Page 15 of Gideon's Gratitude

Something to consider. If something happened to me—

No.

Don’t think like that.

The kids need you. Even if the virtual visits are limited, they need you. They need to know you’re out there and you love them. They need to know you’ll step up to the plate if something happens to their other father.

Something to cling to. My entire reason for being was Melodie and Trevor. They were the bright shining lights in my dismal and fog-filled world.

I unclipped Lucky and put him in a sit/stay before entering the house. My pooch glanced over to Archer’s property, but I clicked my tongue to draw the dog’s attention. We held gazes until I finally nodded.

He tore into the house then made a beeline for his water bowl and lapped it up.

I refilled it and he drank about half of that before nudging his food bowl.

“Oh no, you don’t. He gave you more than enough food this morning. You’re not hard done by.”

He gave me a baleful look.

I pointed to the living room.

He slunk to his bed.

Only then did I take a good look around the kitchen.

The plates were gone, and the pan sat on the drying rack.

Finally, my gaze settled on the paper with the bills sticking out from beneath them. I snatched up the paper.

Thank you for your hospitality. If you require more funds, please let me know.

I nearly scrunched up the note but stopped from doing it as I eyed the pile of money. I laid aside the piece of paper and carefully counted out each bill. Then I did it again.

Almost a month’s worth of disability payments.

Oh, the things I could do with this money. The things I could buy for the kids. The repairs I could do to the house. The person I could hire to do the yard preparations for the winter.

Stop.

Of course you won’t keep the money.I’d taken in the wayward stranger and offered a bed for the night as I would’ve for anyone. My grandparents had instilled gratitude and generosity in me. Now, if the guy’d been a serial killer, things would’ve turned out differently. But he hadn’t been. He’d just been a rich guy in a tough spot.

A rich guy who carried well over a thousand bucks in his wallet and likely saw it as chump change.

I stomped back over to the front hall and shoved my feet back into my boots.

Lucky leapt up, but I shook my head.

The dog cocked his head.

I pointed.

He huffed and lay back down on his dog bed.

I yanked open the door, stepped outside into the crisp air, slammed the door, and stomped across the yard. Even as I walked the path, I wondered the wisdom of this.Why not just take the money and pretend like the night had never happened? Why not tuck it away for a rainy day and move on with my life?

You know why.

I did. I couldn’t be bought. Not by Archer Chamberlain. Not by anyone.

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