James wasn't sure what Josiah's dad was doing at the door, but she was sure that her standing there in just one of his old tee-shirts was probably not entirely appropriate. Especially since there were children standing there as well. She tried not to eavesdrop at first, but then decided that it was better for her to know what was going on.
When Josiah's father announced that his brother and sister-in-law were missing and that his mother had been killed, her hands clenched the countertop so hard that her knuckles turned white.
Wha-- he was just going to go off after that announcement, and leave the boys there with them? James gaped, unsure of what to do or say as she watched Josiah's father depart.
Someone had to say something, though, so she took a deep breath, sucked it up, and sent the little boys a tentative half-smile. "I think we've got enough bacon for everyone. Are you guys hungry?" she asked, coming around the side of the counter to grab one of Josiah's hands with her own, squeezing it hard. If there was one thing that she had learned during and after the war, it was that the importance of normalcy and routine could not be underestimated.