Torren ponders, "Why is that? She is Dad's friend, and we have become friends, but she makes me feel special.'
"Torren, don't you like the snack, son?" His Dad asks.
Taking a spoonful of each, 'But his mind still lingers on Shawney, ' if only Shawney were here, I would have enjoyed it so much more, resting down the spoon.
Torren replies to his Dad, and the question on the mind of the family sitting around glaring at him.
"It is good, Dad, and you know I love Mrs Louis' baked custard, but it seems I don't have any appetite. Maybe later, when I am hungry, I feel I should take a bit of fresh air."
"Then why don't we take a ride and view the property? It has been a long time since you have seen what new development has been done."
"That sounds like a great idea. Will you give me about fifteen minutes, and I will meet you by the stable?"
Riding on the open field was refreshing, but this ride would have been more enjoyable if Shawney were riding with me.
She seems to understand me well, and when I am with her, I am much calmer.' Thinking about her, then it struck him. 'What will happen when she leaves and returns to Chicago?'
"Torren, will you slow down?"
Hearing his dad's voice calling after him, but the rage drives him forward. Reaching the peak of the hill, then slow down.
'The stiff ride was rejuvenating, and he was hoping it would help him to think more clearly now.' Sitting, enjoying the coolness of the fresh air that blows over the ridge. Reasoning from deep within his heart.
As memories flooded back, when he was being treated so unfairly by Nancy, his stepmom.
'What am I going to do? I had already forgotten my children for two years. They had already missed out on my love for so long.
When Tray calls her mummy, didn't she hear him, or did she ignore the call? Dalia was hot-tempered, always fighting down at everything that was said.'
Breaking a few strands of grass, trying to reason out the immediate situation, 'But Shawney is completely the opposite of Dalia, she is soft-spoken, which I love so much.
Or is it that I am a fool like Dad? Nancy used to shower me with love in front of Dad, and when he left for work, her constant torture was hell. People can transform, I can't put my children through that, they are the fruit of my love from Dalia."
Satisfied with his final decision, "I must stay single for the sake of my children; they are my top priority."
Relaxing when dad rides up, "Are you all right, Son?"
Seeing his dad's concern, "I am fine, Dad, I just needed to get a good sweat, it's been such a long time since I have ridden or visited this ridge. From now on, that's going to change. I only realised how much I missed this place."
"I understand, Son, and life has dealt an unfair blow to you, but that could change. Torren, you can remarry, and there is no need to worry.
The business is good, six months on the road, I met some good people with some good business for the factory.
Visiting different towns and villages, introducing our line of clothes has made a vast improvement in the business.
The last report I received from the Manager was applauding. Son, the sales have escalated, and the accountant said the profit is good."
"Is that how you met Shawney, Dad?"
"Yes, she was entering this village I was passing through, and I offered her a ride. As we conversed, I extended an invitation to visit any time she comes to San Francisco; she didn't stay long in that village."
"She told me her Father died."
"She told me the same son, but enough about Shawney, now you are home once more, and we have the children to consider. Son, soon I will be blessed with two more grandchildren."
"Talking about that, Dad, the strangest thing happened today, Shawney said she heard a baby crying."
"When was that, Son?"
"This morning, when we left you all by the pool, she was not feeling well, so she asked Mrs Louise to fix her a soup.
I insisted we change first because she wanted to have cake and ice cream. Dad, the strange thing is, she asked me to check on Gretta, saying she was crying. Dad, when I checked, Gretta was asleep. When I told Shawney that, she left the room and began walking, covering her ear. Dad, when we returned before we had lunch, I observed that Careen was pregnant, and she asked Careen if she was unwell earlier. How could she feel the baby's presence when she hasn't really met Careen?"
"Son, she is gifted, and she did meet Careen for a few minutes the night we went for dinner. You see, my son, Shawney, was the best thing I met on the road, and she is kind-hearted; she doesn't like being indoors for long.
She likes the open doors and will love this ridge; the air is fresh and clean here. Now come along, it is beginning to get dark, and the others will be worried."
The ride to the mansion was silent, both in our own thoughts, 'if only I could get him to see that Shawney is the ideal person for him to marry. I don't want to push him; he must come to that realisation on his own.'