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“Gage told me about your mom.”

Thea looked away, tucking her lips between her teeth.

“I’m sorry. Sharon’s a good woman, and I know how much you love her.” He reached for her hand, and she squeezed it back. That little show of strength was an answered prayer. The fury inside him was quickly dying.

“I don’t know what you’ve been doing all these years, but I’ve changed. For the better. I go to church for more than weddings, and I’m the leader of the men’s prayer group.”

Thea turned to look at him, and a little bit of the sadness fell from her expression, replaced by peace. “I’ve been in church for a while too. I wouldn’t be here now if God hadn’t… What I mean is, I found the way home long before I came back to Blackwater.”

Brett lifted her hand, cradling it in both of his as he propped his elbows on the side of her bed. “Can I pray for you and your mom?”

Thea’s lip quivered as she whispered, “I’d like that.”

He rested his forehead against their joined hands and closed his eyes. “Lord, I come to You on my knees today. Thea has been through so much, and I pray You’ll give her healing, strength, and peace as she goes through recovery and the stress of coming home. Her mom needs You too, Lord. I pray You would wrap Your loving arms around their family and give them comfort and understanding.”

“Thea!”

Brett recognized that high-pitched shout and wanted to push it out of the room. So much for a focused prayer time.

“I lift up Thea and her mom to You. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.”

“What happened?” Emerson shouted.

Brett raised his head, not giving Thea’s mouthy cousin the benefit of his attention.

Thea adjusted herself on the bed, wincing at the pain in her side. He’d broken ribs before, but a collapsed lung could be serious.

“You can probably guess what happened,” Thea said. The sadness in her words held little hope.

Emerson stepped to the other side of the bed and finally noticed him. She jerked back when she recognized him and pointed a thin finger at him. “What’s he doing here?” she shouted.

“You don’t have to yell. We’re all in this same three-foot space,” Brett said, trying his best to keep the bite out of his words.

Emerson crossed her arms over her chest. “I need to talk to Thea alone.”

Brett mirrored Emerson’s posture. She was just like all the other Howards. Except Thea. “That’s up to Thea.”

Thea looked up at him and opened her mouth a few times before the words actually came out. “Um, could we have just a minute to talk?”

Brett nodded and cut Emerson a warning glare. He might not be afraid of Emerson, but she was still a Howard–one of the people who’d done this to Thea. She was too small to have done the actual beating, but Emerson looked out for Emerson and no one else. He didn’t trust her as far as he could throw her.

“I’ll be right outside. Holler if you need anything.”

Emerson huffed as soon as he turned to leave. “What’s he doing here?” If she’d been trying to whisper, she needed more practice.

Brett pulled the door behind him, leaving a small crack. He didn’t care to eavesdrop, but he wanted to hear Thea if she called for him. Emerson was trouble, but Thea had always had a bleeding heart for her wayward cousin.

Brett just hoped Thea kept her guard up. The first thing Emerson would do when she left would be to let her dad, Bruce Howard, know who she’d seen at the hospital, and they all needed to be ready for the storm coming to their door.

Chapter6

Thea

The tightness in Thea’s chest returned as Brett walked out the door. If he was rational and logical, Emerson was a tornado without a warning.

“Can you believe he had the nerve to show up here? Wait till Dad hears about this.”

Thea reached out for Emerson’s hand. “You can’t tell him.”