“She’s clean, Jesse.”
“I know that.” He brushed a hand across his face. Did Laura know that he believed her? He should have ignored her pride and stayed.
“What are you doing here?”
“She showed me to the door. Actually, she had her PO show me the door.”
“She’s got to be humiliated. I don’t blame her for not wanting anyone to see. But what about Abigail? I hope this doesn’t change things for the two of them.”
“Me, too. I’m going to have Mom make some calls.”
“Jess, it’ll work out.”
“I know.” He put his hat back on his head and looked around the office. “What do you need?”
“Could you help me fill in the gaps? What do I still need? What medical equipment? What supplies?”
“This wasn’t cheap to put together.”
“No, but we had several donors.”
“I admire what you’re doing.”
Jeremy shrugged it off. “I’m just the guy pushing it through. There are several people making it happen.”
“Gotcha.” Jesse was impressed. And then he had a crazy urge to be here, to be a part of something that would be so huge for their community. He thought about the kids who needed care. He thought about parents who sometimes felt trapped. They had bills to pay, families to feed and not enough money to make the daily necessities happen, let alone foot the bill for a doctor’s visit.
“Jess, don’t get that look on your face. This isn’t about trapping you into something. I know you have plans and this will be here when you get back. Until then Brannon and a few others can keep it going.”
“I know.” He walked out of the clinic, back into the warm June sunshine. “I’ll make you a list. I’m really glad you’re doing this.”
“So am I.” Jeremy walked him back to his truck. When they got there, Jeremy stared off at the field for a minute and then he grinned. “You know, you should head back to the house. When a woman says go, she usually means stay.”
“Not this woman.”
“Right, she’s different from all other women. I’m just saying, you should probably check on her. Did you take Gran up on the offer of the sapphire ring?”
“Does everyone in town know about that ring?”
“She did mention it in front of the entire town.”
“Yeah, she did do that.” He shook his head. “You’re lucky she didn’t know about you and Beth until it was too late.”
“We got our ring after the fact.” Jeremy leaned against the door of the truck. “You have to do what’s right for you, Jesse. And I don’t envy you. I know it’s going to be tough.”
“Yeah, it’ll be tough.”
He backed out of the parking space and pointed his truck toward Cooper Creek.
* * *
After her probation officer left, Laura splashed water on her face and then leaned over the sink, trying to get it together. Everything would be fine. God would get her through this. She looked up.
“Please, please don’t let them take Abigail.” She closed her eyes and stood there for a moment, praying for peace.
Her cell phone rang. She answered without thinking, without looking at the caller ID.
“Like my little surprise?” Ryan’s voice chilled her to the core.
“Stay away from me. I’m going to get a restraining order.”
“Don’t be silly. Look, I need money to get out of the state. That’s all I want from you. And if you don’t, the next time your PO shows up, he’ll have the police with him and a search warrant to find the drugs you’re hiding.”
“I don’t have drugs, Ryan.”
“You will. I’ll figure out a way. Or you can give me the money to leave Oklahoma.”
“Why are you doing this?” But she knew the answer. He was desperate. He was high. And he was more like his father than she’d ever realized.
“Because I don’t have any other options, sis.”
She shook her head and slammed the phone down on the counter. She wouldn’t let him take her daughter.
She closed her eyes, blocking his voice and the threats. He was just like his father. They were both abusive, mean people. She’d just never seen it in Ryan. Or in Alex, her ex-husband, another abuser, another person who used her and walked out on her. He also walked out on Abigail. Without a backward glance he packed up and left the state.
A knock on the front door jolted her. She jumped a little and froze. Fear held her in one spot as the door rattled with another loud knock, a fist pounding on the wood.
“Laura, are you in there?”
Jesse. Tears sprung to her eyes. She wiped them away as she walked to the door and peeked out. When she saw him, she turned the dead bolt and opened the door.
She wouldn’t throw herself into his arms. She wouldn’t cry. She would be strong because she had to be. He glanced back at his truck and then stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
“You okay?”
She nodded because if she opened her mouth she’d cry. She’d want him to hold her.
“Laura?
“I’m good.” She took a deep breath and got past the emotion.
“You’re pale. You’re shaking. I don’t call this good.”
“I am.” She shrugged. “I will be.”
“I brought you a surprise that might help.” He opened the door and waved.
Laura peeked out and her heart did amazing flips at the sight of Abigail jumping out of the truck. She was wearing boots, shorts and a T-shirt. She had a fishing pole and a brown paper bag.
“Mom, Jesse is taking us fishing.” Abigail ran straight into her arms.
“If you want to go, that is,” he offered with a smile that made everything a little better.
“Yeah, I’d love to go.” Laura hugged her daughter again, avoiding the fishing pole that she waved around. “I’ll pack us a picnic.”
“Sounds good. I’m going to feed the animals and give the two of you time to get things ready to go.”
He reached for the door. Laura touched his arm, stopping him.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
She could have argued that it was a problem. Her heart made it a problem. Instead she closed the door and waited until he was in his truck before she locked it.
“Mommy, have you been crying?”
Laura turned from the locked door and smiled at her daughter. “Only because I’m happy you’re here.”
“Are you sad because Jesse’s leaving?”
“He’ll only be gone ten days.”
Abigail frowned. “Maybe a whole year.”
“Yes, a whole year. But that’s his life and what he wants to do. This is our life. Together. We have a new house. We have a car. We’re going to church together. I’m even going to take college classes and be a nurse.”
“But we’ll still miss him.”
She smiled at her daughter. Only to herself did she admit that she would miss him.
“Let’s get ready to go fishing.”
“I’m ready.” Abigail smiled and pulled a plastic container out of the paper bag.
“What’s that?” Laura pointed to the container.
“Worms!”
“Eww, gross. Where did you get those?”
“Jesse bought them for me.” Abigail lifted the lid and showed her the dirt and a few earthworms crawling to the surface.
“Put the lid back on.” Laura shuddered. “I’m going to make lunch, but now I feel all creepy crawly.”
And so much better than she had an hour ago.
Abigail followed her into the kitchen. Laura made sandwiches and packed drinks and chips, homemade cookies and apples. Abigail watched with wide eyes.
“Do you think we’ll catch fish?”
Laura shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“I hope so. I want to eat a fish I caught.”
Laura picked up the soft-sided cooler and leaned to hug her daughter. “If you catch fish, I’l
l figure out how to fry them.”
“Deal!” Abigail held out a hand. Laura took it in hers. Abigail watched her closely and Laura put on a smile for her sake.
“Are you ready to go?”
“Yep. Are we walking?”
“I think so.” Laura opened the door and they walked out together. She reached back in, locked the door and pulled it closed behind them. It was the first time she’d locked the door.
“What about the puppy?” Abigail stuck out her hand and a black-and-white puppy, one of the border collie puppies from the Cooper ranch, ran to Abigail’s side.
“When did we get a puppy?”
“Jackson said it doesn’t need its mommy anymore and I could bring it here.”
“Nice of Jackson. I’ll have to thank him.”
Abigail reached for her hand. “I like Jackson.”
“Yes, and it was nice of him to give us a puppy. But when did the puppy get here?”
Abigail grinned. “Jesse brought it when he brought me.”
The puppy bounded along behind them, nipping at their heels and being a real nuisance. Laura would definitely thank Jackson and Jesse for this little surprise. But she smiled because Jesse had brought Abigail to her because he had known she needed her daughter.
“Should puppies go fishing?” she asked Abigail as they walked down the paved driveway toward Jesse’s house. “It seems like he might be a lot of trouble at the lake.”
“We can’t leave him alone.” Abigail walked fast to keep up with Laura.
“What’s his name?”
Abigail bit down on her bottom lip and shrugged. “I just call him puppy. So I guess Rufus is good.”
“Rufus? Are you sure?”
Abigail looked at the puppy and nodded her head. “I like Rufus.”
They walked down the long driveway, Rufus running ahead, then around them. Laura carried worms, trying not to shudder, and Abigail carried the fishing pole.
They walked up the back steps of the big log home. Laura could hear country music on the radio and water running in the sink. She knocked on the back door and waited for Jesse to yell for them to come in.
Instead he opened the door. She stared up at him, unable to process this man in her life, even as a friend. He smiled, white teeth flashing in his suntanned face. Instead of his customary jeans and boots he wore khaki shorts, a T-shirt and no shoes.
“Let me get shoes.” He motioned them inside. Abigail stayed on the porch with her puppy.
“Do you think we should do something with the puppy?” Laura sat on the edge of a bar stool as he slipped his feet into leather running shoes near the door.
“Sure, we can put him in the kennel with my dog. It would be better if they stayed here and weren’t down there jumping in the water every few minutes.”
“Thanks. And thank you for bringing her.” Laura looked out the window and watched as her daughter raced around the yard with a fishing pole and the puppy chasing after her. “She’s happier than she’s ever been.”
“Laura, we won’t let Ryan take that away from her.”
She smiled and nodded. “I know.”
He stood and so did she. And they were together in the house, alone. The refrigerator hummed and country music played softly from the radio on the counter. Outside, Abigail laughed. Laura felt her breath hanging heavily in her lungs and she backed away from Jesse and the moment.
“We should go.”
He smiled and touched her cheek. “I know.”
Within minutes they were heading down a trail to the lake and the private dock where Jesse assured them they could catch fish without having to take the boat out.
Abigail hurried ahead of them, examining different flowers and plants. The puppy had been left behind, in a kennel Jesse used for his dog when he didn’t want the animal to follow. The two dogs had barked at first but were quiet now.
Laura stopped at the edge of the covered dock with the short fishing pier extending from the end. Abigail had kneeled next to the water to examine rocks and the quickly escaping water turtles.
“Here we go.” Jesse handed Abigail her pole. “Let’s get you a life jacket.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’m six and I can doggy-paddle.”
“I know, but this water gets deep and I think life jackets are better than trying to dog-paddle in deep water.”
Another heavy sigh. “Okay.”
Laura forced her gaze to the lake, the setting sun and the waterfowl that skimmed the water, occasionally swooping and coming back up.
Somehow God had known what she and Abigail needed. They had needed this town, these people. And Jesse Cooper. She watched the man who had entered their lives reluctantly but who now seemed to play an important role.
Laura wanted to break the cycle of broken relationships and lack of trust for her daughter’s sake. Even as a friend, Jesse was doing that for them. Abigail could see in him that there were good men in the world.
Jesse interrupted her thoughts, taking her by the hand and leading her onto the dock. She stood for a moment, getting her bearings.
“It’s safe,” he assured her, still holding her hand.
“Of course it is.” And somehow she managed to make the statement about the dock and not the dangerous waters her heart seemed to be treading.
Chapter Seventeen
Jesse led Abigail and Laura to the end of the private dock. Laura quickly took a seat on the bench. Abigail was ready to cast out and catch a fish. He smiled as she tried to get the bait and the line to sail across the water.
“Let me show you.” He leaned behind her, eased her arms back and helped her cast.
The worm sank with a plop into the mirror surface of the lake water.
“Like that.” He stepped back. “Reel it in slowly. Don’t get in a rush or you’ll miss the fish.”
She nodded and cranked with a definite purpose. “Like this?”
“Perfect.” He picked up his pole and baited the hook. “Laura, are you sure you don’t want to fish?”
“I’ll just watch.” She stood and eased close to the rail that surrounded the deck they were standing on.
Jesse stepped close, and his shoulder brushed hers. She didn’t look up but he felt her tense. He put distance between them and cast his line, letting it drop easily into the water. For a long time they fished and Laura leaned on the rail, watching.
After a while she walked up behind Abigail and whispered, “Want to eat?”
Abigail shook her head. “We’re fishing.”
“But it’s dinnertime.” Laura opened the cooler they had carried down. “Sandwiches?”
Jesse took one, unwrapped it and handed it to Abigail. “We can eat and fish at the same time.”
Abigail grinned. “Cool.”
Laura smiled at him and he winked.
Abigail finished her sandwich and reeled her line in again. “I need another worm.”
He figured they were almost out. He’d baited her hook several times.
“Do you want to do this one?” he asked as he grabbed the plastic container off the bench. The sun had gone down and the sky was now dark blue twilight with a band of deep orange over the hills on the western horizon. He held the container near one of the lights mounted on the wood rails.
Abigail hurried to his side and he looked up to see Laura cringe a little. But her daughter, a true angler, had a worm out of the container and was waiting for him to show her how it was done.
“Okay, it’s easy but takes some grit. I think you have grit.” He smiled at her mother. “I’m not sure your mom could handle it. What do you think?”
Abigail shook her head quickly and held the worm up to the hook, her mouth set in a determined line. She did it and he felt a huge dose of pride in her work.
“Perfect. Now cast it on out there and catch a fish.”
She eased the rod back, swung and released.
“You’re a pro.” Jesse placed a hand on her arm. “Remember, reel it in slowly.”
>
“Okay. Do you think we’ll catch fish tonight?”
“I hope so. If we do, I’ll clean them so your mom can cook them for you.”
Abigail nodded, her lip caught between her teeth. “You’re leaving tomorrow?”
Jesse sighed. “Yes, but only for ten days.”
“To the school?”
“Yep, I’ll learn a lot about the mission field while I’m there.”
“And then you’ll go to South America?”
Jesse kneeled to put himself on her level. “I think so. I’ll decide this week.”
“Oh.” She grabbed the fishing pole as the string tightened and the end dipped. “What’s that?”
He liked to call it a break. “It’s a fish. Reel it in. I’m behind you if you need help.”
She reeled and reeled. The pole bent a little more. Jesse stayed behind her, aware of Laura at their side. The fish fought the line but Abigail kept at it. Jesse reached to help her crank it in and then he grabbed the net and scooped up the bass that hung precariously over the water.
“I caught dinner!” She nearly dropped the rod, doing a victory dance around the dock.
“You definitely caught dinner.” Jesse grabbed the pole and the fish. As he removed the fish from the hook, his phone buzzed.
He let it go to voice mail as he slipped Abigail’s fish into the live well at the end of the dock. He rinsed off his hands and then he replayed the message left by the hospital.
“I’m afraid my fishing is over. They’ve been slammed with patients at the emergency room and they need reinforcements.”
Abigail’s little face drooped, but then she smiled. “We can try again tomorrow night.”
“I’ll leave you a key for the storage room.” He pointed to the little room at the end of the boat stalls. “You can fish anytime you want. Abigail, do you want to let this fish go so he can get a little bigger?”
She nodded and as the fish splashed into the water, Abigail hugged him tight.
“Thanks, Jesse. I love fishing.”
“I love taking you fishing.” He handed the pole to Laura. “How about a lift up the hill?”
Abigail nodded so he scooped her up and placed her on his back. She giggled and held tight to his shoulders as they trudged back up the path. The flashlight he’d brought cast a yellow glow on the trail. Laura walked behind them and every now and then he glanced back to check on her.
The Cowboy's Healing Ways (Cooper Creek) Page 15