Chapter 19

With the work Oliver brought home, Shane was able to get through the rest of the week at home without going stir crazy. She enjoyed having the time with her mother to reconnect and talk more than they had since she'd been in college.

Joe & Leah took Anna & Shane out on Friday for a driving tour of Denver. Leah kept a running dialogue going on the history of the areas they went through. Anna appreciated learning more about where her daughter had established her home and family. Shane could see why Joe was taken with Leah. She had a sweet spirit with just an occasional hint of sass that made her entertaining.

That Saturday it started storming abruptly mid-afternoon. Oliver came in from a run with the dogs dripping wet. "Where's Shane?" He brusquely asked Anna, who was working at the table.

"Right here Oliver." Shane said from the couch.

He walked over cupping her chin with his hand, "How are you?"

"I'm fine. Go dry off. I'll take care of the dogs." He looked at her for a moment to make sure before he kissed her on the forehead and went to clean up.

Having not seen Oliver be anything but calm since she arrived Anna asked, "What was that about?"

"Oliver can be overprotective." Shane avoided answering distractedly toweling the dogs off in the utility room.

Anna noticed as the storm got worse Oliver and the dogs rarely left Shane's side. Shane got more tense as the afternoon and evening continued. She managed to make it through dinner, but Oliver and Anna carried the conversation. While they were cleaning up the kitchen, the storm quieted briefly before hail started rapidly hitting the house. Shane had been putting dishes into the dishwasher. When the hail started, she froze dropping a dish on the floor. Oliver stepped over the broken dish wrapping an arm around her waist with the other cupping her head against his chest.

"I'm sorry I broke…" Shane started saying tearing up.

"Shh. It's fine." Oliver leaned back placing a hand on her cheek, "Shane, love, look at me." When he had her attention, "It's hail. It will pass soon." He turned them so she could see the window she'd gotten him as a wedding gift. "You got this for us as a daily reminder to serve and trust in the Lord. Isiah 41 says 'Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.' Shane we're here with you, even if we weren't, you're never truly alone. God is with you." She slowly let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and tucked her head back against his chest.

Anna gave Oliver a confused look and he knew she'd have questions later. "Crackers are you ok?" Anna asked.

"Yes." Shane took another deep breath.

"Why don't you two go pick out a movie and I'll take care of this." Oliver suggested.

After starting the movie, Shane curled up next to Oliver leaning against him with her head on his chest. It was the first day Shane hadn't slept all afternoon. Between Oliver running his hand through her hair and feeling the coziness of cuddling up next to him after being so on edge, Shane feel asleep in Oliver's arms halfway through the movie.

"I need to get her to bed. Feel free to keep watching. I'll take the dogs out after I take care of her."

"Take care of Shane. I can take the dogs out back." Anna said.

When Oliver shifted to get up, Shane murmured, "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"Let's get you to bed Shane." He steered her towards the bedroom knowing she was still half asleep.

Anna let the dogs out watching them play in the falling snow. Oliver joined her after getting Shane settled.

"Is she ok?"

"Now that the storm is over. She just needs to sleep." Oliver responded watching the snow falling.

"Oliver when did this start?"

"How much did she tell you about her overseas trip last year?" He asked her.

"She told me before she left that she couldn't tell me where she was going. When she returned, she told me the work was harder than expected and she wished she never took the job. I assumed it was because she missed you and didn't like being away from you that long."

"The job wasn't in a safe country. I still don't know where she went it was classified. There were times during the trip she didn't think she was going to make it back alive. I didn't know how bad things got until she returned. For the most part she's fine, the noise during bad storms like tonight puts her on edge. Most of the time I can distract her, and she makes it through them. When she's tired or doesn't feel well she struggles more. The one tonight took us both by surprise."

"I never did like Steve." Anna said whole heartedly.

"You and me both." Oliver said heatedly.

They dried off the dogs before going to bed.

Joe joined them for the service at church the next day. Afterwards while Oliver and Shane were talking to Dale, Joe asked Anna, "How'd Shane weather the storm last night? It was a bit of a doozy."

"She got pretty jittery. I wish I'd known. She's never said anything."

"Shane's independent. Oliver found out by chance when he was at her house fixing her fence after a storm when they were engaged."

Monday Shane was happy to be back at work and to introduce her mother to everyone there. Considering the last-minute planning, they had a decent turnout of families call to schedule tours. Anna helped take lots of pictures of families with the doodles in their pilgrim costumes before and after the tours while Joe helped the staff with tours and answering questions. During a break Joe and Anna came into the DLO laughing. "What's so funny?" Shane asked.

"You two are raising a couple of pick pockets. They've got a great act going." Joe said laughing.

"Excuse me?" Oliver said confused.

Anna answered having a hard time not laughing, "During several different tours Gryffin would distract people either trying to shake their hand or rolling over trying to get his tummy rubbed, meanwhile Raven swiped food out of the person's bag."

After the two days of tours, Becky called thrilled with the social media buzz and had big plans for Christmas.

Thanksgiving Day came swiftly. Norman, Rita, and Bill were spending it at Norman's parents. Joe and Leah arrived right before lunch. The doodles were excited about all the smells and their favorite people being together. Running between people then back to the kitchen their excitement was entertaining. Sitting down to eat in the dining room everyone took turns mentioning something they were thankful for before Oliver said a prayer. The doodles were a bit disappointed when nothing fell to the floor and returned to the kitchen to see if they were lucky enough for someone to have left anything close to the edge of a counter. Seeing them slink out of the room, Shane excused herself to check on them. After putting several things away and pushing the rest back, Shane returned to the table.

"Do we still have a turkey?" Oliver asked smiling.

"Yes," Shane said rolling her eyes. She told their parents about the doodles first time stealing food when they returned to find them chowing down on the grilled fish. "I turned around to see Oliver opening and closing his mouth like a guppy. He was completely speechless. When they got caught, the dogs had no shame and ran with the rest of the fish to the utility room."

Oliver smiled watching Shane entertain their family. The light reflected off her necklace reminding him of what they'd lost this month. He took a moment to feel the pain before looking around at the table and thanking God for everything they had.

After spending the holiday together playing games and talking, Anna was scheduled to fly home the next morning. They were dropping her off at the airport on the way to work. Standing at the airport Shane hugged her mom. "I'm glad you could be here."

Oliver leaned down to hug her. "Thank you for coming and for everything you've done Mom."

Hearing him call her mom for the first time had Shane and Anna both teared up. "I love you both. Take care of each other," Anna said as she left to go through security.