Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Hayden and Conor sat across from Devorah and Maren, leaving the head of the table for Crow, who brought out roast with baby potatoes, maple-glazed carrots, and a garden-fresh salad. Everyone began dishing their plates and commenting about how good everything smelled.
All except for Devorah.
“Everything okay, Devy?” Hayden asked, midspoonful.
“Yeah, I just need a minute.” She excused herself from the table. Everyone was silent until they heard a door shut upstairs.
“Grandpa, should I go check on her?” Maren asked.
“No, you can eat. Your mom just needs a minute,” Crow said.
Hayden set his fork down. He’d wait until Devorah came back before eating.
“I wasn’t a great dad to her after her mom died,” Crow began saying to Hayden. “You’re in a similar situation. Don’t let my mistakes ruin your relationship with your son.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m trying now, but I fear it may be too late.”
“No, sir. You’re not.”
After a few minutes, Hayden excused himself and went upstairs. He’d spent many nights playing video games in Colt’s room and knew exactly which one was Devorah’s. Hayden paused at the top of the steps. He could hear Crow talking to the kids, who were laughing. Someone snorted. This brought a smile to his face. Maybe Crow wasn’t so scary after all, and adolescent/teenage Hayden had feared him for nothing.
Hayden shook his head. Crow definitely scared the shit out of him back then. But Crow was much younger then and could keep up with most of the teens. There was nothing wrong with having a healthy respect for the law, and its enforcer, especially when you were trying to covet his teenage daughter.
“Devy,” he said as he knocked. “May I come in?”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she opened the door. He could tell she’d been crying and suspected the family dinner was the cause.
He reached for her hand, slipping his fingers in between hers. “I can’t imagine how all of this feels after not having it for so long.”
She nodded. “It’s a bit overwhelming. I can’t even remember the last time we ate at the table, as a family.”
“But you’ll remember tonight. Crow’s trying to be a better father.”
“I know. I need to let him.”
“Come on. The kids are waiting.”
He went downstairs while Devy used the bathroom. When she came into the dining room, she looked refreshed. Before she sat down, she kissed her father on his cheek. “Thank you.”
“Eat up, Devorah. There’s chocolate cake waiting,” Crow said without missing a beat.
“Maybe we should skip dinner altogether and just eat cake,” Conor suggested, also without missing a beat.
Crow cleared his throat, which seemed to take Conor by surprise. His eyes widened, and before Hayden could say anything, Crow set his fork down.
“Young man,” Crow said as he looked at Conor. “Standing up for your friends is an honorable thing to do. I will never fault you for doing what’s right, especially when it comes to my granddaughter. As her grandfather, I appreciate you. As the sheriff, take this warning with you for a long time—violence isn’t the answer. Even when you didn’t hurt the other kid.”
“Yes, sir,” Conor said. “I didn’t mean to hurt DJ. But when he didn’t stop hurting Maren, even after she asked him to stop, all I could think was to move him away from her. I probably pushed him a little too hard.”
Hayden reached over and set his hand on his son’s arm.
Conor looked at his dad and then back at Crow. “I think it’s wrong not to stop when someone says no.”
“You’re right, son,” Crow said, nodding. He then looked at Hayden. “You raised this boy right. You should be proud. I know your father is.”
“Thank you, Crow,” Hayden said as he swallowed the lump in his throat. “And thank you for always showing me the right path. Because of men like you and my dad, I turned out okay.”
“Huh,” Crow huffed. “I’d say you’re much better than okay.” Crow looked around and then down at his food. “Anyway . . .” He picked his fork up and began eating. Hayden waited for him to finish, but he never went back to the subject.
Nineteen
Devorah
Before the sun rose, Dev sneaked out of the house as best she could. Crow would hear the door squeak and suspect either someone had left or that someone was trying to break in. She hoped for the former because she didn’t want her dad scaring Maren this early in the morning.
Devorah made her way to the docks. She found a dry spot and watched the crews get ready to head out for the day. If this morning’s sunrise meant anything, they should have a decent catch, which would make everyone happy. Cash in their pockets and good eats on the table were never bad things.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been down to the docks to think. This was where they had spread her mom’s ashes, and Devy would come here to talk to her mom. Her visits started out daily but slowly turned into every other day or every few days. Those turned into weekly visits, and then she’d only visit on the anniversary of her mom’s passing or when it was her mom’s birthday.