Henry
It was a good thing that the camera went off and Henry had rushed to Deer Lodge. It was even a good thing that he had made the rash decision to put a strange woman into his truck and take her to Butte with him—to Donna's.What had he been thinking?Henry's involvement in Amelia's spiritual conversion had been unintentional, but he still felt good about it and hoped the girl from California would continue learning and growing.
Henry had been converted, but he never experienced tears the way she did. He never experienced tears at all. It didn't occur to him to wonder if his reaction was enough until he saw her reaction. It was sweet, and it tugged at his heart. He could tell she was happy and thankful, and her vulnerable, sincere reaction caused him to feel tight-chested. He felt that way again when Donna handed her the Bible. He had heard Donna tell someone she had owned it for fifty years.
He called Donna as soon as Josh and Amelia left for the cow barn. The Bible was sitting on his desk, and he did it while he was looking at it. He told her he would bring it right back, and she said he should do no such thing. He then added that Amelia would have no problem borrowing it and sending it back.
But Donna insisted that she wanted the girl to have it. Henry told her the offer stood if she ever changed her mind, and they left it at that when they got off the phone.
Josh came back within the hour.
Henry had been working with Candice, and he was in her stall.
"What happened with you and Amelia?" Josh asked, first thing.
"What do you mean? Nothing."
"How'd she end up with you this morning?"
"You didn't ask her?" Henry asked, brushing Candice's blonde coat.
"No, we didn't talk about that. I wanted to hear it from you."
"I found her in the barn this morning. She was hanging out with Candice, in the stall."
"She was in here by herself? Or was your mom in the barn?"
"No, she was here by herself. But she was okay. She knows what she's doing with animals."
"That's the one I told you Candice likes. She was petting her yesterday, and Candice didn't care."
"Yeah, she can have access to the barn. I trust her. She knows not to go in Candice's stall again. I don't mind if she comes in here, though, even without Mom."
"They're leaving tomorrow, anyway."
"Yeah, but they'll be back in a few months for that movie. So, just know for then, too. I trust her. She can be in here."
"How'd she end up in Butte with you?"
"She was in here this morning when I came by. Mom wasn't up yet, so she rode with me thinking we would just give my neighbor a ride to church. But Donna talked her into staying, and then that was the whole morning—you know, because that little church Donna goes to, they have Sunday school and church and everything."
Henry was relatively sure he had evaded the question while giving Josh enough of an answer. He didn't want to expose the girl for sneaking around, and he didn't want to expose himself for overreacting to it.
Josh seemed appeased. At least Henry thought he was until he brought her up again.
"Because I thought maybe you were falling in love," Josh added. That was completely unnecessary. Henry actually laughed at it. He laughed so heartily that Josh said, "What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing's wrong. It's just that I don't believe in falling in love."
"Oh, you're too jaded?"
"No, I just know that's not how it happens. You don't fall anywhere. It's not some magical thing that happens to a person. If you wanna love somebody, you just pick the best option for yourself, and then you decide to love them. And be honest and loyal, and communicate, and all that stuff that you're supposed to do when you love someone. If someone says they're falling in love or they have love at first sight, it's just about appearance."
"What?" Josh said, laughing. "That is so jaded."
"No, it's not. It's just the truth. The greatest commandment is to love. It's a commandment, which means it's within our power to control it. If it weren't in our power, then it couldn't be a command. It's not a mysterious feeling that overtakes you. It's a choice. A decision."
"Okay, mister logic, come tell me that again when the woman of your dreams comes across your path one day."
