The Texan’s Bride(28)
Comfy chairs and pillows were scattered about the big living area. Some women were watching TV, their kids huddled close to them. The children who came here were usually quiet and well-behaved. Maybe, like Mirry, they were afraid of being hit. Sometimes it just broke her heart, but she had to concentrate on making their mothers see a better way of life. And most important to build their self-esteem.
She spotted Nina sitting in a rocker, clutching her two children. Pulling a chair forward, Jessie took a seat close to her. Nina didn’t move a muscle, her face was pressed against Toby.
“Are you okay?” Jessie asked, knowing she couldn’t talk to Nina in front of the children. That was a big nono.
Sonia, one of the other women, came to her rescue. “Toby, would you like to play with Ben? There are lots of toys.”
Toby raised his head to look at Nina and Jessie had to restrain herself from gasping. The left side of his face was blue and one spot by his eye was almost black. How could Nina look at her son and not want to get as far away from Vernon as possible?
“Go ahead, sweetie,” Nina urged, wiping at her bruised eyes with a tissue. “Take your baby sister with you.” The two kids scooted down and went with Sonia.
“I’m a mess.” Nina wadded the tissue into a tighter ball. “No one understands.”
“Explain it to me.”
“Vernon’s a good man and…”
Jessie placed a hand on Nina’s forearm. “Look at Toby’s face. Do you see good there?”
“He got in the way,” Nina sobbed. “Vern didn’t mean to hit him so hard.”
Jessie squeezed her arm. “Vernon hit Toby. It wasn’t an accident. It’s all in the police report.”
Nina jerked her arm away. “He didn’t mean to. I thought you understood but you don’t. How could you? You’re rich and have everything you want.”
Jessie drew back. How did Nina know that? How did she know anything about her?
“Why do you say that?”
“Just look at the way you dress. And you have that refined air. I’m a big fat slob.”
Jessie let the first part slide. She wasn’t talking about her life. “Is that what Vernon tells you?”
“All the time.”
“Do you believe him?”
“Don’t you?”
Nina came from a troubled home. Her parents argued constantly. Eventually, the mother divorced the father and quickly remarried, as did the father. Nina was shuffled back and forth. When siblings arrived, Nina was left out in the cold. She got into trouble doing drugs at school and then got pregnant. After that everything had spiraled out of control. Jessie felt for her, but Nina had to face reality.
“I see a pretty and intelligent woman fighting to maintain her dignity, her pride. A woman who has leaned on others, but now has to stand up and make the right choices for herself…and her children.”
“I’m not that strong.” Nina rocked back and forth.
“You have to be,” Jessie told her. “It’s not just about you and Vernon anymore. You can press charges or not. That’s your choice, but the state will step in to protect your children.”
“What do you mean?”
Jessie swallowed. “They’ll take them away.”
“What!” Nina stopped rocking and stared at her in disbelief. “No! No!” She grabbed Jessie’s hands. “Please don’t let them do that. You can stop it, right?”
“No,” she replied with honesty. “You’re the only one who can stop it. You have to show them you’ll not put your children in danger and you’ll provide a safe home for them.”
“How am I supposed to do that? I don’t have an education. My parents won’t help me. I’ve already tried that. They said I was twenty-one and could make it on my own.”
“How about the aunt you mentioned? The one who sends you something for your birthday and Christmas every year.”
“Aunt Lois?” Nina frowned. “She’s old and lives in Amarillo.”
“How old is she?”
“Fifty-something.”
Jessie sighed. “Call her.”
Nina glanced toward her children. Toby was pushing a toy truck around on the area rug, his gaze going to Nina every few seconds. “He looks so sad.”
“Call your aunt,” Jessie persisted.
“Aunt Lois’s never been married and she doesn’t have any children. I don’t even know if she likes kids. She’s a librarian and my dad said she was odd. Oh, God, I need a cigarette.”
“Child Protective Services and the police will be here to talk to you and the children. You need to have answers about your future when they do. I’m urging you to call your aunt.”