Chapter 27

Misty zipped her suitcase closed and took a deep breath. Today would be a very long travel day, but for maybe the first time ever, she felt strong enough to go. Strong enough to face her past without wallowing in it. Strong enough to embrace the future, no matter how uncertain it seemed.

Janie had to work today, and Link had already texted her his farewells before heading up into the hills to do the round-up. He'd be gone all week too, and Misty couldn't help feeling like her absence from Three Rivers was meant to be. She wouldn't be able to see or talk to Link anyway.

At the same time, she desperately wanted to be able to call him tonight when she arrived in Beaumont. She had a hotel there, and then she'd attend Danny's parole hearing in the morning. She wasn't sure if she should be praying for his release or not. If he had to stay in jail, Misty could simply repack her suitcase, change her flight, and be back in Three Rivers on Tuesday.

If he got out, though, Misty had planned to spend the whole week away, doing whatever she needed to do to get Danny settled. "As if that can happen in a week," she muttered to herself as she heaved her suitcase to the floor and extended the handle.

She drove herself to Amarillo. She boarded the plane. She put headphones in and distracted herself with games on her phone as the aircraft climbed to its cruising altitude. After landing in Houston, Misty collected her luggage and waited in line for her rental car.

She had a couple of hours of driving ahead of her, but Misty stopped to get something to eat first. Her stomach clenched around every bite of food, and she tapped out messages to Link she didn't send. He wouldn't get them anyway.

Looking around the fast-casual restaurant, Misty felt far from home. Such a thing made sense, of course, since she wasn't from Houston and hadn't spent a great deal of time here. She looked at other people like her—some younger, some older, some exactly her age—and she felt like a foreigner among her own people.

She wasn't even sure why. All she knew was she wanted to get back to Three Rivers. When she'd first rolled into town, she'd started planning when she'd leave. Small towns just weren't for her.

Perhaps she'd lived there too long now, or perhaps the wide highways and busy traffic had always bothered her, and she'd never admitted it to herself. Either way, Houston felt like one giant ball of noise and filth, and relief coursed through her when she put the city in her rearview mirror.

She took a few deep breaths. In, then out. In through her nose, where she held it, then slowly blew it out. "You don't have to see him today," she reminded herself. And it wasn't that she didn't want to see Danny. She did. She wanted to wrap him in her arms and promise him she'd get him out.

But she couldn't promise that. She'd failed him on so many levels, and she just wanted him to know she hadn't forgotten him. She'd tried her best. She still loved him.

The following morning, she arrived at the Beaumont facility where Danny had been incarcerated for the past four years. She stared at the bland building, having been here once before.

She kneaded the steering wheel, her courage failing her. Then, she simply went into some sort of robot mode. She opened the door, got out of the rental car, and headed for the building.

The parole room sat just past the check-in desk, and Misty waited her turn to be allowed in. She passed over ID, waited some more, and then got shown into the room with several others. She didn't recognize anyone, not even Danny's lawyer.

More waiting.

Misty's lungs felt like someone had doused them in gasoline and set them on fire. Finally, the door in the corner opened and her brother walked in. She sucked in a breath, the burning intensifying with the addition of oxygen.

So much in her life had been cleaned up and cleaned out. But seeing her brother threw her right back to her life in that tiny apartment. The two of them alone, the cupboards bare, huddled together on a mattress on the ground, where they slept once the light faded.

She took a breath and steeled herself against the memories. Danny's eyes met hers, and she lifted a hand in a wave. Pure light entered his face, and Misty told herself over and over not to cry. She might get to hug him before they took him away again, and she nodded at him, hoping that would give him some strength.

He looked clean and well, which was more than she could say the night she'd gone to see him in jail after the bar fight. He seemed well-fed, healthy, and of good spirits as he sat at the table in front of her.

A man in a suit joined him, and they waited for the parole board to come in. Misty had not volunteered to speak for her brother, and she simply sat at rapt attention while they read the report from his behavior in the last year.

His lawyer spoke. Danny ran through his time here, what he'd been working on, how he'd improved. Then someone said, "Mister Granger, do you have anyone to speak for you?"

Danny turned to look at her, his eyes begging her to say something. Misty had no idea what she'd say. Last time, she'd had something prepared, and she'd been so disappointed he hadn't been released.

Her robot-body took over, and she stood. "I have something to say."

Every eye came to her, but she managed to move up to the microphone. "I am Misty Granger," she said. "Danny's sister." She swallowed and thought of Link standing beside her. If any of the Glovers ever got in trouble, this room would not be able to hold them all.

"I have stayed in touch with my brother," she said. "Via email and phone calls. According to his report, he is excelling here. He has friends, performs his duties, and is fully reformed."

She took a breath. "He is the strongest person I know, because he has been dealt a horribly terrible hand of cards, and instead of giving up and walking away, he's done the best he could." Her emotions clogged and choked her, but she swallowed them back. Again, and then again.

"I raised him the best I could from the age of ten, and while I didn't do a perfect job, or even a good job, I tried. That's all any of us can do: Try. Humans have the extraordinary ability to change, and that's something I've only learned in the past few months, sir."

She gestured to her brother. "He is not perfect, but he is good. He got into a bad situation, but I'm older now, and so is he. Together, we're stronger. Together, we'll be brave enough to leave the past behind us and build a better, brighter future."

Misty's legs started to feel weak, and she added one last thing. "He has served two-thirds of his sentence, and I believe he is worthy to be released on parole." With that, she returned to her seat, a little too scared to look at her brother. Danny reached out and touched her hand, and she squeezed it as she went by.

The parole board read through another report, and then the man sitting in the middle of the row said, "Thank you, Mister Granger. We have reviewed your case, your progress, and the statements provided. Does anyone here have further questions?"

Misty felt like a heavy drape had been thrown over the room. She could barely get a breath as the moment lengthened. No one said anything, and the parole board chairman said, "After careful consideration, we have decided to grant you parole, Mister Granger."

He continued to speak, but Misty's hearing seemed to disappear. Only white noise existed, and she only clued back in when Danny said, "Yes, I understand. Thank you for this opportunity."

"You have the power to change your future," the chairman said. "This hearing is adjourned. You must meet with your parole officer to sign the terms of your parole before you can be released. We wish you the best in your reintegration into society."

The hearing broke up then, and Misty stood on trembling legs while Danny turned toward her, his arms outstretched. "I love you," she whispered fiercely as he enveloped her in a hug.

"I love you too," Danny said in her ear. "You'll wait for me?"

"Right outside," she promised. He got led away with his lawyer and his parole officer, and Misty stood there and watched.

"Ma'am?" someone asked. "We need this room for the next hearing."

"Of course," she said, finally getting herself to move. Outside in her car, she started typing out messages to Link, and this time she sent them, one after the other.

Her mind raced and ran ahead of her, and she just kept typing and typing until everything had been vomited out.

Only then did she slow down and go back to what she'd said. She'd told him about her travel. About her brother. About the hearing. How she'd be here for the full week now that she knew he'd need her to help him get settled.

Then she'd said, I'm going to try to get him to come back to Three Rivers with me.

He'll need a job, of course. And Link, I know this is really crazy, but I'm wondering if you have somewhere for him at Shiloh Ridge.

Or maybe you know of a ranch where he could work. He just needs a chance, and I have found so many second chances, love, and acceptance from your family, and from the town of Three Rivers.

You don't have to answer right now.

Just think about it, and I'll see you when I get back next week.

Misty wanted to write out three little words that would change everything, but she didn't dare. She'd already said too much as it was.

She waited for a long time before Danny came outside with a single Duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Misty popped the trunk and jumped from the car. She started to laugh, and Danny dropped his bag in the parking lot and ran toward her.

She hugged him, so desperate for his fresh start. "I have so much to tell you," she said.

"Yeah, you do," he agreed. "Because you didn't even tell me you were coming." He grinned at her, and she ran her palm down the side of his face.

"You're free," she said. "And we get to make our lives into anything we want, Danny. Anything at all."

"I'm going to need help for a bit," he said.

"Of course."

"Maybe I can crash in your place in Dallas." He released her and picked up his bag. He tossed it in the trunk and looked at her again. "I mean, you're not living there right now, right?"

She shook her head, but she couldn't get herself to move back to the driver's seat. "Danny," she said. "I don't think you should go back to Dallas."

He laughed. "Why not? Where else would I go?" He headed for the passenger door, and Misty's heartbeat pulsed through her whole body, but she followed him and got behind the wheel.

Dear Lord, she thought, something she didn't normally do. I can't let him go back to Dallas. I need to get him up to Three Rivers. Please help me. Help me open my mouth and give me the words he needs to hear.