Above Rubies (Rockland Ranch)

by Jaclyn Hawkes

  Naomi smiled and patted her again. “Oh, you’ll make it to college. Don’t worry. I can see it in Rossen’s eyes. But you haven’t even finished high school, have you?”

  Kit shook her head. “I’m like four credits short, but I had to leave, and I can’t go after my records or they’ll make me go back.” She continued adamantly, “I’m never going back there!”

  Naomi tried to reassure her, “You don’t have to go back, but I’m sure when the DFS does find out about your foster father, he’ll be criminally charged.”

  Kit shook her head sadly. “He is the DFS there. There’s no way to stop him.”

  Naomi got an angry look on her face, but then blinked and shook her head. At length, she asked, “When will you turn eighteen?

  “March second. Why?”

  Naomi was thoughtful. “The school superintendent here is a good friend of ours. Rob is on the board with him. I’ll bet we could arrange for you to take E High online without your documentation up front. Then when you’re eighteen and safe from your foster father, we’ll go get your records and get your diploma, and you can get into college this fall.”

  Kit shook her head again and hugged Naomi. “You’re a good woman, but you’re forgetting one rather important thing. I’m due to have a baby in May. I know I should give it up for adoption, and at first I planned to, but I’m really not sure I can do it anymore. I’m afraid college is out of the question for a while. Maybe when this child is older.”

  She went on, “The funny thing is. I really wanted to go to college, but I’m not sure why. There’s not any certain field I’m dead set on. It’s like I wanted to go to college to go to college. And now that I realize I won’t be, I’m okay with that, too. Mostly, I just need to find a way to be able to make a living and take care of the baby, too. It’s a little intimidating.”

  They were back to peeling potatoes, Naomi, fast as her mind seemed to be clicking away, and Kit, more slowly, struggling to hold one still.

  Naomi questioned, “What do you like to do?”

  Kit gave a short laugh. “Not very lucrative things. Sculpting, music, eating, flowers, the outdoors. More than anything I like clay. Dirty, slippery clay. No big gold mine there. Just things that cost money, not make it.”

  She sobered and spoke half to herself, “Maybe I could work at a daycare and keep the baby with me.” They considered this in silence.

  Eventually Naomi asked, “Have you discussed any of this with Rossen?”

  Kit shook her head. “Not really. I get the impression he thinks I can just stay here with you guys indefinitely and finish growing up like some normal teenager. That somehow it will all just work out in the end, all hunky dory. It’s almost like this baby, no money, and my less than stellar upbringing don’t matter to him. He honestly thinks it’s just going to work itself out.” She sputtered. “He acts like I’m part of your family or something.” The potato in her hand slipped and slid across the counter.

  Naomi retrieved it and handed it back, but before she released it she asked, “Kit, what if Joey had somehow gotten into the same situation you're in? What do you think Rob and I would have wished for her?”

  Kit took the potato and went back to peeling. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you mean.”

  Naomi looked into her eyes. “If Joey were in this situation, Rob and I would hope and pray that someone, somehow would step up and give her the help she needed to make the best of a much less than ideal situation. And Kit, if someone would offer to help, do you think Rob and I would want her to accept the help or turn it down in some twisted ‘I don’t deserve this’ mindset?”

  Kit’s hands stilled as she pondered what she was hearing as Naomi went on, “Kit, sometimes this life is unfair and unfortunate and all manner of negative things, but there is a purpose here. Our Father in Heaven does have a plan for us. All of us. And part of that plan is to reach our absolute greatest potential while in this life, with whatever set of gifts and troubles we’re given.

  “He didn’t take away your foster father’s agency when he abused you because this life is a test for him too, but God is watching over you, and sad that someone has harmed one of His precious daughters. He's watching and hoping someone with a good heart will step in and help, just as Rob and I would be. If you can’t accept our and Rossen’s help for yourself, then do it for this baby. We're offering and want to help, and someday when you’re able, you can help someone else and pass it on. Does that make sense?”

  Kit nodded wordlessly, her eyes bright with tears.

  Naomi hugged her. “Good! And you’re right. Rossen doesn’t see a broke, pregnant girl with a quote less than stellar upbringing. He sees a beautiful, talented, sweet daughter of God. And as far as we’re all concerned, you are a part of our family and have been for what, ten days now?” She smiled. “So lighten up and enjoy it! It’s Christmas Eve!”

  ****

  Rossen sat in a leather recliner across the great room amidst the rest of the family, watching his mother and Kit work side by side in the kitchen, occasionally laughing together and then settling into an obviously serious conversation. Somehow he knew whatever they were so earnestly discussing was important and he prayed silently in his head for the two of them. He knew his mother’s heart and he was coming to know Kit’s, and he prayed that they would recognize and accept whatever God intended for them. He ended his prayer realizing that in ten short days, Kit’s well being had come to matter immensely to him.

  He remembered his prayers in the truck on the way from Vegas. He’d committed to help her before even knowing anything about her and honestly, had expected a hard-headed problem youth with, at the least, a drug habit. Now that he'd gotten to know her better, he'd come to respect and admire her for her spirit, and goodness, and willingness to do whatever it took with the best attitude possible. She was an incredible young woman and he was grateful she'd come into his life for however long it lasted.

  He was so drawn to her. But she was so young and had so much of her life ahead, and he had to respect that, no matter how attracted to her he was. It was a strange mix of caring so much that he would push her away in her best interest, and in some ways his heart was breaking over it. He just kept coming back to a belief that his Father in Heaven was watching over him and would help him get past this and find happiness. In the meantime, he would do all he could to help Kit pick up the pieces of her life and find happiness of her own.

  A few minutes later, when Kit came in to sit on the floor beside him, leaning comfortably back against his chair, he reached down to squeeze her shoulder. She reached her hand up to return the squeeze, and the silence was comfortable as they watched the rest of the group laugh and interact. Rossen knew from her easy manner, that she'd won the battle over whatever she'd been wrestling with for days now.

  They joined in a cut-throat game of Monopoly that lasted two and a half hours. He was amazed and proud when she won, sweetly beating out a relentless Cooper, who’d become known as the Monopoly King.

  Afterward, she got up and excused herself to go to her room for a rest before dinner. Rossen followed her up and went to the garage for the guitar he and Slade had retrieved that afternoon. He’d dusted it off, wrapped a big red bow around the case, and now took it to her room door and knocked. She opened the door barefoot and yawning. When she saw the case her eyes flew to his, questioning.

  Holding out the case, he said, “I don’t know how soon you’ll be able to play it with your cast, but I figured your guitar was pretty important to you, since it’s about the only thing you brought with you when you ran away. It was Slade’s dad’s. It’s from Slade and Isabel, too.”

  She took the case, set it on the bed and opened it reverently. Tears started to stream down her face as she stroked the shiny wood. She couldn’t even speak as she turned back to him at the door and hid her face against his chest. He just held her as she cried until his shirt was soaked through, his quiet strength absorbing the overwhelming emotion.

 
At length, her tears spent, he left her there and went into his office down the hall. Staring out the window at the winter twilight, his thoughts tumbled about in his head as he tried to compartmentalize his feelings. Holding her, even with her little rounded belly between them, had been heaven, and trying to push those feelings into a manageable place was harder than anything he'd ever done. Knowing he had to do it for her own good made it doable, but only barely.

  He locked the door and knelt beside his desk chair, then sat there silently, not even sure what his prayer should be, just knowing he needed divine guidance now more than ever. He finally settled for a simple plea for strength and selfless wisdom. When he was through, he got up and unlocked the door. But then, instead of leaving, he returned to the window to go back to staring unseeing out into the snow.

  ****

  Naomi had been looking for Rossen and found him there, legs braced apart with his arms folded across his chest, silently watching night fall from the sky and settle into the surrounding hills. She put her arm around his waist and leaned her head against his shoulder and they watched the shadows deepen together.

  Finally, she broke the silence. “How are you?”

  “A mess.” The simple two word answer, so quietly stated, spoke volumes. She patted his chest with her other hand and felt the dampness there.

  “What happened to you?” She leaned around to look into his face.

  He gave her a tired smile. “I gave Kit the guitar. She’s a little emotional right now.”

  She leaned back against his shoulder. “She’s an extraordinary young woman.”

  He didn’t answer for awhile and then admitted, “I wish she were older.” His wistful words broke her heart. She'd dreamed of the day when he would settle down with the perfect girl, and honestly, some of Kit’s circumstances hadn’t been in those dreams, but even at that she would have welcomed her as a daughter-in-law with open arms except that she agreed with Rossen. Kit was too young to settle down, even in the situation she was in. She had no answers for him and so they continued to stand there, wordless, in the dark, the depth of their love and friendship strengthening them together.

  A few minutes later Slade came in. Quietly, and without turning on the light or saying a word, he walked past them to the window and silently pushed it open. At first, they thought he’d lost his mind on this frigid Christmas Eve, until they heard what he’d heard, drifting in the open window from Kit’s darkened balcony outside.

  On the clear, cold air came the voice of an angel singing Silent Night to the evocative accompaniment of an acoustic guitar.

  Slowly, as they listened, one by one, the rest of the family slipped into the darkened office to huddle together and listen. It was the ultimate carol to the Christ child from a young mother who had known what it was like to find no room at the inn. Her voice in the dark was pure and sweet as she sang her hymn to the Son of God, born that first Christmas night so long ago. The spirit it brought, as she sang through the verses and then played through again with just the guitar, truly was heavenly peace, and they were all let down as her music came to an end.

  At last, the clear notes drifted away into the winter’s night. No one moved or said a word. There had never been a more sacred lullaby.

  At length, Naomi whispered, “You’d better go bring her in before she freezes.” She nudged Rossen toward the door.

  He paused at the door to Kit’s balcony, hesitant to intrude. Only the bitter cold pushed him over the threshold. He rested his hands on her shoulders. “Apparently, the cast isn’t a problem.” His voice was low and soft to preserve the sweet peace. “None of us had any idea you could play and sing like that.”

  She was shivering under his fingers and he took her guitar and helped her to her feet. “We would all love it if you played inside, you know.” They went in and closed the door behind them.

  Looking down, Kit said, “My foster parents would never let me play inside, so I guess it got to be a habit. And I wasn’t sure if I could manage it or what the guitar was like and was afraid I’d embarrass myself in front of my new family.”

  His eyes searched hers in the dim light and what he saw warmed his heart. He hugged her tight to him, his chin against her forehead as she added, “Naomi adopted me tonight, figuratively speaking.” There were more tears shining in her eyes.

  He smiled and moved away from her. “She adopted you ten days ago. You just didn’t let yourself believe it until tonight.”

  ****

  The family gathered at the huge table for dinner and afterward, near the fire, to read the Christmas story from the Bible, followed by family prayer. Everyone said goodnight and went their separate ways until it was just Rossen and Kit, and Slade and Isabel, with only the flickering light of the fire.

  Isabel asked her if she’d sing again and Kit began, softly and reverently. There in the firelight she sang carols to the Savior of the world who she was just coming to know through this strong family of true and honorable Christians. Once again the family crept back in, one by one, to sit in the dark and listen to an angel proclaim Christ’s birth.

  As Kit drifted off to sleep that night, comfortable in a warm, safe bed, surrounded by love and respect, she pondered on this Christmas compared to every other one she'd experienced in her seventeen years. She honestly hadn’t known life could be like this. Her heart was so full, and she had a hope for the future she almost hadn’t dared to voice as she knelt to thank her Heavenly Father for her precious gifts of this Christmas season. It was a feeling she wished she could catch in a bottle and keep with her always.

  ****

  Christmas day was crazy! Kit had never seen so many presents and she'd definitely never seen so much food! She couldn‘t help feed the stock because of her arm and the baby, so often it was her and Naomi in the kitchen and they'd grown close. Naomi was teaching her to cook and basically how to be a good mom. Sometimes as they worked, Kit would also ask her questions about how she knew so much about God. Naomi had smiled as she’d admitted that before Rob she hadn’t understood about God at all. They often ended up in incredibly thought provoking discussions before whatever they were making was prepared.

  This Christmas morning had turned out that way as they were making piles of bacon and pancakes and fruit. Kit asked, “Naomi, how do you always just know what’s the right thing to do or say like you do?”

  Naomi chuckled. “Oh honey, if you only knew the great faux pas in my past, you would never ask a question like that.” She laughed again. “I’ve made world class errors in knowing what to say or do at times. It’s just a good thing my husband and kids are pretty durable and could handle my screw ups.”

  Kit smiled at her candor, but persisted, “You know what I mean, though. There has to be a secret to get it right like you do.” She was turning bacon on a huge griddle.

  “You’re right. There is a secret, but it’s not my secret. And it‘s not just to know what to say. We can know what God would have us do in every situation, if we listen closely enough. Sometimes His answers take time or extra effort, but He is all knowing and will lead us if we try to let Him. Everyone has the right to have personal inspiration. We're blessed with divine insight if we ask for it, and are worthy of it, and listen to it, and heed it, when we receive it.” Naomi was at her side making hot cakes on an identical griddle.

  Kit repeated this softly to herself, “If we ask, are worthy, listen and heed it. Okay, how do you ask?”

  “The way man has communicated with God from the days of Adam and Eve. Pray. Everyday, several times a day, for all the things we're grateful for, or need, or are concerned about, or are happy and excited about. He’s a loving parent who wants to bless us, but we have to ask.” Naomi poured another round of batter out.

  “And how do we be worthy of it?”

  Naomi set the pitcher of batter aside to consider this question. “I guess the answer to that is to do our best, as imperfect mortals, to try to do what we know is right. The more we're in tune with deity
; the clearer the lines of communication are going to be. It’s sort of like tuning in a radio, in a way, I guess. If we're trying, and are doing good things in the right places, there’s going to be less static and it’s easier to hear. When we make poor choices, or are in places we shouldn’t be, we chase the Spirit away and God can’t communicate. The more we do our best, the easier and clearer it becomes. Does that make sense?”

  “What did you mean by ‘if we heed it’?”

  “Well, think about it. If you were a parent and gave your child wise counsel over and over, if they didn’t listen and obey, wouldn’t you soon stop giving it to them?”

  Kit nodded as she considered this. The more she learned about all this, the more it just made sense.

  They had mountains of food when the others came in, but it didn’t take long to make it disappear. After this long, Kit was still amazed at how much food this family put away. It’s a good thing they had oil wells. It probably took the proceeds from one just to buy groceries.

  They ate and opened gifts and even Slade’s ranch help, Hank and his wife Ruby, who were family friends, showed up to be welcomed in. There was every gift imaginable, and some of the gag gifts were hilarious. Joey had given three of her brothers, Rossen, Sean and Treyne, girl watching glasses. They were huge neon colored plastic sunglasses to help them find wives. And she’d given Cooper fake dynamite to help him learn to fish better. Rob received a real “Fragile” leg lamp like in The Christmas Story, and even Isabel got into the spirit of the thing and gave the brothers Slade’s collection of women’s unsolicited phone numbers from a friendly competition he and Rossen had had on the rodeo circuit. There was a shoebox crammed full and Kit wondered if Rossen had collected one just like it.

  Rossen had purchased board games for the family from her and many of them had given her clothing to build up her wardrobe. By day’s end she had more clothes than she'd ever owned at one time in her life. Isabel gave her cosmetics and then helped her put them on and Naomi gave her her own Book of Mormon. Rob gave her a new ski parka and matching hat and gloves. It was slightly big, but she knew she would need the extra room soon.