Page 16 of Blame it on the Mistletoe
But she was done taking the back seat of her own life.
She knew what Molly-Mae would say the moment she hung up, just as she knew there were a couple of different ways to handle this situation, neither of which was remotely appropriate for Pax’s ears. So, tightening her robe and slipping on her house boots, Faith stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her.
Like Faith, the sun hadn’t fully awoken, and the sky was a golden blue. A few mourning doves called to each other, and the neighbor’s car was running on idle, a smokestack of steam escaping into the frigid morning air.
“You’ve heard the news?” Faith said, lowering her voice as if about to impart a secret of national security.
“Honey, everyone in three counties has heard by now.”
“Oh boy.” Her slow exhale froze on contact with the crisp air. “I know everyone saw him in the SUV, but it was part of Pax’s initiation as a Junior Texas Ranger. It’s a way to honor kids who display the characteristics of becoming outstanding citizens.”
Faith would find a lump of coal in her stocking for that lie. But it was worth it to hear Molly-Mae choke on her jealousy. “Outstanding citizens?”
“I know. Isn’t it amazing?” Faith’s fingers and ears stung from the low temperature, but she didn’t even consider going back inside until Molly-Mae had not one bad thing to say about her brother. “There’s a lot of competition for this kind of honor, so we were over the moon when Officer Tucker picked him up to deliver the official news. And right before Christmas, too.”
“I’m president of the PTA and didn’t know about this.”
“No, I don’t expect that you would. It’s not something they advertise, as it would be a huge liability if they chose the wrong kind of kid. Part of his award was a ride-along with a real Texas Ranger. He even ran the sirens. Not in town of course.”
“Oh, of course.”
“The best part was that all of this came from the anti-bullying campaign Pax used when running for class president. And how important it is to win by merit and not intimidation tactics, which is why it will look so great on Pax’s college application.”
“But he didn’t win,” Molly-Mae snapped.
“He didn’t need to. Being a Junior Ranger is about ethics and quality of character, not who’s the most popular or who handed out personalized swag to the student body.”
That candidate would have been Decalin. The swag was personalized ball caps for every fifth grader.
“They should have told the parents about this before the election.”
“That’s a great idea. You know who you should talk to about that? Texas Ranger Noah Tucker. I have his contact info from when he took Pax on the ride-along.” She rattled off the e-mail address she’d come across on Google when stalking Noah. He didn’t have much of an online presence, but his officer photo on the Texas Ranger Web site made for good dreams. “But before you reach out, I’d make sure Decalin has his essay on How to Combat Economic Prejudice in the Heartland written and edited.”
Faith heard several gasps on the other end of the phone, confirming that Molly-Mae wasn’t alone.
“Essay? They’re eleven.”
Faith grinned. “They’re only looking for the best when it comes to Junior Rangers. So if I were you, I’d take the two-thousand-word minimum with a grain of salt and shoot for three or four. Anyway, thanks for calling, but Pax won’t be able to make it after all. He’s got another fun day of Junior Ranger stuff ahead of him. Have a good time at the park though, and Merry Christmas, Molly-Mae.”
“Merry Christmas.” Molly-Mae disconnected the call, but not before Faith heard someone on the other end say, “How prestigious can it be? They let aLorenin.”
Faith’s tender spots took a direct hit and that old humiliation and insecurity resurfaced from the pit of her stomach to spill over.
She’d become accustomed to the looks and whispers about her infamous family. Developed thicker skin to soften the blow. Worked tirelessly to atone for her parents’ selfish decisions and insulate Pax from any of the fallout.
He was a sweet kid and at an age when other people’s opinions could influence the direction of his life. And, like Faith, he hadn’t had a say in who his parents were or how they behaved.
So as quickly as she disconnected, she dialed another number. She didn’t think about her long hours at the hospital, her after hours waitressing and baking, or the wrapping party with chocolate and wine. She focused on what mattered—a way to change the town’s opinion about what it meant to be a Loren.
Set things straight because, while Faith and Pax shared their mom’s last name, that was where the similarities ended.
This new generation of Lorens didn’t lie and they didn’t cheat—and they sure as heck didn’t run when things got tough.
So when Ester answered on the other end, Faith asked, “Do you still need help? If so, count me in.”
Chapter Five
Thanks to a hailstorm and vicious winds, Faith didn’t get home from her shift at the hospital until after 8:00P.M.The house was freezing, Pax was staying at JT’s, and all she wanted to do was crawl under the covers and sleep until New Year’s. And it was only Monday.
