"Gimme a break, baby. I don't get to be there every day, so I'm the good cop. You're there and you have to instill discipline, so you're the bad cop. Once we figure out how we can all be together in one place, I'll take over the role of the bad guy every once in awhile, but give me this one, okay?"
Of course, Jon couldn't disappoint the man he loved, so he'd acquiesced. Love made him strong and weak in equal measure.
"I can promise you my parents will love both of you. I know they're anxious to meet the two of you," he told them as he turned onto SR-630 to get to the farm.
"They know about me? I'm sure most folks would love Meggie, but I'm a juvenile delinquent. Not many folks like to have my kind around," Terrence spoke as he looked out the front window of the two-door Mercedes. He rarely addressed Jon by looking in his eyes, and Jon knew that had to change.
The 'scared straight' thing was coming up quickly, and Jon was very concerned about it. On the outside, Terrence gave the impression he wasn’t afraid of anything, but Jon had looked up the program on the internet, and it scared the shit out of him. He didn't want to scare the kid that way. He wanted to show him love and family and make him want for better things. Scaring the shit out of him didn't seem like a good road to rehabilitation.
Jon swallowed, knowing his answer was important. "Of course, they know about you, Terry. My dad is my boss, actually. He runs the firm where I work and not much slips by him. He knows all about both of you, and my mom's been ready to meet you since the day I brought you home. I'll apologize for her behavior in advance," Jon told him with a grin, hoping to get any positive emotions from the boy.
There was none.
With an exasperated sigh, Jon turned the car up the driveway of his parents' farm, surprised to see a Circle C truck and small trailer on the driveway near the barn.
"Damn. This ain't like any farm I ever saw. This joint is more like a mansion. Your folks must be loaded," Terry observed.
Without responding, Jon parked in the empty spot under a large carport off the side porch. He flipped the seat to get Megan from her booster in the back as Terrence let himself out on the other side. Jon walked around the side of the car, hearing a lot of chatter from the barn. "Well, let's go see what's going on. Sounds like all the activity is in the barn," he explained as the trio headed toward the large brick building with the red tin roof.
Megan grabbed his face and turned his head. "Fix my hair, please?" Jon looked at her to see her curls were wild. He had only learned how to wash and condition her unruly hair. He could pull it back into a ponytail if she asked, but anything else was out of his purview.
"Sweetie, I can pull it back into a ponytail, but…" he offered.
"Put her down. I can braid it," Terrence told him. He did as the boy asked, and he was surprised how quickly he'd been able to braid it and wrap a rubber band around the end that hung down her back.
Jon turned to him and smiled. "How'd you learn to do that?" he asked.
"I watched my granny braid hair for years," he responded. Jon saw he'd said more than he intended, but it was something. Not enough to find his family, but another piece of the puzzle.
Megan pulled on his shorts and when he looked down, she smiled. "Can I look at myself in your phone?" He pulled up the camera app and turned it so she could see her hair, capturing her smile in a picture.
After she was satisfied, she took Terry's hand. "Ready?"
He nodded, and the two of them led the way to the barn. When they were inside, Megan broke free from Terry and made a sprint for Mickey, who was talking to Jon's parents. "I miss you," she told him as he scooped her up into his arms and hugged her.
Jon could see the tears in his mother's eyes as she watched Mickey hugging Megan, and he knew why immediately. She never, ever expected he'd have any semblance of a family of his own. As he looked around the barn that day, he realized he had a perfect one.
Maybe it wasn't greeting card fashion, but it was just right for him. He had a man who loved him and wasn't ready to hotfoot it down an aisle. He had a daughter who had challenges he was ready to take on right along with her, and he had a son who wasn't sure of him but hadn't rejected him totally. That was okay. He had patience, and he'd work to help Megan grow up with love and security as the family weathered the storms of her development together.
He also knew he and Mickey would give Terrence the security he'd need to grow into a great young man. Jon was ready to put in the time with all three members of his new family because he knew the reward would be magnificent.
"He was in the choir in school because he has a very nice voice, though you can't get him to sing anymore," Allison Granger Wells explained to Mickey and Terrence who were sitting at the kitchen counter with her while Jon was responding to work e-mails. As far as Jon knew, his dad and Megan were watching a movie in the family room.
"You mean he sang in public?" Mickey asked as he cut up a loaf of challah bread for Allison. The afternoon had been incredible, especially when Megan and Terry were introduced to Josie, the donkey, owned by Ryan Collins, and Kennedy, a very gentle, bay gelding Ally had bought from a neighbor.
The kids had ridden all afternoon, Mick riding Hercules to accompany them, and they'd enjoyed themselves very much. Jon had stayed behind to explain the intricacies of the situation to his parents (mostly his mother), who hugged him tightly but really didn't say much. He knew they were stewing, and that was fine. It was how they dealt with new situations.
Ally laughed at Mickey's question. "I mean he stood in front of the whole school and sang his sweet, little heart out. Unfortunately, he didn't realize he'd not zipped his pants from his last visit to the boys' room, and his shirt tail was sticking out of the gap.
"People tried to be respectful, but the more passionately he sang the song, the more they laughed. Finally, the choir director stopped him and told him to zip his pants. God bless him, he turned his back, zipped up, and turned back to the audience, finishing the song. I don't think I've been prouder in my life," Ally gushed as she whisked eggs for a casserole for breakfast the next morning. Ursula was out of town that weekend, so Ally was doing all the cooking, though Mickey had offered to help her.
Of course, Terrence was a thirteen-year-old boy, and the story was too funny to ignore, so he cracked up, finally falling off the stool onto the floor. Before Jon had a chance to protest, his father and Megan walked into the kitchen. "Which story?" he asked Ally. "The zipper story," his mother informed. Of course, his father laughed as he always did, which pissed off Jon to no end. 'Have they no respect?'
"We watcheded 'Mermaid'. Papa Ham said he never seed it, so we watched it. Now we're gonna watch baseball. We come to get a drink," Megan announced. Jon laughed because she'd become very comfortable with his parents, and it was truly joyous to watch.
"How about you and Terry come with me to put the horses to bed? Josie might like you to tell her a story while we get her settled in her new stall," Mickey offered.
Terry hopped up from the floor and pulled Megan up on his back. "This is the part where we work for our supper, Meggie. Let's go help Mick. When we get done, can I watch the baseball game with you?" Terry asked.
"Everwebody can watch the game, right, Papa?" she asked Ham as she held onto Terry's neck. Jon saw his father take a deep breath and nod, seemingly overcome at the child's words.
"How about we watch the game and after it's over, we can build a fire in the pit outside and roast hotdogs for dinner. How's that sound?" Jon's mother offered.
"YAY!" the children cheered, along with Mickey and Jon's father. Jon laughed at all of them as the kids and Mickey left the house out the back door.
He turned to his parents and smiled. "So, what do you think?" he asked, anxious for an assessment since they'd spent most of the day with the kids and definitely had gathered enough information to offer an opinion.
His mother seemed to take him in for a moment before walking over to him to pull him into a tight hug. When she pulled back, Jon saw
the tears on her cheeks. "They're wonderful, Jonny, but I'm worried you're biting off more than you can chew." He'd expected something of the sort from her because it was true, he likely had bitten off more than he could chew…alone. With Mickey…
"I knew you'd worry about it, but if I make a few changes in my life, I think we can give them a good life, Mom. Dad?" he questioned, turning to look in his father's direction.
"Megan's going to need the best help you can get her, son. She's very bright, but I notice she seemed to have some sight issues. She picks things up lightning quick, though. Have you seen the paperwork regarding her assessment? Based on the few cases I've had regarding children in similar situations, she's highly functioning. Aside from the facial attributes, it's not easy to believe she has Down's. Are you ready for any health-related issues which may develop as she ages?" Ham asked.
"A doctor checked her out after she was dropped off at the firehouse, but a more thorough assessment needs to be taken. I have the name of a pediatrician who is familiar with children with Down's. I noticed the vision thing and plan to get her to an eye doctor next week. The doctor at the hospital didn't mention anything heart-related in the report, but that doesn't rule out much, does it? I know it's a lot…" he began, feeling overwhelmed.
"Jonny, what Dad means is it's a lot for you to take on by yourself, what with your practice. I, however, don't think it's insurmountable. I think, if you and Mickey were to share the load, it would be better for everyone. I watched Terry with Mickey. That little boy needs to be somewhere with people who will love him and provide boundaries.
“Mickey was so kind and patient with him when they were getting the horses ready, and even when they got back and it was time to clean them up. I'd say between the two of you, those children couldn't be in better hands, Jonny," his mother assured.
Jon nodded, grateful to hear his mother’s assessment, but he had to be honest about the situation because it wasn’t all rainbows and roses. "I know you're right, Mom, but I have no idea how to make that happen. My job's in Richmond, and Meggie needs to be there until we get her all checked out and make sure she's in the best health with all the resources she needs to thrive. I agree Terry would be better suited out of Richmond, but I don't know how to make it happen.
"Besides, I couldn't ask Mickey to leave his job at the Circle C. That whole family has taken him in, and he thinks of them as his parents, brothers, best friends. I can't see Mickey doing well in Richmond on a daily basis. He's just started taking classes at the community college, and I don't want him to lose momentum. I just…" he stopped, feeling the frustration consume his soul.
His mother smiled and snapped her fingers. "Move in here. Dad wants to fire Clyde anyway. Mickey could run the farm; Terry could go to the public school here, which is very good. You could make the commute every day in an hour and take Meggie with you. I'd help out with doctor's appointments and the like when you're in the city, and you can all live here. What do you think?" Allison asked. Jon was too stunned to answer.
Chapter Twenty-four
Mickey was sitting at the glass-topped table on the back patio of the Wells' farm, listening to Jon and Ham discussing a case at the firm. It was a particularly messy divorce situation, and as Mickey listened, he knew why someone like Jon wouldn't be too keen on marriage. After listening to the things people were fighting over…boats, vacation homes, jet skis, book collections… He finally had to ask, "Do they have children?"
"Yes. Fourteen, eight, and four," Ham answered him with a kind look on his face as he turned to Mickey.
"Are they fightin' about who gets the kids?" Mickey asked, not hiding the disbelief in his voice. Children were the most important gift God could give. How could someone value a boat over a child?
He saw Jon look down at the table as his father cleared his throat. "The mother's taking the four-year old girl with her, and the father's sending the fourteen and eight-year-old boys to boarding school," Jon’s father explained. Mickey noticed a pained look on Jon's face, and he saw the way Ham looked at his own son.
"Shit, I'd give up all that other crap to keep the kids together. I mean, the rest of that stuff is just stuff. Those are their kids…their babies. How can they just…" Mickey began before he was too overcome to speak. His own upbringing weighed too heavy on his mind. He knew exactly how selfish people could be, based on his first-hand experience.
Without another word, and to save from embarrassing himself, he got up and walked down toward the barn. Allison had Megan inside the house giving her a bath, and Terrence was watching something on television in the room Allison had told him was his when he came out to the farm for a visit. The teen was quite excited because it had a big-screen television mounted on the wall.
Mickey walked into the large, beautiful barn, slowly taking in the sight of the high-class mares and foals Allison had in her barn. The only horse which didn't really seem to fit was Kennedy, the dun gelding she'd bought off the neighbor.
He was a quarter horse, and Mickey was guessing it was trail broke, based on the calm demeanor the horse possessed and the way he followed other horses around the pasture. There wasn't anything prize about the horse, and he sure hadn’t seemed to mind moving into the elite neighborhood of the Wells' barn. Josie seemed to be right at home in a stall in the back near the birthing stalls as well.
Mickey walked back to where Josie was settled and took in the sight of the little jenny, smiling because she appeared to be snoozing until he walked up to the gate. "This ain't so bad, is it Josie girl? It was nice of Ryan to let you make the trip so Meggie could ride. I might have to make him an offer on you, but I'm not sure where we'd keep ya," Mick told the little donkey who walked over and put her head over the top of the gate, nuzzling into his chest.
Tim had sent along a saddle Mickey knew was given to Ryan by Josh and Katie. He believed it had belonged to their son, Shane when he was a boy but Tim said Ryan had outgrown it so it was fine for Mickey to use it for Meggie that weekend.
The jenny was used to it, and Mickey was happy it worked out for the sweet little girl with the curly brown hair. She'd enjoyed riding that day, and he planned to take her and Terry out again the next day, maybe coaxing Allison to go with them to show them some more adventurous trails.
"We could keep her here if Ryan will sell her," Mick heard behind him, seeing Jon leaning against the gate of Kennedy's stall. He was in a pair of jeans and sneakers with a tight t-shirt. He looked perfectly edible to Mickey who'd missed him over the week apart.
"Your momma wouldn't want the likes of little Josie slummin' up this fine neighborhood. Why on earth did she buy that dun geldin'?" he asked as he walked over to pet the horse with his head over the gate as well.
Jon scratched the horse's ear and laughed. "Mom has this custodial side of her that gets the better of her a lot of the time. The Blanchard’s are neighbors, but they don't live on this road. They live about two miles down off a gravel road. Mom buys hay from them, even though she gets what she needs off this land.
"Kennedy was their son's horse, but since he graduated from high school and went into the Navy, there hasn't been anyone to ride him. Mom bought him because she knew if he was here, she could have her barn manager exercise him until she could find somewhere to donate him. He's a gentle horse, right? Terry did okay on him?" Jon asked.
Mickey chuckled. "Terry did pretty damn good on him. That geldin' is made for a first-time rider, just like little Josie. They're perfect starter animals," Mickey offered confidently.
Jon took his hand and led him over to a little bench to sit. "You like the place?" he asked.
Mickey looked around and laughed. "Well, there's a lot of wood, you know, and the rose scent those fancy mares' fart could get on a nerve, I'd say. I guess Clyde fits right in here with all this finery."
Jon chuckled at his comment. "Pop wants to fire him. Seems he believes Clyde Chambers doesn't do shit around here during the week. He's apparently hired day help to come out and clean s
talls a few times a week instead of every day, charging it to the farm account. Mom wants to hire full-time hands, but Clyde keeps telling her he can handle it. She pays him a pretty penny to take care of the place, but he's not doing things as she wishes. My dad's tired of hearing her complain about it so he plans to fire Clyde Chambers on Monday," Jon explained.
"For now, Mom's going to stay out here and take care of the farm herself while she looks for someone, but she had a thought. I have to say, I think it's a great idea though it's not my decision to make alone.
"Mom would like to hire you to run the farm for her. She'd like you to manage the breeding schedule and hire additional hands. She's down to those three mares because she didn't want to go too big when she stopped riding, but she's looking forward to the foals from Charlie, and if they turn out to be as great as she thinks, she's going to want to breed to him again.
"You know Matt and Tim, and you know horses, Mick. You can hire people you trust to help you out, and as a perk, Mom offered to have us move in here," Jon continued to explain.
Mickey was nervous and as he thought about the words actually coming out of the man's mouth, he could understand why. He felt a chill go down his spine he'd never felt in his life. Was he actually considering quitting a job he loved more than anything to move to a town as small as Holloway and manage an operation for his lover's mother? If his relationship with Jon didn't work, he'd lose everything…his job, his home, the kids.
There was safety for him at the Circle C. He worked for Danny who knew how to manage a farm…well, a cattle farm. Danny didn't want anything to do with the horses, so really Mickey was in charge of them, which made him proud.
Charlie was a high-priced stallion who'd paid for himself in stud fees several times over since Mickey took over managing the horses, and he wasn't sure who would manage the stud part of the operation if he left Holloway.
Mickey chuckled to himself as he eyed Jon who was standing before him with a look of deep concentration on his face as if he was trying very hard to read Mickey’s mind. On Jon’s face, Mickey could see the longing the man had for him, and he felt his heart swell because never in his life did Mickey Warren think he'd have someone want him like Jon seemed to want him.
Loving the Lawyer (The Cowboys of Katydid Farm Book 2) Page 26