A Family of Their Own (11 page)

She grinned. “Pizza.”

“Okay, pizza it is.”

Kelsey pulled into the driveway and gazed at Ross’s lovely house. She had never pictured where he lived, which surprised her, and what she saw surprised her even more. A long porch graced the front of his home, leaving a recessed wing on each side displaying a window box. She could picture
them filled with summer flowers. The porch was adorned with four double columns, reminding her of a plantation house. Two classic arched windows with French panes sat low on each side of the front door, featuring the same glass arch as the frame. She could imagine the wonderful sunlight filtering into the rooms.

She pushed opened the car door, and Lucy flung hers wide. “This is pretty.”

She pointed to the three dormers with the same arched French-pane windows.
Charming
is the word that struck her. They headed up the brick walk with matching steps leading to the porch.

“I wonder which room is Peyton’s.” She stood back and eyed the dormers.

Kelsey shrugged. “We’ll find out tonight.”

Lucy tittered as she rang the doorbell.

Ross appeared with a smile that wove through Kelsey’s chest. “Welcome.”

She stepped inside the foyer. “This is a lovely place, and look here.” She stopped in the dining-room doorway.

“As you can guess, we mainly eat in the kitchen.” He motioned behind him. “Tonight we’ll use the dining room.”

She spun around. “Don’t tell me you cooked.” She sniffed the air and found no hint of food cooking.

“How does pizza sound?”

Lucy clapped her hands. “Pizza!”

He gave her a quick squeeze. “It should be here soon.”

He’d never hugged Lucy before and Kelsey smiled, realizing how good it seemed.

“Have a seat.” He motioned through the archway. “Peyton’s in her room. I’ll call her.” He hurried past her into the room and vanished down another hallway.

She followed him into the great room, very large with a staircase leading up to the second floor, a fireplace, wet bar and another wide porch she saw through the window.
The layout was much like her house but larger. Lucy hurried across the room and pressed her nose against the window, but her greatest interest seemed to be in the direction Ross had gone.

Kelsey didn’t sit. Instead she wandered through the doorway into an expansive kitchen with a breakfast nook and beyond an even larger keeping room where Ross placed his easy chairs and television. She loved it and nestled into one of the easy chairs, imagining what life would be like if she had such a room.

The doorbell rang, and she rose. As she stepped back into the great room, Ross headed toward her empty-handed. He grinned and beckoned her to follow. Then she remembered.

They settled around the dining-room table with pizza and salad. Conversation dwindled as they ate, but she noticed that Peyton and Lucy had chosen to sit next to each other. When they finished, Kelsey put her thoughts into words. “My sister is coming for a visit at the end of this month. I think she’ll be here for Lucy’s birthday.”

“You’re having a birthday?” Peyton looked at Lucy with interest.

She nodded. “On May 20.”

Peyton looked curious. “Will you have a party?”

Lucy shrugged. “Will I, Mom?”

“I had plans in mind, but now your aunt wants to do something with you on your birthday.”

“Aunt Audrey?” She wrinkled her nose. “Mom, she’s too picky, and—”

Kelsey scowled back. “We’ll talk about this later, okay?”

She gave a huff. “It’s always talk later.”

From the tone of her voice, Kelsey recognized a very iffy acceptance, but it worked. Audrey was opinionated. Lucy was right about that. Steering away from that conversation, she pushed her plate aside. “So what are we going to do now?”

“Peyton said she’d like to stay home and play games.” Ross’s neck swiveled, eyeing them.

Lucy clapped her hands. “I love games.”

Peyton scooted back in her chair and beckoned to Lucy. “Let’s pick out some games.”

Lucy slid from her chair, unfazed by Peyton’s surprise invitation, and followed her out of the room.

As she went through the doorway, Kelsey heard her mention Chinese checkers. Kelsey chuckled. “She’s wanted to play since she brought them home. She even put the game in the car, just in case.”

“Sounds fine with me.” Ross rose and gathered the pizza boxes.

“Peyton should choose. It’s her celebration.” She rose and placed the plates and silverware into a stack. “Let me help you.”

He strode to the kitchen and Kelsey followed, carrying what she could. She set the plates on the counter and turned on the tap to rinse them, but Ross’s arm slid around her and drew her toward him. She looked into his eyes, wondering.

“Can you believe this?”

Believe? “You mean Peyton and Lucy?”

“Yes. They were talking like two friends.”

Kelsey grinned. “It’s about time.”

He chuckled, but his expression changed. “I’ve hoped for this for so long, because it means…”

His eyes captured hers and he didn’t have to continue. Kelsey knew what he was thinking. “It’s nice to see.”

“I…I’ve wondered where our friendship might lead, and I know we have so many issues to deal with, but…”

She nodded, waiting for him to continue. He didn’t. Instead he drew closer, his eyes searching hers until he lowered his mouth to her lips. His touch rolled through her. Her heartbeat quickened as his warm lips sought hers with a tender
abandon. When he drew back, she inched open her eyes, thinking she might be dreaming.

Ross grinned, his face flushed. “I’ve wanted to do that forever.”

Heat crept up her neck, realizing she wanted the same things.

Ross brushed his hand across her cheek. “I think you know what I started to say. I want more of our relationship. I’d like to see where this will go for us.”

Yes, part of her wanted a relationship. She wanted to feel whole again—God planned life in twos. She saw it everywhere. Yet admitting it made it too real. One positive incident with the girls didn’t resolve all their issues. She put a clamp on her negativity. “I’d like that too, Ross.”

“Dad?”

They flew apart as the girls rushed into the room. “We’re going to play Lucy’s game.”

He grinned and eased farther away. “Chinese checkers.”

She nodded.

But Lucy seemed less excited, and Kelsey wondered why. “Do you want to go to the car and get the game?”

“I guess.”

“I’ll get my car keys.” She strode through the kitchen doorway with Lucy on her heels, relieved when Ross and Peyton stayed behind. She heard him rinsing dishes as she grabbed her purse and guided Lucy to the door. Before she opened it, she faced Lucy. “What’s wrong?”

“How come she gets the big bedroom?”

Befuddled, Kelsey tried to decipher her question. “This is a bigger house than ours.”

Lucy shook her head. “She has the master bedroom. Her dad gave it to her because she’s sick.” Her expression hardened. “I’m sick, and I don’t have a special bedroom.”

“Lucy, I don’t know why.” She pictured the house from
the outside. “Maybe most of the bedrooms are upstairs, and you know that Peyton has a heart condition.”

“I have tumors, Mom. Her dad gave her his room, and she made sure I knew it.”

Tension rammed up Kelsey’s spine. So much for two girls getting along. “Maybe she’s proud that her dad did something special for her.”

Lucy rolled her eyes.

Ross’s kiss lingered on her lips, but hope slithered to her toes. “Lucy, I don’t have all the answers.” She tugged open the front door and handed her the keys. “Go and get the game.”

Lucy gave her a pouty look and huffed off.

The master bedroom. Disappointment wrenched her hopes. Finally, the two had made progress, but one small incident—a bedroom—edged out their camaraderie. She’d never expected Lucy to be competitive over something so petty. Yes, with games, but not this. Not a bedroom.

The progress shriveled as Ross’s hopeful admission fluttered away.
I’d like to see where this will go for us.
Once again, she could see where it was going. Nowhere.

“G
ood meeting.” Ross pushed open the Senior Center door for Kelsey. The stress that tightened her face concerned him. “It was nice seeing a couple more men in the mix.” He eyed her again, and she appeared miles away. “Can you sense if the women are accepting the male invasion?”

Instead of grinning or snapping back a witty response, she gave him a serious look. “I think they’re doing fine with it. I don’t see that it’s changed the atmosphere. I’ve even thought the women might be benefiting from a male perspective.”

“Good to hear. I would have felt rotten if my asking to join MOSK ruined the camaraderie. It’s obviously important to everyone there.” He dug into his pocket and searched for his car keys. “Everyone’s dealing with too much stress.”

She nodded, staring at the ground as she walked. “We are.”

“Kelsey, is something wrong?”

Her head jerked up, and she faltered. “Nothing important.”

He questioned her response. “Is Lucy okay?”

“She’s fine.” Her frown deepened.

“If that’s not bothering you, I know something is.” He placed his hand on her arm to slow her. “Can I help?”

She halted and released a stream of breath. “I told you I’m fine.”

Ross slipped his hand to her shoulder. “I don’t think so.” He tilted her chin wanting to look into her eyes. They said so much. “I’ve only known you for a few months, but that doesn’t mean I can’t tell when something’s bothering you. I’ve always noticed when you’re stressed or on edge no matter how you try to hide it, and I feel that now. If it’s something I did, I wish you’d—”

“I’m distracted today, I guess. Lucy’s been a little snippy at home, and it’s upsetting me. My sister called last night. They’ll be here for Lucy’s birthday. Naturally, Audrey’s arriving on a Tuesday of all days, and I’m not sure what I’ll do about the MOSK meeting. Then Lucy’s facing an appointment with her physician about this year’s follow-up tests. Her previous tests were six months ago so he’ll compare the two and…”

“And you’re worried about that.”

“It’s a combination of things.” She shrugged. “I’d wanted to surprise Lucy with something special on her birthday, and now my sister will be here, which means she’ll take charge. She always does.”

She’d made other innuendos about her sister, but he hadn’t caught on until today. “I take it you don’t get along well.”

“No, we do, but she’s one of those people who wants to take over, and you know me—”

“You’re a good leader, but I know you prefer to be a peacemaker.” He’d spotted that the day he met her. “Before she arrives, make plans and tell her what they are.”

She gave a hopeless grin. “She already announced on the phone twice that she wanted to plan something.”

Tension seeped from Ross’s shoulders. If the problem was her sister, he could accept that. At least it didn’t involve something he’d done. “Give Lucy two celebrations. Yours and hers.”

“I should just deal with it.” Kelsey grinned, but he could see that she’d forced it. “I’m just edgy, as you said.”

“I’ve been worried, too.”

She looked surprised. “You didn’t say anything about that at the meeting.”

“No, I guess I didn’t want to delve into it now, until I knew for sure.”

Her brow furrowed. “You’re confusing me.”

“I’m confusing myself.” He managed a grin. “Dr. Timmons’s office called, and he wants us to go in to talk. I’m sure it’s about the new medication. It’s either good news or bad news, and I would almost rather not know.”

Kelsey eyes widened. “Now you’re not making sense.”

“If it’s bad news, I’ll be disappointed, probably more like discouraged, because I’ve thought about it so much and how it will make a difference in Peyton’s life. Bad news means that dreams would be over the fence.”

“Why are you thinking about bad news? You want good news, naturally.”

Nothing made sense lately. “If it’s good news, I’m still worried if it doesn’t work or if it causes some other problem. It’s a new drug, he said. Just approved.” He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to release the tension. “Dr. Timmons wouldn’t give me an opinion on the medication without consultation with other specialists. Somehow that doesn’t smack of confidence.”

“To me it sounds like an excellent doctor who cares enough about his patient to want to offer the best opinion possible.” She shook her head. “Ross, how many times have you told me to have faith and to think positive?”

The reminder jarred him. Emotions tangled around his mind and heart, and he faced his own failing. “Easier said than done, I guess.”

She leaned into him. “I’ll pray for good news and good results.”

He slipped his arm around her shoulder. “Thanks. I suppose I should stop worrying and do the same.”

“You should. Worrying doesn’t get either of us anywhere.” She adjusted her shoulder bag. “I need to be on my way.”

He studied her, still seeing something in her eyes. “I’ll call you.” She lifted her hand in a wave and headed toward her car.

Before he took a step, he snapped his fingers. “Kelsey.”

She glanced over her shoulder and stopped.

He drew closer. “I’ve been meaning to ask you if you’d like to attend church with us on Easter. Maybe we could have dinner together…unless you have other plans.”

She gave a quick shake of her head. “No other plans.”

An unreadable expression washed over her face. “Is this a bad idea?” he asked.

“No, but it just struck me that I rarely go to church anymore. You know I’m a Christian, but after Doug walked out and Lucy became so ill…I don’t know.” She looked puzzled. “I suppose I didn’t want to go to church alone without Doug, and then I began to feel that God had let me down.” She lifted her wide eyes to him. “I know better, but that’s what I felt.”

“Then taking the step on Easter seems perfect.”

She nodded, but he wasn’t sure she meant it.

“You know God’s forgiven you for those thoughts.” He managed to grin. “Now that’s something to celebrate.” He hoped she’d grin back.

She didn’t. “Forgiveness.” Her gaze drifted skyward. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” She wrapped her arms around her body. “How can I pray that?”

“Pray it, Kelsey, and pray that the Lord gives you a heart to forgive. It can happen.”

She nodded, her face tense with thought as she took a step backward. “I need to run some errands before Lucy’s out of school. Let’s talk about Easter later.”

Later.
He watched her hurry off to her car as an empty feeling swept over him.

His muddied mind went back to the celebration at his house five days ago. He’d sensed a distance between him and Kelsey at the end of the evening, and today he still noticed something different about her. Only a feeling, but the romance that had grown now seemed to take a back seat, and it worried him. He’d asked the question before. Could two people with seriously ill children find happiness together? He’d taken it on faith that with God all things were possible and he’d sensed that their meeting was God-directed. But maybe he’d been wrong.

Kelsey stood in the kitchen, wrapped in the scent of baked ham and cheesy potatoes. Though she’d struggled with accepting Ross’s invitation, she found herself saying yes and invited them to dinner. Ross’s voice let her know she’d brightened his day. The past couple weeks, she had too much on her mind. Yes, her sister’s visit always set her on edge. She loved Audrey, but they didn’t always agree. Anticipating Lucy’s prognosis from the latest tests preoccupied her until they met with the specialist, but Lucy’s behavior upset her the most.

Peyton’s bedroom began the problem. At first she scolded Lucy about being envious and competitive, but then the bedroom issue took another turn. Ross loved his daughter and worried about her. Having her climb the stairs every day—many times a day—also made sense, but he had a smaller bedroom on the first floor that he used. Why did he give her the master bedroom? She suspected it was Peyton’s whining. Parents tried to make up for other issues by overcompensating in the wrong direction.

This kind of issue plagued her every time. Lucy’s illness was life-threatening. Multiple tumors could mean a life of fighting to survive and not winning the battle. Peyton’s illness had the same possibility, but catering to her wouldn’t sit well with Kelsey. Not one bit. She felt hopeless.

Without warning, the morning’s Easter worship service washed over her. Of all things, the pastor had talked about forgiveness and mercy and God’s ultimate sacrifice of giving His son up to death for sinners. Forgiveness. Forgiving. Being forgiven. She knew all this, but knowing it didn’t make it easy. He said that even though believers struggled and faltered, God answered their prayers, just like a parent who provides for his children’s needs. Ross did the same thing. To him, the bedroom provided what his child needed. But…

The pastor’s words rattled around in her head. As she’d listened, she grasped for that peace and understanding he talked about. God answered prayer, and she too often failed to ask. She clung to bitterness when compassion was the answer. Even now, she harbored concerns about Ross and allowed them to taint their relationship. She shook her head, amazed at how easily she stumbled.

Boiling water spattered from the pot, jolting her from her thoughts. She hurried to the stove, pulled it off and lowered the flame. She lifted the lid to check the vegetables. Nearly done. Kelsey turned off the burner and slipped the dinner rolls into the oven.

Ross’s voice filtered through the doorway. It sounded as if he’d been carrying the brunt of the threesome’s conversation. Though Peyton and Lucy had spoken, Kelsey sensed that her lecture had failed, and she was disappointed seeing Lucy allow envy—or was it pride?—to steal her usual good spirit. She would deal with it later.

She slipped into the dining room with the salad and dressing. The aromas titillated her stomach. No doubt everyone was ready to eat. Remembering her homemade chunky applesauce, she headed back into the kitchen. As she came through the doorway, Ross was standing near the stove.

“There you are.” He rubbed his belly. “Are we almost ready?”

She couldn’t help but grin. “The smell is taunting, isn’t it?”

He gazed toward the ham. “Would you like me to carve?”

One job she wouldn’t have to do. “You don’t have to ask twice.” She pointed to the electric knife she’d already plugged in and the cutting board against the wall. “Here you go.” She slapped two pot holders into his hands, then opened the oven door and stepped back. “Start carving.”

Ross lifted the roaster from the heat, the sweet, spicy fragrance hovering in the air. “Wonderful. What am I smelling?”

“Cloves and ginger ale. My secret ingredients.”

He chuckled, and while he sliced the ham, she carried the potato-cheese casserole and a bowl of mixed vegetables to the table.

“What do you think?” Ross stepped back when she returned and pointed to the pile of ham. “Enough?”

She nodded. “If you’ll put that on the table, I’ll call the girls.”

His eyebrows raised. “Speaking of the girls, I’m really discouraged.”

She didn’t have to ask.

“For once Peyton’s making a little effort to be pleasant, but Lucy’s not helping. That’s really odd, don’t you think?”

The question hung in the air, and Kelsey’s answer lodged in her throat.

Ross frowned. “What do you know that I don’t?”

Her mind flew, trying to decide how to approach the topic without ruining the day. Temper your comment flashed through her mind. “Lucy’s competitive, as you know. I think she’s a bit irked that Peyton has the master bedroom.”

“What?” Disbelief registered on his face.

If he knew anything about women—or Lucy—he should understand. “She wasn’t given the master bedroom here when she was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease.”

His arm swung out in a large arc. “Kelsey, your house is on one floor. Lucy didn’t have to climb stairs.” He shook his
head. “Anyway, Lucy’s illness has nothing to do with her heart.”

“Her brain is affected. It’s what controls almost everything in her body.”

“Yes, but…” He looked startled.

“You have two bedrooms on the first floor, and Lucy knows that.” She monitored her volume. “You manage just fine using the guestroom. Why can’t Peyton?” The question rang with her irritation, and she hurried to soften her comment. “That’s what Lucy wants to know.” But so did she. The whole situation overwhelmed her. This issue had little to do with a bedroom. It reminded her of the difficulty they faced—two who might never see eye to eye.

“She’d lost a mother and then found out she had the same disease. I wanted to…” He looked exasperated.

Ross didn’t understand. “Lucy grew up without much of a father, too.” She brushed the words away. “Forget it. I’ve talked to Lucy, and I’ll talk with her again. She’ll get over it.” But Kelsey sensed that this might be only the beginning.

“I’m sorry you feel that way.”

She shook her head. “Peyton’s your daughter, Ross. You have the right to coddle her any way you choose. She’s very ill. I understand that.”

“Mom.” Lucy darted into the room. “I’m starving. When are we gonna eat?”

Grateful for the interruption, she monitored her voice. “Right now. Tell Peyton, okay?”

Lucy spun around and called out to Peyton as she hurried back into the living room.

Kelsey pulled the dinner rolls from the oven, and once they settled around the table, Ross said the blessing. The food circled the table, and they filled their plates. Conversation lulled as they slivered their ham and dug into the cheesy potatoes, and she was grateful. She’d set off a fire that could turn into
a blaze. Why hadn’t she kept her mouth shut and let it go? Her comment served no purpose but to vent her own upset.

Ross had become an important part of her life. Their relationship had grown deeper. His kiss had excited her and made her feel like a woman again. His kindness and concern made even her parents’ support look weak. Yet she’d uttered words ringing with sarcasm.

She lifted her gaze from her plate and studied his face. He looked deep in thought. Had she let her frustration ruin her chance for happiness? Ross had been the first man to arouse her sense of femininity and stir her emotions. She lowered her gaze. What have I done?