He’d start tomorrow by visiting Webb Francis before he was discharged, and then spending the rest of the day in Bryceville. Time apart would be best. It was less than four weeks.
The next morning Kirk rose early and went to see his grandfather before heading to Bryceville. Visiting hours at the hospital didn’t start until ten, so he might as well see what he could help out with at the farm before going to see Webb Francis.
It was barely dawn when he pulled into the farmyard. Lights were on in the kitchen, and he knew he’d be in time for breakfast. Beat eating alone this morning.
“I didn’t expect to see you,” his grandfather said when he entered.
“I’m going to Bryceville later. So I thought I’d swing by here and see what you needed before I left.”
“Seeing Webb Francis?”
“He’s supposed to be discharged tomorrow. I wanted to catch him before he goes to Betsy’s.”
Once breakfast was on the table Hiram looked at Kirk.
“Where’s that New York gal this morning?”
“Home, I guess.”
“She seemed a nice enough woman.”
Kirk nodded. He’d come here to escape thoughts of Angelica, he didn’t want a discussion with his grandfather about her.
“Have you heard her play?”
“No. But according to Webb Francis, she must be good. I told you she’s working with a couple of kids from town. Sam plans to play in the festival. Angelica does, too.”
“Ummm.”
“Do you want to go this year?”
Kirk knew his grandfather didn’t attend the music festivals and hadn’t in two decades, no matter how much Webb Francis and others pressed him to attend.
“Might.”
Kirk looked at him.
“Say again?”
“I said I might go. Why look so surprised, I used to go all the time.”
“True. Are you going to sing?”
“Nope. But I might go to hear that gal play. If she’s so good, it might be worth hearing. Listen to her play sometime and tell me.”
“Ask her to play for you,” Kirk said.
His plan was to avoid Angelica as much as possible. He didn’t want to get deeper involved.
Even though, for a split second, he welcomed the suggestion as a way to see her again. Not for himself, but for his grandfather.
“She’s staying next door to you, be neighborly and go listen to her play.”
Coming to breakfast had been a mistake. Now he either had to sound like an idiot with his reasons for not wanting to listen to her play, or go and be caught up in that fascinated attraction.
“I’m going to replace the back fence around the hog pen soon. Some of the boards are getting too splintered to hold up. Don’t want them fool hogs out roaming the countryside,” Hiram said.
Kirk nodded, glad the topic of conversation changed.
