Adam McFadden leaned his long frame against the kitchen counter and studied his wife. He rubbed his face with his hand and sighed.
"Honey," He said somewhat frustrated. "I just . . ."
"Your feelings are hurt, Adam. Don't let that get in the way of your good sense. Of course you want him here. I do too, but that isn't the point is it? He wants to try his wings."
"I know that. Don't you think I know that?" He sat down at the chair. "It just seems sudden."
"He's been saying it for years! You haven't been listening." She sighed and stepped away from the stove to step in front of him. "Oh, Adam. I know how much you love him and so does he. But he's grown, and you can't keep him here."
He let out a long sigh. "I know it, girl. But he's my . . . I can't imagine him not working at my side."
"He has to decide for himself, hon." She said sitting on his lap and wrapping her arms around him as he buried his face in her shoulder.
"I liked it when they were small." He whispered.
"Me too. Some of them still are sweetheart." She reached out and lifting his chin with her fingers, she kissed him.
"You think kissing me is gonna distract me enough to make me feel better?" He asked.
"It's worth a shot, babe." She said with a grin, her green eyes sparkling mischievously.
"Well, only one way to find out!" He pulled her close laughing as he kissed her.
Just then, Crane dashed in shouting, "The goats got out again!"
"Great!" Adam smiled at his wife and she rose grinning at him.
"Well, I suppose that might distract you, too." She told him as he sighed and followed Crane outdoors.
"Who left the gate open? Pretty inconvenient. I was in the middle of a business meeting." He grumbled.
"Yeah, right! Some meeting! Sorry Dad!" Crane laughed and turned to chase down a wayward goat.
"Keep 'em away from the garden! They get into those plants, I'll be hearing about it for a week!" He turned as something caught his eye. "Oh, no you don't!" He said scooping Guthrie up and into his arms. The toddler protested by bursting into loud and stormy tears. "Kate!" He hollered toward the back door. "One of your cowboys escaped!"
She stepped out on the back step and shaking her head lifted the small boy from his father's arms. "Guthrie! You quit that crying! Dada's got to round up those goats and you are taking a nap! Mama is going to drink one cup of coffee- just one with no one tugging on her." Guthrie stopped crying and nestled in his mother's arms, perfectly content.
She watched as her husband and four oldest sons tried to wrangle the goats back into their pen. She shook her head and went back to the livingroom where Ford and Evan were coloring.
"Come on, my little Cubby Bear! Sleepy time." She glanced at Ford who sat at the coffee table cheerfully coloring. She looked around. "Where's Evan?"
"Hiding. " Ford answered without looking up.
"Why?"
"'Cause Dada's mad at him."
She sat down at the couch next to him. "No. He isn't."
"Yep. Evan was bad. Dada's gonna be mad." Ford looked up at his mother with bright blue eyes.
"No, he wasn't. What did he do?"
"Somethin'." Ford said with a shrug. "Baby's sleepin'."
She glanced down at Guthrie who had fallen asleep in her arms. She sighed and glancing at Ford said, "I'm gonna lay him down. Maybe you can get Evan to stop hiding so I can talk to him." She leaned over and kissed his blond head. She took Guthrie up to her bedroom, laying him down in his crib. She tucked a small stuffed tiger under his arm and went back down the stairs.
"Will he come out?" She asked Ford, but Ford shook his head. "Well, I guess I'll just have to hide with him then. Can you show me where?"
Ford hesitated.
"Please?" She smiled at him and he lifted his hand pointing to the dining room table. She smiled as she spotted a reddish-golden head that ducked behind a table leg. She crossed the room and crawled under the table. She sat cross-legged across from him, her head bent low.
"Why are you hiding?" She asked him directly.
"Daddy's gonna be mad." He whispered.
"Why?" She asked him.
"I can't tellya." He said seriously. "You'll tell 'em. You tell 'em everything."
"Oh, well, I suppose you are right about that." She considered him thoughtfully. "You know, Daddy found Guthrie outside just now."
Evan looked up sharply; his face a portrait of guilt.
"But Guthrie doesn't know how to open that back door." She raised an eyebrow at Evan.
"He wanted to see the goats." Evan whispered, a tear rolling down his cheek. "I wanted to show him. I wanted to help, like Junior."
"I understand, son. But all the goats got out and Guthrie could've got hurt."
"I know."
"You aren't big like, Junior. Those goats could knock Guthrie down and you aren't strong enough to stop them."
"Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry Mama." He sighed.
"But you are big enough to say sorry." She smiled at him and opened her arms as he crawled into her lap.
"Is Junior really gonna leave?" He asked softly.
"Yes. He's going away to school."
"Who'll take me riding?"
"Brian and Crane. You got plenty of big brothers."
"I guess. Do you want Junior to leave?" He studied her thoughtfully.
"Well, no and yes." He raised an eyebrow at her, perplexed. "Being a mommy and daddy is a short-term job. You teach your sons and then you send them out into the world. Some day, you'll leave too, but you'll always be my boy - no matter how far you travel."
"I'll never leave you, Mama." Evan said seriously. "Do you think Dada will forgive me?"
"I just might." His father said peering under the table at him. "Will you give me a kiss and say sorry?"
"I'm so sorry!" Evan said crawling out from under the table and up into his father's strong arms. "Please forgive me! Please!"
Adam hugged Evan close and said, "I forgive you, son."
Overjoyed, Evan held his father's face in his hands and kissed him on both cheeks. "I love you Daddy." He said.
"I love you, too, Evan. Now, go back and color with Ford, okay?"
"Yes, sir." He set Evan down and watched him run back to the living room. He sighed and then realized that his wife was still sitting under the table. He leaned down low and lifting the table cloth looked at her.
"Kate?" He asked.
"It is really quiet down here." She said looking up at him.
"I suppose." He glanced around. "Are you coming out?"
"You know, they might not notice I'm down here. I could probably take a nap." She smiled up at him.
"Looks temptin', but darlin', I'm six foot four, remember?"
"I'm five foot three. And who was inviting you, anyway? I said nap Adam Jackson!"
He held out a hand to her and she crawled out from under the table and pouring herself a cup of coffee, sat down. He sat across from her at the table. "You don't look old enough to have a boy going off to college."
"Neither do you." She said.
"Of course,you also have a one year old." He pointed out.
"Nearly two." She said.
"Two? That means it is time for another!" He said laughing.
"Oh, no. Seven sons is more than enough. Don't be greedy."
"The next one could be a girl." He said laughing.
"I fell for that before." She sighed. "Besides, with Junior leaving, any new baby wouldn't even know him." She twisted a piece of her auburn hair around her finger. "Do you think Guthrie will remember Junior?"
"Guthrie loves Junior. He's always sneaking into his room."
"I know, but he's so little, and Adam, he's gonna leave. You know some girl's gonna steal him from us."
"That was bound to happen even if he stayed here, hon." He studied her face and rose and squished himself in the chair next to her. He kissed her cheek and wrapped his arms around her. "You are right, darlin', this day has been coming for ages now. He's grown, and needs to make his own road. I know that and so do you."
She rested her head against his chest and they sat together in silence both of them remembering their first child.
"Remember when we brought him home?" She asked softly.
"He was such a good and happy baby." He said. "He gave us false expectations. Remember how much Brian used to cry?"
"Except when Junior was near. Junior, could always stop Brian's crying." She looked up at her husband. "His leaving will make things easier for Brian, you know."
"I know." He said with a sigh.
"He's no easy act to follow. And you know, he'll do well at whatever he puts his hand to; you taught him to be a good, dedicated worker."
"You taught him, that." He said to her. "I just . . . he's so good at it. It comes so naturally to him. He'd be such a good rancher."
"And maybe he will be, but he's going to college first, Adam."
"I know, and I want that for him. He's so smart." He rested his chin on the top of her head. "I just . . . it's like losing my right hand."
"Mine, too. He's so good with the little boys, and Guthrie . . . I don't look forward to listening to that baby cry for his big brother!"
"I'm not looking forward to watching you cry for your baby boy!" He teased.
"Oh, he's not a baby any more. I have to accept it. Still," She sighed and turned to look up into her husband's face. "How we'll miss him!"
"Yeah, but every bird's gotta fly away sooner or later. Least, that's what you keep telling me."
"Are you admitting I'm right?" She asked him, but he kissed her, instead of answering.