Once Upon a Family

by Margaret Daley

  “Well, he thought he needed to.” Laura started walking toward the back where her bedroom was. “I think it’s nice that he cared enough to stop by.”

  “Joshua said he came to see you.”

  The accusation in her son’s eyes cut through her. She stopped at the door into her bedroom, formally the den, and faced him. “Yes, he did. He has a puppy we can have. We’re going out to his ranch on Saturday to see if the puppy is what we want. I expect you to go. This will be a family decision.”

  “I’m busy.”

  “Doing what? You’re grounded until you go back to school. You’re going.” Laura slipped into her room before her son drew her into an argument. She didn’t have the energy left to debate with Sean tonight.

  She walked to her desk, sank onto the chair and switched on her old computer. She’d promised Cara, her best friend in St. Louis, she’d e-mail her to let her know she’d settled in and to give Cara her new phone number. She’d been putting it off because she was afraid she would pour her heart out to Cara. She’d even ignored a couple of e-mails, but she couldn’t any longer. Maybe telling her about Peter Stone was just what she needed to put her feelings for the man in perspective.

  Saturday morning, Laura glanced at Sean, sitting in the front seat of her red Escort with his arms folded across his chest and a glare on his face. He wasn’t happy about coming to Stone’s Refuge and had been vocal in his protest. It was only a few minutes to ten and already she was exhausted from battling her oldest child and getting the other three ready and organized for this little outing. If she hadn’t promised her kids a new dog when they came to Cimarron City, it would have been easier to stay home and forget the principal’s offer.

  But forget Peter Stone? Not possible, especially after her thoughts for the past few days had been invaded by the man’s presence. Not even e-mailing Cara had worked. She’d actually bounded out of bed, looking forward to this outing.

  “There it is!” Alexa pointed to a large arch with the name of the ranch done in wrought iron letters over the entrance.

  Laura turned onto the gravel road with brown wooden fences running down both sides. Two tan horses grazed on one side while another with a gray coat was in the pasture to the left. At the end sat a brown barn, the large doors in the center open wide as though welcoming them. Peter stood in the entrance watching the car approaching. A white cat weaved its body in and out between his legs, while a massive German shepherd sat beside him.

  “Is that the dog?” Matthew asked, his eyes round.

  “No, honey. We’re here to look at a puppy.” Hopefully one that when it was full grown would be a bit smaller than the German shepherd. She saw another dog dart across the field—another big one with shaggy hair.

  The second Laura cut the engine, the twins flung the doors open and charged across the yard toward the barn. The dog next to Peter stood up, his ears perked forward. Joshua came to a skidding halt when he saw the big dog rise. Matthew collided right into Joshua, sending him flying forward to land sprawled at Peter’s feet. Matthew froze, his attention riveted on the German shepherd.

  “Bosco, sit.” Peter helped Joshua up. “He won’t hurt you. He really is a big baby. All my dogs are.”

  “Big is the right word.” Joshua backed up until he bumped into his twin.

  “You two are stupid. You should never run toward any animal who doesn’t know you like that.” Sean laughed and walked toward the German shepherd at a sedate pace. He held out his hand and let the dog sniff him before petting him.

  Peter grinned at Sean. “You’re good with animals.”

  Her oldest son grumbled something under his breath and lowered his head, but he kept stroking the dog.

  Peter motioned for the twins to come forward. They obeyed at a much slower rate and mimicked their brother’s greeting with Bosco. The dog’s tail wagged, and he licked Matthew’s hand.

  “That tickles.” Matthew giggled and ran his palm along Bosco’s back.

  Laura observed the scene and knew it was a good decision to get another dog.

  Joining her three brothers, Alexa turned her attention to the white cat at Peter’s feet. She picked it up and buried her face in its fur. “What’s her name?”

  “She’s Molly.” Peter moved toward Laura while keeping an eye on the children with Bosco. “Did you have trouble finding the ranch?”

  “Nope. Your directions were great.” She turned in a full circle, gesturing around her. “I really like your place. If you bought this run-down, it’s obvious you’ve put a lot of work into it.”

  “Most of my spare time these past few years has been spent at this ranch.” Satisfaction curved his mouth upward and lit his eyes. “I’ve nearly gotten it how I want it.”

  “We need to do that with Aunt Sarah’s duplexes. They need to be painted. The yard cleaned up. Some of the interior renovated.”

  “I’ve certainly developed the expertise since I bought the ranch. I’ve gotten quite good with a hammer, saw and a paintbrush. If you need any help, just let me know.”

  The word why almost slipped from her mouth. Then she remembered he was fond of her aunt and probably wanted to help Sarah. Laura shifted her gaze back toward her children. She really had no home anymore. This move to Cimarron City was a temporary one, at least where she presently lived, especially since her aunt refused to accept any rent. Aunt Sarah was retired and surely could use the money she would get from renting the other half of the house. Even though she had said she didn’t care about the money, Laura wouldn’t be responsible for her aunt not getting what she should have coming to her. As soon as she could get back on her feet financially, she would find her own place and take charge of her affairs completely.

  “I will,” Laura murmured, realizing Peter expected some kind of reply to his generous offer. But she couldn’t see herself calling him up and inviting him over to paint the house.

  “Do you all want to meet the puppy?” Peter strode toward her children still gathered around the two pets.

  Joshua jumped to his feet. “Yes!”

  Matthew and Alexa rose, too, her daughter finally putting the cat back on the ground. Molly immediately began rubbing against the girl’s legs. The three began heading toward the barn right behind Peter when Sean whispered something into the German shepherd’s ear then slowly got to his feet. His stance and expression spoke of his conflicting emotions. He wanted to see the puppy but didn’t want anyone to know.

  Laura settled her arm on Sean’s shoulders. “This pet is for the whole family. I need everyone’s approval. C’mon.”

  He shrugged away and plodded toward the entrance of the barn. Laura blew out a frustrated breath and followed, slowly counting to ten, then proceeding to twenty, then thirty. By the time she reached it, her tensed muscles relaxed and her resolve to enjoy this outing returned.

  “Mom! She’s so cute. Look.” Matthew struggled to hold a squirming black-and-brown puppy against his chest.

  “I want to hold her, too.” Joshua tried to take the animal from his twin.

  Before there was a tug-of-war with the twenty-pound puppy as the rope, Laura hurried forward. “Put her down. We have plenty of time for everyone to pet and love her.”

  “Hey, squirts, there are certain privileges to being the firstborn. One is I get to check her out before you guys.” Sean marched past Laura and waded into the middle of the other three kids gathered around the dog.

  Peter moved to her side. “I think she’s a hit.”

  “I really had little doubt. My kids love animals. If I let them, we would have a whole houseful.”

  “Sorta like me.”

  She laughed. “Yep. I’ll use you as an example and tell them when they grow up they can be just like you.” She glanced at him, liking what she saw. He wore blue jeans, a plaid short-sleeved shirt and boots. All he needed to complete the picture of a cowboy was the Stetson she’d imagined him wearing the other day.

  He snagged her gaze, his dark eyes bright. “Do you all w
ant the grand tour?”

  “I hate to take up too much of your time.”

  “I don’t get to show off my ranch nearly enough after all the hard work I’ve put in.”

  “Well, in that case, yes.” She swung her gaze to her children. “What do you all think? Do you want the puppy?”

  A chorus of “yes” greeted her question.

  “Great. Mr. Stone wants to show us around.”

  “Can we see the horses?” Alexa picked up the white cat that had followed her into the barn and held her against her chest.

  “Sure. Your mom said something to me about how much you like horses. You ought to come out here and ride sometime.”

  Alexa’s face split into a huge grin. “Yes! Can I today?”

  “Alexa Dawn, you can’t invite—”

  “Mom, he said I could.” Her daughter’s gaze skipped to Peter. “I can come whenever you want.”

  The laugh lines deepened at the corner of Peter’s eyes. “Tell you what. Why don’t we have a tour then grab something to eat? After lunch you all can ride. That is, if it’s okay with your mom.”

  Everyone looked at her. Laura thought about the four loads of laundry that still needed washing, the bathrooms that needed cleaning, the— But she couldn’t say no when she peered at her oldest child and his usual frown wasn’t in place. Granted he wasn’t smiling, either, but his expression actually appeared almost pleasant for a change.

  “You don’t have to fix us lunch,” she finally answered.

  “It’s turning out to be a gorgeous day, and for March we take every one we can get. I have some hot dogs. It would be fun to put them on the grill and eat on the patio. If it will make you feel better, you can help me throw something together.”

  “If you’re sure, then I guess so—”

  The shouts of joy that permeated the barn produced a laugh in Peter. “I’m sure. C’mon.” His hand slipped casually to the small of her back as he indicated a stall and started toward it. “Our first stop is the mare who just gave birth two nights ago.”

  His light touch radiated warmth, reminding Laura of his effect on her. Surprise kept her by his side for a few seconds before she sidestepped away and turned back toward her oldest son.

  “A foal!” Alexa rushed to keep up with Peter, Matthew and Joshua, right on their heels as they headed to the last stall in the barn.

  Laura came to Sean’s side. He stroked the puppy while he remained kneeling next to the animal. “Coming, honey?”

  He shook his head. “Horses are Alexa’s thing. I’m staying here with Lady.”

  “Lady?”

  “Yep, I’ve decided that’s her name.” He turned his face up toward her, a challenge in his expression. “Alexa named Brownie.”

  “It’s still a family decision.” Laura braced herself for his anger.

  He frowned. “I’m sure they’ll agree.” He averted his face and focused on the black-and-brown puppy playing at his side.

  As she walked toward the others, her oldest son’s tensed shoulders eased and a look of joy entered his expression as he interacted with the dog. Lady would be good for Sean. Hope glowed inside Laura for the first time in a long while.

  “You don’t have to clean up the dishes.” Peter came inside from the backyard. “I invited you and your family to lunch.”

  “The least I can do is this.” Laura rinsed out a glass and put it on the counter above the dishwasher.

  She looked so at home standing before the sink in his kitchen. The impromptu lunch had been a great idea. Her children had wolfed down his whole supply of hot dogs and then spent most of their time playing with his various pets. One of their favorites was his ferret, Digger. “Then let me help.” He took the dishes she was stacking and started putting them in the dishwasher.

  “You know my kids are gonna want a ferret next, and it will be all your fault.”

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised. I even saw Sean playing with him when he wasn’t with Lady.”

  “I’m glad the others are going along with that name.”

  “I like it. I hadn’t picked one out yet. I just got her last weekend.”

  “How?” Laura finished the last glass and wiped down the sink.

  “The same way as the ferret. Someone placed them at my gate. Digger was in a cardboard box with a few holes in it and Lady was tied to the post by a leash.”

  “How long have you had Digger?”

  “A year. He got the name when he kept digging up my houseplants.” Peter gestured toward his living area. “Now I don’t even bother with indoor plants. It was too much of a hassle.”

  “So you’ve ferret-proofed your house.”

  Peter laughed. “I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you’re right. I also had to do something about my electrical cords.”

  “When can we take Lady home?”

  “Today is fine by me. I doubt the kids would let you leave without her.”

  “That’s great. We can stop by the pet store on the way home and get all the stuff we’ll need. I still have some of the things from our last dog so we don’t need much.” She peered out the window over the sink. Her twins played with Digger while Sean wrestled with Lady who thumped his chest with the large paws she would eventually grow into. Alexa sat on the step, cuddling Molly in her lap. “This is just what they needed, especially Sean.”

  The wistful tone in her voice underscored the vulnerability he’d glimpsed and touched a place he’d kept suppressed since his former wife had walked away from their eight-year marriage. “I’m glad to see he isn’t giving me scowls anymore even if he did stay on the other side of the yard.”

  She faced him. “As I told you before, this past year has been hard on him. He didn’t take his dad’s death well at all, but he was angry even before his death.” She shook her head. “You can tell I’m really worried. I don’t usually tell strangers things like that.”

  “I’d hope we are past the stranger stage. After all, we just shared an intimate lunch with four kids.”

  The sound of her laughter wrapped around him and left a warm feeling in its wake. “You forgot the cat, three dogs, rabbit and ferret.”

  “Oh, yeah, and them, too.” He got the feeling she hadn’t laughed much lately. He closed the dishwasher and leaned against the counter. “I’m so glad I found a good home for Lady. It probably won’t be long before I have another puppy at my front gate to replace her.”

  “Aren’t you concerned that people seem to be leaving the animals purposely at your ranch?”

  He raked his hand through his hair and lifted one corner of his mouth up. “Word does seem to have gotten around that I take in strays.”

  “What’s gonna happen when you run out of room?”

  “Hopefully someone like you and your family will help me with that problem.” He pointed toward the chairs at the old oak table in front of a large window that afforded a view of the backyard. After she settled across from him, he continued, “I’ve been thinking lately about that. I have the land to take care of a lot of abandoned animals, but I want to do more than that.”

  She tilted her head to the side, her forehead creased. “Like what?”

  “When I named my ranch Stone’s Refuge recently, it got me thinking. What if I have more than a refuge for animals? What if it was a place to help kids, too? You saw how Sean responded to Lady, and even Digger.”

  “Do you have the time? The means?”

  “I deal with teens every day who are in trouble and left to fend for themselves. What if I gave them something to do that was worthwhile?”

  Laura glanced outside at the twins playing with the ferret, Sean caring for Lady, and her daughter holding the cat. “Still, it could be time-consuming.”

  “Granted I would need help, but it could be done. I have two friends who, like me, have been looking for something to do.” He thought of his foster brothers, Jacob Hartman and Noah Maxwell. Hardship and redemption had molded them into a family. “It’s just in the planning stag
es up here—” he tapped his temple “—and summer will be here in no time at all.”

  “It’s the first of March.”

  “The spring semester goes by so fast. Kids will be looking for something to do in the summer.”

  “Yeah, I’ll have four to keep busy.” She slanted a glance toward the window. “Hey, I’ve got four children you could keep busy this summer.” Her eyebrows shot up. “I mean…I—”

  He chuckled. “I may take you up on the offer if they’re willing. Of course, I’ve got to decide what to do first.”

  “At least you’ve got a plan, of sorts.”

  Something in her voice made him ask, “And you don’t have a plan?”

  “I’ve finished putting the house in order. Now I need to find a job. I don’t want to work full-time right now with my aunt still recovering and all that’s going on with my children. I need to be at the house when they come home from school.”

  “What are you looking for?”

  “That’s just it. I’ve been home with the kids since I got married and have little work experience. As a teen I was a waitress and know I don’t want to do that again. I know my way around a computer. I’m good at hustling kids to and fro. I love to cook. Hate to clean house but do a good job anyway.” She gave him a small smile. “That’s the extent of my talents.”

  “We’ve got a secretarial opening in the counseling office. We’re still interviewing for it. If you’re interested in it, you should apply.”

  “My aunt said something to me about it a few days ago. I didn’t want to do anything until Sean went back to school.”

  “Come in Monday then and put in an application. We want to fill it before spring break in two weeks. I have to warn you, April will be hectic with state mandated testing.”

  “I live a hectic life. I have four kids.” She rose. “Which reminds me, I should check on them.”

  “And I promised your family a chance to ride.”

  When Peter walked outside behind Laura, her daughter ran up to him with anticipation in her expression. “Are we gonna see the horses now and ride?”