The Widow of Papina

by Katie Hamstead

  “In this town, we don’t talk like that.” The sheriff patted his gun in the holster. “So, if you don’t mind, you’ll apologize to the lady or I’ll have to write you up for contempt of the law, which I doubt is something you’d like to have pop up on your criminal record.”

  Vern scowled and his gaze shot to me. “I’m sorry, Miss.”

  “It’s Mrs.” I said. “And, thank you.”

  His scowl deepened as he motioned for his son to move away.

  The sheriff turned back to me and grunted. “They’ll all be gone soon, but I’ll still have to deal with their rotten kids.”

  We walked back down the street in silence. Once out of the hustle and bustle, he said, “I hear them tell their kids not to interact with the “natives” because they’ll get them hooked on drugs, but then I spend the first few weeks of the school year up at that place confiscating illegal substances. They’re all a bunch of hypocrites.”

  I nodded, frowning. “There will always be some in life. It just upsets me to hear people say things like that about Forrest after everything he’s done and been through, and without even meeting him. Forrest is a good man.”

  “I know,” the sheriff said. “I talk with the Res sheriff all the time, and he says the kids Forrest works with already love him, and you haven’t been here a month yet. These are troubled kids, too. Kids that have been removed from their homes or have been in and out of the Res’ juvie. But when I talk to Forrest, all he can see is their potential and speaks like they have such bright futures.”

  I smiled proudly. “If anyone can make it happen, it’s him.”

  We turned the corner onto my street. “I should be okay now. You can go back and—”

  He shook his head. “I said I’d walk you home and I will.” He took my arm and led me forward. “So, how did Forrest get into counseling? He’s smart and hardworking enough to be a doctor or something like that.”

  I shrugged. “He’s had a rough life. His mom was a drug addict, and his dad died of alcohol poisoning when Forrest was eight, and his step-dad, well, he was a piece of work even when he was sober. When Forrest and his sisters were taken from his parents and placed in a foster home, he made up his mind to do everything he could to stop things like that from happening, especially when he heard people gossiping about how typical his situation was. So, he decided to help teens get their lives back on track, go to college, and break the cycle.”

  We reached the house and the sheriff opened the white picket gate for me. “That’s a very noble cause he’s fighting for.”

  “I think so.” I stretched my hand out for him. “Thank you, Sheriff. I appreciate all you do around here.”

  He took my hand and shook it. “No thank you is necessary. And please, the rest of the town calls me Paul.”

  I chuckled. “I’ll call you Paul when you’re off duty. When you’re the sheriff, I’ll call you Sheriff.”

  He smirked. “All right. Good day, Mrs. Miller.”

  I paused and looked back at him. “If you want me to call you Paul, then you need to call me Bray.”

  He shrugged. “While I’m the sheriff, I’ll call you Mrs. Miller.”

  “Touché!” With a laugh and a wave, I went back into the house.

  Chapter 3

  “The kids are excited to meet Jackson,” Forrest said, his voice heightened with anticipation. “And you, too, but mostly Jackson.”

  I laughed as I locked in the car seat. “I know. I’d be more excited to meet Jackson than me, too.”

  I shut the door and Forrest grabbed me by the waist. “No, you’re still my favorite.” He gave me a long, warm kiss. When he pulled back he whispered, “It’s been six weeks.”

  I burst out laughing. “So, it has.”

  “Should I get a babysitter tonight so we can have some privacy?” He placed his hand over my breast and squeezed.

  “Ouch!” I pushed him off. “Tender. You’ve got to be soft.”

  “Oh yeah.” He grabbed me around the waist and whispered in my ear, “I’ll go as soft and slow as you want me to. I’m going to drive you wild.”

  I giggled.

  “Hello Miller’s!”

  We jumped and waved at the middle-aged couple riding by on their bikes.

  “Caught out,” Forrest muttered with a grin.

  “Get in the car,” I said with a laugh.

  The drive out to the reservation council buildings took just over half an hour. When we arrived, I stared up at the modern buildings, amazed at the contrast to the rustic town of Papina that felt like a remnant of the fifties. The council buildings were several stories and made with modern designs and architecture.

  “Forrest, this is incredible,” I said. “After seeing the town, I kind of expected this to be similar.”

  He lifted out the car seat and stood beside me. “They have a casino near Bearville. It brings in a nice income for the community.”

  “Ah, casinos.” I elbowed him in the ribs. “I might have to go visit it to feel like I’m home again.”

  He rolled his eyes. “You didn’t live anywhere near the strip, and usually spent your money on clothes and cosmetics anyway.”

  I grinned and wrapped my arm through his.

  We made our way through the buildings, and smiled proudly as Forrest eagerly showed Jackson off to everyone we passed.

  He led me through to a small building labeled “School” beside its door. Just inside the door was a small administration office, where a plump woman sat. “Forrest, is this your little family?”

  She rushed around and bent over to look at the sleeping baby. “Oh, isn’t he adorable. He’s going to be a handsome one just like his dad.”

  “He actually got his good looks from his mother.” Forrest squeezed my waist. “Rose, this is my wife, Braydon.”

  I stretched out my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  She hesitated, before giving it a weak shake. “You, too.”

  “I’m going to take them down to meet the kids,” Forrest said. “Who’s here right now?”

  “You have Andrew, John, Caleb, and Sheldon, and the girls are Angelique, Danielle, and Nova.”

  Forrest scowled. “Where are the other three?”

  “No shows.” She shrugged.

  “I guess I’ll have to go out and check on them this afternoon.” He leaned over, swiped his Tribal ID, and led me down the corridor to a small classroom.

  My nerves bubbled inside me, but I fought to suppress them for Forrest’s sake. These were troubled kids, which was why they came to these special classes with Forrest.

  He opened the door and all the kids looked up, doing their best to hide how eager they were to see him, but each had an unmistakable glow in their eyes.

  “Hello everyone,” he said, striding across to the middle of the room. He gestured at me as he set Jackson down. “As promised, I brought some special guests. This is my wife, Bray, and my son, Jack.”

  One of the boys scoffed, rocking back on his chair and said something in their language. The rest of the group murmured a laugh.

  But, Forrest pursed his lips. “Sheldon, I will not tolerate racial slurs in my classroom. You’re better than that. Who a person is, isn’t defined by their skin color. So, you will apologize, in English, to my wife.”

  The boy, Sheldon, rocked forward so his chair was on all fours. “Sorry, Mrs. Miller.”

  “That’s all right,” I responded with a smile.

  “Now then.” Forrest turned and carefully pulled Jackson from his car seat. “Who wants to meet the cutest baby that ever existed?”

  The group again showed mixed emotions as they slowly stood and shuffled forward. I stepped back to give them space as they gathered around Forrest. It didn’t take them long to relax and open
up to him, and soon they were joking as the girls passed Jackson between them.

  Forrest looked back at me and tilted his head for me to come forward. I stepped up and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, kissing my head. The kids all seemed startled by it, and as Forrest began his lesson and kept my hand firmly in his, their eyes kept flicking between us and our joined hands.

  Lunchtime came, and the kids rushed out to play on the basketball courts behind the building. Forrest closed and locked the door so I could nurse, and he leaned against a desk watching me. “Thank you, Bray.”

  “For what?”

  “For being you. I wanted to show them what a healthy, loving, relationship is supposed to look like, and you were just perfect. You let me hold your hand and kiss you in front of them without even flinching. They’ve all come from such screwed-up backgrounds I don’t think they’ve ever seen love before.”

  I smiled up at him. “You make it easy for me. You have such a pure heart.”

  He squatted and, grabbing my knees for balance, he kissed me. I shuffled Jackson to hold him in one arm and caressed Forrest’s face, my heart swelling inside me as, yet again, I felt in awe that someone so giving and wonderful loved me.

  He broke away, but kept his face barely inches from mine as our eyes met. “Bray, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I wouldn’t be able to do all of this without you.”

  “Yes, you would.” I stroked his face. “You’re Superman.”

  He chuckled. “Well, it wouldn’t be worth it if I didn’t have you to come home to.”

  “You’re such a sap,” I whispered, before leaning in and kissing him again.

  Lunchtime finished and the kids shuffled back into the classroom. Forrest had them write in journals before they did some math, and finally they went outside to do a science experiment. It wasn’t a fancy one, but it wasn’t supposed to be. I knew Forrest’s intention was to get them to have fun and bond with him and each other. When the bottle of Pepsi blew up into the air as it reacted to the Mentos, all the kids laughed and chatted with each other.

  Afterward, he had them hose the basketball court down, and a water fight erupted. They laughed and wrestled over the hose before they turned on Forrest. He yelled as the boys tackled him to the ground and the girls sprayed him with water. When they let him go, he stood, drenched from head to toe and laughing. “I’m glad I didn’t wear dry-clean only pants today.”

  Once they’d finished cleaning up, Forrest dismissed them. He motioned for me to return to the school building. I glanced down at Jackson sound asleep on my shoulder and hurried to follow Forrest inside.

  In the classroom, he pulled off his shirt and stretched it out to me. “Merry Christmas.”

  I scowled, and he tossed it over the back of his chair with a grin. I watched him gather up his things, admiring his slender but muscular back and shoulders. “Wow, you’re sexy.”

  He looked over his shoulder and laughed. “Thanks, gorgeous.”

  I set Jackson down in his car seat before snatching up Forrest’s shirt. “Where’s the bathroom?”

  He pointed down the hall. “Third door on the left.”

  I hurried into the bathroom, pleased to find a hand drier. I wrung as much water out as I could before hitting the button to dry it.

  A toilet flushed and I jumped. I hadn’t been paying attention, so I didn’t realize there was someone else in there. One of the girls walked out and started washing her hands, but kept glancing at me. She came up beside me, and I stepped aside for her.

  At fourteen, she was the youngest of Forrest’s group and by far the prettiest, too. She had waist length, straight, black hair, dark eyes, and smooth skin. She barely reached my shoulder in height, and was so slender her bones made her joints pointy.

  “Nova, wasn’t it?” I asked.

  Her eyes shot to me and narrowed. “I don’t like white people.” She hurried out the door.

  I grunted and continued to dry Forrest’s shirt. When I returned, voices came from in the room, so I peeked in. Nova sat holding Jackson. She rocked him and smiled.

  “I’m glad it’s getting better,” Forrest said to her. “If anything happens with them, you come straight to me.”

  “I will,” she responded. “I like you better than them anyway. Couldn’t I come live with you?”

  He shook his head. “That wouldn’t be ethical, I’m afraid. But, my house is a safe house for you if you ever need anything.”

  She nodded, and as he turned to pick up his things, she eyed him over with a sad longing. She had a crush on my husband. I couldn’t help smiling, knowing that meant he was getting through to them. But, remembering he was shirtless and that was highly inappropriate, I rushed in.

  Her gaze fell as I entered, and fixed on Jackson.

  Forrest turned and beamed at me. “Thanks, Bray.” He snatched up his shirt and pulled it on. “Nova, did you need a ride home?”

  She shook her head. “I can walk.”

  “All right, but just be careful, okay?”

  She smiled at him with adoration in her eyes. “Okay.”

  “Come on, I need to lock up.”

  She gently placed Jackson back in his car seat and buckled him in. Forrest lifted it, and tilted his head for Nova to follow as he rested his free hand on the small of my back. When he turned away from her, she slumped.

  Outside the classroom, she paused as he locked up. “Goodbye, Forrest. I’ll see you on Monday.”

  “Bye, Nova,” he said with a smile. “Have a good weekend.”

  She walked slowly away, glancing back every now and again as he finished, but hurried off when he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

  I sighed once she was out of sight. “Forrest, you realize that girl has a giant crush on you?”

  He winced. “Yeah. I don’t know what to do about it. That’s always kind of been your thing.”

  I laughed. “My thing? You’re a counselor.”

  “Crushes are different to overcoming abuse and criminal backgrounds.”

  “Forrest.” I laughed, shaking my head.

  “Well, it is. That’s like a woman’s intuition thing.” He scowled. “Don’t think I’d do anything—”

  “Oh, Forrest, of course not.” I kissed his cheek. “She’s a teenage girl. Sometimes all they want is a male to pay attention to them. You are a good person, so your attention won’t harm her or break her heart. She knows you’re married and completely off limits, so she’ll grow out of it.”

  He stroked my hair. “You’re right.”

  On the way home, he called Sarah to watch Jackson for a few hours. Once he hung up, his hand ran up my thigh. I smirked, my stomaching filling with butterflies in anticipation for our night of passion.

  Chapter 4

  We learned quickly that the whole town was expected to attend church, whether they were religious or not, and this was because of the lunch in the park by the stream afterward.

  Forrest and I arrived at the park at the edge of town, carrying a large pot of soup. It was bitter cold, but the snow that fell a few days earlier had mostly melted away. Green, lush grass and shrubs lined the play area, and with the stream babbling at the edge of the clearing, the park was a peaceful location.

  We set the pot down on the picnic table, and within moments our friends surrounded us. I grabbed Megan’s arm, eager to see her newborn. We sat together with our babies wrapped snuggly up in our arms, while our husbands threw a football around.

  “I can’t believe he’s three months today.” Megan leaned over and looked into the stroller at Jackson. “Okay, I’m not doing that again.”

  “How are you doing?” I asked.

  “I still hurts.” She rubbed her abdomen. “Inducing is not your friend. Clint freaked out through the whole thin
g. He’s not as macho as he thinks.”

  Sarah sat beside me, gnawing her lip.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  A grin swept across her face. “I asked Paul on a date.”

  “Sarah!”

  She blushed all the way down her neck. “We’re going out next weekend.”

  “That’s wonderful.”

  She grabbed my hand and squeezed. “It took me a while to build up the courage to take your advice, but now I’m glad I did.”

  Paul pulled up in the parking lot, dressed in his sheriff gear. Sarah gasped and shot to her feet, as he walked over and shook Clint and Forrest’s hands. “I’m . . . I . . . ”

  “Go on.” I shoved her hip.

  She hurried away, taking a route around the table to collect a plate of food for him.

  “Bray,” Megan said. “You encouraged her to ask him on a date?”

  “Yes.” I grinned.

  But, she scowled. “Oh hon, that won’t end well.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Why? He hasn’t got a cruel bone in his body. He’ll be a perfect gentleman.”

  “Which is part of the problem.” She nodded toward them. “He’ll be kind, and she’ll get her hopes up, but he won’t follow through. There’s a reason why he never asked her, and that’s because he sees her as a sister. It will never be romantic for him.”

  I frowned. “Well, maybe the date will change that. She’s very pretty, and she has such a big heart.”

  Megan didn’t answer.

  I watched Sarah as she handed the sheriff a plate of food. He smiled and took it politely, but his interest remained on Clint and Forrest. Had I done the right thing encouraging her to pursue him?

  ~ ~ ~

  I lay face down with Forrest half on top of me, his lips moving softly over my bare shoulders. I shuddered as goose bumps rippled over me.