Love Inspired February 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: The Cowboy's Reunited Family\The Forest Ranger's Return\Mommy Wanted (27 page)

Ah! She now understood the concept. If anyone deserved some one-on-one time, it was surely an amputee child who might be thinking his whole world had ended now that he'd lost his hand.

“I'm amazed you're able to deal with these kids. I'd be overwhelmed by them all,” she confessed.

“And I don't know how you deal with angry ranchers and grazing permittees. That would scare me much more,” he quipped. “In fact, I'm worried about the open meeting you have planned to discuss Gilway Trail.”

“Because of the ranchers?”

“Yes. Some of them are dead set against it. They don't like us because our kids are different.”

“You mean because of their prosthetics?”

“Yep. Being different frightens some people.”

She snorted. “Surely they've got more reason than that.”

He lifted one shoulder. “Nope, that's about it. They're good old boys who've been around forever and think they own everyone else. These ranchers can be pretty difficult at times.”

“Don't worry, Dal. I'll handle them.”

“I hope so.” He looked doubtful.

“Is Eddie okay?”

“Yeah, nothing hurt but his pride.”

Having watched Dal fall a few days earlier, she imagined he understood Eddie's embarrassment all too well.

“We've had nothing but trouble from Marcus since he arrived at camp this morning,” Dal said. “He keeps starting fights with the other kids and acts argumentative every time we ask him to do something.”

“I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Dal shook his head. “Nope, but I'm afraid it's gonna be a long summer.”

“Why?”

Dal's gaze scanned the room of happy, chattering kids. “All the other children will stay at the camp for just five days, then they'll return home to their families. We have weekends to ourselves, to rest a little and get ready for the next batch of kids who come in on Monday mornings. But Marcus is a special case. His social worker asked us to keep him all summer long, and we agreed. He won't be going home until school starts up again in the fall.”

“Why not?”

He jerked a shoulder. “Marcus doesn't have a home to go to.”

“What do you mean? Surely his parents will miss him,” she said.

“His parents were killed in a plane crash five months ago. Marcus is an orphan living in foster care. He hasn't adjusted very well, losing his parents as well as losing his hand.”

Julie's heart sank to the floor. She wasn't an amputee, but she certainly understood how it felt to lose both her parents at once and end up in foster care. “Oh, the poor kid.”

“Yeah, and the social worker thought being here at the camp all summer long might help build his self-esteem. Because of what we do here and who we are, we agreed.”

She tensed. “Do you regret it? Would you rather send Marcus away?”

Dal pressed his lips together in a stubborn expression. “Absolutely not. If any of these kids needs us, Marcus does. I'm not about to turn my back on him, no matter how much trouble he causes. I just hope we can get through to him before summer ends.”

Julie took a painful breath and held it in for several moments. Dal's reassurance brought her a modicum of peace, but her heart ached for Marcus's plight. She knew how it felt for people to turn their backs on her. To give up. To quit.

To abuse her.

“Thank you, Dal. I'm so glad you're the kind of man to stick with that little boy. I know it might be difficult, but you're right. Marcus needs you. He needs all of us. And what is life for, if not to serve others?”

Reaching for another large bowl of salad, Dal slid it into place and flashed her a wide grin. “Be careful, Miss Granger. You're starting to sound like the Savior.”

Julie looked away, not knowing what to think about that. But she was willing to silently concede that maybe, just maybe, Dal was right.

* * *

Two hours later, Dal left the fire pit where Cade was directing story time. The kids sat with the staff members, roasting marshmallows to squish between squares of chocolate and two graham crackers. Marcus had knocked some of the kids' marshmallows off their sticks into the fire and been a general pain. Yelling, causing fights, upsetting the other children. Lyn had finally taken him to sit with her and Clarisse on the lawn chairs under the gazebo a short distance away. The boy had settled right down, showing a unique gentleness with the baby as he listened to Cade's stories.

Now Dal skirted past the stables, checking the horses one last time for the night. Then he made a detour over to the dining hall, planning to lock it up tight.

A light gleamed from the open kitchen doorway. He stepped inside.

Smack. Swish.

Julie stood in front of the wide refrigerators, mopping the linoleum floors. She twirled the heavy mop around an area, then dipped it into the sudsy water, sloshing it up and down to rinse it out. With her back to him, she smacked the stringy mop into the wringer and pressed hard on the lever. Water gushed through the holes on the wringer plate. She released the lever and slapped the mop back onto the floor before swirling it around another section.

He watched her closely. Studied her. Guessing at what she'd alluded to when she'd told him about her past. Wishing she would confide everything in him, yet knowing that would only bring them closer together. And neither of them could afford that right now.

As she struggled over a particularly dirty spot, her brows pinched together. He gazed at her sweet profile, adoring her. While all the other staff members were out at the fire pit gobbling down s'mores, she was still inside working. She'd always been like that. So dutiful. So wonderful. And he loved her for it. Loved her fierce spirit and determination.

He should turn around and leave. Right now. This very minute. Loving this woman would do neither of them any good. But he stood right there, leaning against the doorway, his hands in his pants pockets. Walking away from her felt wrong somehow, but he couldn't help that. To stay would take too great a toll on both of their hearts. And yet, leaving her hadn't gotten any easier now than it had been twenty years ago.

“You gonna work all night?” His whispered words filled the quiet room like a shout.

Julie winced, losing her grip on the mop. It clattered to the floor, and she spun around to face him.

“Dal. Hi there. You startled me.” She sounded flustered and out of breath.

“Sorry. I didn't mean to.” He moved away from the doorway and stepped inside.

“I thought you'd be out at the fire pit with all the kids,” she said.

“I was there for a little while. Then I got hungry.”

She quirked one brow. “Hungry?”

“For ice cream. You want some?” He walked over to the freezers, making sure he didn't step on the damp floor where she'd just mopped.

“Um, I really should be going. It's getting kind of late.” She picked up the mop and stuck it back into the bucket for one final rinse.

“There's always time for ice cream,” he said. “Leave the bucket. I'll dump the dirty water outside in a while. It's too heavy for you to lift anyway.” He held his breath, hoping she wouldn't skip out on him now, yet half hoping she'd leave.

She abandoned the mop there and waited by the front counter until he brought a bucket of Neapolitan flavors over for her inspection.

The lid made a sucking sound as he pulled it off. “We've got chocolate, strawberry, vanilla or all three. So which will it be?”

She reached for two clean bowls. “All three for me. Remember when you used to take me to the drive-in for banana splits?”

His chest tightened. “Yeah, I drove Mom's beat-up old Cadillac, and we ate all the ice cream we could get.”

“I could afford the calories back then.” She laughed, the sound bright and cathartic to his ears.

“You still can. You're running enough miles every morning to burn off anything you might eat.”

“True. Fill 'er up.”

He reached for a scoop and pulled it through the silky ice cream, giving her two large scoops. She held the bowl, not eating.

“You still jogging every day?” he asked.

“Yes. And you?”

“Yep. Sorry I can't run with you in the mornings anymore.”

“That's okay. But I plan to whoop you on the day of the 5K race, so be warned.” She gave him a mischievous smile.

“You're on, lady.”

He didn't look up as he scooped ice cream into his own bowl. He took a bite of chocolate, enjoying the thought of running with her on race day.

“I got the advertisement for the open meeting on Gilway Trail all prepared and submitted to the local newspaper office. It should be out the day after tomorrow,” she said.

“When's the meeting going to be?” He knew this meeting was a necessary part of the trail alterations, but it still worried him.

She told him the date and time. “But don't worry. I've studied your plans and see no reason we can't proceed with the work. I'll be prepared to answer some difficult questions.”

They sat on stools and dipped their spoons into the icy treat.

“I'm worried about the cost,” Dal said. “Cade and I can do a lot of the work ourselves, but we don't have lots of funds.”

She licked a smudge of ice cream off the tip of her index finger. “I've got a solution for you already worked out.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“The Back Country Horsemen. I've already made some phone calls, and they're willing to help with both manpower and money. They've been wanting to do some work on this trail for a long time. And when I told them about your horse camp for amputee kids, they were in right then. It's for a good cause after all.”

“The Back Country Horsemen?” He'd heard about them, but didn't know much about their group.

“Yes, they're a nonprofit organization that loves riding their horses along the back-country trails throughout America. One of their goals is to assist with maintaining our wilderness trails. The local chapter is out of Elko, and they think developing Gilway is a good thing. Of course, once the work is finished, they'll want to use the trail, too. We'll coordinate with them so your kids aren't staying in the campsite when the BCH wants to use it.”

“That's terrific. I didn't expect this, Jules. Thank you for going the extra mile for us.”

“You're welcome.” She flashed him a smile that lit up her eyes and made his throat ache with longing.

He couldn't do this. Shouldn't do this. Being alone with her, eating ice cream, talking to her about nothing and everything... It all made him think of what he couldn't have. A home. A family. A future. With her.

He stood up too fast and stumbled.

“Dal!” She reached out to steady him.

He regained his balance and stepped back, his arm prickling from her touch. “I'm okay. It's really getting late. I'd better finish my chores.”

His words gave her the cue. She slid off the stool, then rinsed their bowls and placed them in the dishwasher.

“Thanks for the ice cream.” Her voice sounded small and unsure.

She hugged herself, as though she were cold. But he knew it was just nerves. He felt it, too. Being with her like this. Talking about old times. Longing to be close again.

“You're welcome.” He shut his eyes for just a moment, trying to shut out the vision of her angelic face. But it stayed in his mind, permanently embedded there.

“See you tomorrow night.” She stepped toward the door.

“Yeah, see you.”

And then she was gone. And he was all alone. Again.

Chapter Eight

T
he next time she worked the dinner shift at the ranch, Julie was again the last person to leave the dining hall. She liked the quiet solitude after the kids had bustled outside for their fun activities before settling down for Campfire Hour.

She'd quickly learned that mealtimes took a lot of effort at Sunrise Ranch, but she enjoyed the work. She loved her work with the Forest Service, too, but helping at Sunrise Ranch gave her a sense of purpose she hadn't felt before. As if she could really make a difference for a child.

She was wiping down the countertops when Lyn found her in the kitchen. Holding Clarisse in one arm, Lyn gave Julie a hug and thanked her profusely. “I'm so glad you decided to help us out. I can see why Dal thinks so highly of you. What would we do without you?”

Scarlet heat charged up Julie's neck and flooded her face. She felt awkward, not used to a physical show of affection from others. She merely smiled, not knowing what to say. Instead, she tugged playfully on the baby's foot and tickled her tummy. In response, Clarisse chortled and waved her tiny arms. Julie couldn't help wishing she had a little daughter of her own to cherish. She liked the Baldwin family. A lot.

“You've done enough work for tonight,” Lyn said. “Come on out to the corrals. You'll want to see Dal's special surprise for the kids.”

Lyn waited for Julie to put away the cleanser and toss her soiled dishcloth into the laundry bin. Together they walked outside toward the barn.

“You should come out to the ranch tomorrow morning,” Lyn said.

“Why?”

“That's when the kids will start their riding lessons. We take them one at a time. The first one is at seven-fifteen. Afterward, you could go into work. You wouldn't be very late.”

“What do you do with the rest of the kids while one of them is riding?” Julie asked.

“They go to the lake for fishing and swimming, or they experience the zip line for the first time. Or they help me in the garden. I let them plant flowers in a pot that they can take home to grow. We've got tons of activities to keep them all busy.”

Julie wished she could see some of the kids ride at least once. She was a pretty good equestrian herself and loved horses. Maybe she had time for just one lesson in the morning.

No, she should go for her morning run and then go into work. She was spending too much time out here at the ranch as it was. And she loved being here.

“So what's Dal's special surprise tonight?” Julie asked.

“You'll see. I don't want to spoil it for you. He uses this surprise as a teaching moment for the kids. To motivate them to never, ever give up on themselves.”

A sense of urgency built within Julie as she wondered what it could be. Though it was almost eight o'clock in the evening, the summer sun brought longer days and still gleamed bright in the western sky. Lyn and Julie paused at the corrals where the kids had congregated with the staff members. They all stood in a semicircle, as though waiting for something amazing. Curious, Julie stood up on the bottom rail of the fence and wrapped her arms around the top rail to get a better view.

Dal came out of the barn, leading a small roan mare. At first sight, Julie stared, wide-eyed. The horse walked with an uneven gait, caused by the large prosthesis on her right front leg. Like the kids, the horse was an amputee. A hard lump settled in Julie's chest. Compassion overwhelmed her, catching her off guard. She'd never seen a large animal like this with only three legs.

“Here she is,” Dal called to the crowd of kids. “This is my big surprise.”

A low murmur of oohs and aahs swept over the group. Both kids and adults stared in amazement, but didn't rush the mare. They held back, and Julie thought they must have received some instructions beforehand.

“What's her name?” one of the kids with a crutch tucked beneath his arm asked.

“This is Polly.”

“How old is she?” another child asked.

“About three years.”

“Can I pet her?” Marcus asked, crowding in close.

Holding the mare's halter, Dal gave the boy a kind look. “Yes, but remember I said you'd have to pet her one at a time.” He then spoke to the entire group. “You need to be gentle and try not to spook her. Remember that Polly has a lot in common with each of you. You're all amputees. So treat her the way you'd like to be treated.”

Marcus gave a somber nod, his dark eyes round with awe. He stepped close, and that seemed to give the other kids the cue. They lined up close, ready to wait their turns. The adult staff members directed the kids so they each got a chance to touch and admire the mare.

“Everyone will get a turn,” Dal said when several kids jostled for position in the line.

Polly stood completely still, head up, ears pricked forward. Her dark eyes showed keen intelligence. She seemed highly alert, but not at all bothered by the barrage of children's laughter and excited voices.

“How'd Polly lose her leg?” Marcus asked after he'd had a turn to stroke the mare's silky mane.

“She was a wild mustang and rounded up when she was about one year old.” Dal spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “They believed she must have been attacked by a mountain lion. Her mangled leg had become infected to the point that she needed to be put down.”

A cute girl of perhaps seven years with long brown hair and no arms hopped up and down to get attention. Her brows pinched together in perplexity.

“Jenna, do you have a question?” Dal asked.

“Yes. What does ‘put down' mean?”

Marcus shoved one of her arm stumps with his prosthetic hand. “It means they were gonna kill her, stupid.”

“Marcus! Be nice.” Dal shot him a warning frown.

The boy gave an irritable jerk of his shoulder, a bored expression on his face.

“That's kind of a mean way to say it, but I'm afraid it's true,” Dal said. “But when a veterinarian puts an animal down, they usually do it gently, with a shot that makes the animal go to sleep. They don't feel any pain, but they never wake up. It's called euthanasia.”

“Why would they do that?” Jenna's bottom lip trembled, her large blue eyes filled with sadness.

“Because they thought the horse was too sick to live. They thought they'd be doing Polly a kindness.”

Jenna's voice filled with tears. “You mean they were gonna kill poor Polly?”

Dal smiled and spoke in a gentle tone. “Yes, but I bought her instead and worked with a local vet to save her leg. When that didn't work, he amputated her leg and I worked to get her to walk on a special-made prosthetic limb provided by Dr. Baldwin.”

“Wow, that's amazing,” another boy said.

Yes, it certainly was. Julie was stunned by this remarkable story.

“How do you know it wasn't better for Polly to be put down? Now she has to live without one of her legs,” Marcus grumbled.

“That Marcus,” Lyn murmured for Julie's ears alone.

Julie understood Lyn's frustration. “He's so angry all the time.”

“Yes, he's just like Kristen was once upon a time.”

“What do you mean?” Julie's gaze sought out Kristen, who now stood behind Jenna, her arms wrapped around the younger girl in a protective gesture.

Lyn shifted the baby to her other hip. “After Kristen's father died in the accident that took her leg, she was angry and belligerent all the time. No matter what I did, I just couldn't get through to her.”

Kristen seemed so sweet and affectionate. Julie couldn't imagine the girl acting as cantankerous as Marcus. “What finally changed her?”

Lyn's gaze rested on Cade, who stood among the kids handling crowd control. “A lot of things, actually. First, Cade and I loved her. We refused to give up on her, no matter what. Plus, she had the misconception that it was her fault her daddy had died. We finally had a long talk, and I assured her it wasn't her fault at all. That seemed to change everything for her.”

A sharp breath whooshed from Julie's lungs. “Do you think that might be Marcus's problem, too?”

“Who knows? I tried to talk with him about it once, to make sure he knew it wasn't his fault that his parents died, but he shut me out. At least Kristen had me, but Marcus has no one. I hope someone can get through to him soon.”

Julie's blood ran cold when she thought about Marcus's sad situation. How she wished she could help him somehow. He must be craving attention to act so bratty all the time. But she was basically a complete stranger. She doubted he'd let her speak with him. And she hated the thought of his growing up cold and remote as she had. What he really needed was a family to love and care for him.

As Julie watched the kids pet the little horse one by one, she felt overwhelmed by Dal's generosity. This was a great place for Marcus to be, to begin healing from what he'd been through. But what would become of him at the end of the summer when he had to leave?

She knew the answer firsthand. He'd be shuffled from one foster home to another until he had no sense of identity and very little self-worth. From the few statistics she knew, he'd possibly end up in a gang, living on violence, drugs and crime. Unless some special people interceded for him.

Dal's deep laughter filled the air, and she gazed at him with wonder as he patted the horse's neck. Julie could just imagine Polly's plight when she'd first been rounded up. Wild and in a great deal of pain, she was a prime candidate for death. Yet that hadn't stopped Dal. He could have taken the easy route and let the vet euthanize the mustang. Instead, he'd cared for the horse. He'd spent a lot of time helping her and had given her a second chance at life.

“Can I ride her?” Marcus asked, sidling close.

Dal shook his head. “Sorry, bud. Polly's just for petting. She can't support any extra weight on her bad leg.” He then addressed all the children. “Whenever you look at Polly, I want you to remember that there's nothing you can't do. Nothing you can't overcome. Nothing you can't try.”

Jenna's turn was next. With no hands to pet the mare, the girl cuddled close against the horse's chest. Jenna embraced Polly with her two arm stumps, her face pressed against the animal's warm body. In response, Polly lowered her head down and snuffled at Jenna. The girl rubbed her cheek against Polly's as they breathed each other in. Two kindred spirits.

A burning pressure at the backs of her eyes forced Julie to blink several times. An overwhelming conviction filled her with warmth. That God loved all creatures on earth. Even the sick and the maimed. These children had been hurt, their bodies bruised and broken. Just like the Savior. And yet, Christ had risen from the grave on the third day. Likewise, these kids had futures ahead of them, each and every one. It wouldn't be easy, but Julie knew they all had a mission to perform here on earth. To learn and grow and reach their full potential.

To return to a loving Father in Heaven at the end of their lives.

Swiping at her eyes, Julie looked up and saw Dal talking to Marcus again. The boy listened intently to every word. Julie wondered if perhaps they might actually be able to get through to the sullen boy. Maybe this camp was just what he needed to make a difference in his life.

“Life isn't easy, is it?” Dal spoke to the kids again. “You each have huge obstacles you'll need to overcome. It's not fair, but you can do it. It won't be easy, but your life has just begun. The rest of this week, we're gonna have a lot of fun activities for you. I hope you'll each participate, even if you're afraid. I want you to push yourselves and take chances. And I promise we'll be here beside you the entire time. There's nothing you can't do. Don't let anyone tell you differently. You just have to want it bad enough to find a way.”

Dal's words seeped deep into Julie's soul. Fortifying her. Strengthening her and the morale of each child within hearing distance. The kids' faces glowed with burgeoning optimism. A desire to believe glimmered in their eyes. They wanted to accept what Dal said. To overcome their physical limitations.

They wanted to believe in themselves.

And Marcus. The sullen hostility had faded from his expression, replaced by a flame of hope. For just a moment, Dal's words sank in deep.

But it didn't last long. Another child scooted in to pet Polly and Marcus thrust the boy away. “Get back. You've already had your turn.”

“Marcus.” Dal cupped his hand around the base of the boy's neck as he spoke in a soothing tone. “Everyone can have as many turns as they like. There are no limits. Not here. If I have to stand out here all night long with each of you, I won't go inside until you've had enough of Polly. Of course, she'll be here again tomorrow, and the next day, too. So you'll all have the opportunity to become good friends with her.”

Marcus looked down and kicked at a clod of dirt. “I sure wish I could ride her.”

“It's not possible,” Dal said. “Imagine if you weren't strong enough, but someone climbed onto your back anyway. It wouldn't be much fun, would it? But don't worry. Tomorrow morning, we're all gonna ride some other horses.”

Marcus flashed a wide grin, the first time Julie had seen him smile. And Julie wished she could be here with them. To witness each child learning to ride a horse for the first time. Maybe she could go into work late. Maybe—

“Hooray!” the children cheered with excitement.

Yes,
hooray!
Julie thought. Hooray that these amputee kids had such a wonderful place like Sunrise Ranch to come and play for a while. To forget their troubles. To forget they were different.

Hooray that a kind man like Dallin Savatch lived and walked the earth. And hooray that Julie was so honored to know him.

* * *

“Okay, kids. Time for Campfire Hour,” Cade called from the corral gate. Seemingly pacified that he'd get to see Polly again later, Marcus headed toward the main yard with the rest of the kids.