A Child's Gift

She smiled at him and Rico glanced over at Dusty. “The date will have to wait until they find a home for Dusty.”

“That’s fine with me. I’m here to help.”

“What about the bakery?”

Her eyes locked with his. “I quit. I’ve had enough and I’m not going back.”

“What?” One dark eyebrow almost disappeared into his hairline. “How are you going to make a living?”

“I’m very frugal and I’ve saved most of my salary. I can afford to take some time to help you with Dusty until I decide what I’m going to do. That starts with our first date.” Her hands were numb as she stared at the salt and pepper shakers and napkin holder on the table. There were little blue flowers on them and she focused on that. “I want to tell you some things about myself.”

“You don’t have to tell me anything. I know everything I need to know.”

She shook her head. “No. I need to tell you.”

“Anamarie, there’s nothing you could say that would change the way I feel about you.” The warmth of his eyes said she didn’t need to say a thing, but for her own peace of mind she had to.

“Just listen. Okay?”

He nodded.

“In high school I had a relationship with Greg Holmes. We fell in love and he asked me to marry him. He gave me a ring and as soon as we graduated we were going to get married. We made all kinds of plans. He was going to take over his dad’s plumbing company and I was going to take over the bakery. But then I got sick.”

She took a gulp of air. “When I had my period, I started bleeding and it wouldn’t stop. I was in a lot of pain. It went on for weeks till my mom took me to the doctor. After a lot of tests, they discovered I had endometriosis, and they also found tumors on my ovaries. They did a biopsy and they were malignant and had to come out. The only solution was a partial hysterectomy.” She paused and looked directly at him. “I’ll never be able to have children.”

The sadness on his face gave her the courage to continue. “Greg said it didn’t matter. We’d get married anyway and adopt. Then rumors started to spread around town about Greg and Charlotte Carter. Finally, he came to see me and said he couldn’t go through with the wedding. That he wanted children of his own. He was sorry, but that was the way he felt. I was devastated and depressed for a long time. I just poured myself into work. My only thought was that I would be the old maid of Horseshoe, Texas.”

He reached across the table for her hand and held it between his warm palms. “No. You’re a beautiful vibrant woman and Greg is a jerk.”

His hands were rough. She could feel the calluses that indicated how hard he worked. At the understanding in his eyes, she kept talking. “It made me feel less of a woman.” He made to speak and she stopped him with a raised hand. “I know it doesn’t matter to you. You don’t even have to tell me that. Somehow I know deep in my heart that you would never hurt me.”

He stroked the back of her hand. “Do you ever see Greg?”

“Oh, sure. He comes into the bakery all the time with his three girls and Charlotte. At first I avoided them, but now it doesn’t even matter. They’re just another group of customers.”

He continued to stroke her hand and she’d never felt anything so good. “Let’s see if I got this right. That’s the reason your mother is so protective of you?”

“Yes. She doesn’t want anyone to know I can’t have children. It somehow diminishes me in her sight and she thinks it would in other people’s eyes, too.”

“Wow. You have some mother, but in a way I guess I can see that she’s trying to keep you from getting hurt again.”

“Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes.

Rico’s phone buzzed, interrupting them. He looked at his phone and said, “It’s Wyatt. Maybe they’ve found a relative to take Dusty.” He got up to answer it and she followed.

“Hey, Wyatt.” Rico talked for a minute and then clicked off. “Wyatt wants me to bring Dusty into the office. The CPS worker will be there and she’s going to talk to Dustin’s mother in prison and let Dusty talk to her, too.”

“Then we better go.”

He stared at her for a moment and she wasn’t sure what to read in his expression. “I said I would help you with him.”

“Are you sure? Because, you know, we’re going to have to give him back.”

She did something she was never bold enough to do. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her face on his solid chest. “I can handle it.” She never met anyone who was so concerned about her feelings or about her. She got lost in the shuffle of her family. But with Rico, she came first. She felt it and she needed that. She needed him.

And she hoped he needed her, too.

THEY WENT IN Rico’s truck and Dusty was full of questions.

“Why do we have to go back there?”

“We just do. Play with your truck and we’ll be there in a few minutes.” Rico glanced at Anamarie and he couldn’t believe all the things she’d shared with him. He wanted to show her just how much of a woman she really was.

In the sheriff’s office, he was introduced to Ms. Henshaw, the social worker. Dusty stayed with Anamarie in the outer office.

Ms. Henshaw adjusted her wire-rimmed glasses with the tip of her forefinger. “The sheriff failed to mention a big part of your past.”

He met her eyes squarely. “If you’re talking about prison, that’s exactly what it is. My past.”

“Still, I don’t appreciate being given half-truths.”

“We all want what’s best for this little boy,” Wyatt said. “So let’s concentrate on that. I did what was best at the time and I’m sticking to my decision and I really don’t care what CPS thinks, Ms. Henshaw.”

“You don’t have to get snippy.”

“Then let’s focus on what happens next.”

Ms. Henshaw glanced at the watch on her arm. “The warden should be calling right about this time.” As the words left her mouth, Wyatt’s phone rang. He put it on speakerphone.

“Sheriff Carson.”

“Sheriff, this is Della Riley, the warden at the woman’s prison. I have Darlene Miller in my office and she would like to speak to her son.”

“He’ll be here in a second.”

“Is this the sheriff?” A softer female voice came on the line.

“Yes, it is. I suppose the warden told you that your mother has passed away.”

“Yes, I’ve been crying for hours. Where’s my baby?”

Loud voices outside the door interrupted the conversation. Suddenly the door swung open and a blonde in a nice dress and heels stood in the doorway. She removed her sunglasses; bracelets jangled as she did. “I want to speak to Sheriff Carson.”

“Is my sister there?” Darlene asked.

Wyatt got to his feet. “Yes, I suppose she is.”

“Don’t let her take my baby. I don’t want her to have him.”

The woman held out her hand to Wyatt and he shook it. “I’m Connie Grimes, Darlene’s sister, and I’m here to help with my nephew.”

“No!” Darlene shouted through the phone. “I don’t want her to have him. She’s wanted everything I’ve ever had and she’s not getting Dustin!”

Rico didn’t know what to think, but the conversation soon escalated into a shouting match until Wyatt put a stop to it.

There was quiet for a brief moment and then the social worker spoke to Darlene. “We have to find a home for Dustin. Your sister is willing...”

“No. She doesn’t even like kids. That’s why she doesn’t have any of her own. She’s mean and cruel. No, I refuse to let her have Dustin.”

“Darlene.” Ms. Henshaw sighed. “Dustin needs a home until you get out of prison.”

“Who’s keeping him now?”

Ms. Henshaw glanced at Rico. “Jericho Johnson.”

“Who? I never heard of him. Is he from Horseshoe?”

Wyatt jumped back into the conversation. “Rico, as everyone calls him, works on Rebel Ranch. He’s part of the Rebel family and he was the one who found Dusty looking for food and brought him to my office. He and Dusty have formed a connection.”

“Is Mr. Johnson there?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m right here and Dusty is outside the office.”

“I’d like to talk to my son.”

Rico went into the squad room, picked up Dusty and carried him into the sheriff’s office. Anamarie waited for them. “He’s here.”

“Baby, it’s Mommy.”

Dustin’s eyes flew wide. “Mommy, are you coming to get me? Grandma went to be with Jesus.”

There was a long pause on the line and then they heard sniffling. “No, baby, I can’t come right now. I still need more time, but I want to find a nice place for you to stay until I can get there.”

“I can stay with Rico. He got horses and he got toys. I stay with Rico.”

“Okay, baby, I needed to hear your voice. I love you and I’ll see you soon.”

“I love you, too, Mommy.”

Rico took the boy to Anamarie and went back into the office. Connie was in full tirade. “You’ve always been stubborn thinking of yourself instead of others. Think of your son for once.”

“Why do you want my son? You told Mom he should be in foster care.”

“You needed to be taught a lesson, but what was I thinking? You never learn, not even when we were little. You defied Mom and Dad and did exactly what you wanted.”

There was another long pause as they waited for Darlene to speak.

“Yeah, because you tattled on me so many times. Even when we were in school you tattled to teachers and got me in trouble. You ruined my whole school experience with your jealousy. You took a lot of things from me, but you will never take my son.”

Darlene seemed to take a breath, and then asked, “Mr. Johnson?”

Rico leaned against the doorjamb, but at the sound of his name he stood up straight. “Yes, ma’am?”

“Do you live on Rebel Ranch?”

“Yes.”

“I remember how beautiful it was and I wanted to live in that big house with all those handsome cowboys. I want Dusty to be somewhere where he’s happy. He wants to stay with you. Do you think you could keep him until I get out? My lawyer said I could probably get out in three months.”

He saw this coming when Dusty had said he wanted to stay with Rico, but he didn’t really believe Darlene would want him to take the boy. His heart was going to get involved, especially when he would have to give the boy back. So many questions rolled around in his head, but there was only one answer. For him. For Dusty.

“Sheriff,” Darlene called. “Do you vouch for Mr. Johnson?”

“Yes, ma’am, I do. He’s a good man. He was one of the guys who helped get our kids out of the gym when the bombs went off in our school.”

“I remember reading about that. I was just glad my Dustin wasn’t in school yet.”

There was a short pause and then, “Ms. Henshaw, I’d like for Mr. Johnson to take Dusty until I can get him. That is, if he’s willing.”

“You’re so stupid!” Connie shouted to the phone. “You’ve always been stupid!”

Wyatt motioned for Stuart to get the woman out of his office, which he did. As Connie passed Rico, he got a whiff of cigarette smoke. She was a smoker. Even expensive perfume couldn’t disguise that.

Wyatt took his seat. “Okay, Darlene, let’s get this straight. You want Mr. Johnson to take care of Dusty until you can get out of prison.”

“I do, but he never said anything. Dustin gets government assistance and Mr. Johnson can get that.”

Rico cleared his throat. “I’ll keep him, but I don’t want any money.”

“Now I know you’re a good guy.

“The warden is indicating that I need to get off the phone. Take good care of my baby, Mr. Johnson. I trust you and when I get out this time I’m going to stay clean.”

“For Dustin’s sake, I hope you do.”

The line went dead and the three people left in the room stared at each other. Ms. Henshaw was the first to speak. “Mr. Johnson, I’ll be at your home tomorrow morning at nine to see where Dustin will be living. He’s in school for most of the day and I expect you to get him there and pick him up.”

“No problem. But nine o’clock in the morning isn’t going to work. I have to get Dustin to school and go to work. I can meet you about six in the evening.”

“I’ll rearrange my schedule to make sure this little boy is placed where he will be happy and safe.” Ms. Henshaw gathered her briefcase and purse and left the room.

Wyatt glanced at Rico. “You work long hours on the ranch. How are you going to make this work?”

“I know a pretty lady who’s going to help me.” He tried hard not to smile.

“Anamarie. You won’t find anyone nicer than her and I hope it works out for you.”

“Thanks, Wyatt.” He paused for a moment. “What about arrangements for Wendy Miller?”

Wyatt shrugged. “Fred from the funeral home called and the body will be ready tomorrow morning. He’s wondering how he’s going to get his money. I told him he would have first claim after her estate is settled. There won’t be much. The sale of the house will more than pay for her funeral and maybe some left over for Dustin.”

“Maybe it would give Darlene a new start.”

“We can hope. But with the sister in town I don’t know what’s going to happen.” Wyatt waved a hand. “Anyway, that’s another story. I’ll have Stuart go through Mrs. Miller’s papers. Maybe he can find a will and then everything will be simple.”

“Yeah, right.” He heard Wyatt laugh as he left the room.

It was refreshing to see Anamarie’s pretty face, even if she was frowning.

“No, no, no!” Dusty shouted, burying his face in Anamarie’s chest as Connie attempted to talk to him.

“I’m your aunt,” Connie kept on. “I just want to get to know you.”

“Nooo!” Dusty wailed.

“No means no, Ms. Grimes,” Rico said with a bite in his voice.

“Now listen here—”

Dusty scrambled from Anamarie’s lap and ran to Rico. With Dusty in his arms, they walked out of the office.

“I don’t want to go with her!” Dusty cried.

Rico patted his back. “It’s okay, buddy. You’re going home with me...and Anamarie.” He looked over at her and her smile was everything he wanted to see.

ANAMARIE MARVELED AT Rico’s gentle nature with Dusty. He eased all of the little boy’s fears. And somehow he eased hers, too.

He slid into the driver’s seat, his hands on the steering wheel. “It’s getting late so how about if we go to Temple and have supper?”

“Sounds great,” she said with a slight smile. “I really don’t mind cooking. I don’t know why I said that.”

“No cooking. Right, Dusty?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Where do you want to go?” Rico asked her.

She had hoped that he would choose a place, but he probably didn’t go out all that much and didn’t know of any restaurants in Temple.

“Pizza,” Dusty shouted from the back seat.

“Anamarie gets to choose.”

“Why?” Dustin wanted to know.

“Because she’s a girl and we always let girls go first.”

“Oh.” Clearly Dusty was baffled by the answer.

“There’s a nice Italian restaurant that I used to go to with Angie and Rachel and it has a kiddie menu. It was Angie’s way of getting me out of the bakery and the food was delicious.”

“Pizza it is then.”

Excitement ran through her veins at the light in his dark eyes; her first date with a dark, mysterious stranger. Except he wasn’t a stranger. He was the man of her dreams and the man she wanted to share her life with. They’d talked enough and it was time to take their relationship further. It was long overdue.

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