“Of course.” Ruth got up and went to her, crouching down so she was Jenny’s height. The small girl looked scared, and lost. It was all Ruth could do not to reach out and hug her. “What can I do for you?”
“I saw the fight. Reece was calling Jason a nobody.” Jenny looked around to see if anyone was watching.
“A nobody?” Ruth frowned. “Why?”
“Because we’re fostered,” Jenny replied matter-of-factly. “Mr. Nobody. Nobody loves you.” She shrugged. “That’s what we’re called. At all the schools we’ve been to.”
“And how many schools is that?” Ruth asked.
Jenny looked up and her lips moved while she counted. “Four.”
“Four.” No wonder Jason believed they wouldn’t be staying here long. “That’s a lot.”
Jenny shrugged. “I didn’t like most of them. But I like it here.”
“Have you made any friends?” Ruth asked. Jenny spoke to other students in the class, but she didn’t seem to be part of a friendship group.
Jenny shook her head. “Jason is my friend.”
“Jason’s your brother. You need other friends, too.”
Jenny looked down at her feet and twisted around on her ankle. “We don’t stay long enough to make friends. So we stopped trying.”
Ruth sighed. “What if I have a talk with Dean and Elizabeth? Are they coming to get you from school?”
Jenny nodded. “Elizabeth meets us and she lets me push the stroller home, if I’m really sensible.” Jenny looked as if she didn’t know how to be anything but sensible.
“Does Jason look out for you?” Ruth asked as the bell rang, ending lunchtime.
“And I look out for him. We can depend on each other.” Jenny whirled around and ran off, leaving Ruth in a funky mood. Was this the life her brothers and sisters would have had if she hadn’t cared for them? If it was, she was happy she’d given up so many years of her life and her own dreams to care for them.
“Heartbreaking, isn’t it?” Dani asked as they walked inside together. “I look at Juliet and Jasper and wonder what life they would have had if Jamie hadn’t adopted them.”
“I wish Jason and Jenny could find a permanent home. Will Dean and Elizabeth foster them long-term?” Ruth asked.
“If they can. But it must be difficult with a young child of their own at home. Still, Dean has been fostering for years. He’s an old hand, although he usually fosters older children. Fiona took over as Jason and Jenny’s social worker, and persuaded Dean to take them on.” Dani put her hand on Ruth’s back. “Fiona can be very persuasive.”
“I don’t think I’ve met her,” Ruth replied.
“Oh, you’ll know when you do. She’s a dragon shifter.” Dani hooked her hands into claws. “Rarrr.”
Ruth stopped dead outside of her classroom door. “A real dragon?”
“Oh, yeah.” Dani grinned and walked off, leaving Ruth unsure as to whether she was joking.
“Miss Bishop,” Jenny said from just inside the classroom door. “Do you know what happened to Jason?”
“I don’t. But I’m certain he’ll be back in his classroom by now.” Ruth looked down at Jenny’s worried face. “I’ll call and ask Mrs. Carlisle, okay?”
“Yes, please. And can you tell her Jason didn’t start it?” Jenny asked in earnest.
“I’ll speak to her now, while you go and sit down.” Ruth grabbed Mrs. Lassiter as she walked through the door. “I just need to speak to Mrs. Carlisle. Can you get everyone settled, please?”
“Sure, take your time.” Mrs. Lassiter smiled and then clapped her hands, getting the attention of every member of the class.
Ruth grabbed the phone quickly and called the principal. “Hello, Mrs. Carlisle. It’s Ruth. I wondered what the outcome was?”
“Jason and Reece? I’ll speak to both their parents after school. They both blame each other, but of course Reece has his witnesses.”
“Jenny saw the fight, too. She said Reece was calling Jason a nobody. Because of their family history.” Ruth winced as she said the words, they were so meaningless and yet so cruel.
“That sheds more light on things. Jenny is not exactly an unbiased witness either. But leave it to me. These things have a way of sorting themselves out, I just have to figure out how.” Mrs. Carlisle ended the call, and Ruth returned to the class.
After reassuring Jenny, they settled down to an afternoon of fun but challenging activities. Ruth watched Jenny, and as home time grew nearer, she formulated a plan. For which she might need to ask Dani for a favor.
But before Ruth put her plan in action, she wanted to speak to Jenny’s foster parents. Ruth only hoped Dean and Elizabeth did intend to keep the two children for a long time. Or that the brother and sister could be adopted, and have a real family.
All through those thoughts she had to keep pushing Michael to the back of her mind, because he insisted on invading her head. And every time he did, he kissed her, and chased all her problems away.
If only life was that easy.
Chapter Eight – Michael
Michael spotted Elizabeth walking along the street toward the school. Wanting to check up on Jason and Jenny, he parked his truck and got out. “Hey there, Elizabeth, and is that my favorite lady in the stroller?”
“How did you guess?” Elizabeth asked with feigned surprise.
Michael scooted around the front of the stroller and waved at Dean and Elizabeth’s baby. Who was no longer a baby. “How old is she now? I forget how fast the time goes by.”
“Haley is nearly eighteen months,” Elizabeth replied, her hair falling around her face as she looked down at her beautiful daughter. She ran a hand across Haley face. “She’s so beautiful.”
Elizabeth stood up and touched her own cheek. She was a beautiful woman, but a faint red birthmark on her cheek made her self conscious. When Michael first met Elizabeth, it had taken a few months for her to become comfortable around him. Now they had a great relationship, which he treasured, since he and Dean had been buddies for years. If Elizabeth hadn’t accepted Michael’s friendship, he would have lost a good football buddy.
“Like her mom.” Michael winked at Haley. “Don’t tell your dad I said that. He has longer bear legs and can outrun me.”
“He knows you are no threat, since you have a mate of your own now,” Elizabeth said as she pushed the stroller forward. “Do you want to walk with me to the school?”
“Do you mind? I was going to wait outside. I figured a lone man walking into the school might raise suspicions.” Michael fell into step with Elizabeth.
“Other men collect their kids. Dads and granddads.” She glanced at him sideways. “I’m so pleased for you, Michael. It can’t be easy being alone when so many of your friends have found their mates.”
“It isn’t. And don’t get me wrong, I love you and Haley, and am beyond happy Dean has settled down with you, but when I first heard he had a mate, I figured I’d lose another friend.” Michael grinned sheepishly. “I’m a selfish man.”
“No, I can understand what you mean. You know, I felt the same way when Suzie met Kit,” Elizabeth said honestly. “It took a while to realize I was gaining a son, not losing a daughter.” She reached down and smoothed Haley hair. “Now I have a husband and a daughter.”
“What about Jason and Jenny? How’s that working out for you both?” They reached the school gates and went inside. Michael hadn’t been here for years. It seemed exactly the same. Same building that needed a lick of paint, and the smell of cut grass off the freshly mowed field where he’d played football in his teens.
“Good. They’re a handful. At least Jason is. Jenny is a sweetheart, although I have my suspicions she is going to be a headstrong young lady once she gets her confidence.”
“Are you planning on fostering them long-term?” Michael asked.
“I hope so.” Elizabeth sighed. “As long as Jason keeps out of trouble.”
“He’s a good kid, a little mixed up, as was
I at that age.” Michael decided to speak frankly. “Dean put this idea in my head that I should adopt them.”
“Really? And how does Ruth feel about that?” Elizabeth responded. “You’ve only just met, and adding two kids into the mix might make things lumpy.”
He laughed. “I wouldn’t mind a few lumps in my life. It’s been too smooth since I won the lottery and bought the forest. Day in, day out, the same old, same old.” He spread out his arms. “Which is why I’m here today. To break a habit.”
“What habit?” Elizabeth asked with a speculative look.
“Cup of tea at three.” Michael laughed and tapped the face of his watch. “Don’t give me the look that says I’m crazy. My life is so habitual, I eat at set times, I sleep at set times. It’s so regimented, unless I have somewhere I have to be.”
“So you decided you had to be here?” Elizabeth asked.
“I did.” They stood together and waited for Jenny and Jason. He might’ve also been waiting for a certain schoolteacher, whom he’d been dying to see all day.
“Here’s Jenny.” Elizabeth crouched down next to Haley and said, “Wave at Jenny.” Haley lifted her hand and waved, and held out her arms for a hug. Jenny dutifully bent down and hugged Haley. “Hi there, Jenny. Good day?”
Jenny kept her head buried in the blanket Haley held in her hand. “No.”
“What happened?” Elizabeth asked, brushing her hand over Jenny’s hair. “You can tell me. Did someone upset you?”
“It’s Jason…” She lifted her face. “Someone picked a fight with him.”
As she spoke, Mrs. Carlisle came out and asked, “Elizabeth, can I speak to you in my office?”
“Sure. Michael, can you watch Haley and Jenny?” Elizabeth gave a worried smile, and let her hair drop around her face as she walked into the school beside Mrs. Carlisle.
“Is he in trouble?” Jenny asked.
“I don’t know.” Michael was about to crouch down to talk to Jenny, when his senses prickled. “Perhaps Ruth can tell us.”
“Hi there.” Ruth came across to join them. “Has Elizabeth gone inside?”
“Yes. It’s about Jason,” Michael told her.
“I know.” She sighed, worry spreading across her face. “Kids can be so cruel.”
“What happened?” Michael asked.
“I’ll tell you later.” She looked down at Jenny, her face contorted in anguish.
“Do you want to come back to my place after work?” Michael asked. That was his reason for coming into town, to ask Ruth to come over for dinner. “We could take a walk through the forest, look for deer.”
“I have a couple of errands to run. But nothing I can’t put off for a day.” Ruth glanced back toward the school. “Here’s Elizabeth.”
“Thanks for watching the children,” Elizabeth said, looking shaken.
“Everything all right?” Michael asked, trying to assess how things had gone for Jason, and what trouble he’d gotten himself into.
“Yes, Mrs. Carlisle has asked to meet with us tomorrow afternoon.” Elizabeth ruffled Jason’s hair. “Jason insists he didn’t start the fight, and I believe him.”
“Jenny saw the fight,” Ruth told Elizabeth. “She said that Reece threw the first punch.”
“Is that right, Jenny?” Elizabeth asked gently.
Jenny nodded. “He kept saying I was a nobody.” She glanced up at Jason, who looked away.
“I thought you said Reece called Jason a nobody?” Ruth pushed Jenny a little further. “Was Jason defending you?”
Jenny nodded. “Jason told him to stop. So Reece started on Jason. Then he pushed Jason to the ground.”
“I could have taken him!” Jason clenched his fists. “I could have protected you, Jenny.” He walked away, his fists still clenched, his voice filled with anger. “Next time, I’ll punch him to the ground.”
Michael moved fast, catching up with Jason before he got too far away. “That’s not the answer, Jason. I think you know that. Which is why you didn’t punch Reece today.” Michael didn’t need any further explanation, he could imagine what happened. “Listen.” Michael put his hand on Jason’s shoulder. “Why don’t we give Elizabeth and Dean a night off, and you two can come over to my place? I’ve already invited Ruth, we are going to look for deer.”
“Do you eat them when you find them?” Jason wrinkled his nose.
“Why would you ask that?” Michael asked, catching sight of Ruth and Elizabeth’s faces.
“That’s what our dad used to eat, when he went wild,” Jenny told them.
“Jenny, that’s private,” Jason told her harshly.
“I already know,” Elizabeth said. “Fiona told us all about it before you came to live with us.”
“Your dad went wild?” Michael asked, hardly able to keep the shock from his voice.
Jenny nodded. “When our mom died. He used to come back every couple of days, and check that we were all right.”
“So you looked after each other.” Ruth’s expression softened. “I used to look after my brothers and sisters. I know what you went through.”
“Do you?” Jason looked at her savagely.
“Yes. I do.” Ruth walked over to the upset boy. “Elizabeth, could we take Jason and Jenny back to Michael’s place? We promise to tire them out for you.”
“That would be great.” Elizabeth pushed the stroller over to Jason. “As long as you want to go. I’m not sending you away as a punishment.”
Jason nodded. “Can we make a sword?” he asked Michael.
“We can start one. I don’t think we’ll finish it tonight.” Michael offered Jason his hand. “But you can come over again another time and finish it.”
Jason looked at Michael’s hand. “I’m too old to hold hands.”
“I won’t tell if you don’t.” Michael stood his ground, hand outstretched, until Jason sighed and placed his hand in Michael’s.
“You’ll need to come home and change their clothes into something they can get messy. Michael’s forest is all about enjoying yourself, you don’t want to have to worry about getting dirty.” Elizabeth pushed the stroller, with Jenny by her side.
“I have to change, too,” Ruth said. “How about I meet you there? That way I’ll have my car and I can drive us back later. What time do you need them home, Elizabeth?”
“How about seven thirty? That will give you time to wash up before you go to bed.” Elizabeth looked from Jason to Jenny. “Unless you have homework?”
“No,” Jason said quickly. “No homework.”
“Are you sure?” Elizabeth asked as they walked out of the schoolyard, leaving Ruth behind.
“Yes. No homework,” Jenny insisted.
Michael looked behind them as Ruth entered the school building. “Do you miss Ruth already?” Jason asked.
“I do.” Michael squeezed Jason’s hand. “That’s what having a woman in your life does to you.”
“Is that why our dad decided to be a bear, not a human?” Jenny asked, and Michael winced at his own thoughtless comment.
“Sadness and grief makes people act in ways they don’t always understand or have control over,” Elizabeth said gently. “Your dad just lost sight of who he was.”
“And he forgot he had children.” Jason’s voice held more anger.
“I don’t think he ever would forget you,” Michael replied. “Not really.”
“So he’ll come back?” Jenny asked, but there was a wariness in her voice that made Michael believe she didn’t want to hear yes as an answer.
“I don’t know,” Michael said.
“If he does, can we still live with you?” Jenny asked Elizabeth.
“For as long as you can.” Elizabeth’s answer was vague, but it set Jenny’s mind at rest. But when Michael looked down at Jason, he saw a very troubled small boy.
In some ways, he mirrored Michael and the young man he’d once been. Michael swore in that moment he would do whatever it took to keep these two children safe.
He only hoped Ruth would come to feel the same way.
Chapter Nine – Ruth
Ruth got home, kicked off her shoes, and fed Mr. Scratch, before showering and heading straight back out the door. With her apologies to her cat still fresh on her lips, she drove to Michael’s forest, happy she remembered the way.
As she drove along the trail leading to the cabin, her small car bounced over the potholes she’d hardly noticed yesterday in Michael’s truck. Perhaps, since she was settling in Bear Creek, buying a more robust vehicle might be a sensible option. Her car was built for the city. Not the great wilderness that surrounded her home, which she fell in love with more every day.
“We’ve been waiting for you,” Michael said when she arrived. He was in the cabin, feeding cookies to Jenny and Jason. Ruth stood on the doorstep for a moment, looking at the scene before her. They looked as if they belonged. She could almost be coming home from work to find her husband and kids waiting for her.
Her stomach clenched at the thought. She was never going to carry a child in her womb, or give birth to their child with Michael by her side.
“We’re helping Michael make dinner,” Jenny said in her high, sweet voice.
“And what are we having for dinner?” Ruth asked.
“Stone-baked pizza and homemade fries.” Michael wiped his hands proudly. “I built a pizza oven outside. I like to sit out there on summer nights with the smell of the pizza cooking.”
“I’m putting peperoni on mine,” Jason told Ruth. He looked a lot more relaxed here in Michael’s house than he did at school.
“Do you have any mushrooms?” Ruth asked, joining the fun.
“We do. I pick them wild in the woods.” Michael pointed her in the direction of a bowl filled with chopped mushrooms. “Fresh tomatoes, too.”
“We picked those from Michael’s garden,” Jenny explained. “And spinach.”
Jason pulled a face. “I don’t like spinach.”
“Makes you grow big and strong,” Ruth replied. “It has iron in it.”
“Iron? But it’s a green leaf.” Jason picked up a leaf of spinach and looked at it in disbelief.
“Try it,” Ruth encouraged. She picked up a leaf and folded it into her mouth.
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