The Soldier's Redemption

by Lee Tobin McClain

  His breath hitched. He needed to stop making that dumb kind of equation. “You’d better stop crying,” he said to Leo. “Buck up. The other boys will laugh at you.”

  Finn looked in the rearview mirror, saw the boy’s narrow shoulders cringe and wanted to knock himself in the head.

  Leo drew in a sharp, hiccupy breath.

  Kayla was giving Finn the death stare. “Anyone worth being your friend will understand if you’re a little scared the first day,” she said over her shoulder.

  But Leo kept gasping in air, trying to get his tears under control. And that was good; the other kids wouldn’t like a crybaby, but still. Finn had no right to tell Leo what to do.

  No rights in this situation, at all.

  And now the tension in the truck was thicker than an autumn fog.

  He’d created the problem and he needed to fix it. “Hey,” he said, “when do you want the dog to come live with you?”

  The snuffly sounds stopped. Kayla glanced back at Leo, then at Finn, her eyes narrowed.

  He could tell she was debating whether or not to trust him and go along with this or to stay angry. He’d seen that expression plenty of times before, with his wife. She’d have chosen to hold on to her anger, no question.

  “I don’t know.” Kayla put on a thoughtful voice. “I’d rather wait until this evening when Leo’s home from camp. That way, he can help me handle her. That is...” She turned half-around again. “Do you think we’re ready to take care of a dog? You’d have to help me.”

  “Yeah!” Leo’s voice was loud and excited. “I know we can do it, Mom.”

  “Hey, Leo,” Finn said, “I don’t know the dog’s name. She needs a new one. Maybe the other kids at camp could help you pick one out.” Actually, the former owners had told Finn the dog’s name. It was a common curse word. Even now, thinking of their nasty laughs as they’d dumped the eager, skinny, blind-and-deaf dog at the ranch, his mouth twisted.

  “Okay!” Leo said as they pulled into the church parking lot. “I’ll ask them what we should name her!” He unfastened his seat belt as soon as the truck stopped, clearly eager to get on with his day.

  “Wait a minute,” Kayla warned Leo as he reached for the door handle. “I need to take you in, and we have to walk on the lines in the parking lot. It’s for safety. The teacher told me when I talked to her.”

  “I’ll be here,” Finn said as Kayla got nimbly out of the truck and then opened the back for Leo to jump down. They walked toward the building holding hands, Leo walking beside her, moving more slowly as they got closer.

  Watching them reminded him of dropping off his son.

  He couldn’t make a practice of getting involved with Kayla and Leo, he told himself sternly. It hurt too much. And it gave his heart crazy ideas about the possibility of having a family sometime in the future.

  That wasn’t happening, his head reminded him.

  But his heart didn’t seem to be listening.

  * * *

  Kayla walked out of the church after dropping Leo off at the camp program, her stomach twisting and tears pressing at her eyes.

  If only she didn’t have to start him in a new program so soon after arriving in town. But she had to work; there wasn’t a choice about that.

  He’ll be fine. He has to grow up sometime.

  But he’d looked so miserable.

  The lump in her throat grew and the tears overflowed.

  To her mortification, two of the other mothers—or maybe it was a mother and a grandmother—noticed and came over. “What’s wrong, honey?” the older, redheaded one asked.

  The younger woman came to her other side and startled Kayla by wrapping her in a hug. “Are you okay?”

  What kind of a town was this, where complete strangers hugged you when you were sad? Kayla pulled back as soon as she graciously could and nodded. “I just hate...leaving him...in a new place.”

  “Gotcha,” the older woman said without judgment and handed her a little packet of tissues. “I’m Marge. Just dropped off my Brenna in the same classroom your boy was in. It’s a real good program.”

  Kayla drew in big gasps of air. “I’m sorry.” She blew her nose. “I feel like an idiot.”

  “Oh, I know what you’re going through,” the mother who’d hugged her said. “I cried every single day of the first two weeks at kindergarten drop-off.” She patted Kayla’s shoulder. “I’m Missy, by the way. What’s your name? I haven’t seen you around.”

  “I’m Kayla. Pleased to meet you.” She got the words out without crying any more, but barely.

  “Now, me,” Marge said, “I jumped for joy when Brenna started kindergarten. She’s my sixth,” she added, “and I love her to pieces, but it was the first time I had the house to myself in fifteen years. I don’t want to give up the freedom come summer, so all my kids are in some kind of program or sport.”

  Kayla tried to smile but couldn’t. Leo had gone willingly enough with the counselor in charge, no doubt buoyed up by the prospect of telling the other children he was getting a dog. But as they’d walked away, he’d shot such a sad, plaintive look over his shoulder. That was what had done her in.

  For a long time, it had been her and Leo against the world. She had to learn to let him go, let him grow up, but she didn’t have to like it.

  In the past year of starting and running her little business, cleaning houses for wealthy people, she’d paid attention to how they cared for their kids. Lots of talking, lots of book reading. That had been easy for her to replicate with Leo.

  A couple of the families she’d really admired had given their kids independence and decision-making power, even at a fairly young age. That was harder for Kayla to do, given how she and Leo had been living, though she could see the merits of it. “Maybe I should go back in and check on him,” she said, thinking aloud.

  “Don’t do it,” Missy advised. “You’ll just make yourself miserable. And if he sees you, he’ll get more upset.”

  “He’ll be fine.” Marge waved a hand. “They have your number to call you if there’s anything wrong. Enjoy the time to yourself.”

  One of the other mothers, a tall, beautifully made-up blonde, drifted over. “Some of us are going to Flexible Coffee for a bit,” she said to Kayla. “I noticed you’re new. Want to come?”

  More small-town friendliness? Kayla appreciated it, but she didn’t quite feel comfortable. She didn’t want to go socialize for an hour or two; she had a car starter to buy and install.

  Before she could beg off, Marge lifted an eyebrow and pinned the woman with a steady stare. “Glad you’re willing to bury the hatchet, Sylvie—that is, if you’re inviting all of us. You haven’t spoken to me since Brenna gave Jocelyn that surprise haircut last year.”

  Sylvie shuddered. “Right before she had a pageant. She could have won.”

  Marge snorted. “Don’t pin that on me. Jocelyn wears a wig to those things, just like every other little beauty queen.”

  “I wouldn’t expect you to understand.” Sylvie’s once-over, taking in Marge’s faded T-shirt and cutoff shorts, wasn’t subtle.

  Missy rolled her eyes. “Would you two stop fighting? You’re going to give Kayla here a bad impression of our town.”

  The gorgeous Sylvie glanced out into the parking lot and then looked at Kayla speculatively. “That looked like Finn Gallagher’s truck. Are you two seeing each other?”

  “No!” Heat climbed Kayla’s cheeks. All three women looked at her and she realized she’d spoken too loudly. “I work for him, that’s all,” she said quickly, trying to sound casual. “I’m having car trouble, so he gave me and my son a ride to town.”

  “Think I’ll go say hello.” Sylvie sashayed over to Finn’s truck.

  “One of these days, she’s going to land him,” Marge said.

  “Not sure she’s his type,” Missy sai
d.

  “Long-legged blondes are every guy’s type.” Marge stretched. “You two going to take her up on her coffee invite?”

  “I have to work,” Missy said, turning toward the row of cars. “But if you go, call me later with all the gossip, okay?”

  “Will do,” Marge called after her. Then she turned to Kayla. “How about you. Want to come?”

  “I have to work, too.” And Kayla wasn’t sure she wanted to get in the middle of a lot of gossip. Back in high school, she’d envied the girls who knew everything about everyone and felt comfortable in the spotlight, but no more.

  Now she just wanted peace. And peace, for her, definitely meant staying out of the spotlight.

  “Well, it was nice meeting you. Think I’ll go just to see what news Sylvie’s gathered,” Marge added. “Unless she decides to hook up with Finn right here and now.” She nodded toward Finn’s truck.

  Sylvie had propped her crossed arms on the open window and was leaning in. She ran a hand through her long blond hair, flipping it back.

  Kayla felt a surge of the old jealousy. There were women who stood out and got noticed. And then there were women like her. As good-looking as Finn Gallagher was, he’d definitely go for the showier type.

  Which didn’t matter, of course. Finn could date whomever he chose, and it wasn’t her business. She just hoped he could still give her a ride back to the ranch before taking off with Sylvie.

  But Sylvie backed away quickly, spun and headed toward the main parking lot where Kayla and Marge still stood.

  “Did you get a date?” Marge asked her bluntly.

  “Marge! And no. He blew me off again.” Sylvie sighed dramatically. “If only I didn’t have this attraction to unavailable men. Are we going for coffee or not?”

  “I’ll meet you over there,” Marge said.

  “How about you, Kayla?” Sylvie studied her a little too hard. “Come on—join us. I’d like to get to know you.”

  No way. “Thank you,” she said in the fake-nice voice women like Sylvie always inspired in her. “I appreciate the coffee offer, but I really do need to get going. Thank you for helping me with my meltdown,” she added to Marge. “I’ll see you at pickup, or maybe another day this week. ’Bye, Sylvie.”

  She hurried off toward Finn’s truck, hoping she hadn’t been too abrupt.

  “What went on just now?” Finn asked as soon as she’d settled inside and fastened her seat belt.

  She shrugged. “They asked me for coffee, but I told them I needed to work.”

  “You know, your shift doesn’t start until ten. You could’ve gone.”

  “No, thanks.”

  He looked at her speculatively but didn’t ask any questions. “I’d like to take you to breakfast,” he said instead.

  That jolted her inner alarm system but good. “Why?”

  “Because I’m guessing you haven’t eaten, and you have a long day of work ahead.” He hesitated, then added, “And because I upset Leo, and I want to make it up to you.”

  “That’s not necessary. You fixed it.” What did he want with her, inviting her to a meal?

  He must have read her wariness, because he spread his hands. “No big deal. I often stop at the Peak View Diner for breakfast. It’s cheap, and Long John and Willie will probably be there. They’d love to have a new audience.”

  Oh. Well, if Long John and Willie would be there...

  “Best bacon biscuits in the state.” He offered a winning smile that made her breath catch.

  Her stomach growled. “Well...”

  “Look,” he said, “I’m not asking you out, if that’s what’s worrying you. It’s just that Esperanza Springs is a sociable little town. People are curious about you, and it’s better for them to meet you than to gossip among themselves.”

  “Bacon biscuits, huh?” She grinned and lifted her hands, palms up. “I can’t turn that down. Just as long as you and Long John and Willie protect me from the gossip hounds.”

  “Believe me,” he said, “nobody can get a word in around those guys’ stories, but they really are popular. If people see you’re with them—”

  “And with you?” she interrupted.

  “To a lesser extent, yes. So we’ll make an appearance, eat a couple of biscuits and then get back to the peace and solitude I think we both prefer.”

  She looked at him sideways and gave a slow nod. “Okay,” she said and then looked away, afraid of revealing the surge of emotion that had welled up in her at his words.

  It wasn’t that often that people paid enough attention to Kayla to figure out what she was like inside. And it was even less often that someone shared the same preferences and tastes.

  Unfortunately, Kayla was finding Finn’s attention and understanding just a little bit too appealing.

  * * *

  That night, Kayla spooned up another sloppy joe for Leo. She sat back in her chair at the little table, pushed her own empty plate away and stretched.

  Despite her sore muscles and tiredness, she had a sense of accomplishment.

  Working in the kennel had been physical and sometimes hard, but she loved the sweet old dogs already. And she was relieved to know that she could do the work, that it wasn’t too hard for her. Finn’s directions were clear and easy to understand, and he’d left her to do her job rather than hovering over her.

  After work, she’d put the new starter in her car. Thank you, online videos. Paying someone to fix something simple like that just wasn’t in the budget.

  She looked around the bare cabin. That might be her next project, making it look a little homier.

  It would be a while before she found a spare hour to dig out her old camera and explore the ranch, take some shots. She was an amateur, but she enjoyed photography. Living in such a beautiful place was making her itch to capture some images.

  But for today, she’d gotten the car fixed and dinner on the table and started a job, and that was enough. She’d sleep well tonight.

  Leo wiped a napkin across his face and chattered on about his day at camp, his new friends and potential names for the dog. She didn’t have the heart to correct him for talking with his mouth full. Fortunately, he seemed to have forgotten that Finn had said he’d bring the dog around tonight, because that didn’t seem to be happening.

  Or maybe he was just used to men disappointing him, as Mitch had so many times when he’d failed to pick Leo up for visits as planned.

  We’re free from all that now. She pushed thoughts of her ex away. Instead, she listened to her son chatter and let her shoulders relax, stretching her neck from side to side. She’d better get these dinner dishes washed before she got so sleepy she was tempted to just let it go. This cabin was way too small for that, especially since the kitchen, dining room and living room were just one connected space.

  There was a knock on the door, a little scuffling.

  Her shoulders tensed again.

  “It’s Finn, with a special visitor,” came the deep voice that was already becoming familiar to her.

  “The dog!” Leo shouted and jumped up from the table. “May I be ’scused?”

  “You may.” She smiled and stood up.

  Leo ran to the door and flung it open. “Hi, dog!”

  “She’s here for you if you’re ready,” Finn said to Kayla, restraining the black cocker spaniel just inside the doorway. “If not, tonight can just be a visit.”

  Kayla laughed and rubbed Leo’s back. “You think you’ll be able to get her out of here again? We’re as ready as we’ll ever be.” She knelt down, and Finn dropped the leash, and the dog walked right into her arms.

  “She’s so sweet!” Kayla rubbed her sides and turned a little, encouraging the dog to go to Leo, who reached out to hug her tight.

  “Gentle!” Kayla laughed as the dog gave Leo a brief lick. “Let her go and we’
ll see what she does.”

  The dog started to explore, keeping her nose to the floor as she trotted around. She bumped into a kitchen chair, backed up and continued on her quest as if nothing had happened.

  When she reached Leo again, she was ready to examine him. She licked his hands and face while he squealed and laughed.

  Kayla laughed, too. “Leo must smell like dinner,” she said and then looked up at Finn. “Would you like a plate? We have plenty of sloppy joes and corn on the cob.” She flushed a little as she named the humble fare. Finn was probably used to better.

  Finn looked over at the table, and for a moment something like longing flashed across his face. But it was gone so quickly that she might have imagined it. “It does smell good,” he said, “but I already ate with Penny and a couple of the guys. We do meals together occasionally.”

  Leo rolled away from the friendly dog, and she knelt in a play bow and uttered a couple of short barks.

  “She’s deaf, but she still barks?” Kayla asked.

  “She’s not entirely deaf. And she barks when she’s excited.” He ruffled Leo’s hair. “She’s excited now. I think she likes you.”

  Leo looked up at Finn, eyes positively glowing.

  Finn slid a backpack off and set it on the floor. “If you’re sure you’re ready, I’ll get out her stuff.”

  Kayla nodded. “That’s fine. I’m just going to get the dinner dishes cleaned up.” She hoped Finn would pick up on the fact that she wanted Leo to be as involved as possible.

  He seemed to read her mind. “Leo, I need help,” Finn said. “If you can just let the dog explore for a few minutes, we’ll get out her supplies.”

  “Supplies?” Leo’s eyes widened.

  Finn pulled out a food dish and large water bowl. “Now, the thing about dogs and food,” he said to Leo, “is that you never want to come between them. This one’s gentle, but she’s been hungry before and she probably remembers it. Dogs can get a little bit mad if they think you’re taking their food.”

  Kayla couldn’t resist: she walked over and knelt to hear the lesson. The dishes could wait.

  “Did you choose a new name for her?” Finn asked.