The Widow of Papina

by Katie Hamstead

  I knelt back and sighed. “Do you want me to move on?” I shook my head. “Of course, you do. You wouldn’t want me to be alone for the rest of my life. But, I’ll miss you every day. You saved me, too, you know.”

  I brushed the snow off the headstone. “You liked Paul even when I didn’t, so you’d be happy about this. He’s a good country boy, which I think is what I’ve always needed. I never thrived in that wilder lifestyle I was swept away in. He makes me happy, like you did, but . . . differently. Like he said, I love him the same, but differently.”

  I stood and wrapped my arms around myself. “It’s time for me to live again, for you, for Jackson, for Nova, but most of all for me. I love you, Forrest, I always will.”

  I turned and headed back to the truck.

  As I buckled, Paul touched my elbow. I looked at him and he smiled warily. “How are you feeling?”

  I glanced back at Nova to check she was still asleep. “I’m relieved.”

  His smiled relaxed. “Really?”

  I nodded. “I feel like I knew it all along, and I really did know Forrest. He was mine right to the end, and he was noble even in his last breath. I owe it to him to raise Nova. I feel like everything is going to be okay. I feel like I can really move on.”

  I reached out and wrapped my hand around his. “I think he’d want me to fall in love and be happy again. He’d know it doesn’t make what we had less real, or mean I love him any less.”

  Paul lifted my hand and kissed it. “I’ll make sure it’s worth it. We can do this together now.”

  “I’d like that.”

  His eyes sparkled as he turned to drive back to the house.

  Chapter 30

  Nova burst into the house and went to rush up the stairs.

  “Nova, stop!” Paul pushed past me and grabbed her arm. “We all need to talk.”

  “I’m tired,” she mumbled.

  “We’re all tired, but we need to work things out.”

  She scoffed. “There’s nothing to work out. You’re leaving and never touching Bray again.”

  “I’m not going to leave just because you don’t like me.”

  “I hate you,” she said under her breath.

  “ Bray and I are together. You need to accept that.”

  “No! She belongs to Forrest.”

  He narrowed his eyes and looked to me for help.

  I shifted Jackson’s weight. “Both of you sit down in the living room. I’ll put Jackson down then I’ll join you.”

  Nova glared at Paul and pulled her arm free. She stomped down the stairs and collapsed on the armchair in the living room.

  Paul sighed and looked at me. He stepped over and kissed my head. That small gesture sent a wave of relief through me. I could face a battle with Nova despite everything that happened.

  I put Jackson down in his bed, then returned to the living room. Paul sat on the couch facing Nova, but she had her arms folded as she stared out the window.

  “I’m so in love with her,” he said softly. “I don’t understand why you don’t like that. Don’t you want someone to look out for her and make her happy? You know she wanted a big family, but with Forrest gone—”

  “Shut up!” she snarled.

  I took a deep breath and stepped into the room.

  Nova’s gaze shot to me. Her eyes narrowed as I sank down beside Paul. His hand caught mine and she ground her teeth.

  I met her gaze. “Nova, Paul isn’t going to take me away from you. I want to keep you as part of my family no matter what, and he wants to be part of our family, too. He’s not stealing me from Forrest. I still love Forrest. But, I love him now, too. I really need you to understand that this isn’t to spite you. Wouldn’t we have more fun as a big family and maybe more siblings for you and Jackson?”

  She grumbled, and I heard something about shooting.

  “You need to forgive him for shooting you.”

  She jumped to her feet. “It’s his fault I lost my real mom. If he hadn’t shot me, she wouldn’t have run away.”

  Paul sighed. “Nova, you know she gave you up to the tribe.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “No, that’s a lie because they can’t find her.”

  He shook his head. “No, she mailed in her surrender papers, and when we tried to trace them, all we found was an empty hotel room. I think she knew you had a better chance without her.”

  “No!” She rubbed her tears from her eyes. “No, you scared her.”

  “Nova, Bray wants you. I want you. Isn’t that better than the crimes she made you do? Aren’t you happier in this home? You are smart and doing well with school, Bray loves you, you have a little brother . . . ”

  She collapsed onto her knees and scrambled over to me, her head falling into my lap. “I just want you to be my mom. I don’t want you to be scared away or not really love me.”

  “Oh, Nova.” I pulled her up to sit between us. “I won’t ever be scared away, and I’ll always love you. Paul will never change that.”

  She nuzzled up to me and cried. As she slowly calmed, she looked up at him. “You will take care of her, and love her like Forrest did?”

  He gazed into her eyes. “I’ll definitely do my best. Forrest left big shoes to fill.”

  She nodded and stared at his hand. “That’s a good answer.”

  Her fingers brushed his knuckle. He caught her hand and smiled.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Braydon!”

  I shot up, dazed.

  Paul’s head lifted beside me. “What was that?”

  Pounding on the door echoed through the house. “Braydon!”

  I looked down at Paul in a daze beside me on the bed. “Is that Sarah?”

  He swore and leapt out of bed. “I left the truck parked in your driveway. She probably saw it—”

  “Braydon!” The pounding grew more furious.

  I stumbled out of bed and pulled on my house coat. Paul darted out the door and down the stairs.

  “Paul, wait!”

  I rushed after him, and halted halfway down the stairs as he threw open the door.

  She stared up at him, jaw gaping, eyes wide.

  “Everyone is sleeping,” he said firmly. “We were up all night at the police station. What do you want?”

  Her gaze darted to me. “Why were you at the police station?”

  “Nova is talking,” I answered as I descended the stairs.

  I stood beside Paul and leaned against the door frame. “She admitted everything, and they hauled in one of the boys from the school.”

  Her jaw fell again as her eyes widened until they almost popped right out. “No! What happened? No, you probably don’t want to talk about that. I’ll find out somewhere else. But, why did she suddenly talk?”

  Paul and I exchanged glances. He sighed and looked Sarah directly in the eyes. “Sarah, we’re talking about getting married.”

  Her face fell.

  I held my breath as I waited for some kind of outburst.

  “Married?” Her eyes filled with tears. “Married?”

  Paul nodded and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “It’s been a long time coming, but Bray’s been avoiding it . . . for obvious reasons.”

  Her face darkened. “I have . . . how is . . . ” She shook her head and lifted her chin, looking at me. “You should have never moved here. Forrest would still be alive, and I would have never been betrayed by you.”

  “Sarah!” Paul snapped.

  She threw him a filthy look. “I did so much for you. I gave you so much and this is what I get?”

  “I’ve been telling you to move on for years—”

  “Shut up!” She marched down the stairs. “I hope you both rot in hell!”

&
nbsp; I winced as she slammed the gate behind her. She climbed into her car and tore off down the street.

  Paul shut the door and stared down at me. I sensed he expected me to say something, so I sighed. “We both tried, but I think no matter how gently we eased into this or told her, she would have reacted the same way.”

  He rested his hand on the nape of my neck. “Are you upset?”

  I shrugged. “Yes, a little, but honestly, her friendship was proving hard to maintain. By choosing to please her, I felt miserable.”

  He leaned in and kissed me. “Me, too. I’m sorry she made you have to choose. She was once an amazing, bright, and vivacious girl. I wish she’d never fallen in love with me.”

  I touched his cheek. “It’s not your fault. One day, she’ll move on and will realize what she was missing out on. You never loved her the way she needed and deserved.”

  He smiled, and wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me off the ground. “You’re amazing.”

  I grinned and kissed him, and it felt . . . right.

  ~ ~ ~

  Several weeks passed, and I found myself back in the courtroom, except this time, Nova stood on the stand, recounting what happened that terrible night. There wasn’t a single dry eye by the end, as suddenly, the girl who they all thought was the villain, suddenly became the victim.

  At the end of the day, she came straight to me and wrapped her arm through mine. “I’m so glad that’s over. Alfie glared at me the whole time. I swear he was imagining slitting my throat.”

  She shuddered.

  I squeezed her shoulder. “Everything points at those boys now. Especially with those arrows being found. I can’t believe they just hid them with the other arrows. Didn’t they feel any remorse?”

  She scoffed. “I doubt it.”

  Paul met us and tilted his hat. “You were very brave today, Nova.”

  She rolled her eyes, but grinned. “Whatever, cowboy. Hey, you owe me a giant ice cream cone.”

  He smirked. “I sure do.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Because . . . ” She reached over and took Jackson off my hip. “I agreed to babysit tonight so he could have some alone time with you.”

  She winked at me.

  I blushed and he laughed.

  “So, Sheriff, the good ice cream place is right around the corner. You better get it before we head back.”

  “That was my plan.”

  I smiled, glad they were getting along. It took them some time to warm and mesh, but finally she accepted him as a permanent fixture in our lives, and knew he wouldn’t take me away from her.

  As we left the courthouse, I heard a woman sobbing. I glanced to my left, and saw Vern Richards holding a woman in his arms.

  My resentment toward him flared. She must be his wife, Alfie’s mother. After all his suggestive remarks, and his obvious lust for me, I was disgusted. No wonder his son felt entitled to hurt Nova.

  Vern’s gaze lifted and our eyes met. I glared at him, and wrapped my arm through Paul’s.

  A fierceness flashed in his eyes, filled with anger, and distain.

  I nodded to him, and rested my hand on the small of Nova’s back, just to make my point perfectly clear.

  He scowled and looked down at his wife.

  Good.

  That night, I lay wrapped up in Paul’s arms in the bed of his truck. He’d put a mattress and thick bedding in to keep us warm as we made love, then gazed up at the stars from the look out.

  He held me tight and ran his fingers through my hair. “Bray?”

  “Hmm?” I shut my eyes, reveling in his touch and warmth.

  “I know we’ve kinda talked about this, but never made anything official. I want to do right by you, and treat you with the respect you deserve so . . . ”

  He rolled off the bed, pulling one of the blankets around his shoulders.

  I sat up to watch him as he plucked something from the pocket of his jeans. He turned and knelt in front of me. “Bray—”

  I squealed and grabbed his hand. “Are you proposing to me?”

  He frowned. “Bray!”

  “I’m sorry.” I shuffled up, and sat waiting for him to go on.

  He took a deep breath and looked into my eyes. “Braydon Miller, I love you. I’m not a well-spoken man, but I know how I feel. I know you come as a package deal, I’ve always known that, and I think that makes you more beautiful. So, I’d be honored if . . . ” He clasped my left hand.

  I giggled, my whole body tingling with excitement.

  He smirked. “If you would marry—”

  I launched myself at him, kissing him firmly.

  He laid me back under him, slipping the ring on my finger as we kissed.

  Chapter 31

  Darkness still filled the room when Paul stumbled with a groan out of bed. I dozed as he showered, and once dressed, he came over to kiss me.

  “Why do you go in so early?” I moaned. “There’s no crime, and you’re the sheriff. Surely you can pick better hours.”

  “I have to make up for the time I lost while at court yesterday. I was off the clock.”

  “You should count them anyway,” I grumbled.

  He kissed me again. “Goodbye, Bray.”

  “Bye,” I said on a sigh. “Make sure you—”

  “Lock the door, I know.” He chuckled. “You and your city ways.”

  “Mmm.” I quickly fell back to sleep.

  A loud crash woke me. I glanced at the clock and saw only a few minutes had passed. I relaxed, thinking Paul had done something clumsy in the dark, but then, glass smashed.

  I shot out of bed and grabbed my phone, dialing Paul. I ran out into the hallway, and saw from the top of the stairs someone reaching through the broken window by the door to unlock it.

  “Bray?” Paul said from the phone. “Did I forget something?”

  I rushed into Jackson’s room and whispered, “Someone is breaking into the house!”

  I grabbed Jackson.

  “What?” Paul’s voice sounded tense. “I’ll be right there.”

  I hurried back to the door and saw the shadow of a man at the top of the stairs. I pulled back, holding Jackson’s mouth to keep him quiet.

  I peered out, and saw him turn away from us. He looked into the bathroom, then the office. Then he turned to Nova’s room.

  I grabbed my phone and called hers.

  As he silently pushed her door open, her phone rang. He paused, but when he heard her groan, he rushed in. She screamed, but it was stifled.

  I set Jackson back in his crib, but as I rushed out, Paul appeared in front of me.

  “Nova,” I said softly, my voice hoarse with fear.

  He rushed into her room and yelled, “Get off her!”

  The sounds of a tussle ensued. Then, a gun went off. Nova screamed and Jackson cried. I rushed into the room, fearing the worst. I flicked on the light. Nova clung to Paul with Vern Richards on the floor holding his leg. Blood poured from the wound, as his glare shot to me. “I’ll make you pay for what you did to my son.”

  “Shut up!” Nova rushed forward and kicked him in his wound.

  He wailed.

  She yelled at him, “You giant jerk! It’s your fault all this happened! You told him to dump me ‘cause I’m an Indian, you taught him to hate. You might as well have been the one who raped me and killed Forrest! I hate you!”

  She kicked him again.

  Paul grabbed her and tossed her at me. “Get her out of here.”

  I rushed her into Jackson’s room and shut the door. She paced as I tried to calm Jackson. She only paused to listen to Paul on the phone, ordering medical assistance to head to the sheriff station as he dragged Vern down the stairs.


  By morning the whole town knew, and Megan stood staring at the broken window. “Wow, your city ways probably saved you and Nova.”

  I shuddered at the thought. “Thank goodness I made Paul lock the door.”

  A wicked grin swept across her face. “How’s that going, by the way? You and Paul?”

  She winked at me.

  I smiled and lifted my hand to show her the ring.

  Her grin widened as she shrugged. “I’ve seen it.”

  I laughed. “You helped him pick it, didn’t you?”

  “I may have played some part in it.”

  She looked at the window again, pressing her hands on her hips. “Gosh, seems like the whole family are psychos. Come on, let’s board this up.”

  We found a piece of plywood and taped it down. Then, we went into the kitchen for coffee.

  Nova rushed in from the backyard, the two boys in tow and her cheeks flushed. She grinned at me. “Jackson said my name! Real clear, too! Then, Donny imitated him, so they both said my name.”

  Megan chuckled. “It seems they needed your example to speak.”

  “Megan, you’re obnoxious.”

  Megan spun, surprised. “Excuse me?”

  Nova laughed. “You heard me.”

  “Oh, girl. I think I liked you better as a mute.”

  Nova grabbed the boys’ arms to stop them running off. “I wish you were a mute.”

  Megan gasped and looked at me. “Are you going to let her get away with that?”

  I forced my smirk back. “Nova, mind your manners.”

  Nova sighed. “All right. I’m sorry you have such a big mouth, Megan.”

  “Hey!” Megan snapped as Nova rushed out with the boys.

  Megan glared after Nova and sank into the chair beside me. “Sassy little punk.”

  “Who? You or her?”

  She snorted and sipped her coffee. “Oh, hey, on the topic of obnoxious, Sarah packed up and left town last night.”