Page 2 of Forever in the Country

“Sorren!” Marlee’s sweet voice answers on the second ring, and the breath I was holding whooshes out of me. She’s safe. I’m safe. We’re okay.

“Marlee Girl, are you being good for Gran and Pop?” I put as much enthusiasm into my words as I possibly can.

“Yes! Gran let me have an extra cookie! And she said we can watch a movie before bed because you’re having a fun night too!”

I laugh softly and close my eyes as I tilt my head toward the ceiling.

“I just wanted to call and say I love you and goodnight, Marlee Girl.”

“You’re silly but I love you! Night, brother,” she says sweetly and then there’s shuffling sounds before Gran comes on the line.

“Go have fun, baby. Promise me.”

“I promise, Gran.”

“Love you, baby.”

“Love you too,” I say and then disconnect the call. I hand the phone to Mrs. Thayer and she puts it back with a smile and a kiss to my cheek.

“Why don’t you take a minute? I’m gonna take those boys some snacks.” She points to the table. “I set those aside for you because no matter how hard I try, it feels like I’m raisin’ a bunch of animals.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Thayer,” I say automatically. She narrows her eyes but doesn’t correct me to call her Flora.

I watch as she walks out of the room before pulling out a chair and collapsing into it. My head lands on the table with a thud and I breathe out a heavy sigh. Every cell in my body is exhausted, and I feel well past my fourteen years.

“Mind if I join you?” Mr. Thayer’s voice is deep and gruff like the man himself, but he’s welcomed us into his home so I sit up and nod. “I know we haven’t had a lot of time to talk yet, but I wanted you to know you have family here. When you lay your head down at night, you’re safe, and there’s not a person in this house—this town—that won’t lay down their life to keep it that way.”

My eyes widen in alarm. “I don’t want anyone to die,” I say seriously and his lips twitch.

“But you get the idea.” He also doesn’t correct me.

The words tumble over and over in my brain, and it’s like a dam that can’t hold back a storm surge. Tears stream down my face and I wipe at them frantically.

“I’m so scared,” I whisper in the space between us, my voice choked with emotion. His massive hand lands on my shoulder as he leans forward to look me in the eye.

“You will never have to fight alone. You have my word and my promise to keep you and your sister safe.”

“But how?” I say through the tears. “How could you want us when our parents didn’t want us? Didn’t want her? How could they look at Marlee and see anything but good and light and happiness?”

“They didn’t deserve her. Either of you. But you’re ours now, and I’ll be damned if they ever get near you and your sister again.”

A sob racks my body as my hands cover my face. He pulls me against his chest and holds me so fiercely I start to believe him. I cry for the childhood I was forced to give up to raise my sister. I cry for the life that should have been happy and full of dreams. And I cry for the little girl next door who’s excited about an extra cookie at bedtime.

“You can rest now, Sorren.” Mr. Thayer’s deep voice echoes in my head. “It’s my turn to stand watch—I’ve got it from here.”

RHEA

PRESENT DAY

“Auntie Rhea?” my nephew Briggs asks from the backseat. I had to pry him out of my brother Otto’s arms—the guy is seriously obsessed with being a bonus dad.

“Yeah, bud?”

“If you had to beanydinosaur, what would you be?” I glance at the seven-year-old in the rearview mirror and grin.

“What’s that one with the spikes down his back?”

“Stegosaurus?”

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