pay for the rest of his life, as would his children, who would now grow up without a mother.
The sun had set before Seth rode back into the yard of their home.
Walking through the front door, he didn’t even notice the children playing on the floor until Jarod came up and wrapped his arms around Seth’s waist.
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44
Sandy Sullivan
Unable to give Jarod the reassurance he needed, Seth pulled himself from his son’s grasp, grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the sideboard and retreated to his office.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
Love’s Sweet Surrender
45
Chapter Six
The next morning found Lily already at the school as the children began filing in. It is cloudy and raining again today, so the children will be restless.
When Johnny, Jarod, and Anne came in the door, it was obvious something was wrong by the looks on their faces. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to get them alone to find out what was bothering them before the other children arrived. The three children were very quiet and pensive throughout the day. There were no smiles from any of them, so Lily made it a point to talk to them after school.
“Johnny, may I speak with you and your brother and sister before you leave?” Lily stopped them as the other children began filing out of the schoolhouse at the end of the day.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Children.” Lily bent down to look into their eyes. “Is there something wrong?”
All three kept their silence.
“I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what the trouble is,” Lily prodded, taking Anne’s hand in hers.
Still the children were silent, until there was a sound from the back of the room, and all four sets of eyes rested on the tall, handsome man who now stood formidably in the doorway.
“Children, wait in the wagon,” Seth ordered as Lily watched him approach.
“Yes, Poppa,” the boys said in unison, scrambling toward the door.
Before he turned and fled the room, Johnny stopped momentarily at the doorway and looked back at Lily with eyes that pleaded for her to understand.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
46
Sandy Sullivan
“Mr. Sanford.” Lily rose to her feet and turned her back on Seth as she retreated behind her desk. He is very intimidating when he’s angry. A chill rolled down her spine, and she shivered.
“Mrs. Backman. I believe that we need to get a few things straight relative to my children.”
“Oh?” Lily questioned, turning back around to face him when he stepped closer to her desk.
“Yes. I will thank you not to pry into our business, ma’am. The children have been through a lot in the last six months with their mother’s death.”
“I understand that, Mr. Sanford, but you need to allow them to grieve as well. If they aren’t allowed to grieve, they will not be able to move past it.”
“Mrs. Backman,” Seth growled with anger bright in his eyes. “I understand you must have lost your husband around about the time I lost my wife, but that doesn’t make you an expert on how to deal with grieving children.”
“I don’t proclaim to, Mr. Sanford, but I do know children, and yours have kept their feelings bottled up inside for six months. Your daughter won’t speak. Do you know why?”
“No,” Seth admitted. “She hasn’t spoken since her momma died.”
“Precisely, Mr. Sanford. Has she cried for her mother? Have you talked to her about her mother? Have you allowed her to cry with you over the loss? You need to get those children to open up to you about their feelings concerning her death. From what Johnny has told me, it was rather tragic, and I’m sorry for your loss, but it would be better for all of you if you were all able to grieve. You would be surprised at how much better you would feel.”
The sun had set before Seth rode back into the yard of their home.
Walking through the front door, he didn’t even notice the children playing on the floor until Jarod came up and wrapped his arms around Seth’s waist.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
44
Sandy Sullivan
Unable to give Jarod the reassurance he needed, Seth pulled himself from his son’s grasp, grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the sideboard and retreated to his office.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
Love’s Sweet Surrender
45
Chapter Six
The next morning found Lily already at the school as the children began filing in. It is cloudy and raining again today, so the children will be restless.
When Johnny, Jarod, and Anne came in the door, it was obvious something was wrong by the looks on their faces. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to get them alone to find out what was bothering them before the other children arrived. The three children were very quiet and pensive throughout the day. There were no smiles from any of them, so Lily made it a point to talk to them after school.
“Johnny, may I speak with you and your brother and sister before you leave?” Lily stopped them as the other children began filing out of the schoolhouse at the end of the day.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Children.” Lily bent down to look into their eyes. “Is there something wrong?”
All three kept their silence.
“I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what the trouble is,” Lily prodded, taking Anne’s hand in hers.
Still the children were silent, until there was a sound from the back of the room, and all four sets of eyes rested on the tall, handsome man who now stood formidably in the doorway.
“Children, wait in the wagon,” Seth ordered as Lily watched him approach.
“Yes, Poppa,” the boys said in unison, scrambling toward the door.
Before he turned and fled the room, Johnny stopped momentarily at the doorway and looked back at Lily with eyes that pleaded for her to understand.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
46
Sandy Sullivan
“Mr. Sanford.” Lily rose to her feet and turned her back on Seth as she retreated behind her desk. He is very intimidating when he’s angry. A chill rolled down her spine, and she shivered.
“Mrs. Backman. I believe that we need to get a few things straight relative to my children.”
“Oh?” Lily questioned, turning back around to face him when he stepped closer to her desk.
“Yes. I will thank you not to pry into our business, ma’am. The children have been through a lot in the last six months with their mother’s death.”
“I understand that, Mr. Sanford, but you need to allow them to grieve as well. If they aren’t allowed to grieve, they will not be able to move past it.”
“Mrs. Backman,” Seth growled with anger bright in his eyes. “I understand you must have lost your husband around about the time I lost my wife, but that doesn’t make you an expert on how to deal with grieving children.”
“I don’t proclaim to, Mr. Sanford, but I do know children, and yours have kept their feelings bottled up inside for six months. Your daughter won’t speak. Do you know why?”
“No,” Seth admitted. “She hasn’t spoken since her momma died.”
“Precisely, Mr. Sanford. Has she cried for her mother? Have you talked to her about her mother? Have you allowed her to cry with you over the loss? You need to get those children to open up to you about their feelings concerning her death. From what Johnny has told me, it was rather tragic, and I’m sorry for your loss, but it would be better for all of you if you were all able to grieve. You would be surprised at how much better you would feel.”
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