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  “You what!” Energized, she began pulling herself up to meet him.

  He repeated his sentence as she climbed.

  “Don’t keep me in suspense! What’s the idea?”

  “Well, you know how I suggested to your parents that they go with a factory-built house?”

  “Yes?” She reached the peak.

  His hands under her arms, Guthrie swung her effortlessly up the last foot onto the peak, then motioned her to precede him into the steeple opening. She ducked inside.

  He thumped down after her. “There’s another option I hadn’t mentioned to them. Instead of doing the stick-built house that I planned for them, I can order a factory shell.”

  “What’s that?” Tugging off her grimy white cotton gloves, she turned to face him. “They didn’t want a factory-built house. How is this different?”

  “A shell is the outer walls with windows and doors and roof all manufactured and assembled at the factory. They truck the completed walls here and put them up with a crane. The whole exterior can be put together and enclosed in twelve hours. What do you think of that?”

  Words failed Hannah. Twelve hours and the house would be up! She couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t help herself. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

  Guthrie’s lips parted with surprise. So close to him, she lost herself in the mingled scents of wood, leather, fresh hay and honest perspiration. Her lips tingled, and she shivered. Sensations, warm and exciting, rippled through her. Needing something solid to hold on to, she tightened her hold around his neck. Oh, my, this is wonderful. I never knew…. Oh, my…

  Then a quicksilver thought flashed her back to reality. Oh, no, I’m kissing Guthrie Thomas! What must he think of me? Before she embarrassed herself more, she pulled away.

  “That’s a wonderful idea! Twelve hours! Do you mean that? My parents will be ecstatic.” Words fell out of her mouth as she tried to distract him from the fact that she’d just kissed him.

  Ignoring her words, Guthrie tucked her close again, leaned down and kissed her.

  His lips immobilized her. He kissed me back. What’s going on? She couldn’t draw breath. “Guthrie,” she finally cautioned, quivering.

  A shocked expression on his face, he stepped back. “Sorry. Don’t know what got into me.”

  Her face blazed. And I don’t know what got into me! And Edward never kissed me like that! I never knew…. “My fault. I kissed you first. I was just so excited….”

  Guthrie pushed his hands through his moist hair. “It’s all this about Lynda’s… I don’t feel like myself. I would never—”

  Hannah touched his forearm. Her glance spoke her sympathy. She wanted to say, “Don’t let Lynda wait too long. Someone else might tell the children that their father has come back to town. Lynda should be the one.” But she couldn’t speak. The look in his blue eyes warned her away.

  Changing the subject without saying a word, he glanced over her shoulder toward the stairs. “Let’s go down and see what your parents think about my idea.”

  “Great. Let’s go.” She automatically tugged off her tool belt and led him down to the church office. The shell could be up in twelve hours. Feeling the first ray of hope in days, she nearly skipped into the office. “Mom, is Dad busy?”

  Hannah bent and picked up her kitten from the laundry basket where it snoozed on a frayed white bath towel. Her mom’s new cat looked up, blinking sleepily. The little yellow tabby purred in Hannah’s ear, then licked her with its tiny sandpaper tongue.

  Her mother looked up quizzically and turned to tap on the door behind her. “Garner, can you put your sermon aside for a minute? Hannah and Guthrie want to talk to us.”

  Dad came out right away. “What about?”

  “Guthrie has come up with a great idea,” Hannah started, “for speeding up the work on your house.”

  Immediately her father looked skeptical.

  So Hannah stepped aside, motioning toward Guthrie.

  Guthrie stood, his weight on his heels. “You know how bad I feel about not being able to get your house done on time? Well, I was thinking the other night that I hadn’t told you about a third way to build a house.”

  “A third way?” Garner asked. “This won’t mean a loss of quality?”

  “No. You see, it’s only the shell.” Guthrie rounded his hands together, demonstrating the idea. “I mean, we just order the shell, and it’s made at the factory. They truck it in and put it up with a crane—”

  “In twelve hours!” Hannah had to interrupt.

  Her mother motioned Guthrie to sit down. “Start at the beginning, Guthrie, not the end.”

  Hannah sat down on the floor to play with the kittens.

  Easing into the chair in front of the desk, Guthrie took his time and explained how he’d take the plans to a company in Prairie du Chein and order the custom-made shell, what it would cost and how much time it would save him. “You see, my custom work actually goes into the interior. As it is, I’ve held off putting down the subfloor for fear of rain damage.

  “This way the house would all be enclosed in one day, really. Then I can spend the fall—after haying is done—just working on putting up wallboard, laying flooring and doing the custom work you want done.”

  “And I’d still help him with that.” Hannah grinned so wide it hurt the corners of her jaw. The two kittens with sharp little claws crawled around in her lap, tumbling over each other. Hannah winced as each tiny claw poked her.

  “But won’t that take away part of your profit?” Dad asked.

  “Some. But I figure I’ll get yours up and done, and I’ll still have time to take on another house and do the same with it, then spend the winter finishing its interior—after yours is done.”

  “Well, we’ll need to talk this over.” Her father glanced at her mother.

  “Ouchy,” Hannah murmured to the kittens. She lifted one in each hand, high above her lap. “I’ve got to trim your claws, you little sweeties.” She set them on the rug.

  Her mother nodded. The church phone rang. She answered it, “Petite Community Church, Ethel speaking.”

  Hannah looked at Guthrie. “I’m thirsty. I’ve got sun tea ready for us in the refrigerator.”

  He smiled, something he hadn’t done much since Sunday. “There are some advantages to having you as my carpenter’s helper.”

  Her mother said, “She’ll be right over.” She hung up. “Hannah, that was the vet. She’s had a cancellation this afternoon, and if you go right over, she has time to give the kittens their distemper shots.”

  Catching her kitten, Hannah rose. “Guthrie, I promised Amber that I’d take her along with her kitty, too. I won’t be gone long.”

  “Okay. I’ll drink a glass of sun tea and then go back up on the roof.” He bent and scooped up her mother’s kitten from beside his work boot. The little ball of gray fur looked minuscule in his large capable hand. “Does Lynda know about this?”

  “Yes.” Hannah accepted the kitten from him. “Mom, call Martha and tell her I’ll be picking up Amber and kitty. That will give them a few minutes to round up the cat.”

  Within ten minutes, she sat beside Amber in her red SUV. Amber held her velvety gray kitten close to her face. “She’s so soft.”

  “I know.” Hannah smiled. “What did you name her?”

  “I decided to name her Misty because her fur is like the sky when it’s misty outside.”

  “Amber, what a great name!” Hannah praised the child and meant it. “And it’s given me the perfect name for mine.”

  “Really? What are you going to call her?” Amber asked.

  “Sunny! Because she’s golden like a sunny day!”

  “Cool,” Amber said. “Misty and Sunny. What did your mama name her cat?”

  “She hasn’t named him yet. She likes to take her time in picking out a name. So we’ll just call him Cat until he has an official name.”

  “Okay.”

  From one of the county roa
ds, Hannah turned into the graveled parking lot of the vet. Inside the office, barking and meowing sounded from the back where the hospital part was located. Amber and Hannah sat down on a bench in the designated cat side of the waiting room.

  The door to the examining rooms opened, and a young female vet in a white lab coat walked out, followed by a man carrying a Chihuahua. Hannah was paying only scant attention to the vet as she talked to the man about bringing the Chihuahua back for a reexamination.

  But Amber popped up, walked over and stared at him. When Hannah recognized who the man was, she froze.

  Amber announced, “Damon Kinney says you’re my daddy.”

  Chapter Eight

  Oh, no! Hannah’s worst fear for Lynda’s children was happening to Amber right in front of her eyes. Damon Kinney had seen Billy at church just as Amber had, and evidently Damon’s parents had discussed who Billy was in front of Damon. Hannah stared at the child and her father, frantically trying to think what to say to defuse the situation, how to protect the little girl’s feelings.

  “Yes, I am your daddy,” Billy said quietly.

  “How come you went away and left us?” Amber asked. “You didn’t even come back for Christmas.”

  Hannah wept inside. Oh, Amber, I’m so sorry. I wanted to prevent this from happening to you, but I couldn’t.

  “I was stupid.” Billy gazed into his daughter’s eyes. “I didn’t know then how lucky I was to have your mom and you kids.”

  “Does that mean you want us back now?” Amber asked with bright hope in every syllable.

  Hannah flinched at the vulnerability of this innocent child. She slid forward on the bench to go to Amber, to rescue her.

  “It means I know now that you kids and your mom are priceless gifts from God. And I would like to get to know you and your sister and brother.” Billy’s voice quivered with emotion.

  Hannah held her breath.

  “Okay.” Amber nodded. “You can. We’d like to get to know you. We want to have a daddy.”

  Amber’s simple words pierced Hannah’s heart like needles. How freely Amber forgave the father who’d abandoned her. Oh, for the faith of a child!

  Billy handed the Chihuahua to the vet and squatted in front of Amber at eye level. “I think you’ll have to talk that over with your mother first, Amber. I’m the one who left. Your mother stayed and took care of you kids, so she has to be the one to decide when I can see you. That’s why I haven’t come to your house to see the three of you yet.” He reached out and touched the kitten in Amber’s arms. His hand trembled. “Is this your kitty?”

  Amber nodded.

  The vet looked at Hannah as if to ask what was going on. Hannah shrugged.

  The tiny dog in the vet’s arms yipped as though reminding Billy of its existence. Billy rose and retrieved the Chihuahua from the vet. “It was nice seeing you, Amber, and I hope to see you again soon.”

  Hannah wondered what it felt like to have your child treat you like a stranger.

  “Okay. I’ll ask Mommy.”

  “You do that.” With a drawn expression, Billy nodded to Hannah and walked out.

  Amber came back to her. “That was my daddy.”

  “I heard him.” Hannah yearned to hug Amber close, but she didn’t want to add any emotion to this already heart-rending incident. Better for the child if Hannah acted as naturally as possible.

  “Why didn’t Mommy tell me he came back? Damon Kinney knew.”

  Hannah had also dreaded this inevitable question. How did children unerringly go straight to the heart of the matter? She thought quickly and came up with a careful answer. “Your daddy told you why. It’s up to your mother to decide when you would meet your father again.”

  “Well, I met him.”

  “Then you’ll have to tell your mother that.” Not wishing to be asked any more questions, Hannah stood up. Cradling two squirming kittens in one arm, she took Amber’s hand and led her to the vet. “Now let’s get our three kittens their shots.”

  What will Guthrie do when I tell him about this? Oh, Lord, deal with Guthrie and Lynda’s wounded hearts.

  Back in front of the little yellow house on Church Street, Amber waved goodbye to Hannah, then ran up the short path to her house.

  Though weighed down with worry, Hannah smiled and waved back. Then she drove her red SUV back to the church and parked in the gravel lot there. Climbing out of the truck, she was greeted by the rhythmic sound of Guthrie’s hammer above her. Without enthusiasm, she walked back into the church and deposited the gray-striped and golden kittens in the blue laundry basket. They immediately pounced on one another, rolling over and over each other.

  The office was deserted. Neither her father or mother were in sight. Maybe they’d gone to the kitchen for a coffee break. She considered trying to find them.

  But that was cowardly. The man pounding nails on the roof was the one she needed to talk to. Her father had already tried to make Lynda see reality. Maybe it was time for her to shake Guthrie up. God, as Paul stood up to Peter, give me the strength to stand up to Guthrie Thomas and move him to talk his sister into dealing with this crisis. Stand by my side and give me the strength of Samson and the wisdom of Solomon. I’ll need both.

  With this prayer in her heavy heart, she mounted the stairs, pulled on her tool belt and crawled through the steeple opening. “Guthrie, I’m back!”

  “I thought you’d decided to take the rest of the day off. How long does it take to get three kittens vaccinated?” Guthrie had finished his side and had started on hers. About one-quarter remained undone.

  His unconcerned tone deepened her regret at having to bring bad tidings. “It took as long as it needed.” After slipping on her work gloves, she hooked her safety harness and let herself down the side of the roof. Just over two weeks ago, getting her parents’ house done on time had been the big issue in her mind. Now it paled in comparison to this family’s crisis. She settled at the other end of the roof from Guthrie.

  He finished pounding a nail. “I think we can get this done if we stay at it the rest of the afternoon.”

  Hannah tried to think of a gentle way to tell him what had happened at the vet’s. No easy way presented itself.

  She lifted the hammer from her belt, reached for a shingle, then a nail. She clung to her resolve. God had let Amber meet her father in front of Hannah. He’d dropped the hot potato in her lap. She couldn’t let Amber down.

  “Guthrie, we’re going to have to talk about…” Pausing, she positioned the shingle and began pounding it in, one stroke for each word. “Some…thing…you…don’t…want…to…talk…about.”

  “I’m not talking about Billy.” He continued hammering.

  She ignored his stubbornness. “Today when Amber and I were at the vet, the thing I dreaded the most for your niece happened right in front of me.”

  “What did he do!” Guthrie roared. “Did he follow you there?”

  Where had her gentle carpenter gone, the man who could laugh about being startled off a roof? “He didn’t follow us. He was already there.”

  Guthrie charged ahead. “Did he get that new vet to call you?”

  “Guthrie, stop frothing at the mouth and let me tell you what happened!”

  He replied by viciously pounding a nail into place.

  Hannah’s temper frayed. “You need to listen to me!” She shook her hammer at him. “You don’t even know what happened yet.”

  He glared at her, but closed his lips as if his mouth was stuffed with one-penny nails.

  “I didn’t notice him at first, but…” She paused for effect and waited for him to let her know he was listening.

  After a moment, he said, “But? Go on!”

  She took a deep breath, bracing herself. “But Amber noticed him. She walked up to him.”

  “What? You let her talk to him!”

  “I was in shock! I couldn’t move. It was like watching a dream, a nightmare. She walked up to him and said, ‘Damon Kinney says you’re
my daddy.’” Hannah turned to Guthrie.

  He wouldn’t meet her gaze, but stared at the shingles beneath his boots. His anger appeared to have deserted him. “Why would the Kinneys tell their boy about Billy? I don’t get it.”

  Oh, Guthrie, are you being dense on purpose? “Didn’t you realize some husband and wife here would talk about Billy and that their children might overhear it and repeat it to Lynda’s children? I’ve been dreading this since Sunday.” She positioned another shingle and banged in the first nail.

  Guthrie remained silent.

  Hannah went on pounding in nails. When the shingle was done, she turned to him. His expression shocked her. “Guthrie!”

  His face was twisted with pain.

  Seeing his anguish, she wondered if Billy had done more than abandon Lynda. Lila’s mention of Guthrie’s dad and his funeral came back to her. Billy had done more than desert his family, hadn’t he?

  Guthrie answered her unspoken question. “You don’t know all he did.” Emotion clogged his throat.

  “What did he do?” Hannah slung her hammer in her belt. Still tethered by the harness, she jumped sideways to him. “Tell me. Please.”

  He looked away, obviously fighting not to break down. He mastered himself. “Lynda was pregnant with her third, with Hunter. She started to go into premature labor. Billy was out somewhere, doing who knows what.”

  He turned to her as though appealing for her understanding. “Lynda called me. I drove her to the hospital in Portage. She delivered the baby nearly six weeks early. He was in neonatal intensive care.” Guthrie took a deep breath. “We didn’t know if he…if Hunter would live, if he would suffer brain damage.”

  Hannah ached inside for Lynda and her family. “Did Billy finally come?”

  “Yes, his mother found him and dragged him to the hospital. He took one look at Hunter, hooked up to all kinds of tubes, and ran out of the hospital.”

  Hannah didn’t know what to say, but she had a feeling she knew what happened next. “He left town then?”

  “Yeah, but first he knocked down his own mother when she tried to stop him, took every penny out of Lynda’s and his savings account. He took the money Lynda had earned waitressing at Lila’s to pay for the delivery. They didn’t have insurance. The costs for Hunter’s care were astronomical. The hospital forgave some, but I had to take out a second mortgage on our farm in order to pay them.”