"Maw, Roy's coming to supper. Smile and say yes."
Sara was shocked and stared at Abe with an open mouth. "He's what?"
Roy dipped his hat. "I'd be delighted to have supper with you and your boys."
A girlish giggle blurted from Sara but then caught herself. "You will? Great. Thanks, Abe." She then muttered under breath, "Abraham Johansson, what have you done?" She looked up at Roy wearing her best fake smile. "So, shall you join us later, or would you like to ride home together?"
Before Roy could answer, Billy jumped from the buckboard and grabbed Roy's hand. "Together, of course, I'm riding with Roy," he declared. Roy produced a weak nervous smile.
Billy assisted his mother in the kitchen where the two made preparations for supper. Roy and Abe struggled with the new well pump. After an hour, they were able to dig around the old pump and disconnect it from the windmill. Earlier, Roy had Abe scramble up the windmill wooden frame to rope the blades so they would stop turning. Roy felt it imperative that Sara did not see Abe up there. After struggling to move the new pump into position, the two workers took a break. They were covered in rust, muddy dirt, and grease.
"Do you miss your father, Abe?"
Abe faced Roy, "I loved my paw and always will."
"Then why are you working so hard to get me and your maw together?"
Abe grinned. "You make Maw smile, like when Paw was here." They sat there contemplating this information, and then Abe added, "Besides, Billy needs a father, he's young."
Roy chuckled. "Billy needs a father? What about you?"
Sitting upright, Abe proudly proclaimed, "Me? I'm the man of the house. I'm only looking out for Maw and Billy."
"Okay, Mr. Johansson, let's get this job finished.
Another hour slipped by, and Sara stepped onto the porch. She could see Roy, but Abe was missing.
"Up here Maw, I'm up here."
Carelessly hanging from the top of the windmill frame, Abe waved his arms.
Horrified, Sara gasped and ran toward Roy screaming. "Abraham Johansson, you get down from there this very instant young man."
Roy grabbed Sara's arm, "Let him be, he's done this twice now. He'll be okay."
Sara swallowed an enormous lump in her throat. "How could you Roy? He's my boy, and I need him in one piece. I can't lose another man from this family." Sara spoke her words in an angry tone.
Roy suddenly felt guilty, so he swung himself up on the framing of the windmill and climbed to the top. "Stay right there Abe, your maw is fretting."