Free Lightning and Lace by DiAnn Mills

I’ve allowed you to become wild and a bully. But it’s all out of my hands at this point. Brother Travis has offered to help, and I’m consenting to it. In the meantime, I’m asking Morgan and Grant to find a military school. The future is up to you. You can learn how to behave, or you can continue as you are and face the consequences of an undisciplined life.”
    A deafening silence permeated the room. She turned to Travis, her chin lifted high. “I will not attempt to see my son until he wants to see me or you tell me the time is right. I’ll have one of the hands bring his clothes. I—I appreciate what you’re trying to do.” She gathered up her skirts and left the office.

Chapter 8
    The house seemed strangely quiet that night at dinner. Michael Paul and Lydia Anne said little even though Juanita had prepared their favorite chicken and dumplings. It was Zack’s favorite too. Bonnie’s bite of dumpling hung in her throat until she sensed she’d be ill. The forlorn looks on the children’s faces told her they weren’t faring much better. She needed to reassure them about their brother but not tell them what might happen if Zack didn’t learn to respect others and himself.
    “Will Zack get food while he’s at Brother Whitworth’s?” Lydia Anne said.
    “Of course he will,” Michael Paul said a bit gruffly.
    Bonnie had to address their worries. “Don’t you want your brother to be nice like he used to be?”
    Lydia Anne nodded, but her gaze stayed fixed on her plate. “I don’t remember when Zack was nice all the time. But I miss him.”
    “I miss him, too, but unless he learns to have respect for us and mind those who are older and wiser, all of us will be miserable.”
    “You mean Zack’s not happy, either?” Michael Paul said.
    “What do you think?”
    He seemed to ponder her question for a moment. “No, he’s not. What can the new preacher do that’s different?”
    “I’m hoping a man of God can help him see where he’s wrong, and in turn, Zack will want to change.”
    “Then he’ll come home?” Lydia Anne said.
    “Of course. Our family needs to be together.”
    “What if Zack likes being miserable?” Michael Paul said. “Will he go to jail?”
    A knot tightened in her stomach. She understood that unless Zack found purpose in his life, his future held no hope. “We will simply pray that God is able to reach him.”
    “I’m going to pray every night,” Michael Paul said. “Zack hits me and says bad things, but I don’t want him in jail.”
    “Me, either,” Lydia Anne said with a dainty shrug. “Sometimes he’s a little nice. Just most times he’s not.”
    “When can we visit him?” Michael Paul said.
    “Brother Whitworth will let us know.”
    Her younger son frowned. “He’s not our father. I don’t think Zack will listen to him. At least I’ll see him at school.”
    “Brother Travis is planning to teach Zack.”
    Michael Paul stared at her curiously. “Is he already in jail? Zack is going to be real mad. Maybe run away again.”
    Bonnie’s heart plummeted. Her threat of military school bannered across her mind, and now she must follow through. If she backed down from this, Zack would never respect her. This was all so very difficult. Even her other children doubted Brother Travis could make a difference.
    *****
    Travis shared dinner with the reverend and Mrs. Rainer without Zack. The boy had cursed in the presence of his grandparents, and Travis had ordered him to his room without the benefit of a meal. The boy had simply grown angrier.
    “You did the right thing,” the reverend said at dinner. “I wanted to take him out behind the woodshed.”
    “Not as badly as I did,” Mrs. Rainer said. “Where on earth did he learn those words?”
    “Maybe the ranch hands,” the reverend said. “Hard to say. May have picked them up at school.”
    “You took on a big job with our grandson.” Mrs. Rainer leaned in closer to the table. “Morgan and Grant had their