping a washcloth in the water, I took one of his hands in mine and sang the old nursery tune. “This is the way we wash our hands…” Using my niece’s bathroom bucket, I told Ramie to close his eyes and hold his breath, then dumped a bucket-full of water over his hair to get the dirt out.
Ramie laughed. He played in the water until his hands started to wrinkle.
“Time to come out. The water’s getting cool.” I held a towel up for Ramie and lifted him out of the bathtub to dry off. Once he was dressed, we went into the kitchen where I set cookies out on a plate. He climbed up into a chair at the table and looked up at me. His nose barely cleared the surface. I laughed and put a fat pillow under him to raise him higher.
“Is that better?”
“Yes.” He smiled.
I placed two cookies on his plate. “Can you manage two?”
“Yes.”
Tatum walked over and sat next to Ramie, her tail thumping and her big brown eyes looking up hopefully.
Ramie reached out and patted her head.
Good. He’s used to dogs. Tatum’s used to children, too. She’ll help me watch over Ramie.
I’d baked some oatmeal-raisin cookies for him that morning. Did he have any allergies? I wasn’t taking any chances with chocolate or nuts. We munched companionably on the cookies and drank the milk.
“Where’s Daddy?” he asked, looking toward the door.
He needs to see where Ethan works so he won’t think his daddy is gone, too. “He’s still at work. Say, why don’t we make a lunch and take it to your daddy?”
“Yes! An’ let’s take cookies.”
“Okay. Can we make him a sandwich, too?”
Soon the two of us were busy putting the lunch together. A fat, roast beef sandwich for Ethan. Since Ramey still didn’t have enough teeth to manage roast beef, we made some tuna sandwiches for the two of us and put everything into a wicker basket. A thermos of cold milk, oranges cut into pyramid shapes, cookies, plus napkins, two plastic cups, and Ramie’s sippy cup went into the other side of the basket. Wetting a washcloth, I put it into a baggie. With oranges, we’d need extra help cleaning up. I placed a folded tablecloth over it all, tucking in the corners.
“Let’s go,” I took his hand in mine and lifted the basket with my other hand.
I wonder if Ethan has told his staff about Ramie yet?