Grace blushes at the praise, her cheeks turning a bright shade of pink. She’s the shy one.
While Lily and I look the most alike, I find that I feel most comfortable with Faith, and my personality is most similar to Grace’s. It’s fascinating to see how we all just sort of click together. It’s even more amazing how quickly they’ve pulled me into their fold.
These girls are so incredible. On top of being beautiful and kind, they’re also successful. They’ve transformed their hobbies into a solid, profitable venture. That’s impressive—and slightly intimidating—and it’s exactly what I wish I could do.
They’re eager to get to know me, asking dozens of questions about where I grew up and what I was like as a child. They inform me that while Faith and Grace have the same mother and grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania, they only met Lily a few years ago when she showed up here in Reyfield, pregnant and looking for somewhere to stay. They also warn me that their—our—father was a philanderer and that there might be other Monroe brothers and sisters roaming around out there. I have lots of questions about the man but my sisters’ feelings about him are tepid at best and they don’t hear from him all that often.
In any case, it’s still nice to be able to get answers—finally—and to find my tribe, a place where I belong. I haven’t talked to my mother since that day at Faith’s barbecue. I know I’ll have to sort things out with her eventually, but for now, I just need time to process everything.
In any case, I can’t wait for my new sisters to hang out with my friends. Lexi, Penny and Jessa will love them.
After chatting for a while, Lily offers to take me on a grand tour of her husband’s farm. Grace and Faith tag along. They show me their famous vegetable plot and I marvel at the rolling green hills that surround us. In a faraway field, dozens of cattle dot the horizon. It’s like a postcard.
There’s a smaller pasture where the livestock is darting around. “Stop chasing the damn goats, Chellie!” Lily shouts at one of her girls who’s running after the poor creatures. Lily is adorable but she definitely has a whole ‘frazzled, overwhelmed mom’ vibe going on.
“That girl is a damn handful,” Faith mumbles with a grin.
“Hey, I heard that!” Lily says protectively and bumps Faith in the shoulder.
We pass other kids scattered all about, playing around the farm, running as free as the animals. I can’t help but want something like this for myself—albeit, on a smaller scale because I don’t have the stamina to run around after six kids like Lily does. But the idea of my own family sounds like a dream. And a business I can run alongside people I trust. I’ve got to admit, I want that.
My conversation with Jude from the other night keeps replaying in my head. I can see myself running that flower shop. With Jude alongside me as my partner. But is that even realistic? He’ll be back in Iowa next season, playing football, living his dream. I’ll just be an old lover he used to know and this adventure of ours will be a distant memory. I have to be careful not to invest too much of myself into this.
In the short time since we’ve been living together, the man has taken up so much space in my life—filled up so many empty voids. I’m terrified by the idea of going back to the lonely woman I used to be. But when Jude looks at me from across the cattle pasture and smiles, I feel anything but lonely.
When Lily invited me to come check the place out, Jude didn’t hesitate to offer to drive me. The man is so amazing.
After all the drama I’ve lived over the past year, this sense of calm and security he brings to my life is so needed…I need him.
He’s made me no guarantees, no promises. I don’t even know where we stand. That’s a bit frightening but I try not to dwell on it. I try to just live in the moment and enjoy the gift of his presence.
As the afternoon wears on, the girls and I cozy up in the beautifully-crafted gazebo Jakob built for Lily. Someone’s child runs up to me. She’s cute, with untamed, dark blonde curls. I still haven’t learned all the names, and who belongs to who, but I’m certain this girl’s my niece…I’ve never had a niece before.
The girl’s hands come forward, and a frantic, flapping chicken is thrust in my direction.
“Uhh…” I laugh while blinking in Lily’s direction, completely unsure of how to react.
“Rose, quit it. Iris doesn’t want to hold that filthy thing,” Lily scolds her daughter.
I feel bad, so I take the outstretched bird into my hands, and before I can grip its tiny, feathery body, the chicken immediately flaps into my face before dropping back to the ground.
“Whoops. Is it okay?” I laugh, clutching my startled heart. “I’m guessing if I kill a farm animal on my first day here, my approval ratings will take a huge dip with my new family.”
Everyone laughs, and Lily waves a hand dismissively. “Ugh! The bird is fine, and if it wasn’t, I’d just fry it up for dinner.”
Grace makes a cringing face. She cups a hand around her mouth and whisper-yells. “You don’t want Lily cooking for you. Trust me.”
Lily rolls her eyes. “My cooking has gotten better. Cut me some slack.”
The girls laugh and poke fun at each other while the men do manly things and the wild children bop around in the fields. They are all one big, happy family, and even though I’m just on the fringe of it all, I’m grateful that they’ve carved out a space for me.
In the distance, Jude and the guys
