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Authors: Laura Scott
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fair to Alex because she didn’t want to lose custody of Cody.
But Cody certainly deserved a father. Alex was a decent man who truly cared about his son. She needed to let go of her fears.
Before climbing into bed, she sank to her knees, bowing her head in prayer.
Forgive me, dear Lord. Help me to follow the path You have chosen for me, now and always. And please, Lord, give me the strength and the wisdom to put my trust in Alex. And to help him form his relationship with his son. Amen.
Feeling more at peace after opening her heart and her soul to the Lord, she crawled into the sleigh bed. Tomorrow would be a better day. She needed to work things out with Alex, no matter how difficult, for Cody’s sake and for her own. She didn’t want to be the person she’d been today—so anxious and frightened that she couldn’t stop herself from lashing out.
No matter how tense and confused Alex made her feel on a personal level, she trusted him with her life. And Cody’s.
A muffled noise woke her from a deep sleep. She blinked, straining to listen.
The sounds were coming from Cody’s room.
She threw the covers aside and scrambled from her bed. Heart in her throat, she darted through the connecting doorway.
Cody sobbed, thrashing his head back and forth on the pillow. The puppy whimpered in tandem beside him. Her chest tightened and she pushed the covers away, gathering Cody into a warm embrace. His arms clutched her and he continued to murmur through the sobs.
“Shh. Cody, it’s okay. I’m here.” She rocked with him cradled against her chest. The puppy settled down, his tail thumping against the bed.
“Mama.” He sobbed the word against her neck.
“I know, Cody. I know you loved your mama.” She hesitated, and then gently told him, “Your mom is in heaven now, with God. She’s looking out for you. I’m here with you, Cody. I love you very much. You’re safe now.” Shelby battled tears as she rubbed a hand over his back.
“Why did she talk to the bad man?” Cody asked, his plaintive voice muffled against her skin. “Why?”
Shelby froze. Was he aware of what he was saying? “You saw your mom talking to the bad man?” she asked, holding her breath, afraid of the answer.
He nodded, his sobs quieting. “Outside. At night. I saw them through the window.”
Who had Trina talked to? And why? “Where was your dad?”
He shrugged. “I dunno. But I don’t wanna have any more bad dreams.”
“I know, sweetheart. I’m here with you now.” She didn’t have a psych degree, but she instinctively knew not to push him. The poor child had enough to deal with at the moment. “I love you, Cody. I will always love you.”
“I love you, too.” Chubby arms clung tightly around her neck and she shifted so that she could lean back against the headboard of his bed, keeping Cody nestled in her arms. Clyde edged closer, and pushed his nose under her hand, licking her fingers. She pulled the puppy into a three-way embrace.
She closed her eyes, reveling in the peace and quiet of the night. She didn’t want to think right now. She just wanted to hold on to Cody and pretend that as long as she kept him close, he’d be safe. They’d both be safe.
FIVE
S helby was half-asleep when she heard a soft knock.
“Cody? Are you all right?”
It took several seconds to pull herself together. “He’s fine,” she called out in a low, soft voice. “Just a bad dream.”
Cody stirred a bit, but didn’t awaken.
Alex opened the door and stepped farther into the room. His hair was tousled, as if he’d just gotten up. His concerned gaze fell on Cody. “I heard noises. Everything okay?”
“Fine,” she whispered. She lifted a finger to her lips, indicating they should be quiet, but Cody stirred again and this time he groggily lifted his head.
“Is it morning?” he asked, his tiny brow puckered in a confused frown.
“No, it’s still nighttime,” Shelby reassured quietly. “Go back to sleep, Cody.”
He
But Cody certainly deserved a father. Alex was a decent man who truly cared about his son. She needed to let go of her fears.
Before climbing into bed, she sank to her knees, bowing her head in prayer.
Forgive me, dear Lord. Help me to follow the path You have chosen for me, now and always. And please, Lord, give me the strength and the wisdom to put my trust in Alex. And to help him form his relationship with his son. Amen.
Feeling more at peace after opening her heart and her soul to the Lord, she crawled into the sleigh bed. Tomorrow would be a better day. She needed to work things out with Alex, no matter how difficult, for Cody’s sake and for her own. She didn’t want to be the person she’d been today—so anxious and frightened that she couldn’t stop herself from lashing out.
No matter how tense and confused Alex made her feel on a personal level, she trusted him with her life. And Cody’s.
A muffled noise woke her from a deep sleep. She blinked, straining to listen.
The sounds were coming from Cody’s room.
She threw the covers aside and scrambled from her bed. Heart in her throat, she darted through the connecting doorway.
Cody sobbed, thrashing his head back and forth on the pillow. The puppy whimpered in tandem beside him. Her chest tightened and she pushed the covers away, gathering Cody into a warm embrace. His arms clutched her and he continued to murmur through the sobs.
“Shh. Cody, it’s okay. I’m here.” She rocked with him cradled against her chest. The puppy settled down, his tail thumping against the bed.
“Mama.” He sobbed the word against her neck.
“I know, Cody. I know you loved your mama.” She hesitated, and then gently told him, “Your mom is in heaven now, with God. She’s looking out for you. I’m here with you, Cody. I love you very much. You’re safe now.” Shelby battled tears as she rubbed a hand over his back.
“Why did she talk to the bad man?” Cody asked, his plaintive voice muffled against her skin. “Why?”
Shelby froze. Was he aware of what he was saying? “You saw your mom talking to the bad man?” she asked, holding her breath, afraid of the answer.
He nodded, his sobs quieting. “Outside. At night. I saw them through the window.”
Who had Trina talked to? And why? “Where was your dad?”
He shrugged. “I dunno. But I don’t wanna have any more bad dreams.”
“I know, sweetheart. I’m here with you now.” She didn’t have a psych degree, but she instinctively knew not to push him. The poor child had enough to deal with at the moment. “I love you, Cody. I will always love you.”
“I love you, too.” Chubby arms clung tightly around her neck and she shifted so that she could lean back against the headboard of his bed, keeping Cody nestled in her arms. Clyde edged closer, and pushed his nose under her hand, licking her fingers. She pulled the puppy into a three-way embrace.
She closed her eyes, reveling in the peace and quiet of the night. She didn’t want to think right now. She just wanted to hold on to Cody and pretend that as long as she kept him close, he’d be safe. They’d both be safe.
FIVE
S helby was half-asleep when she heard a soft knock.
“Cody? Are you all right?”
It took several seconds to pull herself together. “He’s fine,” she called out in a low, soft voice. “Just a bad dream.”
Cody stirred a bit, but didn’t awaken.
Alex opened the door and stepped farther into the room. His hair was tousled, as if he’d just gotten up. His concerned gaze fell on Cody. “I heard noises. Everything okay?”
“Fine,” she whispered. She lifted a finger to her lips, indicating they should be quiet, but Cody stirred again and this time he groggily lifted his head.
“Is it morning?” he asked, his tiny brow puckered in a confused frown.
“No, it’s still nighttime,” Shelby reassured quietly. “Go back to sleep, Cody.”
He
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