Chapter 18
eighteen
Leo
The warmth of the sunlight shining brightly through the window roused me from sleep. Stretching on the couch, I groaned as I turned to my side and pushed myself into a sitting position.
I shook my head to clear it of the exhaustion I still felt. I hadn’t slept well. I kept waking up to keep watch.
As realization dawned of the late morning hour, I jumped off the couch and walked across the room. I pushed my feet into my shoes and quietly opened the door and closed it behind me. In my haste to get over here, I left my phone at my house and the letters on the porch.
I ran across the yard, and my brothers’ trucks were both gone from the driveway. As I ran up the porch, I looked to my right where the letters should’ve been, but they were gone along with the beer bottle I’d left beside the chair.
I let myself inside the house and went to my room, finding my phone plugged in on the nightstand atop the letters.
Holden or Brooks must’ve put them there.
Quickly, I changed into a clean pair of jeans and another T-shirt. I sat on my bed and put my boots on just as my phone pinged from beside me.
I picked it up and found several missed texts and a couple of calls from Gentry.
Opening the messages, I found my brothers and Gentry razzing me for missing morning chores.
Holden
Hey, sleepyhead. Wake up and get your butt to work.
Brooks
Just where were you this morning? Hmmm…
Gentry
You okay?
Holden
You owe me for mucking your stalls this morning and brushing down Bullseye.
He’d never let me live it down for having to do my share. Maybe once he found out the cause, he’d think differently.
Brooks
It’s not like you not to be at work by now. You’re startin’ to worry us.
Gentry
Just let us know you’re okay or you know we’ll head over there.
Bubbles appeared in the group chat between us all.
I typed out a response, so they’d stop the frantic messages.
I’m okay. I can’t come in today. We all need to talk as soon as possible.
My phone instantly rang just as I walked out the front door and double checked that it was locked.
My eyes scanned up and down the street making sure nothing was off as I walked back to Carolina’s house.
I answered the phone just as it was about to go to voicemail, Brooks’ name on the screen.
“Hello,” I said as I walked up the front porch steps to Carolina’s house.
“What’s goin’ on? Gentry’s gettin’ the ranch hands to do the tour we were about to set off on, and we’re all headin’ that way soon,” Brooks asked.
I couldn’t get into this over the phone.
I had to tell them in person. I knew the second I said I had to talk they would all be frantic because they knew I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.
“I can’t get into it right now. I’m about to walk back into Carolina’s house. Stay at the ranch. We can talk later,” I whispered as I walked back into her house, hating that I left the door unlocked even for the ten minutes it took me to get back here.
“It’s already done, bro. We’ll be there shortly,” he said and hung up before I could object again.
I looked through the house, softly opening the doors to each room, checking for any unwanted guests when I heard an alarm going off in Carolina’s room.
I checked in on Luke to find him still sleeping soundly in his bed. Closing the door softly, I walked back down the hall and made a pot of coffee. If she'd slept anything like I did, she’d need the caffeine boost.
Carolina’s footsteps sounded down the hall, and I turned and leaned against the counter to wait for her to come into the room.
“You’re still here,” she said with a yawn as she put her hand to her chest.
She looked beautiful even with her hair still messy from sleep and still in the nightshirt and shorts she’d had on the night before.
“Yeah, I’m still here,” I told her.
“You didn’t have to miss work,” she said as she walked further into the room.
“Yeah, I did. We’re goin’ to the sheriff's office this mornin’.”
She opened her mouth I’m sure to object, but the sound of Luke’s footsteps racing down the hall stopped her.
He ran right past her and up to me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“You’re here,” he said as he hugged me.
“Good mornin’, little man. Yeah, I’m still here. Why don’t we go get ready for the day, and then we can go on an adventure,” I suggested. The mention of an adventure made him turn around on his heels and race up to Carolina.
“Did you hear that, Mom? We’re goin’ on an adventure,” he said, his voice full of excitement as he ran down the hall.
“I have work, Leo,” Carolina said as she crossed her arms.
“Call out. This is important.”
I stared down at her, looked her in the eyes, and said, “Yours and his safety are top priority. We need to make sure the sheriff is aware of the situation.”
I waited until she nodded in understanding before I stepped around her and went to Luke’s room to make sure he was getting dressed.
“What kind of adventure are we going on, Dad?” Luke asked as he hopped on one foot, attempting to get his shorts on, trying to hurry up and get dressed.
“I thought your uncles could take you to the ranch and let you see the animals and maybe you can help Nana make some cookies. How’s that sound?” I asked as I helped him get into his shorts and change his shirt to the one he'd laid out on his dresser.
“Yes,” he said as he pumped his arms in the air. Once he was done, we went to the bathroom where I combed his hair and left him to brush his teeth and wash his face.
When I got back to the kitchen, I found Carolina making a bowl of oatmeal for Luke and heard the sound of bacon popping in the frying pan.
“Look, I’m sorry if I came across as tryin’ to tell you what to do,” I said as I walked up beside her and leaned against the counter.
She stirred the bowl of oatmeal and drizzled honey on the top before she added the small pieces of apple she’d cut up. Once she was done, she walked over to the table and sat the bowl of oatmeal beside a cup of orange juice that she’d made for Luke.
She walked up to the stove and grabbed a fork and moved the bacon in the pan.
“You still like yours extra crispy?” she asked without looking over at me.
“Yeah,” I replied.
“Over medium or scrambled?” she asked as she continued to cook the bacon.
“Over medium. You’re mad?” I asked her, and she turned her head toward me.
“No, I’m not mad. I’m frustrated. Not at you. At the situation. I’m tired of it all,” she said before she continued cooking.
“I get it. But we’ll keep you safe. You know that, right?” I whispered, not wanting Luke to hear and cause his innocent mind to worry.
“It’s not your job to keep me safe. Luke, sure,” she said as she picked the bacon up and placed it on a paper towel clad plate.
“That’s where I’m goin’ to stop you. It is my job. You wanna know why?” I asked as I put my hand on each of her shoulders and turned her to face me. She looked over to where each of my hands were before she looked at me and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Why’s that?” she asked with a hint of stubbornness. That caused me to smirk. There she was. The firefly I used to know. It was good to know she was still in there somewhere.
“Because keepin’ you safe means he remains safe.
Keepin’ you from bein’ hurt allows you to continue bein’ the mama he deserves.
Just because we have our past issues, doesn’t mean I’m just goin’ to leave you to the wolves.
The past is just that. The past. We are here in the present, and we will work through this.
Together,” I told her as I dropped my hands at the sound of Luke’s footsteps heading toward us.
She didn’t respond; she just went back to cooking our eggs.
I walked over to the table and sat beside Luke who happily dug into his bowl of oatmeal.
Nowhere was the little boy I’d heard hated mornings.
He was cheerful and happy this morning, and a part of me hoped it was because I was here.
Once that thought crossed my mind, a pang hit the center of my chest knowing that we’d likely never make those hopes of his a reality.
“You’re uncles are on the way over here,” I told him as I looked over to Carolina who turned her head and gave me a questioning glance over her shoulder.
“Already?” he asked as he took a huge spoonful of oatmeal and shoved it into his mouth.
“Don’t go so fast where you’ll choke,” I warned.
“Okay,” he said as he chewed the food in his mouth.
“When they get here, your mama and I need to talk to them for a few minutes. You think you can play in your room for a little bit while we do?” I said to prepare him for their arrival.
“I can do that. I’ll pick out a couple of trucks to take with me.” He beamed as he took another bite.
Carolina brought our plates over to the table as I heard footsteps on her front porch. She tried to hide the tenseness of her body by moving around me, but I caught it.
“I’ll get it,” I told her so she could start eating her breakfast.
I went to the door and opened it, putting my finger to my mouth to give them the hint to not barge in here asking questions.
Holden, Gentry, and Brooks nodded in understanding, and I moved away from the door to allow them to enter.
“Hey there, buddy,” Gentry said as he walked into the kitchen and sat on a barstool.
“I’m going on an adventure today with you guys,” Luke said as he went to stand.
“Finish eating your breakfast, please. And make sure you drink all your juice,” Carolina said as she looked over to the three of them, then over to me as I walked around them and took my seat at the table.
“Do you guys want anything to eat?” Carolina asked as she went to stand. My hand on her arm stopped her.
“Nah. We already ate,” Holden said as he stared over at us, his arms crossed over his chest.