When He Returns: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance

by Amelia Smarts

  Ada burst into tears as the rest of the children rushed to obey. “I didn’t steal it, Pa!” she wailed.

  Before Wade closed the door to his room behind him, he saw Clyde take the child onto his lap in a comforting hold. No doubt Clyde knew Ada hadn’t taken the money, but he was still going to speak to her to find out relevant information. He was a marshal, after all, and interviewing witnesses was what he did.

  Wade sat on his cot and looked at Miles and Luke, wondering if one of them would have taken the money. He knew Grace wouldn’t have. He couldn’t picture Sadie stealing it either. The whole business didn’t make much sense.

  Clyde called in Miles and Luke separately, followed quickly by Grace. After the marshal’s interrogation, he didn’t allow them to return to their room; instead, he sent them outside.

  Wade was left alone for what seemed like a very long time while Clyde spoke to Sadie. Because their conversation lasted so long, Wade wondered if, in fact, Sadie had stolen the money. He never would have suspected her of doing such a thing, but he supposed it wasn’t impossible.

  His heart pounded heavily when he heard the whine of the front door, signaling that Sadie had gone outside with the other children. Wade thought he might die of anticipation when Clyde didn’t immediately call him into the living room. Instead, after another period of time had passed, the front door opened, and Sadie’s voice could be heard once again.

  Wade strained his ears when he thought he heard his name but then shook his head in frustration. He couldn’t make out anything else besides that.

  Moments later, he heard Clyde’s boots clipping across the floor toward him before the bedroom door opened. “Come on out here, Wade,” Clyde said.

  He couldn’t get a read on what was happening based on the tone of Clyde’s voice, which sounded even and free from emotion. Wade followed him into the living room and drew a sharp breath at the scene. Sadie was sitting on the sofa, and on the table next to her was his jar of money. His eyes darted back and forth between them. Before that moment, he hadn’t been aware that either of them knew the location of the money he’d earned for his chores.

  Wade sat on the far end of the sofa away from Sadie while Clyde sat in his armchair and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his legs and folding his hands together. Wade could read sadness in his features, but also deep anger, and he knew both were about to be directed at him.

  “I’ll come right to the point, Wade,” Clyde said. His voice was carefully measured, as though struggling to keep his anger at bay. “Sadie led me to the jar where you’ve been stashing the money you’ve earned working for me, and in there, I found the money stolen from my nightstand, rolled up exactly how I had left it.”

  Wade’s mouth and throat turned dry, and a heat crept up into his cheeks and around his ears. He was so overwhelmed with disbelief and panic he couldn’t even speak and instead stared dumbly at Clyde before looking at Sadie. Her lips were twisted in a cruel smirk, and a look of triumph emanated from her eyes.

  “Well? What do you have to say for yourself?” Clyde asked, his voice raised.

  “I didn’t steal it,” Wade said. His own voice sounded foreign to him—hoarse and uncertain.

  Clyde frowned at him, his eyebrows joining together to form a look of immense displeasure. “The proof is sitting on the table, young man, and you dare lie to my face?”

  Wade shook his head. “I wouldn’t lie to you, Pa. I-I swear.”

  Clyde’s jaw clenched. “How do you suppose the money got into the jar?”

  Wade looked at Sadie again. He was sure as the day was long that she’d set him up and framed him for the theft. He wished he’d been honest when Clyde had asked how he and Sadie were getting along. He wished he’d reported her every mean and petty action over the years instead of remaining quiet and stoic. It was too late for that now. If he told Clyde that Sadie was responsible for framing him, it would sound preposterous.

  “Someone must have planted it there to get me in trouble,” Wade said, knowing how weak his explanation sounded. If he were Clyde, he wouldn’t believe him.

  As expected, Clyde’s scowl deepened. He looked at Sadie, who acted convincingly surprised by Wade’s suggestion. “Who here would do that?” she exclaimed. “None of us has ever stolen so much as a penny. What about you? Have you ever stolen anything, Wade?”

  Of course he had. Sadie knew that, and so did Clyde. He’d stolen other people’s clothes, food, and money while he was homeless, but he hadn’t stolen a thing since being under Clyde’s roof.

  “Didn’t your pa rob a bank?” Sadie asked in a faux innocent voice, further stoking the flames of suspicion. “Maybe it’s in your blood. Maybe you can’t help yourself,” she added.

  “That’s enough, Sadie,” Clyde said sternly.

  Wade looked beseechingly at him, silently begging the only father figure he’d ever loved and respected to believe his explanation for what had happened.

  Clyde gazed at him, now appearing more sad than angry. “I trusted you, Wade,” he said quietly. “I’ve only wanted to help and support you.”

  “Please believe me, I didn’t do this,” Wade said. “I would never want to disappoint you.” He could feel tears forming. He tried blinking them away but was unsuccessful. They streamed down his face. He didn’t care about the whipping or whatever punishment Clyde had in store for him. He only cared that Clyde believe him.

  The marshal scrubbed a hand around his face and sighed deeply before standing to his feet. He walked the one stride to Wade and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Your fear of disappointing me has prevented you from being honest, son. I’d be less disappointed if you’d confessed instead of trying to shift blame to someone else.”

  Wade buried his face in his hands, feeling wretched and sick to his stomach. Tears wet his palms.

  “Sadie, go outside with the other children,” Clyde ordered.

  “All right,” she said slowly. The weight of the sofa shifted as she stood.

  Wade hadn’t cried in front of them before. He didn’t cry at all normally, but he couldn’t help the stream of tears this time. He kept his face hidden in his hands, so he couldn’t see Sadie, but he heard her walk to the door.

  She didn’t leave right away. Clearing her throat, she said, “Uh, don’t be too hard on him, Pa.” Her voice sounded hesitant, sad even, and Wade wondered if she regretted what she’d done. When she still lingered instead of leaving, he even wondered if she might come clean. Instead, she walked outside and closed the door firmly behind her.

  The sofa depressed as Clyde sat next to him. Wade was experiencing heartbreak like he’d never felt before. He wished to be anywhere but there in Clyde’s cabin, the focus of so much anger and disappointment. He wasn’t guilty of this crime, but he still felt an incredible amount of shame. He didn’t belong there. He wasn’t like Clyde’s other children, who were unsullied by the sins of the past. His father was a criminal, and for two years Wade had been one too. When it came right down to it, he knew that’s what Clyde saw when he looked at him.

  Finally, Clyde broke the silence. “Do you remember what I said to you the day we met, Wade?”

  Wade didn’t remove his hands from his face, but he nodded in response.

  “So you remember me saying I believe in being lenient with children, in giving them lots of chances to get things right?”

  “Yes, sir. I remember,” Wade said, running the backs of his hands over his eyes to wipe away the tears. He looked at Clyde, who was regarding him with concern. All anger and sadness were absent from his expression.

  “I still believe that, Wade. And more importantly, I believe in you. There’s nothing you can do, including stealing from me, that would make me change my mind. I see the good in you and how much you’ve helped this family. Seeing you all broken down right now… It’s hard for me to watch, honestly, and I can’t stay angry with you.”

  Wade’s nose burned as he struggled to get ahold of his emotions. He felt a strong sense of inj
ustice, but he also felt relieved hearing Clyde’s words, and some of his shame lifted. Even if Clyde didn’t believe him, at least Wade could be assured of his forgiveness.

  In that moment, Wade realized that the easiest path would be to admit responsibility. It was the fastest way to get this horrible business behind him and to return to the way things were. “I’m sorry, Pa,” Wade said, his voice wavering. “I won’t steal from you again.”

  A look of relief filled Clyde’s features. “Thank you, son. But what was the purpose for stealing the money? I don’t understand it.”

  Wade searched his mind for an explanation. “I suppose I… Well, I don’t know.” He couldn’t think of a single reason to steal from Clyde.

  “Did you want more money so you could set out on your own sooner? With that amount, you could probably make it to California and start a new life.”

  Wade shook his head. “No, Pa. I like it here. I don’t want to leave.”

  Clyde studied him, searching for some kind of explanation, as Wade searched his mind doing the same. Finally, he settled on something that Clyde might understand. “I saw the money and stole it without thinking. I guess I forgot I wasn’t on the run anymore. I’m sorry, Pa.”

  Clyde shook his head, still looking troubled and confused. The explanation was weak, but it was all that Wade could come up with. Clyde scraped his fingers back through his hair. “Well, son, you’re forgiven, of course, but I must punish you. And you must never lie to me or steal from anyone again.”

  Wade shook his head. “Never again.”

  “If you were a year older and you’d stolen this much money from someone else, you’d go to jail for a long time. It’s important to learn from your mistakes now, so you don’t suffer worst consequences when you become a man. Does that make sense?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “All right,” Clyde said, sighing. “I sure hate punishing you, but I wouldn’t be much of a father if I didn’t. For the next week, you come home right after school and stay in your room. Someone will bring you supper, but you won’t be permitted to socialize. And I’ll have some extra chores for you on the weekend. Is that clear?”

  Wade met Clyde’s gaze mournfully. He didn’t say what he was thinking, which was that the punishment was lenient to the point of ridiculousness. Even when Clyde was trying to be strict after a serious infraction, he couldn’t help but go easy on his kids.

  “Yes, sir. It’s clear.” Wade reckoned he should have guessed that Clyde wouldn’t whip him. He’d rarely witnessed Clyde raise his voice, let alone his hand. The worst punishment Clyde could inflict was his disappointment, which was plenty punishment enough. Wade felt as though he couldn’t survive another minute of it.

  Clyde nodded, satisfied, and stood to his feet. As he walked toward the front door, Wade stood also. “Pa?”

  “Yes, son?” Clyde turned to face him.

  Wade loved the man who had taken on the role of his father. He wished he had the words to express that, but he couldn’t find them. Instead, he walked to Clyde, wrapped his arms around his waist, and buried his head in his chest. “I’m sorry,” he said for the third time, knowing that Clyde wouldn’t know the meaning behind the apology. Wade was sorry Clyde felt the pain of betrayal, and he was sorry he hadn’t figured out a way to take it away. Clyde was the last person on Earth who deserved to be betrayed.

  Of course, Clyde thought his apology related to Wade’s theft. He returned the hug immediately. “Now, now, Wade,” he said, squeezing him tight. “You’re forgiven. Don’t you spend another minute fretting about it, you hear?”

  “Yes, sir,” Wade said, letting his arms fall to his side. Clyde tousled his hair and walked outside to talk with the other children.

  Though Wade felt off-kilter from what had happened, a big part of him was at peace. He felt certain that one day soon, Clyde would know the truth. In the meantime, Clyde wasn’t angry with him and Wade planned to do everything in his power to prove his loyalty and respect.

  Chapter Six

  Wade accepted his mild punishment with no complaint, obediently retiring to his room after school each day for a week. Grace brought him food and mothered him more than normal, always checking to make sure he wasn’t cold or hungry. Wade had to admonish her to leave him alone in order to fulfill the stipulation of the punishment, which was that he wasn’t to socialize. On Saturday, he chopped wood until blisters formed on his hands, and he would have continued if Clyde hadn’t told him to stop.

  When his restriction ended and he was permitted to go back to his daily routine, his relationships with the children resumed as normal, with the exception of Sadie, who took great pains to avoid him. On the occasions when it was impossible not to speak, she mumbled her answers and kept her gaze downcast. All traces of her dislike for Wade disappeared, replaced by a guilty expression and a melancholy that pervaded her every move.

  Wade wanted to smooth things over and figure out the motive behind what she’d done. Though they had always butted heads, he couldn’t fathom what had inspired her to hurt him so deeply. He never would have done something so cruel to her. He respected her and even cared about her, and before she’d set him up, he would have sworn she’d felt the same for him. He wished she would tell him what had changed.

  Sadie never allowed him to get close enough for a conversation. Her eyes were rimmed with red and swollen often, indicating to him that she cried when she was alone. Wade caught her several times staring with a tortured expression at Clyde when his back was turned, and Wade could almost hear her trying to convince herself to confess. Wade understood why it was so hard for her to go through with it. Though undoubtedly Clyde would forgive her, his disappointment would be as excruciating for Sadie as it had been for Wade.

  As much as Sadie had wronged Wade, he couldn’t help but feel compassion for her. He knew Sadie wanted to confess, even if she didn’t. Plus, he noticed how hard she worked to be a good person and help others. No one else seemed to notice it, but Wade noticed more and more that she wasn’t like other girls at school her age who spent time curling their hair or sewing embellishments on their frocks. She quietly rose every day, donned one of her brown dresses, and got to work, starting with lighting the stove. The other children referred to her as 'sour Sadie' because she rarely cracked a smile, but her diligence allowed the rest of them to live more carefree lives. The younger children could scatter throughout Lebec after school to fish, swim, or visit with friends because Sadie would always be the one to walk home and fix their supper without complaint.

  Wade thought this was unfair, so he redoubled his efforts to help her. “Grace, did you sweep the porch like your sister asked you to?” Wade asked one afternoon, noticing that Grace was fiddling with her jumping rope for an especially long time after school.

  Grace looked up and shook her head. “Not yet.”

  “Don’t you think you ought to?” Wade asked, his eyebrow raising. Grace neglected her responsibilities often. It wasn’t out of any sort of spite; rather, her mind jumped from subject to subject quickly, evident in the way she talked. She could never concentrate for long on any one thing. If he or Sadie didn’t stay on her case, she would be completely without focus.

  “Yes, I will, Wade,” she said, standing. “I was trying to figure out how to fix the rope. The handle came loose.”

  “Let me see,” he said, holding out his hand. Grace gave it to him and watched intently as Wade managed to secure the handle back in place.

  She clapped with glee. “Thank you!” she squealed. She gave him a hug and sat down on the sofa next to him. “I found some marbles over by the mercantile. Do you want to see them?” she asked, already pulling them out of her pocket. She opened her fist to reveal three small glass balls of different colors.

  “Those are pretty,” Wade said, smiling at her.

  “You can have one if you like.” She dropped the biggest, prettiest marble of the bunch into his hand.

  Wade studied the round glass. It was three sha
des of blue that swirled together with a touch of gold coloring. “Thank you, sweet Gracie,” he said.

  “Will you be my friend always, Wade?” she asked.

  He studied her. There was only a difference in age between them of three years, but to him she seemed so much younger and more fragile. Her big, green eyes held innocence and a trace of worry. She’d looked at him that way often ever since the fiasco with the stolen money, seeming concerned that Wade might decide to up and leave one day.

  Wade gave her braid a gentle tug. “I’m not your friend, silly. I’m your brother. And I’ll always be your brother.”

  She grinned, her youthful face returning to a relaxed state. “All right, that’s good. I sure am glad I have such a nice older brother.”

  “I’m not nice all the time, especially when someone’s being naughty. Aren’t you forgetting something?” he asked with mild sternness.

  Grace looked at him blankly. “Am I?”

  He laughed, unable to maintain his stern composure. “The porch, remember?”

  “Oh!” she exclaimed, giggling and jumping to her feet. “I’ll sweep it now.”

  “Don’t forget about it on the way to the door,” he admonished jokingly.

  She didn’t make it to the door before a loud knock startled them all. Wade and Sadie exchanged questioning looks, a rare moment of eye contact between them, before Wade stood to answer it. It was unusual to receive company at that hour between when school was finished and their pa returned home.

  The man standing outside was Clyde’s deputy, Hank Gray. He looked tired and worn out, like he’d been riding hard all day.

  “Hello, Mr. Gray,” Sadie said. “You joining us for supper?”

  “No,” he replied, removing his hat. He stepped inside, not waiting for an invitation. “I have something to talk to you kids about. Let’s all sit down.” His voice was ominous, and it struck Wade as odd that he had called on them without Clyde. Wade couldn’t think of a time he’d seen Hank without Clyde.