Forever Fall by Elizabeth Sinclair

first time since he’d come home. Really looked at him. His expression held no condemnation, just compassion and understanding. She felt like she could talk to him. But she held back. Maybe someday. Maybe never. But it was nice to know that he’d offered.
    She smiled. “Thanks. I’ll remember that.”
    Luc sat in the rocker for a while after Mandy went into the house. He’d spent a lot of years reading the faces of the kids who’d been sent to his office for one reason or another. That expression and the verbal evasions were all too familiar to him. There was no doubt in his mind that Amantha James was hiding something.
    Oddly, he wanted to relieve her burden, hold her and tell her everything would be okay. Protect her from any pain and hurt.
    Now, where in blazes had that come from?
    Rather than think about what had prompted the new and unnerving emotions concerning Mandy, he rose and went into the house. Just inside the door, he could hear raised voices drifting up the hall from the family room. He caught sight of Mandy standing just outside and to the left of the family room door, eavesdropping on the conversation. When she saw him, she placed a finger over her lips
    As he drew closer, the voices became more distinct. One of them was Shannon’s, and the other was one with which he was very familiar. Jeb Tanner.
    “It’s not like the thing is alive, Shannon.”
    “Can’t Mr. Michaels and this Mandy person watch the baby for you?” This female voice was familiar as well, but Luc couldn’t put a name with it.
    “No, they can’t. I told you. I’m the only one who can see to the baby.”
    “Stop saying that. It’s a toy, for God’s sake, not a baby. Get real.” Jeb’s voice had gained in volume and impatience. By the sound of it, he was quickly losing his temper. Then in a calmer, but obviously forced voice, Jeb said, “Are you coming to the dance with us, or are we going without you?”
    Silence.
    “I can’t.” Tears filled Shannon’s voice. “I’m sorry, Jeb, please don’t be mad at me.”
    “Come on, Darcy. We better leave Shannon to her mommy duties.”
    Seconds later Jeb Tanner and Darcy Williams hurried past Luc and out the front door without even a hello in acknowledgment. They were quickly followed by Shannon, who was holding Joey by one arm. The wail of the robo baby echoed through the hall as she ran up the stairs to her room.
    Luc glanced at Mandy, expecting to see triumph in her face. Instead he saw a sadness that tore at his heart. “What was that all about?”
    Mandy walked into the family room and flopped down on the sofa. Luc followed. “Jeb and Darcy are going to the Fall Festival dance at the church, and they wanted Shannon to go, too.”
    “How did they know where she was?”
    “Seems they overheard Asa Watkins talking to his wife on the phone.” Mandy’s derisive tone closely resembled Luc’s when he talked about the School Superintendent.
    Luc sighed. “Those kids will talk, and, if Laureene Talbot gets a hold of this information, it’ll be all over town  . . . with her usual embellishments. So much for keeping it under wraps.”
    And so much for keeping his job.

Chapter 7
     
    That evening Mandy stood in the doorway to the family room staring at the back of Luc’s head as he watched a baseball game on the TV, the remote resting in his right hand. Periodically, he would voice his opinion, sometimes in colorful terms, of an umpire’s call or the ineptitude of a player to catch or hit the ball. Obviously, he was totally absorbed in the action taking place on the big screen and unaware of her presence.
    She wished she had something to occupy her to the extent that she could block everything out. But she didn’t. Ever since their conversation on the porch earlier that day, Mandy could think of nothing except Luc’s offer to listen.
    Over the years, people—friends, neighbors, teachers, social workers, the police—had laughed at her, taunted her, gave her