by Jan Thompson
Marie had a feeling that Logan was trying to pry information out of her. His questions were invasive, pushing her to a corner.
“Did you get enough sleep?” Marie tried to deflect his interrogation.
“Don’t change the subject.” Logan threw down his napkin on the table.
By then, Jonas had gone downstairs to play by himself, something he was used to.
It was only eight in the morning, and already the divorced couple had argued—but at least it was away from their son.
“Many things aren’t adding up,” Logan said. “If you don’t tell me what’s going on, you can tell Esperanza I don’t want her people all over my property.”
“It’s for Jonas’s protection.”
“What about me?”
“You too.”
“You don’t trust me.” Logan threw down his napkin and walked out of the beautiful French kitchen that he had renovated six years before for Marie.
Minutes later, Marie heard the garage door open.
It had been twelve hours, and Logan hadn’t returned.
He had left her with Jonas.
“Mommy?” Jonas handed her a toy car. “A gift for you.”
It was a red sports car.
“For me?” Marie smiled as best she could.
“Uh-huh. When you go to work, you can think of me.” Jonas patted Marie on her shoulder.
Marie’s eyes watered. “I’ll carry it with me everywhere I go.”
“Good idea! You want another car? How big is your backpack?” Jonas looked around.
“This is enough. More than enough.” Marie put the car into the pocket of her shorts.
She didn’t hear anyone come into the playroom, but when she looked up, there he was, standing at the door and watching mother and son.
“You got a car too?” Logan asked. He was sipping a bottle of mineral water.
“Daddy, you’re home!” Jonas jumped up and tripped on the race track.
As if by instinct, Marie leapt into action and grabbed Jonas before he fell face first on the carpet.
“That was fast,” Logan remarked.
Marie didn’t say anything. She watched Jonas hug Logan. She had no doubt in her mind that Logan loved his son.
But does he love me still?
“What else can you do that we don’t know about?” Logan’s voice was icy cold.
“Are you picking a fight with the mother of your child in front of him?” Marie asked.
“I don’t know. Is this a fight?” Logan threw the empty bottle into a trashcan.
“I want to fight too!” Jonas tugged at Logan’s shirt. “I have boxing gloves.”
“It’s going to require more than boxing gloves.” Logan laughed. “Well, young man, it’s past eight o’clock at night. I assume you already had your dinner. It’s time for you to go to bed. We have church in the morning.”
“I want Mommy to tuck me in and pray with me,” Jonas said.
“Okay. After you brush your teeth and change into your pajamas.”
“I want Mommy to help me.”
Logan glanced at Marie. “If she knows what to do.”
Marie tried not to react.
“Of course Mommy knows what to do. We built this entire track all by ourselves.” Jonas waved his arms around to show Logan the extensive race track that spread from one side of the room to the other.
“You two got carried away, didn’t you?”
“Carried away?” Jonas looked puzzled. “We stayed right here in this room all day, Daddy. Nobody carried us away.”
Marie wondered how often Logan left Jonas with Mrs. Ping. Logan worked a lot, even when they had been married. Now, even more so with the new business transactions that Logan’s cousin Jared kept putting on his table.
Marie didn’t ask him about his work. She hoped Logan wouldn’t ask about hers.
But he had.
And he wasn’t satisfied with any answer she had given him.
Chapter Forty-Three
“Jonas, you be a good boy and take care of Daddy, okay?” Marie was sitting at the edge of Jonas’s full-size bed.
Her back faced Logan, so he could not see her face. He could clearly see Jonas. His head rested on the pillow, and he was wearing his favorite pajamas.
Logan kept his distance at the bedroom door, listening to every word.
“Mommy?” Jonas’s lips quivered. “Don’t go.”
“I’m still here tomorrow.”
“No, Mommy. Forever.” Jonas sniffled.
“I’ll be back soon.” Marie held her son’s hand. “Will you wait for me?”
Jonas nodded. “When will you come back?”
“Soon.”
“Christmas?” Jonas’s eyes brightened.
“I’ll try.”
“Try your best? Daddy said if you don’t try your best, you’re not trying enough.”
Marie nodded. “I always try my best. It’s very hard sometimes. I keep pushing on when I think of you.”
“What are you pushing on, Mommy?”
“I don’t know.”
“How do you not know what you’re pushing? Did you close your eyes?”
Valid question. Logan smiled.
“My job, I guess,” Marie said. “It’s very hard.”
“I have a job too,” Jonas said.
“Yeah?”
Jonas nodded. “Yeah. I play all day.”
“Is that a job?” Marie asked.
“Best job ever!”
Logan chuckled, giving away his presence.
Marie turned around. “Didn’t know you were there.”
“I was going to my room.” But he didn’t move.
“Daddy, will you pray with us?” Jonas pointed to the other side of his bed. “You sit there.”
And of course, Jonas insisted that they hold hands.
Marie’s hand was smooth and warm in his. Logan remembered all the good times they had.
And then the bad times.
He stiffened.
“Daddy, pray.” Jonas made a face at him.
Logan didn’t feel like praying, but if he let Marie do it, she might go for a short prayer, and then he would have to let go of her hand. He’d rather liked holding her hand right now.
He’d had a hard day. Sure, it was Saturday, but his cousin with the majority share of their company had gone and done the unthinkable: pour millions into a company whose CEO he had just met a month or two before.
There was nothing Logan could do to undo the process.
Except wait for a moment in the future to say, “I told you so.”
“Daddy?” Jonas asked.
“What?”
“Pray?”
Logan had no words.
God, forgive me. I am so lost as to what to do with my company, my business relationship with Jared, and with my wife—ex-wife—here.
Marie cleared her throat. “Close your eyes, Jonas.”
Jonas did, and so did Logan.
Marie squeezed his hand gently. Logan felt like she was saying, “It will all get better.”
But only God can make all things better.
“Lord Jesus,” Marie prayed. “Thank You for always being with us, no matter where we are in the world. You know all about us and yet You still love us. You care for us. You provide for us. You never let us down. You lead us to the green pasture beside still waters. You calm our nerves. You are our peace. We thank You for a wonderful week in Alaska. We thank You for family time. We ask that You give us all a good night’s sleep tonight. Help us get up bright and early to read the Bible and get ready for church. Thank You, God, for everything. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.”
Logan said amen.
Jonas didn’t say a word.
Logan opened his eyes to find Jonas fast asleep. He gently let go of his hand, and so did Marie. However, Logan did not let go of Marie’s hand, even though she tried pull it away.
“We need to talk,” he mouthed.
She nodded.
Logan closed the door gently. Outside the bedroom, Logan felt an urge to pull Marie toward him as he used to do when Jonas was a baby, but he didn’t. Instead, he led Marie downstairs to his home office.
“Your office?” Marie stopped short of entering it.
“You’ve seen it before, but I figured that if we talk in my office, it will be more businesslike.” Logan opened the door to let Marie in. “That way, you won’t think I have ulterior motives. Let’s clear the air once and for all, like two logical persons talking business.”
“What business might you be referring to?” Marie sat down in one of the armchairs surrounding a coffee table.
“I don’t know. CIA. State Department. INTERPOL. Take your pick.” Logan sat down in the other armchair across from Marie. That way, they faced each other.
Marie looked stunned.
“You thought I don’t remember that night in Alaska. I remember more than you think.”
“All that is not your concern.”
“And that’s how it all began.” Logan leaned back. His arm itched in the cast.
“If I tell you anything, you and Jonas will be in danger.”
“Ah. A threat.”
“Not mine, I can assure you that.” Marie’s voice remained calm, but Logan knew he would be pushing her buttons tonight.
“External pressure, you’re saying.”
“I can’t say anything.”
“Either way, we’re already in danger. Remember Wednesday night at sea?” Logan reminded her. “They know us now.”
Marie looked away. “I’m sorry about that.”
“If your work is so dangerous, or puts our son in danger, then do you think we should make a new agreement for you never to see Jonas again?”
“What?”
“How else do we protect him?”
“Espy’s team—”
“No. That won’t last. How much do you think her team costs?”
“You’re not paying for it.”
“She is for now. But at some point in time, it will no longer be cost-effective. Then what?”
“If we find Buchanan, then it will be over,” Marie said.
“What will be over?”
“This nightmare.”
“What nightmare?”
Marie didn’t reply.
“Tell me, Marie,” Logan pleaded, but he couldn’t give up now. “I deserve that much.”
“We’re no longer married to each other.”
“This tore us apart.”
“Did it?” Marie looked puzzled.
Logan stared.
“What?” Marie asked.
“Jonas makes that face too. Usually when he’s halfway irritated or confused or both.”
“Huh.” Marie got up. “Well, I’m tired. It’s been a long day. I’d like to go to bed. We have church tomorrow, as you said.”
“It’s only nine o’clock.” Logan pointed to his watch.
“For you, maybe. But I need to reset my clock to Paris time.”
“When can we talk about this?” Logan felt defeated.
“If we find Buchanan and I quit my job, maybe soon. Otherwise, never.”
Logan was stunned. There was no way he was going to ever get through to Marie. He had lost her forever, hadn’t he? He felt like something was stuck in his throat. He couldn’t get another word out.
Helplessly, he watched her leave his office.
Sigh.
He turned off the lights, and dragged himself out into the hallway.
And there she was. Leaning against the wall, her face in her palms.
Hiding from the world?
Without calling her name, Logan went to her. She wasn’t startled when he approached her. He held her in his arms, neither one saying a word.
Logan forgot all the things he was angry about. All the secrets she had been keeping from him. All the reasons she had to stay away from the son she clearly loved.
After a while, Marie looked up. “Logan?”
“Yes, my love?”
“Will you wait for me?” she asked. “When the time is right, I will tell you everything.”
Logan closed his eyes and nodded. What other choice did he have? He was still in love with his ex-wife. Someday, they would be on the same page. Just not today.
When the time is right?
And when might that be? Logan didn’t ask, lest he spoil their moment. Instead, he cupped Marie’s face in his hands, his thumbs wiping away the tears streaking down her cheeks. “You’re a tough cookie, and here you are, crying.”
“Only for two people in the world.”
“That so?”
Marie nodded.
“Am I one of them?”
Marie nodded again. She lifted up her lips, waiting.
And Logan gave her what she wanted.
Chapter Forty-Four
“Mommy, you must not lose the red car I gave you.” Jonas’s chubby finger pointed at Marie. “I want it back when you come home.”
“Bossy, isn’t he?” Marie turned to Logan.
Logan shrugged. He was standing in the foyer with them, waiting for Marie’s ride. Any moment now, they all expected to hear the doorbell ring.
Esperanza had sent someone to pick up Marie and take her to Briscoe Field to fly out with Esperanza’s team.
“Will you promise to wait for me?” Marie asked Jonas again, but it was perhaps also for Logan. They had halfway reconciled on Saturday night, but that was twenty-four hours ago.
After church and lunch, Marie had received a call from Esperanza. They had tracked Buchanan to Tunisia. If Marie wanted in on it, she could catch a ride out with the new members Esperanza had added to her team.
It came with a caveat.
There was no way Marie’s supervisor in Lyon would agree to her involvement in any of this. For her own protection and that of her family, and the reputation of INTERPOL, Marie had to officially quit her job and go to work for Mendenhall Security.
That was her only guarantee she would have a job when the storm blew over.
Then again, while Mendenhall Security could guarantee that Marie would be compensated for her work as their newest polyglot translator, only God could guarantee her safety.
If He chose to.
If I die, I die. As long as my family is safe.
The bossy member of her family was still staring at her. Tears puddled in Jonas’s blue eyes. He seemed angry and sad at the same time.
Marie had been there. Partings were such horrible times.
Marie sat down cross-legged on the marble floor. Jonas sat on her lap. She held him there as he sobbed and sobbed.
“Jonas, you’re now five years old and a big boy,” Logan said. “You can handle this.”
“I’m still Mommy’s baby,” Jonas replied.
Marie hugged him. “Yes, you are. And I’m going to give you another job.”
“How much does it pay?” Jonas tried to deepen his voice.
Logan coughed.
Marie laughed. “What have you been teaching your son?”
“He’s your son too.”
The doorbell rang. Logan went to get it.
Jonas held Marie tighter. “Don’t go! Don’t go!”
“Jonas, your new job is to pray to God every day for Mommy until I come back to you,” Marie said. “Can you do that?”
From the corner of her eye, Marie saw Mrs. Ping come down the hallway. She would be taking over as soon as Marie left.
“What should I pray for?” Jonas wiped his eyes.
“We can start with the fruit of the Spirit. That should take you nine days.”
“I don’t like all fruits. Only yellow kiwis.”
“It’s a metaphor—never mind. Daddy will tell you what the fruit of the Spirit is. Won’t you, Logan?” Marie looked up.
Logan had opened the door to a man in sunglasses.
“Hey Keenan,” Marie said. “Meet Logan Urquhart, the father of my son.”
Marie wasn’t sur
e if it was a weird way to introduce her ex-husband, but the words went out of her mouth before she could edit them.
Logan tried to shake hands with Keenan O’Tierney, but the latter extended his left hand, making Logan do the same.
“So you work for Esperanza?” Logan asked.
“With her,” Keenan replied. “We both own Mendenhall Security.”
Marie let the men talk while she focused on Jonas. “Will you ask God to keep us safe?”
“And bring you back to me.” Jonas hugged her. “You don’t have to see Daddy if you don’t want to. Come home to me, Jonas Ukulele.”
“What?” Marie’s eyes widened.
“You can live with me in the basement, Mommy. It’s a big place, and we can play all day like yesterday.”
Marie chuckled. “Jonas, remember that God cares for us and He loves us.”
“Yes.”
“God protects us no matter where we are. I will see you soon.” Marie kissed her son on the top of his head.
“How soon?” Jonas Ukulele asked.
“Very soon.”
“Very, very soon?” Jonas knotted his eyebrows together. Now he looked like Logan when the latter was concerned about something.
“Sooner than you think.”
“I can think a lot, Mommy.”
“I’ll come back and we can see each other again. Wait for me, and pray that God will bring us back together again.”
“God can do that?”
“Of course. God can do anything.” Marie gave him another hug. “Mommy loves you very much.”
“I love you first,” Jonas said, his competitive streak showing.
“Technically, God loves us first.”
“He did?”
“Yep.”
“Do you love Daddy too?” Jonas asked.
That was an unexpected question.
The atmosphere in the foyer stilled. The two men at the door stopped talking.
Marie assumed that Logan was probably waiting to hear her answer too.
Maybe it was time to start telling the truth, and face the truth about their lives together and apart.
“Yes, Jonas,” Marie confessed. “I’ve always loved your daddy.”
Logan cleared his throat.
Marie ignored him. “Now, Jonas. I have one more job for you.”