by T. K. Chapin
Brian exited the office a few minutes later and went to his bedroom to change into workout clothes. Crossing by the kitchen entryway on his way to work, he stopped in.
He caught Courtney’s attention. “I’m hitting the treadmill and weights for a bit. How are we looking on time?”
“Still a bit. I forgot to preheat the oven. Should be plenty of time for your workout.”
“Great. Thanks.”
Continuing down to the workout room, he went in and shut the door behind him. Cranking up the stereo, he grabbed a hand towel and draped it over the weight bench. Stepping onto the treadmill, he hit the Go button and started his jog.
As he jogged, he focused his mind on the music. Oh, my soul . . .
Cranking up the speed on the treadmill after a five-minute warmup, he started to do sprints of five minutes, then two-minute cooldowns. His endurance had been getting better since he dusted off the equipment two months ago, shortly after Courtney started working for him.
When he finally stopped the jog, sweat poured from every surface of his body. He forced his weak legs over to the bench and sat down, patting his face with the towel. As his breathing slowed, one thought permeated his mind more than any other thought. What am I going to do about Courtney?
Brian kept his distance throughout the rest of the day Courtney was at the house. During the painting portion of the salt dough ornaments, he stayed opposite of her in the kitchen, keeping the oversized granite kitchen island between them. She knew he felt something, just like she did earlier that day, and she concluded that was the reason for his distance.
When she was leaving that evening around six thirty, Brian emerged from the front door of his house in his sweats and a T-shirt. He ran down the steps and toward her car as she buckled Todd and Blaze into their car seats. Shutting the back door of the car, she met him in front of the car’s headlights as the snow continued to fall.
“What’s up?”
“I just wanted to talk to you for a moment.”
“We’ve been together all day. What do you mean? You had all day.”
He glanced behind him at the front door, then at the car. “I meant alone. Listen.”
“Okay.”
He took a step closer to her, sending her pulse skyrocketing. “I sense something between us, Courtney. I don’t know if you do, and if you don’t ever want to come back here, I understand and will pay a severance. I know I’m your boss, and I don’t want you to feel obligated to—”
Courtney smiled and placed a finger on his lips. “Shh. I feel the same way about you.”
Brian smiled and raised his eyebrows. “Really?”
“Yes. But I don’t think your daughter likes the idea of an us.”
Shaking his head, he glanced over his shoulder for a moment, then his gaze met Courtney’s again. “Don’t worry about her. We don’t need to tell her until we know where this is going. Right?”
“Yeah. That’s a good idea. So, how will this work? It’s kind of complicated since you’re my boss.”
“That’s easy. You’re fired.”
Her heart dipped and she raised her eyebrows. “What?”
Laughing, he shooed his hand through the air. “I’m just kidding!”
Playfully smacking his shoulder, she shook her head as she grinned. “Not funny!”
“You just keep working for me and we’ll see where things go?”
“All right.”
“Sweet.” Rubbing his bare arms to recapture the warmth, he shifted himself toward the house. “I’d better get back inside. I’ll see you Sunday?”
“See you Sunday!”
She got into her car and watched as Brian hurried up the steps and into his house. As the door shut, she smiled and thought about the two of them. She had already dreamed of him kissing her on several occasions since starting her job, but she’d never thought it could possibly happen. On her drive home that evening, she prayed the whole way home about the situation. While part of her was apprehensive about dating her boss, she couldn’t help but think that maybe this was all part of God’s plan.
As she pulled into her parking stall at the apartment, she noticed her apartment’s lights on inside. Her heart weakened and she peered over her shoulder at the boys. Who’s in there? Staring at the apartment window for a moment, she grabbed her cell phone and called Brian.
“I’m on my way. Don’t move.”
Hanging up with Brian, she tried to see into the window but couldn’t see anyone. Twenty minutes later, after she had phoned the police, Brian showed up. He parked beside her car and left it running, Lucy in the backseat. Getting out of her car, Courtney met him underneath the covering that shielded the walkways to the apartment doors.
“Any idea who it might be?” His eyes stayed fixed on the window with the curtains closed.
“Nope.”
“Did you call the police?”
“Yes. They said they’ll send someone over shortly. That was five minutes ago.” Coming closer to Brian, she grabbed hold of his arm. He wrapped an arm around her.
“It’s going to be okay. Let me see if I can spot someone through the curtain.” Letting her go, he walked over to the snow-covered flower bed and peeked into the window. He turned toward her. “It’s a skinny blonde lady.”
“What?” Sticking her head out, Courtney went over to his side and peeked into the window. She saw Taylor in the kitchen. “That’s my sister! What is she doing here?”
She pulled out her cell phone and called the police to tell them to cancel the car. After she hung up, she apologized as she rubbed her forehead.
“I’m sorry. I tried to see in there earlier and couldn’t see anyone. Sorry for making you come over here.”
He shook his head. “It’s no problem. I’m glad you called. Let me help you get the boys inside.”
Brian took Blaze while Courtney grabbed Todd, and they all four went into the apartment together. Brian left a few moments after Courtney introduced him to Taylor.
“How’s Momma’s boys doing?” Her arms were wide open and inviting as she sat on the couch with the two of them. Blaze and Todd were showing her random things like their cars and books.
“I love you, Tay!” Blaze randomly shouted.
“Mom. Not Tay.” Her eyes went to Courtney, who was standing nearby. “Why are they calling me my nickname?”
“They just hear your nickname. I don’t know. I try to correct them when I hear it.”
Taylor spent the next two hours with the boys and then took them into the spare room and turned on a movie. When Courtney heard the television turn on, her heart dropped. Unable to stand by and let all the work she had done become unraveled, she went into the room and shut off the television.
“We don’t watch TV to go to sleep anymore.”
Rising from Todd’s bed, Taylor came closer and lowered her voice. “Well, that’s how I do it. They are my boys.”
Smiling, Courtney nodded. “Yes, but they’re able to fall asleep much sooner without TV. I highly recommend that you leave it off.”
“Okay.” Taylor dropped her hands. “No TV.”
Taylor kissed the boys and came out into the living room with Courtney. Sitting down on the couch with Courtney, she finally explained what was going on.
“The rehab facility I was at shut down. I was doing so well that they said I could go home early and not have to transfer, so here I am.”
Smiling, Courtney nodded as her mind raced. “Okay. So, what’s the plan now?”
“I’m going to stay here, if that’s okay, and get a job, then once I get money I’ll move out.”
“All right. Sounds great!” Hugging Taylor, Courtney was thrilled to see her sister looking healthy and heading in the right direction.
As she pillowed her head that night and prayed, she asked God to help her sister in recovery. As her thoughts and prayers drifted to Blaze and to Todd, Courtney’s heart began to ache. “Lord? Help this pain in my heart and the worry plaguing my thoughts
to go away. Let me trust in You alone. Whatever goes on with these boys will go on no matter what. Worry will not change that. Let my heart hold onto that reality. Amen.”
Chapter 6
On the following Sunday, Courtney went to church with Taylor and the boys. As they walked into the sanctuary, all of Courtney’s friends from her ladies’ group were complimenting her on how cute her boys looked in their Sunday school class. It was easy to notice her sister’s disdain for the comments. When they finally took their seats, Taylor turned to Courtney.
“You just pretended like they were your kids?”
“No. Everybody knows they aren’t mine. They just call them my boys because they’ve been coming for weeks now with me every Sunday.” Leaning over, Courtney touched Taylor’s arm. “Don’t worry about it, Sis. I know it’s hard. It’s hard for me too.”
Pastor Matt took to the stage and preached on the power of forgiveness. Though Courtney didn’t reveal it to her, she knew she had to forgive Taylor for what she had done to the boys in the years prior to coming to live with her. She had, at the very least, neglected those boys in far more ways than she’d probably ever realize in this lifetime. Letting go of that bitterness and hurt inside her heart would be no easy feat, and Courtney knew it’d only be by the power of God that she’d ever let go.
“How’d you like the sermon?” Courtney’s question came as they stood in line to pick up the boys.
“It was great. I was just thinking about forgiveness last night. You know, with Drake.”
Courtney’s heart dipped into her stomach. She shook her head. “You mean like, ‘I forgive you, but I can’t see you’?”
“No, I mean real God-honoring forgiveness. Get back with him. He told me last night on the phone that he has been sober for a week. I would’ve gone over there if he had the room for us.”
Swallowing hard, it took everything inside of Courtney not to burst into tears or to slap her sister upside the head. “Oh, Taylor . . .”
Her sister responded sharply. “What?”
“Are you really thinking about going back to him? After everything?”
“Forgiving is the right thing to do.” Taylor shook her head with a laugh in her tone. “Did you listen to the sermon?”
Tears welled in Courtney’s eyes and she turned to hide them. Taylor grabbed her shoulder. “You’re crying? What on earth for?”
Shaking her head, Courtney’s heart broke apart in the moment. “Why would you go back to him? He was abusive and is a drug addict!”
“I love him, and that’s the old him, Sis. You have to believe that I know what I’m doing.” Folding her arms, Taylor didn’t look at her again the rest of the time in line to get the boys.
After they got home, the two of them fed the boys and put them down for a nap. As Taylor and Courtney walked out of the spare room, Taylor stopped her in the hallway.
“Even though I don’t want to, I’m going to be careful reintroducing the boys to Drake. I’m going to Drake’s to hang out for a little bit. Is that okay with you?”
Relief filled Courtney knowing the boys wouldn’t be going. “Yes. That’s fine and a good idea not to take the boys.”
Taylor still seemed upset toward her, but Courtney didn’t care. The boys were the innocent ones in all of this, and they were safe, at least for now.
Right after Taylor left out the door, Courtney called her mother.
“Maybe you can talk to her, Courtney?”
“What?” Shaking her head, Courtney stood from the couch. “Mom. She just got out of rehab and went right back to Drake. I don’t think she’s going to listen to logic and reason here.”
“Well, there’s not much you can do about that. They aren’t your kids.”
Turning, Courtney glanced at the bookcase in the living room and walked over to it. She pulled out the copy of the signed document granting her temporary guardianship for six months. “She did sign guardianship over to me . . .”
“That was for during rehab and so you could take the children to the doctor! That wasn’t so you could mess your sister’s life up!”
Pushing the guardianship paper back into its place between two books on the shelf, she walked away. “I know, but those boys will not be going back to Drake’s house. I guarantee that, Mom.”
“You can’t stop her, dear. No matter how hard you fight it.”
Her mother’s resistance left Courtney feeling agitated and alone. “I have to go.”
Hanging up with her mother, she thought about calling Brian but decided against it. She didn’t want to bother him with drama. Tossing her cell phone on the couch, she went down the hall and into her bedroom. Shutting the door, she got down on her knees and prayed.
“God.” She paused, memories over the last couple months with the boys filling her thoughts. The progress she had made in their eating, sleeping, and structure. Hot tears burned in her eyes. “God, these boys are precious, and they deserve a loving home. I’m no better of a parent than anyone else, but I know those precious angels will be in danger at Drake’s apartment.” As her pulse ticked up, her prayer became more desperate. Folding her eyes into the bed, she rested her hands behind her head. “Lord, help me know Your will in all of this! Help me to see and help me to understand . . .”
That evening at seven o’clock when it was time to put the boys to bed, Courtney stared at the front door of her apartment. Where are you, Taylor? Sighing, she stood and went through all the same nightly rituals she had been doing for two and a half months with the boys, brushing teeth, prayers, and tucking them into bed. As she shut the door of their bedroom, she returned to the living room and checked her phone again. Her sister still hadn’t called back or texted her a reply. It had now been six hours since she had gone over to Drake’s apartment.
Tapping into her call log, she tried Taylor once more.
“This is me, leave a message!” Beep!
“Please call me. I’m worried . . .”
Hanging up, she sighed deeply. She thought about calling her mother but knew it wouldn’t be of any use. Just then, Brian texted her.
Brian: Hey. How’s everything going? You didn’t seem your usual self at church. You okay?
Sniffling as his text brought a warm feeling of love over her, she smiled and opened the text on her phone.
Courtney: You saw that? Guess I’m not a very good actress. My sister went back to her abusive boyfriend and hasn’t called all day . . .
Her phone rang. It was Brian.
“Hello?”
“Hey. Where are the boys?” His tone was laced with worry.
“They’re safe with me.”
He sighed. “Thank goodness.”
Courtney smiled. “You really do care, don’t you?”
“Of course I do. So, how long has she been gone?”
“Six hours . . .”
“Yikes. No contact?”
“Nope.”
“Was this boyfriend a drug addict too?”
“Yes.”
“Man alive! Why do these women have to get caught up with such lousy men?”
“I don’t know . . .”
“Can I come over?”
“If you want to. I’m just sitting here. Not a lot going on.”
“You sound sad and I want to be there for you.”
Wiping a tear, she smiled. “Okay. Thank you.”
Hanging up with Brian, she stood up and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and check her hair and makeup. She decided to stay dressed down in her pajamas since it was already after seven and they were more comfortable. Returning to the living room, she found a movie on a streaming service and popped some popcorn in the microwave.
A light knock sounded on the front door as she carried the bowl of popcorn into the living room. Setting it down on the coffee table, she went over and answered it.
It was Brian.
She embraced him for a long hug. “Thanks for coming. I appreciate it.”
“No problem.”
>
They went into the living room and sat down on the couch. Raising an eyebrow, Brian dug a hand into the bowl of popcorn. “You made us a treat.”
Smiling, she nodded.
“There’s that smile.”
“Do you need a water or anything?” She went to stand up.
He rose up and motioned his hands downward. “Let me get it. You’re always getting me stuff. Do you want something to drink as well?”
She shrugged playfully. “I wouldn’t mind some tea.”
Brian went into the kitchen and started checking cupboards. After the fourth sound of a cupboard opening, she laughed and looked over into the kitchen. “Right of the sink, lower drawer.”
“Ahh. Kettle in a drawer. That’s what threw me off.” Listening to the sound of the faucet turn on and him filling the kettle reminded her of a different time in her life. When Drew was still alive and he’d heat water in that same chicken-themed kettle for their cups of tea. He’d always ask how many lumps of sugar, even though she always had two.
“What time did Lucy end up going home today?”
“Right after dinner Melissa came and got her.” Walking back into the living room, Brian sat down on the couch and turned toward her. “Melissa seemed upset about something, but she wouldn’t say what it was that was troubling her.”
“Your ex-wife?” Raising an eyebrow, Courtney was surprised to hear him mention her.
“Yes. I know it’s weird, but it’s like even though it’s over and has been over for a long time, I still care about her as a person even though she’s kind of terrible. You know?”
Blinking rapidly to shoo the tears from her eyes as she thought of Drew, she nodded. “I have my own battle with that and Drew. He’s been gone for four years, but a part of my heart stays his forever. Sorry. That’s weird to say to someone I’m dating.”
“No, it’s fine and it makes sense. When God fuses two people together in marriage, it’s like super glue on wood. Yes, it can be torn apart, but it’s an ugly mess that in some ways never changes. No matter how it separated.” Right then, Brian reached one of his hands over and touched the top of her hand gently. Then ever so lightly, he squeezed.