It was late afternoon.  Charlotte had used some of their credits at the sutler’s store to buy a cut of beef and a hearty stew simmered over the fire in the fireplace.  It was Brewster’s turn again to read out loud.  Grace rested contentedly in his lap.  Ada sat at the table knitting with Jeremy beside her drawing.

The door opened without a knock, letting in the slanting sunlight.  And in the doorway suddenly stood Ellis Gray with Miller Dawson behind him.  Brewster and Ada stood up quickly without knowing why.  Grace found herself upright on the floor instead of sitting in someone’s lap.  Jeremy struggled off the bench because if everyone else was standing, he thought he should be too.

“Thank God, you’re here,” Ellis said, taking in all four of them.  “Miller got your letter but no one knew what came after that, whether you stayed or…”  He was obviously struggling with his emotions.  Ada stepped forward and he stared at her.  This was not the wild child he had known, the one without shoes or a hairbrush, the one who wouldn’t speak.

“You’ve grown up,” he said, but then was even overcome by that statement.

“Captain Gray,” she said.  “We wanted to see you again.  You were good to our parents and you gave us the best people to be with.  Miller Dawson stood by us for as long as he could without anyone ever asking him to.  Then he promised Charlotte would come, and she did.”

“That doesn’t help my part in this.  But Miller and I thank you for your kind words.”

Charlotte realized he was not wanting to see what he was seeing.  Miller obviously didn’t understand what he was seeing either, but was now so embarrassed that he couldn’t get his bearings anyway.

“Please, everybody sit back down,” Ellis said.  He hadn’t meant to make it sound so much like a command, but he realized he was in a state.

“I don’t believe I’m in the mood for sitting,” Charlotte said, meeting his eyes.

“Here we are again,” he said.  “Just like the old days.  Seems like some things haven’t changed at all in the time I’ve been gone and other things have changed more than anyone had a right to expect.”

“Hello, Ellis,” she said.  “I’m glad to see you too.  Ask me what you have to ask.”

“I have just one shred of hope.  Did you go out to the desert?”

“I did not.”

“Not even for two days or a week or something like that?”

“Not even for one minute.”

“Damn it to hell.”

“You realize there are children present.”

“Step outside then.  You and I need to talk.”

“I won’t step outside.  There’s nothing you can say.  There’s nothing to talk about.”

Miller backed up.  This was all very familiar to him.