A Randall Returns

by Judy Christenberry

  “I got a Christmas card from Tracey Long,” Caroline said. He could hear the excitement in her voice. “You remember her?”

  Mike recalled Caroline’s high school friend who’d been abused by her husband. “Of course. She hear from her no-good husband?”

  “No, thank God. But she and the kids are all settled in Denver now with her parents. The girls love it there.”

  “A happy ending.” Though he kept his eyes on the road, he reached out and squeezed Caroline’s hand. “I’m glad for you. But I wish I could predict the same for Holly Gambil.”

  “Yeah,” Caroline said. “I checked on her father and he told me Nick helped them get a good attorney.”

  “They’re going to need one. From what I hear, the trial date’s not that far away.” Mike shook his head. He never could understand why people resorted to violence, no matter how emotional their situation. The image of a distraught young Holly still stayed in his mind. “I hope it turns out okay for her. She’s going to need lots of help getting her life back. And Mr. and Mrs. Gambil, too.”

  In his profession—and in Caroline’s—there wasn’t always a happy ending. He guessed that was why he felt elated when it did work out for someone. And baby Rosa? he wondered. How would the story end for her?

  He never got the chance to consider it, as they’d arrived at the Randall ranch.

  “Your dad must have his own snowplow,” Mike said, noticing how clean the drive was, with a ridge of snow down each side.

  “Oh, yes, he has the kind that attaches to the tractors. He used to let me ride with him when I was a little girl. I loved watching the snow spiral up into the air before falling on the side of the road.”

  “That’s a great memory,” Mike said.

  He could feel Caroline looking at him. “You never talk about your childhood, Mike. Is it too painful?”

  “Nah.” He shrugged. “It was what it was. Life was hard for my mom, being all alone with the three of us. She worked a lot and we kind of got by. At least we had Uncle Bill. And my sisters took great care of me. A benefit of being the youngest, I guess. But my mother…well, she did the best she could.” Mike glanced at Caroline. “It wasn’t all bad, you know. We did have some fun times. My sisters and I could really get my mother going.” He broke out in a grin at the memories.

  “I called them all this morning to wish them a Merry Christmas,” he continued. “My mom said it was eighty-one degrees in Florida, can you believe it?”

  “It must be hard not being together at the holidays,” Caroline said. She rubbed his arm gently. “You know, lately it seems the more people I talk to, the more I realize how much I have to be grateful for.”

  “You sure do.” At the turn in the driveway, he said, “Will Sarah and Nick be here?”

  Caroline stared at him, not understanding the change of subject. “Well, yes, I think so. Why?”

  “No reason. I just remembered seeing Sarah at the store the other day. She wanted to give me a discount because we got rid of their thieves. I told her to offer it to Harry.”

  “That was nice of you.”

  Mike shrugged his shoulders.

  Then, since they were on the driveway, not the county road, he pulled to a stop.

  “What are you doing? Is something wrong?”

  Mike took a deep breath. “Yeah. I was going to wait until tomorrow, but I can’t. I brought you this present.” He pulled a small box out of his coat pocket.

  “Don’t you want to wait until we open presents in the morning?”

  “Nope. If you won’t accept it, I’d rather you turn me down in private.”

  He noticed her breathing hitch, and she took the box in shaking fingers. “I—I…what is it?”

  “You’re supposed to open it.”

  He was as nervous as she was, and had to fight the urge to tear the paper off the small package. When she finally pulled it off, he took a deep breath. “Okay. Now you can open the box.”

  She eased it open. Inside was a dark green, smaller box, a jewelry box. Slowly she pried it open and gasped. Then she stared at him.

  For the first time he had a hard time reading someone. “Well? Do you like it?”

  “Oh, mercy, Mike! It’s stunning!”

  “Sarah sold it to me. But will you accept it?”

  “What finger should I wear it on?”

  He looked at her as if she were crazy. “Lady, that’s an engagement ring. And it means a short engagement. I love you so much. I want to take care of you, be there for you, build a life with you.”

  Tears glistened in her eyes. “Even if there are no children?”

  “Hell, yes! Haven’t I convinced you of that?”

  “Yes! I just had to ask one more time. Mike, I love you so much.”

  He gave her a deep kiss, sealing their promise to each other. In fact, it was so powerful, they might have made love right there on the side of the road, if a car hadn’t passed them, honking as it went by.

  Mike muttered under his breath and helped Caroline sit up. “Damn, it’s Jon. He would just happen by. Here, put the ring on. Sarah said she had your size on record.”

  The ring slid onto Caroline’s third finger, fitting perfectly.

  “My goodness, look how it sparkles, Mike. It must be at least three carats!”

  “Four! I wanted you to have a ring you’d be proud of.”

  “But, Mike, it must’ve cost a lot!”

  He grinned. “That’s an understatement,” he muttered.

  “But—”

  He kissed her again. “It was my decision. And I like the way it looks on your hand. All I want is for you to want to wear it.”

  “Oh, yes I do!”

  When they reached the house, Jon and Tori had already gone inside. Mike and Caroline greeted the family, but said nothing about their engagement. Then she asked Red for a cup of hot tea and went out to the kitchen with the women.

  It took several minutes for someone to notice the diamond on her finger. Then Mike heard Elizabeth scream, “Caroline, your ring!”

  Caroline must have been swamped by all the women, judging from the sounds in the kitchen.

  Jake, in the living room with the other men, looked up when he heard the commotion. Like everyone else, he started toward the door, but Mike put a hand on his arm. “Jake, could you wait a moment?”

  “You know what’s going on?”

  Mike nodded. When the others left the room, he said, “I asked Caroline to marry me…and I gave her a ring. I hope you and B.J. don’t mind.”

  “Mind? Hell, no, son. Welcome to the family!” He shook Mike’s hand and then hugged him.

  “Thanks, Jake,” Mike said, a little startled by the man’s exuberant reaction.

  Suddenly, Jake stepped back. “Did she talk to you about… about children?”

  “Yes, sir. If she can’t have babies but wants children, we’ll find a way. However, I discovered that Don was impotent.”

  “That bastard!”

  “My words exactly,” Mike told him. “But he’s gone now and he won’t be coming back. I scared him away.”

  Jake clapped him on the shoulder. “Thatta boy! Good job!” He grabbed Mike’s arm and started in the direction of the kitchen. “Let’s go see what kind of a ring you bought my little girl.”

  When they entered the crowded kitchen another eruption occurred. Everyone wanted to welcome Mike into the family and shake his hand. B.J. hugged him, as did all the ladies. And they all raved about the ring.

  “Where did you find it?” B.J. asked.

  “Ask Sarah. She said she had some private stock for special customers,” Mike said, nodding toward the woman.

  Nick stepped up next to Jake. “My wife has exquisite taste.”

  Jake reached his daughter and asked to see her ring. She held out her hand, watching his eyes. He stared at the diamond on her finger, then turned and looked at Mike. “Are you trying to start an uprising, Mike? All the ladies are going to want big rings. Mercy, you must’ve s
pent a wad.”

  Mike grinned. “Caroline is a special lady. I didn’t want her to be ashamed of my ring.”

  “You got that accomplished,” muttered Pete, scratching the back of his neck.

  Janie put her arm around her husband’s waist. “Don’t worry, honey. I have something better than Caro’s ring.”

  “You do? What’s that?”

  “Almost thirty years with you.”

  The kitchen seemed to turn into a love fest, with wives reassuring their husbands.

  “Gol-darn it! Get out of my kitchen with all this lovey-dovey stuff,” Red yelled. “I have work to do!”

  “I could use some help unloading my SUV. You won’t believe how many presents Caroline brought with her.” Mike headed out to his car and some of the men followed him. They all loaded up with presents and returned to the big living room used for family gatherings.

  Mike stood at the entrance, staring at the huge tree. “How did you get that tree in here? It’s beautiful.”

  “Yeah,” Casey said at his side. “It takes us a long time to decorate it. Tonight we’ll sing Christmas carols around it. And then Jake will read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ to all the little kids before they go up to bed.”

  “That sounds terrific,” Mike said.

  “And then the parents play Santa Claus,” Casey continued. “The rest of us watch and drink eggnog.”

  “And how early does Christmas start in the morning?”

  “There’s a rule. No one goes downstairs until the sun has risen. Then it’s up to us, but no one wants to miss Christmas morning. Besides, we get to open presents.”

  No matter what was under that tree in the morning, Mike knew he’d already gotten the best gift.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Mike enjoyed Christmas Eve, which followed Casey’s description. The small children were adorable as they listened to Jake read the story in his deep voice. Some of them sat at his feet. Others stayed in their mothers’ laps.

  Mike sat with his arm around Caroline. She was relaxed, leaning against him, whispering occasionally. He couldn’t imagine being more content. After the story, Anna led everyone in Christmas songs. The voices blended amazingly well. By the time it was all over Mike had to admit he’d never spent such a wonderful Christmas.

  A sleepy Caroline kissed him good-night and went up to bed shortly after ten. Mike wanted to go up with her, but, as she’d predicted, he was led to the bachelor pad by Casey. There he found all the unmarried men, even his uncle. They were talking about a variety of subjects including the price of Caroline’s ring. But no one asked.

  Mike was going to turn in when his cell phone rang.

  “What’s up?”

  “Sheriff, I’m sorry, but we’ve got this hysterical lady wantin’ to see her baby and fearin’ her husband will come. We don’t know what to do.”

  “She’s the woman who left the infant at the clinic?”

  “She says she is, but the nurses wouldn’t let her see her baby and she’s hysterical.”

  “Okay, Gary, I’ll be right there.”

  He told Casey he had to go back to town. Casey said his bunk was closest to the door. “Just knock and I’ll let you in,” he offered.

  All the way back to town, Mike worried about what was going to happen. How it would affect his engagement to Caroline.

  He’d known all along that she was growing too attached to the baby. He’d watched the two together and had marveled at Caroline’s gentle touch, at Rosa’s soft coos when she was being held. And he’d known trouble was brewing. He’d told Caroline it was only a matter of days before social services came and took control of the baby—Rosa was getting healthy enough to leave the clinic—but he doubted she listened to him.

  Mike raked a hand through his hair. If Rosa was reunited with her mother, Caroline would be devastated. Would she blame him? Would she give him back his ring and end their relationship?

  Questions whirred in his head as he pulled up at the clinic. Alice, the nurse on duty that night, explained that the woman had come in and asked for her baby back. When they’d told her no, she’d tried to get past them. Alice had fought her while the other nurse called the Sheriff’s Office.

  “Your officers were wonderful, Sheriff Davis. They got her out of here.”

  “Good. I’m going to talk to her.”

  “Will she get Rosa?”

  Mike patted her shoulder. “I don’t know. It’s not my decision.”

  When he got to the office, he heard sobbing as soon as he opened the door. The woman was in the first cell, crying her heart out. The two deputies were standing around looking very uneasy.

  “Open the cell,” Mike ordered, “and don’t lock it again.”

  The woman, who had long blond hair, never looked up. Mike sat down beside her and touched her shoulder. “Ma’am, I’m the sheriff, Mike Davis. What’s your name?”

  She glanced at him, and he saw that her face was a mess—her eyes swollen, one of them black, with a bruise on her opposite cheekbone.

  “Gary, get me some tissue,” he called to his deputy. “Ma’am, did my men hurt you like this?” He gestured to her eye.

  “Oh, n-no. That was m-my husband.”

  “Is he here?”

  “N-no. I ran away and—and I hitched a ride with a truck driver.”

  “And your name?”

  “Mary Hudson.”

  “And your husband’s name?”

  She shook her head and covered her face.

  “Mrs. Hudson, I need to know your husband’s name and his location.”

  “I left him in Salt Lake City. His name is…is Perry Goodson.”

  “You’re not really married to him?”

  She covered her face again and sobbed some more.

  “Okay, I need some more information. Why do you think your baby is in our clinic?”

  “B-because I left her on the steps. If I hadn’t, that bastard was going to kill her. He said he couldn’t get enough sleep when she cried.”

  “And did you name your baby?”

  “Yes! Yes, I named her Rosa because she was as pretty as a rose. My mom was named Rose. I wanted her to have her own name, so I change it to Rosa.”

  He asked her several more questions. Then he said, “If I take you to see your baby, will you accept the fact that you can’t take her out of the clinic tonight?”

  She grabbed his hand. “I can see her? She’s all right?”

  “Yes. I understand she’s putting on weight and seems happy. But you’re going to have to appear before a judge and prove that you can take care of your baby. That you won’t abandon her again.”

  “I won’t! I promise! But I can’t afford a lawyer or anything. I’ll never get her back. Please help me!”

  “The main thing you have to do is calm down. You can’t see Rosa like this.”

  “I—I will,” she said, hiccuping a little.

  “Do you have a coat?”

  “I have a sweater,” she said, looking wildly around her.

  Gary stepped forward and held her sweater out for her to slip her arms into the sleeves.

  Mike handed his keys to Gary. “Run upstairs. I have a couple of coats in my closet. Bring one of them down.”

  Mary looked confused. “I’m fine with my sweater.”

  “It’s cold outside, ma’am. Where did you come from?”

  “Salt Lake City.”

  “No, I mean where’s your family?”

  “My dad lives in Kentucky. My mom’s dead. I—I ran away with Perry. Dad told me not to come back. I knew I’d made a mistake, but I didn’t have anywhere to go. Then I got pregnant and I hoped Perry would like our baby.”

  Gary came down with a heavy jacket and held it out for Mary.

  Mike took her outside to his SUV. He helped her in and circled the vehicle to drive her to the clinic.

  Once they got there, Mary seemed afraid. “I don’t think they’ll let me in.”

  “Yes, they will. I’ll
make sure of it.”

  Mike led her into the clinic and rang the bell for assistance.

  The two nurses came together, their eyes wide and wary. “Sheriff,” Alice said in greeting.

  “Ladies, this is Mary Hudson. She left her baby on the front steps about a week ago because the father threatened to kill her. She understands that she can’t take the baby away, but she’d like to hold her and see if she’s all right.”

  “Are you sure she won’t hurt her?” Alice asked.

  “No!” Mary protested. “I’d never do that. I promise I just want to—to hold her.”

  The pain in her eyes, the hunger to see her child, convinced the nurses more than Mike’s words.

  The four of them went down the hall to the nursery. Mary started trembling when she saw the baby sleeping in a bassinet.

  Alice put an arm around the woman. “Here, come sit in the rocker. She should be wanting her bottle anytime now. You can feed her.”

  Mary’s eyes lit up with joy. Alice helped her remove Mike’s jacket, then the woman sank down in the rocker and stared at her baby, tears running down her face.

  Mike leaned against the wall, waiting.

  When the baby began stirring, Mary watched her child in awe. Alice picked the baby up and handed her to her mother.

  Mike was afraid Rosa would let out a yell, but the baby just latched on to the bottle the nurse had given Mary. When she finished feeding, the nurses showed Mary how to burp her.

  Once that was done, exhaustion took effect on the weary mother.

  “Come on, Mary.” Mike picked up his coat and helped her put it on.

  She turned to the nurses and thanked them for taking care of her baby.

  “Where are you taking her?” Alice asked.

  “I’m going to drive her back to the jail.”

  “We can keep her here. She might need some attention to that bruise.”

  “Don’t worry,” Mike said, realizing he was going to have another fight on his hands if he didn’t convince the nurses he was going to help Mary. “I’m going to put her in my apartment for the night. Tomorrow I’ll see what I can do for her. But first she needs to sleep.”

  “But where will you sleep?”