Westward Holiday (11 page)

Mitch sighed.  “Damn.  Poor kids.”

Sammi put a hand on his forearm and squeezed it.  “Mitch, they’re not going to an orphanage.  I can’t do that to them.  We can take them.”

“Us?” Mitch asked.  “How are we gonna take them, Sammi?”

“I’ll quit being deputy.  You’ll have to hire someone to replace me.  I can still work at Jake’s because you’ll be home with them in the evenings.  Plus, we’ll still need the money.  We have plenty of room in this place for them.  I can get them off to school and be here when they come home.  I don’t have to be at the bar until like seven at night so we can have dinner together.  They need some kind of stability,” Sammi said.  “I mean it, Mitch.  I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them out of an orphanage.  Please just think about it.”

Mitch looked at his wife for long moments.  Everything she said made sense.  Knowing what Sammi had endured growing up in an orphanage, Mitch could see why she was adamant about keeping the Crispin kids.  The boys had a pretty good chance of being adopted, but with Rachel being older it would be harder to find someone to take her. 

He also knew that Sammi was thinking about when she’d been raped at the age of sixteen and Rachel was only a year younger than when that had happened to Sammi.  Mitch couldn’t see putting Rachel somewhere where that would possibly happen.  Then he thought about the schedule Sammi had already worked out and saw that it could work.  The truth was that keeping the kids together was important in the face of the loss of their parents and right now, they were the kids’ best chance of making sure that they were well cared for and not split up.

Mitch put an arm around Sammi’s shoulder and said, “Ok.  Let’s give it shot.”

When Rachel was dressed, she came downstairs because she smelled something cooking and though her grief was raw and tears still came to her eyes off and on, she found that she was actually hungry.

She came into the kitchen and found Sammi flipping flapjacks.  Sammi looked over at her and smiled.  “Hey, Rachel.  Have a seat.  Are you hungry?”

Rachel sat down and said, “Yes, ma’am.”

Sammi put the pancakes and some sausage on a plate and sat it in front of the girl.  Then she poured some milk in a cup and gave it to her. 

“Thank you, ma’am,” Rachel said as she picked up her silverware.

Sammi sat down with her and regarded the pretty girl for a few moments.  Rachel’s light brown hair was slightly damp and had started curling a little.  Her dark brown eyes looked down at her plate.

Sammi said, “Rachel, I can’t tell you how sorry I am about your folks.  I can’t imagine what you’re goin’ through, but you’re not alone and you’re not going to be alone.  You and the boys are gonna stay with Mitch and me.  For good.”

Rachel stopped eating and swallowed her food quickly as she looked at Sammi.  “Did you just say for good?”

“I did.  You told me you don’t have any other family and I’ll be damned if you’ll go to an orphanage.  I grew up in one and there’s no way Mitch and I are gonna send you three to one,” Sammi said firmly.  “So you’re gonna live with us.  Ok?”

“The sheriff is ok with that?” Rachel said.  She had always liked Mitch but was a little intimidated by him simply because of his status in the community.

“Absolutely.  We already started working things out.  There’s gonna be rules,” Sammi said.

“Sure.  I can clean and cook and I always help take care of the boys for Ma and Pa,” Rachel broke down at the mention of her parents.

Sammi slid her chair over and took the girl in her arms as tears filled her own eyes.  “Oh, sweetheart.  I’m so sorry, but we’re here for you.”  Sammi held her and murmured comforting words to Rachel.  “Don’t you worry about any of that other stuff right now.  Just know that you all have a home.”

A while later, Sammi was surprised to hear a knock at the front door.  She opened it to find a grim-faced Joe Dwyer on the porch. 

“Hey, Joe.  Come on in,” she said.

Joe took off his hat and entered the foyer.  “Hi, Sammi.  How’re they doing?”

“As well as can be expected, I guess.  The boys are young and don’t quite understand, but Rachel is heartbroken, of course,” Sammi replied.  “They’re all out in the backyard.  Rachel’s watchin’ them.”

Joe shook his head.  “What a damn shame and we’re comin’ into the holiday season, too.  Mitch says ya’ll are keepin’ them.”

“That’s right,” Sammi said.  “Hell will freeze over before they’ll go to an orphanage.”

Joe smiled at her strong words.  “I’m glad to hear you say that.  Look, a bunch of people took up a collection for them around town and I came to give it to you.  You and Mitch ain’t rich and with three more mouths to feed, it’ll be a little rough.  Especially since you’re quitting your deputy job.  I admire what you’re doin’, Sammi, but we’re gonna miss you as a deputy.”

Sammi smiled.  “Thanks, Joe.”

Joe pulled out a wad of money and handed it to Sammi.  Then he reached into his suit jacket and extracted a check from it.  He held it up and firmly said, “Don’t argue with me, Sammi,” before handing it to her.

There was a couple hundred dollars in cash and the amount of Joe’s check astounded her.  “Joe!”

Joe got angry.  “Damn it, Sammi!  I told ya’ll not to argue.  Ya’ll have all new clothes to buy for those poor kids, not to mention toys and whatnot.  It ain’t gonna be cheap.  We’ve got it and I can’t think of anything better to spend it on than those children out back.  So you take that money and use it as you see fit.  Ya hear?”

Sammi saw that Joe was near tears and just nodded.  Joe turned and left the house.

              That night at the bar, Jake pounded on the piano before the night got started off.  When the crowd quieted, he said, “Folks, by now you all know about the fire that took Wanda and Gary Crispin from us.  They were good people and they’re gonna be missed, especially by their three children.  Mitch and Sammi Taylor have taken them in and are to be commended for their compassion and generosity.  They could use some help, though.  I put a pot over on that table there for donations.  Please give something, even if it means that you don’t buy as many drinks tonight.  I don’t care.  It’s times like these when we really have to stick together.  I’d rather see it go to those kids than me.  Thank you.”

              It was one time when Jake was happy to see that profits were down.  At the end of the night, the donation pot was filled and it did his heart good to see it.  Rebecca watched as he put it in his safe in the office.  He would give it to Mitch or Sammi the next day.  Her heart swelled with sudden love for the handsome, generous man that stood before her.  She thought about the three children and felt very sad for them.

              At one point that evening, Dean showed up and asked to talk privately to Jake.  They went to the office and Jake motioned for Dean to sit.

              “What’s on your mind, as if I don’t know,” Jake said with a smile.

              Dean said, “I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t let Jack get drunk like he’s been.”

              Jake said, “He’s a grown man now, Dean.  But, the only reason I did that was because I knew you’d take matters in hand with him.  I know you and you don’t put up with that kind of behavior.  He wasn’t gonna listen to me about the drinking, but I knew that he’d listen to you.  You’re the one he needed to talk to about things.  You two have always been close and if anyone could get through to him, it would be you.”

              Dean laughed and sat forward a little.  “You’re a good man, Jake.  Here I was all set for an argument with you if need be, too.  You cheated me out of that so that means I get a beer on the house.”

              “I can handle that,” Jake said. 

              Once the bar closed, Jake sat down heavily in his desk chair and put his head in his hands for a few moments.  He was tired and depressed.  The bar had been subdued that night and he was glad because Sammi understandably hadn’t come to work.  Jake was in just the right mood to shoot whoever might have caused trouble.  He had served drinks with a solemnity that befitted the tragedy that had struck their town.

              He picked his head back up and looked at Rebecca as she came into the office.  “C’mon, I’ll walk you home.”

              “No.  I’m going to help you clean up and you’re not going to argue with me, Jake.  You’re very tired and I’m not sleepy.  There’s no reason that I can’t help,” Rebecca said.

              Jake smiled at her.  “You’re gettin’ feisty, Rebecca.”

              “You have no idea how feisty I can be,” she said.

              Jake said, “Ok.  I’ll take you up on that offer.”  It would be good to have the help and he really didn’t want to be alone at the moment.

              “Good.  Now, I’ve gathered up the mugs and glasses.  Would you like me to wash them?” Rebecca asked.

              “Yeah.  I’ll sweep the floors.  I won’t bother mopping tonight because they’re only going to get dirty tomorrow night since it’s Saturday,” Jake said.

              Rebecca said, “I’ll get started right away.”

              “Ok.  Thanks,” Jake said with a smile.

              As she worked, Rebecca felt a satisfaction in helping Jake clean up.  It surprised her because this was the kind of work that she had despised for over a year and yet there she was happily washing dishes.  She supposed that it was because she was anticipating marrying Jake and knew that running the bar would be something they would then do together. 

              Jake finished with the floors and emptied the trash.  Then he went to help Rebecca with the dishes.  She had them just about done, however, and Jake smiled at how neatly she’d stacked them.  Sammi always put them any which way, which drove him crazy. 

              “Looks good,” Jake said.  “And the dishes aren’t bad either.”

              Rebecca laughed.  “There’s that charm.”

              “Is it working?” Jake asked as he slid his arms around her from behind.

              Rebecca said, “Maybe.  I’ll let you know.”

              Jake closed his eyes and inhaled her scent.  “Mmm.  You always smell so good.”

              Rebecca said, “Thank you.  So do you.”

              He chuckled in her ear and his warm breath made her shiver a little.  Jake felt it and smiled.  “I’m sure.  I smell like sweat, booze, and smoke.”

              She put her hands over top of his and said, “You wouldn’t think those three things would smell good together, but they do.  Of course, it probably has more to do with you than anything else.”

              “Really?” Jake said.  “Well, how about that?”  He bit her earlobe lightly and she gasped.

              “Don’t tease me, Jake,” she said.

              “Oh, you mean like the way you tease me?” he asked.

              “Touché, Mr. Henderson,” Rebecca said.

              “Exactly.  I’ll take pity on you,” Jake said as he backed away from her.  “Thank you for helping.”

              Rebecca turned around and said, “It was the least I could do.  This way you’re done sooner.”  She reached up to brush a few tendrils of hair from his brow. “I’m sure you’re very tired.”

              He nodded.  “I am.  Are you ready to go?”

              “Jake, I can see myself home,” Rebecca said.  “I’m a grown woman and I know my way.  Then you could go to bed.”

              Jake shook his head.  “I’d never sleep because I’d be worried about you.”

              “No one walked me home in Savannah, Jake,” Rebecca said.

              “I’m betting it wasn’t at two thirty in the morning, though,” Jake said.

              “Well, no, but no one else will be about.  I’ll be fine.  Are you going to walk me home forever?” Rebecca said.

              “If I have to, sure,” Jake said.

              Rebecca gave him a coy look and said, “I could always stay.”

              Jake didn’t smile as he said, “Yes, you could.  I wouldn’t object, Rebecca.  I’m tired of fighting my attraction to you.”

She hadn’t expected him to take her up on her offer and she didn’t know how to react.  Jake watched her eyes widen and stepped closer to her.   “I want you and you want me,

so what’s the harm?”

              Rebecca took a step backwards.  “I thought you wanted to wait until we had more time.”

              He advanced again.  “We have all night, Rebecca.  I’ll go slow and be thorough.  You won’t regret it.”

              Rebecca’s back bumped against the sink.  She had nowhere to go as Jake put his hands against it on either side of her.  He had her trapped.  “Be sure of what you decide, Rebecca, because if we start, I won’t be able to stop this time.”  Jake was calling her bluff.  The carnal side of him hoped that she’d stay, the side of him with a conscience hoped she would want to go home.  Either way, one side wasn’t going to be happy with the other.

              Rebecca wanted him but was suddenly afraid.  Hannah had explained everything about the physical side of lovemaking to her and Rebecca was both fascinated and scared by the things Hannah had told her.  She now understood why Jake wouldn’t answer her questions and she was glad that he hadn’t.  Her mother had never told her anything about what went on sexually between a man and woman.  She was thankful to Hannah for giving her that information.