Page 20 of Operation: Chosen

Lacy snorted. “A good latte is only about an hour away. There are a lot more important things here than coffee. Plus, Victoria makes a pretty amazing mug of coffee if you ask her.”

Ali sighed and backed away a step. “I guess coffee was a metaphor for so many things I’m missing while I’m here. I’m used to having life at my fingertips, and out here everything is far away.”

Lacy silently watched the dogs for a moment before answering. “Yes, and we like it that way. If you want something, just plan ahead to get all the things you want in one trip. Then you can come back out here and enjoy the things that really matter.”

“And what is that?” Maybe she just wouldn’t get along with Lacy. They seemed far too different anyway.

“Like the sky, fresh air, quiet, and good friends. You’re a lawyer, right?” Lacy glanced over at Ali.

“Yes, which makes me a pretty rare gem out here.” Ali tried again to laugh, but it ended up sounding like she was choking.

Lacy turned her attention back to the dogs and Sam. “You’re not so different from us. You have a job where you help people who sometimes end up in situations they don’t want to be in, or didn’t choose to be in. In your case, they may be wrongly accused. That’s not the case with our usual guests. We promote healing, both in our guests and with the boys who are here now.”

Ali closed her eyes and thought back to the last few clients she’d had. “I don’t heal anyone. I recoup damages, or I help people find justice, or I help people who are guilty avoid punishment. I don’t see how that’s anything like my limited understanding of what you do.”

Lacy shrugged. “You won’t yet. You will before you leave here.” She gripped the fence and leaned back a little bit. “You know, the Lord doesn’t bring anyone here who doesn’t need to be here, and I mean that in a broad sense. I’m not talking about delivery people or the occasional trouble we have around here. I mean the people who live here, even for a few weeks. They all have needed to be here. I have no doubt that you have some healing to do too.”

“Me?” Ali’s defenses rose immediately, not just at the idea that she was broken, but that God had led her there to do that healing. How dare Lacy even suggest that she might need help from anyone? She’d lived on her own and provided for herself even when she was married. Her husband was a cheater and hid his gambling and drinking from everyone, especially since his commission to general. As a JAG, Judge Advocate General Corps, she was mainly serving fellow military families facing issues with the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which was why she was there helping Cole, but shewasn’tthere because she needed help herself.

Lacy’s look turned serious. “Yes, you. I’ve never met a person who didn’t need to heal from something, but most people never take the time they need to do it. You probably work a lot of hours every week. When will you ever again get three weeks to work on you and any issues you might have?”

Issues? Who was she to assume Ali had issues? “I’ve already worked out everything I might need to. That’s what working my butt off to get through my Juris Doctor and then admitted to JAG finally did. I got over everything in my past that was holding me back. Now I can live. Healthy. I don’t answer to anyone. My life is my own.”

Sam turned to look at them for a moment and gave a brief wave. Lacy waved back but didn’t smile. “Your life is your own, but you’re wrapped up in physical things. Clothes. Lattes. Bigger places to live. Those are the things that matter to you.” She turned to face Ali. “But are you happy?”

What did happiness have to do with life? Happiness was what people got after they retired. Happiness was for people who’d worked long and hard and could enjoy the fruits of their labor. “I don’t need happiness yet. That will come later.”

“What if I told you that you can have happiness at any point in your life? You can have it right now. You can have peace too.”

Ali felt the push as strongly as if Lacy had actually shoved her. Lacy may have been subtle, but for someone who’d avoided talk of faith her entire life, Ali felt it coming. “I think I know where you’re going, and I don’t need that. I’ll be happy when I retire. When I can lay down my pen and my voice for people who need me, then I’ll be happy knowing I bent over backward to help everyone who came to me. Until then, you keep your happiness.” She pushed away from the fence.

Why did Wyoming feel so lonely? At least she’d been able to talk to Eric. That was progress. But she didn’t need happiness. She needed work to keep her going. She needed the rush of helping someone escape a life like she’d had. That gave her a jolt of pleasure that made her want to keep going. Maybe it wasn’t happiness, but it was close.

What did happiness really look like, anyway? She may have had it when her father was still alive, but she could barely remember him now. Her mother had been a drug addict and hadn’t wanted her once Dad died, so Mom had sent Ali to live with her mother’s brother, the uncle who hadn’t been a part of her life at all until he was her guardian.

A bird hopped along in the grass, looking around, heading away from Ali’s path. The bird didn’t seem concerned that she was there, nor did it fly away as she walked. Other than pigeons, birds were pretty rare in town. At least, she’d never noticed them. She watched the little bird for a moment until it found whatever it was hunting for and flew off.

Lacy’s words came back, flowing through her mind as conversations usually did, when they’d talked about all the things Wayside offered. Brendon was the counselor there. If she needed healing, he would be the one to talk to. Or he’d tell her she was right and perfectly fine and didn’t need any help at all. That was the most likely option, so why bother him when he was busy. She was fine, and life would only get better from here.

ChapterNine

Eric shuffled the boys toward the fire pit area where Sam and Junior were already waiting. He’d hoped to engage Jayzon and Big E like he’d talked with Terrell, though Terrell hadn’t spoke with him since they’d gone riding two days before. Usually when people went riding, they got the itch to do it again quickly.

Big E shuffled his feet. “I don’t see why we have to come out and do anything. You can’t make us do anything around here.”

The men of Wayside held very little power where the boys were concerned, especially since their normal operations included government funding. They weren’t a prison, nor could they compel the boys to do anything. When it came to protecting themselves, they weren’t allowed to defend their lives or property in the same way as a person in their home could. If Viceroy came around again, they couldn’t draw their weapons until they were under direct deadly threat. These boys weren’t threatening, and they had to rely on the boys’ desire to do things to get work done.

Eric motioned for them to take seats around the fire pit. It was hot in the summer sun, so the pit was empty, but the pergola gave them a private place to talk. He took the remaining seat and waited a moment to catch his thoughts.

“You’ve been here a little over a week now. It was understood that we would try to help you learn some life skills outside of criminal activity as a way to give you a second chance. This ranch is all about second chances. While you’re right, I can’t force you to do anything, we can start limiting the few freedoms you have to encourage you to try the things you should.”

Junior took over. “Like meals. From now on, you’ll eat in the dining room with everyone else. Victoria works hard enough. She shouldn’t have to put together extra trays for you just because you don’t want to walk to the dining room. You are fully capable young men and walking a few yards isn’t a problem for you if you want to eat.”

“Maybe we just don’t want to eat with all of you,” Big E said, then snorted. “Not like you’d want to eat near us any other time.”

Junior stopped him there. “That’s not true. We don’t know you. How could we say that wedon’twant to sit with people we don’t know? The point is, we’ll see you at supper tonight.” Junior glanced to Sam.

Sam took a deep breath. “I’ve got room for one of you to help me with dog training. It’s difficult. It requires a lot of patience, and you have to actually like dogs.” He glanced around the circle, waiting for a reply. “And no more rocks.”

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