Read A Texas Sky Page 6


  way. She was exhausted these days--she suspected she

  was pregnant--and in her mother's pride, she wanted

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  Dakota and especially Darvi to see the twins at their best

  "All right, girls," Calder spoke after they had sat down.

  "Whose turn is it to pray tonight?"

  "Viwy's," Pilar was swift to say. "I was before."

  Calder smiled at her wording and turned to Vivian.

  "All right, Viv. Here we go. Dear Lord..."

  "Dear Lor."

  "Thank You for the food."

  "For food."

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  "And all Mama's work."

  "Mama."

  "For friends."

  This was met with silence.

  "For friends," Calder repeated, his voice prompting.

  Still it was quiet.

  Calder finally had no choice but to open his eyes and

  look at his daughter. He found her staring around the table.

  "Vivian, can you thank God for friends?"

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  "No."

  "Why not?"

  "Where's Beth?"

  Understanding dawned. "Not your friends. Mama's and my friends. We have friends too."

  The adults at the table had kept their eyes closed, but

  each had something over his or her mouth. Dakota's hand

  covered his upper lip, Darvi used her napkin, and Merry's

  apron helped her stem the laughter that lingered just under

  the surface.

  "I'll go ahead and finish; you can close your eyes

  again," Calder stated.

  Waiting until Vivian obeyed, the host went ahead with

  the prayer he had in mind, just barely holding his own

  laughter. No adults exchanged glances after Calder's

  amen, which was for the best. It would have been some

  time before anyone would have been able to eat

  3"3r 5*

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  "I didn't have a chance to tell you until now, but I'm so

  excited, Calder. She's been searching for so long. I knew

  Darvi's search had to end in Christ, but she didn't I'm

  overwhelmed with God's grace and goodness."

  "It's wonderful news," Calder said softly to his wife

  once they had retired for the evening. "Do you know how

  long she plans to stay?"

  "No, but however long it is, it won't be long enough."

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  There was something quiet in his wife tonight, and for

  a moment Calder studied on what it might be. She was

  pleased about Darvi certainly, but not like he thought she

  would be.

  "How was your day?" Merry asked, pulling her

  thoughts back to her husband.

  Calder started to answer but stopped.

  Merry looked at him. "Did something happen, Calder?"

  "No," he went on smoothly, not wanting her to know he

  was distracted by her manner. He went ahead and told her

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  about his office visits and one of the curtains nearly

  catching fire at the general store. They weren't many minutes

  outside of town, but enough that she would miss the

  daily happenings of town life.

  "So it didn't actually light?"

  "No, but the smoke was a nuisance, and it drew a

  crowd. Is there something you're not telling me?"

  His detour in the subject was so abrupt Merry laughed.

  "Where did that come from?"

  "I was hoping to surprise a confession out of you."

  "A confession over what?" Merry asked with just

  enough uncertainty that Calder's suspicions were confirmed.

  "Out with it, Merry. I know something is on your

  mind."

  "As a matter of fact, there is, but I don't want to tell you

  now because you're going to think I'm upset"

  "Are you upset?"

  "No."

  "But something is wrong?"

  "No, it is not"

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  Calder's brow lowered in thought.

  "For a doctor, Calder, you can be a little slow."

  It didn't take long from there.

  "Are you certain?"

  "Not absolutely, but fairly so."

  "Why didn't you want to tell me?"

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  "Because I knew you'd ask for my symptoms, and I

  would tell you I'm tired, and you would say I'm the mother

  of twins, like you always do."

  Calder laughed. "I'm sorry I'm so predictable, but you

  must admit that being tired would mean that nearly every

  woman in town was in a family way."

  Merry smiled. "You're right, of course, but I think I can

  tell the difference."

  Calder stood up from the foot of the bed and joined her

  on the side. He slipped his arms around her and held her

  dose.

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  "I love it when you're expecting."

  "Why is that?"

  "Lots of reasons that I won't try to explain, but I do

  know I'm going to love this pregnancy more than the first"

  "Why?"

  "Because I've met the girls. I know how special this

  baby's going to be."

  "So you believe me?"

  Calder kissed her.

  "Certainly. You know the signs in your own body better

  than I do."

  "Thank you, Calder."

  He didn't like being thanked for what he considered to

  be the job of a normal loving husband; that is, trusting his

  wife and caring for her.

  "Did you really think I wouldn't believe you?"

  Merry looked up at him. "I don't know. I just feel a little

  uncertain. I look into the girls' faces and I can't imagine

  loving another baby as I do them."

  "Don't forget what your mother has been heard to say:

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  Love multiplies; it doesn't divide."

  Merry sighed a little, feeling more tired than ever. "I

  might have to experience that to believe it."

  Calder didn't comment. He knew she would love this

  next baby. He knew her well enough to be at complete

  peace on the subject. But just then he had another thought

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  that wasn't quite so restful. What if this birth was also

  twins? Calder was opening his mouth to ask Merry if she'd

  thought of that when he looked at her face. She was nearly

  asleep against him. He realized he was not going to fall

  asleep as swiftly, but not for anything would he mention

  the idea to Merry, at least not tonight

  S^Sr^L-

  "Where

  is him?" Dakota heard one of the little girls ask

  before he actually spotted them.

  "Where is he?" Calder corrected. "I think he's out back.

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  Why do you ask?"

  "I wanna see him."

  Calder decided not to comment. He wouldn't mind

  seeing Dakota Rawlings either, but he didn't know quite

  how to go about it As he and the girls walked from the

  back porch into the yard, Calder tried to determine why he

  was so drawn to the man. He knew there was something

  more to it than simply wanting to share Christ if he had the

  opportunity.

  Maybe he reminds me ofChet was his last thought before

  Vivian spotted him.

  "I see him! Hey!"

  Dakota had been watching for them to come into view

  and now smiled as one of the twins came forward.

  "How are you?" Da
kota asked her.

  "I'mViwy."

  Dakota smiled. He didn't care that she'd gotten the

  question wrong. It was too much fun having her talk to

  him.

  "If you were looking for peace and quiet, Dakota, you're

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  in the wrong place."

  Dakota smiled again. The huge tree stump, along with

  the shade thrown from a neighboring tree, was as inviting

  a place as Dakota had seen in a long time. He had read his

  Bible early that morning and was now trying to pray. He

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  wasn't finding it as easy as he thought it would be, and that

  made him wonder if he might have missed something.

  "Is this where the girls play?" he asked, glad for the distraction.

  "Just about every day, and always 'house'*

  "Sounds like fun."

  "How'd you sleep?" the doctor asked.

  "Good."

  "And the bleeding?"

  Dakota smiled. "There's no getting around you guys, is

  there?"

  "Not on your life. So tell me, are you still bleeding?"

  "Yes, and I suppose you want to check it"

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  "Indeed I do, and if you don't mind an audience, I'll just

  look right now."

  Dakota gently pulled the shirt from his waistband.

  Calder joined him on the stump, and the little girls moved

  in to watch as though it were an everyday occurrence.

  "Are you sleeping on your other side?" Calder asked as

  he probed.

  "As much as I can."

  Calder looked up at him, his eyes thoughtful. "How

  many holes do you have?"

  "Five."

  Wondering how he could have missed this, Calder

  snorted in disgust and mumbled under his breath, "Might

  as well be your Uncle Chet sitting right there in front of

  you, girls."

  "Areyouhurted?"

  "No," Dakota answered automatically, and to his surprise,

  Vivian turned to her father.

  "Ishehurted?"

  "Yep," Calder said mildly, a small smile on his mouth.

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  "He just doesn't know it."

  Dakota laughed a little and then winced.

  "I need my bag," Calder announced and stood. "Stay

  put, girls."

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  Dakota watched him walk away before looking down at

  the twins. They seemed content to stare up at him, and

  Dakota wished he could think of something to say. He just

  decided to ask them if they were excited to start school

  someday, but he wasn't fast enough.

  "I have to go," Filar said out of the blue, her little brow

  furrowed as she stared up at him.

  "Okay," Dakota said slowly, thinking that her father had

  said to stay put.

  "Me too," "Vivian chimed in, and Dakota watched as

  they walked around him and the stump but didn't go to the

  house. He stared after them, so he knew the exact moment

  they stopped and waved for him to come. Too curious not

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  to, Dakota followed. His mouth stretched into a smile

  when he saw the little girls head to the privy. He had no

  idea why his presence was needed until they approached

  the building, stood still, and looked up at him. The handle

  was over their heads.

  "Do you need me to get the door?"

  Little heads bobbed in unison, and once he had the door

  open, they stepped inside. Wondering how he'd come to be

  standing there, Dakota shut the door and waited. In time

  he heard this:

  "Look, Vivvy, a flower."

  "Where?"

  "Here."

  "Where?"

  "Here."

  "Oh!"

  Dakota's shoulders shook with silent laughter, but he

  didn't comment

  "I'm done" soon came from the privy, and not long

  after, the door was pushed open a bit Dakota reached to

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  hold it wide while the girls filed out. They came and stood

  side by side and looked up at him. For some reason, Dakota

  was speechless. He felt rescued when he saw that both of

  Pilar's little boots were unbuttoned.

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  "Here, let me get these for you."

  Dakota hunkered down to do the job. Although he was

  not able to get all the buttons, he managed the top few.

  When he looked up, they were both staring at his face.

  "Whaf s your name?" Vivian asked.

  "Dakota."

  "Koda?"

  "That's close enough," Dakota said, smiling into their

  eyes and thinking once again, Mercy, you two are cute!

  The slamming of the back door brought his attention

  around. The threesome looked to see the doctor approaching/

  bag in hand.

  "I guess we could do this inside," Calder commented as

  he followed Dakota back to the stump.

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  Dakota didn't answer. The yard was beautiful, full of

  wildflowers and tall grasses. It was a child's heaven all

  right, and Dakota knew why the girls played out here

  everyday.

  "Where is Darvi this morning?" Dakota thought to ask,

  taking his mind from the foul-smelling bottle Calder had

  just uncorked. Just before the painful liquid touched down,

  Dakota wondered if it would burn.

  "She and Merry went to town. Thursdays are my mornings

  off. I keep the girls, and Merry gets out for half the day."

  This said, Calder looked into Dakota's face. He knew the

  stuff he was using not only smelled bad but had a tendency

  to sting. Dakota's face was utterly impassive, but Calder was

  not fooled. The big man was in pain and keeping his mouth

  shut in order to hide it But Calder was in for a surprise

  "That burns," Dakota said quietly. "If I'd known you

  were going to treat me like this, I'd have gone to town with

  the ladies."

  Calder was still chuckling over the comment when the

  girls declared they were hungry. All four went inside to

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  find something to eat

  ^

  200

  "LOOK AT THIS FABRIC, MERRY. THE GIRLS WOuld look WOnerful

  in this dark pink."

  Merry looked doubtful. 'It would be great for trim,

  Darvi, but the twins need a dark background or they never

  look clean."

  Darvi nodded but couldn't honestly say she understood.

  As a child she was not allowed to get dirty until she

  came for her annual summer visit to Austin. Her family

  had a yard in St. Louis, but it was all very trimmed and

  proper. She could pick flowers, but her fingers were not to

  touch the dirt. For a moment Darvi wondered how she had

  survived.

  "What are you thinking about?" Merry asked, interrupting

  her thoughts.

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  "Just now I was asking myself how my mother and

  uncle could be so different and still have the same parents."

  Merry suddenly looked intense and said, "You've never

  talked much about your mother. How is she different from

  Marty Bracewell?"

  Darvi looked pained. 'It would take less time to tell you

  how they're the same." She shook her head a little. "My

  mother must have known Uncle Marty let m
e run wild

  during those visits. I learned to ride and shoot. I came back

  with a tan, scratched up my arms and legs, and probably

  had a little dirt behind my ears, but she never said a word.

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  She just plopped me into the tub, proclaiming that travel

  made one 'so dusty/ and put me back into my routine."

  "And from then on you were expected to be a little lady

  once again," Merry guessed.

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  Darvi smiled wryly. "That about sums it up. I would sit

  in my proper little dress and shoes and long to be back

  climbing trees with you. Merry!" Darvi exclaimed with a

  sudden thought. "Will there be trees in heaven?"

  "I'm not sure. I have a memory of reading something in

  Scripture about that, but I couldn't tell you where."

  Darvi's eyes sparkled with delight "I love all these

  things I've yet to learn."

  Merry's eyes widened with surprise. "Most people feel

  just the opposite, Darv. They want to know it all right now

  and are frustrated that they don't."

  Darvi gave a little sigh. "I was so smug, Merry--so settled

  in my own world and sure I knew who I was and

  where I was going. No matter how much I don't know

  right now, I do know one thing: I'll keep searching and

  being in wonder, but I won't ever forget that God's Son

  died for me, and someday 111 live forever with Him."

  "I have all I can do not to hug you and burst into tears

  all over again."

  Darvi smiled. "I don't mind. I'd probably join you, but

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  I have a better idea. Let me take you to lunch."

  "Lunch? Is it that late?"

  "No, but we forgot to eat breakfast, and I'm hungry"

  Merry, feeling she were walking on a cloud, tucked her

  arm into Darvi's and said, "I'll lead the way."

  3-- 'Sr-S'-

  "Did

  I mention how I met your uncle?" Dakota asked

  between bites of the fried egg, bacon, baked bread, and hot

  coffee that Calder had prepared. 1

  "No, I don't think you did."

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  "I first met him when I went to his office about the

  wound in my side, but then I visited this church and he

  was there with his family. They invited me to lunch."

  As Dakota was hoping, Calder took immediate interest

  "What did you think of the church?"

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  "I liked it. I didn't have a Bible at the time, so it was

  somewhat hard to follow along, but I've thought a lot

  about what both the pastor and your uncle said."

  "So you discussed the sermon with Marc?"

  Dakota answered by way of explaining what the

  sermon had been about and why it had been confusing. To