The Marine's New Family. Roz Dunbar

can’t. Let’s just go, okay?”

      One step forward and two steps back, Luke thought as he started the truck. It was as if the boy was afraid to let down his guard for any length of time. Luke had thought it had been a good day. Caleb had been more animated than he’d ever seen him since his son had gotten to Swansboro six months ago. Things had seemed to be changing, but now Luke couldn’t be sure. He knew that Caleb missed his mother terribly, but Luke couldn’t get him to talk about her. Would the boy ever feel comfortable opening up to his father? Only time would tell. But one thing was certain. Luke had never known that he had the capacity to love anyone the way he now loved his son. Not even his ex-wife.

      Was that the problem? Had he not loved her enough? They’d been little more than kids, high on puppy love, when they’d gotten married. They hadn’t really known yet the people they’d grow up to be—or that the years to come would pull them apart instead of binding them together. Was that why she hadn’t told him he was going to be a father?

      He could understand why she’d left him, and he didn’t hold a grudge. She couldn’t take the moves and deployments. He didn’t blame her; being a military spouse was a tough job and required sacrifices that normal married couples didn’t have to make. He’d wanted her to be happy, and she’d made it clear that she wouldn’t find that happiness waiting at home for him month after endless month, year after year. So he’d let her go. After the divorce papers were signed, there was no further contact. It was as though their three years together had never happened.

      But the proof of their marriage and their love—short-lived though it had been—was sitting in the seat right next to him. Why had she kept him from his child? Surely she had known that he would have made certain that he was in Caleb’s life. Luke would have helped Jen raise their son, would have taken care of them both. He had thanked God every day for the past six months that Jen had had the foresight to write a will giving him guardianship. He couldn’t imagine life without Caleb now.

      But now there might be a fight ahead to keep his son with him. Jen’s parents, Dave and Katherine Lockard, had made it pretty clear that they wanted custody of their grandson. They had been in Caleb’s young life since he was born. Uprooting him was wrong, they claimed. No matter that he was with his biological father. They were going to petition the courts for full custody.

      Luke had gone to great pains to assure both Caleb and his grandparents that they could see each other anytime they wished. He wasn’t trying to keep them apart; in fact, he had taken Caleb to Tennessee for a visit last month. But there was no way he was going to hand over custody. In a world where it was prudent to pick and choose your battles wisely, Luke knew with everything in him that his son was worth fighting for. He just needed to figure out what was best for Caleb. He prayed that God would show him the way.

      “Well, you’ve earned it, after all the hard work you’ve done today.” He grinned at Caleb as they headed down the sandy lane. The boy kept his head averted and didn’t reply. It was like climbing a mountain with no ropes. For both of them. God, help us, Luke prayed silently.