IT WAS A COLD JANUARY DAY WHEN ANNA MET FRANK Jansen and Miles Stanley for the first time. She had come to town with Abe in the sleigh to pick up supplies. Their last stop was Jansen’s Hardware Store.
Home from Europe and freshly mustered out of the army, Frank and Miles had close-cropped haircuts and the look of men who’d seen things they would rather forget. Especially Miles. Something about his expression as Mr. Jansen made the introductions tugged at Anna’s heart. She’d never felt anything like it before.
“You look good,” Abe said as he gave Frank’s hand a hearty shake. “Glad to have you back. We lost too many young men.”
“Yes, sir. We did.”
Abe turned to Miles and repeated the handshake. “Welcome to Kings Meadow, young man.”
“Thank you, sir.”
After living with the Leonards for more than a year and a half, Anna knew Abe had a sore spot when it came to the war. A leg injury as a boy had left him with a permanent limp, and when he’d tried to sign up to fight right after Pearl Harbor, he’d been turned down. Not that he hadn’t been able to do a hard day’s work around the ranch—both then and now—but that hadn’t mattered to the army physicians. They still wouldn’t take Abe into their ranks.
Mr. Jansen said, “We’re planning a potluck at the church come Saturday to welcome the boys home. Hope you and your family will be there.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Abe answered. “Long as the weather holds.”
“How’s that baby of yours?”
“Crawling so fast Vi can hardly keep track of him.” Abe beamed with pride. “Richie’s gonna be a handful when he learns to walk.”
Frank and Miles excused themselves and returned to their duties. Anna stopped listening to the two older men as she watched Miles walk to the front of the store where he’d been washing the large window when Abe and Anna arrived. He picked up a rag and continued.
Miles hadn’t really noticed Anna. She was sure of that. Why would he? She wasn’t yet sixteen, and he was a man who’d fought in a war and had seen things in Europe that she couldn’t even imagine. He was in his early twenties, she guessed. Not that many years older than she, but enough he could still think of her as a child.
From somewhere within, she found the courage to try to change that. She followed the same aisle to the front of the store and leaned her back against the wall. “Do you like it here, Mr. Stanley?”
“Sure do.” He glanced at her as his arm continued to make circles on the glass with the rag. “What’s your name again?”
She felt her cheeks grow warm. “Anna.”
“Hi, Anna.” He smiled at her. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Pleasure warmed her more deeply than any fire could have. “Do you plan to stay in Kings Meadow?”
“Not sure. For a while. Maybe a year or two. Jobs aren’t easy to come by right now with all the soldiers coming home again.” His attention returned to the window washing. “I guess I’ll stay until the Jansens are sick of having me around.”
Anna tried to think of something else to say, but nothing seemed right. And Miles was so intent on that silly window that he didn’t seem inclined to come up with something on his own. As the seconds dragged past, she began to feel foolish. She mumbled a good-bye, but he either didn’t hear her or didn’t want to be bothered with her any longer.
It won’t always be like this, Miles Stanley. I’ll make you notice me yet, no matter how long it takes.