Big Sky Family

Skipping and hopping, Torie did as she’d been told.

“I’d better go clean up, too,” Ellie said, eager to avoid any discussion about Arnie.

“I do hope you won’t be taking up with that young man again.”

Ellie bristled. “No worries on that score, Mother. I doubt that he’d be interested.” Her actions eight years ago had shut that door permanently. Actions her mother had advised and encouraged.

“Just as well,” Barbara sniffed.

After Arnie’s accident, Ellie’s mother had encouraged Ellie to move away from Arnie. Barbara’s brother, Bob, had been born with cerebral palsy and was severely handicapped. Watching a loved one suffer pain and humiliation haunted Barbara. She didn’t want her daughter to endure the same difficult experience.

To her shame and regret, her mother’s constant concern about Arnie’s future had added to Ellie’s ultimate decision to leave Potter Creek and move to Spokane.

The first of a long litany of mistakes she’d made that had changed her life.

With the Lord’s help, she’d turned her life around. But that didn’t mean that a proud man like Arnie would ever be able to forgive her for turning her back on him.

Early Saturday morning, a gang of volunteer construction workers showed up at the O’Brien ranch. Most of the guys were from Potter Creek Community Church. As the half-dozen pickups pulled to a stop, Arnie rolled out to meet them.

“I’ve got a big pot of coffee ready,” he announced. “And Daniel went into town early for fresh doughnuts. Help yourselves.”

Like a pack of ravenous chowhounds, the men gathered around the coffeepot on what would someday be Arnie’s back porch. Their wives and girlfriends would show up around noontime with picnic baskets full of lunch makings. Building his new house was like an old-fashioned barn raising, and he was grateful for every bit of help he got.

Since Daniel had announced he was going to marry Mindy, Arnie had planned to move out of the old ranch house and into his own home. Now that Mindy was expecting, providing his brother and his wife some extra space was even more important.

Given the cost of construction, bringing the plan to fruition would have been impossible without the help of his friends. In fact, half the community had lent a hand in one way or another.

Coffee and doughnut in hand, Tim Johnson, a licensed contractor and good friend, sauntered over to Arnie. “We’re gonna start putting up the exterior plywood sheathing today. If that goes well, next week we could be adding the siding.”

“That’s terrific, Tim. You know how much I appreciate your help. All the guys’ help.”

“No problem. If the situation was reversed, you’d be there for us.”

“I’d sure try to be.” But Arnie knew he’d never have a chance to return the favor, at least not in the same way.

“I got my chimney guy to say he’d come next week so we can get the flashings in before the siding goes up. He’s giving you a good price.”

“Thanks, Tim. I appreciate it.” One of the lessons he’d learned after the accident was that he’d never be as independent as he had been before. For some things, he’d have to rely on others. That had been a hard truth to swallow, and it still didn’t go down real smoothly.

Daniel came striding across the distance from the barn, a tool belt around his waist. Apparently he had finished mucking out the horse stalls and was ready to go to work on the house.

“Hey, you guys,” Daniel said to the men still hanging around the coffeepot. “You can’t stand around drinking coffee and eatin’ doughnuts all day. We gotta get this house sealed up tight before the first snow flies.”

“Yeah, yeah. We know, Danny boy.”

“Hey, who made you the boss?”

Amid a lot of friendly joshing and gently barbed comments, the men set to work. Guys grunted as they lifted heavy loads of plywood. Hammers banged nails home. Orders were shouted out. Power saws whined.

The heat of the day rose. Sweat darkened the back of the men’s shirts and dripped from their chins.

Arnie wheeled his chair up the temporary ramp into his living room and looked around. His pride, his gratitude, were tempered by the knowledge that he’d never share this house with someone who could be his partner in making it a home.

A sense of betrayal rose bitter in his throat.

Ellie!

Even knowing she’d done the right thing to leave him, he couldn’t quite accept that the woman who had cried at his bedside and held his hand for five solid days after the accident had actually walked out of his life. She hadn’t stayed to fight for their love.

Now she was back.

And he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Chapter Three

The white steeple soared above Potter Creek Community Church, glistening in the morning sunlight, a beacon of hope and a promise of the Lord’s love.

Holding her daughter’s hand, Ellie followed the path to the building that housed Sunday school classrooms. She’d grown up attending this church, and now her daughter would enjoy the same experience.

Somewhere between her sixteenth birthday, when she decided her friends were far more fun to be with than attending church, and her surprise pregnancy at age twenty-one, Ellie had lost her faith. Or, more accurately, she had simply ignored the teachings of the Lord.

Nothing like realizing you were going to be a single parent to drag a woman back into the folds of the church. That and praying for forgiveness of her sins.

“Will I know anybody in my Sunday school class?” Wearing a summery dress and her shiny Mary Jane shoes, Torie stretched her little legs in order to step over the cracks in the sidewalk. “We’ll have to see, honey.”

Ellie introduced herself and Torie to the teacher. In less than two minutes, Torie was playing with the other children in the class.

Kissing her daughter goodbye, she went in search of her mother, who was saving her a seat.

Off to the side of the main entrance a group of churchgoers had gathered around a table. The banner on the wall behind the table read Support Paralympics.

Ellie’s steps slowed. Her mouth dried. As though she had no control over her own feet, they angled her directly toward the table and the person she instinctively knew would be sitting there.

As she drew closer, the two men who had been blocking her view stepped aside. Arnie spotted her the moment the men moved away. His dark eyes flared momentarily before he could shutter them and coax his expression into one of disinterest. His short-sleeved sport shirt revealed the deeply tanned column of his neck and his muscular arms.

“Looks like you’re all dressed up for church,” he said.

Ellie’s tongue swept across her dry lips. “Yes. I just left Torie in the child-care room.”

“I didn’t know you ever went to church.”

“I don’t remember you as a regular churchgoer, either.”

“Good point. Having a near-death experience forces a guy to take a look at his life, make some changes.”

“Having a baby out of wedlock does the same thing.” She cringed, wondering what Arnie would think of her. Wondering if he would condemn her for sleeping with a man outside the sanctity of marriage.

His brows lifted slowly but not in condemnation.

“No husband?”

She held herself very still. “Turned out he wasn’t interested in being a daddy.” Or a husband, for that matter. Foolishly, she’d given herself too easily to a man who couldn’t or wouldn’t cherish her.

A small V formed between his brows. “Torie’s a cute kid. He’s missing something special.”

She smiled, and some of the tension that had kept her nerves as taut as a piano wire eased. “I think so, too.”

“So do you want to be one of my sponsors?” He shoved a glossy brochure across the table to her. “I’m trying to raise a couple of thousand dollars for the Bozeman Paralympics organization. We’re hosting a marathon race in a couple of weeks, and I’ve entered the wheelchair division. I want them to start a Western riding event. You know, cow cutting and trail riding. Events like that. The money will help them do that.”

“Sure, I’ll sponsor you. Vanna said something about you working with the Paralympics group.”

“A couple of years ago some guys in the organization dragged me to Bridger Bowl outside of Bozeman and took me skiing.” He handed her a pledge form.

“Skiing? How could you—”

“I’m on a wheelchair basketball team, too. We won the regionals last year.” He lifted his chin, challenging her to question him.

“Congratulations.” Her admiration for all he had overcome kicked up a notch.

“Paralympics is like Ability Counts Preschool. It’s not your disabilities that matter, only your abilities.”

She heard chastisement in his voice and knew she deserved the rebuke. She opened her mouth to apologize, but he stopped her.

“The prelude’s started. We better get inside.” He put some paperweights on the stack of brochures and pledge forms. “You can bring that back to me after church, if you’re still interested.”

“Of course.”

He wheeled out from behind the table and gestured for her to precede him inside, a gentlemanly courtesy. She stepped in front of him, fully aware that he was right behind her. His eyes were on her, his unseen gaze raising her temperature, sending a rush of heat to her face and a wave of guilt to her conscience. Her hand shaking slightly, she took a program from the greeter at the door.

Why on earth had she walked right up to his table? She’d vowed to steer clear of the man. With a firm grip on the church program, she promised she wouldn’t forget again.

She spotted her mother in a pew halfway down the first aisle and slid in beside her.

“Did you have problems with Torie?” Barbara whispered.

“No, she’s fine.”

“What took you so long?”

“I, uh, stopped to talk with someone I knew,” Ellie hedged.

“Oh, that’s nice, dear.”

Pastor Redmond, who looked to be in his fifties, stepped out onto the stage and raised his arms, asking the congregation to rise for the first hymn.

Fumbling for the hymnal, Ellie dropped her program and the pledge form Arnie had given her. Barbara bent to pick them up.

The organist played the first few bars of “Just a Closer Walk with Thee;” then the congregation and choir joined in.

Barbara nudged Ellie with her elbow and handed her back the pledge form. “With a daughter to raise, I didn’t imagine you had extra money to give away. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to get involved with him again.”

Ellie’s face flamed hot. Her jaw clenched, and she put the pledge form on the pew beside her.

Other than being a paraplegic, there was nothing wrong with Arnie O’Brien. He was trying to support a worthwhile organization, a worthwhile cause.

In Ellie’s view, that made him more able-bodied and worthwhile than the good-time Charlie who had impregnated her and then deserted her, leaving her to raise their child alone. She should have steered clear of Jake Radigan.

Just as she should stay clear of Arnie now, but for a far different reason.

Before his accident, Arnie O’Brien would never have deserted a woman or his child. That nobility, that sense of responsibility, hadn’t changed simply because he was confined to a wheelchair.

She believed that with all of her heart.

In contrast, Ellie had walked away from the man she’d loved. Scarcely the action of a noble woman. Rather the foolish action of a nineteen-year-old girl.

Propelled by her anger at her mother, and maybe at her own mindless decisions, Ellie scribbled in a larger pledge amount for the Paralympics than she could strictly afford and wrote a check on the spot.

After the church service ended, she ducked out the side door while her mother waited to speak to the minister. She hurried to retrieve Torie from her classroom and returned to find Arnie back at his table, raking in more pledges from his friends.

“Look, Mommy. Arnie’s here!” Breaking away from Ellie, Torie beelined it across the patio to Arnie’s table. Instead of stopping in front of the table, she squeezed in behind it, next to Arnie.

Sheila stood, backing away from her spot next to Arnie to avoid being stepped on by Torie. Arnie leaned back in his chair, equally startled by child’s sudden arrival. “Hey, squirt. What’s up?”

“I want to ask you an im-por-tant question.”

He glanced toward Ellie, his lips twitching with the threat of a smile. “Sure, ask away.”

Torie’s face scrunched into its most serious expression. “If my mommy bought me a horse of my very, very own, would you come take care of it for me?”

Ellie choked. “Victoria James! You’re not supposed to—”

“I don’t know, squirt,” Arnie said with equal seriousness. “That would be a big job to take care of a horse.”

“I know, and I’m too little. I get a dollar a week allowance. I could pay you that much.”

By now those standing around Arnie’s table were fully engaged in the conversation, to Ellie’s mortification.

“High time you earned an honest dollar, Arnie,” a man said.

“Isn’t she cute?” a woman said. “I bet when she’s a teenager, her father will have to guard the door and lock the windows to keep the boys out.”

Ellie had heard enough. “Come on, Torie. We have to find Grandma.”

“But Arnie hasn’t said he’ll take care of my horse yet.”

“You don’t have a horse, so why don’t we worry about who’s going to take care of it if and when you have one?” With an apologetic smile, she handed the pledge form and check to Arnie.

He glanced at the form and the check, then looked up at Ellie. “Preschool teachers must earn more than I realized.”

“No such luck, but a guilty conscience can make a person feel generous.”

“No need for you to feel guilty.”

That was nice of him to say, but she knew it was a lie.

He held up the check. “Don’t you want to hold off on this in case I don’t actually finish the race?”

“You’ll finish. I don’t doubt that for a moment.” She took Torie’s hand. “Tell Arnie goodbye, honey. Grandma’s waiting for us.”

With her daughter in tow, Ellie hurried toward the parking lot. Having such an outgoing child had its disadvantages.

A muscle pulsed in Arnie’s jaw as he watched Ellie and her daughter scurry away. His hands grasped the armrests of his chair, turning his knuckles white.

He had to get a grip on his volatile emotions—a boiling mix of anger, longing and grief—whenever Ellie showed up.

In eight long years he still hadn’t figured out how to do that.

Chapter Four

“Shane, we don’t throw sand at our friends.” Ellie quickly corrected the boy’s behavior Monday morning, during outdoor playtime at the preschool.

It was the second week of classes, and she already felt more comfortable with her students, knew all their names and their differing personalities.

They seemed more at ease with her, as well.

On this hot September day, most of the children wore shorts and a T-shirt, their arms and legs darkly tanned from a summer in the sun.

Squinting, Ellie scanned the play yard to check on her other students just as a van pulled into the parking area. A moment later, Arnie rode the wheelchair lift down to the ground. Sheila hopped right off and waited for him.

Ellie’s heart stuttered an extra beat and her breathing accelerated. She wondered what had brought Arnie to the school.

Some of the children recognized him and his dog.

They raced to the wire fence, shouting his name. Torie was there first.

“Arnie! Arnie! Did you bring your horses?” she cried.

“Not today, squirt.” He reached through the fence to tweak Torie’s nose. “Hey, kids, you having a good time at school?”

They clamored to answer him all at once, a chorus of high-pitched, excited voices.

Without giving it any thought, Ellie strolled toward the fence and Arnie. He looked dressed for wrangling cows, well-worn, faded jeans, blue work shirt and black Stetson firmly in place. Despite the wheelchair, he managed to radiate sinewy strength, constrained only by his self-confidence.

“Good morning.” Her voice a little husky, she forced a smile. “I hope my check didn’t bounce already.”

His lips twitched, and a sparkle appeared in his dark eyes. “No one has deposited it yet. Should I be worried?”

“No, of course not,” she gasped. “I just thought—”

“I came by to see Vanna. There’s a school board meeting Thursday night. They’re going to vote on Vanna’s request to turn Ability Counts into a charter school, kindergarten through third grade.”

“Yes, Vanna mentioned that to me.” Vanna’s dream of expanding Ability Counts from four preschool classrooms to a school for all primary grades was a big reason Ellie had been so eager to accept the job here. The school board hearing was a first step.

“I’m going speak to the need for specialized services for disabled kids. I wanted to touch base with her before the meeting, and I was in town, anyway.”

“I think she’s in the office.”

“Good. See you later, kids.” He started to roll up the ramp, then stopped. “Are you coming to the board meeting?”

“Yes. Vanna wanted as many supporters as possible to attend. We’ve asked all the parents to be there if they can.”

He held her gaze for a moment, making Ellie wonder if he was pleased or dismayed by her answer. Then he nodded. “I’ll see you Thursday night.”

He wheeled away, Sheila trotting along with him. Ellie exhaled. After all these years, he shouldn’t have any effect on her. No racing pulse. No shallow breathing. No ache for what might have been.

But he did affect her. Like a direct shot of caffeine into her veins. A shot she’d better get over soon, before she made a fool of herself.

“All right, children,” she said, shaking off the image of Arnie’s muscular arms and his sweet smile for the kids. “Let’s go inside for story time. Can you all please line up at the door?” She gently herded the youngsters toward the classroom.

Before she had the children settled down, Peggy Numark appeared at the classroom door. Short and petite, Peggy looked like a pixie and would never be taken for the fifty-year-old teacher that she was. More like a mother of one of the children.

“Ellie, Vanna would like to see you in the conference room. She asked me to take your kids for a few minutes.”

Ellie frowned. “Now?”

Without any further explanation, Peggy said, “Come along, children. Miss Peggy has the best story she’s going to read to you.”

Dutifully, the children trailed after the energetic teacher.

With a puzzled shake of her head, Ellie headed for the conference room, located near Vanna’s office. She arrived to find Arnie still meeting with Vanna.

Ellie slowed her pace. “Peggy said you wanted—”

“Yes, come in, please.” Vanna waved her in the door. “I need to pick your brain a bit.”

“She already picked mine,” Arnie said, deadpan. “And discovered it was empty.”

Ellie’s lips twitched. “That’s hard to believe.”

“Not when you know I spend my days talking to a dog and a bunch of cows,” he countered.

Sheila shook her head, rattling her collar, as though she disagreed with Arnie’s statement.

Choosing a chair opposite Arnie, Ellie sat down at the long table. “What did you need?” she asked Vanna.

“I want it to be obvious to the school board members at the meeting Thursday that we have a lot of support in the community,” Vanna said. “I’m not quite sure how to do that in a subtle, but very visible, way.”

“I suggested everyone could wave little American flags,” Arnie said. “I think Nate at the grocery store probably has some.”

“I’m not keen on that idea. Not specific enough.” Vanna’s brows lowered in thought, and she rubbed her left arm.

“Maybe a campaign-style button,” Ellie said. “Something big enough to be seen at a distance, with Ability Counts printed on it.”

Vanna brightened. “Well, now …” She turned to

Arnie. “What do you think?”

“I’ve always thought Ellie was more than just a beautiful woman. She’s smart, too.” His steady gaze latched onto hers, but he didn’t smile.

For a moment, Ellie couldn’t breathe. Was that what he’d really thought of her? Could that possibly still be true? It was impossible to read his thoughts when he sent such a mixed message.

Vanna eyed Arnie with interest and smiled. “Then I’d say we have a winner. Can you find out where to get those buttons made?” she asked Ellie.

“I may have to drive to Manhattan, but a copier store should be able to do the job.”

“Perfect,” Vanna announced.

She stood to end the meeting, and Ellie followed suit, still hearing the echo of Arnie’s words in her head. Beautiful and smart.

After school, Ellie drove the ten miles to Manhattan. She made the arrangements for the buttons to be ready in time for the meeting, then decided to stop on the way home to say hello to Mindy at her shop in Potter Creek.

“How come we’re going to a knitting store?” Torie asked.

“A friend of mine works there. I want to say hello to her and have her meet you.” Ellie checked the rearview mirror and eased out of her parking spot. “Does she have any kids I can play with?”

“I’m afraid not.” Reversing direction, she drove out of the parking lot and turned west, toward the center of Potter Creek. The small town served a population of maybe five thousand people in the surrounding area. For any major shopping excursion, the locals drove to Manhattan, or all the way to Bozeman. “Maybe she’ll have some yarn crafts you’d like to make.”

“Are you going to buy some yarn to make me something?”

“I might. You could use a new sweater for fall.” Main Street looked much like it always had: grocery, hardware and drugstore on one side of the street; a diner, real estate and newspaper offices on the opposite side. At the far end of town, a brick building served as city hall and was adjacent to the popular public swimming pool. A stark contrast to downtown Spokane or even to the suburbs of that sprawling, big city with its traffic congestion and the press of a growing population.

To its advantage, however, Potter Creek was a size that a person could get her brain wrapped around, a comfortable, friendly place to live. Schoolkids rode their bikes on Main Street, and neighbors caught up with local news while lingering in front of the grocery store.

Home, Ellie thought. She’d stayed away too long.

She pulled up in front of Aunt Martha’s Knitting and Notions. The front window featured posters of class offerings and autumn specials on wool yarn. A cute knitted vest adorned a clear-plastic mannequin.

“We’re here,” Ellie announced. “Out you go.”

Dozens of memories flooded Ellie. Aunt Martha teaching her to knit, despite Ellie’s initial lack of enthusiasm. Making friends with Mindy, dragging her into attempting new things, like floating down the river on a homemade wooden raft. When the raft fell apart, they both nearly drowned. The ever-responsible Arnie had to rescue them.

A frown tugged at her forehead. The reckless driving accident with his brother behind the wheel had stolen so much from Arnie, not just the use of his legs, but his self-image, as well. Adjusting to his new circumstances had to have been difficult.

Guilt tightened a knot in her stomach. You should have stayed to help him, she thought.

Holding Torie’s hand, Ellie stepped inside the small knitting shop, setting off tiny wind chimes above the door.

“Oh, my …” she murmured. Over the years the shop had been upgraded and was chock-full of merchandise. In addition to bins of all types of yarn, one whole corner area displayed needle-craft samples and bins of thread in every color imaginable.

Mindy appeared from a back room. “Ellie? It’s you, isn’t it!” Arms open wide, she rushed forward to embrace Ellie. “Oh, my goodness. Daniel said you were back in town, but I wasn’t home when you came to the ranch and I missed seeing you at church. I’m so glad you dropped by.”