Garden of Her Heart (Hearts of the War Book 1) Read online

  Rock did his best not to bark with laughter at the boy’s description of his baby sister. Miko gave him a warning glare, then turned back to Petey. “But your mother and sister are fine, aren’t they?”

  “Well, sure. Granny’s been staying at the house, waiting on Mom like she’s the Queen of Sheba. There’s been so many people come to visit, Pop might as well yank the front door off its hinges and put up an open-for-business sign.” Petey sighed and shrugged. “At least they finally let me come home. If I’d had to listen to Aunt Nancy tell me how to sit in my chair like a proper gentleman one more time...” To illustrate, he sat up straight, pursed his lips, and pointed his chin in the air. “Or have Ida beat her gums, instructing me in how to scrub out my ears or comb my hair, I might’a waged my own war and left her scalped.”

  Rock coughed to hide his laugh, drawing a scowl from Miko and an interested look from the boy.

  “In the hubbub of Princess Alice arriving, we all forgot we promised to keep an eye on the cows and chickens for your grandpa.” Petey’s little face held a measure of remorse. “Is he comin’ home soon?”

  Miko held his gaze. “Not for a while, Petey. In fact, he and Grandma may be gone a long time.”

  Petey frowned. “What about Mr. Jack and Tommy? Will they come out soon?”

  Miko shook her head. “I’m afraid not, sweetheart. My father, mother, and brother went with my grandparents.”

  “Well, shoot!” The youngster thumped a hand on his leg. “If Tommy isn’t gonna be around all summer, who’ll play cowboys and Indians with me?”

  “Would I make a fair substitute?” Rock asked, drawing a surprised, wide-eyed grin from the child.

  “Boy, would you!” Petey leaped to his feet and grabbed Rock’s hand, tugging on it. “Can we have a go or two right now, just to see if you’ll fit the bill?”

  “That can be arranged.” Rock stood, then reached down, offering Miko his hand. She rose to her feet with an elegance that belied the faded cotton pants and dirt-smudged blouse she wore.

  “Be gentle with him, Petey, he’s still recovering,” Miko cautioned before picking up the berry basket she’d filled and heading to the house. “When you boys are finished playing, I’ll bring out a snack.”

  “Thanks, Miko!” Petey yelled, taking Rock’s hand in his again, yanking on his fingers as he moved toward the barn.

  By the time Petey showed him all the best hiding places in the barn and the other outbuildings, the boy concluded they had better not engage in a sham fight until the captain gained more strength.

  In lieu of participating in a mock Battle of the Little Bighorn, Rock encouraged Petey to tell him what he knew about the farm and the Yamada family, Miko in particular.

  “Miko’s the limit, and I mean The Limit. You can capitalize that and take it to the bank, but she’s as good an egg as ever was laid,” Petey exclaimed. The boy swung on the low-hanging branch of a maple tree. “If anyone tells you different, it’s applesauce with a side of baloney. On the level, Miko is the real McCoy and there just ain’t any finer.”

  “Is that so?” Rock asked, amused by the boy’s liberal use of slang. He wondered where a little lad from a farm had picked up such language. It most certainly wasn’t from Aunt Nancy or Cousin Ida. Despite the manner in which the child conveyed his thoughts, Rock agreed with his assessment. He held a high admiration for Miko, whether or not she realized it.

  “I told ya so, didn’t I, and I’m as straight a shooter as Miko and Grandpa Yamada. Gee, but I wish they were gonna be home this summer. I used to come over and help them sell stuff in the produce stand. Grandma Yamada would make ice cream and we’d sit on the porch at night and listen to the crickets sing. The moonflowers made the air smell like ambrosia. Now there’s a five-dollar word if you’ve ever heard one!”

  “It certainly is.” Little need existed for Rock to contribute to the conversation. Petey Phillips was more than happy to share what he knew about Miko and her family.

  “Say, Pop said my scout troop is gonna have a scrap metal drive this summer. Could I come over here and gather up some stuff? There’s a prize for the scout who gathers the most and I wanna win it.”

  Rock glanced in the direction Petey pointed. He’d noticed the pile of rusted metal objects in an open shed out behind the large storage building. The twisted mess of metal contrasted with the neat and orderly appearance of the rest of the farm.

  “You’ll have to ask Miko about that, but I don’t think she’d object.”

  Petey let go of the tree and landed on the ground with an enthusiastic thump. He formed a fist and popped it against the flattened palm of his other hand. “I’m gonna help slap the Japs right off the map by collecting scrap metal.”

  Rock cast a glance at the house to make sure Miko hadn’t heard the boy’s statement, then gave him a disparaging glance. “Now, see here, Petey. That’s not a nice name to use for Japanese people.”

  “Aw, for crying out loud! Don’t go gettin’ in a lather, Cap. I’m just telling it true. The Japs all need shot down and how!” Petey laced his hands together, extending his index fingers and lifting his thumbs. The child then executed rapid-fire shooting sounds as he obliterated an unseen foe.

  “Hey, buddy, pipe down,” Rock said, placing a hand on Petey’s shoulder. “You don’t want to hurt Miko’s feelings, especially when you’re standing on land owned by a very fine Japanese man — a man I thought you liked.”

  Petey stopped and gaped at him, mouth open and eyes goggled. “Your opticals need fine-tuning, Cap. Maybe you best get your ears in for a cleaning, too. Miko ain’t a Jap. There ain’t a single, solitary one to be found on this place. No siree! Grandpa and Grandma Yamada, Miko, and her folks are one hundred percent American friends of mine. I won’t put up with anyone saying otherwise.” Petey lifted two scrappy fists and jabbed them into the air.

  A grin quirked the corners of Rock’s mouth upward. “I’m glad to hear that, Petey. She’s my friend, too.”

  The boy gave him a sidelong study, then scuffed his toe in the grass. “I’ll give it to you on the up and up that I plan to marry Miko when I get big enough. But I might just step aside if you think you’re man enough to get the job done. She’s the cat’s pajamas and then some, so you better make sure you’re gonna treat her like Granny treats Princess Alice, or I ain’t gonna let you have her.”

  Rock hunkered down and appeared solemn while swallowing his mirth. “I’ll tell you what, Petey. Should the day arrive when I decide to marry Miko, I’ll ask your permission first. If you decide I’m not up for the task, you can tell me.”

  Petey grinned. “I knew you were a crackerjack. Now, stand at attention and look smart about it, ’cause here she comes.”

  Miko smiled as she carried a laden tray to a picnic table placed beneath the shade of a large oak tree.

  Sun-ripened berries and a generous helping of freshly whipped cream topped slices of white cake, still warm from the oven.

  “Mmm, mm. Nobody bakes cake like Miko and Grandma Yamada,” Petey said, taking a big bite. “Can you teach Mom how to make it like yours? Her white cake always tastes like she used cornmeal mixed with sawdust and forgot to add the sugar.”

  Rock choked on a bite and took a drink from the glass of milk Miko handed to him. If nothing else, the neighbor boy provided a welcome diversion.

  Petey finished his cake, thanked Miko, and promised to return to check on them another day. Before he ran off, Miko caught him around the waist and sat him on the table so he was nearly eye level with her and Rock.

  “Petey, you know I love you to pieces and you are welcome to visit anytime you like, but I need you to do something for me.” Miko eyed the boy, glad to see he attentively listened to each word she spoke.

  “You name it,” he said, grinning at her. “If you want me to jump off the top of that barn, just say the word. You need me to chase down a bus, I’ll run till my legs give out. You ask me to sing ‘Yankee Doodle,’ I’ll tune up the pipes and belt it out
without a band.”

  “It’s nothing quite as elaborate or drastic as all that.” She tweaked Petey’s upturned nose. “You’ve seen the war posters that talk about loose lips sinking ships, haven’t you?”

  “Sure, I have.” Petey leaned toward Rock. “Everybody’s seen them and even if you ain’t feasted your eyes on one, you hear ’em say it on the radio all the time.”

  “Yes, you do,” Rock agreed.

  Miko placed a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder. “What I’m trying to explain, Petey, is that it’s very important no one knows I’m here. Not even your mom and dad. Will you keep it a secret, just between us?”

  “Will I? Will I keep a secret?” The boy vaulted off the table and danced a little jig. “Boy, will I! The Germans could string me up by my toes, the Japs could poke me with bayonets, the Italians could roast me over a pit, but I ain’t talking. If they ask, I don’t know nuthin’.” Petey shrugged and pulled an angelic, innocent face. “Miko? I haven’t seen her for a long while. She went off with Grandma and Grandpa Yamada for the summer, don’t ya know. They’re on a marvelous trip and who knows when they’ll be back.”

  Petey turned and raced across the yard. He stopped at the corner of the barn and saluted Rock, then bowed to Miko. “These lips won’t sink a ship or a girl as swell as you.”

  Miko blew him a kiss, then the boy disappeared in the direction from which he’d come.

  “Whew,” Rock said, propping his elbow on the table and resting his chin on his hand. “That boy is like a cyclone riding a twister.”

  Miko laughed and gathered the dishes from the table onto the tray. “Petey is lively, but once he gives his word, he keeps it.”

  “How old is the little scamp?” Rock asked, getting to his feet as she stood and lifted the tray. He wanted to take it from her, but he still wasn’t able to bear much weight with his left hand. Rather than dwell on what he couldn’t do, he hurried ahead and held open the back screen door for her.

  “Petey turned nine in January. I knew his folks were expecting an addition to the family, but I forgot the due date with all that’s happened the last few months. I wondered why they hadn’t been around, but that explains it.” Miko set the dishes in the sink, then wiped off the tray and stored it in a low cupboard. “He’ll make a nuisance of himself coming to visit now that he knows you’re here. The only thing he enjoys playing more than cowboys and Indians is soldiers at war.”

  “I could teach him more than he wanted to know,” Rock said, drying the dishes as Miko washed them. His thoughts had carried him a million miles away when she handed him the last plate to dry.

  She studied him, admiring his straight, broad shoulders and trim waist. Just in the last week, he’d put on weight, filling out his form as the sickness left his body. Plenty of sunshine had tanned his skin, and hard work on the farm had tightened his muscles.

  As though he sensed her perusal, he turned to her and smiled. “If you don’t object, I’d like to borrow your grandfather’s car and go to my farm tomorrow. I stored some things there, clothes and whatnot, which will come in handy.”

  “You mean you’ll stay here?” Miko asked, not sure what to make of his plans.

  “I promised you I’d take care of this place until your grandfather returns and I mean it. I rented out the farm my father left me, so I have nowhere else to go. Now, if you don’t want me to stay here, that’s another matter. However, you’ll have to develop incredibly compelling arguments to convince me to leave.” Rock watched her face as she absorbed his words. “I want to stay and help you, Miko. By the time the produce stand is ready to open for the season, I might even be able to run it.”

  “Really? You’d really stay and run the farm? You’ll keep that awful Mr. Ness from trying to take it away?” she asked. The temptation to throw her arms around Rock and kiss him almost overpowered her good sense.

  “I will. First, I want to go get my things at the farm. After that, I should go pay a visit to my doctor and let him know I didn’t die the night I checked myself out of the hospital.” At her surprised look, he motioned to the table.

  They both took seats, then he leaned back in the chair and looked around the modern room. Miko told him her grandparents had updated the bathroom and kitchen the previous autumn. He wouldn’t complain about the modern conveniences that made his life easier. Questions about how long they had before the power and phone service were shut off crossed his mind. He planned to get it all sorted out soon.

  “The short story is this: I overheard my doctor tell another physician he had no hope for my recovery and I would only live a few weeks. I decided if I was going to die, I wanted to do it on the land where I was raised, not in some sterile hospital room. So I left.” A self-deprecating look crossed his face. “Of course, I was half out of my mind with illness and not thinking straight. If I had been, I would have made sure I had more than a few coins in my possession.”

  “That’s why you had to get off the bus, isn’t it? You didn’t have money for a ticket.”

  Rock nodded. “I had thirty-seven cents. I spent thirty of them to get to Beaverton. The driver didn’t notice me asleep in my seat until a few stops later when I got off. I started walking and just when I was sure I couldn’t go any farther, I recognized your grandparents’ produce stand. You know the rest of the story.”

  “I guess I do.” Unable to bear the thought of what would have happened to Rock if she hadn’t happened along, she said a quick prayer of gratitude she’d found him. “If the doctor thought you’d die soon, I’m sure he’ll be surprised to see you looking so well.”

  “I’m counting on it. He’ll more than likely think he’s seen a ghost. I do need to pay him a visit, though, and speak to someone about my discharge papers.” Rock cleared his throat and glanced at Miko. “If you aren’t opposed to it, I thought I’d go to the assembly center and see if they’ll let me visit your family.”

  Her head snapped up and she gaped at him. “You’d do that? Go check on them for me?”

  A soft light shone in his eyes as he nodded. “I’d happily do that for you. My plan is to purchase this place from your grandfather and have him sign the deed. I want it to be legal, so no one can question my right to be here. Upon his return, I’ll sell the property back to him. Does that sound fair to you?”

  “More than fair, Rock, and it will make Granddad so happy,” she said. Introspective, she remained lost in her thoughts for a few moments. “Would you take them a letter if I write one?”

  “Of course. Just be careful what you write. Someone probably reads through the letters and you wouldn’t want to give away the fact you’re here instead of there.”

  Miko sighed. “Perhaps I should just go with you and turn myself in.”

  “No!” Rock didn’t know why he so vehemently opposed the idea, but everything in him argued to keep Miko far away from the assembly center. “Let me investigate things first. You may do your family much more good here than you would there.”

  “If you think it’s best to wait, I will.” She lifted her gaze and met his, wondering how his eyes could sparkle so brightly and with such emotion. “You plan to go to your farm first and then visit the doctor?”

  “I’ll go to the farm tomorrow and the doctor the day after that. Could you find the deed between now and then?”

  Miko rose to her feet. “I’ve looked everywhere in the house. I guess I’ll broaden my search outside. If I can’t find it, perhaps Granddad can give you a clue where he hid it.”

  “May I help you search?” Rock asked, following her outside. He held the laundry basket while she took sheets off the line, folding them as she went.

  “I’ll look tomorrow while you’re gone.” Miko stopped and shot him a concerned glance. “Do you think Mr. Ness will come back soon?”

  “Not if he knows what’s good for him,” Rock muttered darkly. At her perplexed look, he cleared his throat. “If he comes when I’m not here, stay hidden or sneak off to the Phillips place. After meeting
Petey, I’m fairly certain he comes from good ol’ American stock who’ll rush to your assistance.”

  A soft smile touched her lips. “They would. John and Lucy are the nicest people. You should stop by to meet them sometime.”

  Rock nodded. “I will, but first let’s make sure no one can get their hands on this place.”

  Miko took the basket from him and set it on the grass. Before he quite knew what transpired, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tight hug. “This place is more than just a farm. It ties my family to our past and provides a rich heritage for the future. Thank you for being such a good, honorable man.”

  The words he wanted to say remained unspoken as she lifted the laundry basket and rushed inside the house.

  Chapter Seven

  Sorely tempted to drive Miko’s car just to see what it could do, Rock instead took her grandfather’s truck and left with a jaunty wave the following morning.

  Forty-five minutes later, he arrived at the farm his father had bequeathed him. Although he wanted to ignore the nationwide order to drive thirty-five miles an hour, he kept his foot light on the gas pedal and tootled along like a law-abiding citizen.

  The young man who leased the farm offered Rock a warm welcome, then helped load his trunks in the truck. Enthusiastic, the farmer walked around the place, showing off the improvements he’d made and discussing the crops he’d planted. Rock thanked him for taking good care of the farm, then slid behind the wheel of his borrowed vehicle.

  A few minutes before noon, Rock returned to the Yamada farm, expecting Miko to be in the kitchen making lunch. She wasn’t in the house, the garden, or the barn. He checked the storage building and the other outbuildings. He even walked out to the orchard, but didn’t find her anywhere.

  Worried, he walked behind the barn, intent on following Petey’s path to the Phillips place. A footpath made of flat stones through the grass diverted his attention. He followed it to a fence on the border of the woods towering behind the cleared ground of the farm.