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As she got to the steps where her sister stood frozen, Valentina smiled at her. “They’re so nice. Helena was right, they are good neighbors.”
“I don’t like it. They’ll get comfortable and come over when they want. What if I’m alone and they try something?” she whispered.
“They won’t try anything. They’re not like that. They’re friendly.”
“They like you.”
Valentina felt guilty immediately. Her sister was so dependent on her that she feared Valentina leaving her and Kenny. Lois really needed to get her into counseling soon, even if she was resistant to that.
“They’re nice, but I’m not looking to date anyone. We have a busy week ahead of us.
“This afternoon we meet the counselor, and I can check into that job Helena mentioned. Tomorrow I meet with Gunny at the sheriff’s department, so I don’t have to head to the city to the main command center for the Rangers.”
“I’m not sure I want to do the counseling.”
“Honey, you need to, and so does Kenny. In fact, I think we ought to check out that school right down the road. It could be a great location for Kenny to start kindergarten, and it’s so close by. On nice days we could walk to get him,” she suggested.
“I don’t know. I’ll have to look at it. Can we go back inside?”
“Sure. We need to get ready. Come on, Kenny, were going to make some lunch and then head out on an adventure,” Valentina told him. Kenny cheered and then hugged her leg before he hugged his mom, and they all headed into the house.
Chapter 5
“I don’t want to,” Kenny whispered as tears rolled down his cheeks and he held onto one of Valentina’s legs and one of Lois’s. Valentina caressed his hair and Lois held him tightly.
“I’m not going to hurt you, and Mommy and your aunt will be right here. They can see you right through this big glass window,” the therapist said to him as she reached her hand out.
“Honey, Mommy is right here. Go ahead with Miss Maggie. I can watch you,” Lois said, her heart aching. Her poor son had suffered because of her decision to get involved with Caden. The only thing she didn’t regret about falling in love with Caden, a soldier, was having Kenny. She would do anything for him. She knew he needed this counseling. He needed to be in school and have a normal life. Her anxieties and fears were weighing on him, and on Valentina. Lois knew it, but she had no control over the fear and the need to keep them both close to her. Tears filled her eyes.
“Look at all the cool toys, and those big puzzles. Can you maybe show Miss Maggie how good you are at puzzles?” Valentina asked Kenny, and he nodded his head. The therapist smiled and reached out her hand. “Come on and show me while Mommy and your aunt watch.”
He walked with the therapist into the room. At first he was hesitant and kept looking back at the glass widow. Val held Lois’s hand and squeezed it as they took a seat by the widow and kept an eye on things.
“She’s very nice and has a calm demeanor. When I spoke to a few of the therapists, I liked her the best and felt that Kenny would respond to her well. What do you think, Lois?” Val asked her.
“She seems nice.” She wiped her eyes before the tears fell.
“He’s going to be fine. You’re doing the right thing, and he needs this. He needs to feel like a normal kid and move on from the tragedy, just like you need to.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready. I mean the therapist I met is nice, she isn’t pushy, but Kenny is my first priority.”
“You can’t help Kenny if you don’t help yourself first. It’s going to take time, but that’s why we moved out here. It’s a beautiful, peaceful town, and everyone is friendly and nice.”
“They are,” Lois said and then bit her lower lip. She saw the therapist’s expression and then Kenny’s eyes well up with tears. He immediately looked at the window and sniffled. Lois and Val stood up and he went running to the door. The therapist opened it for him and he ran to Lois and hugged her.
Miss Maggie gave Val and Lois a sympathetic smile.
“It will take some time, but I think you’ve made the right decision. Let’s work out a schedule of sessions.”
“What do you think about the kindergarten program, or homeschooling him, or using that place near our house?” Val asked her.
“I think you can hold off on that kindergarten program until September. Let’s see how these sessions go.” She caressed Kenny’s hair and whispered to Val and Lois. “He’s hurting and scared. Too many changes right now could make matters worse.”
They both nodded and looked at one another. Lois could see the upset in her sister’s eyes. She’d ruined Val’s life, and she ruined her son’s life by allowing Caden back into her life and into her heart.
What would Val do if she found out I wasn’t home the day of the attack because I was doing a delivery for Caden and screwed it up? That it was my fault him and Don came to the house? That I pushed to leave New York because I knew that Don’s brother, Ganor, might seek revenge? I took the money and the drugs and stashed them to get back at Caden. If Ganor figured that out and realized his brother hadn’t stashed it away before Val killed him, would he come looking for me?
The tears hit her eyes. She couldn’t fix that. Not now, not when they were trying to gain back their lives. Eventually she would have to make things right with Don’s brother and cut the ties from their criminal family once and for all.
