Her Unlikely Family (16 page)

“How did you know all that?” he asked.

“The nurses were bragging on you,” Lisa said. “And were drooling over you.” She rolled her eyes.

Having someone—two someones—believe in you was a heady thing. Even though he didn't deserve it, he basked in their praise.

Maybe, just maybe, with God's help, he would be able to take care of Lisa.

Once they arrived at Josie's, they decided she would watch Lisa overnight for practical reasons. He helped them get settled, then went home and fell into bed. He and Josie had prayed together for Lisa, and it had certainly helped calm him. But he missed the sound of the river rushing outside his motel room. Except for a few creaks, his new little house was too quiet to lull him to sleep at night.

So sleep eluded him. And when it did come, visions of Lisa in the basket of a bike, riding across the sky with Toto, haunted his dreams. He woke several times tangled in the sheets, thinking a house had fallen on him.

Somewhere before dawn, he finally gave up and decided that going for a run might rejuvenate him. He got out of bed, put on his running clothes, then hopped in his car and drove the streets around his house to measure a route. Once he had three-point-two miles mapped out, he went for the morning run he had missed on Friday while dealing with Lisa's grounding.

He found the hills made it harder than he'd expected, and could only do about two miles. But the change in routine didn't bother him as it once would have. He couldn't wait to tell Josie the news.

When he returned, it was still too early to head over to Josie's. He puttered around the house, imagining what it would be like to work from his home in Charleston. He could probably do a third of his work by telecommuting. Gary could take on more responsibility. Michael could drop quite a few civic positions. And he was on too many corporate boards. Rotating off those would cut down on travel.

Michael could go in to the bank while Lisa was at school. He could leave when it was time for her to come home, could work there in the afternoons. The plan truly had merit, and the more he thought about it, the more he liked it. He was surprisingly excited about getting back to work.

If he made those changes, he could let her live with him and go to a nearby school. Maybe she would feel as if she fit in better at a public school.

Considering so many changes shot his blood pressure up a few notches, but not sky-high the way it would have a week earlier. Thanks to Josie, he was more competent.

Thanks to Josie, he now knew what his priorities were.

But it would all be a balancing act. He still had to decide what to do about going back to meet with Tom Mason.

And what about Josie? Where would she fit in the picture?

J
osie had had a rough night. She was supposed to have roused Lisa every two hours. But instead, she'd poked and prodded the patient every few minutes all night long, scared to let her sleep at all. So, Josie wasn't in the best of moods when Mike showed up at seven that morning.

“How's the patient?”

Too exhausted to talk, she pointed him toward Lisa's room.

When he returned, he said, “Go to bed. I'll watch her now.”

He didn't have to tell her twice. She crawled off to bed to get some real sleep.

She woke two hours later, showered, then got dressed for church. While Mike was waking Lisa, the doorbell rang. Josie opened the door to find Officer Fredrickson and his wife, along with Bud and Regina. “Hi, come in.”

“I was at Bud's yesterday when Michael called looking for you,” Regina said. “How's Lisa?”

“I'd be fine if Josie hadn't kept waking me up all night,” the patient said as she walked out of her room, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

“We knew you were at the hospital late. Brought breakfast,” Bud said. He directed everyone to the kitchen while Josie introduced Mrs. Fredrickson to Mike and Lisa.

“We sure were worried,” Officer Fredrickson said as his wife helped Bud set up the food.

“It gave me a good scare,” Mike said. “Until she woke and asked if she'd won the race across the rocks.”

“He said I won. I got stitches. You wanna see 'em?”

“Not right now, Lisa. We need to eat so we can get to church on time. I hope you'll all stay to share this wonderful meal you brought.” Josie looked at Bud. “And to go to church with us.”

She'd invited him hundreds of times over the years. Never once had he accepted. She didn't expect him to now.

“Come on, Bud. You've got to hear Josie belt out the songs. It's totally embarrassing.” Lisa grinned at Josie, then gently rubbed her bandage.

Bud studied the pan of his famous cinnamon rolls as he took off the foil. “Well, now, I'm not sure I can resist that sight.”

Regina's eyebrows raised in surprise. She, too, had been working on Bud.

“Then let's all eat and caravan over to the church,” Mike said. He touched Josie's arm, giving it a little squeeze, then smiled at her. Apparently, he understood how much the acceptance meant to her.

“All those with sewn-up heads get to be first in line!” Lisa said as she began to pile food on her plate.

It had been ages since Josie had had people over for a meal. Granted, breakfast was a bit unusual. But it was nice to know she had such good, caring friends.

And that Bud would finally attend church with her.

Thank you, Lord, for working this miracle.

Before making her plate, Josie slipped over to the counter where her purse sat by the phone. She pulled out all the change she could dig up from her wallet and the bottom of her bag.

“Let me,” Lisa whispered. She took the change from Josie and dropped it in the thankful box.

 

They attended the morning worship service together. Lisa went without a fuss since she had the novelty of Bud along. She also wore clothes Mike approved of.

Bud acted nervous at first, but eventually relaxed enough to meet some of the members. He even said he would like to attend the following week. Josie couldn't have been happier.

After they dropped him and Regina off at the diner and arrived at home, Lisa went back to her room to supposedly rest. The house was comfortably silent, with just the faint sound of Lisa talking to her uncle Gary on the phone.

Josie forced herself to balance the checkbook. Mike sat at her computer desk, checking e-mails.

Lisa clanged the phone down. “It's too
quiet
out there. Shouldn't I hear kissing or something?”

“Quit goofing around and go to sleep,” Mike called back.

Josie walked to Lisa's bedroom. “You need some uninterrupted rest.”

“I'm not an invalid.”

“I guess you could clean the house.”

“Night, night.”

Josie winked at Lisa and pulled the door closed.

She returned to one end of the couch and snuggled under a blanket, then studied Mike at the computer. She could tell by his expression that he was working, not writing personal e-mails. His brow furrowed, and he had a near-frown on his face. For a moment, his typing became very brisk, and he punched at the keys as if angry.

“I wouldn't want to be the object of your wrath,” she said.

“It's a couple of employees who can't get along. Petty arguing infuriates me.”

She could relate. She'd seen it at the diner.

“How do you feel when you're at work?” she asked.

“Busy. Rushed.”

“No, I mean your feelings. Personal.”

He clicked a few more keys, then got up from the computer. He joined her on the couch, at the opposite end. Not too close. But not across the room in a chair.

He sighed. “Frustrated.”

“That's more what I'm talking about.”

After a pause, as if thinking, he said, “Uneasy. Almost as if I'm waiting for something bad to happen.” He laughed. “I never realized that before.”

“Do you get along with your dad and Gary at work?”

“Gary's fine. Dad, well, I guess we get along okay. I've found I dread when he shows up at my office, though. There's usually something wrong, some mess I have to straighten out.”

“Sounds stressful.”

“Believe it or not, it is. But there's a lot of the job I enjoy.”

“So you'll be the top dog when your dad retires someday?”

“That's been the plan.”

“Whose plan?”

He raised his brows at her. “My plan.”

She raised her eyebrows, questioning his answer.

“And my parents' plan. But it truly has been mine as well. Mainly because I've never considered anything else.”

“What about now? With Lisa and all,” she quickly added, afraid he would think she was asking in regard to herself.

“I have some ideas of how it might work. Need to do more thinking, though.”

“You'll figure out what you want to do, Mike. Keep praying about it.”

“How long have you had your plan to buy the diner?”

“I've always wanted to have my own business, to be my own boss. It's been my dream since I was seven and opened a root-beer stand.”

“Root beer?”

“I hated lemonade.”

He chuckled. “I see. Well, I'm sure you'll be successful.” He started to stand, then sat back down, looking as if he wanted to say something.

“What?”

“I can help you buy it sooner, you know. With financial backing.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Be practical, Josie. With a waitress's salary and tips, it'll take much longer.”

“It's my dream. I can handle it.”

“You're just being stubborn. If I'm in a position to help, why not let me?”

“Because then I'll feel like I have to run my business the way you want me to. It defeats the purpose of being in charge of my life, of succeeding on my own. Besides, it won't be much longer.”

“I'm talking about a business partnership. We'd be equal. I wouldn't tell you what to do.”

Why did the thought of a business partnership depress her? Because she was hopeful for another type of partnership?

She had a sudden craving to know every little detail about him. To find out what made him tick. “What about you, Mike? What's your dream? Not your plan. But your dream.”

A flicker of sadness crossed his features. He started to speak, then hesitated. “Honestly?”

“Of course.”

“I have no idea. Since I've been here, I've realized I never let myself dream.”

“How sad.”

“That's changing though, thanks to you. And to Lisa. But I still have a duty to my family. My job is more than just business.”

Yeah, and she could just imagine what his family would think of her inserting herself into their plan for Mike. She would be their worst nightmare for their eldest, their pride and joy.

She would never fit into his high-society life. And she didn't want to try.

But would he ever consider fitting into her world?

He scooted closer to her, then took her hand. He brushed his thumb over her knuckles. “I have to focus on Lisa right now, you know.”

“Of course. That's what I want.”

“I can't look too far ahead. I'm trying to take one day at a time.”

“Yeah, me, too.” His touch sent her heart racing, but his words sent her stomach plummeting. Was he trying to give her the brush-off?

“I can't see how everything will work out. But I want you to know I care for you. And I've asked God to give me direction.”

“I hope He does,” she said stupidly, unsure how to handle his admission.

“I know I sound indecisive. Believe me, it's a first, and it's driving me crazy.”

She nodded, unable to form words—probably a first for her, too.

“But I hope you'll trust me, that I want what's best for everyone.”

“I do trust you.”
I think. Maybe. But maybe not.
She faced him and gazed into his serious, so-tempting eyes. This man made her want to trust. More than any other man had before.

He grinned, a lazy, confident grin. “I'm not so sure you do. But that's okay for now. I plan to prove myself eventually. With God's help.”

What could God have planned? Was there some way He could work out a way for Mike and her to be together?

It would require a miracle, because Josie couldn't begin to imagine a way for it to be possible.

 

Josie made an excuse to dash off to the grocery store after their conversation. She was getting way too cozy and falling under his spell. She had to be stronger or she'd be a goner, lost to him just as her mother had lost herself to Josie's dad.

Mike sent her to the store in his car with his cell phone. He was afraid her car would break down and leave her stranded somewhere. As if she hadn't been perfectly safe for all the years before he'd shown up.

See, he's being overbearing already.

He cares about you,
a little voice in the back of her mind tried to tell her. But she wasn't buying it. He would suck her in with his caring and talk of trust. But she knew he was just caught up in the moment, in the sparks that flashed between them. When it came to introducing her to his family, he would bow out gracefully.

She was sure of the gracefully part. His breeding would demand it.

For the first time in years, she wanted to call her parents, to see if maybe her mom could offer some wisdom. Josie felt cheated at not having a woman she could count on over the years. Maybe it was time to forgive past hurts and see if her mom had changed.

Maybe her dad had even mellowed by now.

She pulled into the parking lot at a nearby market, making sure to park as far as possible from any other car. She was a nervous wreck driving a car that cost more than she made in three years, tips included.

Mike's cell phone beckoned. Did she even remember her old phone number?

The numbers sailed through her mind in perfect sequence as if she'd been dialing them every day for the past twelve years.

In all honesty, she'd thought about calling probably once a week, every week, for all those years. Which came out to…624 almost-phone-calls.

Had Mom and Dad ever once picked up the phone to try to locate her?

That didn't matter. What mattered was that she do what God had been urging her to do. To forgive them and make an attempt at healing.

Her fingers flew over the buttons; the phone rang once, twice, three—

“Hello?” a woman said.

“Mom?”

Silence.

“Is this still the Miller residence?” A sudden sob closed her throat.

“Josephine, is that you?”

“Yeah, Mom. It's me.” She swallowed back the runaway emotion. “How are you?”

“Oh, honey, it's so good—” she paused as if trying to compose herself, as well “—so good to hear from you. Is everything okay?”

“I'm fine, Mom. I'm living in Gatlinburg now.”

“I know. Do you like it there?”

“How did you know where I am?”

“We've kept up through your friends.”