Читать книгу The Forever Family - Leigh Bale - Страница 11

Rachel awoke to the smell of bacon frying. She opened her eyes, blinking at the bright sunlight filtering through the lacey curtains in Gladys’s living room. The snow had stopped.

Turning her head, Rachel saw Danny and another boy she assumed was Charlie sitting together in the recliner next to the Hide-A-Bed. The boys giggled, their legs dangling over the seat as they stared at her.

“See? I told you she’d wake up soon,” Danny told the other boy.

She smiled, unable to resist the merry twinkle in Charlie’s eyes. “Good morning, boys. How are you?”

“Fine,” Danny responded.

“You slept in.” Charlie’s freckled nose crinkled.

Rachel stretched, finding her body stiff and sore from the accident. Thinking about her crumpled car made her groan. “What time is it?”

Charlie shrugged, raking his short fingers through the unruly mop of red hair falling over his brow. “I don’t know.”

Danny glanced at the cartoon character watch Alex gave him for his sixth birthday. “Almost eleven o’clock.”

Wow! She had slept in, but they’d gone to bed so late.

“Good morning! Are you hungry?” Gladys called from the doorway of the kitchen. She wore her long chestnut hair curled and loose around her shoulders. Dressed in a red checkered apron, she clutched a plastic spatula in one hand.

Rachel sat up and slid her bare feet to the hardwood floor. Still dressed in the nightgown and bathrobe Gladys gave her the night before, she barely felt the cold in the snug house. “I am hungry, actually.”

“I laid out clean towels in the bathroom. Sam brought your bags in before he left.” Gladys pointed the spatula to where Rachel and Danny’s blue suitcases sat near the Hide-A-Bed.

“Where did he go?”

“He drove out to his place early this morning, to feed and water his livestock.”

“He was able to drive through the snow to Finnegan’s Valley?”

Maybe he’d give her and Danny a ride out to Grammy’s place. She hated to impose, but she had few options.

“Sure! A country doctor knows how to get around any impediment. His truck has 4-wheel drive with a plow blade attached to the front fender. If he gets stuck, there’s a snowmobile and an extra can of gasoline in the back.”

Hmm, impressive. Rachel stood and hugged Danny, breathing in his warm, sweet skin. She gave silent thanks they were safe. When she thought of what could have happened last night, she almost shuddered.

She didn’t recognize Danny’s pajamas and thought he must have borrowed them from Charlie. Both boys wore animal slippers, Charlie’s brown with floppy-eared dogs on the insteps, Danny’s yellow with ducks that squeaked when he walked. She reached to tickle the boys’ ribs with her good hand. Both of them squealed and scrambled away.

Charlie raced to the television set and flipped it on. “Hooray! Now your mom’s awake, we can watch cartoons.”

Both boys plopped down on a love seat and shared a red afghan for warmth. Charlie worked the remote control, flipping through channels.

Rachel watched her son, who seemed to accept their predicament quite well. In spite of the accident, it lightened her heart to see him so happy.

“While I finish making breakfast, why don’t you get ready? Sam should be back any time now,” Gladys told Rachel.

This information prompted Rachel into action. Running a hand over the blue bathrobe, she realized she didn’t want Dr. Thorne to see her like this. Why she cared about a stranger’s opinion, she refused to contemplate. Instead, she hurried to get ready.

Forty minutes later, she emerged from the steaming bathroom dressed in practical blue jeans and a warm sweater, her hair curled and her makeup in place. As she walked into the living room, she saw the Hide-A-Bed had been put away and Gladys had folded the quilts Rachel used the night before. Danny and Charlie now sat at the kitchen table wolfing down pancakes and eggs.

“I know it’s several days away, but why don’t you and Danny share Sunday dinner with us?” Gladys said.

“Oh, we couldn’t impose.”

“Nonsense. You’ll need time to get settled. I always fix Sunday dinner over at Sam’s place. He has a huge kitchen.” Gladys stowed the pile of sheets and blankets in a hall closet.

Rachel hesitated. She didn’t feel up to cooking much right now. But she wasn’t certain what she thought of having dinner at the doctor’s home.

“Stop worrying.” Gladys squeezed Rachel’s good arm. “You can invite us over to your house later. Now, come have something to eat. You must be starved.”

Rachel followed Gladys into the cozy kitchen. She sat at the table, feeling lazy and confused by Gladys’s generosity.

“We’ve already blessed the food, so dig in,” Gladys said.

“Sam says our car got totaled in the crash.” Danny spoke with both cheeks bulging.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, son.” Rachel wished he hadn’t reminded her of their ruined car.

“Yes, I saw it. What’ll you do for transportation?” Gladys stood at the stove, stirring scrambled eggs.

Rachel looked down at her plate, noticing the small blue corn flowers swirling around the outer edge. The Lord would provide for them. She had to trust in Him. “I’m not sure.”

“How are you fixed for money?”

Wow! Gladys was certainly blunt.

“We’ll get by.”

“We’re looking for a receptionist over at the clinic. Do you need a job?” Gladys sat down with her own plate of food.

“I, uh, yes I do.”

But at a veterinarian clinic? She squeezed her left forearm, touching the scars beneath the fabric of her sweater. She swallowed, hating to admit dogs scared her to death. Ever since she was eleven years old and a dog belonging to a neighbor had attacked her. She figured goldfish were harmless enough.

“Can you type?” Gladys asked.

“Absolutely!” No more than forty words per minute, but she’d taken some evening classes at the community college in Rochester. She wasn’t fast, but she knew word processing and spreadsheet programs. How hard could it be?

“Sam wants someone with lots of receptionist skills. The last gal he hired couldn’t even type. If you want the job, I’d have to get his approval, first.”

“That’d be great.” If only he agreed. A laugh of relief bubbled up in Rachel’s throat. She might have a job. Working in a vet clinic wasn’t what she had in mind, but her options were pretty slim.

Gladys didn’t look at her as she took a bite of syrupy pancake. Rachel got the impression the other woman tried not to smile. “I’ll warn you, it’s a busy office.”

“Sam mentioned you work there, too.”

“Yep.” Gladys nodded. “We were both raised on a ranch. After my husband died, I brought Charlie to Finley and Sam put me back on my feet. He gave me a fresh start.”

“My husband died last year and I miss him terribly.”

“Oh, you’re a widow, too. I’m sorry.” Gladys’s eyes crinkled. “No wonder we’ve become fast friends. We have a lot in common.”

Tears burned Rachel’s eyes and she looked away. Her sudden emotions ambushed her. The pain of losing Alex still felt raw. Yet the kindness and generosity of these strangers gave her hope that she and Danny could make it here on their own.

A thud sounded outside on the back porch. The kitchen door opened and Sam came inside with a burst of chilly air.

The moment he entered the room, Rachel felt his presence like a tangible thing. She couldn’t understand why the doctor would have such an effect on her.

“Brrr! Close that door.” Gladys reached to help him off with his heavy coat.

Sam closed the door before removing the beatup cowboy hat from his head. His short, dark hair curled against the nape of his neck. He set his damp gloves on the washing machine, his cheeks and nose red. He smiled, his gaze sliding over to Rachel. “It sure is pretty outside. You boys want to play in the snow?”

“Yeah!” Danny and Charlie answered in unison.

Sam chuckled. “Then you better get dressed.”

Charlie hopped off his chair and raced toward his bedroom followed by Danny. Rachel heard the slamming of a door. Whoops of glee and copious amounts of laughter filtered down the hall.

“You’d think it was Christmas morning.” Gladys chuckled as she handed Sam a plate of food.

He turned and paused. Rachel felt the weight of his gaze as he stared at her bare toes. Standing, she helped Gladys fill the sink with sudsy water. Sam sat and reached for the butter. “The snow’s deep, but we should be able to get out to your place this morning.”

Rachel paused as she dried a glass with a dish towel. “I’d really appreciate a ride.”

“Sam lives up the road from your place,” Gladys chimed in. “He can make sure your furnace is working.”

“Yeah, I’ll check things out.” Sam’s voice held no enthusiasm.

“You’ll need groceries, too. I packed some canned goods, but you’ll need to stop at Granger’s to pick up some milk and perishables.” Gladys jutted her chin in the direction of a large box sitting by the back door.

“You didn’t need to do that.” Rachel almost breathed an audible sigh of relief. She had a ride out to Grammy’s place.

“It’s no trouble.”

It’d been six weeks since Grammy lived in the house. Any number of things could have gone wrong. The power could have been knocked out or the old furnace might no longer work. Having Sam and Gladys accompany her out to the house brought her a measure of comfort.

When she glanced at Sam, Rachel couldn’t deny the surly set of his shoulders, nor the way he avoided meeting her eyes. Last night, he’d been kind, even gentle with her. Now, he seemed irritated. She couldn’t blame him. He probably had lots to do and resented a woman and kid taking up his valuable time.

“Have you got fuel for the furnace?” Sam asked.

“I don’t know.” Rachel hadn’t thought about that.

“I’ll check your propane tank. If not, I’ll call Shorty Keller and see when he can get his truck out there to fill the tank.”

“I can help you clean the house,” Gladys offered. “Sam’s a whiz with repairs. There’s nothing he can’t do. Isn’t that right, Sam?”

He mumbled an affirmative answer before taking another bite of food. His cheek bulged as he chewed, and Rachel took his silence as a good sign. There was no mistaking Gladys’s confidence in her brother’s abilities, but she felt uncomfortable asking for his help. Alex had difficulty installing child locks on the cupboards. He just hadn’t been good at fix-it jobs. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”

Gladys lifted her hand and waved the air. “Many hands make light work. It’ll be our pleasure to help.”

“Um, maybe I should get ready.” Rachel was as ready as she’d ever be, but she needed an excuse to get out of this kitchen before she burst into tears of gratitude. She cut through the living room and hurried into the bathroom, where she sat on the edge of the tub for at least five minutes before finally brushing her teeth.

Outside the window, she heard childish laughter in the front yard. She peeked past the flowered curtains and saw Danny and Charlie, both dressed in winter coats, scarves, hats, gloves and boots as they rolled snowballs to make a snowman. No doubt Danny had borrowed some of the clothing from Charlie. Her son’s smile melted her heart. She hadn’t seen him laugh like this since—

She sighed. They both missed Alex, and she was glad Danny had found a friend like Charlie. Exiting the bathroom, Rachel came up short in the living room when she heard Sam’s deep, disapproving voice. The exasperation in his tone was obvious. After listening for a few moments, Rachel realized she now had a bigger problem on her hands.

“I can’t believe you want to hire her as our receptionist.” Sam shifted his weight on the linoleum floor in the kitchen.

Gladys stood in front of the refrigerator, putting away the milk. Sam waited until she turned and looked at him, but he didn’t like the expression on her face. He knew that look. Her stubborn I’m-your-older-and-wiser-sister look.

“You put me in charge of hiring a new receptionist and I want to hire Rachel,” Gladys insisted. “She doesn’t have much experience, but she’ll do better than Tiffany.”

He almost groaned. Did she have to bring up Tiffany? The girl had been down on her luck, just like Rachel. Two months after he hired her, the girl absconded with all the money in his safe. Now he had a bad feeling about Rachel. Like knowing you were about to get hit in the jaw, but your hands were tied behind your back so you couldn’t protect yourself. “What are Rachel’s skills? Can she even type?”

Tiffany had used the hunt-and-peck method, typing with her two index fingers. Sam’s busy office needed a receptionist who could take charge and help out.

“Of course,” Gladys said. “And she knows word processing and spreadsheet programs. If I can learn, so can she.”

“What are her references?”

“Frank and Myra Duarte, two of the finest people I ever knew,” Gladys insisted. “I’ve always been a good judge of character, and that gal will do just fine for us.”

He took a deep breath, wondering if he’d ever find a way to tell his sister no. The fact was, he loved Gladys very much, but this was pushing him near the edge. Something about Rachel Walker tore at the deepest recesses of his heart. He’d noticed her pink-painted toenails, so feminine and attractive they made him crazy. He couldn’t explain it and didn’t want to try. If she were working in his office every day, always underfoot, always smelling like springtime, he sensed he’d have an internal fight on his hands before long. And he’d promised himself he’d never care for another woman again. His heart couldn’t take it.

He rolled his shoulders, trying to ease the tension there. “I don’t feel good about this, Glad.”

“What have you got against her?” Gladys brushed past him and reached for the laundry basket. He stared after her in a daze, watching dumbly as she folded towels and piled them neatly on the clean kitchen table.

“For one thing, she’s a complete stranger,” he offered lamely.

Gladys spoke without looking up, her fingers working nimbly as she matched pairs of socks. “She comes from good people, Samuel Nathan.”

Samuel Nathan. The name Gladys called him when she disapproved of something he’d said or done.

“But we don’t know anything about her,” he argued. “Her work ethic, her reliability, her integrity.”

“She needs a job. She needs our help. Do you want to just throw her out on the street?”

“Of course not, but I don’t want to take in strays and give her a job just because you feel sorry for her.”

Gladys pursed her lips. “She’s sweet as can be. Don’t you think it’s time you got over Melanie? That was years ago. You need to move on with your life.”

“This has nothing to do with Melanie.” A swell of anger washed over him. Even as he said the words, he knew it was a lie. His voice sounded strained as he spoke through gritted teeth.

“Oh, doesn’t it? You haven’t looked at another woman since. Not until last night.”

He snorted. “Stop matchmaking. I’m too old for Rachel.”

“Oh, pooh! She’s a widow and six years age difference between you doesn’t matter much.”

“Closer to nine,” he snarled. “Did she tell you she’s a widow?”

“Yep, and from the look in her eyes, she loved the man.”

Well. He felt sorry for her, then. He knew the pain of losing someone he loved and it never left his heart for one single minute. “She’s not working for us. Period.”

“Now, Sam—”

“I said no.” His soft words resonated through the kitchen like a shout. He rarely put his foot down with Gladys, but when he did, he meant it.

Gladys clamped her mouth shut, her lips pursed with disapproval. In her eyes, he saw disappointment and hurt, but he wouldn’t budge on this decision. He couldn’t take the chance.

Brooding silence followed.

The rattling of the bathroom door announced Rachel’s presence before she stepped into the kitchen. Sam stood at the door wearing his coat, hat and gloves. He held the doorknob in a choking grip, desperate to escape. He couldn’t help feeling as though he’d just ruined something beautiful. Like a delicate flower crushed beneath the heels of his work boots.

Rachel met his gaze with a challenging lift of her chin, and he hoped she hadn’t heard his conversation with Gladys. He felt ashamed for his lack of charity toward this woman. No doubt God would be disappointed in him again. But it was just one more notch on his conscience. Surely God couldn’t be any more disappointed in him than He already was. And yet, Sam couldn’t look away from Rachel. Something in her eyes held him captive. A sense of quiet strength he didn’t fully understand. She was vulnerable, he knew that. Even frightened. Yet, he could see in her eyes that she would do what had to be done, no matter what. For that reason alone, his respect for her grew.

“Ready to go?” she asked.

He exchanged a glance with Gladys. “Yeah.”

So much for not getting involved. He turned away, confused to his bones. One minute, he found himself attracted to this woman in ways he couldn’t explain. The next minute, he wanted to strangle her and she hadn’t done a single thing to him…except walk into his life and make him start to feel again. Old emotions he thought he’d suffocated twelve years earlier. He must set some boundaries.

“I’ll be waiting outside.” Sam picked up the box of groceries and juggled it as he pushed the screen door wide with his shoulder. It slapped closed behind him as he stepped out onto the back porch. Gladys closed the kitchen door, shutting out the frigid air.

Shutting out him.