“I’m spending the night at the Randalls’ ranch.”
“Will she be able to keep her baby?”
“I don’t know. I’m going to ask Nick Randall to help her.”
“Good.” Alice turned to comfort the mother. “Don’t worry, Mary. You’ll be okay.”
By the time he got the woman back to the Sheriff’s Office, she was almost asleep. Mike left her with Gary while he went upstairs and straightened up a little. He found a T-shirt she could sleep in. That was the best he could offer. Then he called down for Gary to bring her up. Mike showed her the bathroom, offered the T-shirt and told her someone would give her breakfast when she woke up.
“Thank you so much,” she whispered, obviously overwhelmed.
The two men went down the stairs. Gary muttered, “The man who beat her should be in jail.”
Mike nodded in agreement. “Will you keep an eye on her? When she wakes up, take her to breakfast at the café. You can even escort her to see Rosa again. Tell her she’ll have to spend the night in my apartment again tomorrow night. Then she’ll see Nick Randall to find out what she has to do to get her baby back.”
“Sure, boss. Listen, she’s a little thinner than my sister, but I’m sure my sister can give her a few clothes. That might make her feel better.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you, Gary, if you think your sister won’t mind. After all, tomorrow is Christmas.”
“Couldn’t be a better time to give.”
“Good point. I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon to see how she’s doing.”
“Yes, sir.”
Mike felt sorry for the woman. She seemed so young, so lost. He believed he had to help her.
But what would it do to Caroline? He’d do anything he could for her, because more than anything in the world, he wanted her to be happy. But he couldn’t take Rosa from her mother. He had to do his job.
He drove back out to the ranch, feeling like a fraud accepting Jake’s warm hospitality while bringing sadness to his daughter. Mike remembered how Jake had welcomed him into the family. That could change, come dawn.
Rapping on the bunkhouse door, Mike waited for a sleepy Casey to open up.
“Come on in. You won’t get much sleep if you plan to get up early,” Casey whispered.
“Yeah, I know. But wake me at sunup anyway, okay?”
“Sure,” Casey agreed, and yawned.
Mike went to the small room he’d been given and shed his clothes, sliding under the covers. But instead of sleeping, he tossed and turned, fearing the reality of dawn.
CAROLINE HEARD the stirring of the children early the next morning. She thought about staying in bed, but she knew Mike would be waiting for her. She held up her finger and stared at her beautiful ring. He’d certainly surprised her. She knew he wanted to be with her, but she hadn’t been sure he wanted anything permanent.
A month ago she’d been in Chicago, hiding out from her family, from her life, thinking herself less a woman, less a potential wife because of her so-called deficiency. Then she’d come to Rawhide and found Mike Davis—and everything had changed.
She thought of little Zach and his mother and the lesson she’d learned from them. Then she thought of Mike and how, thanks to him, she’d learned how much she had to offer. She hugged herself at her luck in finding such a man as Mike.
A knock on her door had her hoping it was him. When she opened it, however, Davy stood there.
“Aunt Caroline? Are you going to come down? Daddy said to come ask you.”
The boy’s excitement was contagious. “Yes, I am. Let me get my robe and I’ll come down with you.” She put on a warm robe and slippers and stepped out of her room.
Davy was waiting for her. “Come on, Aunt Caroline. Daddy said we should go to the kitchen first.”
She could smell the coffee halfway down the stairs, and picked up speed. Knowing Mike would head for a cup of coffee, she hurried to the kitchen.
He wasn’t there.
“Have you seen Mike?” she asked Red and Mildred.
They both shook their heads. Then Red said, “We heard someone drive off last night. His SUV is out there now, but he may have had a call and not gotten much sleep.”
Caroline was just heading to the bunkhouse to find him when he came in the door with Casey.
“Mike! Are you okay?”
He gave her a haggard smile. “Fine. But I didn’t get much sleep.”
Caroline’s heart fell. “Were you having second thoughts?” she asked softly.
He pulled her into his arms. “Never, sweetheart.”
She relaxed against him. “I would’ve stayed in bed this morning if you’d been with me.”
His smile brightened. “I wish I had been.”
“Come on, sit down, and I’ll get you some coffee.”
Along with coffee, she brought him a warm cinnamon roll. He drank some coffee first, but once he tasted the cinnamon roll, he finished it before he went back to the coffee. “Man, that was great. Can you make those, Caro?”
“That’s another secret recipe of Red’s,” she told him ruefully.
“Maybe for a wedding present Red will—” Mike suddenly stopped as his phone rang.
Since she was standing closest to it, Caroline picked it up. “Merry Christmas to you, too,” she said when the deputy greeted her.
“I’m sorry to bother you all on Christmas, Ms. Randall, but I need to speak to Mike about the baby’s mother.”
Caroline felt her chest tighten, her pulse pound. It suddenly became hard to breathe. “Excuse me?”
“Little Rosa,” the deputy clarified. “Didn’t Mike tell you? Her mother showed up last night to take her child.”
Caroline held back the tears that stung her eyes. She turned to look at Mike.
The man she loved looked like a criminal caught in the act.
“CARO—”
“Why, Mike? Why didn’t you tell me?”
He took her hand and led her to the dining room, a silent, empty space where they wouldn’t be disturbed.
“I wanted to tell you, Caro. But I was going to wait until after Christmas.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Dammit, Caroline, I was afraid.”
“Afraid of what, Mike?” She held herself so stiffly, he was sure she’d snap.
“Afraid you’d…change your mind. About us.” At the questioning look in her eyes, he continued. “She wants her baby back—and I’m going to help her.”
Caroline closed her eyes and turned away. After a few silent moments she faced him again, her face contorted with emotion. “And that’s it? She just asks and we hand that fragile child to her?”
Mike heard the rising mixture of temper and tears. “Of course that’s not how it is. But I believe I should help her. I’m going to ask Nick to provide her legal aid. One of my deputies is getting her clothes. She has nothing, but she loves her baby more than life itself. The man beat her, but she got away and hitchhiked back to Rawhide.”
“And how will she take care of her baby? Does she have any resources? Any way of supporting herself and her child?”
Mike shook his head. “No, but—”
“And what about what I can offer her? A stable, safe, secure life.”
As much as it hurt him, Mike had to say it. “It’s not about that, Caroline. She’s the baby’s mother. Look, if you want to fight her, you go ahead. But I don’t think that’s the way to proceed.”
“I’d hoped—” She broke off and bit her bottom lip. As if a dam opened, the tears she’d fought off so valiantly now slid down her face.
“I know, sweetheart.” She’d hoped to make them a family, with Rosa. He knew. “I promise I’ll help you get children, but I can’t take Mary’s baby away from her.”
More than anything, he wanted to reach out to Caroline, take her in his arms and comfort her. But he feared she’d lose control if he moved. He stood stock-still, letting his words touch her with the depth of his feeling.
“Caroline, I’ll understand if y
ou don’t want to marry me anymore.”
Saying nothing, she put her head down and stepped back.
Mike had dealt with his share of tough-guy criminals in his career, but none of them scared him like this woman in front of him. He held his breath and awaited her answer.
“Do you think that’s how I love you, Mike? Only if I get my own way?”
“Caro, I just want you to be happy.”
“I know. So you must believe this Mary deserves to have her baby.”
“Yes, I do.”
Caroline nodded, still not giving him a clue what she’d say about their future. The tears still fell, though silently now, making tracks on her cheeks, but her breathing had evened.
“Well, Mike,” she said finally, “then you’d better tell me what I can do to help her.”
Mike couldn’t believe his ears. He needed clarification. “Caroline, does that mean you still want to marry me?”
“Of course,” Caroline said with a big smile. “If you’ll still have me.”
Mike couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. He could only kiss her.
CASEY UNWRAPPED the big book. When he saw it was the picture book of Michael Jordan’s career, he let out a whoop. Caroline told him to open it, and he saw the autograph. “Is this real?”
“Yes. Mike asked him for it.”
“In person? You actually spoke to Michael Jordan?” Casey demanded in awe.
“Yeah. Sometimes I did security at the Bulls games. He was nice about signing things.”
“Oh, man! Wait till I show the guys!” The teenager began to slowly turn the pages, all the laughter and conversation going on around him completely ignored.
Pete leaned over his shoulder, and Casey showed his dad his gift.
Mike watched the family celebrating Christmas. He had bought a couple of other things for Caroline, and hostess gifts for the Randalls. He’d even found several packages for himself under the tree.
He opened a new cowboy hat—one of the most expensive brands—from Jake and B.J. He decided at once he’d save it to wear on Sundays. Then there was a leather vest from “Santa.”
“I didn’t know Santa had such good taste,” he whispered to Caroline.
“Oh, yes, Santa has the best taste of all.”
He opened a smaller package and found a beautiful knife engraved with his name. He looked at Caroline. “This is great!”
“I’m glad you like it,” she said with a big smile.
When all the presents had been opened, Caroline asked for a minute of everyone’s time. “Mike had to go to town last night because the mother of baby Rosa came back. She’s young and scared. The man she was with beat her up. She hitchhiked from Salt Lake City to Rawhide. She loves her baby very much.
“I want to ask if you can help her in any way—with old clothes, a job, a place to live. She needs everything.” She looked at her father and her uncle. “I know you always give a gift to the town each Christmas, and I think helping her would be a great gift.”
“Where is she now?” her uncle Chad asked.
Mike spoke up. “I lent her my apartment last night, since I was coming back out here. Her mother is dead and her father told her not to come back if she went off with the father of her baby. She’s afraid to go home, but she has nowhere else to go.” Mike sighed. “She’s made some poor choices, but she loves her baby.”
“Of course we’ll help,” Jake said.
Suddenly all the family was making offers of gifts and donations. But Caroline’s aunt Anna had the best offer of all. “I know someone who would welcome Mary and her baby. Mrs. Alexander wants to remain at home, but she needs someone to do light housework and cooking.”
“That would be great, Anna,” Mike said with a pleased smile. “You Randalls have the biggest hearts in the whole state of Wyoming. I’m pleased to become a member of the family.”
“And we’re pleased to have you,” Jake assured him. “How long before the wedding?”
“As soon as possible,” Mike said. “As long as it’s okay with Caroline.”
She leaned against him. “I think we should join Bill and Margie in their New Year’s Eve wedding.”
A large cheer went up, led by Bill Metzger.
“Can you get ready that soon?” Mike asked Caroline.
“Of course. We Randalls are experts at planning weddings.”
When they were given a few minutes alone, Mike asked for one promise. “I want you to let Jon check you out and make sure you’re all right. Okay?”
“All right.”
When they took Jon aside to ask him, he promptly agreed. “If you hadn’t told me you can’t have children, I’d ask if you could be pregnant. Tori says you remind her of herself when she had our first child.”
Caroline stared at her partner. Then she stared at Mike.
“Well, Doctor? What do you think?” Mike asked, smiling.
“It couldn’t be…could it?”
“Let’s go to the office and find out,” Mike suggested.
By the time they started to the clinic, half the family knew what was going on. Jake and B.J. followed them in their vehicle.
The other adults started gathering items for the baby’s mother, promising to bring things in later. Anna, with Brett, went to town to meet the young woman.
The Randall family was once again playing Santa Claus.
IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG to determine that Caroline was indeed pregnant. She started crying and Mike rocked her against him.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart. It’s just another special Christmas present from Santa.”
She laughed through her tears. “I never thought—I’m so blessed. And you! Don’t you get a big head because you managed to get me pregnant.”
“Hey, I’m going to brag about it all over town.” Then he laughed. “Good thing we’re planning a quick wedding. Otherwise, I might be thrown out of town.”
She hugged him tightly. “I wouldn’t let them do that. Oh, Mike, I’m so happy!”
“Your parents are waiting. Want to go tell them?”
“Oh, yes.” She grabbed Mike’s arm and Jon’s, too, and the three of them went to the waiting room. Her parents didn’t have to ask the question. The answer was all over Caroline’s face.
When they stopped hugging her, B.J. told them they’d already made plans for the wedding to be held in the arena at the ranch. Mike looked surprised, but Caroline assured him it would be lovely. Toby and Elizabeth had been married there.
Mike put his arms around her again. “Honey, I’ll take you any way I can get you. You’re my life. And our baby makes everything perfect.”
“I’ll remind you of that when the two-o’clock feeding comes around,” she told him, delight in her eyes.
“That’s a deal,” he agreed.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-5376-0
A RANDALL RETURNS
Copyright © 2003 by Judy Christenberry
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A Randall Returns Page 19