The Forest Ranger's Promise

by Bale, Leigh

  “Aaron was a drunk. He couldn’t even stand up straight.”

  “Yes, he was a drunk. But at least you still have your husband. Mine’s gone.” Bitterness filled Melanie’s voice. And deep, soul-wrenching hurt.

  For the first time since Melanie had known her, Nina’s eyes filled with shame and she looked away. But she didn’t apologize. She didn’t say one word.

  Melanie gnashed her teeth, longing to say a few more choice words no good Christian woman should ever utter. Instead, she turned and walked away, fuming inside. She had tried to reason with Nina. Tried to behave as the Savior would have her do, but realized her efforts were futile. Nina was filled with so much hate that she couldn’t hear anything but anger.

  Sometimes it was very difficult to love your enemy.

  Chapter Eleven

  He didn’t want to be here. Driving through town, Scott pulled off to the side of the road and parked in the dirt near the community center. Emotions waged a war inside him as he looked at Shelley. The girl crinkled her nose, her eyes filled with resignation.

  “I guess we have to do this,” she said. “Anne told me it’s what communities do. They help clean up the town.”

  She rubbed the elastic bandage he’d wrapped around her knee that morning. Melanie had told him what happened at soccer practice. Scott had paid a rather stilted visit to Frank Donaldson. Needless to say, it hadn’t gone much better than Melanie’s chat with Nina.

  After cleaning the egg off their house, neither he nor Shelley wanted to help clean up trash along the outskirts of town. But they’d do it, because they wanted to be part of this community.

  “We won’t stay long. I don’t want you walking on that knee very much.” The promise was for her as well as himself. When they’d first come to Snyderville, he’d felt so certain he could make a difference here. The community cleanup was a great idea, but Scott couldn’t help feeling angry at many of these people after all they’d put him and Shelley through.

  Most of Scott’s work and personal problems stemmed from the Donaldsons. He had to figure out a way to get Frank and his family to leave him and Shelley alone. But how? Scott had tried to be as considerate as possible. He’d made good on his promises, working as hard as he could.

  They didn’t need to be friends, but vandalism and bodily harm were not acceptable. If not for Melanie’s encouragement, he might have given up and left town. He didn’t want to expose his child to so much hatred. When he came to town, he didn’t care what these people thought of him. That had changed somehow. He now cared about these people, and Melanie and Anne. And that bothered him. Intensely.

  Caring meant he could be hurt again.

  He stared out the windshield. People walked along the sides of the road, picking up old cans, paper and other trash.

  We don’t need to help these people! They don’t want us here, so why keep trying? He wanted to say the words out loud, but didn’t. What kind of message would that send to Shelley? Life wasn’t easy here in Snyderville, but if he backed down, turned tail and hid out, he’d be sending his daughter a message that she could quit whenever life got difficult. Right now, he was fighting for his career, but he was also trying to teach his child an important lesson. She’d been a meek child when they first came to this town. Now he admired her spunk and courage.

  Reaching across the seat, he pulled Shelley close for a quick hug. Normally she pushed him away, but this time, she clung to his arms. Hurt and defenseless.

  He rested his chin on her hair, enjoying the sweet smell of her strawberry shampoo. “Don’t be frightened, hon. I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

  “You can’t stop Bart from knocking me down during soccer practice,” she said.

  He hated that she was right. He longed to protect her every minute of every day, but knew that wasn’t possible.

  “I thought you weren’t going to play soccer anymore.” Half of him wished she’d quit and the other half wished she’d dig in her heels and stubbornly continue to play, just to show Bart that he couldn’t frighten her off.

  She pulled away and smiled, rubbing his bristly chin. Her touch spoke volumes. There’d been a time in their lives not too long ago when she wouldn’t come near him because she missed her mom. Since they’d moved to Snyderville, they’d drawn closer, depending on one another. At least one good thing had come out of his new assignment in this town.

  And he’d met Melanie McAllister.

  “I wasn’t gonna play anymore, but Anne said when you get bucked off, you have to get back on the horse and ride again. I can’t let Bart think I’m afraid of him or he’ll just be meaner the next time. I have to show him that he can’t hurt me.”

  How wise. Scott felt the same way about God. Scott had been deeply hurt when his wife left him and he’d turned to the Lord for comfort. When he didn’t find it, he’d abandoned prayer. Scott had been bucked off hard, but now he didn’t feel quite as angry anymore. Maybe it was time to dust himself off and renew his relationship with his Heavenly Father.

  “Dad…” Shelley’s voice trailed off as she contemplated her hands.

  “Yes?”

  “Don’t tell Anne, but I’m afraid of Bart. He’s lots bigger than me and he can be mean. He hates me.”

  How could an eleven-year-old boy hate this sweet little girl? What did these children know about love and hate? Parents needed to be careful how they spoke and acted around their children. They passed along their biases and opinions to their kids.

  Scott squeezed her shoulder and smiled. “I don’t think Bart hates you. He just hasn’t gotten to know you yet. You’ll just have to outrun him so he can’t catch you.”

  She giggled. “That’s easy. I can outrun all the other kids.”

  “Then score a lot of goals for your team, hon. And from now on, I’m going to arrange my schedule so I can be at your soccer practices. Bart won’t bother you with me standing there watching—I can guarantee that.”

  “It’s okay, Dad. Melanie protects me. You should have heard her tell Mrs. Donaldson off after Bart knocked me down. And Coach benched Bart for hitting me so hard. Bart didn’t get to play for the rest of the day.”

  Thank goodness for Melanie and Coach Allen.

  “I’m proud of you, Shelley. You’re so grown-up. I’m glad I have you with me.” He kissed her forehead.

  “I love you, Daddy.”

  His heart constricted. How he loved hearing these words from his girl. “I love you too, pumpkin.”

  They got out of the truck and Scott reached into the back for their gloves, rakes and plastic bags. Normally he would have taken this opportunity to mingle with the townsfolk, to chat and become friendlier. But today he just didn’t feel like it. He wanted to spend time with Shelley.

  When he saw Melanie, he approached her from behind, his heart pounding within his chest. He couldn’t figure out why her nearness twisted him inside out.

  Using a long metal bar, she tried to pry a large rock free from the path edging the road. Only this woman would endeavor such a task. Although she wasn’t big or strong, nothing seemed to get in her way when she had a task to tackle. She did what she had to do.

  “Hey! There’s Shelley.” Anne pointed and Melanie stood straight and looked over her shoulder before wiping her face with her forearm.

  “Hi! You got a problem there?” Scott asked as the girls greeted each other.

  Melanie panted to catch her breath and tapped the rock with the toe of her tennis shoe. “It won’t budge. Think you can get it to move?”

  He jerked on his gloves and took the bar from her hands. “I can try.”

  He thrust the bar hard against the side of the rock before bracing it against the dirt for leverage. With one hard shove, the rock gave way. Scott bent over and pushed the rock. It rolled out of the way into the sagebrush.

  Melanie laughed, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight. “Impressive. Now people won’t trip over it when they walk by.”

  “I just hope my road repair project
goes as well.” He leaned on the bar, resting his gloved hands on the top point. She stepped closer and he gazed into her eyes, lost in pools of emerald green.

  “I heard you’re closing Deer Creek Road for five days while you replace the bridge over the creek.”

  “Yeah, the steep rock cliffs prohibit construction of a detour, so we’ll have to close the road. It’ll be worth it once the bridge is completed.”

  “Is that why you don’t have the pipeline finished yet?”

  Scott drew back and found Frank Donaldson standing behind him. For such a big man, Frank moved on cat’s feet. That or Scott had been too occupied with Melanie to notice the other man.

  “Hi, Frank. You here for the cleanup?” Scott looked for the man’s tools, but saw none.

  Frank’s slitted eyes glimmered with distaste. “I’d like to clean out the ranger trash if I could.”

  Scott refused to be baited by the man or give in to his insults. He cocked his head and put a hand to one ear. “What’s that? I didn’t hear you.”

  Frank mumbled a sullen reply before speaking louder. “Why isn’t the pipeline finished yet?”

  “It just so happens that we ran into a problem several days ago. Over the night, a brown bear got into the pipe we had sitting beside the trench and chewed it up. So we’ve ordered more pipe. The project will take us an additional week to complete.”

  “I knew it,” Frank crowed. “I knew you wouldn’t keep your word.”

  Scott tensed, unable to believe this accusation. “I’ve kept my word, Frank. The pipe will be one week late.”

  “That’s reasonable under the circumstances.” Pete Longley stood several feet away, shoving old newspaper into a plastic bag.

  “How would you know?” Frank said. “You’re a sheep man.”

  Caleb Hinkle paused in his work and leaned on the handle of his rake. “Well, I’m a cattle man, and I’m mighty grateful the water line’s almost finished. Mr. Ennison’s done a good job for us.”

  “You said you’d have the line finished in four weeks. Now it’s taking five weeks,” Frank said.

  The nerve of that man! After years of waiting for the Forest Service to act, the ranchers were finally about to get their water line. Through no fault of Scott’s, the project had been delayed one week. All the digging was finished, the cement slab had dried and the water trough had been installed.

  Scott shook his head. “No matter what we do, you’ll find some reason to complain. You’re being unreasonable, looking for a fight where there isn’t one.”

  Caleb pushed his hat back and wiped his damp brow. “What’s gotten into you, Frank? We’re lucky to finally have a good ranger here in Snyderville. You’ve got a bad temper for no reason.”

  Melanie folded her arms, her mouth quirked with disgust. “You used to be different, Frank. Ever since Thad died, you’ve been meaner than a grizzly and taking it out on anyone who crosses your path.”

  Frank’s face darkened and he clenched his burly hands. He took a step closer to Melanie and Scott automatically stepped in front of her. He’d protect her to the death. Frank looked mad enough to beat her to a pulp and Scott wouldn’t allow him to touch her. Not ever.

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Melanie,” Frank’s voice rumbled deep in his chest. “This has nothing to do with my son dying.”

  “Doesn’t it?” She moved around Scott, standing close by his side. “We’ve all lost people we love, but we have no right to take our grief out on others. Think about how your actions have impacted your wife and your other sons. They used to be happy, smiling and laughing. Now they sneak around town getting into trouble all the time. And it’s mostly due to your bad attitude.”

  Scott flinched, wishing she’d bite her tongue. Her candor seemed to hit hard as Frank’s face turned an ugly shade of beet red. Scott hadn’t known Frank had lost a son and he wondered how it had happened. He’d ask Melanie later on. Right now, antagonizing Frank wouldn’t do them any good.

  “Just get the pipeline finished.” Frank glared at them for several pounding moments, his big hands clenched so hard that his knuckles whitened.

  “It’ll be done in one more week.” Scott didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until Frank backed off and stomped away.

  Caleb clapped his hand once on Scott’s back. “I don’t care what Donaldson says. I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Me, too. You’ve proven yourself and you’re welcome here.” Tom Kinsey showed a sunburned grin.

  “Thanks.” Scott had never expected this kind of support. Although there were ranchers who still hated him, he also had friends here. Knowing that lightened his heart, as nothing else could.

  When they had a moment alone, Scott looked at Melanie. “Do you have a death wish, young lady?”

  She shook her head, her expression sad as she watched Frank’s retreating back. “No, but someone had to say it. The entire town’s been taking the brunt of Frank’s rage for five years now. It’s time someone called him on it.”

  “What happened to his son?”

  She bent over and scooped up more dead leaves before stuffing them into a black plastic bag. “A truck accident. Frank was driving home from Evanston late one night and hit a deer. Thad was twenty-two years old at the time and had just graduated from the University of Wyoming. He wasn’t wearing a seat belt and was killed instantly. Frank won’t admit it, but I think he blames himself. He used to be a gruff, but nice, man. That all changed after Thad died. Frank hasn’t stepped inside a church ever since and he became hateful to everyone.”

  Then Scott and Frank had something in common. Scott blamed himself for his divorce. Guilt weighed heavily on Scott’s mind and he’d turned his back on the Lord. Seeing what had become of Frank, Scott realized that he didn’t want to end up like the other man. Angry and unforgiving. Taking his rage out on everyone around him.

  Knowing about Thad Donaldson’s death gave Scott some insight into why Frank acted the way he did. Maybe Scott could cut the man some slack. But he still wouldn’t tolerate Frank’s sons vandalizing his house or threatening his girls.

  His girls. That’s how Scott thought of Melanie and their two daughters. Somewhere along the line, Scott had fallen in love with them. Because he loved them, he’d assumed responsibility for them. Even with the troubles they faced, Scott considered them his. Even Anne, who had been so hurt when she lost her father. Both the girls needed a daddy and a mommy to love them. Someone to look up to and trust. Whether Melanie admitted it or not, she and Anne needed him, just as he and Shelley needed them.

  Now what? He longed to tell Melanie how he felt, but he didn’t dare. His profession stood between them like a great steel wall. How could he make things work between them? He didn’t think he could stand to be hurt again.

  “Take it back!” Shelley yelled at Anne.

  Scott turned. The two girls stood at the bottom of the ditch bank where they’d been raking weeds and garbage. From the angry glares on the girls’ faces, Scott realized that they were fighting.

  Great…that’s all they needed right now.

  “No, I won’t. It’s true,” Anne hollered back.

  “Then you’re not my friend anymore.”

  “That’s fine with me.” Anne shoved the other girl. Shelley staggered on her injured leg, lost her balance and landed on her bottom in the tall weeds.

  “Anne!” Melanie jumped across the ditch and went to help Shelley up. Scott was right behind her.

  “You okay?” Scott asked Shelley.

  The girl rubbed her knee, glaring at Anne.

  Anne stomped off, heading down the road as fast as her legs would carry her.

  “Anne!” Melanie called, but the girl kept going.

  “What was that all about?” Scott asked his daughter.

  Shelley glowered at the other girl. “She said you’re still a rotten forest ranger. Once a rotten forest ranger, always a rotten forest ranger. So I called her a rotten rancher.”

 
Melanie clenched her eyes closed and let out a hissing breath. She clearly shared his exasperation over this contentious situation.

  Truth be told, Scott was growing incredibly weary of this battle. It was one thing to have the town hate him and his job, but he was at a loss as to how to resolve the problem with these girls. “I thought you two had stopped your fighting.”

  Tears beaded in the corners of Shelley’s eyes. “You’re the only thing we ever fight about, Dad. I’m a ranger’s daughter and Anne’s a rancher. It’ll always be that way.”

  “Calling each other names won’t solve anything. You two should be friends, not enemies.” Scott said the words automatically, conscious of Melanie standing beside him listening.

  “She started it,” Shelley said.

  “I don’t care. You finish it. What about you two being half dogies? I thought that was more important than being rangers or ranchers.”

  “Anne doesn’t think so. She doesn’t like you, Dad. And if she doesn’t like you, then I don’t like her.” Shelley limped over to pick up her plastic bag.

  Scott inhaled a sharp breath, feeling as though he’d been slugged in the gut. Anne hated him. In spite of everything he’d tried to do to win her trust. He could forget about telling Melanie how he felt about her.

  “I think it’s time I took Shelley home. I’m worried about her leg.” From Melanie’s sympathetic expression, Scott knew she didn’t buy his excuse.

  “I’m sorry, Scott. For everything,” she said.

  “Yeah, me, too.”

  “I’ll speak to Anne again.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “I made her a promise and I need to prove myself to her, Mel. It’ll take time.”

  But how much time? What could he do to prove himself to Anne and win her trust? Until he did, he couldn’t make her and Melanie part of his family. And he wanted them for keeps.

  By Friday evening, Scott looked forward to a free evening. He’d worked hard to coordinate the various projects he had going for the ranchers. Thankfully, the work crew had completed the pipeline up on Three Creek. Frank should be pleased. For once.