Page 29 of Guarding Colton’s Witness

“My daddy says I’m a burden. I asked him what did that mean, and he said I cost him money that could be used for better things.”

Like drugs. Matti was furious that a father would tell his child he was a burden. And what money had been spent on Sam? He’d barely been given enough to eat, and the clothes he’d arrived in had been a size too small because he’d outgrown them. Sam had said they got their clothes at the poor people’s place, so she doubted the man had spent any money on clothing his son.

She’d never in her life hated anyone as much as she did Sam’s parents. If they weren’t dead, she’d do everything in her power to send them to prison for neglecting and abusing their son. Sam didn’t need to see the rage inside her, so she took a deep breath to calm herself.

“Sam,” she said as she kneeled down so she was eye level with him. “You are not a burden in any way, okay? You’re a good boy and you deserve good things to happen to you, and one of those things is some new clothes. Don’t ever think you’re a burden to me or anyone, got it?”

“Thank you, Matti.” Tears shimmered in his eyes. “I promise to always be a good boy so you won’t stop liking me.”

“There’s no way I’ll ever stop liking you, sweetie.” She pulled him into a warm embrace, and when he wrapped his thin arms around her, she wondered how she was ever going to give this child up.

* * *

“I’m so excited, Matti,” Sam said as she turned the car into the fire station parking lot. “Can I really sit in a fire truck?”

“You sure can.” She’d called her brother to make sure he was on duty and had told Aiden a little about Sam and his background and how much he loved fire trucks. Aiden had said he’d make Sam’s visit a special one. She glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled at seeing him leaning his face close to the window.

“Will your brother like me?”

“Absolutely. He’s excited about meeting you.”

“He is?”

That was said with such awe that Matti silently thanked her father for suggesting she take Sam by the fire station. “He sure is.” She shut down the car’s engine. “I’ll come around and unbuckle you.”

“I know how. I watched you do it.”

Sure enough, by the time she got the rear passenger door open, he was unbuckled and climbing out of the car seat. Smart boy. And so eager to learn and to experience the world. She regretted that she wasn’t going to be able to be the one to experience it with him.

“Is that him?”

Her gaze followed where he was looking, and she grinned at seeing Aiden striding toward them on his long legs. “Yes, that’s Aiden.” She smiled when he reached them. “Aidey Bean, how goes it?” Of all her siblings, Aiden was the only one who didn’t care what she called him, which took some of the fun out of doing it.

He laughed. “Don’t be teaching my new friend here your nicknames for us.” He squatted in front of Sam. “And you must be Sam. Matti said you love fire trucks.”

Sam vigorously nodded. “I love them a lot. Matti said I can sit in one. I want to be a fireman like you when I grow up. Is it hard to be a fireman?”

“That’s a great goal, and yes, it’s hard, but I think you can do it.” He put his hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Here’s the first thing I want you to learn. There are men who fight fires, and there are women who do, so we call ourselves firefighters, not firemen.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

When was he going to get past feeling like he had to be sorry for any little thing? Matti stayed silent, knowing Aiden would say the right thing.

“Well, there’s no reason to feel sorry for something you didn’t know. Now that you do, I’m sure you’ll say it right.”

“I will.”

“Good.” Aiden stood and held out his hand. “Ready to see what being a firefighter is like?”

“Yes!” Sam put his hand in Aiden’s.

Matti trailed along behind them as Sam bombarded her brother with questions that Aiden patiently answered. Aiden took him to one of the fire trucks first.

“It’s so big,” Sam said, awe in his voice.

“Want to sit in it?” Aiden asked.

“Yes, please.”