Bloody Sunset by Gwendolyn Harper (inspirational books for students TXT) 📕

design was small, and mostly for function, but he created something beautiful with what they all had. Lumber and roofing materials had to be scavenged, but when they found an abandoned housing development near the edge of town, they’d hit the jackpot.

Three cabins went up quickly, all as close to the main house as possible while still being safe. The fourth, currently halfway finished, was a little further out towards the first row of pecan trees and the greenhouse Bob had built out of tubing and heavy-duty plastic sheeting.

Leaning her elbows on the porch railing, Caitlin took in the beauty of the land around her.

“Morning,” Max called from the yard below.

He waved and pointed for Matilda to see who was there. Her bright smile was accentuated by her front teeth coming in.

“Morning,” Caitlin called, waving back.

Watching as Max taught Matilda to play fetch with Fancy, she soaked in every ray of light, every soft breeze.

A full year of them and she still couldn’t take them for granted.

Caitlin was certain she’d never take anything for granted ever again.

Light foot falls pounded around the other side of the house and up the stairs to the porch.

“And where are you off to?” Caitlin asked as soon as Desi reached the door.

Sneakers squeaking as she came to a stop, Desi jerked her thumb over her shoulder.

“Booker wants me to help him build a second chicken coop,” she said, slightly out of breath. “But I forgot my gloves.”

“Okay, but don’t forget to do your homework for Nicole afterwards,” she said over the lip of her mug.

“I promise,” Desi said, curls bouncing around her face as she nodded and took off inside.

Caitlin smiled, watching the closest thing she’d have to a daughter of her own bolting for the bedroom she shared with a few of the older girls.

Chicken coop.

Huh…

Caitlin arched an eyebrow and trailed down the porch steps, following the well-worn path around the right side of the house to the back where they kept the dozen or so hens and one rooster Booker insisted on naming Foghorn.

Whistling, high like a bird, she waited for him to turn around.

“Mornin’ darlin,” he called, grinning broadly.

“This is the third morning in a row you’ve let me sleep in,” she said, weaving around a few of the birds as they ate. “Is it my birthday or something?”

Booker dragged the back of his hand across his forehead, wiping the few beads of sweat off. It couldn’t have been later than ten, but it was already hot that cloudless morning.

“Consider it an early anniversary gift,” he said, watching the sway of her hips as she approached.

When she was close, he stood up, and crossed the short distance to pull her into a leisurely kiss that left her tingling all the way down to her toes.

“Thought about wakin’ ya up my way,” he drawled in her ear. “But after last night I figured I’d better let ya rest up.”

Caitlin flushed from her sternum to the apples of her cheeks.

“And here I was hoping for an encore tonight,” she murmured, hooking her fingers into his belt loop, holding him close.

“Oh, well in that case…” Booker grinned and ducked down, kissing her again.

One of the chickens clucked noisily, flapping its wings and startling them out of their moment.

“Go on, get,” Booker shooed the hen off. “Must be layin’ day…”

Caitlin could only laugh.

“Are you trying to get Desi to neglect her homework again?” She asked, playfully narrowing her stare at him.

Booker shifted his gaze. “’Course not,” he said, sly grin curving his lips. “Not that she needs homework. That child’s smarter than all of us put together.”

Watching him, Caitlin smirked. “Admit it, you hate when your partner in crime is stuck inside all day.”

Chuckling, he cocked his head to the side. “Just like havin’ her around, is all.”

On cue, Desi ran back around the side of the house, gloves in one hand and calculus textbook in the other.

“I brought my homework for when Booker won’t let me use the saw,” she announced, setting the book down on the edge of the flower bed. “Two birds, one stone.”

Desi glanced at the fluffy brown and white chickens pecking at the ground a few feet away.

“Sorry,” she told them, wincing a little.

Laughing and calling her over, Booker got her started with a few smaller pieces and a hammer.

Caitlin’s to-do list was echoing in the back of her mind. They needed to start canning a few of the vegetables they’d harvested so they’d have extra for the dormant season. Then she needed to review their supply inventory with Nicole and plan another trip to town. And if there was enough daylight, she wanted to get a jump on picking pecans with Max, Bob, and Luna.

Finding the brick wall of the flowerbed, she lowered herself down, perching on the edge with her mug cupped in her hands.

There’d be time to do all of it, and more.

But in that moment, all she wanted was to watch the love of her life and the little girl she adored crack jokes and build a chicken coop.

* * * * * * *

“Here, try this,” Nicole said around a mouthful of something, shoving the rest in Caitlin’s face.

“What—” She didn’t have time finish the question before a piece of warm bread was being shoved into her mouth. “Mhmmm. Wow,” she mumbled, still chewing.

“Bob made it,” Nathaniel said, brushing crumbs off his fingers.

Caitlin made a surprised noise at the back of her throat. “Now that is a multifaceted man right there.”

As often as possible, dinner was held at the main house, with every available chair and surface taken up by people and plates piled high with fresh food.

Often, if she wasn’t deeply involved in