divorce.
In the past months Violet was aware her son missed and needed the male companionship Brent had provided. And now that the two of them had left Amarillo, she’d taken him away from his grandfather, too. A part of Violet felt guilty about the separation. The man was the only close relative either of them had left. But he was not the sort of male influence she wanted for Sam. On the contrary, she prayed her son would not grow up to be like the O’Dell men before him.
“Mommy, when are we gonna get to our new home? Is it a long way from here?”
Sam’s questions stabbed her heart. A stable home in a clean, quiet little town was something she desperately wanted to give her son. He deserved it. He shouldn’t have to suffer just because his father had died or his grandfather was a greedy, evil man.
“I’m not sure, darling. But I promise we’ll find it soon. And then you can have a swing set and a sand box and maybe even a cat or dog.”
“Oh boy! I want a dog. A big one like Rin Tin Tin.”
A faint smile tilted Violet’s lips as she leaned over and kissed the top of Sam’s wet head. “You’d better finish your bath now, honey. We’ll talk some more about the dog later.”
By the time Sam was dressed in his pajamas and she’d helped him brush his teeth, his eyes were growing droopy once again. Violet put him to bed in the room where Charlie had kissed her. But she tried to put the ridiculous way she’d reacted to the man out of her mind. She had much more serious things to think about. Like how she was going to get her car going and move on before Rex could find her.
“Will you tell me a story, Mommy? Just a little one?” Sam pleaded as Violet tucked the sheet around him.
Sitting on the side of the bed, she took his small hand in hers. “I really think it’s time for you to go to sleep. You’ve had a long day, young man.”
“But I want to hear about the dog,” he protested. “Can we name him Mike and get him a doghouse to sleep in?”
“Sure we can. And we’ll get him a collar and put his name on it so everyone will know he’s Mike.”
Sam’s sleepy eyes glowed with anticipation. “And can I take him for a walk and make him fetch?”
Violet’s smile was full of love as she gazed down at her son. When Sam had been born, she’d been the happiest woman alive. She had all she’d ever dreamed and hoped for. A husband who adored her and a baby to complete their family.
But her happiness hadn’t meant to be forever, she thought sadly as her thoughts slipped back in time. By the time Sam had turned three, Violet discovered Brent had been unfaithful during one of his business travels. Of course, she had been shattered by his betrayal. But because she loved him, she’d wanted desperately to believe him when he promised it had been a terrible mistake on his part and would never happen again.
Eventually she had forgiven him. But deep down her trust in him had died. Whether Brent had sensed the change in her and resented it or whether he’d simply grown restless again, Violet would never know. Whatever the reason, his philandering started all over again, and because of it, their marriage began to crumble.
Her gaze slipped back to her son as she tried to shake away the depressing memories. Heartache or not, having Sam had made her marriage to Brent worthwhile. Other than her mother, her son was the only person to ever love her completely and unconditionally. She would do anything she had to do to keep him safe and happy.
“Yes, you can take him for walks and let him fetch,” she answered Sam’s question. “But first you have to teach your dog how to follow a leash and to return whatever you send him after, like a ball or stick.”
“Oh I will, Mommy. Mike will be really smart and everywhere I go, he’ll go, too!”
“That sounds nice.” She leaned over and kissed his forehead, then nuzzled her nose against his cheek. “And tomorrow we’ll start looking for our home. “I
In the past months Violet was aware her son missed and needed the male companionship Brent had provided. And now that the two of them had left Amarillo, she’d taken him away from his grandfather, too. A part of Violet felt guilty about the separation. The man was the only close relative either of them had left. But he was not the sort of male influence she wanted for Sam. On the contrary, she prayed her son would not grow up to be like the O’Dell men before him.
“Mommy, when are we gonna get to our new home? Is it a long way from here?”
Sam’s questions stabbed her heart. A stable home in a clean, quiet little town was something she desperately wanted to give her son. He deserved it. He shouldn’t have to suffer just because his father had died or his grandfather was a greedy, evil man.
“I’m not sure, darling. But I promise we’ll find it soon. And then you can have a swing set and a sand box and maybe even a cat or dog.”
“Oh boy! I want a dog. A big one like Rin Tin Tin.”
A faint smile tilted Violet’s lips as she leaned over and kissed the top of Sam’s wet head. “You’d better finish your bath now, honey. We’ll talk some more about the dog later.”
By the time Sam was dressed in his pajamas and she’d helped him brush his teeth, his eyes were growing droopy once again. Violet put him to bed in the room where Charlie had kissed her. But she tried to put the ridiculous way she’d reacted to the man out of her mind. She had much more serious things to think about. Like how she was going to get her car going and move on before Rex could find her.
“Will you tell me a story, Mommy? Just a little one?” Sam pleaded as Violet tucked the sheet around him.
Sitting on the side of the bed, she took his small hand in hers. “I really think it’s time for you to go to sleep. You’ve had a long day, young man.”
“But I want to hear about the dog,” he protested. “Can we name him Mike and get him a doghouse to sleep in?”
“Sure we can. And we’ll get him a collar and put his name on it so everyone will know he’s Mike.”
Sam’s sleepy eyes glowed with anticipation. “And can I take him for a walk and make him fetch?”
Violet’s smile was full of love as she gazed down at her son. When Sam had been born, she’d been the happiest woman alive. She had all she’d ever dreamed and hoped for. A husband who adored her and a baby to complete their family.
But her happiness hadn’t meant to be forever, she thought sadly as her thoughts slipped back in time. By the time Sam had turned three, Violet discovered Brent had been unfaithful during one of his business travels. Of course, she had been shattered by his betrayal. But because she loved him, she’d wanted desperately to believe him when he promised it had been a terrible mistake on his part and would never happen again.
Eventually she had forgiven him. But deep down her trust in him had died. Whether Brent had sensed the change in her and resented it or whether he’d simply grown restless again, Violet would never know. Whatever the reason, his philandering started all over again, and because of it, their marriage began to crumble.
Her gaze slipped back to her son as she tried to shake away the depressing memories. Heartache or not, having Sam had made her marriage to Brent worthwhile. Other than her mother, her son was the only person to ever love her completely and unconditionally. She would do anything she had to do to keep him safe and happy.
“Yes, you can take him for walks and let him fetch,” she answered Sam’s question. “But first you have to teach your dog how to follow a leash and to return whatever you send him after, like a ball or stick.”
“Oh I will, Mommy. Mike will be really smart and everywhere I go, he’ll go, too!”
“That sounds nice.” She leaned over and kissed his forehead, then nuzzled her nose against his cheek. “And tomorrow we’ll start looking for our home. “I
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