Page 63 of Welcome to Forever
Sam stared at his feet. “What’s wrong with here? I like staying after school and working in the garden.”
Micah frowned. “This is supposed to be punishment.”
“You could just beat him. That’s how my dad punishes me.” Now, Jacob was looking at the ground.
Micah exchanged another look with Kat. She’d be calling the school’s social worker later about that comment, no doubt. “Well, then how about this? You can keep coming and helping out after school as long as you want. But if you call each other names or start another fight with anyone, I’ll have to put you back in that classroom with Mrs. Burroughs, writing sentences on the blackboard.”
The boys groaned.
“All right, you two,” Kat said. “Apologize to one another.”
Sam shrugged. “I’m sorry if you are,” he told Jacob.
“I’m sorry if you are, too,” Jacob said.
Micah nodded. Fair enough. “Back to work, boys. Fifteen minutes until your parents get here.”
Sam started to walk away, then turned back to Micah. “Did you mean it when you said we could keep coming? Even when our time is up?”
Micah nodded. “I’d hate for you to feel like you had to cause trouble just to get yourself back in the group.”
Sam’s face brightened. “Thanks.”
Kat touched Micah’s arm softly when the kids had gone back to their tasks. “I think you missed your calling, Sergeant Peterson. You’re awesome with these kids.”
“Not to brag, but I’m pretty awesome at all my jobs.” It was supposed to be charming, but her body stiffened, and her shoulders were suddenly tense.
Yeah. She hated the fact that he was a Marine. He could only imagine how she’d look at him on Saturday when he took her to the Marine Corps ball. She’d be surrounded by uniforms. Every place she turned, she’d be faced with a reminder of what she’d lost. So far, she’d only seen him in uniform once. Most of the time they were together, he wore holey jeans and a white T-shirt while riding a lawnmower.
Or he wore nothing while she was riding him.
Things would probably change between them after Saturday’s date.
He swallowed. He wasn’t supposed to care. They’d agreed to no strings attached. But the more time he spent with her, the more a newfound hope began to bristle up inside him where there’d only been an empty, robotic existence over these last few years, working full-time and being a single father to a child with special needs.
He felt like he was coming alive again, living for something other than his responsibilities. He was beginning to need Kat, and that felt really good. And really terrifying at the same time.
