Once Upon a Family (2 page)

Aunt Sarah’s long thin hand clutched the paper and
wouldn’t let it go. “It’s okay to accept help, child, especially the Lord’s.”

Laura snatched the list and hurried toward the door, mumbling, “I’ll be back in a few hours with the food.”

Outside on the porch she took a deep, calming breath of the cool spring air. A light breeze teased the stray strands of her ponytail. The promise of a beautiful day did nothing to lift her spirits. The sudden blare of her son’s radio disturbed the quiet of the street.

With a heavy sigh, she headed into her duplex to switch off the music and put her son to work. With each step, she mentally prepared herself to do battle.

“Guess what, Mom? I met a girl today who’s had part of her brain removed!” Laura’s twelve-year-old daughter stacked the last glass from dinner in the dishwasher and closed it.

“She did? Why?” Laura washed the sink out then hung up the dishcloth.

“Mindy had seizures and it took care of them. She lives on a ranch and rides all the time. I want to learn to ride a horse. Can I take lessons?”

Thinking of all the bills she had to pay, Laura shook her head. The children’s Social Security benefits only went so far. “Alexa, I don’t have the money for that. I wish—”

“Ah, Mom, we never get to do anything anymore. Everything has changed.”

“Now that I’ve got the house in order, I’ll be looking for a job. Hopefully I’ll have some money for things like that.”

“In St. Louis we used to be able to do things. Go places. Daddy always made sure of it.”

Laura’s heart cracked. Her throat thickened. She refused to shed another tear.

“Why did he have to die?” With her eyes glistening, Alexa pressed herself against Laura.

The words hurt. An explanation lodged in her throat, but she’d decided that her children needed to be protected from the truth if possible. She didn’t want to disillusion them about their father and yet—

Chimes resonated through the house.

Alexa pulled back, swiping the tears from her face. “That might be Hailey. She lives across the street.” She rushed from the kitchen.

Watching her daughter leave swelled the ache ever present in Laura. How could she tell her children about the debt they were in because their father had gambled everything away? They had already lost the only home they had known. They’d had to move to another town and leave all their friends behind. She didn’t want them to know what kind of man their father had become before he died.

“Mom, someone’s here to see you.”

Her daughter’s shout pulled Laura away from the thoughts that had been hounding her for the past nine months. She hurried into the foyer and spied Peter Stone standing on the other side of the screen door. As Alexa headed up the stairs, Laura pasted a smile on her face and let Sean’s principal into the house.

“Is something else wrong?” she asked, noting how the large man filled her small entry hall. He dominated
the space around him and commanded attention, reminding her of the first glimpse she had of him in his office earlier that day.

His face lit with a grin, laugh lines fanning out from his dark, dark brown eyes. “No. I just thought I’d bring your son his work that he’ll miss over the next couple of days. He might as well do it while he’s home.” He held up a stack of papers in a folder.

“Oh—” she gestured toward the living room “—I appreciate that. Come in and sit down. Would you like something to drink? I’ve got decaf coffee, tea, sodas.”

He folded his long length onto the couch and placed Sean’s work on the table before him. “No, thanks. I can’t stay long. I still have some chores to do at the ranch.”

Laura sat across from him. “You own a ranch?” She thought of the fact that she and her daughter had just been discussing Alexa’s desire to learn to ride horses.

“Yep. A dream I had since I was a kid.”

“Do you raise cattle?”

“No.” His smile encompassed his whole face with dimples appearing in his cheeks and a gleam in his eyes. “I’ve only had the place a few years. It was pretty run-down so it’s taken me a while to fix it up. I have some horses, though.”

“Horses?” Again she was reminded of her daughter. If only—

“Yeah. I have five as well as other assorted animals that have been abandoned or rescued.”

“You rescue animals?”

“When you live outside of town, some people think
it’s okay to dump their pets on the side of the road. I guess they figure they’ll fend for themselves out in the countryside. The sad truth is they often don’t.” Peter leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs, his fingers laced together.

“Do you find homes for them?”

“Sometimes.” His intense gaze caught hers. “Are you looking for a pet?”

“Our dog died a few months back. My kids have been wanting another one, but since I knew I was moving, I told them we needed to wait.”

One corner of his mouth tilted up. “Then I’ve got just the puppy for you.”

Her pulse skipped a beat at his heart-melting smile, definitely his best asset even though his other features formed a pleasing picture. His medium brown hair held streaks of gold. His complexion, tanned obviously from spending time outdoors, had just begun to show a five o’clock shadow. She could visualize him riding a horse, a Stetson pulled down low to shadow those eyes that held an intensity in them, as though they could probe a person’s innermost thoughts. “How young a puppy?”

“I’m guessing about three or four months.”

“A mutt?”

“Part black Lab and part something I can’t tell.”

“Then he’ll be a big dog.”

“He’s a she and yes, she’ll be a good size. I only mentioned the puppy because I know Sarah has a big backyard with a fence.”

“You know my aunt?” Sounds of footsteps pounding
down the stairs echoed through the house. Laura turned her attention toward the entrance.

“Mom, Matthew’s cheating again.” Joshua, the older of her seven-year-old twins by a whole nine minutes, rushed into the room with his brother on his tail.

“No, I’m not. He’s lying again. I won the game fair and square. He’s a sore loser.” Her other seven-year-old glared at his twin.

“Just in case you two didn’t notice, we have a visitor. Joshua, Matthew, this is Sean’s principal, Mr. Stone.”

Both boys’ green eyes grew round while Matthew said, “We knew he was in
big
trouble.”

“Yeah, what did he do now?” With bright red hair spiked on top and freckles sprinkled across his face, Joshua approached Peter. “He’s always getting into trouble.”

“I’m here to visit with your mother.”

Peter’s words stunned Laura. Her eyes grew as round as her sons’.

“If Sean’s not in trouble, then why is his door closed?” Matthew joined his brother at his side.

“And he didn’t say anything at dinner, either.” Joshua nodded once as though that validated in his mind that Sean had done something wrong.

Still grappling with the fact that Peter Stone had said he had come to see her, Laura didn’t respond. Peter shrugged and answered the twins, “Beats me.”

As if suddenly bored with the conversation, both boys spun on their heels and raced from the room, but not before Laura heard Joshua say, “Wait till Sean hears his principal is here visiting Mom.”

The sound of sneakers pounding up the stairs faded as the twins headed for Sean’s bedroom and started pounding on his door. Her oldest yelled at his brothers to get lost.

Peter’s chuckle drew her attention. “You have your hands full. They are very…lively.”

She laughed. “Among other things. I’ve gotten a few gray hairs because of them.”

“I’m sorry if I made the situation worse.”

“You could have said you came here for Sean. They’ll find out soon enough that he’s suspended and why.”

“It’s not my place to say anything about what Sean did at school.” Peter sat on the edge of the couch, his gaze fixed on the stack of papers on the table before him. “Besides, if I’m being totally honest, bringing his work was just an excuse. I really did come to see you.”

Laura sucked in a deep breath, held it until her lungs burned, then slowly released it. “You did? Why?”

“Since you’re new in town, I figured you didn’t know very many people and our meeting this morning in my office wasn’t any way to greet a newcomer.”

Again his intense gaze drilled into her. Heat spread across her cheeks. For a moment she forgot about the four kids in the house. Across the few feet that separated them a connection sprang up as if that meeting in his office had forged a link that already went beyond her son. Laura wished she could deny the response she felt, but she couldn’t. She began to wonder if her hair was neat, her clothes not too wrinkled.

His mouth hitched into a half grin that did funny
things to her stomach. The kindness and concern she’d glimpsed earlier filled his expression. “Your Aunt Sarah and I go way back. She’s a special lady I’d do anything for.”

She latched onto his words and focused her attention on them rather than the way he made her feel. “That’s the second time you’ve referred to my aunt. You know her well then? She’s been retired for fourteen years so I doubt you two worked together.”

“She was my high school algebra teacher.”

“And now you’re the principal of that high school.”

He chuckled. “Which has surprised a few people.”

“Oh, why?”

“Let’s just say I knew the inside of my office intimately before I became principal.” His grin disappeared and a serious look descended on his chiseled features. “That’s why I can identify with your son. I was a very angry young man when I was his age.”

S
hock widened Laura’s beautiful green eyes and her mouth dropped open. She pressed her full lips together and slid her gaze to the side for a moment before reestablishing eye contact. “Then you give me hope that Sean will get through this and do something wonderful with his life.”

Peter thought about his impulse to drop by the Williams’s home and was no longer surprised by it.
Lord, is this what you want me to do?
For months a restlessness had taken hold of him. He’d felt as though he needed to do more for the students at his school. Today he’d been touched by Sean’s plight. He normally didn’t handle the discipline at Cimarron High. That job usually fell to his assistant principal, but since he was out of town at a conference, Peter had stepped in.

“I won’t kid you. It wasn’t easy for me. I fought it every step of the way, but I had foster parents who cared and teachers like Sarah. They didn’t give up on me.”

Laura straightened her petite frame, her shoulders squared. “And I won’t give up on my son.”

“I didn’t think you would, but sometimes you need help. I could talk to Sean if you want. Before I was the principal, I was the head counselor.”

“At his old school, he met several times with his counselor. It didn’t help. In fact, he got angrier. He refused to talk to me for days because I pushed him to go see her.”

“Why is he so angry?”

Laura stiffened, gripping her hands together in her lap. “It really came out when my husband…died. Sean was having a difficult time before that, but he became hostile after Stephen passed away.”

“I’m so sorry about your husband. The death of a parent can be hard on any child.” He knew from personal experience just how hard.

“I think it’s more than that, but I don’t know what. He won’t say. I suppose it could be hormones. This age can be difficult.”

Anxiety emanated from her. Suddenly, Peter felt like wrapping his arms around her to comfort her. Stunned by the feeling of connection, Peter recited to himself all the reasons why getting involved with Laura wouldn’t work. But even remembering his failed marriage didn’t suppress the feeling that, with the Lord’s blessing, there could be more between them. “Perhaps I could become involved less formally. Not as his principal. Your Aunt Sarah goes to the same church as I do and the youth group—”

“I haven’t decided about going to church or not.” A closed expression instantly covered Laura’s pretty features.

“I’m sure there’s another way then. Let me think on it.”

“Why?”

“Why do I want to help?”

She nodded, her stress showing in the white-knuckle clasp of her hands.

“Someone helped me once. I want to return the favor. Paul Henderson, my foster father, died last year. I owe him.”

Pain edged its way into her eyes. “I’m sorry for your loss.” Laura rose. “I know you’ve got chores to do, and I don’t want to keep you. Thanks for bringing Sean’s work. I’ll make sure he does it while he’s home.” A polite mask pushed the pain from her expression, but the hands at her sides trembled slightly.

Her vulnerability beckoned him even though warning bells sounded in his mind. He had no business trying to help a wounded soul. He couldn’t fix himself, let alone someone else.
Why me, Lord?

Peter came to his feet and took a step toward her, but her rigid stance stopped him, as though she had closed a door and put up a Do Not Disturb sign. “How about the puppy? Want to come out to the ranch on Saturday and take a look at her? Bring the whole family. I’ll give you the grand tour, such as it is.”

Again she averted her gaze, lost in thought for what seemed interminably long seconds. Then she inhaled deeply, as if fortifying herself, and looked at him. “That would be nice. My daughter, Alexa, loves horses.”

“The young lady who answered the door?”

“Yes, she’s twelve and crazy about them. Just today she was talking about learning to—” She halted abruptly
as though surprised at what she was saying. She offered him a smile and started for the front door. “What time would be good for you? I don’t want to inconvenience you.”

“How about ten?”

“Where’s your ranch?”

“Only a mile outside of town on the left hand side of Highway 101. There’s a sign at the gate. Stone’s Refuge.” He made his way to the foyer. “I figured if I was taking in all those animals I might as well call it what it is.” In more ways than one, but he kept that thought to himself. Taking care of the animals and riding over his land were his escape from the day-to-day stresses, from the memories.

She opened her front door and moved out onto the porch. “I like the name.”

“I hope you’ll bring Sean, too.”

“Is this your roundabout way to try to help my son?”

There was a light tone to her voice now, even though her expression was hidden from him in the evening shadows. He moved toward the stairs. “It’s hard to resist an animal in need of love.”

The sound of her quick indrawn breath followed him to his Chevy truck. He glanced back and waved. Although Laura still stood in the shadows, he felt her gaze on him. He could still picture her red hair with brown woven through it and the striking green eyes. Clear. Perceptive. Windows into a wounded soul. His earlier assessment of Laura Williams had been affirmed by this meeting. She was in need of a friend. He just didn’t know if he should be that friend.

Peter Stone’s large, black, four-door truck pulled away from the curb. Laura stayed still, her attention fixed on the disappearing taillights. When he turned the corner and was gone from sight, she walked the few feet to her aunt’s and let herself in.

“Aunt Sarah,” she called out and crossed to the hall that led to the back.

“In the kitchen.”

When she entered the room, her aunt, dressed in one of her flannel gowns and a blue terry cloth robe shuffled from the counter to the table, carrying the hot milk that she drank right before bedtime.

“Tell me what you know about Peter Stone.” Laura took the chair across from the older woman.

Aunt Sarah brought the mug to her lips and took a tentative sip. “So that was who I heard you talking to on the porch.” She put the mug on the flowered place mat. “I guess you know he’s the principal of the high school. Is he the one who suspended Sean this morning?”

“Yes, he brought over Sean’s schoolwork.”

“That was nice of him, but then I’m not surprised. He does those kinds of things all the time. A hard worker. A respected member of the community. He’s always going out of his way to help someone.”

“He mentioned something about being in trouble as a teenager.”

“Yes, he was quite a handful at one time.”

“What did he do?”

Aunt Sarah chuckled. “I’ll let him tell you about
some of the…pranks he pulled.” She drank some more of her milk. “But I will tell you that he would be perfect to relate to Sean.”

“That’s what he said.”

“He did? Wonderful. If he’s offered to help, take him up on it. A man in Sean’s life might be just what the boy needs.”

Laura clenched her teeth to keep from saying she didn’t need a man in their lives. A man was the reason they were in the situation they were in at the moment. In debt. Hurting. Adrift.

Laura rose, leaned down and kissed her aunt on the cheek. “Is there anything you want me to do before I go?”

“No, I’m going to finish this milk and go to bed. Maybe tomorrow I’ll come out and help you and Sean work on the flower beds.”

Laura rested her hand on her waist. “You’ll take it easy until the doctor says you can. No working but you can come out and talk to us while we do.”

Her aunt’s humph echoed through the kitchen as Laura left. It was getting harder to persuade Aunt Sarah to rest and let Laura do for her.
But she’s met her match. I can be just as determined
. She’d discovered that aspect of her personality during the past year.

When Laura opened the door to her duplex, Sean sat on the bottom stair, waiting for her. The second she entered he shot to his feet and covered the distance between them.

“What was
he
doing here?” Anger manifested itself in her son’s surly expression.

“Do you mean your principal?”

“Yes!”

“He brought your schoolwork for you to do.”

Sean crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her. “I know what we’re doing in class. I didn’t need him to do that.”

“Well, he thought he needed to.” Laura started walking toward the back where her bedroom was. “I think it’s nice that he cared enough to stop by.”

“Joshua said he came to see you.”

The accusation in her son’s eyes cut through her. She stopped at the door into her bedroom, formally the den, and faced him. “Yes, he did. He has a puppy we can have. We’re going out to his ranch on Saturday to see if the puppy is what we want. I expect you to go. This will be a family decision.”

“I’m busy.”

“Doing what? You’re grounded until you go back to school. You’re going.” Laura slipped into her room before her son drew her into an argument. She didn’t have the energy left to debate with Sean tonight.

She walked to her desk, sank onto the chair and switched on her old computer. She’d promised Cara, her best friend in St. Louis, she’d e-mail her to let her know she’d settled in and to give Cara her new phone number. She’d been putting it off because she was afraid she would pour her heart out to Cara. She’d even ignored a couple of e-mails, but she couldn’t any longer. Maybe telling her about Peter Stone was just what she needed to put her feelings for the man in perspective.

Saturday morning, Laura glanced at Sean, sitting in the front seat of her red Escort with his arms folded
across his chest and a glare on his face. He wasn’t happy about coming to Stone’s Refuge and had been vocal in his protest. It was only a few minutes to ten and already she was exhausted from battling her oldest child and getting the other three ready and organized for this little outing. If she hadn’t promised her kids a new dog when they came to Cimarron City, it would have been easier to stay home and forget the principal’s offer.

But forget Peter Stone? Not possible, especially after her thoughts for the past few days had been invaded by the man’s presence. Not even e-mailing Cara had worked. She’d actually bounded out of bed, looking forward to this outing.

“There it is!” Alexa pointed to a large arch with the name of the ranch done in wrought iron letters over the entrance.

Laura turned onto the gravel road with brown wooden fences running down both sides. Two tan horses grazed on one side while another with a gray coat was in the pasture to the left. At the end sat a brown barn, the large doors in the center open wide as though welcoming them. Peter stood in the entrance watching the car approaching. A white cat weaved its body in and out between his legs, while a massive German shepherd sat beside him.

“Is that the dog?” Matthew asked, his eyes round.

“No, honey. We’re here to look at a puppy.” Hopefully one that when it was full grown would be a bit smaller than the German shepherd. She saw another dog dart across the field—another big one with shaggy hair.

The second Laura cut the engine, the twins flung the doors open and charged across the yard toward the barn.
The dog next to Peter stood up, his ears perked forward. Joshua came to a skidding halt when he saw the big dog rise. Matthew collided right into Joshua, sending him flying forward to land sprawled at Peter’s feet. Matthew froze, his attention riveted on the German shepherd.

“Bosco, sit.” Peter helped Joshua up. “He won’t hurt you. He really is a big baby. All my dogs are.”

“Big is the right word.” Joshua backed up until he bumped into his twin.

“You two are stupid. You should never run toward any animal who doesn’t know you like that.” Sean laughed and walked toward the German shepherd at a sedate pace. He held out his hand and let the dog sniff him before petting him.

Peter grinned at Sean. “You’re good with animals.”

Her oldest son grumbled something under his breath and lowered his head, but he kept stroking the dog.

Peter motioned for the twins to come forward. They obeyed at a much slower rate and mimicked their brother’s greeting with Bosco. The dog’s tail wagged, and he licked Matthew’s hand.

“That tickles.” Matthew giggled and ran his palm along Bosco’s back.

Laura observed the scene and knew it was a good decision to get another dog.

Joining her three brothers, Alexa turned her attention to the white cat at Peter’s feet. She picked it up and buried her face in its fur. “What’s her name?”

“She’s Molly.” Peter moved toward Laura while keeping an eye on the children with Bosco. “Did you have trouble finding the ranch?”

“Nope. Your directions were great.” She turned in a full circle, gesturing around her. “I really like your place. If you bought this run-down, it’s obvious you’ve put a lot of work into it.”

“Most of my spare time these past few years has been spent at this ranch.” Satisfaction curved his mouth upward and lit his eyes. “I’ve nearly gotten it how I want it.”

“We need to do that with Aunt Sarah’s duplexes. They need to be painted. The yard cleaned up. Some of the interior renovated.”

“I’ve certainly developed the expertise since I bought the ranch. I’ve gotten quite good with a hammer, saw and a paintbrush. If you need any help, just let me know.”

The word
why
almost slipped from her mouth. Then she remembered he was fond of her aunt and probably wanted to help Sarah. Laura shifted her gaze back toward her children. She really had no home anymore. This move to Cimarron City was a temporary one, at least where she presently lived, especially since her aunt refused to accept any rent. Aunt Sarah was retired and surely could use the money she would get from renting the other half of the house. Even though she had said she didn’t care about the money, Laura wouldn’t be responsible for her aunt not getting what she should have coming to her. As soon as she could get back on her feet financially, she would find her own place and take charge of her affairs completely.

“I will,” Laura murmured, realizing Peter expected some kind of reply to his generous offer. But she
couldn’t see herself calling him up and inviting him over to paint the house.