Page 12 of Night Moves
She paused for another breath, and he had to say something. Maybe find a way to make her feel better.
“That must’ve been rough,” he said, and instantly knew it wasn’t nearly enough or in any way the right words to convey how badly he felt for her having to endure such a difficult time.
“It was and it wasn’t,” she said matter-of-factly. “The first social worker told Mom to do a better job at feeding us and said she’d visit regularly to make sure we were getting the minimum nutrition requirements. But she never came back. Four months later, a really sour woman arrived. She was even more bitter than Mom, if you can believe that. She wrote Mom up for a ton of things, and she also said she would be back in a month to make sure Mom complied. This woman scared my mom, and Mom took an interest in us until after that social worker’s return visit. Mom got a good report, and then she let things slide again.”
He tightened his fingers on the wheel when what he really wanted to do was punch something for the way Natalie and her sister were treated. But his anger, even righteous anger, wouldn’t help her. “And this made you want to do their job?”
“On my ninth birthday, Ms. Abernathy showed up. She apologized right off the bat for the changes in caseworkers and promised she wouldn’t let us fall through the cracks again.” A fond smile crossed Natalie’s face. “Something about her made me believe her. She was sweet and kind and smiled a lot.”
A flash of a smile brightened Natalie’s expression. “And she took me aside and asked about my life. Asked me what I needed. None of the other caseworkers had ever even talked to me or my sister. They had a list to check off, and they rushed through it. But Ms. Abernathy spent time with both of us. And she came back. Over and over until Mom got it all right and continued to be a better mother. Then Ms. A finally released us from supervision.”
Natalie crossed her arms. “Things went downhill again, but by that time I’d learned the importance of a social worker and how a good caseworker could make a difference in children’s lives. Adults too, but most often it’s the children who bear the brunt of the issues. So I worked hard in school to get scholarships and ended up with a Ph.D. in psychology specializing in children and youth.”
“Most impressive degree,” Drake said and meant it. “But I’m sorry you had to go through such a tough childhood.”
She waved a hand. “My childhood formed me and made me want to help others. Good from bad. What’s better than that?”
“Maybe you could want to help others without all the suffering.”
“But the suffering is what really lets me understand what these children and families are going through. Nothing like firsthand experience to know. God gave me that experience. It was hard at the time, but I’m grateful for it now.”
He was more than impressed. Not only was she easy on the eyes, but there was a depth and maturity to her that he admired. She could’ve chosen bitterness, but instead she’d chosen to allow her past to make her a better person and devote herself to helping others. “You obviously didn’t inherit your mother’s attitude.”
Natalie shook her head hard. “I make sure to find the positives every day and embrace them. It’s far easier to be negative, but being bitter is just as bad for a person as an illness. Or at least I think it is. My mom died in her forties. A stroke. It doesn’t run in our family and surprised her doctor. I think her attitude had something to do with it, but of course, I can’t prove that.”
“You sound a lot like my brother Clay. He’s the most even-keel guy in the family. Usually doesn’t get upset over anything.”
“And you?”
“Me?” He slowed at a four-way stop near the cabin and met her gaze. “I guess I’m perceived as being negative, but that’s really just because I question pretty much everything. When other people don’t like my questions, they see it as negative.”
“Otherwise you’re pretty content?”
Good question.“Content? Hmm. Not sure I’d say that. I like excitement and adventure, and I’m always looking for new and challenging experiences. So maybe restless is a better description.”
She frowned, why, he didn’t know, but it bothered him. He got them moving again and kept his attention on the road. When the driveway to his twenty acres came into view, he cleared his brain and shifted into protective mode.
She leaned forward and watched out the windows. “Wow, this reallyisout in the boonies.”
“I suppose you live in the city,” he said.
She nodded.
“Is there a Mr. Dunn?” he asked, hoping she said no.
“Too busy with work to even think about dating.” She glanced at him. “You like all this wilderness stuff, huh?”
He nodded. He loved his thickly forested land, but she seemed less than thrilled, another thing that bothered him. What was his deal? Why did he care what she thought of him or his land? He had a job to do here. Protect her and the kids. Period. Nothing else.
So stick to that.
He parked in the small clearing, leaving the vehicle running and his headlights on, and waited for Erik to park behind him and get out. The beams illuminated the log exterior, and a fondness for the first property he’d ever owned came over him. Man, he loved this place.
Natalie released her seatbelt and scooted even closer to the window. “It’s pretty rustic, isn’t it?”
“It’s a step up from most hunting cabins,” he said to try to alleviate some of the apprehension in her tone and body language. “I’m going to check things out. Stay here until I tell you it’s safe to get out.”
“Safe, but…” She swung her head to stare at him, her eyes wide. “Kirk can’t possibly be here, right? Your brother would’ve told us if he’d left the house.”
