Hallie's Destiny (The Donovans of the Delta) (17 page)

He sank slowly back into his seat. The show went on, its glow overshadowed by the knowledge of love that beat brightly through his mind.
Is our love possible? Can we overcome the obstacles? Can we? Can we?

Suddenly he became aware of the hush in the theater. The stage was empty except for a young girl in a wheelchair. She was dressed in white. In the bright spotlight, her pale hair and her pale face looked ethereal. The pianist struck a chord, and her voice soared across the theater. Every note was true and clear. The song was
You’ll Never Walk Alone
. The wheelchair seemed to fade into darkness as the angel voice sang of hope, hope in spite of shattered dreams.

Each word spoke directly to Josh’s heart. When the song was finished, he had tears in his eyes.

The standing ovation lasted until Hallie laughingly wheeled the girl offstage. When she came back, she brought her entire troupe with her.

“There’s a special man in the audience tonight.” Pausing, Hallie smiled in his direction. “Jubilee would not be possible except for the generosity of one man. This theater for special children is funded entirely by an endowment set up by Josh Butler.” She walked to the front of the stage and leaned down. “Josh, will you please come up? We have a surprise for you.”

He walked onstage amidst the applause. Hallie took his hand, and this time she didn’t let go. At her signal, the children sang a heartfelt rendition of
For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow
.

Josh gave a signal of his own, and a young man from the wings delivered three dozen red roses to Hallie and a long-stemmed red rose to every child onstage.

There was more applause, both from the audience and the children. Under cover of the hubbub, Hallie gave him a quick hug and whispered in his ear, “Thanks, Josh. Without you this dream would never have come true.”

“You’re welcome, sweet gypsy angel.”

He wanted to make all her dreams come true. He wanted to hold her longer, but the press of the crowd, coming onstage to congratulate Hallie, broke them apart. He gave her one last glance across the heads of the well-wishers, then he left the theater.

Hallie watched him go. The gaiety she’d pretended all evening lost its edge. She still smiled. She was happy for her children. She was proud of them. She was thrilled with the show of support from the townspeople. But with Josh gone, she no longer had to keep up the appearance of gaiety.

Debbie seemed to be the only one who noticed that her smile was tinged with sadness. On the way to the reception at the country club, she commented on it.

“You can fool everybody else, but you can’t fool me. I’ve been wanting to ask you all week, but good manners kept my mouth shut. What in the devil’s wrong with you and Josh Butler?”

“It’s over between us, Debbie.”

“You’ll never make me believe that in a million years. I saw the two of you onstage together. You looked like the perfect loving couple.”

“Looks can be deceiving.” Hallie turned into the country club parking lot.

“Land, I hope not. I’m just selfish enough to want to see a romance work out between two of my favorite people in the world.”

“It would take a miracle.”

“I saw a miracle tonight when those special children performed. Maybe the Lord has two up his sleeve.”

 o0o

The children and their guardians and volunteer chaperones already were assembled in the ballroom when Hallie and Debbie arrived. So was Josh Butler. He was the first person Hallie saw, standing at the far side of the room, head and shoulders above the crowd. She’d picked him out mainly because of his hair. She could spot that golden glow anywhere.

She tried very hard to maintain a friendly detachment, but every nerve in her body was attuned to him. In spite of her efforts, she could do nothing except stand beside a potted palm holding a punch cup someone had stuffed into her hand, and stare at Josh. When he looked her way and smiled, she had to squelch the urge to run across the room to him. She longed to touch him, to hold him. She ached to love him, to belong to him.

A bold idea suddenly came to her mind. Wouldn’t it be lovely if she could toss a lasso around him, the way she would a young bull, and drag him to the altar? She was tempted. Right there in the middle of the country club in Florence, Alabama. Wouldn’t it be a sight? It might even become a legend equal to the one about Debbie running over the jailhouse.

She threw back her head and laughed.

Across the room Josh was encouraged. The seed of hope, planted in the theater, began to take root. Excusing himself from his companion, he started the long trek to Hallie’s side.

“I love the song your children sang to me, Hallie.”

“Weren’t they great?”

“Yes. And so were you.”

“Debbie has been a tremendous help.”

“I’m sure she has. You haven’t been riding with her, I hope.”

“I’ve done more dangerous things in my life. But no, I do all the driving. Or sometimes she gets Pet to bring her to the theater.”

Small talk, he thought. He and Hallie had been reduced to small talk. Looking down at her, his pulse raced. He wanted to shout
I love you
. But then what? He couldn’t hold out a false hope to her. He had to be very certain.

“Hallie, how’s your family?” He’d drag the small talk out all night if he could. It was the only excuse he could think of to keep her at his side.

“Hannah is still training her huskies for the Yukon Quest, Paul and Mattie are camping with their brood, Tanner is boring everybody in Dallas with tales of his latest daughter, and Jacob is lord-only-knows where.” She gave him a bright smile. “Shall I go on? My family is so big, this could take all night.”

“That’s what I was hoping.”

He saw the flush that came into her cheeks.

“We used to occupy our nights in other ways, Josh.”

“The memory of that haunts.”

The look they exchanged was hot. The air between them crackled with the tension of barely controlled passion. Hallie’s tongue flicked out and wet her lips. Josh lifted his hand and touched her hair. A dark curl wrapped round his finger.

“Hallie—”

“Telephone for you, Mr. Butler.”

Josh glanced around at the man who had spoken, Glen Melvin, the bartender.

“The man said it was about your brother. It sounds urgent.”

“Go quickly, Josh.” Hallie squeezed his arm. “And good luck.”

Josh wheeled away and hurried to the phone.

“This is Ronnie, down at the Blue Half Moon. It took me a while to find you, but I thought you’d want to know. George is down here. He’s on top of one of the tables now giving his famous scientific lecture on the mating habits of frogs.” Josh could hear Ronnie’s chuckle. “Complete with sound effects. He’s got that mating call down pat.”

“I’ll be right there, Ronnie.”

“I hope I did right. I hated to disturb you, but I didn’t want to have to bring in the police. They’d have slapped a drunk and disorderly charge on him. Mr. George is a fine man if he’d just learn to control his liquor.”

“You did the right thing, Ronnie. Thank you.”

Josh’s newly planted hope withered on the vine as he hurried from the country club. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of red. Hallie. But he never even glanced her way. Amputation was best done quickly. The agony of cutting her completely out of his life lasted all the way to the Blue Half Moon.

Hallie saw him go. She’d hoped he’d come by with some word, but he’d walked right out the door without so much as a nod in her direction. If she needed any more evidence that he’d meant every word he’d said on Whippoorwill Bluff, she’d gotten it.

Putting a smile on her lips, she turned away from the door and spent the rest of the evening showing off her special children to the crowd.

 o0o

Early the next morning she called Tanner.

“Did I wake you? This is Hallie.”

His boom of laughter made her feel good. “These days I’m awake at five every morning. Little Sarah demands her breakfast early.”

“How is she?”

“She’s a beautiful sweetheart. Just like my two other women.”

“And how are they?”

“If Mrs. Donovan were any more incredible, I’d have to be fighting duels. And Anna is her usual intrepid self. She thinks her baby sister is her own private property.”

“I can’t wait to see all of you.”

“Does that mean you’re coming to Dallas?”

“Yes. Next weekend. What’s going on out there? Any rodeos?”

“I thought you’d finally gotten that out of your system.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Rick Johnson’s planning a big one. He’s calling it the Texas Roundup.”

“Enter me in the women’s bull riding.”

“Can’t I talk you out of it, Hallie? One day you’re going to ride one bull too many.”

“I need it, Tanner.”

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

Hallie sighed. She’d never been able to fool her brother, even on the telephone. “Nothing a little excitement won’t cure.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure about the rodeoing. I’m not so sure about the cure.”

“If you need me, I’ll fly out. Big brothers have good shoulders to cry on.”

“And take you away from your family? No, thank you. I’ll be fine. See you next week.”

 o0o

Monday she and Debbie began preparations for the launching of the Adoptive Grandparents’ program. Hallie worked so hard that she didn’t have time to think. It was best that way, she decided.

On Friday morning the first eager grandparent walked through the theater door. Hallie hurried forward to greet the woman.

“I’m so glad you could come. I want you to meet all my special children.”

She escorted the woman, Mrs. Landford, to the front where her special children were gathered. For the occasion all twenty-five children had come to the theater at the same time, scrubbed and dressed in their best, smiling their shy and winning smiles.

Love them
, Hallie silently pleaded to Mrs. Landford. See their big hearts instead of their handicaps. She need not have worried. Little Billy Jones, with his IQ of fifty and his loving quotient of 150, rose from his seat and took Mrs. Landford’s hand.

“Miss Hallie said we’d have grannies. Are you going to be my granny?”

Mrs. Landford knelt so she would be eye level with the child. “I certainly am, darling. What’s your name?”

“Billy. Just plain Billy.”

Eager volunteers came into the theater in a steady stream. Hallie and Debbie bustled around, introducing them to the children, watching to note any special bonds that were being formed, trying to match the right child with the right grandparent.

All the while, Hallie kept glancing toward the door. Would Hiram Butler come? For Josh’s sake, she hoped so. At ten-thirty she gave up looking.
It’s too late, now.
He’s not coming.

She smiled bravely as she started serving the punch and cookies.

A shaft of sunlight spilled into the theater. Hallie glanced up, and there was Hiram Butler, standing uncertainly in the doorway. She set down the tray of cookies and went to greet him. Taking his hand between hers, she said, “Mr. Butler, I’m so glad you came.”

“I didn’t really plan to, Miss Donovan, but then I got to thinking. Coming to my house the way you did was an uncommon act of bravery. Most folks in Florence give me a wide berth.”

She laughed with sheer joy. “I’ve ridden Brahman bulls, Mr. Butler. You don’t scare me.”

“I could see that. And you know something? I kind of liked it.” Unconsciously, he straightened his shoulders. “After that last speech of yours, I didn’t know whether you’d have me or not.”

She was filled with compassion. He’s nothing but a frightened old man, she thought.

“Jubilee has room for everybody.” She led him toward her children and started introducing him. Unlike Mrs. Landford, he hung back, not saying much. With a shock, Hallie realized he was shy, nearly as shy as most of her children.

Nothing seemed to be working. The children stared in silent awe at the tall, taciturn man in their midst.

She despaired. As much as she wanted Hiram Butler to succeed in this venture, she knew she couldn’t spend all her time with him. In fact, Mrs. Landford was at her side, asking for her attention. Giving Hiram Butler one last glance, she followed Mrs. Landford and became involved in a discussion about future plans for the program.

She was free thirty minutes later. As she started across the room toward Debbie, she noticed Hiram Butler. He was standing apart from the crowd, sipping punch and watching the proceedings with a wary eye.

Suddenly nine-year-old Jenny approached him. Shyly she held out her small fist. Hallie was close enough to overhear what she said.

“Want some gum?” Her speech was halting and uncertain.

Hiram bent his head slightly. “What kind of gum is it?”

“It makes bubbles.” She unfolded her hand and held up the round piece of gum, already unwrapped.

Hallie expected to see Hiram give some excuse and hurry off. Instead he lifted the gum from the child’s sticky palm.

“I used to blow bubbles.” He broke the gum in half. “Why don’t we share?”

“Miss Hallie says to share.” Jenny’s eyes, slanted from Down’s syndrome, would never grow round with wonder, but they sparkled brightly as Hiram handed her half the gum and put the other half in his mouth. Watching each other solemnly, they softened the gum and both blew a bubble. Jenny giggled. Hiram smiled.

Then, as Hallie watched, Hiram Butler, who hadn’t thought of another human being in twenty-five years, squatted beside Jenny and put his arm around her shoulders.

“I’m glad you shared your gum with me, Jenny.”

He looked up to see Hallie watching them. Silent tears were streaming down his face. Unashamedly he wiped them away.

“Thank you, Miss Donovan.”

“Call me Hallie.”

She wouldn’t have taken a million dollars for the tears in Hiram’s eyes and the smile on Jenny’s face. Her only regret was that Josh wasn’t there to share it with her.

 o0o

When she’d waved the last of her children and their newly adopted grandparents goodbye, she and Debbie headed home. Then she loaded the El Dorado with her dogs and her duffel bag, rammed her Stetson on her head, and started out to Texas.