Chapter 55
“Seeing how down both of you are now about something neither of you wants to talk about, well, that sort of put the final pieces in place.”
Ward nodded his head. “You’re right,” he said with a sigh, and told Emme Lou a bit of how Tyler was reacting to the fact that Hank had figured them out as well as she had, and how it had caused trouble for the boys.
“The world’s just getting ready to accept that there’s more to love than what we’ve been brought up to think,” Emme Lou said, displaying a wisdom that surprised Ward. “So, if you can just hang in there, I’m sure Tyler’s love for you will bring him around. He didn’t have to say much when I talked to him, just it showed.”
“Thanks, Emme Lou,” Ward said. It felt strange talking so openly to his old girlfriend about his feelings for Tyler.
“Now, you eat your lunch. That burger’s getting cold.”
She and Ward got up. They gave each other a hug and she kissed him on the cheek.
Ward sat back down and watched her walk away. He had just come out to the shallow, flighty girl he had dated in high school. Who would have guessed Emme Lou, of all people, could say something that could give Ward some shred of hope? He picked up his burger and took a bite. Emme Lou was right, it was cold.
* * * *
Tyler didn’t show up to the mill on Friday either. So Ward had no chance to find out how Tyler was feeling about the visit to the farm and the dinner. As he left work and headed home a feeling of apprehension began to spread through him. It erased the gleam of hope his lunch with Emme Lou had given him the day before. His unease increased as he reached the farm and saw how excited his mother seemed to be about the upcoming visit from the Hughes family. She told Ward how Jane Hughes had welcomed the chance for the families to spend time together.
Ward begged off helping with the milking, saying he needed to get Addy and the other puppies cleaned up and ready for the boys.
“What? You gonna sprinkle ‘em with rose water and put ribbons in their hair?” Joe jibed.
Ward laughed this off. Actually, he hoped occupying himself with the pups would calm him and give him a chance to make sure his anxiety about Tyler was under control.
A little after six-thirty, Mr. and Mrs. Hughes drove up. They had the boys with them. Jack and Eddie piled out of the big SUV and ran to where Ward was standing. Jack leaped into his arms and Eddie gave him a hug around the waist.
Ward kissed Jack on the cheek and tousled Eddie’s hair as he fought to retain control of his emotions.
He put Jack down as Jane Hughes came up to him and gave him a hug. Her husband followed and shook Ward’s hand.
“Sorry you couldn’t make it to dinner on Wednesday,” Mrs. Hughes said. “How’s Joe doing? I hope he’s recovered.”
Ward had no idea of what she was referring to. “Joe?” he asked blankly.
“Yes, Tyler said he was suddenly taken ill and you had to help with milking. That’s why you couldn’t come to dinner.”
“When can we see the puppies?” Jack asked, pulling on Ward’s hand impatiently, saving him the embarrassment of trying to cover for Tyler’s lie.
“Right now, little man.” Ward couldn’t keep his anxiety-motivated curiosity at bay any longer. “Uh, where’s your dad?” he asked Jack as they all trouped toward the cob shed.
The answer came from Alex Hughes. “Tyler insisted that the billing needed to be done tonight. I told him it could wait till Monday but he said he’d feel better if it was out of the way. He said he’d be out later.”
Ward tried to take this news in stride. As an anchor, he clung to the hope that Tyler would indeed come later.
As they reached the shed, Ward’s mother came out of the house. “Jane, Alex, so nice to see you. Hello, boys.” She looked around. “Where’s Tyler?”
Jack groaned as Alex once again started to explain. “Grampa!” he said impatiently.
“Come on,” Ward said to the boys. He wasn’t sure how many times he could be confronted with Tyler’s absence before he wouldn’t be able to maintain the fa?ade that everything was all right between them.
He opened the door. Pedro, Panda and little Addy all tumbled out of the dog box and ran to the boys, who were on their knees welcoming the pups into their arms.