Holidays and birthdays. All gathered under one roof with Frank and Marlene looking on at their brood of children, both blood and honorary. Marlene did tend to lay claim to people whether they wanted to be claimed or not.
At that particular random thought, Rachel’s brow puckered, and she frowned.
“Has anyone seen Sean lately? With how crazy the move has been and going back to teaching, I haven’t seen him in weeks. And he didn’t come over to help move, which is not like him. He’s always so willing to jump in and lend a hand.”
Sean had been there more than once for Rachel when she was still finding her way in the aftermath of her return home. The sheriff’s deputy was younger than all the Kelly brothers, but he was as solid and dependable as someone well above his age.
“I heard Sam talking to him the other day on the phone,” Sophie piped up. “Sean’s been working a case in cooperation with Henry County and the state police. Sounded like a big drug ring. They’ve pulled in city and county guys for this. He’s been working a lot of long hours. Sam sounded worried about him.”
Rachel sighed. “There are times when I wish he’d go to work for KGI, but he doesn’t have the experience yet, and then I think how silly it is to think he’d be any safer going off on the kinds of missions our husbands do.”
Sarah nodded. “I understand what you mean though. It’s reassuring to think of him having that kind of back-up system, you know? We know nothing about the kind of men Sean works with currently, but we certainly know our guys would look out for him.”
“That’s exactly what I mean,” Rachel said in agreement. “I was happy when Swanny joined them.”
“Oh me too,” Shea said in a rush. “My heart just aches for him. He’s so…alone. If you only knew what he and Nathan endured…”
Her voice trailed off and her features went bleak. Rachel reached over to squeeze her hand. Shea had gone through a lot to help Nathan and Swanny escape after months of them being tortured by the enemy. She more than anyone knew precisely what the two men had suffered. She knew because she’d suffered along with them and for them.
“Mama Kelly will work him over,” Sophie said with a chuckle. “Do you see how he is around her? It’s so cute. He’s completely bemused by her. She pats him and calls him her baby, and I swear the big man just melts in a puddle at her feet.”
Everyone laughed and warmth filled Rachel’s heart. Life was good. The very best. She was surrounded by people who loved her and whom she loved with all her heart.
There wasn’t a single Kelly by birth or marriage who wouldn’t do anything he or she could to help another family member. She thought briefly of Jennifer from her class and how broken up the little girl was over her family deteriorating.
She swallowed the knot in her throat. But by the grace of God go I.
It had been her. Only she’d gotten a second chance. Redemption.
“Do you think P.J. will come back?” Sarah asked in a quiet voice. “I’m so worried about her.”
The others fell silent.
P.J. had been instrumental in each of their lives. She’d gone on the mission to rescue Rachel from Colombia. She’d been there when Sophie had traded herself for Marlene Kelly and gone back to her madman of a father. She had been there when Sarah’s brother had died taking a bullet meant for Sarah. And she’d been instrumental in reuniting Shea with Nathan when Shea had been abducted by the people pursuing Shea and her sister, Grace. For that matter, she’d been there covering the women’s husbands when Grace had surrendered herself in order to prevent members of KGI from dying.
P.J. was a fixture of KGI. She was always there, protecting their husbands when they put their lives on the line. Rachel would never fully be able to express her gratitude to the other woman. There simply weren’t adequate words.
She just hoped she had the opportunity to try one day. P.J. had fell off the map
At that particular random thought, Rachel’s brow puckered, and she frowned.
“Has anyone seen Sean lately? With how crazy the move has been and going back to teaching, I haven’t seen him in weeks. And he didn’t come over to help move, which is not like him. He’s always so willing to jump in and lend a hand.”
Sean had been there more than once for Rachel when she was still finding her way in the aftermath of her return home. The sheriff’s deputy was younger than all the Kelly brothers, but he was as solid and dependable as someone well above his age.
“I heard Sam talking to him the other day on the phone,” Sophie piped up. “Sean’s been working a case in cooperation with Henry County and the state police. Sounded like a big drug ring. They’ve pulled in city and county guys for this. He’s been working a lot of long hours. Sam sounded worried about him.”
Rachel sighed. “There are times when I wish he’d go to work for KGI, but he doesn’t have the experience yet, and then I think how silly it is to think he’d be any safer going off on the kinds of missions our husbands do.”
Sarah nodded. “I understand what you mean though. It’s reassuring to think of him having that kind of back-up system, you know? We know nothing about the kind of men Sean works with currently, but we certainly know our guys would look out for him.”
“That’s exactly what I mean,” Rachel said in agreement. “I was happy when Swanny joined them.”
“Oh me too,” Shea said in a rush. “My heart just aches for him. He’s so…alone. If you only knew what he and Nathan endured…”
Her voice trailed off and her features went bleak. Rachel reached over to squeeze her hand. Shea had gone through a lot to help Nathan and Swanny escape after months of them being tortured by the enemy. She more than anyone knew precisely what the two men had suffered. She knew because she’d suffered along with them and for them.
“Mama Kelly will work him over,” Sophie said with a chuckle. “Do you see how he is around her? It’s so cute. He’s completely bemused by her. She pats him and calls him her baby, and I swear the big man just melts in a puddle at her feet.”
Everyone laughed and warmth filled Rachel’s heart. Life was good. The very best. She was surrounded by people who loved her and whom she loved with all her heart.
There wasn’t a single Kelly by birth or marriage who wouldn’t do anything he or she could to help another family member. She thought briefly of Jennifer from her class and how broken up the little girl was over her family deteriorating.
She swallowed the knot in her throat. But by the grace of God go I.
It had been her. Only she’d gotten a second chance. Redemption.
“Do you think P.J. will come back?” Sarah asked in a quiet voice. “I’m so worried about her.”
The others fell silent.
P.J. had been instrumental in each of their lives. She’d gone on the mission to rescue Rachel from Colombia. She’d been there when Sophie had traded herself for Marlene Kelly and gone back to her madman of a father. She had been there when Sarah’s brother had died taking a bullet meant for Sarah. And she’d been instrumental in reuniting Shea with Nathan when Shea had been abducted by the people pursuing Shea and her sister, Grace. For that matter, she’d been there covering the women’s husbands when Grace had surrendered herself in order to prevent members of KGI from dying.
P.J. was a fixture of KGI. She was always there, protecting their husbands when they put their lives on the line. Rachel would never fully be able to express her gratitude to the other woman. There simply weren’t adequate words.
She just hoped she had the opportunity to try one day. P.J. had fell off the map
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