As he read the letter, the old man went pale. Crumpling the thin paper in his fist, he collapsed onto the sofa.
“What is it?” Kira flew across the room to his side.
He stared into the empty cavern of the fireplace, as if seeing some presence there. “Barbara’s gone,” he said. “The letter’s from her husband. She died of a fever three weeks ago. All this time—you’d think that, as a father, I’d have some kind of sense that it had happened. But no, I’ve felt . . . nothing.”
Wordless, Kira sank down beside him and wrapped him in her arms. She’d expected something like this when she’d heard about the letter. But that didn’t lessen the shock, especially for Dusty, who’d now lost his wife, his two daughters and a beloved granddaughter, all before their time.
Kira hadn’t seen Wendy’s mother in years. The woman she remembered as a pretty, talkative blonde had changed after marrying a stern preacher. She’d disowned Wendy for getting pregnant, and hadn’t even come home from Africa to attend her daughter’s funeral. Paige would never know the grandmother she’d just lost.
But Kira’s grief was mostly for her grandfather, who felt so frail as she held him. His aging frame shook with the strain of holding back tears.
“Will her body be coming home?” Kira asked, thinking that a funeral service might at least bring some closure.
He shook his head. “They buried her in a little plot behind the mission. She’ll never be coming home again. I’ll never even get to visit her grave.”
Kira’s arms tightened around him. Glancing up, she saw Jake standing in the entrance to the dining room. He would have heard enough to know what had happened. “The students will be coming to eat,” he said. “I’ll bring them in through the kitchen and keep them quiet.”
“Thanks.” Kira’s lips moved, barely voicing the word.
“And tell Dusty how sorry I am. If there’s anything I can do—”
“You’re already doing it.” She met his gaze and saw the warmth and sympathy there. Then he disappeared in the direction of the kitchen, probably to tell Consuelo what had happened and to intercept the students before they could burst into the house, laughing and talking.
She stayed with Dusty for a while, letting him reminisce about Barbara and her growing-up years. When the old man was talked out, she steered him gently off to bed and waited outside his room until she knew he was settled for sleep. Then she checked on Paige and wandered back through the living room. Opening the front door to step out onto the porch, she nearly bumped into Jake, who was standing on the threshold.
“Whoa there!” He steadied her with his hands on her shoulders. “I was just about to knock.” He stepped inside, closed the door behind him and gathered her close. Kira nestled against his chest, taking comfort in his solid strength.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered against her hair.
“I’m sorry, too, even though she wasn’t my favorite person,” Kira said. “Especially after the way she treated Wendy. It’s Dusty I’m grieving for. He’s lost his whole family now.”
“He’s got you and Paige.”
“But that’s not the same. Barbara was his daughter. He’d always hoped to see her again when she came home. But now, as he said, he can’t even visit her grave.”
He eased her away, far enough for her to see his face. “That’s part of why I’m here,” he said. “Your students want to do something for him tomorrow morning. A surprise.”
“ ‘A surprise’?”
“It was Calvin who came up with the idea. It might be a little over-the-top, but their hearts are in the right place. I’m all for letting them do it.”
“You’re asking my permission? Without telling me what it is?”
He nodded, still holding her. “They’ll need an hour or so after the horses are taken care of. I’ll have my eyes on them the whole time. It won’t be dangerous, and it won’t hurt anything. Trust me, this could be good for them, and I hope for Dusty. He can even come out and watch if he’s feeling up to it.”
Kira looked up into his earnest eyes. “Trust me,” he’d said. How long had it been since she’d felt free to trust—to let go and let someone else take control, however briefly? Could she do it now? What if something were to go wrong?
“Trust me.”
Her trust, Kira realized, was what this broken man needed most. It was the one vital, healing gift she could give him. Starting now.
“You’re sure they’ll be all right?” she asked.
“They’ll be fine, Kira.”
“Go ahead, then. Just be careful.”
He opened the front door, gave her a lingering kiss and vanished into the darkness.