table and straddled it. “So, Madam Psychic, tell me what you see when you look at Nate.”
Gale sat down across from her son. “I see a man who’s almost at the end of his rope, Bran. I don’t think he’s ever really dealt with loosing his family the way he did. I believe these attacks have only served to reopen a wound that never healed in the first place.” She reached over and put her hand on Brandon’s arm. “You did the right thing by calling me, son. That boy is going to need all the love and attention he can get if he’s going to make it through this.”
“He’ll make it.”
“You sound pretty sure of yourself.”
Bran shook his head. “Mama, do you remember what I was like when I came back here from Quantico?”
Gale shuddered. “As if I could ever forget. I’d heard about post traumatic stress disorder, but I’d never actually seen it up close before. Thank goodness you got over it.”
“Yes, but what I haven’t told you is that I still can’t sleep through the night without reliving that day all over again.”
The alarm on Gale’s face was the very reason Bran hadn’t told her about the dreams before now. “Honey, you aren’t still sick, are you?”
“Calm down, Mom. I’m fine. The psychologist they sent me to said I’ll probably always have those dreams, even though I’m psychologically sound again. After three years, I’ve learned to live with them. The thing is, last night, I didn’t have a single nightmare.” When he thought about the dreams he did have, he blushed.
Gale’s children didn’t call her old eagle eye for nothing. “Brandon Nash, did you by any chance dream about a certain eligible young doctor last night?” His silence was answer enough. “Well, it’s obvious he’s good for you. I hope you won’t do anything stupid like letting him slip away from you.”
“Don’t worry, Mom. Letting Nate go is the last thing on my mind. And until we catch the creep who’s after him, I plan to keep him here with me.”
“When were you planning on telling me about these plans you’ve made for my life?”
Bran and Gale looked up at the same time to see a rumpled Nate standing in the doorway. Brandon’s voice was hoarse when he said, “How long have you been standing there?”
“Just long enough to know that my living arrangements have changed.” He walked into the kitchen and Brandon got a good look at him.
His hair was matted down in spots and sticking straight out in others. His clothes were wrinkled from being slept in, and his face was drawn and haggard. Even looking like a zombie movie reject, Brandon’s body instantly went into overdrive the minute he saw him.
Gale got up and grabbed her purse. Brandon stood the minute his mother did and pulled her into a hug.
“Thanks for coming, Mom. Oh, and thanks for bringing dinner.”
“Anytime, honey.” She walked over and gave Nathan a warm hug and kiss. “You hang in there, sweetie. I’ll call and check on you tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Gale. For everything.”
She patted his cheek. “That’s what moms are for.” She kissed Brandon again before moving towards the door. “Call if you need me.” Blowing them both kisses, she left.
Brandon took Nate’s hand and led him towards the table. “Sit down while I dish up some of this stuff Mom brought.”
Nate took a seat, but said, “I’m not really hungry.”
“Nate, you haven’t had anything since that two-dollar ham sandwich at the hospital last night. You’ve got to eat something.”
Nate eyed him warily. “Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“This. Being so nice to me, bringing me to your house. Why would you go out of your way to help a stranger?”
“Number one: someone is after you. I take my responsibilities as sheriff seriously. I plan to do whatever it takes to keep you safe. In my opinion, you’ll be safer here than anywhere else. Even when Amy and Mike get back, they
Gale sat down across from her son. “I see a man who’s almost at the end of his rope, Bran. I don’t think he’s ever really dealt with loosing his family the way he did. I believe these attacks have only served to reopen a wound that never healed in the first place.” She reached over and put her hand on Brandon’s arm. “You did the right thing by calling me, son. That boy is going to need all the love and attention he can get if he’s going to make it through this.”
“He’ll make it.”
“You sound pretty sure of yourself.”
Bran shook his head. “Mama, do you remember what I was like when I came back here from Quantico?”
Gale shuddered. “As if I could ever forget. I’d heard about post traumatic stress disorder, but I’d never actually seen it up close before. Thank goodness you got over it.”
“Yes, but what I haven’t told you is that I still can’t sleep through the night without reliving that day all over again.”
The alarm on Gale’s face was the very reason Bran hadn’t told her about the dreams before now. “Honey, you aren’t still sick, are you?”
“Calm down, Mom. I’m fine. The psychologist they sent me to said I’ll probably always have those dreams, even though I’m psychologically sound again. After three years, I’ve learned to live with them. The thing is, last night, I didn’t have a single nightmare.” When he thought about the dreams he did have, he blushed.
Gale’s children didn’t call her old eagle eye for nothing. “Brandon Nash, did you by any chance dream about a certain eligible young doctor last night?” His silence was answer enough. “Well, it’s obvious he’s good for you. I hope you won’t do anything stupid like letting him slip away from you.”
“Don’t worry, Mom. Letting Nate go is the last thing on my mind. And until we catch the creep who’s after him, I plan to keep him here with me.”
“When were you planning on telling me about these plans you’ve made for my life?”
Bran and Gale looked up at the same time to see a rumpled Nate standing in the doorway. Brandon’s voice was hoarse when he said, “How long have you been standing there?”
“Just long enough to know that my living arrangements have changed.” He walked into the kitchen and Brandon got a good look at him.
His hair was matted down in spots and sticking straight out in others. His clothes were wrinkled from being slept in, and his face was drawn and haggard. Even looking like a zombie movie reject, Brandon’s body instantly went into overdrive the minute he saw him.
Gale got up and grabbed her purse. Brandon stood the minute his mother did and pulled her into a hug.
“Thanks for coming, Mom. Oh, and thanks for bringing dinner.”
“Anytime, honey.” She walked over and gave Nathan a warm hug and kiss. “You hang in there, sweetie. I’ll call and check on you tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Gale. For everything.”
She patted his cheek. “That’s what moms are for.” She kissed Brandon again before moving towards the door. “Call if you need me.” Blowing them both kisses, she left.
Brandon took Nate’s hand and led him towards the table. “Sit down while I dish up some of this stuff Mom brought.”
Nate took a seat, but said, “I’m not really hungry.”
“Nate, you haven’t had anything since that two-dollar ham sandwich at the hospital last night. You’ve got to eat something.”
Nate eyed him warily. “Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“This. Being so nice to me, bringing me to your house. Why would you go out of your way to help a stranger?”
“Number one: someone is after you. I take my responsibilities as sheriff seriously. I plan to do whatever it takes to keep you safe. In my opinion, you’ll be safer here than anywhere else. Even when Amy and Mike get back, they
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