Читать книгу Lakeside Sweethearts - Lisa Jordan - Страница 13

Chapter Four

Agnes parked her restored 1964 Dodge Dart convertible in front of the James family cabin by the lake, shut off the engine and tossed her scarf onto the red vinyl passenger seat. She slid out from behind the wheel and slammed the door, the sound echoing along the hillside.

The afternoon wind stirred the pines, maples and oaks cradling the cabin. The upturned leaves and air saturated with humidity signaled rain close at hand.

She crossed the gravel parking area and faced the log cabin that had been in the James family for over one hundred years.

Decades of sunshine aged the hand-cut logs to a weathered gray. She climbed the three wide steps, passed the black rocker by the door and lifted the duck-shaped door knocker on the russet-stained pine door.

“It’s open,” a deep voice boomed from inside.

Agnes opened the door and sucked in a breath tinged with paint solvent and coffee. “Hey, Pete.”

Pete James glanced over his shoulder, then turned back to the large canvas resting on a wooden easel standing in front of the window facing the lake. “Agnes Joy, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Dressed in khaki shorts and a red T-shirt, he held a splattered palette in one hand and brandished crimson paint against the canvas like an expert swordsman. He wore a James & Son Insurance baseball hat backward on his head, covering his cropped salt-and-pepper hair.

Agnes crossed the hardwood floor and dropped a kiss on his whiskered cheek. “Ian’s caught up with a client and asked if I’d swing by and pick up Griffin for him. They’re leaving for Vanderfield in about forty-five minutes.”

“Bubba’s in the yard, playing fetch with Amos.” He nodded toward the window where Griffin threw a yellow tennis ball overhand. The golden retriever leaped in the air and caught the ball in his strong jaws.

“Missed you at Mama’s birthday yesterday.”

“Give Mary my best.” He offered no other explanation for his absence. Instead he continued to paint.

“What are you working on?”

“Cowboy in a canyon. Trying to steal as much natural light as I can before the cloud cover takes it away.”

“It’s quite muggy out there.”

“Rain’s in the forecast.”

She didn’t come to talk about the weather. Picking up Griffin was a decent excuse to try and get Pete to see some reason. Her nerves cinched the loose knot in her stomach.

“Pete, when we moved to Shelby Lake, you helped Daddy dry out, giving us a second chance at being a real family.”

“Agnes Joy, I love your company, but if my family sent you to change my mind, you’d best grab Bubba and head on your way.”

Just like Pete to speak his mind.

“Are you kidding? If Ian knew I was talking about this, he’d be madder than a wet hen. I’m just saying without you, Daddy would’ve struggled to stay sober.”

“Chuck was tougher than you think, Agnes.” Pete set down his brush to reach for his coffee cup. “The choice was his.”

“Agape House can be the second chance Zoe needs to turn her life around—like my daddy did.” Agnes pressed her back against the windowsill, enjoying the warm air whispering across her neck. “How can you turn your back on your daughter?”

“Ever hear of tough love, Agnes?”

“There’s tough love, and there’s rejection.”

She spied a stack of canvases leaning below the window. Without asking for permission, she flipped through them, stopping at the last one that showed two sets of hands—larger ones cupping a smaller set that held a butterfly. Recognizing the wing-shaped birthmark on the smaller hand, Agnes realized Pete had painted Zoe’s hands.

Oh, Pete...

Staring at the canvas, Pete wiped his hands on a rag, then walked to the window. With his back to her, he stared out at the trees and the lake.

“When I was a little older than Bubba, my parents died on Christmas Eve because they were too drunk to drive and decided to walk home. Instead they passed out in a snowbank and froze to death. No matter how many times they promised to change, they didn’t. Made me realize words were meaningless without actions to back them up.”

“Oh, Pete, I can’t even imagine.” Tears filled Agnes’s eyes. “You were a kid—you couldn’t have changed your parents. But you can help others get their lives back on track now.”

Pete whirled around, his eyebrows raised and his lips thinned. “People don’t change, Agnes. They tell you what you want to hear. Then the minute temptation strikes, they’re back to screwing up their lives again. Char and Ian will pour themselves into that place only to end disappointed when those women fall back into their old habits.”

“Give your family this chance to prove Zoe can turn her life around.”

“And when she doesn’t? What then? She’ll end up back behind bars, but she will have destroyed my wife, my son, my grandson...I can’t take that chance. I need to protect them.”

“How much protecting are you doing by holing up here instead of trying to work things out with your wife?”

A muscle jumped in the side of Pete’s jaw. He looked at her. “When did you get so sassy?”

“I’ve always been sassy, Pete. Much to my mama’s shame. You’re scared...nothing wrong with admitting it. Just don’t let that fear keep you from missing out on the incredible blessings God has in store for your family. I promise you—that’s one regret you will be responsible for.”

Amos barked from the porch a second before Griffin flung open the screen door and crashed into the room. “Agnes, what are you doing here?”

She blinked rapidly to dismiss the evidence of her emotions and stretched a Texas-sized smile across her face. With purposeful strides, she crossed the room and flung an arm around his sweaty shoulders. “I came to pick up the cutest boy in the county and take him back to his uncle.”

“Let me know when you find him.” The kid smirked as he headed for the sink. He filled up a glass with water, drank half, then poured the rest in Amos’s dish next to the stove.

His dark hair plastered to his sweaty head. Dirt skimmed his legs below the hem of his red basketball shorts. His yellow Shelby Lake Lions Soccer T-shirt had a tear in the hem. Not the best duds to wear to see his mama. Maybe he had time for a quick shower.

As if reading her mind, Pete nodded toward the staircase. “Hey, Bubba, grab a quick shower and put on clean clothes, but make it snappy because Agnes needs to get you back.”

“Okay, Grandpa. I bet I can be back down in five minutes, Agnes.”

“Take time to wash.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

He scampered up the steps with Amos on his trail.

Before Agnes could resume her conversation with Pete, tires crunched in the driveway. A minute later, footsteps thumped on the porch; then Ian filled the doorway, a frown creasing his forehead. “What gives, Red? I thought you were meeting me to drop off Griffin.”

She glanced at her watch and swallowed a groan, then nodded toward Pete, who had his back to them. “I was talking with Pete and lost track of time.”

Ian’s eyes narrowed and a muscle jumped in the side of his jaw. He dropped his voice to a whisper. “About what?”

“The weather...rain is in the forecast.”

“Where’s Bubba? We need to get going.” He didn’t acknowledge his dad.

How could those two be in the same room and not say as much as a “hello”?

Agnes sighed and her eyes darted toward the staircase. “He’s in the shower but promises to be down in five.”

“Fine. I’ll wait outside.” Ian turned and pushed through the door.

“Ian...” She tossed a glance at Pete, who exhaled loudly and removed his ball cap to rake his hands through his hair. Feeling torn, she ventured onto the porch to check on Ian.

She found him around the corner, leaning on the railing. She touched his shoulder. “You okay?”

“Fine.” The flared nostrils and thinned lips betrayed his words.

“I didn’t mean to lose track of time.”

“Don’t sweat it. I can make up the time on the road.” He stared at the lake but clenched his jaw. “Did you and Dad have a nice little chat...about the weather?”

She refused to let his sarcastic tone ruffle her feathers. She crossed her arms and pressed her back against the railing. “Did I fight your battles? No. Did I stir the hornet’s nest? Maybe. We’re in this together, Ian. So stop your sulking, because you asked me to be a part of this.”

She longed to ease the worry and frustration from his brow. Pete and Ian shared many traits, including their stubbornness. She just hoped they’d come to a compromise before their family fell apart.

* * *

Little boys should be spending Saturday mornings eating sugary cereal while sprawled in front of the TV or kicking a soccer ball across the field. Not riding three hours to visit their mother in prison.

Griffin stared out the backseat window. Ian could only imagine what he’d thought of this trip every other Saturday for the past four years.

At least they didn’t have to make the trek alone.

He glanced at Red sitting in the passenger seat. “Sorry for being a jerk earlier. Thanks again for coming with us.”

“You’ve thanked me three times now. I get it—you’re appreciative...or else a big chicken to come by yourself.” She smiled to show she was teasing.

No, that wasn’t it...he simply wanted to spend as much time with her as he could.

And he did feel badly for acting like a jerk at the cabin. But that wasn’t her fault. Dad wouldn’t even look him in the eye like a man and say hello. But then he didn’t make much of an effort to greet him either. So they were both to blame.

Ian tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he approached the front gate of Vanderfield Women’s State Correctional Institution. He shifted the engine into Park and reached for his wallet. “I need your driver’s license.”

“I know the drill. Not my first rodeo.” She reached for her purse, dug the card out of her wallet and handed it to him.

He took it, then snagged Griffin’s state ID card out of the cup holder and handed all three IDs to the stern gray-uniformed guard.

Without a smile, the man checked their names against his visitors’ clipboard. He handed them back to Ian, then buzzed the front gate. “Have a nice day.”

“You, too.”

The gates slid back, allowing Ian to drive down the familiar lane to the visitors’ parking lot in front of the prison that looked more like an old college than a correctional facility. Except for the snipers in the watchtowers and the rolled razor wire atop the high electric fencing surrounding the compound.

As soon as Ian shut off the engine, Griffin unbuckled his seat belt and scampered out the back door. Red rounded the front of the SUV and joined them. She ruffled Griffin’s hair. “Ready to go?”

“Yes. Did I tell you Mom’s training a new dog?” Griffin shielded his eyes as he looked at Red and shared about his mother’s participation in the prison’s canine training program.

“No, you didn’t. What kind?”

“A yellow Lab named Otis. She’s had him for two weeks. He sleeps with her and everything.”

“That’s cool. How long will she train this one?”

“She said eight weeks altogether.”

“Have you seen him yet?” Red finger-combed Griffin’s hair away from his face and straightened the collar on his red polo shirt.

“Nah, but Mom described him in her letter.”

“Let’s get inside so you can see him.” Placing a hand at the base of Griffin’s neck, Ian guided him toward the visitors’ entrance.

Inside the door, they emptied their pockets. Ian dropped his wallet, phone and car keys in a bin. Agnes placed her purse in another bin. They allowed Ian to keep three dollars in change to buy snacks while visiting Zoe.

Griffin ran ahead and pulled on the heavy glass door that opened into the visitors’ area.

Cinder block walls painted tan, green vinyl-covered chairs and several scarred wooden tables filled the room. Inmates and their families sat at most of the tables. Griffin scuttled to their usual place in the corner closest to the snack machine and pulled out a chair, its feet screeching against the gleaming tile floor.

Ian gave their names to the guard standing watch near the entrance to the prison cell blocks. He placed his hand on the small of Red’s back and guided her toward the table where Griffin sat on the edge of his chair, bouncing his knee and keeping his eyes glued to the door leading to the cells.

The kid’s excitement at seeing his mom made Ian more determined than ever to get Agape House up and running.

About five minutes later, a door buzzed.

Zoe entered the room with Otis, the new yellow Lab Griffin mentioned his mom training as part of her role in the prison’s dog training program for almost three years.

“Mom!” A grin crossed Griffin’s face. He bolted out of his chair, but Ian caught him around the waist and pulled him back.

“You have to stay at the table. Remember? We can’t break the rules.”

“Sorry. I just want to give her a hug.” His bottom lip popped out.

Red draped an arm around his shoulders. “As soon as she comes to the table, you can.”

With her dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and wearing the issued prison orange and tan slip-on shoes, Zoe hurried to their table and commanded Otis to sit.

Griffin pushed off Red’s arm and flung himself at his mother. Zoe crushed him against her chest and buried her face into his neck. She brushed his hair off his forehead and kissed his temple, tears glazing her eyes.

Ian blinked back the wetness that warmed the backs of his eyes and swallowed the lump clogging his throat.

Their greetings and departures got to him every time.

Red reached for his hand and squeezed gently. He returned the gesture, thankful for the hundredth time she had agreed to join them today. He hated these trips, but he’d do it for Griffin and Zoe.

Ian caught the scowl marring the guard’s face. They discouraged prolonged physical contact. What damage could a kid hugging his mother do? But they needed to play by the rules so they could keep visiting.

He caught her in a hug, then disengaged Griffin’s arms from around his mother’s neck. “Come on, Bubba. Let your mom sit.”

After giving Red a quick hug, Zoe sat on one side and they sat across from her, as was procedure. A hug at greeting and one at departure, but no physical contact during the visit.

Ian didn’t need to look under the table to know Zoe had her hands balled into fists in her lap. Her eyes drank in Griffin’s appearance, longing creasing her face. Longing that made him even more determined to bring his sister home. While Griffin filled his mom in on what was happening at school and with soccer, Ian waited for a pause in their conversation to bring up the latest with Agape House.