It Goes On - Book l

A Lot to Think About

"I made your favorite, sweetheart," Eva smiled at Baler, setting down a deep bowl of her homemade vegetable soup and toasted dinner rolls in front of him, her heart swelling when she watched him smile in approval. "Late fall is my favorite season – soup season!"

"Thank you, Nana," Baler hummed, hesitating before attempting to take his first bite before Simon arched his brow at him – a warning to not eat until Eva said Grace.

"You're welcome, honey. Kiera! Come join us at the table! I have everything ready!" She shouted before mumbling under her breath. "Lord, that girl. Always doing many other things at one time."

"She's always been that way," Simon chuckled. "When she cooks dinner at home, she won't let me in the kitchen. She won't even let me make my own plate."

"She'll always be like that, Simon," Eva giggled. "She's always been that way – putting the ones she cares about before herself. No matter what, she'll always be the last one at the table."

"I believe it."

"Sorry, momma," Kiera sighed, tying her hair into a loose and low bun before she took her seat next to Simon and across from her mother, Baler sitting next to her while she couldn't help but frown at her father's empty chair at the head of the table, sincerely wishing that she could do anything to bring him back. "Evie was throwing a fit that she didn't have her bottle right at this second—"

"It's okay, honey. I just wanted you here before we said Grace."

Eva and Kiera shared a smile, reaching their hands across the table to grasp the other while Eva joined her other hand with Baler's and Kiera joining hers with Simon's. "Lord, thank you for having us all together this evening for one of our favorite meals. Thank you for keeping your hand over my precious daughter and her amazing husband, thank you for keeping an angel by their sides every day because I'm not ready for them to leave me any time soon. Thank you for sending Baler into our lives and giving him a second chance. He has a bright future and I'm praying you keep me around long enough to see it. And Lord, thank you for my two precious grandbabies. Although they're too perfect for this world, I'm sure glad you let us have them here to bring a light of Heaven into our lives. In Jesus' name, amen."

"Amen."

"You can eat now, lad." Simon glanced at him, watching him nod in agreement before taking a dinner roll and taking a bite out of it while Kiera carefully sipped the wine her mother had poured for her.

"So, how was your day, sweetheart?" Eva asked, wiping the corner of her mouth with a napkin.

"The usual," She sighed. "Another headache, but I got it all figured out."

"I don't doubt it. Simon? What about you?"

"Got called to be backup at a traffic stop. Entire car full of a big D.U.I case. Paperwork for that alone took me nearly all day."

"Was that in town? I think I passed you when I left the store today!"

"It was. I saw you." He chuckled.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"Because you rolled your window down and nearly wrecked yourself while snooping." He teased, smirking at how she blushed for being called out.

"So that's where mom gets it from." Baler chimed in, watching his mother and Nana laugh at his comment.

"How've you been, momma? I haven't seen you in two days and it feels like a week."

"Still feel lonely in this big ole house," Eva sighed, frowning. "Although it was just your father and I, he sure made this house feel like a home."

"I know. I'm sorry." Kiera frowned.