To Suddenly Solve A Mystery (Chapter 12 'verse)
Elizabeth stood on the porch outside the farmhouse and laughed as her grandson tried to catch Hope and get the stick she was carrying. At nearly nine, he was losing his babyface features and was starting to look like the young man she knew he would all too soon become.
The sound of a car door shutting caught Hope's attention, sending the dog bounding toward another human she knew, ending up nearly in Blake's arms as she jumped into him. He was laughing at the dog and then grinning as Kaleb ran to greet him as well. Blake had long ago been named as Kaleb's honorary uncle.
"You made it!" She called out, drawing both Blake and Kaleb's focus, both turning, side by side, grinning at her and Elizabeth felt like time stood still. Her smile faded slowly. At various times in their lives, people had commented how Jason had been nearly Henry's clone and Stevie, hers. Genetics had a funny way of doing that sometimes. Back and forth between them, she studied every feature like they were puzzles needing worked out. Suddenly, she could picture what Kaleb would eventually look like at eighteen; or at twenty-five, with the same sweet, young face Blake'd had when he'd first entered her classroom.
She didn't even process they were walking toward her until Blake was sending Kaleb in to get washed up, leaving them standing alone on the porch. "Blake?" She finally questioned out loud.
His eyes met hers in silence and she suddenly realized that she'd missed something big for a really long time.