C.J. brought the two suitcases and backpack which held all her possessions into her new home. Actually she'd tried to carry them but Matt had insisted on taking the suitcases leaving her with the backpack. He'd promised to help her get settled in her new placement after Claudia had successfully appealed along with Bill to have her guardianship with her uncle revoked.

Her uncle had actually put up only a token resistance after Bill and Roy talked with him. He signed the papers and Claudia underwent the process with the social worker. C.J. had been emotional when she'd found out the news. She'd gone inside her room at the Houston ranch and refused to see anyone for the rest of the day until Matt sweet talked his way in there.

"I don't know if I can do it," she said, "What about my mare?"

Matt sat on the edge of her bed.

"She'll be fine here with Bourbon and the others and you can come out here and ride and visit whenever you want. Daddy said our home will always be open to you and we mean it."

She nodded digesting that. Matt didn't know the whole story of what had happened to her particularly in the last month and she wanted to keep it that way. No one knew all the details but Bill and Claudia and the adults had figured out enough to take action.

"I got to stay with Mrs. Wells and see some shrink," she said, "Court order so I don't have any choice."

"Daddy and them…they just want to help you," Matt said, "You were real sick and we all just want you to get better."

"I am better. The doctor said I'm doing just fine."

Matt had hedge and she wondered how much he'd guessed. He'd always been real perceptive when it came to her. But he didn't know everything…

They'd settled in her new bedroom at Claudia's spacious house and she saw that her teacher raised puppies out back, retrievers and grew a large vegetable and herbal garden. She told C.J. that she'd be relying on her help with them and that made C.J. feel a little better. She'd grown up doing chores and would be at a loss without any to do…but she wouldn't be overwhelmed with them.

That first night they made dinner together in the kitchen. Claudia made fajitas with corn tortillas fresh and C.J. focused on the salad using vegetables picked from the garden.

C.J. had been preoccupied with her first appointment with the shrink she'd be seeing in the morning. A woman named Jackie who was supposed to be excellent. She didn't know what she was supposed to talk about with her.

They both took their dinner out with cream sodas out to the deck overlooking the backyard area.

"It's a pretty night," Claudia said, "Tomorrow I was thinking we could go do some shopping…in case you want to decorate your room."

C.J. fidgeted with her fork.

"I have to go see the therapist."

"Plenty of time afterward. Then get some lunch."

C.J. nodded and then started eating her food

"I don't know what I'm supposed to tell the therapist…"

Claudia sipped her soda.

"Anything you want…You can tell him about your dreams you've been having."

C.J. sighed.

"More like nightmares…that won't go away."

"Talk about them," Claudia said, "Roy said this therapist is very good at helping people deal with traumatic events."

"I have to see her. I don't have a choice."

"The judge issued that order because you need to talk about what happened to you with someone who can help you…and someone who's not personally involved in your life."

"I can't tell anyone."

"Yes you can…C.J. don't you think you've carried this secret inside you long enough?"

C.J. paused.

"How much do you know?"

Claudia took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.

"I know that your uncle didn't take good care of you," she said, "He worked you to death…and everything you were doing for everyone else…it'd make me exhausted just thinking about it."

C.J. shrugged.

"It's just chores…that's all…I could handle that and more."

"Maybe…for the short term but the doctor said you were worn out…and that's not the only problem…that you got sick."

C.J. just looked at her plate.

"I know…"

"There's a grown man in the picture here," Claudia said, "I think you're afraid of him. I think that's why you're having nightmares."

"I'm not going to talk about…how do you know what happened anyway?"

"What you wrote…that provided some clues," Claudia said, "You're a gifted writer C.J."

"I shouldn't have written anything at all…it got me into all this trouble."

Claudia smiled.

"No…you're not in any trouble…you're not living with your uncle because he's not a suitable guardian for you. You're with me to get you out of that environment and away from him."

"I can handle myself…"

"You were running away from him that day weren't you?"

C.J. didn't say anything.

"You don't have to tell me who he is or his name if you don't want but if he does approach you again, I want you tell someone."

C.J. just looked at her doubtfully.

"I tried that…he told me no one would care."

"He's wrong C.J."

"He told me that at my birthday party….I didn't want to be alone with him."

Matt had finished his chores in the barn and tended to the horses before heading off to do his homework. He had to catch up because he'd been so busy with double practices for football.

Tex walked into the barn leading his gelding.

"You still here?"

Matt nodded.

"I'll patch up the corral gate and then I'm heading on out of here."

"I'll help when I'm done feeding the horses."

Tex went outside to start his work. Bo another one of his daddy's hands walked in carrying an alfalfa bale.

"Tex still here?"

"Patching up the gate?"

Bo's brow furrowed as he put the bale down.

"I thought he'd be out with his girlfriend or she'd be here."

Matt looked at the hand in surprise.

"I didn't know he had one," he said, "Daddy's been working him hard as the foreman. Doesn't leave him much free time."

Bo smiled.

"Oh he's got one. He's been hot and heavy with some girl for a while now. A couple of times right here in this barn."

That surprised Matt. He hadn't seen or heard anything about that.

"In the barn?"

Bo nodded.

"Some of the hands have seen her…not close up," he said, "They go in the groom's room most likely…or his place."

Matt sighed.

"Does Daddy know?"

"I don't think so…he's usually out of town on business…but Houston it's harmless. A man has to have his fun who works as hard as he does every day."

Matt figured Bo was probably right. The man had done so much for his daddy and him and had been instrumental in building the ranch to a success.

"He waited until we were alone together," she said, "I'd had some wine by that point and he said he'd drive me home after we cleaned up the guesthouse where I had my party."

"They left you alone with him?"

She nodded as she sat with Claudia on the deck.

"Houston wanted to spend time with his daddy before he flew to Tokyo on business. I didn't want him to go but I knew how much that time means to him. After he left the man…he made his move. I was looking out the window watching Houston go and he came up behind me…started kissing my neck after brushing my hair aside…sliding my dress up. I just wanted him to go."

"But he didn't…did he?"

"No…he said he had my present for me in the other room. Something real special."