THREE
“G OOD!” KRISTA SHOUTED THE encouragement.
Seeing the smile on the teen’s face brought more happiness to Megan than just the fact that she got this riding thing down pretty quickly. After only three lessons, she could already comfortably ride the horse around the arena.
“Sit back a little more and push your heels down into the stirrups,” Krista directed.
Megan followed her instructions. “Oh, this feels different, more grounded.”
Krista smiled. “You’re a natural. Now all you need is that old cowboy hat of yours.” She laughed.
“You really don’t think I looked ridiculous?” Megan asked the girl as she led the horse around the arena. The sun barely peeked over the mountains, shining right onto the barn.
“Well, that shirt was pretty lame, but the hat, it looked good on you.” Krista shrugged.
“Huh, well, thank you. Maybe I should dig it out of storage,” Megan teased.
“Well, you found the pants.” Krista nodded at the Wranglers Megan wore.
“Nah, these are new. Doubt I could fit into my old ones.” She looked down at the girl. “But I bet you could.”
“Me?” Krista turned to her as she fiddled with the lead rope.
“Yeah, in fact, I bet a lot of my old clothes would fit you.” Megan sized the girl up. “Though you will be taller than me, I bet.”
“My mom was tall. So was my daddy. My uncle too.”
Megan carefully kept her breathing even. “Your uncle. I haven’t heard you mention him before.”
Krista shrugged as she unclipped the lead rope, draping it over her shoulder. “I haven’t seen him since…since the funeral, but I remember him…tall, quiet, sad, but I instantly felt safe with him.” She cleared her throat and blinked, returning her attention to Megan. “So, it’s all you now. Keep holding the reins like that.”
Megan fought her desire to push the questioning, which would only meet with resistance and ruin the moment they were having. “Like ice cream cones.”
Krista’s shoulders relaxed. “Yeah, ice cream cones.”
“Like this?” Megan nudged the horse into a walk, holding the reins as Krista had taught her.
“Yep. Just like that. Don’t forget when you want to turn her to hold your arm out wide and look in the direction you want to go.”
“Got it.” Megan turned the horse one way and then the other. Despite herself, she found the feeling gave her a sense of rightness. “How did you learn all this?”
“My mom,” Krista said, sadness lining her tone. “She always said I rode before I could walk.” Krista stiffened and tromped away toward the barn, the lead rope in hand.
“Hey,” Megan called out as she followed her from the top of the horse.
Krista’s steps faltered, and she stopped, though she didn’t turn.
“How about ice cream?” Megan said nonchalantly.
“Ice cream?” Krista turned then.
“Yeah, do you like it?”
“Are there people who don’t?” Krista asked.
“I’ll talk to Josie. Maybe we could go into Hope Lake and grab some ice cream and eat it at the beach instead of having our normal meeting in my office.” Megan was sure Josie would allow her to do that…at least, she hoped. A niggling in her stomach told her she should have asked before she said anything to Krista. The last thing that girl needed was someone not keeping their word.
Krista’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Well, you are giving me free lessons. The least I can do is get you ice cream.”
Krista’s posture relaxed, and she sighed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had ice cream.”
“Then it’s a deal?” Megan asked.
“Yeah, deal.”
The breakfast bell rang, making the horse's ears twitch toward the sound. “Well, old girl,” Megan reached forward and scratched the horse between the ears. “Once again, it’s been fun.”
“Don’t forget to swing your leg around and remove your foot from the stirrup before you slide off,” Krista warned.
“That’s right.” Megan did as she was told. “Why do we do it that way again? It feels better to have my foot on the ground before I release the other one.”
“Well, not all horses are as calm and predictable as old Belle here. And doing it the way you first did it was a good way to get a foot caught in the stirrup, and if the horse gets spooked…” Krista shrugged.
“No good,” Megan finished.
“Right.” Krista took Belle’s reins in her hands. “I’ll take care of her. I know you need to get to the dining hall.”
“Thanks,” Megan said, but she didn’t leave. Instead, she tentatively reached out to squeeze the girl’s arm. “I really appreciate you doing this for me, Krista.”
“It’s nothing,” Krista said, turning away at once, but not before Megan saw the hint of a smile in her eyes.
The events of the morning kept Megan on a high for the rest of the day. That feeling only increased when Josie readily agreed that she could take Krista into town. As long as they stayed in Hope Lake, it wouldn’t be a problem. At lunch, she found Krista to tell her the good news and let her know they could go after dinner when the campers had their sing-along time.
The pleasant look of surprise on the girl’s face filled Megan’s heart even more. This girl was something special, and though Megan worked hard on keeping her thoughts from the future, every once in a while she would catch herself daydreaming of taking Krista clothes shopping in the city, sitting on her beach at night watching the stars and girl talking, and she would have to pull herself back to the present and remind herself what the situation really was.
Yet, Chasity had found Kami in Camp Hope, and Josie had found Wylie. Why couldn’t she find her own missing piece here?
She shook her head as her office porch creaked with the onset of pounding, quick footsteps. Her group counseling session had arrived, full of peals of laughter and the ease of kids at camp.
“Hello, Miss Megan!” Wylie called to her as he led in the other four campers.
“Good afternoon, everyone,” Megan said, putting the last bean bag chair in place. She loved meeting in such a relaxed way. It made everyone feel more comfortable.
“My mom told me to give you this,” Wylie said, handing her an envelope.
She glanced at it, seeing that it was a mailed letter. When she didn’t recognize the handwriting and didn’t see a return address, she plopped it on her desk without another thought.
“So, how is everyone today?” She had the children tell her the exciting things about their day at camp before asking if anyone had any problems. She loved these group meetings. The kids fed off each other, and they could get deeper into a subject because of the contention and camaraderie within the group. The two sounded opposite of each other, but disagreement in a supportive environment could actually accelerate growth.
Of course, having Wylie here made it even nicer. He had the chance to tell the kids his own story, how he had thought his life would never get better, but learning to trust let him see how much love there was for him. The story of that family touched Megan to the core, so much that she always fought tears when Wylie talked about it.
The dinner bell rang out through the camp as they wrapped up, leaving Megan’s heart full and feeling blessed for the change that she had made in her life.
“You coming to dinner, Miss Megan?” Wylie asked after seeing all the other kids out.
“I’m just going to clean up first. Save me a seat?” Megan asked.
“Of course! See you in there!” Wylie called out as he ran out the door to catch up with his friends.
Megan sang as she stowed the beanbag chairs and made a few notes before putting the paperwork away. As her hand found the letter Wylie had given her, she looked at it again, turning and inspecting it before opening it. A scent wafted to her that was familiar, but she couldn’t place it.
Inside there was a single sheet of paper that looked mostly empty. She unfolded the crisply creased letter, and her heart raced as she read the two words neatly printed in the center: Come Back!
Megan flipped the letter over and held it up to the light, but those two words were the only things on the page. She inspected the envelope again, ensuring that it was really addressed to her, noting the time stamp said Sacramento on it.
Weird.
She told her heart to calm down, that it was nothing, some weird fluke or mistake, and dropped the letter into the trash can. Yet, after walking toward the door, she turned back, plucked the letter from the trash, slipped it back into its envelope, and placed it in her bottom drawer under a pile of files.
“You’ve watched too many murder mysteries, Megan,” she chastised herself as she left and locked the office.
Her hands still shook slightly as she walked into the meeting hall where Josie gave her nightly talk before saying a quick prayer before dinner. The kids were silent, fully focused on the woman they watched in adoration. Megan froze in the doorway, keeping the peace of the moment.
She didn’t always have dinner with the campers, but on her late days like this one, it often made her life easier. Besides, she got to see the campers on a more social and relaxed plane, which helped her know better how to help them. Plus, she enjoyed the time with Josie and her family.
“Amen,” the kids said in unison after Josie finished.
“Amen,” Megan said, finding her way through the once again lively crowd of kids, waving to those who called out her name.
“Welcome,” Josie said as she sat with them.
“You know,” Megan said, “each day I’m here, I feel even more blessed to be a part of this amazing camp you have created.”
Josie’s smile widened, and Cody looked at her with pride. “Thank you, Megan.” Josie squeezed her hand. “We feel the same about you. Your presence has been such a blessing. The campers love you, and I have a feeling they will settle into their new forever homes much more easily because of all of your work.”
“That’s my hope,” Megan said. “When do the potential parents see me again?”
“Oh, in a few more weeks. I appreciate you being able to be flexible with your hours. I know that some weeks it might feel like we hardly need you and others you are going to wonder if you’ll remember what your home looks like because you’re here so much.”
Megan laughed. “It’s all part of the job. Besides, I get bored easily. It’s nice to have variety.”
“See, that’s why you fit in so well. We all get bored easily,” Cody said with a wink.
“When do you leave for your next rodeo?” Megan asked, still fascinated with the fact that Josie’s husband was a professional roper.
“I’ve cut back this year. I’ll only do one during camp. Then in the fall, I’ll have several.” He glanced down the table at his family. “I just can’t stand being away from them.”
Megan smiled, her heart warming at the family they had created as longing increased inside her. She searched the crowd for Krista, finding her bending over and helping a younger child cut his food. Her dark hair fell over her eyes, but Megan could see the small tilt of her lips.
“Krista has seemed happier this last week,” Josie said, leaning forward to talk a little more privately.
“I agree. It’s nice to see her smile.” Megan tore her eyes off the girl and met Josie’s. “Thanks for letting me take her out to ice cream.”
“I knew you would be the one to break through to her.” Josie sat back.
“Josie has a knack for finding matches,” Cody said, wrapping an arm around her.
“Yeah, she found all my friends from last camp forever homes. Some of them write to me. They are so happy!” Wylie said before shoving a bite of pasta in his mouth.
“It’s quite the life, though not everyone finds that home…at least not from my influence, but we do our best.”
“You mean like me…and like Krista.” Wylie’s fork froze. “I mean, I found my forever home with you, but no one else wanted me…not that I wanted anyone but you. But Krista…she’s almost a grownup, and she still hasn’t found a home.” Wylie’s eyes shined as he blinked back the tears.
“You are such a compassionate boy,” Josie said, reaching down to kiss the top of his head.
“I agree, and you know what?” Megan leaned closer to him. “Even if some kids don’t find their forever homes, the time they spend here helps heal their hearts. It gives them skills to grow up with healthy thoughts so they can create their own forever homes as adults.”
“You really believe that?” Josie said, her own eyes tearing.
“I know that. The influence of this camp is bigger than I think you realize.” As Megan said it, she knew it to be true. “But let’s not give up hope on Krista just yet. She still has a few more years of childhood.”
“And her uncle seems promising,” Josie said.
“And she has you, too,” Wylie added.
“She does,” Megan said, wondering if she could end up being a part of Krista’s story after all.
By the time dinner was over, she had almost completely forgotten about the letter. When Krista met her at Megan’s car a few minutes later, a tentative smile on her face, nothing else existed except the dark-haired teen.
Tyler sat at the kitchen table staring at his phone, indecision ripping through him as unsettling as the rolling of the ground during an explosion. He dropped his head into his hands, willing the memories of bombs and screams to fade until all he heard was the creaking of the old house around him.
It was quiet here. Too quiet. Maybe he should move to the city where the constant busyness would distract him. Yet he had gone into the city a few days ago and remembered fleeing from the constant noise of traffic, people walking around him, and the suffocating feeling of the closeness of it all. No. The city wasn’t the way to go.
He had even called his commander, thinking maybe it would be best for him just to re-enlist, but even they wouldn’t have him. Glaring down at his leg, he wondered if it would ever heal. Even if it did, the service wouldn’t take him back, not as more than a civilian contractor. He wasn’t fit for duty anymore. He wasn’t fit for life.
The house continued to creak, and the wind that had picked up that morning blew against the loose siding, making it slap against the house. Only one more side of the house to go, and the siding would all be off. Then it would be time to call in the electrician to fix the wires that were corroded, and the ones the critters had chewed. Then he would have more time. Time to see Krista…should that be the right choice.
With one last lingering look at the phone, he stuffed it back into his pocket—just as it rang. Pulling it back out, he saw Jordan’s number pop up. For a moment he hesitated, but finally, with a sigh, he swiped the green button to accept his friend’s call.
“What’s going on, Jordan?” Tyler answered.
“Hey, brother! This Friday you, Derrick and entourage, and Shane meeting at my place. Small, casual, no pressure. Derrick’s wife is bringing the grub, and I’ll bbq up some tri-tip to go with it.”
“I don’t know, man,” Tyler said, pacing the kitchen. “I’ve got a lot going on.”
“On a Friday night? What kind of work can you do at your house in the dark? Come on. You can’t hide from the world forever.”
Yet that was exactly what Tyler wanted to do.
“Look, Ty. I know you’ve lost a lot, but we are still here and we aren’t going anywhere. Come on. Let yourself enjoy life.”
Tyler hesitated, sighing and pacing.
“What else are you gonna do besides listen to the house creak? Come on, I saw you didn’t even have a TV.”
“I’ve got books,” Tyler said, feeling the defensiveness rise within him.
“You’re going to choose a book over a good time with friends?” He swore he heard Jordan’s eyes roll through the phone. “Nerd.”
Tyler let out a chuckle. “Alright, but no one else, okay? I can’t handle any more than that right now.”
“No sweat. Scout’s honor.” Jordan gave him directions to his place.
“I didn’t know there were houses there.” Tyler envisioned the forested area where the directions led. “Didn’t we used to party out there?”
Jordan laughed. “That we did. In fact, I built my house right next to the tree I proposed to Caitlin under.” His voice sobered. “Anyway, I’ll see you at six. And, Ty, if you don’t show up, I’m coming to get you, even if I have to hog-tie you to do so.”
Tyler’s lips curled at the thought. It wouldn’t be the first time Jordan had hogtied someone who was being difficult. “I’ll be there.”
“Good. Gotta go.” Jordan ended the call, leaving Tyler with mixed feelings.
He actually missed hanging out with the guys, but…he wasn’t the same. They would see that, which would remind him, and then he would have to fight to bury the horrific images and the fun would end. Well, he’d give it a go. Eventually, they would stop bothering him if he kept bringing them all down.
When Friday came, Tyler sat in his truck at the base of Jordan’s long paved driveway, unable to bring himself to move any further. Too many unknowns popped up within him. His heart thumped unevenly, his stomach soured, and once again, he wished he had just died in that field with his platoon.
A horn sounded behind him as headlights hit his rear-view mirror. He stuck his head out his open window to see who pulled up and immediately noted the sheriff’s emblem in the fading daylight. Without thought, he searched for his wallet, ready to get out his ID and ensure his conceal carry permit was evident as well.
As the sheriff exited the truck and came toward him, Tyler adjusted his cowboy hat, getting used to wearing it again along with jeans and work books rather than combat boots and fatigues. He watched the officer swagger toward him from his side mirror and something about the walk hit him as familiar even before the smile reached him.
“Well, look at you, youngest sheriff I’ve ever heard of,” Tyler said as he opened his door.
“Ty!” Derrick reached him and pounded him on the back. “Man, it’s good to see you!”
“You, too.” Tyler took his old friend in then glanced back at the truck, noting two other passengers but unable to see them clearly in the fading light. “Heard you’ve been busy these last couple of years.”
“You could say that,” Derrick said. “Ever since I took over for Old Joe, things have been non-stop. Remember that girl I wrote to you about from camp?”
“The blonde you met the summer after you graduated?” Tyler asked, trying to untie his memories to get back that far.
“That’s her. Well, it’s a long story…and I do mean a long story, but she’s now my wife.”
“Congratulations. Wow…a married man and a sheriff. A lot has changed.” Tyler also tried to rack his memory to remember if that girl’s name had been Megan. It would be uncomfortable knowing the flirtatious blonde he had helped change a flat had been Derrick’s wife.
“And I have a daughter…well, it’s not official, but we’re working on adopting her.” Derrick smiled proudly at his truck. “Let’s get this party up to Jordan’s house so you can meet them.”
Tyler nodded, looking up the long driveway and back at Derrick’s truck, feeling that unsettling feeling twist around his spine.
“Hey, it’s just us, man. Nothing big. You know we’ve always got your back.” Derrick slapped his shoulder before walking back to his truck. “See you up there.”
Tyler had no choice but to continue up the road. His friends didn’t seem much different from high school. Sure, they had different people in their lives and careers, but inherently they were the same…yet he wasn’t.
He put his focus more on the problem at hand. If Megan ended up getting out of Derrick’s car, then he would have to keep a poker face. He couldn’t tell his buddy how flirtatious his wife had been, and he definitely couldn’t show the physical reaction that stirred within him every time he even thought of the gal.
As he parked in front of a large, yet modest house with a wrap-around porch and a view of the lake, he glanced at Derrick’s truck, trying to get a hint of what he was in for. The porch light flicked on as they opened their doors, and he saw a blonde head in the passenger seat. As Derrick gave her a hand out of the truck, Tyler inhaled at the very pregnant belly.
He had only seen Megan’s face, but surely she hadn’t been pregnant. A little girl bounced out of the car behind them, distracting Tyler and making him remember his niece, who was about that age last time he saw her.
“Come on, I want to swim in Uncle Jordan’s pool before it’s time to eat!” She wrapped a towel around her neck and skipped to the front porch.
Tyler watched her and then climbed from his own truck. Best to get this over with.
“Tyler, come and meet my wife,” Derrick called.
Tyler kept his eyes averted until he stood face to face with a gal who was blonde but with an innocence and shyness that Megan hadn’t shown in their brief encounter. A sigh of relief passed through him as he took her hand.
“Hi, I’m Chasity,” she said, squeezing his hand, her eyes warm and welcoming.
“It’s nice to meet you, ma'am.” He let go of her hand to tip his hat.
Her smile widened and a gleam of mischievousness passed through her eyes. “I’m sorry my friend couldn’t make it tonight. She had a prior obligation with a special girl she has gotten real close to.”
Tyler cocked his head and stiffened slightly. “I hadn’t expected to see anyone besides you guys.”
“Oh.” Chasity looked from Derrick to Jordan, who waited for them on the porch. “My misunderstanding.” She smiled at him, but her eyes glanced over him as if she read him like a book. “There’s always next time, anyway.”
Derrick handed her a casserole dish and loaded up his arms with bags. “Shall we?”
Tyler took the dish from Chasity’s hands. “I’ll take this, ma'am.” Being busy always helped keep his mind in the moment, and he told himself he’d have to keep making himself useful to do that.
Dinner was relaxed as they told stories from the old days, and Chasity and Kami asked questions about how they became friends and begged for more details on some of their more entertaining memories. The feeling of ease and of being home washed over Tyler as he relaxed in his chair.
That all changed after a lull in the conversation when Kami asked him if he had any kids.
“No, Miss, I don’t,” he answered, smiling at the curious girl.
“He has a niece, though,” Jordan said, meeting his gaze with purpose.
“Yes, how is Tabby’s little girl? She’s been through so much,” Derrick asked.
“She’s doing.” Tyler couldn’t meet their eyes, but when they didn’t stop staring at him, he continued, “I just talked with the lady where she is right now, and she said she’s okay, but lonely, of course. They have her in therapy.”
“Therapy isn’t a bad thing,” Chasity said, meeting his eyes with compassion.
“I’m supposed to talk to this therapist, you know, to see…” Tyler shrugged. “I don’t know if I’m what she needs.”
“Of course you are,” Jordan said. “You’re all the family she has left.”
“Yeah,” Tyler said, wiping his mouth with his napkin. “Thanks for the delicious meal, ma'am. Jordan. I’m going to get some air.”
The room sat silent until he slid the sliding glass door shut behind him. He heard their low murmurings then, trying not to wonder what they said about him. How could they understand? They did not know what it was like over there, what it did to a person’s mind, and he was glad they didn’t. It wasn’t anything he wanted anyone he cared for to live through.
The stars shone brilliantly, pulling him away from the past and into its beauty, a pull strong enough that he didn’t even turn when the sliding glass door opened behind him.
“Hey, I hope I’m not disturbing you,” Chasity said as she joined him at the railing of the deck. “The bigger this baby gets, the hotter I get. It’s nice and cool out here.”
“It is,” he said, turning slightly toward her. “Derrick seems happy.”
“I hope so,” she said, averting her eyes shyly. “It’s been a journey, us coming back together. He saved my life, you know?”
“I didn’t,” Tyler said, turning more fully toward her.
“I’ll let him tell the story when he’s ready, but my life has never been more full of love than since we found each other again.”
“I’m happy to hear that.”
“It’s scary, you know…facing death.” She looked out, though he could tell her eyes didn’t focus on what they could see now.
“It is.” He swallowed.
Chasity blinked several times before flicking her gaze to him again. “It takes a while to remember how to live again, but you will, and you can help your niece to realize that as well.”
Tyler stiffened and met her gaze directly. “No offense, ma'am, but you don’t know me, and these guys, they know who I was, not who I am. How do you know I would be a beneficial influence on my niece?”
Chasity took his hand in hers, gentle and sweet. “I don’t need to know what you’ve been through. I can see it in your eyes, which is also how I know you are just what your niece needs.” She squeezed his hand before releasing it to caress her expanding belly. “You’ll see,” she said, then walked back into the house.
Her words stuck with him, never giving him peace throughout the night. So, first thing that next morning, he stopped staring at his phone and called Camp Hope.
“Hi, Josie? Yes, this is Tyler Durango. I’m ready to talk with my niece’s therapist.”