Love Means No Shame - Andrew Grey

looked at the table. “I’m sorry I don’t remember you, sir.” It looked to Geoff as though he were going to say something more but stopped himself.
    “I wouldn’t expect you would.” Len said.
Geoff finished his coffee quickly and put his mug in the sink.
    “I’m going into town this afternoon and was wondering if you’d like to go along. You’ll need some other clothes to work in.” Elijah looked down at himself. “I don’t have much money, certainly not enough for store-bought clothes.” 44
    Love Means … NO SHAME
“Don’t worry about it.”
Elijah’s head shot up. “No! I can’t have you buying me things.
It wouldn’t be right.”
    “Then you can work them off.” The fire in Elijah’s eyes died down slightly as Geoff answered. “I’ll buy the clothes and take the cost out of your pay.” Geoff could understand not wanting to be beholden to anyone, particularly a stranger. “Okay?” Elijah nodded; that seemed to make him happy.
    They heard a knock on the back door, and Len answered it, returning with Joey behind him, carrying a plate wrapped in foil. “Lumpy said you wanted to see me,” Joey said. He put the plate on the counter. “Mom sent over some cake.”
    “Joey, I know that yesterday was your birthday, so as a birthday present I’m going to take you into town. Len says that you’re becoming quite a horseman, so it’s time you looked the part.

    You need boots, a hat, and some riding jeans. Is that okay?” The look he got from the boy was pure, unexpected, speechless joy. Geoff smiled in return. “Be ready to go in half an hour.” Joey nodded, still smiling, and left the kitchen. Len and Geoff watched him running across the yard to the barn.

    Len finished his coffee and started washing out the mugs as he asked, “Are you going into Ludington or Scottville?” The farm was located between the two towns. “We need a few things from the hardware store, if you’re going to Scottville.”

    “Then Scottville it is.”
    Len reached into his pocket and pulled out his list and handed it to Geoff, his face long and sad.
“Are you okay?”
“I will be. I just miss him.”
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Andrew Grey
Geoff nodded and left Len with his thoughts.
    Geoff found Elijah back on the front porch playing with the pups, and he stood up as soon as he saw his new employer. “Do you buy birthday presents for everyone who works here?”
    “No.” Geoff was initially confused by the question. “Oh…
Joey’s dad died a year ago, and his mom’s been having a tough time of it.”
Elijah thought for a few minutes. “So you’re using his birthday as an excuse to buy him the things he needs without making him feel bad?”
    “Sort of, I guess.” Geoff tried to think of a way he could help Elijah understand. “In your community, when someone needs something, everyone helps them out, right?” Elijah nodded. “Think of this farm sort of like that. Joey needs things, and he works hard for us. Len and I getting them for him will make him happy and help him out at the same time.”
    “Papa always said that the English don’t do something for nothing.”

    Geoff wasn’t surprised. Most people had misconceptions about people different from themselves. “Sometimes happiness is its own reward. The look on Joey’s face when I told him was worth a lot more than money.”

    Walking out to the yard, they found Joey in the barn laying straw in a clean stall. “You ready?” Geoff asked. Joey nodded as he broke open a last bale of straw before spreading it on the floor.

    “All set.” Joey’s excitement was evident in his walk as they headed to the truck. The three of them got in, with Joey in the middle and Elijah by the door, and as they pulled out, Geoff saw Elijah grab onto the handle above his head. “Joey, this is Elijah.
    He’ll be working on the farm.
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    “Hi, Eli.” They shook hands, Elijah with the one wasn’t using to hang on. “I’m Joey. It’s nice to meet you.” Geoff had expected Elijah to balk at being called Eli, but Elijah said nothing about it.

    They rode down country roads toward the small farming community of Scottville. Geoff parked along Main Street in front of the dry-goods store, and they got out of the truck, Eli looking a little peaked. “You okay, Eli?” Joey grabbed Eli’s arm until he was steady on his feet.
    Eli stood still and his color started to come back, “I’m not used to riding in cars, I guess. Papa would never allow it.