resolve
strengthening again.
"Lexi, we can't just pull up and move here,"
Charlotte said, her words firm but soft. "You have to finish the
school year, and I have work."
Lexi's eyes widened and got shiny. Her lower
lip trembled almost imperceptibly. Charlotte wondered how on earth
she was supposed to stand up to that. She had a responsibility to
Lexi. Her job was already in jeopardy from these unorthodox visits
with Lexi's birth parents. She couldn't risk what little
professional credibility she had left by moving to the father's
home no matter how much she wanted to.
"But… but… but why?" Lexi's whisper cut right
through to Charlotte's heart. She couldn't look at the girl or at
Will. Guilt smacked her hard upside the head. Was she being
selfish, or was she being responsible? Right now she wasn't sure
she could differentiate between the two.
Charlotte swallowed a sudden lump in her
throat. "I just don't think it will work, sweetie. My job as your
foster mom is to make sure everything is in your best interest. I
definitely think getting to know your dad is important, and until a
judge can make it permanent, we'll visit as much as we can."
The tears that Charlotte had been waiting for
spilled down Lexi's face. The thirteen-year-old turned back into a
child and buried herself in Charlotte's arms. As Charlotte smoothed
back Lexi's hair her eyes met Will's solid gaze.
"This is hurting her more," Will said.
From the doorway Bill cleared his throat.
Charlotte forced herself to look away from Will to his father. Bill
Wright was a big man. How she had overlooked this information
before, Charlotte didn't know, but looking at him now she could see
nothing but his height and girth. The door to the kitchen was
blocked by Bill's frame. With his arms crossed and his hat pulled
low over his eyes, the man commanded an intimidating presence.
"William, I think Charlotte is right."
Charlotte's breath caught in her throat. The
tickle turned into a cough that sent embarrassing spasms through
her body. She sounded like she was ready to hack up an internal
organ. Just what she needed. Instead of responding to his father,
Will got up and hurried to the kitchen. He returned a moment later
with a glass of water. Charlotte let go of Lexi and gratefully
accepted the water. After a few sips, she managed to calm her
lungs, and take a few normal breaths of air.
"Why don't I take you girls outside and show
you around a bit?" Bill's suggestion cut through the room with a
swiftness that startled Charlotte.
Beside her on the sofa, Lexi shifted her
weight causing the cushions to dip. Charlotte set the glass on a
coaster, and glanced at the girl. Lexi's long dark hair hung
forward over her face, but Charlotte could just see her eyes.
Through the fringe of bangs, Charlotte could tell that Lexi's gaze
was solidly on Will. When Charlotte turned to look at Will, she
wasn't surprised to see him glaring at his father, eyes narrowed,
mouth set in a thin line.
"That's a good idea, Dad, but I think I'll
take them." Will took a step closer to Charlotte and Lexi.
"Will you really show us around?" Lexi
sounded so hopeful that Charlotte felt her resolve cracking. What
would she have given to have a relationship with her real dad
growing up? Especially if her dad had been anything like Will.
Charlotte stood. "I'd love to see the
ranch."
"You would?" Lexi asked sounding
surprised.
"You would?" Will's echo almost made
Charlotte laugh.
With a quick glance at her watch, Charlotte
nodded. "No matter what else we decide, I want to know where Lexi
will be spending her time."
Lexi grabbed Charlotte by the arm,
practically bouncing in her excitement. Even Will seemed to perk up
slightly as he led the way out of the house.
Charlotte just hoped that she was making the
right choice, and not getting Lexi's hopes up for something she
couldn't provide.
****
Her dad walked really fast. Not like her
grandpa who sort of strolled. Lexi thought that the
strengthening again.
"Lexi, we can't just pull up and move here,"
Charlotte said, her words firm but soft. "You have to finish the
school year, and I have work."
Lexi's eyes widened and got shiny. Her lower
lip trembled almost imperceptibly. Charlotte wondered how on earth
she was supposed to stand up to that. She had a responsibility to
Lexi. Her job was already in jeopardy from these unorthodox visits
with Lexi's birth parents. She couldn't risk what little
professional credibility she had left by moving to the father's
home no matter how much she wanted to.
"But… but… but why?" Lexi's whisper cut right
through to Charlotte's heart. She couldn't look at the girl or at
Will. Guilt smacked her hard upside the head. Was she being
selfish, or was she being responsible? Right now she wasn't sure
she could differentiate between the two.
Charlotte swallowed a sudden lump in her
throat. "I just don't think it will work, sweetie. My job as your
foster mom is to make sure everything is in your best interest. I
definitely think getting to know your dad is important, and until a
judge can make it permanent, we'll visit as much as we can."
The tears that Charlotte had been waiting for
spilled down Lexi's face. The thirteen-year-old turned back into a
child and buried herself in Charlotte's arms. As Charlotte smoothed
back Lexi's hair her eyes met Will's solid gaze.
"This is hurting her more," Will said.
From the doorway Bill cleared his throat.
Charlotte forced herself to look away from Will to his father. Bill
Wright was a big man. How she had overlooked this information
before, Charlotte didn't know, but looking at him now she could see
nothing but his height and girth. The door to the kitchen was
blocked by Bill's frame. With his arms crossed and his hat pulled
low over his eyes, the man commanded an intimidating presence.
"William, I think Charlotte is right."
Charlotte's breath caught in her throat. The
tickle turned into a cough that sent embarrassing spasms through
her body. She sounded like she was ready to hack up an internal
organ. Just what she needed. Instead of responding to his father,
Will got up and hurried to the kitchen. He returned a moment later
with a glass of water. Charlotte let go of Lexi and gratefully
accepted the water. After a few sips, she managed to calm her
lungs, and take a few normal breaths of air.
"Why don't I take you girls outside and show
you around a bit?" Bill's suggestion cut through the room with a
swiftness that startled Charlotte.
Beside her on the sofa, Lexi shifted her
weight causing the cushions to dip. Charlotte set the glass on a
coaster, and glanced at the girl. Lexi's long dark hair hung
forward over her face, but Charlotte could just see her eyes.
Through the fringe of bangs, Charlotte could tell that Lexi's gaze
was solidly on Will. When Charlotte turned to look at Will, she
wasn't surprised to see him glaring at his father, eyes narrowed,
mouth set in a thin line.
"That's a good idea, Dad, but I think I'll
take them." Will took a step closer to Charlotte and Lexi.
"Will you really show us around?" Lexi
sounded so hopeful that Charlotte felt her resolve cracking. What
would she have given to have a relationship with her real dad
growing up? Especially if her dad had been anything like Will.
Charlotte stood. "I'd love to see the
ranch."
"You would?" Lexi asked sounding
surprised.
"You would?" Will's echo almost made
Charlotte laugh.
With a quick glance at her watch, Charlotte
nodded. "No matter what else we decide, I want to know where Lexi
will be spending her time."
Lexi grabbed Charlotte by the arm,
practically bouncing in her excitement. Even Will seemed to perk up
slightly as he led the way out of the house.
Charlotte just hoped that she was making the
right choice, and not getting Lexi's hopes up for something she
couldn't provide.
****
Her dad walked really fast. Not like her
grandpa who sort of strolled. Lexi thought that the
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