Throw Away Teen (41 page)

“You got it,” Ike said, then shouted. “Hey, Gunny. Your kid wants to talk to you.”

“I used to have ears, but I’m deaf now,” I muttered. When Ted picked up, I asked, “What’s a Gunny?”

“It’s short for Gunnery Sergeant,” Ted told me. “But enough of that. Where are you, honey?”

I swallowed against the tears that suddenly filled my eyes but one spilled over anyway. Why was I crying? I already knew Liz and Ted liked me. “We’re...at the Pike Place Market in Seattle.” I had to clear my throat to keep talking. “Ringo went to get the truck and then we’ll be home with Gabe and his dog.”

“How is he?” Ted asked. The sincerity in his voice brought another tear sliding down my cheek.

“He’s busted up and cut up pretty good, but Ringo patched him up. Oh and the dog, too. But I think she needs to see Dr. Cathy and get a cast on her leg. It’s probably broken but Ringo will carry her to the truck so she doesn’t have to walk on it.”

“Where did Gabe get a dog?”

“It helped save him when those guys jumped him. And when he left, she went, too. She’s, like, totally bonded to him so you may as well lay it on Ike that if he wants Gabe, Nokomis comes, too.”

“Got it,” Ted said. “I’ll call Cathy and tell her to stand by. Which hospital are you taking Gabe to?”

I lowered my voice and stepped away so Gabe couldn’t hear me. “Ted, he doesn’t want to go.”

“I didn’t ask that, sweetheart. I want you and Ringo to take him to the same one Timber went to. We’ll meet you there, and I’ll call so they know his dad and Annie are on the way.”

“Okay,” I said, eying my brother—friend. I saw the pain etched on his face and I knew Ted was right. Gabe needed more help than we’d given him. “Will Liz be there?”

“Yes. And B.J., we love you very much. But next time you charge off to be a hero, you need to take one of us with you. Deal?”

“I’ll think about it,” I said. “But, I didn’t run away, you know.”

“That’s what Liz said. If you were leaving for good, you’d take Guard and the kittens with you,” Ted told me. “And you wouldn’t have called us, right?”

“You got it.” I paused as I remembered the other thing I had to tell him. “Oh, I found Jocelyn’s ring in my back-pack with my money. Will you tell her that it’s safe and I’ll bring it home with me? I didn’t take it, Ted.”

“If you can call Liz, Mom, you can call me, Dad. And we already figured that out, honey.”

I saw Ringo coming toward me. “See you soon, Dad.” I ended the call and went to meet Ringo. “Ted says we’re supposed to take Gabe to the hospital in Everett where Timber went.”

“Works for me,” Ringo said. “Let’s keep that between us until we get there. Are they going to call and let them know we’re coming?”

“Yeah and they’ll let Dr. Cathy know we need her, too.”

“Good thinking.” Ringo went over and talked to Jack for a few minutes, then wrote down something on a piece of paper and handed it to the produce guy. “Thanks for your help.”

“No problem. Come back and let me know how things work out,” Jack said.

“We will,” I told him. “Windsong eats tons of carrots. And my friends only buy organic ones for their horses, too. I’ll send them your way.”

CHAPTER 29

We got to the hospital first. Gabe was hauled off to a room by a nurse while Ringo and I took a bunch of forms to the waiting room. Nokomis was safely locked in the truck. As soon as Annie and Ike took over with Gabe, we’d get the dog to the vet.

For once, I didn’t have leaving on my mind. Just Gabe.

And I needed to see Liz and Ted again. He hadn’t sounded mad, so maybe adopting me was still in the cards. I had Jocelyn’s ring, and I was going to give it back to her. Her crap would stop sooner or later, especially when she figured out I wasn’t going anywhere. She was pissed because I was around, but she’d have to get used to me. It didn’t seem like Liz and Ted were done with me yet. And I sure wasn’t done with them.

I sat down next to Ringo. “So, what did you give Jack?”

“Rocky’s number. Jack’s son lost a leg in Afghanistan and he can’t be a cop in a big city anymore. But we don’t have a lot of crime in Stewart Falls and Rocky’s always looking for good officers.”

I leaned over and kissed him. “You’re a good guy. Thanks for helping me today.”

He put his arm around me. “You’re great, too. A lot of girls wouldn’t go all out to help their foster brother like you did.”

I rested my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes.

***

I felt Ringo give me a soft shake. “Hmm?”

“They’re here.”

I opened my eyes and watched a whole group of people come toward us. Liz, Ted, Carol, and Annie, plus a dark-haired guy in jeans and a flannel shirt I didn’t recognize. Chief Rivers was with them and so was the officer from Snohomish County. Deputy Seymour.

For an instant, I thought about belting for the door. Cops always made me nervous. But when Ringo slipped his arm around my shoulders, I relaxed.

“How’s Gabe?” Carol asked.

“I don’t know. They’re still working on him even though we bandaged him up before we brought him here.” I straightened and eyed Liz warily. “Am I in trouble?”

“Oh, yes.” She pulled me up into a big hug. “Next time, talk to me. Okay?”

I nodded and pressed my face against her. “What about Carol? Is she in trouble, too?”

“Yes.” Liz stroked my hair. “We’ll sort out what I’m going to do to you girls tomorrow. Right now, I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“And Annie, too. They both came to school to tell me about Gabe.”

“I’m a lawyer,” Annie said. “I don’t get in trouble. I give it.”

“I don’t think so,” Liz said, rocking me in her arms like I was a little kid. “I’m so nailing all three of your backsides to the wall. Don’t you ever scare me like that again.”

“I’m dead meat, too, aren’t I?” Ringo asked.

“Yes, but you’ll be off my list after you clean up all the puppy landmines in the back yard.”

I laughed at the disgusted look on his face. “You are so busted.”

“And you are so helping him,” Ted said.

It was Ringo’s turn to grin. “Ha!”

“Fine.” I stepped a little away from Liz and eyed the cops. Had Jocelyn told them about her ring? Were they going to arrest me here, in front of the people I’d grown to love?

Yes, I did love them. And finally I was ready to admit that I hadn’t really known love like I thought. Not until I found Liz and Ted Driscoll. I loved them.

I took a deep breath and stared at Chief Rivers. “Am I under arrest?”

“For what? Helping your friend?”

“No.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the diamond ring. “This is Jocelyn’s. I found it in my back-pack. But I didn’t steal it. I don’t steal jewelry.”

“You could find a fence to give you money for that,” Deputy Seymour said.

“It’s not mine to sell,” I said. “I don’t steal valuables, especially from family.” Liz squeezed my arm.

“If you don’t take valuables, what do you steal?” Deputy Seymour asked with a sneer.

“You don’t have to answer that,” Annie said.

“It’s okay. I’ve only stolen food, but that isn’t necessary anymore.” He looked confused, so I explained. “Liz and Ted have tons of food at their house and I can eat whenever and whatever I want now. Plus, Ted pays me an allowance so I have money to buy stuff if I get hungry.”

“Hmph.” Deputy Seymour took the ring from me. “Do you want to return this, Rocky or shall I?”

“We’ll discuss it later,” Chief Rivers said, “but we’ll take care of it, B.J. You don’t have to.”

I couldn’t quite believe it. The cops would make sure that Jocelyn got her ring back and I wasn’t taking the fall for something I hadn’t done. I turned back to Carol. “You’re not going to try and move me, are you?”

“I wouldn’t dare.” She gave me a quick hug. “Liz would probably lock me in my office for months. And honestly, all I want is for you to be happy, B.J. If you think your home is with the Driscolls, then it’s where I want you to stay.”

“And I’ll make it happen,” Annie said. “I’m your lawyer. I do what you want.”

“And you’re Gabe’s lawyer, too,” I said. “He rescued a dog. You have to make sure he keeps it.”

“No worries.” Annie smiled at me. Then nodding her head toward the dark-haired dude, she said, “B.J., this is Ike Abbott. Ted got him here.”

“Really?” I gazed at Ted and he smiled. I wanted to ask him how he pulled off a miracle like that, but I didn’t get the chance.

“All right. Come on, honey,” Ted said. “We need to get that dog to the vet. Where is she?”

“In my truck,” Ringo said.

“Okay, then you guys take the dog to Cathy.” Liz kept her arm around me. “B.J. and I will meet you at home. If she doesn’t get there soon, Guard will know we did something to her. We’ll pick up a pizza on the way.”

“And we’ll stay with Ike and take care of Gabe,” Annie assured me.

Ike ran a hand through his short black hair, obviously distressed at the idea. “I don’t know.”

“Man up, Marine. Your boy comes first,” Ted ordered. “You’re staying.”

“Yes, Gunny.”

“Good. I’ll be back in the morning if you and the kid aren’t at my house by then,” Ted said sternly. “And I’ll take you there myself.”

Ike nodded, relief seeping into dark eyes that were so much like Gabe’s. “Yes, Gunny.”

“Gabe will be thrilled you’re here,” I told him. “He wants to be a Marine just like you.”

The guy stared at me then shook his head. “No, not till I get the chance to get to know him again.”

“Good idea,” I said and left with Liz.

As we walked toward the front doors, I asked, “Are you keeping me for real, or sending me back?”

“Oh, B.J.” Liz heaved a sigh and wrapped an arm around my shoulders again. “Honey, don’t you know that love and trust are a two-way street?”

“What?” I didn’t get it. Was she sending me back or not?

“B.J., Ted and I trust and love you. Nothing Jocelyn says or does would make us believe that you took her ring. And you brought it back as soon as you found it.”

I shook my head. “No, I didn’t. I went on to Seattle and found Gabe first. Then, I brought it back.”

“Close enough for government work.” Liz pulled me close and dropped a kiss on my forehead. “I’m keeping you, sweetie. But you’re still in trouble for running off.”

Despite Liz saying that we were on the way back to Stewart Falls, I still didn’t believe her until we arrived home, after a brief stop at Parthenon to pick up a combination pizza. When I went inside, all the dogs charged to meet me. I heard Guard yapping from the bathroom and hurried to let him out. He danced and bounced around me. I finally managed to scoop him up for a hug and carried him outside.

He showered me with lots of puppy kisses before finally remembering he was supposed to be doing his business, so I put him down and walked him around the yard. Even then he hovered around me, all wriggling excitement. When I saw the headlights from Ringo’s truck, I went to meet him and Ted. Guard ran alongside me to the driveway.

The guys were alone so I asked, “Where’s Nokomis?”

“
She stayed overnight at the clinic,” Ted said. “You and Ringo were right about the broken leg. Cathy wants the swelling to go down before she sets it. Then, we need to know if Gabe wants the dog spayed because she’s the right age to do it.”

“
We’ll have to ask him tomorrow,” I said. “Thanks for taking her there, Ted.” I paused, then remembered I was trying to think of him as a father. “I mean, Dad.”

“
Hey, we have all the time in the world to get used to each other.” Ted leaned down to pet Guard. “Did you honestly believe Jocelyn when she tried to tell you the puppy was for Chance?”

“
Not for long,” I said. “You straightened that out right away, but Jocelyn sure has some issues.”

“
And none of them are your fault,” Ted told me. “So, don’t own them.”

I gave him a long look. At least he was admitting that Jocelyn had problems. “You mean you and Liz spoiled her?”

“
I’m afraid so,” Ted told me. “It took us a long time to have Jocelyn so we gave her pretty much everything she wanted, and now she thinks the world owes her. Someday, she’ll learn she’s not a princess. She has to grow up someday. All we can do is be here for her.”

And I’ll bet it’s tough standing up to her
, I thought. No way I’d tell him that. “She’s really a good mom, you know. She probably learned how to do that from Liz and you. I’ll cut her some slack, but I’m not taking her crap.”

“
Fair enough.” Ted walked on one side of me toward the house. Ringo was on the other and he put his arm around my waist.

“
What kind of pizza did you get?” he asked.

“
The combination without tomatoes,” I said. “I can’t stand them on my pizza.”

While we ate, I asked, “Ted, how did you get Gabe’s dad to come out here after all this time?”

“
He’s a Marine. And I’m a Marine so I just told him it was time to step up,” Ted said. “He was scared because he thought when he got out of the hospital, he’d have to go back to Afghanistan and he’s not ready for that yet.”

I put the crust from my slice aside for Guard. “Carol said he has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and that’s why he couldn’t look after Gabe.”

“
That’s right.” Liz refilled my glass with more soda. “On his fourth tour, his patrol was ambushed and he was one of the few survivors. He loves Gabe but it’s going to take time for them to reconnect.”

“
So, what happens to Gabe? He can’t go back to Evergreen with Nokomis,” I said.

“
Is there somewhere else for him to go?” Ringo reached for another piece of pizza.

“
Where they have horses?” I said. I looked at Ringo and he eyed me. Then I turned to Liz. “Evelyn’s. It’d be perfect. She said she’d take me, so I bet she’d take him, too.”

“
He could live in the ranch-hand’s cabin,” Ringo said. “Warren said the last guy left so it’s vacant and it has two bedrooms so Ike would have somewhere to sleep when he comes over.”