Then Walt looked at me.
It was the first time in four years he’d looked straight at me for longer than it takes to pass the potatoes.
“The boys at the co-op asked me why I didn’t sell to Luke,” he said. “I couldn’t tell them my boy couldn’t afford it. I couldn’t do that to him. Not in front of those men.”
He swallowed hard.
“So I said it was you.”
The wind came around the corner of the barn and pulled at his coat.
“That was the worst thing I ever said about anybody,” Walt said. “And I said it about the girl who stood up at Easter and thanked me.”
His eyes were wet.
“I’m sorry, Amy. I don’t expect that to fix it.”
I thought about the supply closet. Standing in the dark with the door shut.
I thought about four years of six-thirty on Saturday mornings. Driving to Hastings in the dark. Hailey’s red thermometer in the pantry. Luke at four in the morning eating cereal standing up.
And I thought about a seventy-two-year-old man sitting in his pickup at the end of a gravel driveway once a month. Looking at a ditch somebody had mowed. And driving on.
“It doesn’t need fixing, Walt,” I said. “You told me. That’s the part I needed.”
He put his cap back on.
Then he took it right back off again.
And Luke stepped in and put his arms around his father. Right there beside the barn. Where June used to hang the wash.
Walt held onto his son with that seed cap crushed in one hand.
I walked back around to the yard.
And I let them have it.
Sophia Rivers is an experienced News Content Editor with a sharp eye for detail and a passion for delivering accurate and engaging news stories. At TheArchivists, she specializes in curating, editing, and presenting news content that informs and resonates with a global audience.
Sophia holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Toronto, where she developed her skills in news reporting, media ethics, and digital journalism. Her expertise lies in identifying key stories, crafting compelling narratives, and ensuring journalistic integrity in every piece she edits.
Known for her precision and dedication to the truth, Sophia thrives in the fast-paced world of news editing. At TheArchivists, she focuses on producing high-quality news content that keeps readers informed while maintaining a balanced and insightful perspective.
With a commitment to delivering impactful journalism, Sophia is passionate about bringing clarity to complex issues and amplifying voices that matter. Her work reflects her belief in the power of news to shape conversations and inspire change.