Halfway through brunch, Luke sauntered in.
            “Sorry ‘bout that,” he said. His eye was swollen shut and he hadn’t taken off his hat when he entered the building like he normally would.
            “Luke, I hate to bring this up now, in front of your children and mine, but where the hell have you been?” asked Ryan, his voice angry.
            “Wait, Teddy, can you take Sarah and Nick out to the car? Please?” begged Annie, “And maybe Grandma, Mrs. Taylor, and Mom-Mom, too, to help you out.”
            “Oh no,” Grace’s mom said, “I want to hear this myself.” 
“Me too, young man,” said his mother. Luke actually looked scared. As the kids were leaving, Grace heard Sarah ask, “What happened to Daddy’s face? He looks scary.” Luke apparently heard too because he flinched.
            “Go on, boy, start talking,” said Grace’s dad. It took a while for Luke to talk but when he did, his voice was small and tired sounding. His drawl was more pronounced then ever.
            “Look, ya’ll, I’m real sorry but I don’t have an explanation for why I abandoned my pregnant wife and two kids. I just was so mad, so I drank. Then, I drank some more. I woke up in a hayfield this morning with a black eye and a busted up chin. I didn’t even get to church,” he said.
            “Luke, that’s not how we handle things when we get mad. We talk it out. Now talk it out, I’m going to pay and take the kids home. Be safe, Grace,” said his father. The rest of the group left the restaurant leaving Grace alone with Luke.
            “Gracie,” he begged but she held up her hand.
            “Lucas Taylor, I am beyond upset right now. I waited up for hours for you. I wasn’t even mad at that point; I was worried sick about you. There’s the river and the highway and crazy cattle farmers with guns thinking you’re some thief. How dare you do this to me? You never act like this anymore, this is high school stuff.”
            “You’re absolutely right,” he said, and then quietly, “When can I come back?” He gently touched her hand.
            “Today. That is if you’re willing to stay home for once and play with your children. You’re too damn busy anymore, they don’t see you,” she said, but Luke knew that she included herself in that as well.
            As they were walking out to her truck, he spoke up again, “I found a way to be home more. I hired Bo Jackson last night as a farm boy.”
            “Oh thank God we don’t have a daughter that age.”
            “What’s wrong with dating farm boys?” asked Luke, and he winked. She pushed him away but laughed all the same.