I look at these two pictures, I see that old cowboy not caring that his days are up and time is short before the cold winter takes him away from this world. But there’s a smile on his face and he’s taking a whole passel of memories with him to the other side. In the other one I see the promise of spring, birds singing as they build a nest, and life buds once again in spite of the terrible storm. I feel warmth inside the window and sympathy for the poor little birds that are so cold. The angel promises protection if they’ll remember the love of the season. That curtain thing is old so it’s representative of the past. The angel is the promise of an eternal future.”
When he looked over at Sage, tears were flowing down her cheeks. “Those are the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard.”
Heat crawled up his back and he felt the sting of a blush on his cheeks. Creed could not remember the last time he’d blushed.
She squeezed his hand. “Thank you. I won’t burn it and I’m going to paint more like it.”
Angel hopped down from the window and ran across the room, landed in Sage’s lap with a thud, and looked up at her. Sage pulled her hand away from Creed’s and stroked the cat’s long fur while she continued to look at the picture.
“She’s purring, Creed. I think she’s thanking us for the milk and food,” she said.
* * *
Creed grinned.
Us.
She had said us.
Some miracles weren’t instant. Some of them took a while in coming around.
Noel left the business of tearing up the rag and joined the family, putting her paws on the edge of Creed’s rocking chair.
“Feeling left out, are you?” Creed scratched her ears.
“Didn’t take them long to make themselves at home, did it?” Sage said.
“I think the children are asking you to do a portrait of them.”
Sage laughed. “They aren’t my children. I’m not even sure they’ll be my pets. When the storm clears and they can go outside, they could easily go right on down the road on their journey.”
“I doubt that Angel will leave her babies or Noel either when she has them. Did you ever think about a husband and children?” he asked abruptly.
Sage bit her lower lip for several seconds.
Now why in the hell had he asked that question, Creed wondered. It was too personal and would kill the miracle that had barely gotten a foothold in her heart. Maybe she didn’t even hear him ask. Hopefully she’d been studying her art so intensely she’d blocked out everything else.
Finally she answered. “That is a scary thought, Creed. My dad died and my mother’s heart was broken as well as Grand’s. Daddy was her only child. He and Momma were high school sweethearts and married before he went off to the Army. She went with him as soon as she could and I was born a few years later.”
“So you have a fear of commitment?” he asked.
“Don’t say that.”
“Why?”
“I’ve heard it before and I don’t have any fears. I’m just a careful woman. Fear is one thing. Caution is another. Besides, if I had a fear it wouldn’t be of commitment, it would be of abandonment and Grand ain’t helping one damn bit in that business.”
“Well, I’m honest enough to say that I have the big C-word fear. It’s the only thing that makes me shake in my boots. After my fiancée pulled off her stunt, I’m gun-shy when it comes to relationships.”
“You? I don’t believe it!”
“Believe it, darlin’. I’m a flirt but when it comes to trusting anyone enough to give them my whole heart to put through a meat grinder, well, that’s another matter.”
“Guess we make a pretty damn good pair to get stuck in a blizzard together,” she said.
Chapter 5
“Well, dammit all to hell on a rusty poker,” Ada fussed.
“Burned another pan full, did you?” Essie giggled.
“Damn sure did. Guess we’ll only be takin’ three dozen to the canasta game tonight.”
“I reckon that’ll be plenty. Everyone else will bring cookies too. You wouldn’t burn them if you’d stop your worrywartin’.”
Ada tucked her salt-and-pepper hair behind her ears. She and Esther had been born in southern Oklahoma to a father with Chickasaw blood and a red-haired Irish mother. Esther had gotten the red hair and green eyes, but she was as mild tempered as a gentle southern breeze. Ada inherited the dark hair and dark eyes and had a temper like a