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Authors: Francine Rivers
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friends.
Clanton dug through his backpack and produced a fistful of
school announcements, sign-up sheets, and graded homework.
“Can I sign up for Little League, Mom?”
“You’ll have to talk to your father about it,” Sierra said, putting
the last rinsed dish into the washer.
“You think Dad’ll coach again this year?”
“I don’t know, Clanton. You’ll have to ask him.”
Clanton did the minute Alex walked through the door. “Not
this year, champ,” Alex said, ruffling his hair. “I’m not going to
have the time.” He leaned down to kiss Carolyn hello.
Flipping the kitchen towel over her shoulder, she approached
as he stood loosening his tie. “Did you have a good day?”
“Great.” He gave her a firm kiss and pulled his tie free. Unbuttoning the collar of his shirt, he headed toward the bedroom.
“I’m going to change and take a quick run.”
Jogging was another new thing in Alex’s life. Steve and Matt
jogged; they claimed it was great as a stress reliever. So, of course,
Alex had followed suit.
By the time Alex returned, Clanton and Carolyn had taken
their baths and were dressed for bed. She read to them while
Alex showered and put on his worn Levi’s and UCB sweatshirt.
6 0
T H E
W I L D E R N E S S
When she came out to straighten the living room, he went in to
say good night to the children. She supposed she should be
thankful he spent the next half hour talking with them.
“Jack called me just before I left the office,” he said when he
came out.
Jack and his pregnant wife had rented their Windsor home.
“Problems?”
“On the contrary. He’s got enough for a down payment on the
house.”
“They’re buying it?” she said weakly. As long as they still
owned the Windsor home, she held out the hope that they’d
return. Alex’s words tore the crumbling foundations right out
from beneath her.
“That was their hope when they moved in. I told him what the
house was worth before we left. He said today his parents decided to give him a portion of his inheritance early. He’s contacting your father’s old partner to take care of the paperwork. They
shouldn’t have any problem qualifying for a mortgage. We’ll
have the money in our hands by the end of May.”
He cupped her face. “I know how much that little place meant
to you.”
That little place. He said it so casually, as though it had been a
shack or a hole in the wall. He couldn’t have any idea what it
meant to her, or he wouldn’t be so quick to sell it.
“Matt gave me the name of a good Realtor. I want you to start
looking at houses. Four bedrooms, three baths, with a pool. Get
together with Audra. She knows all the best areas. I want us in a
good neighborhood.
“We were in a good neighborhood.”
He let his hands slide away. “We’ll be in a better one. Steve
gave me a raise today. A big raise. He’s that sure Vigilantes is
going to be big.”
She saw how bright his eyes were, aglow with ambition and
6 1
T H E
S C A R L E T
T H R E A D
plans. “Was all this the reason you spent a whole twenty minutes
with your children?”
Alex didn’t move, but Sierra could feel the cold front move in
worse than an Illinois winter.
The tongue is a restless evil, full of deadly poison . . . her mother’s
voice echoed in her mind, and Sierra felt a stab of shame. But
before she could apologize, Alex spoke in a glacial tone.
“They like the idea of having their own pool.”
“Do they also like the idea of changing schools again?” she shot
back, trying to keep the edge of sarcasm out of her voice and failing.
“Audra suggested a private school. I have the name she gave
me written down.”
Naturally. “Has she offered to pay for it, too?”
Alex’s temper came surging to the surface. “What have you
got against her? You haven’t liked her from day one, and she’s
done nothing but be nice to you.”
“Is that what you call it? Remind me to kiss her feet the
Clanton dug through his backpack and produced a fistful of
school announcements, sign-up sheets, and graded homework.
“Can I sign up for Little League, Mom?”
“You’ll have to talk to your father about it,” Sierra said, putting
the last rinsed dish into the washer.
“You think Dad’ll coach again this year?”
“I don’t know, Clanton. You’ll have to ask him.”
Clanton did the minute Alex walked through the door. “Not
this year, champ,” Alex said, ruffling his hair. “I’m not going to
have the time.” He leaned down to kiss Carolyn hello.
Flipping the kitchen towel over her shoulder, she approached
as he stood loosening his tie. “Did you have a good day?”
“Great.” He gave her a firm kiss and pulled his tie free. Unbuttoning the collar of his shirt, he headed toward the bedroom.
“I’m going to change and take a quick run.”
Jogging was another new thing in Alex’s life. Steve and Matt
jogged; they claimed it was great as a stress reliever. So, of course,
Alex had followed suit.
By the time Alex returned, Clanton and Carolyn had taken
their baths and were dressed for bed. She read to them while
Alex showered and put on his worn Levi’s and UCB sweatshirt.
6 0
T H E
W I L D E R N E S S
When she came out to straighten the living room, he went in to
say good night to the children. She supposed she should be
thankful he spent the next half hour talking with them.
“Jack called me just before I left the office,” he said when he
came out.
Jack and his pregnant wife had rented their Windsor home.
“Problems?”
“On the contrary. He’s got enough for a down payment on the
house.”
“They’re buying it?” she said weakly. As long as they still
owned the Windsor home, she held out the hope that they’d
return. Alex’s words tore the crumbling foundations right out
from beneath her.
“That was their hope when they moved in. I told him what the
house was worth before we left. He said today his parents decided to give him a portion of his inheritance early. He’s contacting your father’s old partner to take care of the paperwork. They
shouldn’t have any problem qualifying for a mortgage. We’ll
have the money in our hands by the end of May.”
He cupped her face. “I know how much that little place meant
to you.”
That little place. He said it so casually, as though it had been a
shack or a hole in the wall. He couldn’t have any idea what it
meant to her, or he wouldn’t be so quick to sell it.
“Matt gave me the name of a good Realtor. I want you to start
looking at houses. Four bedrooms, three baths, with a pool. Get
together with Audra. She knows all the best areas. I want us in a
good neighborhood.
“We were in a good neighborhood.”
He let his hands slide away. “We’ll be in a better one. Steve
gave me a raise today. A big raise. He’s that sure Vigilantes is
going to be big.”
She saw how bright his eyes were, aglow with ambition and
6 1
T H E
S C A R L E T
T H R E A D
plans. “Was all this the reason you spent a whole twenty minutes
with your children?”
Alex didn’t move, but Sierra could feel the cold front move in
worse than an Illinois winter.
The tongue is a restless evil, full of deadly poison . . . her mother’s
voice echoed in her mind, and Sierra felt a stab of shame. But
before she could apologize, Alex spoke in a glacial tone.
“They like the idea of having their own pool.”
“Do they also like the idea of changing schools again?” she shot
back, trying to keep the edge of sarcasm out of her voice and failing.
“Audra suggested a private school. I have the name she gave
me written down.”
Naturally. “Has she offered to pay for it, too?”
Alex’s temper came surging to the surface. “What have you
got against her? You haven’t liked her from day one, and she’s
done nothing but be nice to you.”
“Is that what you call it? Remind me to kiss her feet the
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