“Maybe my coming here was a mistake.”

Arden was surprised by the plea for reassurance in Rachel’s statement.

“Neh. It wasn’t a mistake.” Upon seeing the fragile vulnerability in Rachel’s eyes, Arden’s heart ballooned with compassion. “Trust me, the community will kumme to help Ivan.”

“In that case, I’d better keep dessert and tea on hand,” Rachel said, smiling once again.

“Does that mean we can’t have a slice of that pie over there?”

“Of course it doesn’t. And since Ivan has no appetite, you and I might as well have large pieces.”

Supping with Rachel after a hard day’s work, encouraging her and discussing Ivan’s care as if he were, well, not a child, but like a child, felt... It felt like how Arden always imagined it would feel if he had a family of his own. Which was probably why, half an hour later as he directed his horse toward home, Arden’s stomach was full but he couldn’t shake the aching emptiness he felt inside.

She is going back, so I’d better not get too accustomed to her company, as pleasant as it’s turning out to be.