so. They said she was unconscious when they got to the car.”
He glanced out the windshield at the miles of highway ahead of them. He didn’t want to think about Rachel’s pain. He had no doubt she was feeling the hurt clear through to the bone. She’d lost a sister she hadn’t seen in years and that empty ache wasn’t going away…not for a long time.
“I used to hate her, you know.” Rachel turned to him. “I was so angry at her for leaving me. And not once did she wonder how I was doing…or how Father was.”
“I didn’t know your sister, Rachel. But maybe she had her reasons.”
“Oh, she had her reasons, all right. She hated the ranch and she hated Father.”
“A lot of parents and kids have disagreements,” he said, but he knew there was more. He’d heard about Gib Hewitt’s reputation. The men who worked for him considered him a tyrant. Apparently he hadn’t treated his daughters much better, either.
“Sarah always rebelled. It seemed she did things to purposely anger Father. One day she told me she was going to leave and make a life for herself.” Rachel looked away. “She took money from Father’s desk.”
Cole took his eyes off the road to glance in her direction. “What did your father do?”
“He said that she was just like our mother. That she was no good. He no longer had a daughter named Sarah.”
Cole cursed under his breath. “Your father might have been overly strict, Rachel, but Sarah had to know that you loved her.”
“All I wanted was for her to come home,” Rachel said and he could hear the emotion in her voice. “Now…it’s too late.”
“It’s not too late for her baby. You can bring her daughter back to the Bar H.”
But deep in his heart Cole knew too well that not everybody got a second chance.
Cole hadn’t been in a hospital in nearly two years. Not since Jillian had been rushed into emergency. Suddenly he felt light-headed and his body began to tremble. He fought it, but couldn’t push away the memories as the antiseptic smell threatened to choke him. There had been many times he’d wished it had. Then he wouldn’t have to face the questions, the accusations…the guilt.
For Rachel’s sake, he had to pull it together. It had been a long day already and she still needed to meet with the social worker in charge of her niece’s case.
Cole punched the button for the elevator and looked at Rachel’s pale face. He took her cold hand in his and held it while they rode up to the fourth floor. All too soon the bell chimed and they got off, then walked toward the nurse’s station.
“I’m Rachel Hewitt, and I’m here to meet Mrs. Nealey.”
The young, blond nurse pointed to the reception area where a middle-aged woman was seated doing paperwork. Rachel went to her. “Mrs. Nealey?”
The woman stood and offered a friendly smile. “Yes, I’m Beth Nealey. You must be Rachel Hewitt.”
“How did you know?”
“I saw a picture of you…in your sister’s things.”
Rachel’s eyes widened. “Sarah had a picture of me?”
The social worker nodded. “You were both a lot younger, but it was you.” She glanced at Cole. “I’m sure the police will give you the rest of her things now that you’ve been located.”
“My sister and I haven’t seen each other in over eight years,” Rachel whispered.
As much as he tried to stay back, Cole found himself stepping closer to offer his strength. “Had Sarah always lived in San Antonio?” he asked.
Mrs. Nealey shook her head. “The police and I have recently learned Sarah had been in town for only the past few months.” The social worker continued, “She rented a furnished apartment, and paid week to week. She worked as a waitress at a local diner. The car she was driving was registered in a friend’s name, Carrie Johnston, who was out of town at the time of the accident. Ms. Johnston returned this week and that’s how we learned about you, Ms. Hewitt.”
“What about the baby’s father?” Rachel asked. “Was Sarah married?”
“We haven’t found any record of a marriage license. According to your sister’s friend, the baby’s father wanted no part of the child’s life. If that’s so, you’re the baby’s only known relative.”
Thirty minutes and several questions later, Rachel excused herself and walked down the hospital corridor to the restroom. She needed some time to pull herself together. After washing her hands, she splashed cold water on her face. Instead of returning to the waiting area, she ended up in the small hospital chapel and knelt down.
For a while she prayed for the sister she’d missed every day since she’d left home. Then she began to question God as to why he took Sarah away.
A sadness like she’d never known before threatened to overwhelm her as she pictured the once laughing little girl she’d shared so much with. She raised her baby sister after their mother abandoned them. Sarah had followed Rachel around, mimicking her.
But as Sarah had gotten older, she began to rebel, refusing to let Gib Hewitt keep her under his thumb. Rachel had envied Sarah her courage…her courage to leave. That hadn’t stopped Rachel’s years of wishing Sarah would come back home.
But her sister wasn’t coming back. She had to accept that.
Rachel drew a shaky breath. A quiet peace settled within her as she said her final goodbye.
Now she needed to concentrate on making a home for her niece.
Cole watched Rachel as she came down the hall. It was obvious this was taking a toll on her. It hadn’t helped him much, either. No matter how hard he fought it his own memories had returned, threatening him with his own painful past, sending him back to the best and the worst times in his life.
He turned his attention to Rachel as she tried to smile, but didn’t quite pull it off. He automatically drew her close, reveling in her warm touch seeping into his skin. It could be addicting if he let it.
“I was in the chapel. Was Mrs. Nealey looking for me?”
Cole stepped back. “She came by and asked if you wanted to see the baby.”
Rachel’s brown eyes grew wide. “Really? But I thought she was still in the neonatal unit.”
“She is, but you’re allowed in because you’re family.”
This time her smile made it. “I am, aren’t I?”
“So, you ready to go meet your niece?”
Just then Beth Nealey arrived and led them down the hall to the glass window of the nursery. “The baby has been putting on weight for the past two weeks,” she said. “She’s at six pounds five ounces now. She’s taking three ounces of formula per feeding and keeping it down. Of course, the nurses will
