Breaking Down Defenses (3rd in Breaking Series)

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

"You cook now?" Thomas asked Sally later that afternoon as she lit a fire in the oven and slid some ham inside that Thomas had brought in from the smokehouse.

Sally glared at him and put her hands on her hips, "Yes, I cook. I've always cooked." Thomas raised his brow in his best Atkinson impression and Sally gave him a sheepish smile, "I've always tried to cook," she amended.

Thomas was still smiling as he glanced out the window at Nathan and Max, who were throwing rocks into the pond, "I can still remember that time when me and Liz was living with you, Jacob and Susie in Virginia and you decided you were gonna bake me an apple pie because you wanted me to notice you. If I remember correct, Liz had to throw the pie in the pond and it took a good two weeks to get the smell of smoke and burnt apples out of the house."

Sally threw a rag at his head but he caught it and laughed, "Yeah, well don't worry, I've gotten better at baking pie since then," she promised. Thomas's gray eyes suddenly darkened as he stared across the kitchen at her, "I ain't a bit interested in pie right now," he promised.

Sally was on her way across the kitchen to have him show her just what he was interested in when the door burst open, "Senor, look what I found!" Max exclaimed, holding up one of the biggest toads that Thomas had ever seen.

"Wow, talk about a mood killer," Sally laughed as she went about peeling some potatoes to boil.

"What?" Nathan asked, walking in behind Max.

Thomas chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck, "Nothing," he replied, "Max, that's a nice toad but ya really shouldn't bring wild critters in the house."

Max gave him a look full of so much guilt that Thomas felt himself about to cave and let the boy have a house full of toads.

"You know what..." Sally said as she wiped her hands on her apron and walked over, "If you want to, I'll get Thomas here to help build a big pen one day soon and you can catch all kinds of toads and frogs and keep them in it. Would you like that, Max?" Max looked up at Sally as if she were an angel.

"Si, senora. I would like that," his eyes went to the floor. "I had a dog at my old home but those men....." his little voice trailed off sadly.

Sally's eyes went to Thomas but Thomas was staring out the window, though his eyes were distant and his jaw so tense she was sure the bones would crack.

Sally knelt down so she'd be on Max's level, "Well, we'll get you a dog too. I think there's a hound up at the main ranch that's fixing to have pups soon. You can pick one of those."

"Gracias!" Max cried and he threw his arms around her neck and hugged her as tightly as his skinny body could. Sally felt her heart melt for the small boy.

Thomas cleared his throat and Max pulled away and both boys looked up at him, "Why don't you boys go out and play for a while. We'll call ya when suppers ready." Max and Nathan both nodded and then ran out the door, laughing with excitement.

Sally stood and walked over to Thomas. She lay her hand on his arm and suddenly his whole posture changed from rigid and tense, to defeated and broken. He threw his arms around her and pulled her against him, holding her tight, as if his entire existence depended on being able to feel her.

"The things I've done, Sally... The people I've hurt, the people I've been forced to kill, the people I had to let others kill.... All for the greater good of the rangers." This last sentence was spoken with a venom that told Sally what Thomas now thought of the rangers.