Soldier's Secret Child. Caridad Pineiro

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      “We wait until our charge is ready to talk. Do you have another session scheduled with her anytime soon?” She sipped her tea, sighed as the cool liquid slid down her heat parched throat. She hadn’t realized just how hot and dry it had been as she and the teens had worked with the mare all morning.

      “I have a group session with the older children this afternoon. I was thinking to ask T.J. and Joe to join us.”

      She thought of T.J.’s anger at his dad’s passing and of Joe’s adoption by the Coltons. Certainly both of the boys had things to unload and considering how well the group had been getting along, it seemed like a good idea.

      “Both T.J. and Joe might have things they want to talk about. I’d ask to sit in, but I know T.J. might be more willing to open up if I’m not around.”

      Jewel laid a hand on hers as it rested on the table, shifting her iced tea back and forth in the condensation from the glass. “I know that hurts, but you’re right. T.J. will likely be more open if you’re not around. But I’ll keep you posted about what happens. This way you’ll know how to deal with it.”

      Macy took hold of Jewel’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Thanks. I’d appreciate anything you can say without violating doctor/patient confidentiality.”

      “Deal,” she confirmed and then they sat back and took a moment just to enjoy the peacefulness of the midday break.

      Macy was working with two of the younger children when she noticed the teens walking out of the living room where Jewel often held the group therapy sessions.

      The two tween boys had their arms around each other’s shoulders and their heads together, talking.

      T.J., Joe and Sara followed behind closely, but then split away, walking through the great space and then out to the pool area. They kept on walking beyond the tract of grass with the swing set and Macy assumed T.J. and Joe were off to do the last of their afternoon chores.

      Once in the great room, the tween boys headed immediately to the XBOX and she could hear them carrying on about the tricks Joe and T.J. had taught them.

      She smiled at the worship of the older boys, but her smile faded as she noted Jewel’s face. Excusing herself from the memory game, but urging the children to continue on their own, she approached her boss.

      “You look wiped.”

      “Mark finally opened up today. Told the other kids about how his dad used to beat him.”

      Both of them suspected that Mark had been physically abused from his manner when he had first come to the ranch, but having him admit it was a good step to helping him deal with the trauma.

      “How about Sara?” she wondered, thinking that maybe Mark’s revelation would have encouraged the young girl to tell her own story.

      Jewel shook her head. “Nothing. She just sat there, arms wrapped around herself. Silent.”

      “Sorry to hear that, but she is coming out of her shell. She seems to talk to T.J. and Joe a lot.”

      “That’s a good start. Where are they?” Jewel asked as she scanned the great room and saw no sign of them.

      “I saw them heading out back, probably to finish up their chores before the weekend. I’ll go see what they’re up to,” she said and at her boss’s cue of approval, she went in search of them.

      As she suspected, they were at the corral, but not working. The two boys sat on the top rail of the fence, Sara between them, head bowed down.

      She was about to approach to make sure everything was okay, but then T.J. brought his hand up and patted Sara’s back in a familiar gesture. She had seen Tim do it more than once when comforting his young son and it twisted her heartstrings that Tim would not see the man T.J. would become.

      Which was followed by a wave of guilt as she realized that maybe Fisher never would either if she didn’t tell him about his son. If she didn’t make amends for what had happened in the past between them.

      Certain that the teens were better off without her presence at that moment, she returned to the ranch house and the game of memory she had left earlier.

      But even then she experienced no relief as the children matched up the first few letters.

      F.

      S.

      I.

      Certainly someone somewhere was telling her it was time to consider what she would do about Fisher.

      Fisher sat across from his dad in Miss Sue’s, enjoying the last of his ribs and delicious fries.

      It wasn’t as if he and his dad couldn’t have made themselves dinner. Since their mom had left, the three men had learned how to provide for themselves, but with it being Friday night and all, they needed a treat.

      Plus, he hadn’t wanted to waste time cooking when he could be spending it talking to his dad, especially since his time in Esperanza was ticking away quickly. Just a few more weeks and he would head back to the military.

      As he ran a fry through the ketchup and ate the last piece of tender meat on the rib, the cowbell clanged over the door. A trio walked in—Macy’s son with another boy and a teen girl.

      They stopped at the door to wait to be seated. As the hostess showed them to a booth, they passed by.

      “Evening, Mr. Yates,” T.J. said to his dad and nodded at Fisher in greeting as well.

      “Evening, T.J. Are these friends of yours?” Buck Yates asked, flicking his large hand in the direction of the other teens with T.J.

      “Yes, sir, they are. Joe and Sara, meet Mr. Yates. He’s the sheriff’s dad and this is the sheriff’s brother—Captain Yates.”

      Joe and Sara shook hands with the men and then the trio excused themselves.

      “Polite young man,” Fisher said, slightly surprised given the accounts provided by his brother about T.J.’s antics.

      “He’s a good kid, just a little angry ever since his pa died,” Buck said and pushed away his empty plate.

      “It must have been rough,” he said, imagining how difficult it would have been on both Macy and T.J. His own brother had suffered greatly as well since Tim had been his lifelong best friend.

      Luckily, Jericho had been Macy’s best friend also and had been by her side during the long months that Tim had battled cancer. At least Macy hadn’t been alone, but it didn’t stop the sudden clenching of his gut that maybe he could have been there for her, as well.

      He drove that thought away quickly. Being away from Macy was up there on the list of reasons he had joined the military.

      Maybe the top reason, he mused, thinking back to the night that had forever sealed the course of his life.

       Chapter 4

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