Child of Mine by Bonnie K. Winn

Author:Bonnie K. Winn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2006-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Warm currents of air carried the scent of freshly cut wood from Matt’s shop. Sawdust littered the floor, the shavings curling beneath their feet.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Son.”

“I been thinkin’.”

“Anything special?”

“Kinda.”

Matt put down the sander and waited.

“You know how Billy’s gonna have a new brother or sister?”

Matt nodded.

“Well, I was thinkin’. Maybe we could make it a cradle. People give the new baby presents, don’t they?”

Matt knew how hard it was for Danny to accept that Billy would have a new sibling when there wasn’t one on the horizon for him. “Yes, son, they do. And I think a cradle would be a fine present. We could start on it this afternoon, if you’d like.”

“Yeah. That’d be good.”

They picked out the wood, settling on a native pine. And for a while they worked on the cradle’s design in relative quiet.

But Matt couldn’t contain his pleasure at Danny’s gesture. “It’s tough, Billy getting a new brother or sister when you’re not, and I’m proud of you for being a good friend.”

“It’s okay. Besides, I’m prayin’.”

“We’ve discussed this. First I have to meet someone and get married—”

“I know, Dad, that’s what I’m prayin’ for. That you’ll have somebody to love. So we can have a brother or sister like Billy.”

Matt swallowed. He couldn’t honestly tell Danny his prayer was wrong.

“You should have somebody else to love besides me ’cause I’ll grow up,” Danny continued earnestly. “And the other grown-ups all have somebody.”

Matt’s heart caught.

“Like the other kids have mothers,” Danny continued.

There it was. The bittersweet truth he couldn’t pretend didn’t exist.

“Do you miss having a mother?”

Danny shrugged. Then he kicked his tennis shoe against the toeboard beneath the main workbench. “Billy’s mom’s nice. And she smells good.”

Of course he missed having a mother. Matt remembered how important his own mother had been to him, how she’d nursed him through his illnesses and childhood wounds, both physical and emotional. His father had been a strong and wonderful presence in his life but his mother had provided the tenderness. He’d thought he could do it all…but obviously he couldn’t.

He thought of his daily prayers, asking the Lord to let him keep Danny. Swallowing, he realized he should have been asking Him to do what was best for his son. Even if that meant letting him go.

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