Iowa Skies; Book One; To Share Love Again

By Sally Winter-Swink

When widowed Anne Horak meets widower Jim Anderson, she is cautious about this new relationship. As she moves forward, her life is challenged when her daughter and family have to leave their mission post in Africa suddenly as political unrest breaks out and they move in with her. Anne's children must decide how they feel about their mother's relationship with Jim. Likewise, Jim's family must decide how they feel about this change in their lives. The Iowa countryside provides the setting for a story of love lost and found, the strength of faith, the joy of family, and the adventures of life with animals and children.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9781685269302

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

About the Author

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Iowa Skies; Book One; To Share Love Again

Sally Winter-Swink

ISBN 978-1-68526-929-6 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68526-930-2 (Digital)

Copyright © 2023 Sally Winter-Swink

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

To my family, near and far, who loves reading and writing. Thank you for the encouragement!

Chapter 1

The early morning sun shone through the blinds of Anne Horak's bedroom. She awoke, giving thought to today being Wednesday. She would do a load of laundry, clean leaves out of her flower beds, clean the nesting boxes in the chicken coop, and do some study for Friday morning's Bible study, all before going to church for the midweek prayer meeting.

She rolled over and looked at the framed picture of Jack—Jack, with whom she spent forty years of married life, who encouraged and prayed with her and kept her going when life got hard, and who left her fifteen months earlier after a battle with cancer. Every morning, she looked at his picture and had a quiet conversation with him. I know you are well and out of pain now. You're with Jesus now. I'm doing okay here. I miss you, Jack. Some mornings now, it was a quick I miss you, Jack. The grief was easing but never fully gone.

Anne got up, dressed, and went to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Tip whined from behind the mudroom door, so Anne opened it and greeted him as he scooted in. Good morning, Tip! How's my furry friend? He wiggled all over as she stroked his head. She put a scoop of food into his bowl and got her pot of morning coffee underway. Jack's habit of turning on the kitchen radio had become hers now. Jack had listened every morning for the day's weather forecast and any news of road closures, traffic slowdowns, and, in the winter and being a teacher, school closures. Now Anne did the same, mostly to know what the day's weather would be. The house was too quiet, so the radio helped add some sound.

Later in the morning, after letting her flock of chickens out into their run, starting a load of laundry, and sitting down to read her morning devotional book, she put on one of Jack's old flannel shirts as a jacket and headed out to work in the flower beds along the front of the house. She got a narrow rake and the wheelbarrow from the shop and went to work. The sun felt warm on this fall day. Tip sniffed among the plants and at one point flopped down on the pile of leaves Anne was accumulating. Tip, get off there, she called. He got up and walked to her side, tail wagging gently. You miss Jack, don't you? Anne said, stroking the dog's head. He had been Jack's dog in so many ways, always outside with him or lying on the rug in Jack's shop or lying close to Jack's recliner in the living room. Jack had taught the dog some tricks, with small treats as rewards. Even now, Tip would come and sit and offer Anne a paw, in hopes of a treat.

When the job was done, Anne put the wheelbarrow and rake away and walked the length of the driveway to pick up the day's mail. As she thumbed through the flyers and envelopes a neighbor drove by, sending out a short toot-toot as she went. Anne turned and waved. She was glad to have neighbors who always waved to her and often stopped to check on her.

After a quick lunch, Anne moved the laundry to the dryer and headed out to the chicken coop. Her flock of twenty hens gave her fifteen or sixteen eggs most days. They had a long fenced-in run to wander around in as well as a roomy coop with their nesting boxes. The run kept the hens protected from predators such as foxes and coyotes as well as overhead predators such as hawks. Her hens were used to Tip wandering near them, but other dogs sent them scurrying in fear. Anne went into the coop with her egg pail in hand. Normally, she waited until dusk to gather the eggs and close the flock into their coop, but she needed to clean the nesting boxes, so she gathered the eggs earlier than usual. The nesting boxes were lined with straw, but every once in a while, the straw needed to be changed or replenished. Some hens, in their desire to rearrange the eggs beneath them, got too vigorous and sent much of the bedding out of the box onto the floor below.

The flock of hens was Anne's retirement project. Three years previously, Anne had retired from her position as a kindergarten teacher in the local elementary school. She had loved her position and even now enjoyed seeing children and even adults she had taught over the years. Many times, in the library or the grocery store, she would be greeted by name by someone who remembered her from kindergarten. When she retired, she told Jack she would miss overseeing a group of little creatures who needed her. He laughed and suggested she raise chickens. A great idea! She started with ten beautiful Barred Rock chicks. Each year, she added a few more until she now had twenty ladies, as she called them, of various breeds. She got entertainment from them, as well as eggs.

Anne cleaned and replenished the nesting boxes, added feed to the containers, then washed out, and refilled the waterers. All the while, hens walked around her, looking for a food treat she often gave them. Stale bread, leftover vegetables, a handful of sunflower seeds or mealworms, any of these made for happy chickens.

Anne left the hens for another hour or two before she would need to close them into the coop. She headed back to the house with Tip at her heels. Sometimes, he chose to stay outdoors, even in cold weather, to visit his various favorite spots; but today he followed her into the mudroom, where she left her dirty shoes and stopped to fold the now clean and dry laundry. She heated some of the leftover coffee and settled in her recliner to read the study guide for her Friday morning Bible study. It was a study on the book of Daniel, a book that gave her great courage in a time when she might feel fearful or overwhelmed. Leading a Bible study challenged her, and she often wondered who got more out of it—the ladies who attended the study or her as the leader.

About 5:00 p.m., Anne's phone rang. She picked it up and glanced at the number showing on it but did not recognize it. She could choose to ignore it, assuming it was a solicitation for money or a reminder that her car warranty was about to expire, but she decided to go ahead and answer it.

Hello? she said.

A man's voice on the other end said pleasantly, Hello. Is this Anne Horak?

Yes, it is, she answered. With whom am I speaking?

This is Jim Anderson. You probably don't know who I am. I worked at the prison with your husband, Jack.

Oh? she replied. Jim Anderson, she thought. The name sounded like one she had heard, but Jack's ministry at the prison included many different men from various churches in the area. They led Bible studies on various nights of the week, some at the state prison, some at the county jail, and some at the juvenile facility. Jack didn't mention men's names often so maybe she didn't know Jim.

Jim continued, I stopped working at the prison a couple of years ago to care for my wife, so I lost track of Jack. I only recently heard he's with the Lord.

Anne explained that Jack had passed away in July of the previous year after an almost two-year battle with cancer.

I'm sure sorry to hear this, Jim replied, Jack was a great guy, very patient with questions, totally accepting of the men incarcerated, a real inspiration to a lot of us that felt like we were out of our comfort zones. Jack was especially good with the kids at the juvenile facility. How are you doing?

Well, all in all, I'm doing well. I miss Jack, of course, but I'm adjusting. It helps that I have wonderful neighbors and a good church family, Anne replied.

There was a pause, and then Jim spoke again.

I'd like to take you to lunch, if that would be okay with you, he said quietly.

Anne's inner reaction was shock. Lunch! With a man besides Jack? She didn't even know him! What if he was a fraud? What if he was only pretending to know Jack? Anne felt a bit breathless.

Um, would your wife be joining us? she asked, hoping it would not be a twosome.

She certainly would if she could, Jim said, but unfortunately she, like Jack, is with the Lord. Rhoda passed away eighteen months ago, from cancer.

Oh, I'm so sorry, Anne said, feeling embarrassed for asking but also sad for him in his own grief journey. Somehow, she suddenly felt more comfortable with the idea of meeting him, knowing they had something in common, be it something hard.

Jim responded, Well, you didn't know. We've both lost the love of our lives. I just thought we might get acquainted. So could I take you to lunch?

Anne had to calm her nerves, then said in a quiet voice, That would be all right. When do you have in mind?

How about tomorrow? I could pick you up at about eleven thirty, he answered.

I'd be happy to meet you somewhere, Anne quickly suggested.

You live in Taylorsville, don't you? Jim asked.

Yes, Anne answered.

I live between Taylorsville and Albert, so it would make sense for me to pick you up, and then we can go to Cedar Rapids for lunch, Jim said.

Well, okay, Anne replied, realizing her voice probably sounded a bit shaky.

Great! What is your address, and I'll pick you up at about eleven thirty tomorrow? Jim sounded a little too enthusiastic to Anne's ears.

It's 3443 Pheasant Hill Road, she said. She hoped this was not a foolish thing to do.

Okay! Got it! Jim replied. I'll see you then. I hope you have a good evening.

Thank you, answered Anne. I hope you have the same.

Anne ended the call and sat there with her mind whirling. What had she just done? Was this for real? Is this Jim Anderson real or just making it look like he knew Jack? God, please protect me if this is my stupidity leading me into danger, she prayed silently.

Also hot in her mind was the fact that she was going to lunch with a man who was not Jack. It was like a date, and it felt so strange and somewhat wrong. Then she reminded herself that she was, indeed, a single woman now. It was up to her to make wise decisions. She had only agreed to lunch. She did not have to ever see Jim Anderson again!

It was time for church, so she quickly changed her clothes and headed out. When the pastor asked for prayer requests, she was tempted but did not ask for God's protection in the face of her own silliness. What would people think?

It was after church that Anne ate a bowl of soup and then sat down at her laptop to check her email. After reading her messages, she typed James Anderson, Albert, Iowa into the laptop. Instantly, the name popped up: James Anderson, DVM, owner Albert Animal Clinic. Of course, she thought! It's the animal hospital she took Tip to for his annual vaccinations. She had never met Jim because one of the assistants always gave Tip the shots. She clicked on the staff information, and there was a picture of a handsome man with graying hair, blue eyes, and a gentle smile. He had what Anne called smile wrinkles around his eyes. One hand was on the door handle of a dark-blue pickup truck, the other held a coil of rope. It said he was the lead veterinarian specializing in large animals and that he enjoyed time with his family and a variety of pets. Not a lot of information, but what a relief to see a normal person with a pleasant smile. At least he didn't look like a serial killer!

That night, Anne went to bed with what she would have called a wild thumping of her heart. Was this right? Would she enjoy it or just feel sad and uncomfortable? Would she chatter nervously or find conversation easy and stimulating? She lay awake much longer than usual with tumbling thoughts. One final thought was what if this was a different Jim Anderson, not the veterinarian! Just before dropping off to sleep, she looked over at Jack's photo, dragged the pillow from his side of the bed, wrapped her arms around it, and asked, Jack, is this okay?

Chapter 2

The next morning, Anne awoke with a mix of feelings—nervousness, fear, and excitement. As she looked at Jack's photo, she thought what she had thought about last night, Jack, is this okay? You said you wanted me to move on after you passed, but is this okay? I'll be careful, I promise. I love you. She put on her farm clothes to tend to the chickens while at the same time thinking of what she should wear for this lunch event. She tried not to say lunch date in her mind even though it felt like that.

She made coffee and then a bowl of oatmeal for her breakfast. She gave the house a critical look—yes, it was neat and organized. She had vacuumed and dusted a few days before. It would not do for Jim Anderson to come into an untidy home. Most of her mail went directly into the trash can, though she did keep a couple of magazines that she passed on to a church friend. Good grief, she chided herself. Hopefully he's not coming to critique my housekeeping!

She sat down and emailed her oldest daughter, Rachel, who lived with her family in the African country of Sudan. She and Rachel communicated often, probably because Rachel did not have an abundance of women friends in the small city where they lived. As she passed along the news to Rachel, she studiously stayed away from the topic of this lunch plan with Jim. She wasn't ready to talk about this. It could be a one-time event, and it would be silly to dwell on it.

Finally, 11:00 a.m. came, and Anne changed into a pair of slacks and a light-blue sweater. She applied a modest amount of makeup and then looked in her jewelry box for the right pieces to wear. There it was, the silver chain with an anchor pendant on it. It was from Jack. It was the last gift he had given her before his passing. He gave it to her a month before her birthday, when he realized he would not be there for the day. He told her the anchor was to remind her that the Lord would be her anchor when difficult days came. She chose a pair of silver earrings to complement the necklace. From her closet, she chose a blazer, a holdover from her teaching days. It would be perfect for the cool day ahead. Then she went and sat down in her recliner, trying to calm her ragged nerves. Should she back out? Should she politely say she just could not go with him? She couldn't do that. She had said yes, she would go, and so she would.

At 11:30 a.m., she heard the crunching of gravel in the driveway and saw a small sedan come to a stop. Tip was outdoors and went running and barking to the car. Anne got up and opened the front door and called to Tip. There, getting out of the car, was the same graying man with the gentle smile she had seen on the animal clinic website last night. That calmed her nerves some, though she hoped she didn't look like a scared rabbit as he walked up to the porch.

Anne, he said. I'm Jim.

It's good to meet you, Jim, she replied. Come in while I get my coat and purse. He carefully wiped his shoes on the mat in front of the door and stepped inside. Anne had set her purse on the couch but realized she had left the blazer on the bed in her room. She excused herself and quickly went and got it.

She slipped into the jacket and joined him by the door. He was looking at a framed picture of Anne and Jack that stood on a side table. He smiled at it and said, There you are with Jack. What a nice picture! The picture had been taken about six months before Jack's passing—before he became painfully thin with the ravages of cancer.

Shall we go? Jim asked as he opened the door. She noticed that Jim's smile had a softening effect on her nerves.

Yes, let me just get my keys to lock the door, Anne answered as she fished them from her purse. Tip came running up, so Anne introduced him to Jim. Jim rubbed Tip's head, making the dog wag vigorously.

When they got to the car, Jim went around and opened the door for her. When he got in, he asked Anne if she liked Chinese food. Yes, very much! she answered.

Good, he said, "I know a little Chinese buffet place that's very good. It's this side of