Page 54 of Operation: Unify

“While you’re here, I hope you enjoy the tree. There’s one in the dining room too. Want to go see it?” The one in the living room had all the presents under it and that was where everyone would gather on Christmas Eve to have a celebration and open gifts. They’d sing a few songs, and Connor would read Jesus’ birth story from Luke. The continuity of it all made her soul happy.

“Yes, I’d love to.” Melinda grinned.

The smile made the last two days easier. If she could handle the pain of needing her medications and still be joyful about a Christmas tree, Lacy wasn’t going to let this stress get her down.

Lacy headed for the door to the dining room and held it open for Melinda. Her breath caught as she saw the tall tree in the corner. Ferd had done such a beautiful job with the trees. As Lacy brought Melinda over, Victoria, the Wayside chef, came out of the kitchen. “Lacy! It’s so good to have you back. I was worried you wouldn’t make it in time.” She gripped Lacy in a tight hug. “Who do we have here?”

Melinda stepped back a little and ducked her head.

“This is my friend and she’s starving. Do you have any leftovers in that kitchen that you wouldn’t mind parting with?”

“Do I have leftovers?” Victoria laughed. “You know I do. I make big portions around here. Have a seat wherever you want, and I’ll bring something right out.”

Melinda looked at Lacy and her cheeks turned pink. “I’ve never had anyone make me anything before. At least, not that I didn’t pay for.”

Lacy laid a hand on her arm. “Think of this as the best way to heal. We’ll find you a room, probably here in the lodge temporarily because we won’t want to be out and about any more than we have to be with those guys blocking the road. After this, I’ve had Ferd, Connor’s sister, make up a room for you.”

Melinda laughed. “I guess I’m safe from Tod as long as they’re there.”

She hadn’t thought about that and wasn’t sure that made the situation any better, but she could appreciate a small silver lining. “I’m just praying that both of our troubles are gone before Christmas.”

Chapter Twenty

How had it only been a few days since he’d left Wayside? Connor braced his hands against the corners of his desk and bowed his head. Travel wasn’t in him. As a kid, the ranch always came first. There wasn’t time for a vacation. Now, he only left when he had to, never for fun. He wasn’t even sure he knew how to have fun outside of Wayside.

Brendon came through the door and locked the brake on his wheelchair in front of Connor’s desk. “I called, but they insist we’re outside of their jurisdiction. They said they are risking action against them if they come to help and instructed me to call the local line or the state police, but they are taxed right now looking for Viceroy. When I told them I have been doing that for hours, they had nothing more to offer. I know this is a unique situation, as small towns are, but I’m not sure what to do next.”

Connor gave a nod. “I don’t know off the top of my head. I hate to call a meeting when Edwyn and Sam were just called back in, and Cole and Eric are out there.”

Brendon frowned for a moment. “Yeah, that pretty much leaves you, me, Teddy, and Junior who is headed back to the vehicles to get the bags. He’ll be back shortly. Nadine is in heroffice and might have some ideas, but she is the first to say she doesn’t want any more action. Behind a computer is where she thrives.”

Connor snorted. “Not taking on any missions of her own from now on, huh?” He was sort of kidding, but she had instigated the mission that had gotten all the Wayside women abducted. To be fair, it was also the mission that got Viceroy arrested, so he couldn’t be too critical.

“She was sorry. That’s all that matters. And I can tell you she is truly sorry. She thought there was some kind of patriarchy going on here that was keeping the women from doing anything because we supposedly thought all women were weak.”

Connor’s brow rose slowly. “Um, we literally see the strength of women every day. They are more resilient than anyone. I protect the women here because I’m a man and that’s what God calls me to do. Not because women are inherently weak, but because they need time to heal.” He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to explain his thoughts to Brendon. The man knew all the reasons they were there.

“I know. I just wanted you to have a little insight into why she led everyone to Viceroy’s house without telling any of us.”

“Except Edwyn. He knew.” And that still bothered him. He’d always been able to trust Edwyn because he was a ‘by the books’ kind of guy. He never tripped or went down the wrong path. Then again, no one was perfect. Which was why he’d been forgiven and hadn’t lost his job. His first mistake shouldn’t be his last and grace in uncontrollable circumstances was pretty much the Wayside motto.

“Yes, he knew. Again, he was trying to keep Nadine from bolting. But we have here and now problems. Not last month’s problems.” Brendon rested both arms on the armrests of his wheelchair. “So, meeting, or will you and I figure out what needs to happen alone? At some point, those men will get cold orrun low on gas. They can’t sit out there without their vehicles running. If we don’t have a police force and we can’t take action, then waiting is one thing we can do.”

Connor hated simply waiting around and seeing what they would do. They’d shot at a cop and trapped an entire ranch of people inside their homes. “What about the feds? These guys shot Nixon. I can’t blame the other officers for wanting to stay by his side instead of rushing into a situation where they are outmanned and outgunned. But the FBI? They could handle the situation.”

Brendon slowly nodded. “True. It’s possible. My worry is that the only place they can ‘fall back’ to, is Wayside. If they are under attack from both sides by the feds, they’ll simply drive right up our driveway and force the FBI to bring their guns up here. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want a shootout in the front yard two days before Christmas. If it can’t be helped, then it can’t be. But that is most likely what will happen.”

“Which means we’d have to get everyone below ground again to avoid bullets. We both know the stress that caused last time we had to use it. Some of our guests would feel trapped, which is better than how they’d feel listening to gunfire, but we have to think of all aspects. Like you said.” Connor released his hold on the desk and folded his hands together in front of him, leaning on the surface because fatigue still weighed him down.

“True but feeling trapped is much easier to deal with than injury from gunfire or the trauma of watching another person be injured or even getting injured themselves. Sometimes, I think that’s harder for our guests to deal with than their own trauma. They can dissociate their own pain, but they can’t with the pain of others.”

Connor took a deep breath. “Then I feel like that’s our only course of action. You want to make that call?” Brendon wasbetter at that sort of thing than he was. Normally, he’d even ask Lacy to call but at the moment, she was caring for Melinda.

“Sure. I also wanted to let you know that Dee and I have decided to go on a belated honeymoon in the spring. We didn’t want to travel in the winter, but in a few months when the grass comes back and travel is easier, we want to go and see some great sights.”

Connor nodded. This was the perfect opportunity to tell Brendon that he and Lacy had made progress the last few days, but he held back. What if she changed her mind? He knew he would never ask to separate from her ever again, but that didn’t mean Lacy wouldn’t. She’d lived here all this time as his friend, not his wife. Would she find that loving him was too hard and want to return to the way they’d done things for the last decade? Change was never easy.

“I’m glad to be home and glad to know you both are going. You don’t usually agree to travel, so I’m happy.” And he prayed Brendon’s travel ended nothing like the trip he’d just taken.

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