he Day He Chose Her Over Our Dying Son, I Chose Vengeance - Chapter 39: Chapter 39
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"Sheriff Boone, about that opening in the women's resource center—you still need someone?"
Sheriff Wyatt Boone sounded surprised on the other end of the line.
"Charlotte Dawson? You sure about that?"
"The town's not exactly Fort Bragg."
"You and Liam were doing okay on base, weren't you?"
We were doing okay.
If you don't count the fact my husband loved someone else.
And wouldn't let our son call him ‘Dad.'
Other than that? Peachy.
I glanced at the military-family poster on the wall—"Civilians and Soldiers: One Family."
The smile on my face felt like vinegar.
"I'm not really used to it. I think I'd rather go back home."
Sheriff Boone didn't try to talk me out of it—probably trying to save on his phone bill.
"Well, it's not like Daniel's ever raised that boy."
"You've been on your own since day one anyway."
"Come back next Wednesday. I'll take you to fill out the paperwork."
I thanked him and walked back into the small rental we'd been living in.
A plain, square little house with nothing fancy.
The yard had two freshly dug vegetable patch—
I'd borrowed some seeds from Emily next door as soon as we got here.
I spent the whole day planting vegetables,
And a little bit of hope, too.
But that night, the first thing Daniel did when he came home
Was tell me to dig it all up.
He said:
"Charlotte, am I not giving you enough money?"
"What the hell are you doing with a garden?"
"Trying to broadcast how broke and backwards you are?"
I froze, clutching the edge of my apron, scrambling for an explanation.
"I just saw the other families planting, and thought… well, it couldn't hurt."
"We'd save a little on groceries—"
Colonel Foster's brow furrowed.
Annoyance poured from his eyes like gasoline.
"This isn't the damn countryside."
"You don't need to play pioneer woman out here."
"Bella's right—trash is trash. You're not even in the same league as her."
My hands fell to my sides.
The warmth I'd felt earlier
Drained out of me completely.
Bella.
A performer in the base's USO performer.
Daniel's angel in uniform.
His soft spot.
Me?
I was just the wife he kept hidden in the sticks.
Of course I couldn't compare.
That night, once Liam was asleep,
I went outside by myself.
Quietly pulled up the seeds I'd planted.
And with every handful of dirt,
I let go of whatever hope I still had in Daniel.
When I stepped back inside, I masked the pain with a blank face.
Liam was already awake.
Sitting at the table, finishing breakfast like the little gentleman he was.
The second he saw me, his eyes lit up.
"Mom, you're back!"
"I'm almost done eating."
"I'll come help you in a minute, okay?"
Liam was seven.
He was mine and Daniel's son.
And like everyone says—
Poor kids grow up fast.
He'd always been such a good boy,
Even when I was stuck in that tiny town, caring for his grandparents.
I smiled and smoothed out the collar of his shirt.
"You don't need to help, sweetheart. Just go play after breakfast."
At those words, his little face dimmed.
His eyes went red at the edges.
"But Mom… the other kids said I'm a freeloader."
"Said I don't belong here. They don't want to play with me."
He looked up at me, confused and hurt.
"This isn't our home?"
He was too young to hide his feelings.
He just wanted the truth.
My nose stung, and before I could answer, my tears fell.
Faster than words.
Liam panicked when he saw me cry.
He rushed over and wrapped his arms around me.
"It's okay, Mom. Liam's fine. Don't cry, okay? Liam won't ask again."
I held him close,
His warm little body the only anchor I had left.
"Mom's not crying, baby.
We're going home."
Real home.
Ours.
Just the two of us.
Ten more days until next Wednesday.
That's enough time.
I'll settle everything.
Then take my Liam…
And go home.
Sheriff Wyatt Boone sounded surprised on the other end of the line.
"Charlotte Dawson? You sure about that?"
"The town's not exactly Fort Bragg."
"You and Liam were doing okay on base, weren't you?"
We were doing okay.
If you don't count the fact my husband loved someone else.
And wouldn't let our son call him ‘Dad.'
Other than that? Peachy.
I glanced at the military-family poster on the wall—"Civilians and Soldiers: One Family."
The smile on my face felt like vinegar.
"I'm not really used to it. I think I'd rather go back home."
Sheriff Boone didn't try to talk me out of it—probably trying to save on his phone bill.
"Well, it's not like Daniel's ever raised that boy."
"You've been on your own since day one anyway."
"Come back next Wednesday. I'll take you to fill out the paperwork."
I thanked him and walked back into the small rental we'd been living in.
A plain, square little house with nothing fancy.
The yard had two freshly dug vegetable patch—
I'd borrowed some seeds from Emily next door as soon as we got here.
I spent the whole day planting vegetables,
And a little bit of hope, too.
But that night, the first thing Daniel did when he came home
Was tell me to dig it all up.
He said:
"Charlotte, am I not giving you enough money?"
"What the hell are you doing with a garden?"
"Trying to broadcast how broke and backwards you are?"
I froze, clutching the edge of my apron, scrambling for an explanation.
"I just saw the other families planting, and thought… well, it couldn't hurt."
"We'd save a little on groceries—"
Colonel Foster's brow furrowed.
Annoyance poured from his eyes like gasoline.
"This isn't the damn countryside."
"You don't need to play pioneer woman out here."
"Bella's right—trash is trash. You're not even in the same league as her."
My hands fell to my sides.
The warmth I'd felt earlier
Drained out of me completely.
Bella.
A performer in the base's USO performer.
Daniel's angel in uniform.
His soft spot.
Me?
I was just the wife he kept hidden in the sticks.
Of course I couldn't compare.
That night, once Liam was asleep,
I went outside by myself.
Quietly pulled up the seeds I'd planted.
And with every handful of dirt,
I let go of whatever hope I still had in Daniel.
When I stepped back inside, I masked the pain with a blank face.
Liam was already awake.
Sitting at the table, finishing breakfast like the little gentleman he was.
The second he saw me, his eyes lit up.
"Mom, you're back!"
"I'm almost done eating."
"I'll come help you in a minute, okay?"
Liam was seven.
He was mine and Daniel's son.
And like everyone says—
Poor kids grow up fast.
He'd always been such a good boy,
Even when I was stuck in that tiny town, caring for his grandparents.
I smiled and smoothed out the collar of his shirt.
"You don't need to help, sweetheart. Just go play after breakfast."
At those words, his little face dimmed.
His eyes went red at the edges.
"But Mom… the other kids said I'm a freeloader."
"Said I don't belong here. They don't want to play with me."
He looked up at me, confused and hurt.
"This isn't our home?"
He was too young to hide his feelings.
He just wanted the truth.
My nose stung, and before I could answer, my tears fell.
Faster than words.
Liam panicked when he saw me cry.
He rushed over and wrapped his arms around me.
"It's okay, Mom. Liam's fine. Don't cry, okay? Liam won't ask again."
I held him close,
His warm little body the only anchor I had left.
"Mom's not crying, baby.
We're going home."
Real home.
Ours.
Just the two of us.
Ten more days until next Wednesday.
That's enough time.
I'll settle everything.
Then take my Liam…
And go home.
End of he Day He Chose Her Over Our Dying Son, I Chose Vengeance Chapter 39. Continue reading Chapter 40 or return to he Day He Chose Her Over Our Dying Son, I Chose Vengeance book page.