Family Ever After

by Margaret Daley

  Her task wouldn’t be easy, but maybe then she would feel she had a purpose. After Tim’s death she’d experienced an aimlessness, as if she were wandering around in the desert looking for a home, much like the Hebrews after they fled Egypt. Although the kids helped her feel needed, being with them was only temporary.

  Noah escorted her and Rusty to her Chevy. “I have a meeting this afternoon. I’ll be home after that,” he said in a clipped voice, then walked away.

  On the drive to the estate the stony silence and Rusty’s rebellious expression reinforced her resolve to make a difference in his life—and Noah’s.

  When she pulled into the drive, the child asked, “Am I grounded?”

  “What do you think we should do?” She and Noah hadn’t discussed this, and she realized she wasn’t his temporary guardian and really didn’t have a say in what happened.

  She came to a stop at the side of the house near the garage. Without a word he thrust open the car door and jumped out.

  Cara climbed out and watched the child run toward the back entrance. When she mounted the steps to the deck, Rusty waited for her, his arms folded over his chest, a scowl on his face.

  She unlocked the door and entered.

  He stormed into the house, his arms now by his sides, anger in every line of his body. “Am I grounded?” he shouted.

  Realizing he was desperately seeking boundaries, she pivoted. “Go to your room and we will discuss it when Noah comes home. In the meantime think about why you tried to extort money and got into a fight.”

  He brushed past her and raced up the stairs two at a time. The slamming of his bedroom door vibrated through the house. The stomping of his footsteps across his room to his bed demonstrated his fury.

  Father, please give me the patience to help Rusty and Noah to see Your forgiveness and love.

  * * *

  “Are you at least going to file assault and battery charges against them?” Cara gripped the phone so tight pain shot down her arm.

  “Yes, we will be formally charging them on Monday. Our case is stronger for that. Attempted kidnapping would only be your word against the three young men and right now the press is on their side. I’ll keep you informed about any developments. I’ll have to prep you for your testimony at the trial.”

  When Cara hung up from talking to the assistant district attorney, she couldn’t contain her trembling. It spread through her like a wildfire. Her honesty had never been questioned before, and she wasn’t sure what she could do about it.

  She sank onto the chair at the desk and buried her face in her hands. Only this morning before going to meet with Rusty’s teacher, she had read an article in the paper about what upstanding young men Jake, Brent and Jeremy were, that they had never been in trouble until now. The piece had come close to wondering if she had lied to get attention.

  She scrubbed her hands down her face and sat up straight when she heard the French doors opening. Thankfully all the children but Rusty would be at the farm helping with the animals so she didn’t have to see them right now. But she would have to see Noah.

  His footsteps crossed the hardwood floor of the great room. She glanced at him as he came into the kitchen nook. A question entered his gaze as it skimmed over her features.

  “Has Rusty been giving you trouble?”

  She shook her head, words lodged in her throat.

  “Then what’s wrong?” He sat at the table.

  “I just talked with the assistant district attorney. He’s moving forward on the charges of assault and battery but dropping the attempted kidnapping ones.”

  “I’m not surprised.”

  “But—”

  He held up his hand. “Only because he wants to present the strongest case, the one he thinks he has a chance to win. I know they should be charged with both, but neither Adam nor I can testify to the attempted kidnapping.”

  “I know the truth, even if everyone else doesn’t.” Anger laced her words.

  “And I believe you one hundred percent. Don’t ever doubt that.”

  His reassurances comforted her, and some of her tension melted. “Thanks. After that article in the paper, I feel a little vulnerable.”

  Noah frowned. “What article? I haven’t read the paper yet.”

  “I tore it up. But the reporter made it clear that the three ballplayers were being railroaded by me and that I was standing in their way of going pro.”

  “You certainly aren’t in the way of them playing for a pro team. The truth will come out in the end.”

  “Thanks for saying that, but we both know it doesn’t always.”

  “It will in this case.” His jaw hardened.

  She prayed he was right. “I’m glad you’re home before I have to pick up the other children at the farm. We need to discuss how to handle Rusty and what he did at school. He asked me if he was grounded. He didn’t like my answer. I asked him what we should do. He didn’t have an answer. Since this is your decision as his guardian—”

  “No, it is our decision. You’re with them more on a daily basis and certainly far more knowledgeable than me on how to handle children.”

  His declaration appeased some of the self-doubt creeping into her thoughts ever since reading that newspaper article this morning.

  “I know Rusty needs boundaries,” Cara said. “I don’t know that he’s had much of that in his life. Children need structure. They need to know what is acceptable and not acceptable. But at the same time I did want to know what he thought we should do with him. I also believe children should reflect on their behavior.”

  “Okay, let’s come up with a game plan, then have a talk with him.”

  When Noah didn’t say anything further, Cara truly realized how out of his league this parenting gig was. “First, he needs to apologize to the student involved in the incident. And I think as long as he is suspended, he should be grounded. He shouldn’t watch TV or go anywhere.”

  “He doesn’t watch much TV and he certainly doesn’t go anywhere.”

  “Then no video games, which I know he likes to play, and he should have some chores to do around here while he’s home. Maybe it will make him feel more a part of this place.”

  “Okay,” Noah rose, “that sounds fine by me. Let’s get this over with.”

  Cara came to her feet and headed upstairs to Rusty’s bedroom with Noah next to her, a united front, something she had never really felt with Tim. She’d been the only one to discipline Timothy. Her husband wouldn’t have anything to do with it.

  Noah knocked on Rusty’s door, then opened it and entered the room. Curled on his side, the child kept his back to them as he lay on the bed.

  “We need to talk about what happened at school.” Noah threw an “it’s your turn” glance at her.

  “Rusty, why did you feel you had to extort money from your classmate?” The stiffening of the boy’s back was the only sign he heard what she had said.

  Noah started to say something. Cara touched his arm and shook her head. He clamped his mouth close.

  Finally when the silence had lengthened to a few minutes, Rusty rolled over and sat up. “I wanted some money. Why else would I have done it?” Defiance marked his expression. “You won’t let me get a job.”

  Cara wanted to be on eye level with the child, so she pulled out the desk chair and sat while Noah positioned himself next to her. “You’re only nine. Your job is to go to school and do the best you can.”

  “I want my own spending money.”

  “If you need money, come to me.” Noah placed his hand on the top of the chair slats.

  A pout puckered Rusty’s mouth. “I don’t wanna have to come to you every time I need a handout.”

  “It’s not a handout.”

  Rusty glared at Noah. “Yes, it is. I’m a charity case. I can earn my own way in this world.”

  My, such tough words from the boy. Cara hurt for him and could identify with him. She was trying her best to find her place in the world, too. Althou
gh she was glad for the housekeeping job, was the real reason Noah offered it to her that he thought of her as a charity case? It didn’t sit well if that were true.

  Noah tensed. “Okay, then I’ll give you chores around here so you can earn some money. But that won’t start until you go back to school. Until then you are grounded from TV, video games and going anywhere.”

  “Except to church on Sunday,” Cara quickly added.

  Rusty’s glare narrowed even more.

  “And you have to apologize to the boy you fought with when you go back to school.”

  “I ain’t apologizing.”

  “Then you’ll remain grounded until you do.” Noah met the child’s gaze with determination. “It’s your choice what happens.”

  Rusty turned away and faced the wall, his shoulder hunched.

  Cara wanted to hug the boy, take all his troubles away—as she did Noah! Oh, my, where had that come from? That realization threatened her heart.

  “I’m going to pick up Adam and Lindsay. We’ll have dinner after I get back.” Cara pushed herself up and crossed to the hallway.

  “I ain’t hungry,” Rusty grumbled.

  “Suit yourself.” Noah left right behind Cara and pulled the door close. “I’m not sure that went well.”

  She shrugged. “It’s hard to tell. The test will come when he goes back to school.”

  “I picture him being grounded for weeks. He’s pretty stubborn.”

  “But someone stubborn can get bored and decide to cut his losses. You’ll be here?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ll be at Laura’s for a while before bringing the kids home. I wanted to catch up on what’s been going on with her.”

  “I’ll keep an eye on Rusty. Take all the time you need. You certainly haven’t taken any time off since you started the job. This wasn’t supposed to be a 24/7 job.”

  “Then you don’t know anything about being a parent.” The second she said the sentence she wanted to snatch it back. She wasn’t Rusty’s parent, but she felt like it, especially lately.

  Noah caught her gaze. “No, that’s why I was wise enough to hire you to help. See you when I see you.”

  Cara hurried downstairs and grabbed her purse. The drive to the farm only took twenty minutes—twenty minutes that she spent trying to talk herself out of not becoming any more involved in Noah or the children’s lives. She knew she wouldn’t listen to that little warning voice in her head because she already cared.

  Besides, how could she turn away from what the Lord wanted her to do?

  She parked in front of Laura’s house and found her friend in the kitchen, making two more pecan pies while the first ones were baking in the oven. The aroma suffused the air with tempting sweetness.

  “Okay, maybe I need to stay for dinner. I love pecan pie.” Cara took another deep inhalation.

  “They aren’t for dinner. Remember the bake sale Sunday at church. These are my contribution. I’m going to be so busy tomorrow, I had to make them today.”

  “Now I know what I’ll be buying at the sale. Lindsay and I are baking chocolate chip cookies tomorrow.”

  Laura opened the oven door and removed the two pies and put the others in to bake. “How’s everything going? I haven’t had much time to talk to you lately. There have been several problems with the fourth house.”

  Cara walked to the coffeepot and poured a mug. “Rusty got in trouble at school today.”

  Laura fixed herself a cup, too. “I know. The kids told me.”

  “He’s so angry. Do you know a good counselor?”

  “Yes, Shane McCoy. He’s worked with some of our children. He’s the best child psychologist in the area. I’ll call him and see if he can work Rusty in. His schedule is usually full because he’s in such demand but he owes me a favor.”

  Cara leaned back against the counter and sipped her coffee. “I appreciate any help you can give us.”

  Amazement shimmered in Laura’s gaze. “Us? That sounds serious.”

  “I mean Rusty and me, not Noah and me.”

  “Ah, yes, I’m sure you don’t mean Noah and you. He doesn’t get serious ever.”

  “You don’t have to remind me. I’m perfectly aware of that.”

  “Good, because I don’t want you to get hurt. He doesn’t mean to hurt the women he dates. He’s always upfront at the beginning about his intentions. But I’ve seen in the two years I’ve known him more than one think they can change him and end up being hurt. I don’t want that for you. You’ve had enough grief in your life.”

  “Amen.” Cara lifted her mug in a silent toast, then took a swallow of the warm brew.

  “How does Timothy like the estate?”

  “Well, let’s see. It has a pool, a pond with ducks on it, several acres of land and a game room that any kid could lose himself in for hours. On top of that Timothy and Rusty are forming a friendship. Lindsay tries to follow them around and they try to hide.”

  “You know if I was grounded there, I wouldn’t be too upset.”

  Cara chuckled. “Come to think of it, you’re right. Rusty, though, can’t play video games and I plan to put him to work while he’s off from school. It won’t be a vacation.”

  “I have a feeling Rusty isn’t used to following too many rules.”

  Cara finished the last of her brew then set the mug in the sink. “The little I’ve gotten from Adam, their father didn’t set too many boundaries for them. Speaking of Adam, I’d better go get him and the other two.”

  “I’ll call the barn and have them meet you by your car. I’m afraid if you show up there you’ll never get away. We have a litter of kittens that were left not too long ago that all the kids—and me—have gone crazy over.”

  Cara started for the back door. “Thanks. You’re right. If I saw the kittens, I’d want to keep one or two, and the estate isn’t my home. I don’t feel I can bring a pet into the place, especially when Noah hasn’t had much to do with pets. Molly is about all he can deal with right now.”

  “Ha! You’ve noticed. When he’s in the barn helping, he’s like a fish out of water. But he is getting better.”

  “Yeah, he’s getting good running the other way when Molly spies him or he ends up getting a tongue bath.” Cara opened the door. “Thanks for calling Dr. McCoy.”

  Outside the warm spring air caressed her and teased her with nature’s scent, a hint of a sweet flowery aroma. She rounded the house and climbed into her blue Chevy as the kids came from the barn, Timothy and Lindsay racing ahead of Adam, who lumbered down the road with his crutches.

  Lindsay shrugged out of her backpack and flung it on the seat while Timothy carefully placed his on the floor in back. Adam maneuvered into the front.

  “Did you all get a lot done today?” Cara switched on the engine and started down the gravel road.

  “I did. I helped Roman with the new horse.” Lindsay grinned from ear to ear. “She let me pat her a lot. I want to learn to ride one.”

  “How about you guys?” Cara’s gaze fell on Adam then on her son before she pulled out onto the highway.

  “I couldn’t do much but watch,” Adam said with a frown. “I’ll be glad when I get my walking cast.”

  “Timothy?” Cara glimpsed her son in the rearview mirror. He averted his head and stared out the side window.

  “He didn’t do much. He spent all his time with the kittens,” Lindsay piped up.

  Timothy swung around and glowered at the little girl next to him. “I did, too! Someone needed to love them. They were abandoned.”

  The word abandoned put an immediate damper on the mood in the car, and the rest of the trip passed in silence. By the time Cara turned onto the street that led to Noah’s estate, she’d decided to say something about their father’s desertion. But as she neared the estate, words froze in her throat as she took in the scene outside the front gate.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “What’s going on?” Adam sat up straight in the front passenger’s seat and
stared out the windshield.

  Cara slowed the car to a crawl while trying to decide what to do. Her gaze never left the throng of people carrying signs, gathered on the street by Noah’s gate. Some of the placards had vile comments about her splashed across them in bold red-and-black letters. A news van passed her and came to a stop near the protestors.

  This was the time she wished there was a back way into Noah’s estate. She even considered parking down the road and having the kids climb over the eight-foot fence, but then one glance at Adam’s crutches nixed that plan. There was only one thing she could do—go forward and get through the handful of protestors as quickly as she could.

  She gripped the steering wheel and sent up a silent prayer to the Lord. I need You. Help me get the children inside without an incident.

  As she continued forward increasing her speed to fifteen miles per hour, Adam looked over at her. His expression of support gave her the courage to proceed. She plastered on her face what she hoped was a brave front for the children, although inside she trembled and wasn’t sure the glue that held her together would stick for long.

  As a television reporter began interviewing people, everyone’s attention shifted to the TV crew. Cara took the opportunity to advance toward the gate and push the button to open it.

  Although the iron railing of the entry made little sound, the noise proclaimed her approach as if she had shouted it over a loudspeaker. Every man and woman spun toward the car, lifting his or her posters and yelling at her.

  “Everything will be all right once we get inside. Don’t worry. I’ll explain then.” Cara schooled her voice to the calmest level she could manage while her stomach became rock hard and constricted.

  Could this day get any worse?

  A couple of big men with no signs rushed the car and banged on the hood as she passed them. The sound resonated through the interior, causing Lindsay to scream.

  Cara glanced back at the little girl, offering a half smile. Tears flooded her eyes and ran down her thin cheeks. “We’ll be okay. They won’t do anything with the news crew filming what’s happening.” She hoped. She prayed.

  Ten feet and they would be safely inside the gate.