Sunshine Valley

Beautiful gift

     Rebecca sat in the car a few minutes to let the stress of the day evaporate. She just stared at the house almost hesitant to go in. Simon was home. How was she going to tell him her news? The first thing to hit her when she walked through the door was the smell of food. Her stomach let out a low embarrassing growl. As she laid her stuff on the edge of the couch. She saw a beautiful arrangement of blue roses on the table. Blue roses. She touched one of the soft flowers, marveling at how delicate the petals were. Blue was her favorite color. Roses her favorite flower. Where did Simon find blue roses? This was going to make her news even harder. 

     He walked into the room, grinin’ from ear to ear, holding 2 salads. “You’re home.” He kissed her. “Sit,” he almost sang. 

     Next was a pitcher of tea and glasses on a tray. He poured. She was still too shocked to say anything. The sizzle and smell  of steak filled her ears. Her stomach almost lept out of her mouth to get to the plate. Simon was happy. Joyful. He had cooked for her many times. This felt different. 

     She sliced off a piece of the meat. It melted in her mouth. There was no stifling the moan that escaped her.

     Simon couldn’t smile any wider, “good?”

     “You have outdone yourself. This is amazing. What is the occasion?”

     “For doin’ something I know was really hard.”

     It took her a minute to connect the dots. They were celebrating that she called 911 for Evelyn. Simon was right. It took everything she had not to be mean. Not to just leave her standing there. Doing the right thing had left her feeling empty. 

     Simon spoke, bringing her back around. “If you like the steak, I have a chance to go in on a cow.”

     “This is the best steak ever.” She marveled, sopin’ her baked potato in the steak juice.

     “D & E Farm was an error on my part. It’s D & E Enterprise.” He watched her face as he spoke to see how she was going to react. “Dillon and Evelyn. D & E.”

    The potato hit her stomach like a rock. “When all your other clients canceled on you, you’ve been workin’ for them?” Her mouth was super dry. He shook his head yes. “I guess that is the cow in question?” Again, he shook his head, yes. “And this is where the steaks came from?” Again, yes. “He can sure raise beef.”

     Simon laughed, “yes he can. If you feel up to it, we have been invited up for dessert sometime.”

     She couldn’t speak. Simply nodded her head yes. While they were talking, she just asked, “Chris,” was all she got out of her mouth. 

     Simon smiled, happily tearing into his steak. “Chris is workin’ out great. When he’s not at the mill of course.”

     She squeaked, “mill?”

    “Chris,” he used his knife to point out the window toward the little house across the road. “The homeless couple from church. They are not homeless anymore. Thanks to the love of neighbors.”

     She looked out the window toward the house. Her gut reaction was to be mad. But she wasn’t upset for very long. More confused than anything.