Above Rubies (Rockland Ranch) (6 page)

At first, sick and
somewhat out of it, she'd just been humbly grateful for his steady calm gentle care, but as the days progressed, she had come to lean on his quiet strength in an almost physical sense.  His confidence and maturity, tempered by his unquenchable sense of humor left her with a peace and security she'd never felt in the whole of her life.  She knew he was years older, but instead of intimidating her, it simply reassured her. 

             
When she’d realized after just a few days that she was attracted to him, it worried her.  She knew it would be next to impossible to ever have a relationship with someone willing to overlook her history and the fact that she now effectively had a child.  Still, she was quickly becoming attached to Rossen and was certainly wise enough to know a one-sided attraction would be very troubling.  He considered her young, even though he knew she'd been forced into a maturity beyond her years by her circumstances.  And though he never talked down to her, she had the distinct feeling he wanted to help her, but in a fatherly sort of way. 

             
Even in her short life, her experience had taught her not to expect much.  She'd learned to take that in stride, but her ever tenacious personality had always helped her to hold out hope that eventually, she would have a happier life.  

             
All of these things had begun to trouble her heart through her days of wondering how she was going to survive on her own, and repay them for all their care and help.  For years she’d known her background was less than desirable, and now for months she’d been realistic enough to admit that this baby would probably preclude the happy marriage she'd always dreamed of.  Then she thought back to today.

             
Deep in Rossen’s eyes, she'd seen something that gave her back the hope of someday finding the love she'd craved all her life.  She wasn’t even sure what she'd seen as she’d walked toward him, but it was an emotion so real and so honest, that the doubts and worries that she would never be desirable to a good honorable man fled in that instant.

             
She still knew it probably wouldn’t be him, but she'd seen something that told her that someday, sometime, someone would look at her like that and claim her for his own.  That one glimpse into Rossen Rockland’s soul had returned a sense of hope for the future she'd given up on. That one little peek had been enough to strengthen her for whatever she would have to face.

             
Knowing it was all going to be okay, she walked back over to her bed and knelt beside it. She'd never prayed much before coming here.  She'd never been taught to and had never even known for sure if there was a God out there.  Somehow in the last week, she'd also gained a sure knowledge that her Father in Heaven truly was there and was watching over her as a loving parent.  As she poured out her gratitude and love and hopes and troubles, her heart was full and she lay down happy and at peace. 

             
                                          ****

             
That night Rossen and Slade were at Slade’s home, five minutes further up the road, watching the last few minutes of a movie in the theater room.  Isabel had long since fallen asleep against Slade’s shoulder, and he and Rossen sat in companionable silence as the credits began to roll. 

             
Finally Slade spoke, “Kit was beautiful tonight.”

             
Rossen didn’t move as he answered, “Hmm.  Yeah, she was.”  A few minutes later he continued, “She looked so good it almost scared me when I picked her up at the salon.”

             
There was a long pause again before Slade asked, “Do you remember that time right after Isabel came with us, and you were teasing me about not being able to breathe when she was around?”

             
“Yeah, why?  You’re still that way around her sometimes.”  Rossen grinned.

             
Slade smiled back in agreement.  “I know, but it’s great.  Now that I know things are working out, it’s a nice feeling.  At first it just scared me to death.”

             
After still another few minutes of quiet, Slade continued, “Sometimes you look like you can’t breathe when Kit’s around.”

             
Rossen leaned his head back against the top of the couch with a sigh.  “She’s seventeen, Marsh.  I’m twenty six.”

             
Slade played with a strand of Isabel’s long silvery, gold hair.  “Sometimes it’s not the years, it’s the miles.  That girl has been through a lot in seventeen years.  Isabel told me she’s been in foster care since she was nine and her real parents ran a meth lab.”

             
Rossen replied, “It gets worse.  The baby’s father is her foster father.  She ran so he couldn’t abort it.”

             
When Slade finally spoke, his voice was sad, “See what I mean about the miles?”

             
They each sat lost in thought.  At length, Rossen asked, “Do you still have your dad’s old guitar in the attic?”

             
“I’m sure I do.”

             
“Wanna sell it?”

             
“I’ll give it to you.  Maybe it could be from Isabel and me, too.”  He was still smoothing her hair as he added gently, “You’re happy when you’re with her.”

             
Rossen gave a sad smile.  “She thinks I’m a white knight.”  He paused again.  “It’s been incredible to be able to help so much when she’s needed it.”

             
“You just don’t want to help forever?”

             
Rossen shook his head.  “No.  I’d love to help forever.  At least from what she’s been like so far.”  He sighed again.  “But she’s seventeen.”

Chapter 4

             
Christmas Eve day dawned clear and cold with a brilliant sun striking millions of diamonds in the snow.  The Rocklands fed the stock in the morning and then they all hung out in the great room by the fire, wrapping gifts and playing games and baking.  Later that afternoon, Kit, sporting her own new jeans and a sweatshirt, was helping Naomi cook as best she could with her cast.  They talked back and forth as they worked. 

The doctor had said she
could start using her left hand and she was trying to grip a potato as she peeled with the other.  The hand was stronger than she thought it would be after nine days of no use.  She wondered if she would be able to play a guitar with the cast if she could find a way to buy one.

             
As she peeled, she was thinking of money and being more independent than she felt right now.  She was so grateful for Rossen and his family’s help, especially knowing that had they not been there, she and her baby would have been in desperate straits.  But her nature was far too independent and she was too honest to want to take advantage of their charity.  She knew she needed to figure out a way to earn a living before they grew tired of having her.  The one night alone in Vegas was enough for her to realize that making money in that town would not be fast enough in coming for her to survive the wait, but as it was the only skill she had that she thought was marketable, she had to try. 

             
She knew Rossen would stake her financially for a while if she asked him, but she knew he’d raise a ruckus if she said she was going back to Vegas, and honestly she didn’t want to.  She never wanted to go back there again.  She sighed unconsciously and Naomi looked up from her pie making. 

             
Seeing Kit’s struggle to hold the potato, she suggested a trade.  “Here, you crimp and I’ll peel.”

             
Kit accepted the pie shells hesitantly.  “I’ve never made a pie in my life, but it’s fascinating to watch you.  Is there anything you don’t know how to do, Naomi?”  Once Kit got her hands on the pie crust she was comfortable instantly.  The dough felt familiar in her hands.  It reminded her of her clay and she made short work of crimping perfect edges.

             
Naomi came over to pick up the pie shells.  “I thought you said you‘d never made a pie!  These are like a work of art!”

             
“Thanks.”  Kit smiled shyly. “I‘ve never cooked much of anything.  I haven‘t spent much time in the kitchen except doing the clean-up part.  I‘m afraid I have a lot to learn.”

             
Naomi patted her hand.  “You keep saying that, but whatever we’re doing, you pick right up on.  You must be a fast learner.”

             
It was true.  Kit could usually figure out most anything quickly.  She had a good memory and had found that catching on fast helped ease the tension sometimes in the different homes she'd lived in.

             
Naomi continued, “I’ll bet you’re good in school.”

             
Kit nodded.  “I am.  Or I was.  School was a good way to not be home.  I even got a job working there after hours for a while.  It was wonderful.  I could leave on the bus early in the morning, and not have to come home until evening.  It was much easier to get along in my last home that way.  My, uh, foster mother didn’t like me very much.  The only nice thing she ever did for me was give me bus money to run away.”  Her voice was matter-of-fact.  “But school was great!  I could excel without worrying.  And in high school I had this killer art teacher who made me believe I could do anything!  I swear she changed my whole outlook on life.” 

She didn’t realize it, but h
er cobalt eyes sparkled as she talked.  “She was the one who helped me get my job.  She was the nicest person I’ve ever known until you guys.  I think she really loved me.”               Sadly, she continued, “She tried to go to the DFS to get my foster father to leave me alone, but the only thing that happened was that I was forbidden to be around her and lost my job.  She got officially reprimanded.”  Kit became wistful.  “For a while I actually thought I was going to make it to college.”

             
Naomi smiled and patted her again.  “Oh, you’ll make it to college.  Don’t worry.  I can see it in Rossen’s eyes.  But you haven’t even finished high school, have you?”

             
Kit shook her head.  “I’m like four credits short, but I had to leave, and I can’t go after my records or they’ll make me go back.”  She continued adamantly, “I’m never going back there!”

             
Naomi tried to reassure her, “You don’t have to go back, but I’m sure when the DFS does find out about your foster father, he’ll be criminally charged.”

             
Kit shook her head sadly.  “He is the DFS there.  There’s no way to stop him.”

             
Naomi got an angry look on her face, but then blinked and shook her head.  At length, she asked, “When will you turn eighteen?

             
“March second.  Why?”

             
Naomi was thoughtful.  “The school superintendent here is a good friend of ours.  Rob is on the board with him.  I’ll bet we could arrange for you to take E High online without your documentation up front.  Then when you’re eighteen and safe from your foster father, we’ll go get your records and get your diploma, and you can get into college this fall.” 

             
Kit shook her head again and hugged Naomi.  “You’re a good woman, but you’re forgetting one rather important thing.  I’m due to have a baby in May.  I know I should give it up for adoption, and at first I planned to, but I’m really not sure I can do it anymore.  I’m afraid college is out of the question for a while.  Maybe when this child is older.”

             
She went on, “The funny thing is.  I really wanted to go to college, but I’m not sure why.  There’s not any certain field I’m dead set on.  It’s like I wanted to go to college to go to college.  And now that I realize I won’t be, I’m okay with that, too.  Mostly, I just need to find a way to be able to make a living and take care of the baby, too.  It’s a little intimidating.”

             
They were back to peeling potatoes, Naomi, fast as her mind seemed to be clicking away, and Kit, more slowly, struggling to hold one still. 

             
Naomi questioned, “What do you
like
to do?”

             
Kit gave a short laugh.  “Not very lucrative things.  Sculpting, music, eating, flowers, the outdoors.  More than anything I like clay.  Dirty, slippery clay.  No big gold mine there.  Just things that cost money, not make it.”

             
She sobered and spoke half to herself, “Maybe I could work at a daycare and keep the baby with me.”  They considered this in silence.

             
Eventually Naomi asked, “Have you discussed any of this with Rossen?”

             
Kit shook her head.  “Not really.  I get the impression he thinks I can just stay here with you guys indefinitely and finish growing up like some normal teenager.  That somehow it will all just work out in the end, all hunky dory.  It’s almost like this baby, no money, and my less than stellar upbringing don’t matter to him.  He honestly thinks it’s just going to work itself out.”  She sputtered.  “He acts like I’m part of your family or something.”  The potato in her hand slipped and slid across the counter.