To Protect Her Son

“Did you and Neill choose this together?”

“We did. Our first purchase for our home.” Sherri smiled, her eyes alight with enthusiasm. “I have never been so excited in my life. After everything we’ve been through, all those years of misunderstanding and being apart from each other, marrying the wrong people, will finally be behind us in less than two months.”

Gayle hugged her friend. “You will be so gorgeous in that antique lace wedding dress. Being with you when you picked it out was a really special moment for me.” She wanted to tell her friend that she’d never been a part of anybody’s wedding before, but divulging any details of her past would lead to questions she couldn’t risk answering.

“And you and Morgan in your green dresses... Morgan is so pleased to be part of the wedding party. She’s talked about it for hours on end. Her favorite thing is that she got to pick out the color. And I’m so glad Neill’s best friend from medical school, Mark Leighton, can be a groomsman along with Nate.”

“Are we going to go over the flower choices tonight? And what about the reception? Have you chosen flowers for the tables yet?” Gayle pointed to the florist’s three-ring binder on the counter next to the phone.

Sherri sighed, her gaze turning anxious. “Let’s sit down. I need to talk to you about something first.”

Gayle tried to block her anxiety. Had Sherri been pressured into making someone else her maid of honor, someone who had a longer history of friendship with her than Gayle? “Sure. Go ahead,” she said, forcing her tone to be upbeat.

“Please don’t feel I’m prying into your life, but I need to ask you if anything has changed where Adam is concerned since he came into the clinic the other morning.”

Gayle forced her shoulders into a shrug and smiled gamely. “He’s been home the past two nights well before his curfew. We came to an agreement over the game he wants to buy. I loaned him the money, and he’ll pay me back when he mows lawns this weekend.”

“How’s he doing in school?”

Gayle had spent hours convincing Adam to do his homework this week. She’d made two trips back to the school to get materials he needed to complete his assignments, two of which she’d discovered were overdue. “Adam isn’t much of a student at the best of times.”

“What else is going on with him? Does he tell you where he’s been when he’s late?”

Gayle didn’t want to talk about Adam and spoil her only social outing in weeks. “Adam seems to be doing a little better.”

Sherri sighed. “I’m glad to hear that. What about the next time he stays out too late, or makes a scene at your work?”

Obviously her friend wasn’t going to let this go. “I know you think he needs help, but I need a little time to convince Adam to go along with seeing a counselor,” she said. That wasn’t the complete truth. She hadn’t broached the subject with her son yet. How she wished she could tell Sherri about her sordid past, about Harry, about her lies. But she was afraid of what her friend would think.

If she told anyone about her past, her present life would be over. Her son didn’t know the truth about his father, and couldn’t be told under any circumstances. And now that Gayle had all the things she needed so desperately in her life, she had to keep her past to herself.

Moving to Eden Harbor on the coast of Maine, a continent away, had provided her with enough distance to restart her life. After her divorce, she’d changed back to her maiden name, and she’d left her past behind. She would not let anything stop her now.

One thing she was certain of—telling Sherri about her past would end their friendship. Sherri had shared so much with Gayle. She’d told her the full story of her past with Neill, and all the heartache she’d survived because of him, her miscarriage, her ill-fated marriage to another man, her return to Eden Harbor, all of it. Close friends shared their lives with one another. Should Sherri learn that Gayle’s fictional life back in California wasn’t true, she would be hurt, and the trust between them destroyed.

“Why don’t you give Nate a chance to help Adam? He is so good with teenagers. He’d be perfect.”

“How can you be so sure? Besides, he must have a full case load already.”

Sherri gave her a smug grin. “Doesn’t matter. Nate won’t say no to me. So what do you say?”

“Tell me more about him,” Gayle asked, realizing too late that she didn’t want to hear about the shooting of another police officer. She didn’t want to learn firsthand how a family as nice as Sherri’s had lived through Nate’s injuries. It would only serve to remind her of another family that had been devastated by the shots fired from Harry’s weapon.

Sherri grinned with pride. “Nate is the white knight in the family, always riding to the rescue whenever any of his cousins are in trouble. He’s been a rock that we’ve all leaned on at one time or another. Right now he’s helping out his sister, Anna Barker. She’s a single mom with two boys.”

Gayle knew Anna from the single-parents group she’d joined when she first moved to Eden Harbor. She really liked her, looked forward to the meetings. She considered Anna her closest friend after Sherri. “Anna’s a member of my single-parents group. We always try to sit together at the meetings. I had no idea...”

“Yeah, she’s Nate’s current project, now that he doesn’t have to look out for me. Anna told me the other day he’s beginning to hover. She was only teasing, of course. We’re all so lucky to have him.” Sherri chuckled. “I don’t know what Anna would do without him. I’m surprised she never mentioned him to you.”

“We mostly talk about our kids at the meeting. The couple of times we’ve gone out to coffee it’s been to discuss work and that sort of thing.”

“Well, ask her the next time you see her, and she’ll tell you what it’s like when Nate takes an interest in your welfare.” Sherri led the way to the kitchen table, cups of coffee in hand, and they slid into chairs opposite each other. “So what about it?”

“About what?” Gayle asked, stalling for time. She didn’t want to turn down her friend’s offer of support. She didn’t want anything to jeopardize her relationship with Sherri. She was looking forward to the wedding, to being part of her friend’s happiness. She’d never been to a wedding in her entire life, let alone a member of the wedding party. She loved the green dress with the tight bodice and scooped neckline, the full-length skirt that hugged her body past her knees before flaring out at the bottom. She felt so sexy in it.

Uncertainty filled her heart and mind. How was she going to turn down Sherri’s offer to have her cousin help Adam without Sherri feeling hurt? On one hand, she was well aware that Adam could benefit from the help of a professional. On the other, she didn’t want that help coming from someone so closely linked to Sherri and Anna. “I’m... Are you sure Nate would be willing to help? Have you asked him already?”

“No, of course not. I wanted to talk to you first.” Sherri glanced at her anxiously. “Gayle, are you all right?”

“I’m...fine.” She rubbed her sweaty palms together, and glanced at her watch. “But I really should get home. I promised Adam we’d watch a movie together tonight, part of my plan to get to the bottom of what’s going on with him.”

“That sounds good. We can talk about the wedding flowers another time.”

“Oh! Sorry! I forgot we were doing that this evening. I’ll call Adam and let him know I won’t be home for a while.”

Sherri’s smile was reassuring. “No. Don’t do that. The flowers will be really easy to decide. I’ve pretty well made up my mind about what kind I want. All I need you to do is help me pick out the actual arrangements from the florist’s book.”

Gayle said her goodbyes and headed to her car. She had to stop worrying about something that would never happen. She’d spent too much time worrying about the past. Getting help for Adam was all that mattered.

CHAPTER TWO

A WEEK LATER, Gayle was putting the last load of clothes in the washer and looking forward to watching The Comedy Network on television. She’d been ironing all evening, a tedious chore but one she insisted upon doing every week. Ironing her sheets, pressing the edges of her towels, ironing her jeans, gave her a sense of order. She’d always done the ironing, even as a child living in the midst of her parents’ disorganized existence. Tonight it was helping her remain calm.

Adam had gone out with a friend four hours earlier with the firm promise that he would keep his curfew of ten o’clock. It was nearly eleven, and he still hadn’t returned. She only knew the name of one of the other boys—Derrick Little. She’d called his mother to be told that Derrick had been home for over an hour, and she didn’t know where Adam could be.

She had just unplugged the iron, leaving it on the board to cool, when the doorbell rang. Relief mingled with anxiety, making her bump her wrist against the hot surface of the iron. “Ouch!” she muttered as she headed to the front door, holding her stinging wrist across her chest.

When she peeked through the sidelights of the wide wooden door she saw the clear outline of a police officer standing next to her son. Her heart sagged. Her mind stilled at the fear of what this could mean. Sucking in her breath, she lowered her injured wrist and opened the door.

“Gayle Sawyer?”

She nodded, her gaze fixed on Adam. His face was bruised, his eyes angry. There was a small cut on his forehead. “What happened?” She reached for her son, who immediately stepped back, out of her grasp.

She clutched the door frame for support. “Adam, are you all right?”

“I’m Officer Edwards. May I come in? Your son’s been in a fight with a group of teens. We need to talk to you.”

“A fight. My son doesn’t do that. We’ve talked about it many times. About how fighting is not the way to solve disagreements and how important it is to respect others...”

She forced herself to stop talking. If she didn’t she’d cry. She would not cry in front of a police officer. She would remain calm.

“Please come in. Can I get you a cup of coffee?” she asked, not knowing what to do once the tall young officer was standing in her living room. She couldn’t look at Adam, and let him see the worry in her eyes. As much as he was being difficult at the moment, he was a good kid. She would not prejudge him, certainly not with a police officer as a witness.

“Thank you, but no. May we sit here?” the officer asked, nodding toward the sofa and chair in front of the angel stone fireplace.

“Certainly.” Still unable to look at Adam, she led the way into the room and sat on the armchair next to the fireplace, leaving Adam and the officer to sit together on the sofa.

Adam slouched in one corner, his eyes fixed on the fireplace mantel. Was he not going to look at her, or volunteer even one word of explanation? “What’s this all about?” she asked the officer, but her gaze remained fixed on her son.

“There was a fight among a group of boys down along the waterfront this evening. Several of those involved were taken to the police station. I thought it more appropriate to bring your son home while we talked a bit.”

“What did Adam do?” Gayle’s heart crushed against her ribs as memories of another evening flashed across her mind. The police had shown up at the apartment where she and Harry lived, looking to talk to Harry. When they’d realized she was alone, they’d left. Before they did they told her that Harry was wanted in the shooting of a police officer. If she was withholding any information she could face serious charges. While she’d been waiting to tell Harry that he would be a father in a few months, over a nice dinner she’d made for the two of them, he’d been out shooting a cop.

“Is Adam charged with anything?”

“No. We believe Adam was caught up in something not of his own making. To my knowledge Adam hasn’t been involved in an incident like this before.” The police officer leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs, his eyes searching her face. “The point is, we don’t want this to happen again. We usually recommend a mentoring program in these situations. If you agree, we have several skilled officers who work with teens. We’d be willing to set up a meeting between Adam and one of them. The other option is to seek private counseling.”

Gayle thought about Nate Garrison. But what was the likelihood of Nate being available, even with Sherri’s intervention? Nate might be too busy to help out.

Yet she couldn’t risk having Nate take Adam’s case. She had to choose the private option. “I don’t have the money...” She placed her trembling hands out of sight of the officer, whose watchful eyes held a hint of kindness.

“What if I can get you into the community center program? They’re pretty busy, but I’ll see if I can get him bumped up the queue.”

“You’d do that for Adam?”

“Yes.” He glanced over at Adam, who had slumped even farther into the sofa. “I believe your son didn’t mean to be part of that fight. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He turned back to her. “Does Adam have a curfew?”

“He does, but he didn’t keep it tonight.”

“Well, let’s see if we can get him back on track.” He reached into his uniform pocket and retrieved a card. “Here’s the contact information for the community center program.”

She grasped it eagerly, her relief palpable. Maybe she’d found an ally in her efforts to get Adam to straighten out. “Thank you for bringing my son home, and for everything you’ve done for him.”

The officer turned his gaze to Adam again. “I promise that you will have all the help you need to stay out of trouble. In return you have to promise me that you will keep the appointments set up for you. Deal?”

Adam sat up straight, resting his hands in his lap. “Sure. Why not?” There was no cockiness in his voice, but rather a look bordering on hope.

Had Adam wanted this to happen? Was he so desperate for someone’s help and understanding that he’d done this intentionally?

“Okay. That’s it.” Officer Edwards rose. “I’ll be in touch. In the meantime, call that number if you need to contact me,” he said, pointing to the card he’d just given her.

Gayle thanked him, walked with him to the door, locking it behind him before turning back to her son. They needed to talk. She couldn’t believe that Adam would get into trouble this way. She returned to the living room but he wasn’t there. She searched the kitchen and the rest of the main floor, bumping her burned wrist against the door frame of the tiny den. It hurt so bad she nearly cried out. She wanted to sit down and sob until there were no tears left. Instead, she gritted her teeth and climbed the stairs to his bedroom.

She knocked. No answer, only a rustling sound. “Adam, can we talk?”

“Not tonight, Mom. I’m tired.” His voice was subdued.

“Do you need a bandage for that cut on your forehead?” she asked, remembering all the times in the past when she’d bandaged an arm or knee after a spill from a bike. Memories that reminded her how much her relationship with her son had changed during the past couple of years, despite her efforts to build a new life. Was he unhappy here in Eden Harbor? Had the move from Anaheim been a mistake? She’d brought him here because of the kids he was hanging out with, but maybe it wasn’t those kids but Adam himself who was the problem.

She hated herself for thinking that way.

“No, Mom. I’m good,” Adam said.

She could tell by his voice that he was just inside the door. She reached up, placing her hand on the door at the spot where she guessed his head would be resting. She yearned for those days not so long ago when Adam had shared his concerns. For so many years, whenever he had a problem he sought the refuge of his room, where he would be waiting when she came up the stairs. And so it was tonight: only tonight was different. Tonight Adam didn’t ease the door open and sit on the end of his bed, waiting to share his problem with her.

She was tempted to open the door, but didn’t, fearful that he might be angered by her action. She could handle anything but his sudden outbursts of anger. The first had happened only a few weeks ago. It had not only surprised her, but left her deeply saddened and afraid. Her fear over his behavior had made her avoid confronting him about it, creating a distance between them she hadn’t been able to bridge.

It was so difficult to witness what was happening with Adam. When he was angry, he seemed so much his father’s son. After the initial excitement of her marriage to Harry, she’d experienced firsthand what life was like with a man whose angry outbursts had become a part of their daily lives. Harry used anger to get what he wanted from her or from anyone who got in his way.

* * *

ADAM STOOD JUST inside the door, his stomach aching, tears hovering beneath his lids. He wanted to open the door so bad. He didn’t want to disappoint his mom. He was so confused by what happened earlier in the evening.

He hadn’t meant to cause his mom so much grief. Really he hadn’t. He’d been on his way home with Derrick when one of his classmates had caught up with him. Eddie Walsh had wanted him to join his other buddies at the old pool hall near the waterfront.

They’d gone over there and shot a couple of rounds of pool, during which Adam had lost badly. Thankfully he hadn’t bet any money on the games, despite pressure from Eddie. He didn’t have any cash on him, and until he paid his mom back he wouldn’t have any. He figured Eddie and his friends would drop him, but they hadn’t. They’d let him play and they’d cheered him on. He’d felt accepted by them.

It wasn’t until they’d decided to go back to the waterfront, and he’d seen the town clock, that he’d realized he had broken his curfew. He’d been trying to decide what to do when the fight had broken out. They’d just been walking along, fooling around, when suddenly someone had walked up behind Eddie and punched him.

When someone took a swing at him, Adam had no choice but to defend himself.

He hadn’t meant to get in a fight. He hadn’t meant to be late. He hadn’t meant to do any of it. But now it was too late to say that. He was old enough to stand up for himself. Eddie had said as much. And there was no explanation for his behavior that his mom would understand.

Moving here had been his mom’s decision. He’d gone along with it because for the first time that he could remember his mom was happy. He’d never seen her smile as much as she had at the news she’d inherited this house. And he wanted his mom to be happy. He didn’t understand why she was so sad, but he was pretty sure it had to do with his dad dying in a trawler accident off the coast of Alaska.

She had settled right in here, and had made friends. The neighbors loved his mom, and were always asking about her when he mowed their lawns. He couldn’t seem to find a friend among the kids at school. The only person who had been kind to him was Morgan Brandon, mostly because she was a new kid, as well.

He liked her. But she was a girl. It wasn’t the same.

Wishing things were different, but knowing he couldn’t change what he’d done, he waited to see if his mom would insist on coming into his room. For a few minutes he considered opening the door...talking like they used to do. Yet in the end he didn’t feel like talking. The fight had frightened him. He’d never hit anyone in his life and regretted what he’d done.

The kid he’d hit was in his class, and now the word would be out that he was trouble. Way to go, he thought to himself as he listened for his mom on the other side of the door. As the minutes ticked away, he felt sadder and sadder.

* * *

STILL NO SOUND from inside Adam’s room. Gayle had never felt so lonely, so lost, in all her life. Tonight had scared her. And yet she couldn’t bear to lose faith in her son, to have him become more distant and difficult. She didn’t have a clue how to stop what was happening, and that frightened her so much she could hardly breathe. Adam was her life. She loved him with her whole heart, and wished she had the nerve to open his door.

She waited, trying to decide what to do. In the end she felt she had no choice but to wait for Adam to come to her and explain his behavior. When he did she would listen and try to understand what was going on with him. “See you in the morning, then,” she said, quietly lifting her hand from the door before going down the hall to her own room.

She got ready for bed while listening for the sound of his door opening, disappointed that there would be no chance for them to talk this evening. Yet the normal peacefulness of her bedroom didn’t stop her from turning over the events of the past weeks in her mind, wrestling with her fear that she’d made some irrevocable mistake. She fell into a restless sleep, awaking the next morning feeling exhausted. In the early-morning light, her thoughts were much clearer. Regardless of how she felt about seeking help for Adam, she had to take steps to stop him from getting into further trouble.

Three days later Gayle approached the office of community services with trepidation. Adam had refused to go with her, and had willingly gone to school instead. The receptionist ticked her name off an appointment list before leading her into the office of Ted Marston, the head of community services. Despite her unease, she noted that the man was young, his office neat and orderly. The brightly colored pots filled with strawberry geraniums cascading over the windowsills of the large bay window behind him created the only touch of disorder in the entire space.

“Please have a seat,” he said, his voice instilling confidence. “I’ve got the report from Officer Edwards about your son’s behavior a couple of nights ago.”

“Yes. I wanted Adam to come with me, but he refused,” she said, concerned that Adam’s no-show could jeopardize the whole plan.

“It’s okay. I would have liked to meet your son, but this is strictly an organizational meeting. Adam’s absence tells me he’s not that keen on doing this. How do you feel about it?”

“I’m worried that if Adam doesn’t get help now he’ll get into worse problems. We moved here...” No! She couldn’t mention Anaheim without explaining that this wasn’t the first time she’d been worried about Adam’s choice of friends. She couldn’t betray her son to this stranger. Better to save any discussion of the past for his mentor once he was assigned one.

“How long ago was that?”

“About a year.”

“May I ask why?”

“I inherited the Cooper house. Susan Cooper was my mother’s sister.”

“I’ve often admired that house, especially the gingerbread woodwork, and it’s got a great veranda. Are you the one who replanted the front flower beds?”

She felt her face relax into a smile for the first time since she’d entered the room. “I did. I like to work with my hands, and gardening is such a pleasant pastime.”

“My wife would agree with you,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at the mass of red blossoms and green foliage dangling from the windowsill. Returning to the paperwork in front of him, he said, “When I got your son’s referral and was told it was urgent, I had no choice but to look for a mentor outside those here in this office. With more people unemployed due to the downturn in the fishing industry, our counselors and mentors are busier than they’ve ever been. But your son is about to have one of the best in Eden Harbor take his case—Nate Garrison.”

Sherri must have convinced her cousin to step in. Despite her worries Gayle was thankful for the help. If it was the best option for Adam, and since Nate had such a good recommendation, maybe she should simply accept the inevitable. “Nate Garrison is my best friend’s cousin, but I don’t know very much about him.”

“You’re very lucky to have him take your son on as a client.”

* * *

NATE GARRISON SHIFTED his weight to ease the ache in his thigh as he sat in a very uncomfortable chair outside Ted Marston’s office. He’d arrived a little early, and had welcomed a few moments to relax. The client he’d just seen was a sixteen-year-old boy whose mother would not take any responsibility for what was going on in her son’s life. She blamed the father, her ex-husband, for her son’s problems, and refused to consider that she might have to change her approach in how she raised her son.