The Happiest Season (19 page)

As he sat on his bed and tugged on his shoes, he considered
calling Maggie.  Would she want to go with him?  He suspected Rickey might
enjoy attending Sunday school.

He decided to broach the subject later, rather than call her
now.  It was early and he hated to wake her if she was sleeping.  He knew how
hard she worked both on the job and at home.  He marveled at how well she
managed to maintain a home when she had so much on her plate.

He felt his heart swell just thinking about her.  She was
everything a man could want in a woman, yet he sensed she wasn’t ready for a
serious relationship right now.  He could also sense she was torn about him, as
if trying to determine what her next move should be, or if she should be making
any move at all toward a relationship.

He knew better than to push, since he didn’t want to destroy
the trust he was building with her.  As a mother to a young son, she knew
better than to take any chances with Rickey’s well-being, and he respected her
for that.  He knew full well the only reason he’d gained any access into her
world was that he was the officer fortunate enough to receive the call from
dispatch about the camel.

Indeed, he would tread softly and carefully.  He knew in his
gut she was worth the wait.

Rising from the bed, he reached for the jacket he’d draped
on the back of a chair.  He was just shrugging into it when his phone rang. 

Who would be calling him early on Sunday?  Work?

“Hello.”

“Johnnie?”

He cringed.  It was Kim, and calling him ‘Johnnie’ meant she
wanted something.  He raked a hand through his hair.  “What is it, Kim?  I
don’t have much time.”

“I…”  She took a shuddering breath.  “I’ve left Alex.”

“What do you want me to say?” he asked tiredly, as he
checked the clock beside his bed.

“Johnnie, why do you sound so … unconcerned?”

“Because, Kim, I am.  You made a choice.  I’m afraid you’re
going to have to live with it.”

“But…”  She gave a sly laugh.  “You know that’s not true. 
Come over.  We’ll talk.  I know we can fix what went wrong between us.”

This time he laughed, and it was without humor.  “I’m not
interested, Kim.  Please hear what I’m telling you.  We’re done.  I’m talked
out.  I wish you the best.”

He hung up the phone and strode out of his bedroom.  He was
eager to get to church, and later, to go Christmas shopping with Maggie.  He
hoped she was as eager to spend the day with him.

As John pulled up to her house, Rickey was just bounding out
the front door and toward his friend, who had exited a small sedan.

When he spotted John, he detoured, and dashed to the curb. 
John was also driving his sedan, and Rickey stood beside the passenger door,
bouncing up and down.  “John, you’re here!” he cried eagerly.

“I’m here,” he concurred with a grin, as he closed the car
door and strode around the hood. 

Rickey practically launched himself into John’s arms.  He
hoisted him up with an exaggerated groan.  “Did you grow since I saw you last?”

“I did!  Gloria’s fudge gave me a growth spurt.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“You should eat some too!” Rickey told him.

John spotted Maggie then, as she walked toward them. 

“Do you want some fudge, John?” Rickey asked.  “Gloria
brought some over yesterday.”

“I do, but I’m afraid I’ll have a growth spurt too, if I
keep eating all the cookies and fudge at your house.”

“Are you getting taller too?” Rickey inquired.

“No, I’m getting rounder,” he answered.

Maggie reached them and appeared to assess John’s girth. 
“Yeah, right.  Why is it some men can eat goodies galore and never put on a
pound, but we women…”

He reached for her hand.  “You look perfect,” he told her. 
And she did look great in slacks and a white, cable knit sweater.

She colored slightly at the compliment, but tugged him
gently toward the other car.  Rickey’s friend’s mother had climbed out of the
sedan to greet them.

“Hello, Kathi,” Maggie called.  “Thank you so much for
picking Rickey up.  He’s so excited for today, he can hardly stand it.”

“John, I’m going to Kevin’s house,” he announced.  “We’re
going to play cops and robbers.”

John chuckled.  “Let me guess.  You’re going to be the cop.”

“Yep.”

John lowered the little boy to the ground.  “Be good,” he
told him.

“I will.”

“Kathi, this is John.  John, Kathi.”

“Good to meet you,” John said, and Maggie didn’t miss the speculative
glance Kathi sent his way.

“You too,” she answered, and then ushered both boys into the
backseat of the car.

Maggie leaned in and helped the boys into their booster
seats.  “Have fun, and be a good boy,” she directed to Rickey.

As the sedan pulled away from the curb, Maggie watched after
it.  She was actually grateful John was holding her hand.  It was difficult
letting Rickey go on a weekend, when she missed so much time with him during
the workweek.  She gave a sigh.

“He’ll be fine,” John assured her, though he had to admit to
himself, he also felt a tinge of worry watching Rickey being driven off.  He
suspected he would be a protective parent like Maggie if he had a child.

Maggie hesitated curbside and he kissed the top of her
head.  “We can always go after them.  He’d probably enjoy shopping with us.”

“Except I’m shopping for him,” she said with a smile.  “Of
course, it’s not as if he believes in Santa Claus...”

 John gave her hand a shoring squeeze and they walked toward
the house.  He stepped aside to allow her in first, and he followed, closing
the door behind them.

“I’ll get my coat,” she told him.

A couple moments later, they were sitting in his car and he
was pulling away from the curb.  Maggie sent him a hesitant glance.  She’d been
doing a lot of thinking about him, and had resolved to slow things down a
bit—though nobody could accuse her of rushing anything.  She certainly wasn’t
going to rush a physical relationship, since her belief system precluded it. 
She wondered how he would feel about that if they did embark upon a serious
relationship.

She suddenly wondered about John’s ex-wife.  He’d been
divorced one short year.  As such,
was
he even ready for a
relationship?  Was he even seeking one?  What did he want?

They’d known each other such a short time, it didn’t seem
appropriate to even pose the questions? 

He turned and caught her watching him with a questioning
gaze.

“Is everything all right?”

She nodded her head slowly.

“Did you need to ask me something?”

She took a deep breath and plowed ahead.  “I was wondering
if…”

“What?” he prompted with a smile.

She decided honesty was the best policy.  “I want to ask you
about your marriage, but it’s none of my business.  But too,” she said with a
shoring sigh, “I don’t want to hurt you by bringing it up.”

“Bring it up,” he said cheerily.  “What do you want to
know?”

“You told me before you’re over the end of your marriage.  Do
you … really feel as if you’re over … your wife?”

He didn’t hesitate to answer.  “Yes.”  When he turned to her
briefly and their eyes connected, she could see his eyes were clear and
sincere. 

“How can you be so sure?” she asked.

He sighed.  “Well, to be honest, it really wasn’t until
recently that I realized that I am definitely over my ex.”  She nodded, and he
continued.  “I’d be lying if I said she didn’t hurt me.  She did.  I have to
admit I’m pretty old fashioned when it comes to relationships—at least when it
comes to fidelity—or in her case, infidelity.”

Maggie gasped.  “She … cheated on you?”

“Yes.  Kim left me for the architect who helped us design an
addition to our house.”

“John, I’m so sorry.”

He reached for her hand.  “I was too—sorry for myself, that
is.  But then, I realized that Kim did me a favor when she left me for him. 
Our marriage wasn’t working out.  If anything, it was as dysfunctional a
relationship as I’ve ever been in.  I was just too stubborn and prideful to see
it.”

Maggie’s eyes widened.  As he spoke, she heard the
conviction in his tone. 

“Don’t get me wrong,” he said.  “I believe marriage is
forever, and I tried to repair the marriage.  I implored her to go to
counseling and I promised to make changes, but…”

“She wasn’t willing to give you a chance.”

“No.  She’d made up her mind, and frankly, at this point, I
realize it was for the best.  We just weren’t right for one another, and hadn’t
been from the beginning.”

“Do you worry about starting another relationship?”

When he suddenly pulled into a parking lot of a convenience
store, she eyed him curiously.

“I think we’re about to embark on a serious conversation, so
I’d rather park the car,” he explained.  When he turned off the car, he asked,
“Are you asking me if I think it’s too soon to start something with you?”

She colored at the question, and he took her hand.  “I know
what you’re thinking,” he said.  “You’re thinking I’m just out of a failed
marriage and haven’t dated.  I should tell you that I have.  I’ve been set up
on a couple dates by co-workers, but nothing came of them.”

For whatever reason, Maggie felt surprised, but relieved to
hear that.

“You’re thinking you’re about to become my transitional
relationship, or rebound relationship,” he said, while shaking his head.  “I
can promise you, that’s not the case.  What I feel for you is … different. 
Mature,” he added, and then laughed at himself.  “I do feel as if I’ve grown a
lot lately.  I know what I want.”

She remained silent, processing his words.  He took her
silence as cue to continue.

“And you’re thinking that if you were to fall for someone
else—me—” he said, “then you’re betraying your husband.  You were fortunate
enough to have a solid, loving relationship, and you’re wondering if you’ll
ever find that again.  And mostly, you’re worried about your little boy.  You
don’t want him getting too attached to anyone, and you’re regretting that he
met me, since it’s likely you would have postponed introducing your son to a
potential boyfriend until you were confident the relationship was heading
toward permanence—”  He stopped speaking when he saw that Maggie’s eyes were as
wide as saucers. 

“How did you know all that?” she asked in an awed whisper,
stunned at his grasp of the situation—her situation.  “Have you been talking to
Gloria?”

He laughed.  “No, but apparently you have.”  When her eyes
widened with alarm this time—as if she realized she’d said too much—he quickly
pulled her into a hug.  “I’m teasing you.  Of course you’re talking to your
friend.  You should be.  And since I get the vibe that Gloria approves of me, I
would encourage you to keep talking to her.”

Maggie laughed softly, and eased against him.  “I like you,
John.  I respect you, and…”

“And you think you may have deeper feelings for me, but
since we’ve really just met…”

She pulled back and met his gaze.  “You’ve been doing a lot
of thinking too.”

He nodded.  “I don’t want to rush into anything…”  He
abruptly shook his head.  “No, the truth is, I’d love to rush into something
with you.  I’d love for you to declare here and now that you love me, because
my heart of hearts tells me you’re the one for me.  But I know that’s not
realistic.  And I’m certainly willing to take things as slow as you need to.”

“If … we don’t end up…”

“Together?”

She nodded.  “I’m afraid of what it will do to Rickey.  He’s
so taken with you…”  She paused, but continued.  “He asked me recently if it
would hurt his daddy that he loves you.”

John’s heart gave a twist.  The truth was, he already loved
the little boy.  He knew that some men seemingly weren’t capable of loving step
children as their own, but he knew that he could.  He loved the idea of a
built-in family, and the idea of expanding that family.  And Lord knew, he
wanted all of it with Maggie and Rickey.

Maggie watched his face, noting the array of emotions
criss-crossing his face.  She braced for what was coming.

“Maggie, I promise you that no matter what happens, I’ll be
involved in Rickey’s life to the extent that you want me to, or that you’ll let
me.”  He smiled softly.  “He’s a great kid.”

Maggie smiled.  “He really is.  I’m lucky to have him.”

“And as I’ve said before, he’s lucky to have you.”

Maggie realized with a startling clarity, she and Rickey
were both lucky to have found John.

Maggie stood back from the rack of toys at the local
department store and considered each item.  Would Rickey prefer the remote
controlled fire truck or police car?