“I’ve got a customer who buys a couple yearlings from us every year,” she finally said, her voice raised so that it could be heard over the rain on the roof. “They need to be delivered in the next couple days. I’ve been thinking that you’ve been stuck on the ranch pretty much since you got here and I was wondering if you’d like to take them. It would give you a chance to get off the place for a couple days.”

“Where do they need to go?”

“A little town up north, just this side of Winnemucca and right off of I-80 called Humboldt.”

It had been years since Henry heard anyone mention the name of his old hometown and the spot where Annie and Josh were now buried. He had been trying as hard as he could over the years to forget the little place and had actually talked himself into believing he had. And yet suddenly hearing the name seemed to hit Henry like a giant fist in the gut. It not only caused his heart to skip a beat but for a second he even lost his breath.

“Are you all right?” Jessie asked, noticing the sudden change in Henry’s behavior.

“Oh…yes ma’am,” Henry said, quickly bringing himself back. Thinking fast, he wrapped his arms around himself and forced his body to shiver slightly. “I guess I got a little colder out there this morning than I thought I did.”

“Would you like to come up to the house and warm up for a while?” There was concern in Jessie’s question.

“No, ma’am,” Henry shook his head. “Thank you though. This old stove’ll have the place warmed up in no time, and when I get a little of that bad coffee in me I’ll be good as new.”

“Fair enough,” Jessie smiled. “So, what do you think about taking the colts up north? You up for it?”

“If it’s all the same to you, ma’am,” Henry said after acting as though he had thought about it. “I’d just as soon stay here. I’m really liking the quiet, and besides, after losing this day to the rain I’m gonna have a few things to catch up on.”

“You sure?”

“Yes ma’am, but thanks for the thought. I will take a rain check, though.”

Jessie smiled, thinking Henry was making an attempt at a pun. But then, seeing he was actually serious, she nodded in agreement. “That’ll be fine,” she said, turning for the door. “I’ll make this delivery. You make the next one.”

“Fair enough.”

“See you for lunch up at the house?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Henry placed his hands near the stove. “Hopefully it’ll calm down a little by then.”

“It’s supposed to, according to the weather report,” Jessie said, looking back at Henry. He didn’t seem to hear her, but rather he slowly turned toward the stove and drifted into what appeared to be a blank, faraway stare. Jessie thought about saying something else, but instead she turned and slipped out the door.