Montana Morning by Sharon Flesch Read Free Book Online

Mom read it to us all the time in the evenings,” he remembered.
    “Great, then you
know about grace and forgiveness . . . that’s a start.”  She gently tapped
his chin with the book. “You can’t help Scott until you help yourself.” 
She knew she was treading in dangerous waters.  “Have you cried for Mary
yet?”
    Jack looked at the
floor and shook his head.  “I’m not the crying type.”
    Adrianna was quiet
for a long time, finally Jack asked, “What are you thinking?”
    “The truth?” She
wasn’t sure he was ready for it.
    “Never tell me
anything but the truth. I’m a big boy, remember?” he said with a crooked grin.
    “Okay.  The
truth is,I was thinking the day you and Scott find the strength to cry
together, you’ll both start to heal.”
    “You’re probably
right,” he sighed.   “We can go see Scotty now.  I think I’m
ready to face him.”
    ***
    Scotty heard his
grandpa’s voice in the hall and turned his head toward the window once
more.  The door opened and he closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.
    Jack walked over
to the bed, gently shaking him.  “Scotty, I brought you a visitor.”
    At first Scotty
ignored them, but eventually his curiosity got the best of him and he opened
his eyes, turning to face them. His smile lit up the room.  “Adrianna!”
    Jack grinned from
ear to ear.  “I told you you’d like her.”
    “Honest?  Are
you coming to live with us at the ranch?”  He was actually beaming.
    “Kind of looks
that way, if you’ll have me.” She smiled back, wondering how long it had been
since Scotty had laughed.
    “Gee, I didn’t
know you and Grandpa knew each other.” Scotty looked first at his Grandpa and
then at Adrianna.  “Why didn’t you tell me?”
    “You didn’t
ask.”  Jack winked at Adrianna, who was giving him a questioning look.
    “Scotty, how would
you like to go home a week from Monday?”
    “To the ranch?” he
looked first at her and then at his grandpa.
    “Yeah, Doc says
you are about ready to leave this joint,” Jack said, grinning from ear to ear.
    “Thank God.”
Scotty was sick of this place and bored to tears.
    Jack roughed up
Scotty’s hair.  “I’ll second that.”
    ***
    The aroma of fresh
coffee hung in the air as Adrianna looked out into the sunlit street. 
They had chosen this small cafe close to the hospital to grab a bite of
lunch.  She and Jack had gone to therapy with Scotty, and the therapist
would train Adrianna several mornings next week. This would enable her to take
over the treatments once Scotty left the hospital, and she was thankful the
therapy was not complicated or painful.  Jack returned from making his
calls and the waitress refilled his cup.
    “Did you get in
touch with your attorney?” She had to admit she was a little nervous about the
court approving her to care for Scotty; after all, she had no formal training.
    “Would you please
wipe that frown off your face,” Jack said, looking at her over the brim of his
coffee cup.  “Howard said to meet him at the courthouse at
one-fifteen.  I’ll see the judge then,” he smiled trying to reassure her,
“That gives me just enough time to take you home first.”
    “Jack, I still
think I should sign the contract.  You don’t want to give the court any
reason to reject your petition for custody.”  She knew how important it
was to him and, in the long run, how important it might be to Scotty’s future.
    Jack was very
quiet.  He stared out the window and back down at her hands. They were
wrapped around her cup as if she was trying to capture the warmth of the
liquid.         
    “Are you still
cold?” concern filled his voice.  She shook her head and murmured she was
fine.  He studied her face, looking for the words to explain how he was
feeling. He cleared his throat, and she looked up at him.
    “Adrianna, I don’t
know exactly how to say this, but I’ll try,” he paused, searching for just the
right words.  “When I