“In a blizzard?”
“Especially.”
Cole laughed from the bench where Petra had wrapped his ankle.
Beau glared.
Then laughed too.
It was the first time Petra heard all three older boys laugh in the same room since she arrived.
The moment lasted ten seconds.
Then Nate ran in.
“Water line’s freezing.”
Everyone moved again.
The house depended on a gravity-fed backup tank, but the barn line needed heat.
Rhett and Nate carried hot water.
Beau fought the generator.
Petra worked the hand pump.
Jamie fed the stove.
Cole, unable to walk properly, became radio and telephone coordinator.
At seven-thirty, Declan called.
Connection poor.
“Status?”
Beau answered first.
“South cattle in.”
“Barn?”
“Small roof compromised.”
“Horses in machine shed.”
Pause.
Then Declan:
“Who decided that?”
Beau looked toward Petra.
“Petra.”
Another pause.
“Good.”
Beau’s face changed.
Not anger.
Thought.
Declan continued.
“Generator?”
“Dead.”
“Fuel line probably iced.”
Petra took the phone.
“We're handling it.”
“You sound tired.”
“So do you.”
“I’m sleeping at the co-op.”
“Luxury.”
“Twenty men and one bathroom.”
Petra smiled.
“Maybe not.”
His voice softened.
“You all right?”
Petra looked around.
Five boys.
Lantern light.
Wet gloves.
Mud.
Snow pounding walls.
“Yes.”
This time she almost believed it.
At nine, the emergency worsened.
Rhett opened the mudroom door.
Wind exploded inside.
“Fence light’s out.”
Beau looked up.
“Which?”
“Calving shed.”
Beau moved immediately.
Petra blocked him.
“You've been outside six hours.”
“So?”
“So Rhett and I go.”
Beau stared.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I know the shed.”
“So does Rhett.”
Rhett nodded reluctantly.
Beau looked at Petra.
“You're exhausted.”
“So are you.”
“I'm stronger.”
Petra’s eyes sharpened.
“That stopped being impressive around noon.”
Cole laughed again.
Beau almost argued.
Then looked at Petra’s face.
Something in him surrendered.
“Ten minutes.”
“What?”
“If you're not back in ten minutes, I come.”
Petra nodded.
“Fine.”
She and Rhett went.
The calving shed door had torn loose from one hinge.
Snow was blowing inside.
They could not repair it fully.
Petra looked around.
“Rope.”
Rhett found it.
They lashed the door closed from the inside.
One rope slipped.
Rhett caught it.
Petra braced the door with her entire body.
“Hurry!”
“I am!”
“You move like your father.”
“That supposed to help?”
“No!”
He laughed.
They made it.
On the walk back, Rhett stopped.
Petra turned.
“What?”
He looked toward the house.
Then:
“Beau doesn't hate you.”
She blinked.
The storm roared.
“What?”
“He thinks Dad’s going to get hurt.”
“How?”
“By loving you.”
Petra stared.
Rhett continued.
“He saw what happened after Mom.”
“Dad stopped sleeping.”
“Stopped eating properly.”
“Beau ran half the ranch.”
“He thinks if something happens to you…”
He shrugged.
Petra understood.
Fear disguised as hostility.
Of course.
“Why are you telling me?”
Rhett looked embarrassed.
“Because you should know.”
Then he walked ahead.
Petra followed.
At ten, everyone finally came inside.
Nothing left outside could be fixed safely.
The cattle were sheltered.
Horses secured.
Water flowing.
Small barn damaged but standing.
Generator dead.
The house stove worked.
They gathered around the kitchen table.
Everyone looked wrecked.
Petra opened the pantry.
“What are you doing?”
Beau asked.
“Food.”
“No one cares.”
“I do.”
“We can eat bread.”
“No.”
She pulled out a chicken she had roasted the previous day and planned to use for several meals.
Potatoes.
Carrots.
Onions.
Gravy.
Beau stared.
“You're cooking now?”
Petra looked at him.
“We worked twelve hours.”
“So?”
“So this family eats.”
The word landed.
Family.
Nobody corrected her.
Petra heated everything in cast iron around the woodstove.
The kitchen slowly filled with smell.
Chicken.
Rosemary.
Onion.
Butter.
Heat.
Jamie sat nearest the fire.
His eyes drooped.
Cole elevated his ankle.
Rhett helped Petra.
Nate set the table without being asked.
Beau remained at the window.
Watching the storm.
Finally he said:
“Dad should be here.”
Petra’s hands stopped.
“Yes.”
“He'd know what else we missed.”
“Probably.”
Beau turned.
“You're not going to tell me we did everything right?”
“No.”
He frowned.
Petra continued.
“We probably missed something.”
“We'll find out tomorrow.”
Beau stared.
That answer seemed to satisfy him.
Petra placed the huge platter at the center of the table.
Steam rose.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then Jamie looked at the food.
And smiled.
Small.
Almost invisible.
Petra saw.
Her heart hurt.
Nate saw too.
He smiled at Jamie.
Then Rhett.
Then Cole.
Beau remained standing.
Petra pulled out a chair for herself.
Beau moved first.
He took the chair from her hand.
Then dragged it beside Declan’s empty place.
“Sit.”
Petra looked at him.
“Beau.”
“You've been standing all day.”
She sat.
No speech.
No apology.
Enough.
They ate.
For several minutes, only forks and plates.
Then Nate said:
“Petra?”
“Yes?”
“You were wrong about something.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Dangerous opening.”
“The box bale.”
Petra stared.
Then he grinned.
She laughed.
“What did I get wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Beau shook his head.
“Nate.”
“What?”
“I wanted to see if she'd argue.”
Petra threw a napkin at him.
He ducked.
Jamie laughed.
Not smiled.
Laughed.
Everyone stopped.
Jamie stopped too.
The room went silent.
He looked embarrassed.
Petra deliberately took another bite.
“Chicken’s dry.”
Cole said:
“It is not.”
“Little.”