Texas Rebels: Jude

* * *

PAIGE CHANGED OUT of her suit into jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers. They were cleaning out the house and it was dirty work. Dust and cobwebs were everywhere, emphasizing all the pain and sorrow that had happened within the walls.

“Hey, the refrigerator still works. How about that?” Staci diligently wiped it out with bleach and water. Staci had had the electricity turned on days ago so they could work. They had two weeks and they planned to repaint inside and out to make it attractive to a buyer.

The house was a nice three-bedroom two-bath brick home their mother had bought with the insurance money from her parents’ death. Or more to the point, Uncle Harry, Darlene’s guardian, had bought it for them. Uncle Harry and Aunt Nora had lived next door and they had been a godsend when they were growing up. Uncle Harry had died when Paige was fifteen. And Nora had followed six months later. For the first time the three Wheeler children were alone in the world. But Luke had already joined the army and that left just Staci and Paige and their mother.

Uncle Harry’s house had been willed to the three children, but Darlene had sold it and made them sign the papers. With the money, she’d bought a new car and a used one for Staci. She’d blown the rest on frivolous stuff. They didn’t live that far from the school and after Staci graduated and went to work, Paige walked to school. But after she fell in love with Jude, he always picked her up.

Jude.

He’d gotten her through high school. He’d gotten her through so much of her horrendous life. And then...

“How did your talk go with Jude?” Staci asked, frowning at the pan of dirty water from cleaning the fridge. “We can keep our cold drinks in here while we’re working and that’s probably it. The owners will probably dump it.”

“We didn’t get to talk much. He got a call from the school about his son and he left quickly.”

“Did he say anything about his son or his wife or girlfriend?”

“No, and I really don’t want to know. I just want him to go with me to talk to Mrs. Carstairs.”

Staci stopped what she was doing to look at Paige, who was throwing items from the cabinets into a big trash can. “Kiddo, do you think that’s the best decision? It’s been a long time and it might be best for you, for everyone, to let it go.”

“I can’t, Staci. I need answers to go on.” Paige leaned against the cabinet. “I’ve made so many bad decisions and I know I can’t go back and change that. But to go forward I have to feel good inside about what happened. I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen, but I know I have to have some answers.”

“Did Jude say he would go with you?”

“He didn’t say much of anything, but that’s Jude. He doesn’t talk much. He said he would come by here when he got through at school and I’m going to ask him again.”

Staci closed the refrigerator and wiped her hands on her jeans. “I don’t mean to hurt you, but how is knowing you had a son or daughter going to help you feel any better? The baby is still gone. I think it’s time you face that. That’s the only thing that’s going to give you closure. Just be grateful you gave the child a life and probably a very good one with a nice family who’s spoiling the devil out of it.”

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