by Lori Wick
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voice; he sounded like a spoiled child.
"Who's that?"
"Shut your mouth, Critter," his father turned on him,
but Griffin answered.
"That's my deputy, Critter." The sheriff's voice was
cold. "You take a good look at him. You too, Rush and
Possum. We are not going to put up with this any longer.
You'd best keep that in mind."
While Griffin held his shotgun on all of them, he
ordered Slater to collect the guns.
Every Little Thing About You 189
"You can come for them in two weeks. Not a day
before. Now keep it clean, boys, or I'll run the lot of you in
and raid the house and barn,"
The lawmen did not stick around much longer, but
both were aware of the dark, angry eyes that followed
them.
"It's going to come to a head one of these days, and
someone is going to get hurt," Griffin predicted.
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"I'm sure you're right. Some things you can avoid, and
some you have to deal with when they come. Unless they
up and move, it's probably going to get worse before it gets
better."
Griffin couldn't have agreed with him more, but right
now he had no solution. Ideas and plans shifted through
his mind all the way back into town. They did battle with
thoughts of his wedding in a week's time. Not for the first
time, he asked God to let him be there for Tess.
^Mei
"what do you mean, no?"
"Just that, Libby. The answer is no."
Liberty stared at the man she thought she might be in
love with and wondered if she knew him at all. The wedding
had been wonderful. Tess had been stunningly beautiful,
and Griffin's eyes had been full of love as they joined
hands and vowed their lives to one another. Now it was
Monday morning, and all that had faded. Liberty had
gotten up, climbed into her work clothes, and headed to
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the jail, only to have Slater tell her to go home.
"Slater/' she tried a new tact. "Griff and Tess don't
come back until Wednesday."
"Be that as it may, you can't fill in."
"What if something dangerous comes up?"
"I'll call Price."
Liberty was instantly angry. "Price is no lawman!"
"But he does know how to use a gun, and he told me to
call me if I needed him." Slater spoke with more calm than
he felt. Liberty's coming to work was the last thing he'd
expected. They had never talked about this, and now he
wished they had. It was past time for her to know how he
felt on this issue.
"You're going to get your fool head shot off," Liberty
retorted, her anger still evident.
"At least il won't be yours" was all the deputy said,
sending Liberty storming from the office.
Liberty was some ways up the street before she realized
she'd left without Morton. She stormed back up the walk,
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192 lori wick
swung into the saddle, and heeled him too hard for the
short ride home. The poor horse had never been treated so
roughly. By the time she stabled the beast and hit the
kitchen door, she was in the finest rage she'd ever known.
"Liberty!" her mother exclaimed, naturally surprised.
"What in the world?"
Liberty was ready to explode, but reason took over.
Laura had come off the floor where she was playing, and a
sudden view of her mother's expanding waistline caused
Liberty to remember that she was not the only person in
the world. Willing herself to calm down, she took a seat at
the table and accepted the mug of coffee her mother set
before her.
"Laura..." Kate began.
"You want me to play somewhere else, don't you?"
"Well," Kate hesitated, hoping she didn't do this too
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often, "only if you want to."
"I don't. I want to know why Libb/s face is all red."
The room was silent for several seconds. Kate had no
idea what to do, and Liberty was still working on calming
down. She finally looked at her small sister's concerned
face.
"It's nice of you to care so much, Laura," Liberty said.
"I would like to talk with Mam. Do you think you could
give us a few minutes alone?"
"Are you mad at me?"
"Not at all, and I'm very sorry that I acted that way
when I came in."
Laura nodded. Liberty's voice had returned to normal.
All was right in the world. Both older women watched the
little girl skip from the room, and when she left, Kate sat
opposite the small table in the kitchen.
"What's up?" She didn't hesitate; Laura would not
want to stay gone all morning.
"I just had an argument with Slater."
"About?"
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Every Little Thing About You 193
"My working. He told me that I couldn't fill in and to
go home."
"I would think you would be glad of that, Lib. I
thought you'd been rather relieved."
Liberty knew it was time for the truth. "I haven't been
near so relieved as I've let on."
"Meaning?"
"I just don't feel needed by Griffin any longer," she
said, finally telling the truth. "Slater has fit in so well. I
thought Griff would need me from time to time. I know it
hasn't been that long, but I feel so left out."
"So Griffin didn't ask you to go down there this
morning and help?"
"He shouldn't have to ask me. He knows I'll just naturally
fill in."
"But he didn't ask you, did he, Libby?" her mother
asked again.
"No."
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"So Slater's telling you to leave did not sit well."
Liberty shook her head in confusion. "I know he needs
me, Mam. Why can't he see that?"
For the first time ever Kate saw how unhealthy her
daughter's situation might be. It never occurred to her that
Liberty wouldn't be able to give up the job. She'd always
been too busy being thankful that her daughter could be
there for her son. Clearly, Slater had other ideas. Kate was
in a sudden quandary. Her natural bent was toward her
child, but she certainly admired Slater's desire to keep Liberty
safe.
"What was his reason?" Kate asked.
"I don't think he wants me hurt," Liberty said, some
disgust coming back into her voice. "I can take care of
myself, Mam. I think I've more than proved that."
Kate's brow lowered. "What's really going on here, Liberty?
It doesn't sound to me as though you want to help so
much as you want to prove that you can."
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Liberty looked so crushed that Kate almost retracted
the words, but she took long enough to decide that Liberty's
face changed again.
"I don't know/' Liberty admitted. "I want to say thaf s
not true, but you might be right. Clearly my pride is
involved, or I wouldn't have gotten so angry."
Kate only nodded.
"I think I'll head up to my room now. Tell Laura I'll
play with her in a little while."
"All right What are you going to do?"
"Spend some time reading my Bible and praying. I've
got a lot of thinking to do."
Kate stayed where she was as Liberty left the room. She
had work to do--lots of it--but right now her daughter
needed prayer. She was still praying for her when Laura
returned. Kate carried on, seeming as normal as ever to
Laura, but her heart was full of doubts and questions, all of
which she had to leave with the Lord. No easy task. It was
dose to lunchtime before she surrendered and knew God's
peace.
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%r %r
He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he
made the waters to stand up as a heap. In the daytime also he led
them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. He
cleaved the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out
of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and
caused waters to run down like rivers. And they sinned yet more
against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. And
they tempted God in their heart by asking for meat for their lust.
Liberty read these verses in Psalm 78 several times. The
children of Israel had been brought from slavery and
bondage, but all they did was complain about what they'd
been forced to leave behind. God had given them an abundance.
Every need was met. He showed His love for them
over and over, but they still complained and wanted more.
Every Little Thing About You 195
I'm just like they are. Liberty now told the Lord, tears
341
clogging her throat. You've given me so much to thank You for,
but I want something different. You allowed me to help Griffin,
but when Slater doesn't want me, I grow angry. I'm sorry, Lord.
I'm so willful and full of pride. I think Mam is right. I want to
prove that I can do this. I've never seen it that way before.
Liberty suddenly rolled onto her back. "I'm terrified,"
she whispered, her eyes on the wood molding at the edge
of the ceiling. Liberty said the words, but not even that
made it clear to her. She knew she was frightened, but she
wasn't sure of what. Not being wanted? Not being good
enougjt? The answer wasn't obvious to her, but one thing
was: She had to go back to the jailhouse and apologize to
Slater. She had behaved terribly. Griffin had put him in
charge, and she'd treated him with contempt because she
didn't get her way.
Liberty did take time to put a puzzle together with
Laura, but when she left the house an hour later, she was
in one of her best dresses, her hair brushed away from her
face and falling long down her back. There hadn't been
much color in her face when she left, but just the thought
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of facing Slater made her blush, and she knew there would
be more than enough color when she saw him.
It was something of a letdown to find the office empty,
but she was not put off. She paced around the small confines
and hoped he wouldn't be hours. She was determined
to see him before she left. She turned when she heard boot
steps on the boardwalk, and sure enough, he opened the
door a moment later. Liberty watched him freeze and then
come in slowly. She spoke the moment the door was shut.
"I'm sorry."
Slater covered the distance between them in an instant,
coming to stand close in front of her.
"Thank you," he said softly, his eyes taking in every
detail of the face he loved.
"It was presumptuous of me and disrespectful. I am
very sorry, Slater."
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Slater's hand came up, and with the backs of his fingers
he stroked her baby-soft cheek, wishing with all his might
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that it could be his lips instead.
"I was going to talk with you/' he finally said. "I'm so
glad you came to me. The time was dragging because I
wanted to see you so much."
"Oh, Slater. Have you always been so understanding?"
He smiled. "Did you think I would order you into the
street?"
Liberty chuckled. "No, but I wouldn't have been too
surprised if you didn't want to speak to me for a while."
"That's never going to happen. Do you hear me?"
Liberty nodded. She desperately wanted to tell him
what was in her heart--the fears, the love--all of it, but it
had to come from him first. She thought he might be ready
for that, but until it happened, she couldn't be sure. The
silence was making her tense, so she invited him to dinner.
"I'd like to come, but I'm not sure I can spare the time."
Liberty understood. She had watched her brother as
sheriff for a long time.
"Can you tell me something, Slater?" Liberty asked,
wondering why she hadn't asked him before.
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"Sure."
"Why didn't you want my help? Have I done something
that makes you think you can't trust me?"
"Not at all. I know how good you are, but my answer
may not be the one you want to hear."
Liberty frowned. He could very well be right, but she
still wanted to know.
"Will you tell me anyway?"
"If you want me to, yes." Wondering if she could
handle his feelings on the matter, Slater looked at her for a
moment and then plunged in. "I haven't liked this arrangement
from the beginning. I don't think Griffin should be
using you as a backup. I think it's too dangerous."
Libby blinked in surprise but still said, "Slater, what
does Griffin do when there's no one else?"
Every little Thing About You 197
Slater tenderly put his hands on Liberty's shoulders,
his touch light. "Don't misunderstand me right now, Libby.
I'm glad that Griff is still here because you have a clear
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head and good aim, but I don't think Griff should even use
you as an option. I can't help but wonder if he might not
have looked a little harder for a deputy if you hadn't been
so available."
Liberty's head was spinning. This was so new to her.
They had always done it this way. Her father had taught
her, and she had carried on to do what was needed, always
feeling that even though he was gone, she had his blessing.
She shook her head a little. She wanted to be available for
Griffin, and right now she wasn't convinced that she
couldn't do that.
"Are you all right?" Slater asked.
"I am, Slater, but I can't tell you that I agree. I don't
know what I'm feeling right now. I've got to think."
Slater could only nod. He expected no less, but that
didn't change his disappointment. This was a major issue
in his mind. The pain in his heart forced him to go to the
Lord, the only good thing he could see in this situation.
Liberty didn't stick around much longer, but that wasn't all
bad. He found he needed
time to think as badly as she did.
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/-*3**
"A baby?" Laura's little face showed her shock and
deligjit.
"That's right," Duffy told her. "This summer he or she
will be here."
"Can he sleep with me?" Zach wished to know.
"Well," Kate told him gently, "the baby will have his
own bed, but maybe when he's a little older."
"Does Libby know?" Laura asked.
"Yes."
"And Griffin and Tess?"
"Yes."
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"Does Slater?" she tried again, and her parents
laughed; she simply had to share this news.
"I don't think he does/' Duffy said. "Did you need to
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tell someone?"
Laura nodded and looked down at her mother's
stomach.
"You're going to get fat, aren't you, Mam?"
Kate smiled. "I suppose I am."
"Laura!" Zach looked shocked. "Mam will never be fat.
It's not the same when you have a baby."
Laura nodded--she was always amazingly contrite
when Zach rebuked her--but her eyes still strayed to her
mother's waistline. Kate was increasing rapidly now, being
over the halfway point It was one of those things a child
wouldn't notice unless told, and Laura was now noticing
plenty.
"Does the baby make you tired, Mam?" Zach asked
sweetly, and Kate leaned to kiss him.
"At times, yes. Have I been crabby with you?"
"No, but you fell asleep in the kitchen that one day, and
I wondered."
"That was very observant of you, Zach," his father
praised. "A woman does tire easily when she's expecting."
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"Will there be more?" the six-year-old asked.
"We don't know. We didn't know that God would send
us this baby, but we know that God knows what's best for
us."
Zach sighed. "A baby. I've always wanted a baby."
Duffy and Kate shared a warm smile. God had surely
given them the most precious children in the world. They
were still thinking on this when Laura scrambled from her
mother's lap.
"Where are you going?" Duffy wished to know.
"To the front porch in case someone walks by," she
answered as she went.
"Why?" Zach asked first.
"So I can tell him Mam is having a baby."
Every Little Thing About You 199
"Laura." Duffy called her back even as Kate and Zach
dissolved into laughter. Kate didn't know what God had
planned for them, but if it was another Laura, it was sure
to be fun.