“Come sit by me. I’ll protect you,” Beth said.
Rachel settled by Beth.
“Since I’m married to War, I know about your situation. I want to tell you that this is a safe place, and we’ll be better able to take care of you if you share. But if you’d prefer not to talk about it, then I can let people know later. Your safety and that of your kids is a priority for us,” Remi said.
“You all seem so put together that I’ll feel like a failure if you know,” Rachel said.
Chuckles filled the room. Rachel didn’t feel like they were mean but almost as if she wasn’t in on the joke.
“Well, let me share my story. I had a really good friend in the Army who I knew could be more, but I was eventually getting out. He was planningon being in for life, and I couldn’t see being the one who only saw him maybe once a year. Fast forward a few years, and a man who terrorized me in the military was getting out. Bluff Creek offered me a safe space. Cruise, the man I’d fallen for, was here. He and the Franks sisters helped me get justice. And I’m Willa. I know it’s a lot of names to remember,” Willa said.
“What we’re saying is, we won’t judge you. Everyone has a story with valleys and mountains. What matters is that we keep moving forward to a better place,” Sarah said.
“Yeah, Remi’s love story includes pranks with her high school enemy and a roadside shootout,” Winnie said.
“Two shootouts if you’re being accurate. Don’t forget the one in the hotel,” Remi said.
“I’m sure you can tell Remi is the oldest and knows everything,” Winnie muttered.
Rachel smiled at the teasing. She hoped her kids would have this tight bond when they grew up.
“I was the kid in high school who was a free spirit. I could get B’s and some A’s without studying.Why would I worry about studying when I could be reading and crafting instead?
“My senior year of high school, right before graduation, I slept with my boyfriend. We had grand dreams of him being a long-haul trucker and me being an artist. My parents found out I wasn’t going to college and wanted to get married. Their supportive answer was to kick me out,” Rachel said.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Beth said, patting Rachel’s arm. The comfort of that touch grounded Rachel. Sharing her story could possibly be healing.
“When we started dating, it was that thrill of young love. We stayed together, and then I got pregnant with Marcus, followed quickly by Chelle. I adore my kids. Meanwhile, I figured out which of my crafts sold and started making money at craft fairs. When he’d come home, he’d want me to wait on him because he was the man of the house. Now, I have no problem doing something for my spouse if it’s reciprocal. Sometimes I get things for him and sometimes he gets things for me. This is not the 1950s, where women couldn’thave their own checking accounts and men were supposed to be in charge of everything,” Rachel said.
“Preach, Sister,” Emerson yelled, her hand in the air.
“You’re such a dork,” Harry said, giggling.
“Listen, little sis, I have so many stories I can tell if you start bugging me,” Emerson said.
“Ladies, let’s get back to Rachel’s story. I am invested,” Sarah said.
“A little over a year ago, Maynard came home and wasn’t acting the same. I’d noticed some erratic behavior before, so I had started a separate account with my crafting money. My small-time crafting was turning into a business. I was starting to save for a divorce attorney. Before I could, he cleaned out the joint account we had and took items to sell. I suspected he was either drinking or using drugs. I also wondered if he was gambling because of how much money he was removing from our accounts each week.
“He was gone and I thought we were good. Fast forward to December. I hadn’t seen or heardfrom him for a year. The kids and I had a great Christmas, and then we left for my after-Christmas craft fair. I’d already started packing some items because Clara had offered me the job here. We returned home to find that he’d shown up and cleared us out. He also told the landlord we were moving and that he needed the deposit back. Suddenly, we had no home, and half the kids’ stuff was gone.
“I despise the father of my children, and I’m so freaking angry,” Rachel said, sniffing and wiping the tears she hadn’t realized were running down her face.
“First off, I am so sorry you’ve gone through that. Second, I’ve only seen you smiling since you got here. I’m impressed with how you’re dealing with it,” Frankie said.
Rachel forced a smile. “My mom always saw the worst in all situations. If the meal was half off, she always thought it should have been sixty percent off. I vowed when I had kids that I would always look for the bright side of things. I wouldn’t subject my kids to the constant negativity I grew upwith. I’ve found a new home, a new job, and new friends to help me keep my kids safe. I’d say—I’m doing well.”
“Anger isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes, anger fuels us to do the things that need to be done. I want to share something with you that normally we only do on special occasions, but everyone in the room is a part of it. My sisters and I started an organization after our mom passed to honor her and also help those in need. Kathryn’s Wings has safe houses and helpers all over Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. We’ve recently added Colorado. Women, children, and even men who’ve been abused or need help out of a situation can have a new start.
“You’ve gone through a situation that you have every right to be mad about and none of it is your fault. Sometimes a loved one chooses a different path that doesn’t put their family first. Since I don’t know what exactly caused your husband to do what he did, I can’t say what his motivation was. What I can say is we will keep you and your kids safe. If you could choose to resolve thesituation any way you could, what would be your choice?” Remi asked.
Rachel thought through how, in the year before he left, that he’d completely ignored both kids. She remembered noticing in that last month that Chelle and Marcus had stopped running to him when he walked in the door. She hadn’t seen any hugs or affection between them, and that’s when she decided it was time to part ways with him.
“I would want a divorce and full custody of both my children. I don’t want the money back if it means he’s in our lives. I don’t trust him with the kids,” Rachel said.
Remi nodded. “We can work with that. I know tomorrow is Sunday and we all have lunch together. War has called council for directly after lunch. I’ll chat with him tonight and let him know your wishes,” Remi said.
“Now, let’s chat about fun things. Rachel, we have a book club, but with the opening of Broken Hearts Brewing, we wondered what all you were thinking of offering since you’ll be stocking books too,” Winnie asked.
