Lani chuckled as she put her few cold items into the mini fridge back in her hotel room. If she didn’t know the truth about the family already and was just now hearing these stories, she’d probably be a little freaked out. Yeah, just like she was freaked out before Frank explained everything.
She carried an orange juice and a cheese stick back over to the table in the corner and opened her laptop, ready to start drafting out the article. She had a new email since she left, and she clicked it open before she began typing out her notes—that was one of her quirks. If she had a new email, she had to check it before she did any other thing. Unopened emails were like sandpaper on her skin.
It was from her editor.
Just had a meeting with marketing. Our readers are saying they want a little more excitement in our stories. I want you to dig up some dirt on these McClains. Maybe Daddy McC has affairs or Mama nips at the brandy or the brothers are womanizers—whatever you can find. Yes, write your feel-good piece and we’ll save some orphans, but write a separate piece that we’ll label ‘also in the news’ or ‘in the meantime’ or something like that. There will be a big bonus for you if you can bring me something good.
Her boss wanted dirt, and she had some information that would make his head spin.
Chapter Six
While waiting for the boys to figure out the difference between flowers and weeds, something they’d been shown a million times, Frank scrolled through his texts. There was the one he’d sent up to the house just before lunch. Reporter needs to have the talk. She okay? and then his father’s response. Yes. You can trust her. He never would have proceeded without the go-ahead.
Telling Lani about their family legacy had been awkward at best. He’d never shared it with anyone before, and in fact, these days it seemed that they only shared it with people who were about to join their family. The thought brought him up short. Was Lani meant to marry into the clan? Was that why his father gave his approval for her to know?
He was about to text his father back and ask him for more information about the girl when a new text came in. It was from Adam. 911 barn.
“Gotta go,” Frank shouted to Gideon, who nodded. It wasn’t at all uncommon for Frank to get called away in the middle of something, and Gideon would call in one of the wives to help out so they’d always have two adults with each set of boys. Frank took off at a dead run for the barn. Adam only used the 911 code when it really was an emergency, but why the barn? He was talking with Nick back at the cabin, wasn’t he?
Frank was out of breath when he entered the barn and saw Adam sitting just inside on a hay bale, tears streaming down his cheeks. He looked up and met Frank’s gaze. “I don’t know if I can keep doing this,” he said, his voice thick.
Oh, wow. Adam never broke down—something had happened. Frank grabbed another hay bale and pulled it over, sitting across from his brother so their knees touched. The sorrow and the pain that radiated off Adam’s soul pierced right through Frank, and he had to brace his feet on the floor so he wouldn’t get knocked over from the sheer power of it. “What happened?” he asked. He could guess, but Adam needed to verbalize it so he could begin to process it.
“It’s everything we feared.” Adam pulled in a shuddering breath. “We knew we were dealing with a lot when it came to Nick . . . we were right.”
Frank nodded. All the brothers had suspected some kind of sexual abuse in Nick’s past. The boy hadn’t been ready to talk about it, so they had dealt with his other concerns, knowing that it was like peeling an onion. Layer after layer until everything was revealed.
Adam ran his hands down his face. “I wish . . . I wish I could shut my feelings off. Sitting there with him, feeling his betrayal and his horror and his shock . . . I’ve never prayed to lose my gift before, but I did then. I don’t know how much more of this I can take, Frank. These boys and their backgrounds and their hurting hearts—I can’t carry this anymore.”
Frank placed a hand on his brother’s knee and began to pull out all the overwhelming emotions his brother was feeling. There were so many of them, Frank almost couldn’t handle them. He rallied as best as he could, took a deep breath, and began to send calm. He envisioned it like golden light swirling around and around Adam’s heart, healing it and soothing it. After a few long moments, he’d done everything he could and he sat back, completely exhausted.
“I don’t think we’ve had any idea what you go through on a day-to-day basis,” he said quietly. “We’re just used to you being the anchor, the North Star to our family, and I don’t think we’ve ever stopped to think about the load you carry. I’m sorry, Adam. I won’t overlook that again.”
Adam’s eyes were so red, they looked painful. “I’ve hidden it because whining doesn’t do anyone any good, but yeah, it’s hard.” He pulled in another shuddering breath. “Mom’s with Nick now. After we talked, she fed him some cookies and he fell asleep. She wasn’t in the room when he told me—it would have destroyed her.”
Their mother was one tough lady, and Frank knew beyond a doubt that she would take on any challenge when it came to her boys. But she was also the most tenderhearted woman he knew, and Adam was right. Hearing those kinds of details would be too much for her. She knew the boys had been through a lot, but she functioned best not thinking about their pasts and focusing on making their here and now wonderful.
“She’s just what Nick needs right now,” Frank said, and Adam nodded. “So, what triggered Nick today? Was it something at school? Why now, of all times?”
“There was a presentation of some kind in biology, something to do with human reproduction,” Adam replied. “Thank goodness it was the last class of the day. He barely made it home before he fell apart.”
“And now?” Frank asked. “What happens next?”
“And now the healing can really begin.” Adam rolled his shoulders, obviously tense. “I don’t think I’ll need to bring it up again—we talked about it pretty thoroughly just now, and I don’t see a need to keep hashing it out. Keep an eye on him, would you? He’ll need some extra help over the next few days.”
“Of course I will,” Frank replied. “It’s you I’m most worried about right now, though.”
Adam chuckled, completely without humor. “I’ve never asked Dad if there’s a way to turn off the gift. I think I will, though. How much . . . how much can one person be asked to carry? I want to throw a tantrum and say it isn’t fair and demand not to do this anymore, but at the same time, I know I belong here on the ranch, I know I belong with these boys, and I know this is what I was created to do. I just . . . I just don’t know if it’s going to kill me in the process.”
“It’s not going to kill you,” Frank replied. “You’re the strongest man I know, and now I’m getting an even better glimpse of just how strong. I’m sorry that I haven’t been there for you more, Adam. I could have lightened your burden in a dozen different ways.”
“And I should have asked, but I felt like I was supposed to handle it alone. That’s not how this family works, though, is it? We all need each other. We’re interconnected, each of us a cog in the wheel.”
“That’s how the very best families operate,” Frank pointed out. “We’re there for each other and we support each other in everything. From now on, I’m going to do a better job at being there for you.”
“Thanks, brother.” Adam cleared his throat. “I’m going to check in with Dad.”
“Hang on a second. I pulled out a bunch of stuff, but I need your cooperation to get the rest. You really do think you’re supposed to carry this burden alone, don’t you? You’re hanging on to that last bit like it’s your precious.”
“I’ve always had a hard time letting go,” Adam replied.
“Well, now you need to. Work with me here. Breathe. Imagine yourself giving away that horrible lump right in the center of your chest.”
Frank sensed Adam’s struggle, but at last, the lump was relaxed and soothed, and Frank was exhausted. “You put up quite a fi
ght there.”
Adam chuckled. “You know how stubborn I am.”
“If I was ever in doubt before, now I have solid proof.” Frank made a shooing motion with his hand. “Go see Dad. I think I need a nap now.”
Adam came to his feet, then put his hand on Frank’s shoulder. “Thank you,” he said softly.
Frank looked up at him with exhausted eyes. “What are brothers for?”
***
Frank rested on his hay bale for fifteen minutes before he felt strong enough to stand. He checked in with Gideon to make sure the boys were all right, and then he began what seemed like a very long walk back to his cabin. Lifting his legs to climb the porch steps felt like agony, and when he finally made it inside and closed the door, his mother looked at him with alarm.
“Frank?”
“I’ve been talking to Adam,” he said, and she understood immediately. She tucked her arm through his and guided him over to the couch.
“I’ve never seen him so upset as he was when he left here,” she said, her usually cheerful face now solemn. “It hurts me to see my boys hurting, but I’m so glad you have each other.”
Another pang of guilt lanced Frank at her words. “I need to be a better brother to him.”
“A better brother? There’s no such thing. You boys make me proud every day with the way you watch out for each other.”
“Adam’s been carrying way too much for way too long. I should have known it.”
“And he should have said something.” Lillian patted Frank’s knee. “That’s one thing about being a man that I’ll never understand. Of course, I don’t understand any of it because I’m not a man, but you know what I mean. Why are so many of you so determined to do everything on your own? Since when is asking for help a sign of failure?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t know. Doesn’t make a lot of sense, does it?”
“No, it doesn’t. Now, you sit there and rest, and I’m going to make dinner. I think that after the day you’ve all had, you deserve a night off, don’t you?”
“That would be really great, Mom. And Hunter says he’s ready to try being the odd man out and to let the other boys eat regular food again.”
“Oh, that boy. He would be thinking about the others’ feelings, wouldn’t he?” Lillian stood. “I’ll go invade your kitchen and see what I can dredge up.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Frank slid down on the couch and rested his head against the cushions. Then he closed his eyes and sent the very last bit of calm he had to offer toward Nick, hoping the boy was resting peacefully. Then Frank was asleep too, unable to fight the exhaustion any longer.
Chapter Seven
Everyone in the cabin went to bed early and slept like rocks that night. The boys were excited to see the lasagna Lillian had made for them and shoveled it down like they hadn’t eaten in months. Hunter was excited to see that she’d made him a separate noodle dish with leaner hamburger and no cheese—he said it was just as good as real lasagna. Then the boys trundled off to bed, each of them recognizing that something pretty major had happened and they should be on their best behavior. Nick had come out to eat, ate without speaking, then went back to bed. But he was doing better than Frank had ever seen him—his emotions were roiling less, and he seemed to be reaching a place of acceptance within himself.
When the sun rose the next morning, Frank sat up and had to grab his head. It was pounding so hard, even his eyeballs hurt. He checked the calendar on his phone—thank goodness. It wasn’t one of Daniel’s days at the hospital. He sent his brother a quick text and asked him if he could come over, and then he hit the shower so he’d be at least a little presentable when Daniel got there.
Gideon had the boys well underway with their morning chores by the time Frank was dressed, and they headed off to school with a wave. “I told Nick he could stay home and have a Lillian day if he wanted, but he said no. He seems to be doing all right.”
“I think this was the last piece of his puzzle, his final straw,” Frank said, taking a seat at the kitchen table. “He’s worked through so many other things during his time with his and processed so many other aspects that now he can find his way out of the tunnel. I’m glad he’s here with us and not somewhere else—it’s hard work, but we’re cushioning the blow for him, and we’ll be here as he figures out who he is and what he wants from here on out.”
“I wish we could do that for all the kids who’ve been abused,” Gideon said. He put a mug of chamomile tea down in front of Frank. “It’s like that starfish story—we’re throwing them back in the water as fast as we can, and while we can’t save every starfish, we are making a difference for the boys here.”
Frank nodded as he took a sip. Just then, Daniel walked into the cabin and joined them at the table.
“Boys get out the door okay?” he asked.
“Yep, all six.”
“Nick too? That’s pretty amazing.” Daniel turned his focus to Frank. “What have you been doing to yourself, little brother?”
“Trying to help Adam. Gave me one whale of a headache.”
“Yeah, I was just over there. He’s got the same headache.” Daniel rested his hand on Frank’s shoulder. “Yikes. Talk about massive gift burnout. Have you ever worked this hard before?”
“Nope.”
“Neither has Adam. I’m going to tell you what I told him—take the day off. Give yourself time to rest. You both did amazing things yesterday, but you pushed far beyond your usual limits, and it’s showing up today.”
“It’s worth the sacrifice,” Frank replied, and Daniel nodded.
“I know it is, but you’ve got to keep yourselves strong so you can do it again for someone else. Now, let’s get rid of that headache.”
“Yes, please.”
Frank sat still as Daniel warmed his head. He felt the headache reduce and then disappear altogether, and he exhaled with relief. “Thanks,” he said. “I knew Tylenol wasn’t going to touch it.”
“Not a headache like that one,” Daniel agreed. “Okay now—rest. No calming anyone today, got it? Gid, if anyone needs it, you take over.”
“Aye, aye, Captain,” Gideon said, saluting.
A day off did sound nice, and Frank even thought about going back to bed. Maybe a nap later, but first, he needed to do something else—he needed to talk to his dad.
***
“Hey, Dad,” Frank said, taking a seat across from his father’s desk.
Peter McClain looked up from the newspaper he was reading and regarded his son with kind eyes. “I knew you’d be by.”
“Precog?”
“No, common sense. After everything Adam went through yesterday and the way you helped him, it seemed only natural that you’d need to talk too. Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. Woke up with a killer headache, but Daniel took care of that for me. So, you think Nick will be okay?”
Peter nodded. “He’s still got a rough road ahead—feelings to sort through and memories to process, but he’s stronger now than he’s ever been. He has the tools. Recognizing and admitting the truth is a powerful thing.” He paused. “How did things go with the reporter yesterday?”
Frank exhaled. “It was pretty wild. She’s empathic, Dad. Wasn’t expecting that one. Not as much as Adam, but she picks up on things, and there was no way to hide what was going on. So we had the talk, and she accepted it pretty well. She said she could tell I wasn’t lying, and she promised not to put any of it in her article.”
“I knew we could trust her,” Peter said, nodding. “That’s why I agreed to letting her come—we’ve never had another reporter out here because I never felt confident about them.”
“And?” Frank asked.
“And what?” Peter looked confused.
“Oh, come on, Dad. The only women we’ve told our story to have been the women who were supposed to marry into the family. Don’t you have anything to say to me about Lani? That she’s the one or something?”
�
��I haven’t had any visions about your bride, Frank.”
Frank stared at his father, dumbfounded. “But you have for everyone else, right? Five brothers ahead of me all got the big Dad thumbs-up.”
“Yes, I did for them, but I haven’t received anything for you.”
Frank slumped back in his chair. “Is that because I haven’t met her yet?” That was a disappointing thought. He liked Lani—he really liked her. He’d been hoping she was the right one ever since lunch the day before. But if his dad hadn’t had his vision yet . . .
Peter leaned forward and clasped his hands on top of his desk. “Do you need a vision to tell you how you feel?”
“Well, no. I just thought we weren’t supposed to move forward without that final approval.”
“And I can’t make a vision appear on demand. Sometimes they show up right when I need them, and sometimes they’re two or three years ahead of their time and I’m left to wonder what they mean until the time comes. In this case, Frank, I’d say to trust your gut.”
“But what if my gut is wrong?”
“Sometimes guts are wrong. But we have to listen to them in order to figure that out, don’t we?”
Frank left his dad’s study more confused than he’d been when he went in. That was weird—his dad usually made him feel better. Now he had no idea what he should do.
Chapter Eight
Lani pulled into the parking lot at the ranch and brought her car to a stop in the same place she’d chosen the day before. The planter looked like it had been patched over already, and she smiled. These McClains didn’t leave work undone for long, did they? She felt guilty for adding to their work load, though—they already had so much to do.
She had just gotten out and closed her door when she saw Frank jogging across the grass toward her. “Morning!” she called, lifting her hand.
“Morning,” he said as he came up beside her. “How’s the hotel?”
Frank (Seven Sons Book 6) Page 5
