Wounded Legacy Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

　

　
Sam saddled a horse for Lily. The weeks had flown by since she first came to them and they had all fallen in love with her. She was still afraid sometimes, but she loved them too now, her real fear was of having to leave them. Each day that passed Lily's place in the family was more firmly established. She and Robbie had created a relationship in the kitchen, she loved to cook and had quite a bit of experience at it, they had discovered. Tim had taken care of the legal aspects. Her parents had truly died months before she and her brother had found their way to the farm. No family had been willing to take them in, even though her mother's brother had been contacted. It seemed he wasn't financially able to care for her.
The adoption process had been started and the search for her brother had begun as well.

So far, there hadn't been a sign of him anywhere. Sam and Tim had set up everything for her to start school in a few weeks. Sam had developed a sense of motherhood and took her job seriously. She had even bought some books, to study up on early childhood development, she wanted to do everything right. They had taken Lily for a checkup and she had been interviewed by a psychologist, finding everything better than expected with her experiences in the last year. They told Sam she would probably always carry some fear with her, not sure of her place in the world, after suffering those months on the run with her brother. Sam was determined that Lily would be confident and sure of her place in their family.

Lily had brought them all so much joy, they almost put thoughts of Jake behind them for awhile. Sam had hired Jericho shortly after Luke came home from the hospital. Luke and Jericho became good friends quickly and he loved Lily. Sam was in like with him too. He was as good with the horses as she was and that meant a lot to them all. It took the burden off of Sam, so she could spend time with Lily, teaching her to ride and how to take care of her horse, that Sam had bought her. Lily loved her horse Munch, almost as much as she loved her pink boots, more actually. Sam had built her a very solid step to use, to get on her horse and to brush her.

Sam and Jericho had moved the brood mares today and it had taken longer than they had expected. Two of them didn't want to play nice and had taken off into the rocky areas, that were difficult to travel through. Finally finding them and herding them back with the others, they took them all to the new pasture, where they would remain until they delivered their foals. It was closer to the barn and they could keep an eye on them daily. Sam was out on the porch after dinner, almost asleep when the sound of tires on the gravel brought her fully awake. The sun had almost set behind the mountain and the daylight had almost gone, making it hard to see who had driven in. Sam got up from her lounger and walked down the step.

At the last step she came face to face with Jake. They both stopped and stared at each other for a moment. "Jake." Sam said flatly. "Hi Sam, how are you?" he replied. Sam was visibly shaken at this comment from Jake, he had never asked anyone how were they were doing as far as she knew. "Uh..fine."
Jake turned to the truck and a dark haired man got out and walked toward them. "Sam, I'd like you to meet Andy. He has been helping me out with my anger issues. I'm in therapy." Jake told her, with a tentative smile. Sam had never seen this smile before either and she was unsure what to say. "Hello Sam, Jake has told me about you, all nice things." he told her in a rather deep voice, that didn't match his looks. Luke came out the door as she shook hands with Andy.
"Hello Andy, good to see you."Luke offered his hand. Sam was floored that her dad knew this man and didn't seem surprised to see Jake either. She stepped back onto the porch and took her seat. The three men were conversing as though they were just old friends. Then they headed off toward the barn, leaving Sam in a state of perplexity. Robbie and Lily came out to join her and saw the look on her face, "What's wrong honey?" Robbie asked. Sam pointed to the guys walking to the barn. "Oh, I guess we should have warned you they would be coming by this evening. I actually invited them to dinner, but Jake said another time." her mother replied as though this were a totally natural occurrence. Robbie sat across from Sam, "Honey, we have been in touch with Jake over the last several weeks. He had a..run in, with the authorities and has made great strides in the court ordered anger management classes."

"Mom, do I exist around here?" Sam asked her mother exasperated. "What ?" her mother exclaimed. "It seems to me, that if I counted at all, or my opinion, you would have at least told me about this, before it was a done deal." Sam said, a little angry. "Well, honey we just thought that you...well..that you wouldn't want anything to do with Jake and you..might discourage him from being back here." Robbie said. "What does, "being here" mean, Mom?" Sam demanded, unlike her at all. "Honey, Jake is ready to come home, that's all." Robbie said. Sam sat very still, thinking about what this would mean for she and Lily. There was no way she would allow Jake's rude and bossy behavior, have an affect on Lily.

"Honey, what's going on in that head of yours?" Robbie asked, seeing that Sam was extremely upset. "Mom, I just realized that I am a fixture around here. I do whatever needs doing, 'cause I'm Sam. I've never minded before, but I do now. Lily and I need to find a place of our own, one that Jake can't control or make us feel less than worthy. I won't let him upset Lily, or me either anymore." Sam said this without anger, but determination, as she got up and headed into the house. Her anger was building and she needed to be alone. Her parents had kept these new little facts away from her, because they knew how she would feel. They simply wanted Jake back, more than they wanted her to feel safe. Safe! She suddenly realized that she had never felt safe around Jake, but had learned how to deal with him. Staying out of his way was the best way, and she always managed to do that before. Now it was different, she had Lily's interest to look out for and she wouldn't let Jake treat her the way he had always treated she and Tim.

Tim! She went out the door and called for Lily to come get in the truck. "Where are we going?" Lily asked, climbing in with her pink muck boots on. "To town, I need to ask Uncle Tim a question. We might stop off at the Dairy Town and get an ice cream cone on the way home." Sam winked at Lily and saw that she was glad to hear about the Dairy Town trip. Ice cream was her favorite food! Sam pulled into Tim's driveway and told Lily to stay in the truck, she wouldn't be long. Tim had seen her pull up and went to the door, opening it before she got there. "No Lily?" he asked looking past Sam. "She's in the truck, I won't be a minute. I just need to ask you a question. Did you know that Jake is coming back to the ranch?"

Tim hung his head, "Yes, they told me today. Sam, we need to talk about this, come in the house." Sam turned around and headed back to the truck. She stopped and spun around to Tim, "Did Dad pay off his debts?" Tim nodded, "But Sam, there's more to it than you think. Please get Lily and come in." Sam turned and got into the truck, angrier than she had thought possible. Lily smiled, "Ice cream now?" Sam's anger dissipated at the sweet sound of Lily's voice. "Yes sweetie, I think I'll have chocolate, how about you?" Lily nodded in agreement. Sam smiled and pretended that nothing was wrong while they had their ice cream and headed home. Home, Sam wasn't anxious to be there tonight, for the first time in her life. Thoughts of what she needed to do were racing through her head. She had to move out of the house and take Lily away. Fear began to creep around her at the thought of leaving the ranch and making a new life, alone without her family.
Sam hadn't given a thought like most girls do, that she should be on her own after college. She had come home and settled in to working on the ranch, beside her brother and father. She had majored in Ag Business and had taken over managing the books. Sam was quite good at anything she put her mind to doing and made a huge difference in the profits on the ranch.

The years had slipped by, one much the same as another for Sam. She loved the ranch and never gave a thought to moving away and finding another career. Now, she would really have to put her talents to the test, if she were to build a life on her own for herself and Lily, she thought while she drove the last mile home.
What talent? She asked herself. I don't have anything to offer anyone..
Pulling into her spot at the ranch, she looked up to see if her parents had gone to bed, but she couldn't tell, the light was off. Lily went flying into the house, unaware that anything was wrong and landed in Lukes' lap at the table. Sam followed her in and put her boots by the door, as she always did. Luke told Lily to go watch television while he had a talk with Sam. Sam groaned and glanced over at her father. "Not tonight Dad, I'm too tired." "Sam, sit down, please." Luke asked her quietly. "Honey, I never meant for you to be hurt by this turn of events with Jake. That was the last thing on our minds." he told her pleadingly. Sam stood up, "Lily and I will be moving, Dad. I don't trust Jake to treat her.. any better than he treated Tim and I. That's just pretty sad, don't you think?"

Luke was hurt by Sam's tone and his own mistake in not warning her of the plan they had made without her. "Sam, I know I made a mistake, not consulting you about this. A big mistake, but please let me try to explain. You know that we love Lily and this old house just wouldn't be the same without her in it." Sam smiled, "I know you care about her Dad, why don't you care about me the same way?" Robbie gasped, standing in the door, "Sam! How can yo think such a thing? You know perfectly well we love you all the same. It's only right that Jake come back home. It's just as much his home as yours." Luke groaned and leaned back in his chair, "Rob, let me talk to her, please."
"Dad, you don't have to talk to me, I understand perfectly, so does Jake. He's never had a consequence in his whole life and continues to run over anybody in his way, with your blessing to boot!" Sam said a little louder than she had intended. Lily came into the kitchen and put her arms around Sam's waist. " Sam?" she questioned, looking up at her. Sam smiled down at her, "It's alright honey, or it will be soon." Lily pulled on Sam's shirt, "I don't want to leave. I love it here!" Sam held onto her, "Come on, let's go to bed." Luke caught her hand as she passed by him, "We're not done, honey."

Sam woke up earlier than usual after a fitful night and woke Lily up, "Come on honey, we have someplace to go." She helped Lily dress and they headed out the door. "Sam, don't you want coffee?" Lily asked. Sam smiled, "We are going out for breakfast today! Won't that be fun?" Lily didn't answer, she knew that Sam was covering up her true feelings, and she was sad. She would rather have breakfast in their kitchen at home. Pretty soon, they were at the cafe' outside of town. Sam looked around and spied Ned, she knew he ate here every morning.

Lily noticed him too and ran to his table, "Hi Ned, can we have breakfast with you?" Ned was so surprised, he choked on his coffee. Looking up at Sam he said, "Look what the cat dragged in." Sam smiled, but didn't take the bait and sat down, without smacking him. "Uh oh, trouble?" Ned asked. Sam nodded, "Just need to see what kind of food you have here everyday."