A Family Name

by Liz Botts

  "I want to carry the purple umbrella, but she won't let me," Sierra said, her voice wobbling.

  "I got it first," Lexi propped one hand on her hip, and held the umbrella over her head with the other. "Fair and square. It isn't my fault she's slow. Why can't she just take the ladybug one?"

  "The ladybug one is too baby." Sierra jumped for the dangling umbrella. "I want the purple one."

  Charlotte winced as she saw the tantrum approaching. Shane must have sensed the impending emotional storm too because he gravitated toward Charlotte and pressed his face into her side. She picked him up and he nestled into her shoulder.

  "I want the purple one," Sierra repeated, stomping her foot for emphasis.

  "Don't even say it," Lexi said, her voice higher than normal. "Don't, Dad. I know you're going to tell me to give it to her. You always take her side."

  Silence descended on the small foyer. The five of them stood in a vibrating tension that made Charlotte want to cry.

  Will's face grew serious as he knelt down by Sierra and Lexi. "Sierra, Lexi gets to use the purple umbrella tonight. She got here first, and that's fair. If you don't want the ladybug one, maybe you can share the blue one with me. Those are the choices right now. And Lexi, I don't appreciate that tone. I'll let you off with a warning this time, but next time you'll be grounded."

  Both girls stared at him sullenly, but both remained quiet. Will glanced up at Charlotte, and she gave him a small nod of encouragement. He had handled it well, even if the girls didn't agree. As he handed Charlotte an umbrella of her own, their fingers brushed. Charlotte felt the electric thrill of a teenager with a crush.

  Rain pattered down softly as the quintet hurried across the gravel drive that led to Will's parents' house. Sierra forgot her anger and twirled around with the ladybug umbrella, dancing around puddles. Lexi gripped the handle of the purple umbrella like it was a life preserver. Every now and then Charlotte saw her cast glances at Will that seemed neither angry nor upset. Charlotte suspected that the girl appreciated that Will had sided with her in the umbrella debate, and even that he had disciplined her. Lexi craved her father's attention, and she obviously loved it when Will acted like her dad.

  Karen held the door open as the approached. After much shaking out of the umbrellas, coats were shrugged off, and the warmth of the house enveloped them all. Charlotte sank into the hominess of Karen and Bill's place. The smell of roast meat and warm pie invaded her senses, making her stomach growl and her heart tremble. This was the sort of environment she wanted to create for these three kids. She wanted to make a home, and not just for them, but for herself too.

  No matter how wonderful her last set of foster parents had been, she had always felt like a temporary visitor in their house. Maybe that's why even when she missed them desperately she resisted the urge to call. Not that she had ever stopped to analyze it. She just knew that what she wanted most out of life was a home and family of her own. Even though the five of them had only been together for a short time, she felt like that was the path they were on.

  Thinking about being on a path to building a family with Will opened a Pandora's box of feelings that Charlotte wasn't ready to examine. She thought it was possible that she could work alongside Will because she liked and respected him. But she wondered if that would be enough. Didn't she want love from a partner? She shook off her thoughts. Tonight she wanted to enjoy this family dinner. The future would take care of itself tomorrow. Tonight was for now.

  ****

  Will shook his father's hand stiffly while his mother flitted about fussing over Charlotte and the children. Other than a few pleasantries, Will knew that his dad wanted to talk about the current situation with Charlotte and the children, and Will wasn't in the mood to defend his choices. He turned away from Bill and sought out his brothers who had ensconced themselves in the living room.

  "Yo, bro," Wyatt said by way of greeting.

  Will glanced at Walker who shrugged. He hadn't seen much of his brothers since everyone had come to live with him. Wyatt seemed frustrated but Will was wary of asking.

  "How is everyone doing?" Walker asked, his voice quiet and serious.

  Will sat down on the edge of the sofa, ran a hand along the stubble roughening his chin, and considered his brother's question. He sighed.

  "I'm glad to have Charlotte here to help. Lexi and Sierra fight like two wet cats in a bag," Will admitted.

  "Give them time." Walker squeezed Will's shoulder. "And how are you doing?"

  No one but Charlotte ever asked him that, and he hadn't realized how much he'd needed to hear it. Will met his brother's eyes. "I'm all right. Too busy, though. Now that the weather's getting nice, I'll be bringing some classes up to work on the dig site."

  Walker nodded. "I'll let the hands know so they don't bother you. We'll have to ride fence out that way."

  "We don't have any cattle up that way do we?"

  "Better to be safe." Walker retrieved his glass from the coffee table, and stood. "Anyone need anything?"

  Will shook his head, and Wyatt remained silent. The two sat in the living room without speaking for a stretch too long for Will's comfort. He turned toward his younger brother. Wyatt sat slumped back in their father's recliner. His eyes were closed and his jaw was set in a grimace. Will realized that something was clearly going on with Wyatt, but he had no idea how to bridge the gaping chasm between them.

  Thankfully Lexi burst into the room. "Uncle Wyatt," she cried happily.

  Wyatt cracked an eye, and a slow grin spread across his face. "Well, if it isn't my new niece. How are you, doll?"

  Lexi giggled and threw herself down onto the sofa beside Will. "Can we go out to the barn to see my calf before dinner?"

  "Absolutely. Let's go tell mo — I mean, Grandma," Wyatt said, pushing himself off the chair. He cast a glance at Will. "That sounds weird doesn't it?"

  Before Will could answer, Lexi had grabbed Wyatt's arm and was dragging him toward the kitchen. Now alone, Will frowned as he tried to sort through his recent interactions with his brother. He drew a blank. Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary as they had passed during routine chores. Beyond that, though, he hadn't seen very much of his brother as of late.

  Will was still pondering when Charlotte came into the living room with Shane and Sierra. The little girl had forgiven him for the umbrella denial, and she climbed up onto his lap with a book. "Will you read this to me, Uncle Will?"

  While Will read, Charlotte held Shane who seemed to be listening to the story as well. The moment felt right, and that feeling jolted Will straight to his core. He hadn't set out to think of the five of them as a family but somewhere over the past few weeks that's exactly what had begun to happen. As Sierra leaned her head on his arm, Will felt something unfamiliar shift inside of him. He wouldn't, or couldn't, analyze this right now. The feelings that these people stirred in him were certainly not something he had felt before.

  Bill hovered near the doorway as Will finished the book. His father's gaze angered Will. He couldn't explain why but that moment was supposed to be for the four of them, their family. Yet somehow his father always managed to intrude on it.

  "Need something, Dad?" Will asked, not looking up from the book. Instead he watched Sierra trace her little finger around the cow at the end of the story.

  "Did my daddy like cows?" Sierra asked suddenly. The question felt out of the blue, but Will wasn't startled by it. He had been wondering when Sierra — and Shane for that matter — would start asking questions. This one seemed relatively okay as an introduction.

  "He liked them well enough," Will said. "He and your mommy liked to come out here to visit the ranch."

  "I like cows," Sierra said, still tracing the animal on the page.

  Will exchanged a glance with Charlotte, who raised one eyebrow and lifted her shoulder in a shrug. When Will looked over at his father, the older man was frowning. Irritation flooded Will again. Whatever his father was thinking, Will really didn't want
to know. Still, he felt compelled to ask.

  "What do you need, Dad?"

  Bill cleared his throat, but still didn't say anything. The air in the room hung heavy, punctuated by the unspoken tension between Will and his father.

  "Dinner's ready."

  "Saved by the bell," Charlotte quipped lightly.

  Will caught her eye, and they exchanged another glance full of understanding.

  Just then Lexi and Wyatt burst in through the back door. "Oh my goodness I fed my calf," Lexi said, her voice somewhere between a squeal and a squeak.

  The girl's chatter accompanied them all to the dining room table, but Will couldn't let the tension go. He frowned back at his father as they passed one another.

  ****

  Charlotte could see the stress building in Will's frame. He hunched over the dinner table, stabbing the meatloaf with his fork as if his life depended on it. Even his brothers seemed to notice.

  "I think the meat's already down for the count there, bro," Walker said with a chuckle.

  "Thanks for the tip," Will said with a grumble.

  "Will's bringing a group of students up to the ranch next week," Charlotte said, wondering as the words came out of her mouth if she should bring up his work away from the ranch. For some reason it seemed to be a sore subject around here. No one had ever come right out and told her so, but she was perceptive enough to pick up on the subtle clues.

  Karen passed a large bowl of mashed potatoes to Lexi, and the smiled at Charlotte. "We love hosting students, don't we, Bill?"

  Charlotte watched as Will's father took a long drink of milk before frowning at his wife. "Sure," he said.

  "Sure," Will said, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Dad loves it."

  "I have let you bring students here for the past four years. You dig up my back pasture. What else do you want from me?" Bill's hands clenched around his fork and knife as he stared at his son.

  Charlotte winced inwardly as she wondered what Pandora's box she had opened. Anyone with eyes knew that Will and his dad didn't get along. She just wished that Will would talk to her about it, if for no other reason than to keep her from walking into situations just like this. Shame filled her as she worried that she had ruined a family dinner.

  And then a hand wrapped around hers. Startled, Charlotte's gaze flew to Will's face. He was still glaring at his father, but his hand held hers firmly. Something moved in Charlotte's heart. Something that felt a lot like fight. She and Will were partners for now, raising these three kids, creating a family. No matter how temporary the circumstances were, the two of them had to stick together.

  "That's so generous of you guys," Charlotte said after she found her voice. She squeezed Will's hand before she continued, "I love that Will offers his students a chance to get out of the classroom and really apply what they are learning."

  Charlotte kept her eyes trained on Bill, the feeling in her stomach bordering on sick and sour. She hoped that her voice didn't sound too bright or fake. The words she had spoken held more truth than she was ready to admit. She respected the things Will did with his work, even if they were just getting to know each other. Will's family needed to know that. But she could hear her voice, and it sounded tinny to her ears.

  No one said anything for a few moments, and then Sierra asked for more peas, and everyone nearly simultaneously praised her for being a good eater. The tension diffused into a flurry of food and comments about the weather. Will didn't let go of her hand, though, and Charlotte swelled with warmth and pride as she ate her dinner in silence.

  ****

  Lexi eyed her dad and Charlotte from across the table. She hoped that she wasn't imagining things because she could swear that the two of them were holding hands. Holding hands! She couldn't be sure, though, because she was across the table and a few seats down. She barely heard the conversation flowing around her as she tried to think of a way to confirm her suspicions. Finally she decided to drop her fork. Classic and foolproof.

  When it clattered to the floor, Lexi ducked under the table to retrieve it. A quick peek across the table made her breath catch. Sure enough. Hand-holding. This was better than she had expected. Could something be happening between them? If they got married that meant Charlotte wouldn't have to leave when her dad got custody. They would all be a family together. There would be no more visits from that annoying social worker who had taken over Lexi's case. Charlotte would never have to go back to work. Her leave of absence could become permanent. The ranch could be home forever.

  Excitement made Lexi careless, though, and as she moved to sit up, she bumped her head hard on the table. Plates rattled, and someone yelped in surprise. She winced as she extracted herself from the underside of the table. So much for being smooth about things. At least she had the cover of her fork. Dumb as that seemed now.

  "Are you okay?" Charlotte had jumped up from her chair and was already rounding the table.

  Lexi's heart sank a little. She just had to ruin the moment, didn't she? Would her dad and Charlotte go back to holding hands after they saw that she was okay? Lexi knew that there wasn't much time before they would go to court to get custody sorted out. She had been snooping and eavesdropping whenever she could. Not that it helped much. Most of what she found out made her feel like she had a big clock ticking over her shoulder.

  "I'm fine," Lexi said quickly. "Just dropped my fork. Guess I should go get a new one."

  "Oh, don't worry about that, sweetheart," her grandma said. "I was just heading to the kitchen anyway. I'll grab you one."

  Lexi thanked her, accepted Charlotte's perusal, and managed a small smile at her dad. Still, she felt bummed. If she had just managed not to mess that up, her dad and Charlotte would still be holding hands, and getting close.

  She needed to think of something to help them along.

  ****

  "I'm sorry," Will said as he strolled out onto the front porch.

  Charlotte jumped, startled by his sudden presence. "Sorry for what?" She gave him a small smile as she set her coffee cup on the porch railing.

  "My family. Their craziness," Will said with a shrug.

  "It's fine. I kind of liked it actually."

  Will leaned against one of the porch posts and crossed his arms. A wry smile curled his lips. "Liked it? How is that humanly possible? No one likes dinner with my family, even my family."

  Charlotte laughed. "Not true. It felt great to be part of something like that, even when things got tense."

  "Things always get tense." Will ran a hand through his hair and gazed out into the darkness.

  "I should be sorry," Charlotte said with a sigh. "I didn't mean to stir anything up."

  When Will looked at her, Charlotte felt her breath hitch. The warmth that reflected in his eyes stirred things within her that she had been trying so hard to ignore. Even now as she reminded herself that the children needed to come first, she felt her heart betraying her. It had been so long since she had been in a romantic relationship. Will offered everything she was looking for in a man, and if she was honest with herself she could see building a family with him.

  These thoughts were dangerous and she knew it. What good could come from getting involved with Will? It would jeopardize everything they were working for the good of the children. They couldn't afford to be selfish.

  "Nah, you didn't stir anything up," Will said. He ran a hand through his hair and looked out toward the dark, looming shadows of the Hills illuminated by the bright moonlight. "My dad just gets it in his head sometimes that he's right and that means no one else can be."

  "It's nice that your dad cares," Charlotte said unable to keep the wistful note out of her voice.

  Will's silence drew her gaze. His jaw had clenched and his smile had faded into a grimace. By the way he pursed his lips; Charlotte knew that he was weighing his words carefully. It was one of the small gestures she had picked up on over the past few weeks living in his home.

  "It must have been awful not having parents
to rely on," Will said finally.

  Tears sprang to Charlotte's eyes. She willed them to stay put. No way did she want to cry in front of Will. For reasons she didn't care to analyze, she needed him to see her as strong and capable. She didn't need or want his pity.

  "My foster parents are good people. I catch up with them whenever I can," Charlotte said, inwardly wincing at the hollowness the words caused.

  The two of them stared at each other for what Charlotte felt was an eternity. Her tears didn't spill over as she had feared but the lump in her throat grew to catastrophic proportions and she feared it might suffocate her.

  "I'm sure they were wonderful," Will agreed. "They raised a wonderful woman."

  Charlotte's breath hitched in her chest. She started to say something that she hadn't thought about, but as the words sprang to her lips a sudden shriek from inside the house brought her to her feet. She sprinted to the front door with Will close at her heels. Another shriek pierced the air spurring Charlotte to move faster. The door to the younger kids' room was ajar, soft light spilling onto the hallway floor.

  Muffled sobs and the creaking of bedsprings gave way to a soft murmuring. Charlotte stopped and Will bumped into her. Reaching behind her, Charlotte took Will's hand and the two crept forward. When they got near the room, they peered around the door frame. Charlotte's heart stuttered in her chest at the sight before her.

  Sitting up in bed was a sobbing Sierra wrapped in the protective embrace of Lexi. Shock quickly gave way to a warm glow.

  "I just want my m-m-mommy. I miss her," Sierra said in hiccup-y sniffles.

  "I know," Lexi said, stroking the little girl's hair away from her face. "I'm sorry. We'll be okay, though. Charlotte and my dad will take good care of us. We'll be okay."