Rachel, who had initially come to the ranch in search of a kidney donor, came up beside her husband and put her arm around him. “Ty, don’t push away my sister with your hardness,” she said.
Ty looked over at her. “You believe her?”
Rachel nodded. “I do. Like Ricky, I’ve always felt a strange connection to RaeLynn that I couldn’t explain. Plus, I see the same wariness in her eyes that I had coming here.”
Rachel walked over to RaeLynn and gave her a hug. “Welcome home, sister.”
When RaeLynn started sobbing, Hunter believed her, too. Not that he’d really doubted her. He remembered when Rachel first came to the ranch, how people had struggled with whether or not to believe her until the blood test had come back. He could see how this might have been hard for RaeLynn as well.
It didn’t make things better, but he understood.
The kids, who had been quiet up to this point in response to the seriousness of the adults, gave his warring heart a welcome respite.
“Daddy!” Lynzee shouted.
He looked over to see that Phoebe had grabbed one of the crayons and was scribbling on Lynzee’s paper.
Tucker took the opportunity to grab a crayon of his own and do the same. What had started out as Lynzee’s drawing of a green Jesus, because green was the prettiest color in the whole wide world, was now a mass of scribbles.
“My Jesus,” Lynzee wailed.
“He’s not green,” Phoebe said. “He’s brown. My mommy says so.”
Phoebe hadn’t spoken much of her mother since the arrest. She’d asked if her mom was okay, and at night when they said their bedtime prayers, they always made sure to include Sadie. Even though the kids were fighting over a drawing, Hunter had to wonder if maybe this fight was less about color and more about a little girl who missed her mom and didn’t have the right words to express it.
“You probably miss her a lot,” Hunter said, opening his arm to Phoebe. “Maybe you can make your own picture of Jesus, and we can send it to her.”
“But mine is still ruined,” Lynzee said, sounding forlorn. Hunter thought about how he could encourage the children.
He looked down at his daughter. “Maybe it’s not messed up. Maybe it shows that no matter how many times the picture gets messed up, Jesus is still there. Your picture changed, but Jesus didn’t.”
He didn’t know where that wisdom had come from, but Lynzee’s face lit up, and RaeLynn made a noise, like those were the exact words she needed to hear, too. He gave his daughter a little squeeze, then looked over at RaeLynn.
Based on what she’d told him of her past, the way she interacted with everyone at the ranch and the tears she’d shed in church, he’d wondered if maybe RaeLynn was trying to find Jesus in the midst of all the scribbles. He’d hoped to talk to her about the tears in church, but it was hard to have an adult conversation with so many kids around.
However, after hearing her revelation and knowing that she was Ricky’s long-lost granddaughter, he suspected that was the reason for her tears.
Hunter looked over at RaeLynn. “I know you have a cynical view of family, but none of us come from perfect families or perfect backgrounds. I hope you know that we’re here for you now.”
Hunter hadn’t noticed everyone coming into the room, but he supposed it was inevitable after Ricky’s announcement.
“That’s right,” William said. “I felt like I was betraying my father and his legacy by coming here and becoming involved with the Double R family, but I’ve learned it’s an extra blessing from God to have so much love in my life.”
His wife, Grace, handed him their baby. “And this extra blessing needs a diaper change.”
William laughed. “There’s always dirty work with every blessing,” he said. “But I wouldn’t do it differently for the world.”
William carried the baby off into the other room, and Hunter watched everyone run up to hug RaeLynn. He tried to keep his focus on the kids, since the adults needed the freedom to welcome RaeLynn into the fold, but he couldn’t help overhearing the words of love and support they gave her.
How would this change things for them?
A selfish question, he knew, considering RaeLynn was dealing with far more than he’d suspected. It was no wonder she’d struggled with the idea of family. Would having the loving support of the Double R family make a difference in her life? Would it make her more willing to accept a man like him?
It wasn’t fair to ask her these questions, not with everything so new. So what was he supposed to do?
He knew he had to be patient and wait. He was fine with that. As much as he had enjoyed their kiss, and as much as he would like more of the same and to be able to hold her in his arms, he had just as much on his plate as she did. Yes, it would be nice to have someone to share the burden with, but he needed to figure out how to do it on his own. He couldn’t ask her to stay simply because he needed her help. She had to want to stay because she wanted to be with him.
Did they know enough about each other? How could they tell? Everything so far had been about her helping him. That was the last thing she wanted in her life, why she’d structured her life the way she had. He had to give her space to deal with the situation on her own and not add the pressure of figuring out their relationship.
* * *
RaeLynn should’ve known the Double R family would respond with such open acceptance. Though they all privately expressed to her that they were disappointed she hadn’t felt comfortable telling them right away, they said they understood, especially her siblings. They’d all had to struggle with the knowledge and the change in their family situation. Though RaeLynn had grown up with multiple siblings, having this connection to the ones at the Double R felt like a missing piece of her had been returned.
The only person she hadn’t had a private moment with was Hunter. He’d been busy entertaining the children since they’d gotten back from church. He’d given her some encouraging smiles and nods, but the thing that stuck with her the most was his comment about Jesus always being there, even if the messiness on the outside made it look like He wasn’t. The sermon today had been about the power of forgiveness, and RaeLynn knew she needed to talk to her mom.
She stole another glance at Hunter, who was on his hands and knees along with William and Alexander. Each man had a child on top of him like they were horses in a race. The sight brought a smile that she felt all the way down to her heart. For the first time, the sight of the men interacting with the children with such love wasn’t a painful reminder that she hadn’t had that kind of love from a father figure. It assured her that not every man was like those who’d come in and gone out of her life. Families could come together and work for the benefit of all.
She pulled out her phone and went into a small sitting room Wanda had told her she could use to go and pray if she needed a quiet place. Her mom answered right away.
“I’m so glad you called,” Luanne said. Her mom went into a long-winded update on how everyone was doing. In the past, RaeLynn would have been stressed about hearing all the minor problems in everyone’s lives, but she felt at peace today, realizing that her mother wasn’t sharing this with her to burden her but rather to just keep her in the loop about her family.
When her mom was finished, RaeLynn said, “I have some news for you as well. I’m a little nervous because I don’t know how you’re going to take it, but there’s something I need to share.”
Her mother laughed. “Well, if you’re pregnant, it’s just another grandbaby to love. You can come on home, and we’ll do everything we can to help you out. We’ll make it work. We always do.”
Suddenly, RaeLynn wondered if it was unfair that she’d resented her mother and her siblings because of how she’d always had to take care of everyone else. They were all there for each other, even though it was a struggle and felt a little dysfunctional. They all did
the best they could, and even though this hadn’t been the reason for RaeLynn’s call, she felt a deep sense of gratitude at the realization that if she needed her family, they would be there for her, too.
“I’m not pregnant,” she said. “I am at the Double R, and I told Ricky who I am.”
Her mother was silent, and RaeLynn didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing, but she needed her mother to understand.
“I know you felt that bad things happened here in the past, but I’ve gotten to know Ricky and everyone else here, and they’ve shown me such love and acceptance that—”
“I heard he claims to have regrets over the past,” her mother said. “But he’s such a smooth talker, I’m not sure I can believe him.”
The bitterness in her mother’s voice made RaeLynn’s heart ache. “I know you said you have bad memories of the place, and I’m not trying to deny them. I don’t know what happened between you guys, but I went to church today, and I learned about the power of forgiveness.”
Her mother scoffed. “Church? Ha. That family only goes to church to look good for the community. They expect you to dress up every Sunday, put a smile on your face and act like nothing is wrong. I had a bruise one time from your father hitting me, and you know what his mother told me? Put concealer on it so no one will know.”
RaeLynn had heard that her father had been abusive, but she hadn’t realized his family had helped cover it up.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” RaeLynn said. “But that was years ago, and Rosie passed away a long time ago. I don’t know if Ricky was part of it or not, but if you talk to him about it and how it made you feel, I’m sure he would want to make things right.”
Her mother was silent for a few moments, and once again RaeLynn wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. But at least it gave her an opening to talk to her mother about church.
“And you’re right. Some people do go to church for the appearance of being good. But the faith of the people here at the Double R, including Ricky, have made me realize that faith isn’t about church attendance. It’s about a relationship with God. About belief in who He is and His love. For the first time, I understand that while people’s love can change and be inconsistent, God’s never does.”
Through the phone, RaeLynn could hear her mother’s intake of breath. “I still pray, you know. And I suppose you’re right. The good Lord has always seen fit to take care of us, even though His people have let us down.”
RaeLynn could feel the pain in her mother’s words, and even though her mom felt it on a deeper level, she understood. It was the same pain RaeLynn had been carrying around. It had prevented her from wanting a family, from getting too close to anyone.
“I know, Mom, and I’m sorry. I believed a lot of those things, too, but I’m learning here that while we all fail, we can always work to make things better with God’s help.”
“You sound a lot like the people at my new church,” her mother admitted. “Yeah, you heard me. Even though I promised I’d never set foot in another church. My friend Andrea just kept bugging me, so I finally gave her church a try. I have to admit, it wasn’t all that bad. I still don’t fit in with all those church ladies, but at least none of them judge me for our messed-up family.”
“The people from the Double R don’t fit the definition of a perfect family, but they make it work.” She hesitated slightly, not wanting to sound disloyal and hoping her mother would understand. “I’ve never seen a group of people support each other so fiercely. And the people in church and in the community accept them all.”
“Maybe it was different for me back then,” Luanne said. “I used to hate the way people in church looked at me when they found out I’d been married so many times and had so many children. Most of the people didn’t realize I didn’t give birth to all of them. They just saw a woman with a bunch of children and no man and assumed the worst.”
She’d never thought of what her mother had gone through, of how she might have been treated by strangers, but her open confession about her pain made RaeLynn’s heart hurt for her.
“There were some nice church ladies, though,” RaeLynn said. “Remember Mrs. Bishop, and how she used to give us all those clothes?”
RaeLynn could feel her mother smile from the other end of the phone. “She was a good friend. It was a shame that her husband got a job transfer across the country. I’d have liked to stay in touch, but it was hard working so much and trying to raise a family on my own.”
RaeLynn always felt the sting of resentment when her mother made a comment about doing it on her own. She hadn’t done it on her own. She’d had RaeLynn. But this time, it didn’t hurt so much. Her mom had felt alone, and even though she’d gotten help from RaeLynn, it wasn’t the same as having the support of an adult standing beside her.
“But I know my bad experiences are not who God is. They’re a reflection of the reason we need God,” Luanne said.
“I’m glad to hear that,” RaeLynn told her mother. “I think we’re both guilty of letting bad experiences cloud our judgment in ways that make us lose our objectivity.”
Her mother laughed softly. “That’s something, coming from a journalist. But you’re right. Even though bad memories are the first ones that pop up in my mind when I think of churches, there are also a lot of good ones. Memories of good churches, good people and the unchanging love of God.”
Her words brought a warmth to RaeLynn’s heart that made the healing she’d found today complete. “Funny that you say that, because the unchanging love of God seems to be a theme that I’ve encountered a lot today.”
Her relationship with her mother had never been broken, but this conversation definitely brought a new level of healing and a closeness RaeLynn couldn’t ever remember having.
“Ricky asked me to tell you that you’re welcome here if you ever wanted to come to the ranch. He hopes you two can make amends, but he isn’t sure if you’ll be open to talking to him.”
Her mother was quiet for a moment, and RaeLynn wondered if she’d pushed too hard.
But then Luanne said, “I think I’d like that. We’ve been talking a lot about bitterness in Bible study, and how hanging on to grudges only hurts the one holding the grudge, not the person we want punished. From what I’ve seen of Ricky’s interviews over the years, it sounds like he’s suffered a lot. Maybe it’s time we put an end to all of it.”
RaeLynn hadn’t expected it to be so simple. Within minutes, they’d made arrangements for her mother to come. Since she was staying in a two-bedroom cabin, there would be plenty of room for Luanne there. There was no need for the ranch to make extra arrangements, but RaeLynn was sure Ricky would have if they’d needed to. When she went back out into the main room, the horse race had ended, and the doors to the large patio were open. Everyone had moved outside and was playing some kind of game.
Except for Hunter. He was stretched out in a rocking chair on the corner of the porch, Bella asleep on his chest.
The sight took her breath away, even though she’d seen it before. It must be the way he got the baby to calm down. Wanda stepped beside her.
“There isn’t a more beautiful sight in the world, is there?”
RaeLynn shook her head. “I don’t think so. It shouldn’t surprise me, because I know what kind of man he is, but it always warms my heart to see how much he loves that little girl.”
Wanda nodded. “I always thought it was a shame that his wife died before they could grow their family. She wasn’t cut out for the ranch, though. That’s the trouble with men like Hunter. He is everything a woman says she wants, but when it comes right down to it, a lot of women can’t handle ranch life.”
Was that a warning? If so, RaeLynn didn’t need it. She already knew this wasn’t the life she wanted. Yes, she loved being out here, but part of her was aching to get back to work, to run the magazine and write stories that mattered.
/> “Those women would be foolish to not understand that his love of this place is what makes him who he is,” RaeLynn said. “I hope he finds someone who can.”
Wanda nodded slowly, like an understanding had passed between them about Hunter.
A group of kids ran past, shouting gleefully. Hunter stirred slightly, adjusted the baby on his chest and slept on.
It was tempting to want a life like this for herself. When she looked upon his handsome face, she wanted to kiss him again, like she had last night. But people didn’t upend their entire lives simply because of an amazing kiss. Of course, even she wasn’t foolish enough to believe that what she was feeling was just a result of that one kiss. She wouldn’t have kissed him if it hadn’t been for the depth of his heart.
She shouldn’t even be thinking about this. Shouldn’t be thinking about him. The whole situation was nonsense. Completely against everything she’d worked for. Everything she’d dreamed of. She needed to get back to her cabin and finish writing her article. She turned to tell Wanda that she was leaving, but Ricky approached.
“Everything okay?” Ricky’s wrinkled face showed lines of concern, and RaeLynn wanted to hug him for it. She couldn’t believe he’d responded so positively to her news. She’d thought they might be mad at her for hiding everything from them. But each of her siblings had their own story, so maybe they just understood that RaeLynn had needed to do it her way.
“Everything’s fine,” she said. “I just talked to my mom, and she’s agreed to come for a short visit while I’m still here.”
Wanda immediately started talking about making arrangements, but RaeLynn shook her head. “None of that is necessary. She can stay with me in my cabin. She doesn’t want or need a fuss.”
She looked over at Ricky. “I think the Lord has been working on her heart as well. It will be good for both of you to talk.”
Ricky nodded slowly. “I can’t tell you how much I regret driving my son away, making your mother feel like she couldn’t come to me after his death. She sure did a good job of hiding.”
Her Hidden Legacy Page 9
