For Better or Worse

Confidence returned to Alex with his voice and the nightmares stopped. For the first week after he regained his voice, they were all so busy enjoying the return to normal life that Carmen forgot about his father. Memory returned when she was dusting in the living room. As she dusted his parents’ picture, she thought about him. Alex was sitting in his chair and they were alone at the moment, so it was a good time to approach him.

“Alex?”

“Hmm?” He glanced up from the book he was reading and followed her gaze to the picture in her hand. The expression on his face indicated he knew what she was going to ask.

“Talk to me about your father.”

“You’re looking at him. What do you want to know?”

Her gaze fell on him. “You know what I mean.”

His expression was slightly annoyed.

“Carmen, I can’t imagine anything you need to know.”

“Well then, imagine why I would want to know – and then pretend like it matters.”

Her steady gaze brought a smile to his lips and he set the book aside.

“All right Carmen, let’s pretend like it matters. What do you want to know?”

She sat cross-legged on the floor in front of him. “How long have you known him and what is he like?”

He rolled his eyes, as if having to dispense the information were pointless.

“I’ve known him since I was about ten and discovered through an argument between my parents that I was a ba . . .” He made a face. “It wasn’t a pleasant argument.” He leaned forward in the chair. “Thanks to him, my parents fought and I had an unattractive name.”

“Were he and your mother in love?”

The chocolate gaze roved over her face and landed on her eyes. “Why do women always want to know that? How would I know?”

Her smile brought one to his lips. “Fair enough,” she said. “Who is he? He looks so distinguished.”

“Yes, well, I guess he is. He owns a large Spanish land grant – oil wells and such. I guess in social circles he would be considered a big player.”

“But not in your eyes.”

A smile touched the corners of his mouth and played in the laugh lines beside his eyes.

“I consider him a big player. I just don’t want to be in the game.”

“But why? He seems like a nice man.”

He nodded. “I guess he is. He’s put up with my attitude for a lot of years. But I can’t forget what he did.”

“And your mother did,” she interjected.

His smile slipped sideways. “I guess so.”

“But you forgave your mother, didn’t you?”

He gave her a sour look. “I had to.”

“Why? Because she was your mother?”

His expression became guarded. “Carmen, where is this going?”

“When I heard he was your father, I was so excited that I finally had a father-in-law that I could talk to. I don’t know why, but it was important.”

For a moment he studied her, his expression unreadable. Finally he sighed and leaned back.

“I’m sorry you’ve missed out on so much Carmen – children, in-laws . . .”

“This isn’t a pity-party,” she interrupted, rising from the floor. “I’m sorry I asked.”

She hung the picture back on the wall and turned toward the door.

“I need to gather the eggs.”

He said nothing more and she didn’t look to see the expression on his face before she left the house. It was a foolish thing to bring up. It was obvious that he didn’t want to talk about his natural father. She had no right to push him into a relationship simply because she wanted a father-in-law. But it was more than that. His father was intriguing and it wasn’t like Alex to hold such a grudge. He must have been hurt badly to do that.

At the hen house she grabbed the basket and reached into the first nest. She picked up three eggs and put them into the basket. Reaching her hand into the next nest box, a hen pecked it hard.

“Ouch!” she said, drawing her hand back to examine the red spot created by the pinch.

“It looks like she wants to raise a family too,” Alex said from the doorway. He stepped into the coop. “Let me get them.” He expertly captured the chicken’s head and then reached under her, extracting the eggs. “Maybe we should let her set on some.”

“I’d rather just buy some chicks and put them under her. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a hen set until the last few days and then leave the nest, spoiling the eggs.”

He gathered the last of the eggs and placed them in the basket she held.

“Well, personally, I’d like to see some little chicks scratching at the ground like their mother.”

Carmen gazed up at him in surprise. It was a scene she knew well, but Alex wasn’t raised on a farm.

“Where did you see that?” She finally asked.

“At your place, remember?” He exited the door in front of her and reached back to relieve her of the basket.

“Hand me those, Little Red Riding Hood, while you climb out of there.”

She grinned. “Heidi, Little Red Riding Hood – I wish you’d get your characters straight.”

“Yeah, well I’m just a wolf. What difference does it make?” He grabbed her around the waist and swept her into his arms, holding the basket behind her.

She hugged his neck and welcomed his warm kiss with eager lips. “I’m so glad you’re back,” she said when he released her.

He chuckled softly. “Back?”

She made a face. “You know what I mean.”

His gaze shifted to a point behind her and the smile left his face.