“And what are you doing?”
I turn to see Ida Sue grinning at me. She has her hair pulled up today and she’s wearing a soft yellow dress, holding a sleeping Mary in her arms. She’s enough to take a man’s breath.
“Well, it’s Saturday and I finished riding the fence lines, so I thought I’d rope the boys into helping me on a project.”
“What kind of project?”
She has a saucy grin when she asks me that. If I wasn’t surrounded by all of her kids, I’d tackle her to the ground. It’s been barely two days since our evening in the treehouse, but it feels like forever. If I don’t have her soon, I’m going to go insane.
“I have this girlfriend who is afraid of heights, so the boys and I have decided to build a new playhouse.”
“It’s a clubhouse, Jansen,” Black complains.
“Yeah man, you’re messing with our street cred calling it a playhouse,” Green adds.
“Petal has more street cred than you do, dumbass,” Blue mutters.
“Mom, Blue called me a dumbass,” Green whines.
“That’s because you’re being one, dear,” Ida Sue answers, giving me a wink.
“Yeah, you’re being one!”
“Cyan, stop it before I wash your mouth out with soap.”
“Yeah, stop,” Green says, pushing his brother.
“How about all of you stop and run into the house and get us some waters while I talk to your mom?”
“Yeah, let’s go. They’re probably going to get all kissy-faced,” Green mutters, the first one to run away. Ida Sue holds her head down.
“Mom and Jansen sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” Cyan sing-songs, following the rest of his brothers in the house.
“It’s amazing how that boy can spell to irritate the piss out of me, but flunk his tests in school that ask him to spell the word box,” she says with a sigh.
I laugh.
“Where are you two headed today?”
“I was going to see if you wanted to go into town with me. I wanted to take Mary and find some shoes. She’s outgrown her last pair and she needs some to support her feet now that she’s walking so much.”
“She sure is getting big, she barely fits in your arms now.”
“Don’t I know it? This child is a chunk. Really, I was just hoping to spend some time with you. You look busy, though. Why are you building a playhouse?”
“Because you’re afraid of heights.”
“I’m not following.”
I wipe my hands on my pant legs and reach out and take Mary. Even over the sweat and heat of the day, I smell her little baby smell and it wraps around my heart. Ida Sue lets her go with a sigh.
“Shew, she was starting to break my arms. Now tell me what you’re talking about.”
“You’re afraid of heights. What happens if one of the kids get up in that tree and needs you? And what about little Petal? She’s starting to go up in there more and more. It’s not that high up, but she could still get hurt. Plus, there are a lot of boards on that thing that need replaced. It’s not entirely safe.”
“I know. It’s just nothing I’ve been able to fix on my own.”
“So, I’m fixing it for you.”
“You’re fixing the treehouse by building a playhouse?” she laughs.
“I’m going to tear the treehouse down and use the good wood, along with what I have to build a bigger playhouse for the kids. That way everyone is happy and you aren’t worrying yourself to death.”
“And the boys agreed to this?”
“I can be very persuasive,” I brag and I’m rewarded with Ida Sue’s blush.
“You don’t have to tell me twice, Jansen Reed. Trust me, I already know.”
“Then, you might like to know that I’m making it big enough that you and I can stand up in it.”
“Umm… okay?”
“That way when I do get you to myself again, we don’t have to waste time. I’ll just push you up against the wall and take you,” I tell her, my voice dropping down.
I watch her eyes dilate, her face fill with heat and I can read the hunger on her body clearly—maybe because it mirrors my own.
“You better make it extra sturdy then, Jansen.”
“Already working on it, Lovey.”
“Good,” she says leaning in to kiss me.
“Mom! Jansen! Come quick!”
Both of us freeze and turn to look at Maggie who is running toward us with panic in her voice. Kayla and Petal are running just behind her. I hand the baby back and walk to them, Ida Sue close on my heels.
“What’s wrong girls?”
“We were walking out by the creekbank, close to the Mighty Oak,” Maggie says, using the nickname that everyone calls the oak tree that now holds mine and Ida Sue’s initials.
“We were looking at the new calves in the pasture and there’s this gunky black stuff bubbling in their pond. They can’t drink that, Jansen! It will make them sick!” Kayla adds, out of breath.
“I don’t want the baby cows to die, Jansen,” Petal cries.
“They won’t die, baby,” I tell her leaning down to wipe a couple of her tears away. “I better saddle up Duke and see what’s going on,” I add.
“Maggie, you take Mary. Jansen and I will take the truck and see what’s going on.”
“Ida Sue—”
“It’ll be quicker and besides you might need my help.”
“But your dress, you might stain it—”
“There are other dresses. Let’s get going. Those calves put food on our table. Maybe someday they might even provide a table,” she jokes, handing the baby over to Maggie.
I grin. I have her table done. I just need to put the final varnish on the benches and then I’ll show her. I wish it was already Valentine’s Day, because I really want to show her now.
I take her hand and we head out towards the shed on the side of the barn.
Soon, I can give her the table and the ring.
I just hope she says yes…