Love Finds You in Daisy, Oklahoma (4 page)

As Rena pondered his words, a gripping sensation took hold of her heart. Until this very moment, she’d never contemplated the fact that her best days might be in the future. More often than not, she found herself wondering if any of her tomorrows would be better than her yesterdays.

Suddenly her emotions got the better of her. “You have no idea what it feels like.” As she turned away from him, Rena shifted her focus to a vase on the mantel of the fireplace and willed the tears not to come.

“What
what
feels like?” Reuben stood and took a couple of steps in her direction.

She refused to look his way; he would worry once he saw the moisture in her eyes. “Knowing that tomorrow will be exactly like today. And yesterday. And all the yesterdays before that.” Her words came out sounding jagged. Cracked.

“Whatever do you mean?”

Rena pivoted on her heels and looked him squarely in the eyes, not caring whether he noticed her tears. “You will never understand what it feels like to know that people see you as superfluous.”

“Superfluous?” He shook his head, clearly confused.

“Don’t you see?” she whispered. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m the old spinster aunt no one knows what to do with.” Her tears came in earnest now.

“Spinster aunt?” He raked his fingers through his thinning salt-and-pepper hair and eased his way into his chair. “You speak as if your life is lacking in some way. You’re family, Rena. We’ve never treated you as an outcast or in any way less because of your marital status.”

“Of course not.” She drew in a deep breath and fought to find the words. “The problem is all mine. I take both the credit and the shame. I’ve settled into my life here, and I’ve enjoyed most of it.”

“Most of it?”

“Yes. Reuben, I can’t help but feel…” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I can’t help but feel there’s more for me out there.” Her gaze shifted to the floor. “God has bigger plans for me.”

“But you give of yourself on behalf of the needy right here in Gulfport. God is already at work in fulfilling His plan for your life. There’s no greater cause than the poor and needy.”

“Needy. Hmph.” She did her best not to roll her eyes. “I darn socks for the folks at the missions house, yes. And I’ve knitted gloves and scarves for the homeless. Not that our winters are severe enough for them to see much use. What I’m trying to tell you is that I feel a tug on my heart to do more. And this orphanage…”

“What do you know of young children?”

“Did I not help you raise Sadie?”

“Of course. But she’s an only child.” Reuben rummaged through the mail, finally locating the letter, which he picked up. He traced a few lines with his index finger. “Sheriff Wyatt says that there are more than a dozen children at this orphanage. And you’ve no experience with children like this, from difficult environments. Likely some have deep wounds, heavy spiritual needs.”

“Exactly.” She squared her shoulders. “Which is precisely why I feel led to go.”

“Did you read the entire letter? Why do you suppose an orphanage would require someone skilled in the art of negotiation? My guess is that it’s because the children are problematic.”

“They’re in need of love, as all children are.” She bit back the words that threatened to escape. Had she not shown Sadie love throughout the years, even when Reuben and Virginia were too busy doing good for others? Hadn’t she negotiated Sadie’s needs a time or two?

Her brother leaned back in his expensive leather chair, his brow so wrinkled that she almost called out to Katy to fetch an iron. Why, oh why, did Reuben always feel the need to tell her how to live, where to go, and what to do? This time he didn’t speak a word. Apparently she had rendered him mute.

“There’s one thing you should know,” Rena said, finally breaking the silence. “I have already written to the sheriff and told him I will be there by early October. There’s no point in waiting until November. Oklahoma is cold in the wintertime, you know.”

“W–what?” His jaw dropped and he pushed back his chair. “Impossible.”

“Not impossible. What I’ve said is true.” She squared her shoulders. “This means I will be leaving in a week. So I would appreciate not just your letter of recommendation on my behalf, but also your blessing and your prayers.”

Reuben shook his head and said nothing for a moment. When he finally spoke, his words surprised her. “Well, then, there’s much to be done, isn’t there? You will need Virginia’s help, no doubt. I will put her on the task right away, as soon as she’s rested up. And Katy too.” He rose.

“You…you want to help me?” She gazed into her brother’s eyes, suddenly energized. “Really?”

“You are my only sibling, Rena, and I want God’s best for you. If you truly feel you are to go, then it would be wrong of me to keep you here. I’ve never known you to be impulsive or flighty, so I can only imagine you’re following the prompting of the Lord.”

“I am,” she whispered. “Oh, I am.”

The words came out sounding bold and confident. Inside, however, she quivered like a bowl of tapioca pudding. Soon enough her nerves would calm down. Right after she boarded the train. Right now…well, right now she had a lot of work to do.

Gene pulled off his hat as he made his way into Daisy’s new schoolhouse to visit with Miss Jamison, his boys’ teacher. She’d asked for a special meeting with him. He half-dreaded the meeting, but spending time with the green-eyed beauty couldn’t be that bad, even if she did offer a bad report about the boys. He would gladly spend time with Jenny Jamison and hoped she felt the same.

It didn’t take long to find out why she had requested his presence at the schoolhouse. Miss Jamison, with enough dramatic flair to earn her a spot on the stage, told him a story of how the boys had locked one of the female students—the mayor’s daughter, no less—inside the water closet, keeping her there for a half hour during recess time.

“I feel sure that Calista’s father will be along shortly to talk with us about it.” Jenny took a lock of her long blond hair and wound it around her finger then glanced out the window. “And I can’t imagine what I’ll tell him. Mayor Albright is a rather intimidating fellow, you know.”

“That he is.”

“Poor Calista was both terrified and humiliated, as you might imagine.”

“No doubt.” Gene shifted his hat from one hand to another. So now the boys had taken to picking on girls? In vulnerable situations, no less? Why in the world had they chosen Mayor Albright’s daughter, Calista? And what would they try next?

“I know they’re wonderful boys, Sheriff,” the teacher said. “Truly. And Lord knows I’ve worked extra hard to convince them of their value. I’m sure you have too. Why, I reinforce them with positive words as often as I can.” She placed her hand on her heart. “Praising them for their good behavior—when it comes—is key to seeing even more of it. I believe that. Sincerely.”

“Ah. I see. Well, actually, I…” His words drifted off. To be honest, he hadn’t spent a lot of time in telling the boys how wonderful they were. Truth be told, he spent most of the time asking them to come down off the roof or to stop punching one another. Perhaps a bit of positive reinforcement
was
in order. The next time they did something right, he would give them a pat on the back. Of course, chances were pretty good that it would be some time before their behavior warranted such praise.

Though he didn’t mean to do it aloud, Gene groaned.

Jenny offered him a bright, encouraging smile, her pretty green eyes capturing his attention. “I think, if we all work together, we can keep them walking the straight and narrow. I’ve already spoken to the reverend and he said—”

Gene started to attention. “Wait. You talked to the reverend about my boys?” Why the idea bothered him so much, he couldn’t say. The reverend was a good man and not prone to overreacting. Well, unless you counted the time he’d made the boys repaint the church steeple. But that was only because they’d splattered it with eggs.

“Not just yours, but all the boys in town. The ones who, well, you know…act up.”

“And what did the reverend say?”

“That prayer is the answer. That, surely, if David could take down the mighty Goliath with five smooth stones, I can handle a roomful of small boys.”

“You’re thinking of pummeling them with stones?”

At this, she began to giggle. “Sheriff, you’re so funny. Truly. Besides, you know I don’t believe in corporal punishment, so stoning is definitely not an option.” Another giggle escaped. “To be honest, I’m relieved to see that you’re taking this news so well. I thought perhaps my disciplinary action might offend you.”

“Offend me? What do you mean? What disciplinary action have you taken? I’ve not heard.”

Her smile shifted at once to a frown. “They left me no choice. I had to expel your boys from school for the next three days.”

“They’ve been expelled?”

“Well, of course. You heard the part of the story where they locked Calista inside the water closet and wouldn’t let her out. That is a direct violation of the code of conduct found in our student handbook. You received a copy at the beginning of the school year, did you not?”

“Oh. Well, yes, I suppose I did.”
But I never read it.

“I’m sure Mayor Albright will insist upon the disciplinary action. Besides, they’ve got to spend some time away to learn a lesson. This will be good for them…in the long run.”

“Agreed. But I’m more concerned about the short run right now. I have to work. Where will they stay during the day?”

“I haven’t got a clue, but I feel sure you’ll figure something out. Perhaps your mother will care for them. It’s only three days, after all.”

Gene released a slow breath. “I don’t think so. Not this time. She’s…” How could he finish the sentence? His mother didn’t have the stamina to spend all day with the boys. Nor did he. And if they kept up this sort of behavior, no one else in town would help him out either.

No, it looked as if his options were dwindling rapidly. And if he didn’t do something soon, there would likely be no options left.

T
IPS FOR
D
EALING WITH
U
NRULY
Y
OUNG
’
UNS
—
Most folks take one look at my uniform and think I’m a tough guy. Truth be told, I’m softer than my mama’s feather pillows where children are concerned. Maybe it’s because I was such a ruffian myself, as a boy. My tip for keeping things under control with children is simple: stay calm. Just because they’re out of control doesn’t mean you have to be. If you need to blow off steam, do it in another place before confronting the child. That way you’re not likely to scare anyone, yourself included. Even the rowdiest boys and girls settle down after a while. Usually. And if they don’t, then divert their attention by playing “Cowboys and Indians” with them. Always works for me…and gives me the perfect excuse to rope ’em to a chair.

—Charlie Lawson, Deputy Sheriff, Daisy, Oklahoma       

Gene took a seat at his mother’s dining-room table, his stomach rumbling as he took in the sight of his favorite foods—roast beef, mashed potatoes, and fried okra. After a hard day at work, he could hardly wait.

His mother busied herself, filling Jacob’s and William’s plates with food. Not that the boys seemed to be paying attention. No, they were far too busy punching each other’s arms to notice.

He shushed the boys then made his announcement. “I’ve got some wonderful news.”

“What’s that, son?” His mother looked his way, still holding William’s plate in her hand.

“I’ve received a letter from the missions board in Gulfport. They’re sending someone to take Mrs. Wabash’s place. She is on her way even now.”

“Really?” His mother’s eyes widened. “Did they… I mean, does this person know what she’s walking into?”

Gene reached for a slab of roast beef, unwilling to answer the question just yet—at least the question his mother meant. The new director, whoever she was, certainly didn’t have all the details. If she did, she’d likely run for the hills.

“I know the orphanage needs some work,” Gene said instead. “It’s in such a state of disrepair. The roof needs to be replaced, and the steps leading up to the front door are rickety. But don’t worry. We’ll get it done sooner or later.”