A Soldier’s Family by Cheryl Wyatt

Author:Cheryl Wyatt [Wyatt, Cheryl]
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2008-04-05T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Two weeks with zero contact between the two shot Celia’s hope of reconciliation between Javier and Manny all to Havana. Celia set her lesson plan satchel down after returning from school and peered at the answering machine. Disappointment inflated. Manny wouldn’t return her calls, and Javier would stalk from the room with even a mere mention of Manny’s name.

She’d had complaints from every one of Javier’s teachers, and last night he’d come home from work reeking of alcohol. He threatened to run away if she made him quit his job. What could she do, toss him out on his ear? He certainly wouldn’t seek refuge at Amber’s with Manny there. That left the shelter or the street. Celia knew how treacherous the latter could be.

She had no choice. For some reason, his restaurant job was the one thing that meant the most to him right now. She’d just have to sock it to him where it hurt and hope for the best.

The garage door creaking signaled his arrival home from after-school detention. Since she taught at the Christian elementary school, she couldn’t keep an eye on him. Armed with Javier’s cell phone, she squared her shoulders and went to do battle.

He sauntered in, avoiding where she stood near the kitchen counter. He veered toward his loft room.

“Not so fast, buster.”

Javier stopped on the stairs but didn’t turn around.

“Down here. Now.”

He huffed and tromped down, toting a scowl that she imagined matched her own.

“I smelled alcohol on your breath when you came in last night.”

“Someone spilled beer on me. Besides, everyone drinks.”

“No.” She jabbed a finger at the carpet. “Everyone doesn’t. Especially not underage kids who do stupid things to impress each other like drink too much so they can do stupid things stupider.”

He scowled. “Stupider’s not a word, Teach. You’re too old-fashioned. Riding around on dinosaurs screeching in the dark ages.”

She pursed her lips. Maybe if she’d grounded him in a decent church, this belligerent back talk wouldn’t be happening. Gone were the days when she could simply sentence him to a time-out. “God sets the standards, Javier. Not contemporary morality.”

“You’re a fine one to talk. When do you go to church? Try never.”

What could she say? He was right. Maybe she should take Amber and Joel up on the offer to attend theirs.

“You gonna make me stand here all night?” He sulked against the stairs.

“Just might.” When all else fails, try distraction. “Better yet, let’s decide what your punishment will be. For starters, I’m taking your phone.” She lifted it up and removed the battery, placing it in her pocket.

His eyes narrowed. “So? I hardly talk on it.”

“No? You went way over the limit on text messaging and you know the rule. When you pay your part of the bill, you can have your phone back.”

He huffed and swooped past her.

She grabbed his sleeve. “Not finished, Flash. I also changed the computer password. When your grades come up and your teachers stop calling me with misbehavior reports, I’ll tell you what it is.

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