Her Valentine Family

by Renee Andrews

  Jessica nodded. “You’re right.”

  Her mother took Jessica’s hands in hers and prayed, “Dear Heavenly Father, be with Jess tonight. Help her to find strength in You as she tells Chad the truth. And be with Chad, that he opens his heart to the forgiveness she desires and to the love that she feels for him. Bless their relationship, Lord, and bless their children. In Christ’s name, amen.”

  Footsteps sounded on the porch, and Jess quickly brushed away the tears that had pushed free during her mother’s prayer.

  “He’s here,” she whispered, as a solid rap knocked against the front door. “This is it. I’ve been waiting for this night since Nathan was born. And now it’s here.”

  Her mother gave her hands a comforting squeeze and whispered, “Everything will be fine. Nothing’s impossible with God on your side.”

  “You know what? You’re right.” Jessica smiled, aware that her nerves had eased with their prayer. In fact, she stood and walked to the door without any apprehension whatsoever. Oh, she was still anxious, but she was anxious to see the man on the other side of the door. Anxious to see the only guy she’d ever loved. Anxious to see the father of her son.

  Another knock started as she turned the knob, and she pulled the door back to find Chad’s fist balled and ready to pound again.

  He laughed, dropped his arm and then snapped his mouth shut. Then he visibly took in Jessica’s appearance, from her hair piled loosely on top of her head with long strands falling around her neck to the red dress, a wraparound jersey with crossover front that tied at her waist. “You look incredible.”

  Her mind flashed back to the first time he’d ever picked her up at this house, when she was merely sixteen and they were headed to a school basketball game. He’d said the same thing, and her stomach had fluttered the same way it did now.

  And just like that, any bit of nervousness that remained disappeared. Jessica was with her friend, and consequently with the man she loved, and she would let God help her figure out the tough spots as the night went on. For now, she wanted to enjoy the fact that tonight was literally a dream come true.

  “Thanks,” Jess said. Then, assuming turnabout was fair play, she took a small step back and eyed his appearance, too.

  Chad, playing along, held out his arms and rotated for her review.

  Stifling a giggle, Jessica took her time checking out his hair, the late afternoon sun drawing attention to the natural highlights. Then she noted how his deep green dress shirt matched the emerald in his eyes. And finally, the crisp khakis and dark leather shoes that tied everything together and made him look like he’d stepped off the cover of a magazine.

  Or stepped right out of her dreams.

  He tilted his head to the side and lifted a brow in an adorable Well, do I pass inspection? stance.

  “You look amazing, too,” she said, unwilling to even pretend that she wasn’t impressed.

  Obviously overhearing their banter, her mother chuckled lightly from her place on the couch, and Jessica pivoted to allow Chad inside. He grinned as he stepped through the doorway, then focused on her mom.

  “Hello, Mrs. Bowman, how are you?” he asked, extending his hand as he neared the sofa.

  She shook his hand and smiled at him affectionately. Jessica’s parents had always loved Chad, and her mother’s words were undeniably the truth when she said, “Wonderful to have you back at the house again, Chad.”

  He looked at Jessica. “Wonderful to be here again.” He looked around the room. “Is your father home? And how about Nathan? I’m looking forward to meeting him.”

  Jessica had known Chad would ask when she recommended her father take Nathan to an afternoon movie. She did want him to meet Nathan, but she needed time to tell him everything first. Tonight, that would happen. She anticipated that, knowing Chad and that he would want to meet his son immediately after he learned the truth. So possibly, before this day ended, he would.

  “Bryant took Nathan to the matinee,” her mother explained when Jess didn’t offer a quick response. “But I understand that all of you are going to Hydrangea Park tomorrow, right? So you’ll get to see our precious boy soon.”

  “Yes, we’re taking Lainey and Nathan to feed the ducks there tomorrow,” Chad said. “It’s supposed to be nice outside again, like today.”

  “I’m sure he’ll have a fit over Lainey,” Jessica’s mother said. “She was so pretty all dressed up at church. And Nathan loves feeling like the big boy. I know he’ll enjoy taking on that role when you go to the park. I’ll make sure to have some bread ready for him to take to the ducks. And I’ll have plenty enough for him to share with Lainey.”

  Chad quickly turned his attention back to Jessica, as though remembering something he’d forgotten. “I can’t believe I forgot to ask. How did it go today with Nathan’s teacher? Did she talk to him?”

  “Yes, and I’m sorry, too. After you helped me so much with that last night, I forgot to let you know after she called. I had a lot on my mind,” she said. Then she clarified, “I had our date on my mind.”

  “Same here,” he agreed, grinning. “And I’m assuming since you’re smiling, and since you’re obviously still feeling like going out tonight, that you received good news from his teacher?”

  “I did. It was almost exactly what you had predicted. It looks like I’m raising a boy genius.” Her laugh matched the one her mother emitted from the couch.

  “Sorry.” Her mom stood from the sofa and held up her hands in a motion that asked forgiveness for her laughter. “It just seems a little strange to hear, even though I totally agree with everything Mrs. Carter said. Nathan wants a challenge, and from the sound of things, I believe she’ll do her best to make sure he always has one.”

  “I’ll tell you all about it in the car,” Jessica said. “You said our reservation is at seven, right?”

  Chad glanced at his watch. “Right, we better get going.” He opened the door for Jessica. “Nice to see you, Mrs. Bowman.”

  “Very nice to see you, Chad,” she said, and she gave Jessica her best don’t-worry-everything-will-be-fine smile.

  Jessica felt better merely seeing it. “Thanks, Mom. Give Nathan a kiss good night for me, okay?”

  “You know I will.”

  Jessica walked with Chad to his car and waited for him to open her door.

  “You’re getting more used to it now, hmm?” he asked, winking as she slid into his car.

  “I guess I am.” A sense of first date giddiness flitted through her, and she giggled as he walked around the car to the driver’s side.

  The front door to the house opened, and her mother came out with a pink sheet of paper in her hand. “I nearly forgot to tell you about this,” she said, approaching the car. “I wasn’t sure what you were planning after dinner, but they’ve decorated the park already, and I thought you might enjoy it.” She was a bit breathless from trying to catch them before they left, and she exhaled with a final “Whew” as she handed the pink flyer to Chad.

  He took the paper and scanned the information on the page, printed beneath a sketch of the heart-shaped pond at Hydrangea Park. “I hadn’t realized it was already time for the Valentine’s display. I’d actually planned for us to go to a movie after dinner but this would beat a movie anytime. What do you think, Jess?”

  The last time she’d been to see the Valentine lights display at the park had been over six years ago, and it’d been with Chad. “I think that’d be perfect.”

  They drove to the restaurant, and she told him all about her conversation with Mrs. Carter. He laughed when she quoted Nathan saying, “Sometimes those kids just get on my nerves, and I need some time with just me.”

  “That’s hysterical. And even funnier because I know my mom heard something so similar when my teacher called her in.”

  Jessica laughed and silently wondered how many other things he and Nathan would have in common.

  By the time they arrived at the restaurant, they’d thoroughly covered her conv
ersation with Mrs. Carter. Throughout dinner, they discussed Lainey, or more specifically, Chad’s new phone, a purchase he’d been forced to make due to Lainey’s infatuation with the previous one. She liked to pretend she was talking, and Chad let her. But then she’d been carrying it around one minute, and the next minute, it was gone. Chad had it on silent mode, so there was no hope of finding it by merely dialing the number and listening for the ring.

  Jessica swallowed a bite of her lasagna, then asked, “So what did you do?”

  He fished a shiny new iPhone out of his pocket. “Got it this morning. I can’t be away from her without being accessible, and I promised myself that this one will stay out of tiny little hands, no matter how much she likes to push the buttons.” He laughed, and Jessica did, too. He was obviously a terrific dad to Lainey, and he’d be a terrific dad to Nathan, too.

  The waitress arrived with a plate filled with the dessert Messina’s was famous for: fried strawberries.

  “Oh, wow, I wish I hadn’t eaten so much lasagna,” Jessica said, eyeing the bright red pieces of fruit, assembled in a heart shape on the plate. Powdered sugar dotted the berries and a swirl of heart-shaped strawberry sauce centered the plate.

  Chad picked up a berry, held it to his mouth and then bit into the fruit. He then made quite a display of humming his contentment while he chewed and then continuing to sound his pleasure as he swallowed. “That’s a shame, because they’re as incredible as they were when I brought you here for Valentine’s Day when we were in high school. Back then, I’m pretty sure you ate more than me.” He picked up a berry. “I guess I’ll get to make up for that this time.”

  Jessica watched him eat the second berry, again enjoying every bit. She could smell the sweet fruit, see how juicy the berries were by the way he licked his lips between each bite.

  She waited until he closed his eyes in his enjoyment and then slid the plate to her side of the table. “You’re going to have to wait a second. I’m two behind.” And she made him watch her eat two amazingly delicious berries. “Oh, my, they’re just as good as I remembered.”

  Smirking, Chad reached for the plate, slid it back to the middle of the table. “Are you willing to share the rest?” he teased.

  “Do I have to?”

  He laughed. “And I wasn’t sure whether that memory was correct, that you actually did outeat me that night.”

  “Hey, they’re good,” she countered, but she indicated the remaining berries. “But I’ll share this time.”

  They finished the remaining strawberries, then Chad paid for dinner and they left the restaurant. Once again, he opened her door, and once again, Jessica felt a sense of giddiness as she sat in the car. There was something heady about being pampered by Chad Martin.

  Who was she kidding? There was something heady about simply being near Chad Martin.

  When he slid into his seat, she was laughing.

  “What?” he asked.

  “I’m just…happy.” That was the best and simplest way to describe it.

  He smiled. “I’m glad. I’m happy, too, happier than I’ve been in a very long time.” He moved the keys toward the ignition but then paused. “Jess.”

  Her laughter was still subsiding, but she swallowed the last of it when she saw his face. He’d turned toward her, and those green-gold eyes were filled with emotion. Love, Jessica thought, but also something else. Something almost…sad. “Chad, what is it?”

  “A lot happened in the years we were apart,” he said, examining her face as he spoke. “I really don’t think you can understand how much this, how much you mean to me unless you know what I went through while we were apart.” He ran his hand through his hair and then glanced at his hand. Shaking his head, he eyed the gold band. “I can’t believe I forgot to take it off.” Then he slid the wedding ring from his finger and dropped it in his shirt pocket. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” It was okay. Jess knew why he wore the ring when he was teaching, since he’d explained that on the first night they ran into each other on campus. But she wasn’t certain that he was merely apologizing for the ring. The look on his face said that maybe he was saying he was sorry about whatever he went through while they were apart.

  “I need to tell you what all happened. Need to tell you about Kate and about Lainey.” He paused a couple of beats, then said, “If we’re going to be together, and I want that more than you can realize, then I don’t want there to be anything you don’t know.”

  Jessica swallowed. God was helping her out by having Chad share his past with Kate. Then she could share her past, too. “I want to tell you, too, about everything that happened to me while we were apart. And about Nathan.”

  He nodded. “Let’s go to the park. We’ve got a lot to talk about, and we can enjoy the Valentine’s display while we do.” He smiled. “Sound okay?”

  “Yes, that sounds great,” she said. And it did. They would be at the park, decorated for the holiday, in an atmosphere that embodied love and relationships, when she told him about his son. It was more than great.

  It was perfect.

  Hydrangea Park was only a ten-minute drive from the restaurant, and Jessica saw the pink, red and white illumination well before they reached the entrance of the park. Thousands of tiny lights adorned every tree, bush and fixture that composed the park. The entrance consisted of two mature pecan trees, the branches meeting in the center to form a welcoming arch. But during the Valentine’s display, the branches, barren of leaves during the winter, were covered with red lights that dangled in the center to form a heart.

  They drove between the trees and parked the car. Jessica didn’t make an effort to climb out until Chad opened her door, which caused him to smile. She was glad for that smile. He’d seemed so serious at the restaurant’s parking lot when he’d mentioned the years they were apart. Obviously, there was a tremendous amount of pain and hurt in his years.

  She was ready to learn what had happened to Chad, and she was ready to tell him the truth about her years away from him as well.

  “That gazebo is open,” he said, indicating the white structure, practically glowing with tiny pink lights, near the pond. “Want to go there and talk?”

  “Sure,” she said, climbing out of the car, then shivering. A light breeze blew across the pond, and the tem perature was dropping in time with the sun dipping behind the mountains.

  Chad noticed and leaned in his car to withdraw a navy blazer from the backseat. “It’ll be big on you, but it should keep you warm.” He helped her put it on, lifting her loose strands of hair out of the way as he did and sending a frisson through Jessica’s senses that had nothing to do with the cold.

  He turned her to face him, drew the jacket together and then gently pulled the lapels to slowly bring her face mere inches from his. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

  Then, while Jessica lost herself in the combination of his words and her desire for this incredible man, he eased closer and brushed a feather-soft kiss against her lips. The tender touch echoed through her very being, sending delicate waves of awareness to her soul.

  I love you. I’ve always loved you. I’ve never stopped loving you. I love you, and I love our son.

  The words tumbled over her thoughts, the truth of her feelings, and the yearning for a lifetime of moments like this.

  Without saying a word, he took her hand and led her toward the gazebo. A garland of pink roses covered the chains holding a white wooden swing in the center of the circular structure.

  They stepped inside, and Jessica was surprised at the instant difference in temperature. Even though the sides were primarily open, with an intricate lattice wall providing the only separation between the interior and outside, the fixture warded off the majority of the breeze. The space was warm and comfortable. Oddly enough, even with several other couples also wandering around the park to enjoy the romantic display, the gazebo was startlingly private. The perfect place to have an intimate conversation.

  For a mome
nt, they sat in silence on the swing. It creaked softly as they moved back and forth, the scent of the pink roses more prominent as the garland shifted with each movement. The air grew thicker around them, as though all of the words defining their years apart joined them in the small space. Everything they needed to say, needed to explain, weighed down upon their souls. Jessica could feel the pressure of this moment and didn’t underestimate the importance of telling Chad the truth.

  Now that she’d made up her mind to have the conversation, Jessica was eager. She wanted him to know about Nathan, and she wanted him to meet his son. Yes, it would be difficult at first, but she hadn’t missed the way Chad had looked at her tonight or the feelings that were right there, so easy to acknowledge with his words and with his touch. He still loved her just as she still loved him. And though he might be disappointed in her for keeping Nathan from him, he would want them all to be together, to be a real family. Jessica was sure he would want that as much as she did.

  “Chad, I need to tell you…everything,” she said, her heart racing faster with every word. “About why I left back then and about what happened after I did. I want you to know about Nathan.”

  “Jess, wait,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about this all day, all week, and I definitely want to know why you left, but I’m afraid if I don’t say this now I may not ever say it.” He shook his head. “It isn’t easy to admit how much I was fooled by my ex. In fact, I’ve never told anyone the entire story. But for you to understand what you mean to me—and why you mean so much to me now—I need you to know what happened.”

  Not only could Jessica hear the agonized pain in his tone but she could see it in his eyes. What had happened to him to hurt him that much? And she couldn’t help but wonder what he meant by saying that knowing what happened would help her understand how much she means to him now. She did want to tell him about her years away. She truly wanted to tell him about Nathan. But she could tell that his truth was also torturing his soul, and he needed to tell her first. “Okay.”