Page 41 of Cowboy's Last Stand
“Is he all right?”Natalie asked.
Missy pried her son’s hand away from his eye to inspect it.“He’ll be fine in a minute.”
Natalie looked closer.The boy appeared to have a puffy red mark on his cheek near his left eye.Marcus hadn’t blinded the kid or popped his eyeball.It was just a minor scuffle.Relief coursed through her.“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Natalie rose to her feet.She was aware of the curious stares in the crowd, the hushed voices all around.Jason had deposited Marcus in a quiet corner of the room.Natalie made her way toward him, her heart hammering.
“What happened?”she asked.
Marcus’s lower lip trembled.“Kyle said you’d send me away.”
“Is that why you hit him?”
Tears spilled down Marcus’s cheeks.
“You will apologize to that boy.Do you hear me?”
He wiped his nose, sniffling.Not waiting for his compliance, she half dragged him back toward Missy and her son.Kyle’s cries had quieted.His twin stood nearby with a sullen face.He seemed annoyed with his brother’s theatrics.
Natalie tugged on Marcus’s hand.“What do you say?”
Marcus clamped his mouth shut in refusal.
“Marcus, there’s no excuse for hitting.You have to apologize.”
“He said you wanted to make a new family.”
Her heart ached for him but now wasn’t the time to show sympathy.“Say you’re sorry.”
“Sorry, Kyle,” Marcus whispered.
“No harm done,” Missy said breezily, rising to her feet.“The twins do worse to each other all day long.”
Natalie appreciated her easy-going attitude.Some of the moms wouldn’t be as kind.Marcus usually got along well with other children.His penchant for mischief made him a popular playmate.He was energetic but not ill-tempered.She hoped there wouldn’t be too much gossip over this incident.
After Missy and her boys returned to their table, Natalie bent to pick up the pile of toy soldiers on the ground.“We’re leaving,” she said to Marcus.He nodded, his face glum.She spotted Wade sitting with his father nearby.Sheriff Hendricks looked amused.Natalie gritted her teeth at the sight.
Jason retrieved her cardigan, which she’d forgotten about, before joining them.She put the toy soldiers in her bag.They left together in silence.Marcus sulked in his booster seat as she drove home.When they arrived, she sent him straight to his room.Jason lingered on the front porch.Reluctant to enter, as always.
“Are you all right?”she asked.
“Of course.”
She wondered if this was the end of their burgeoning romance.What man wanted to be a little kid’s punching bag?“I’m sorry.He’s never done anything like that before.I don’t know what got into him.”
“Don’t make him apologize to me.Please.”
She crossed her arms over her chest.“Why not?”
Jason didn’t answer.
“He needs to learn that hitting is wrong.”
“It’s not always wrong,” Jason said pointedly.
“It’s wrong in this case.”
