The two friends said their good-byes and Jill made her way to the store.
That afternoon’s discussion gave Jill a lot to think about. It was a big step for her to go to church again. As she went down one aisle after another, she checked the idea to any emotions she used to have when it came to church. Nothing. She felt indifferent to the idea. That could be a good and a bad thing.
Live not by your emotions, but by the truth of the Word.
It was something she had heard once on an online sermon. It didn’t mean much at the time, but as she picked up a can of tomato soup it hit her what it was saying. She was making choices according to her emotions. All it had gotten her was loneliness. To avoid hurting, she avoided people who could hurt her; people who had power to make her life more stressful than it was. Or fill it with love.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out and answered the call.
“Hello.”
“Jill, it’s Mike.” The sound of his voice made her heart jump. “I hate to ask, but I am stuck in a meeting. Can you get Emily for me? I’ll call the school.”
“Sure. I can do that. Should I feed her?”
“I hope not, but I’d plan on it.”
“Okay, she’ll be well taken care of.”
Mike let out a heavy sigh. “Thanks Jill. And can you say a little prayer for me? I’ll tell where I’m at later.”
Concern pricked. “Sure.”
They hung up and Jill backtracked the aisles to choose something else for the night’s meal, praying all the way.
*****
Mike was helping Ryan at his house when Jill had been there. Not wanting her to feel uncomfortable, he stayed just out of her sight. He didn’t need to worry about her seeing his car because he rode with Ryan. Knowing she was there did things to his senses; things that were not welcomed at the moment. He had to focus on Emily and opening the office. When he thought he was settled, he would consider pursuing Jill. Just not yet.
"So what's been going on?" Ryan asked.
"Not too much. I went into the office today to get ready for the opening after the new year and was a little sidetracked on the way."
“Jill?”
“What? No. The grandmother from you know where.” And Jill.
Men typically let topics drop and not pressure one another, but not Ryan. The fact that he had nothing to add, told Mike he was holding back.
“Say it, man. I know you want to.”
Ryan chuckled as he stripped more wallpaper from the wall. It was the one home improvement Mike hated the most.
“Why don’t you just ask Jill out?”
“I’m not in a good place for that kind of thing.”
“Yeah, but I can tell she takes up most of your thoughts.”
His friend had a point. Mike didn’t like it. “I just can’t. Plus, we’re old news. The past needs to stay there. Anything I feel for her is just nostalgia. We don’t even know each other anymore.”
“So get to know her, if you want to revisit the past. It isn’t hard. Listen, pray about it. I know you have quite a bit on your plate, but I see how you look at her. She is a good woman. Take it from a guy who knows, when something or someone suddenly comes into your life, you need to pay attention and pray about it. For Emma and the kids to suddenly come back to town could only be a God thing. And we discovered that it was. Don’t disregard it because you don’t think the timing is right. How many times have we heard Pastor Cross say God’s timing is not our own?”
“Too many to count.”
Mike mulled the idea around as he worked with Ryan. Once the wallpaper was stripped, they began to rip up the carpet. Well at least until a knock came on Emma and Ryan’s door. It was a gentleman he had never met before, dressed in a three-piece suit. He was there for Mike.
"Are you Dr. Michael Emerson?" The man's dry tone put Mike on alert.
"Who's asking?"
"Are you Dr. Michael Emerson?" The man repeated.
"I am."
The man handed him a thick envelope before he uttered the words that no one likes to hear, "You have been served, sir. Have a good day." And he walked down the porch steps to his car.
“How did the guy find you?”
“No clue,” Mike replied while blankly looking at the item in his hand.
He knew all too well what was in the envelope without even having opened it.
"The crazy old bat went ahead and did it," he said as he peeked inside looking for confirmation to his suspicion.
"What bat? What just happened?" Mike looked up in time to see concern cross his friend's face.
"I've just been served with custody papers by Emily's grandmother."
“What?” Emma’s voice carried from the other side of the bathroom door. She rushed from the room, leaving the sink running. “She wouldn’t dare!”
“Well, she did honey and you have a bit of…” Ryan pointed to a spot on Emma’s shirt. “You might want to go clean that up.”
Emma went back to the bathroom to clean up while Mike pulled his phone from his pocket. He needed to get his lawyer on this, now.
Chapter 7
Music filled the small living room and dine-in kitchen space from her phone docking station. Music always made the daunting task of cleaning house and cooking dinner more enjoyable.
The girls were in Katie’s room doing homework, she hoped. Between vacuuming the floors and mopping the kitchen she prepped dinner. Having Mike in her home was a bit unsettling. Why? Because it felt like a date. “He has to be done with his meeting first, Jill,” she chided.
His cryptic call set off warning bells. She knew of his issues with Emily’s grandmother, but it could have been a number of things.
Standing in the kitchen, she stirred the homemade sauce while noodles boiled on another burner. Spaghetti was easy for a last minute meal. It was one of Mike’s favorites. She was eagerly anticipating his arrival like she used to with Doug. Girl, what are you doing? You’re making his favorite meal and making the house as clean as possible. What happened to friends?
A knock on the door was a welcomed distraction, until she opened it to her guest.
He looked beat down but handsome as ever.
“Come on in,” she greeted him with a warm smile.
“Thanks.” His voice was rough and troubled. “I think I’ll take Emily home and leave you two…. Wait, are you making spaghetti?”
“Yup. Easy for a last minute meal.”
“And my favorite.” Hope flickered in his eyes. Who cares that having him around, smelling yummy and looking like a cover model did things to her senses. Her friend needed some comfort. The homemade meal kind.
“Well, get in here.” She reached for his hand and pulled him over the threshold. Once he crossed over, he didn’t let go of her hand.
Glancing up into his eyes, his thumb moved across the back of her hand making her heart pound and shivers skitter down her spine.
Both looked down at their held hands. “Thank you, Jill. You’re amazing,” he complemented her in a husky voice.
“You look tired, come sit. Dinner is almost ready.”
She pulled her hand from his as quickly as her reflexes would let her. More moments like that and she’d be gone in no time.
He followed her to the kitchen and helped her get things together for the meal. He asked where things were and she told him or pointed out locations. They worked in unison without much of a word. The harmony of their movements sparked a longing in Jill. As she browned the meat, she tried to recall cooking with Doug this way and working so easily with him like she was now with Mike. Nothing. Maybe it had been too long or maybe it was just the fact that she hadn’t felt as strongly about Doug as she did Mike.
She loved Doug, but she always knew that it wasn’t the same. She loved him for his provision, for his friendship, and of course for Katie but she thought she would have a stronger recollection of him if he had been the one.
What if Michael was the one I was suppose
d to marry to begin with?
“Don’t be silly,” Jill muttered.
“What was that?” his voice broke her train of thought but she refused to look at him.
“Just thinking to myself.” You’re such a dork, Jill.
Mike put the knife down that he was using to cut peppers and turned to face her. She caught a glimpse of his hand reaching for her arm as he turned her to face him. His mesmerizing baby blues were grayer now, but still just as magnetizing. His six-foot three-inch stance overpowered her tiny kitchen, but having him here was right.
He studied her for a heartbeat causing her to wonder if he was feeling like she was. “Are you okay? You’re acting weird tonight. Was your day a good one?”
Nope. He was watching her like a doctor studies a patient. She searched her list of excuses for an appropriate one. “I guess I am just feeling reminiscent.” It’s true, he doesn’t need to know details.
A look of relief flashed and he turned to continue with his task. “Care to share?”
Not really. “Nothing big, really.” I’m just questioning the path my life is on and it’s your fault.
They worked in silence a bit longer until the girls came thundering through from Katie’s room.
“Mom, can we watch TV?”
“Yeah. Dr. Emerson and I should be done soon.”
Mike and Jill paused in their work, waiting to hear a thank you or some response from the girls, but not a word. They looked to each other and shook their heads.
“So, what did you do today?”
“Oh, just did some work at the studio then went to Emma and Ryan’s for a visit.” This scenario was looking more and more like married life. No matter how hard she tried to fight it, she had to admit that is was nice.
“How was the meeting you had?” She made sure not to mention the purpose of the meeting. The girls were close enough to hear.
A cloud washed over his face, “Let’s finish this and then we can talk after dinner.”
“Sounds good.” This was serious.
Not another word was said between the two of them and in no time, they were setting the table and serving dinner. The chatter around the table kept the atmosphere buzzing, but the seriousness of Mike’s situation hung over the two of them. She couldn’t imagine how he must be feeling. Emily seemed to be settling in with Mike and him with her. They had their moments, but to rip the little girl away now had to be more damaging.
After dinner, Jill cleared the table while sending the girls to Katie’s room.
Standing at the sink, like earlier, she and Mike fell into a natural rhythm as they washed and dried dishes. There weren’t many so it didn’t take long, but the whole time her thoughts were on him; the situation he was in and the situation he had her emotions in.
While he put the last of the dishes away, she prepped cups of coffee. She turned to hand him his and found him closer than she expected, almost causing her to dump hot coffee down his shirt. “That was close,” she giggled. “Let’s go sit on the couch.”
They settled into the only couch that fit in her living room, a love seat really. It forced them to sit closer than she wanted, but it was all she had to offer.
“Tell me about the meeting. I can see it beat you up. Judging how Emily kept looking at you, she was picking up on it too.”
He let out a heavy sigh. In the soft lamp light, she could see his eyes begin to glisten. If he looked at her now with those watery eyes, she would lose it too. Just like some guys couldn’t handle seeing a woman cry, she couldn’t handle seeing men cry.
“I was served today by Rebecca’s mom. My meeting was with my lawyer. I’m glad he was available on such short notice.”
“What did he say?”
“The woman has a chance. My lawyer said she has a real chance to win the suit because her reasons are valid. All I have going for me is the will. She has money, propriety, and family in her corner.”
“What would help you? I can write a letter to the judge or better yet, give your lawyer my number and I will testify for you.” In desperation to show him how much she believed in what he was doing, she grabbed hold of his hands that hung off of his knees. He turned his moistened eyes on her and his haunted gaze pierced her heart causing a lump to form in her throat. “Mike, you are doing such a wonderful job with Emily. You have no idea how proud I am.”
He looked away and bent his head down and shook it in disbelief. “I am not doing as well as you think. It’s a show.”
She put her hand on his cheek, ignoring as much as possible the electricity that passed between them, coaxing him to look at her. Their faces were mere centimeters apart. She took a deep breath to ground herself, he did the same. “You have no clue what I see every morning you drop her at the school. I know you would do anything for that little girl. You’re dedicated to her, heart and soul. There is nothing you would not do for her.”
“You really see all that?”
“I do. And you want to know something else? You should hear what Emily says about you at dance. She adores her Uncle Mike.”
Her words broke his resolve more, “She does?”
“She does.” His emotions were unlike anything she had ever seen in him. He was not one to cry. Seeing him like this made her want to protect him and comfort him in any way possible but she had to get back to the facts of the meeting. “What did he recommend that we do? I mean you do?”
His gaze never left her as his tear-filled eyes dried. Awareness filled her and this little pep talk shifted gears to something more; something more personal.
“He said if I had a girlfriend or,” he trailed off. He swallowed hard enough that she could see his Adam’s apple move in the shadows. “Or a wife my chances would be better.”
She slowly let her hand drop from his face as understanding dawned on her. He needed a solid woman in his life. Friendship wouldn’t do. A community that had their backs wouldn’t be enough. He needed more.
“Wow,” was all she could say as she leaned away from him and rested her back against the support beam.
“That’s what I said. I’m embarrassed to say that I haven't had a serious relationship since the divorce.”
“So what are you going to do?”
Only the laughter of the two girls in the other room could be heard while Jill watched him. What was he thinking? Did she really want to know?
Chapter 8
A hair-brained idea maneuvered in his brain. He just wasn’t sure he wanted to voice it. It would require asking more of Jillian than he ever dreamed. Her kindness over the past few weeks had become a lifeline to him and he didn’t want to mess that up. They had a friendship going and he knew she was not ready for anything like what was developing in his little idea box. Though, he wouldn’t mind. His hesitance to see what this was between them became very evident to him while they worked together to prep for dinner.
He turned his head away. Maybe if he quit looking at her, his head would clear.
“Do you have a game plan?” she asked. He could see her fiddle with her pale pink fingernails.
“I guess, maybe pack our things and leave town?” he replied with a lighthearted tone. “Honestly, I have no clue yet. I guess I’ll just pray about it for now.”
Jill nodded her head in agreement to his answer. “That is probably the best thing you could do.”
Mike could sense that maybe she had more to say, but chose to leave it for now. It had been a long, crazy day for both of them and he just wanted to think about something else. Like maybe how Jill glowed in the dim light of the living room or how her delicate hands looked soft as satin. He was having a hard time not reaching for them and if he looked in her eyes now he would lose the struggle to keep things friendly.
“Well, I guess we better head home. School in the morning and all,” he stated as he rose from the couch. He hated to leave but didn’t want to wear out his welcome.
Jill went into Katie’s room while he grabbed Emily’s book bag from the kitchen. He wond
ered what they were teaching fourth graders for it to be so heavy. As Jill, Katie, and Emily came out of the bedroom, his heart swelled at the sight of the three ladies in his life. He was as protective of Jill and Katie as he was Emily. They were all beautiful and he felt honored to spend time in their presence. If only I never had to leave two of them behind.
The two girls hugged and he sent Emily to the car. “I’ll see ya. Thanks again. For everything,” he told Jill.
Jill reached for his hand and pulled him into a hug. He was completely thrown off guard.
“You’re welcome. You hang in there, Mike. You’re a good man,” she commanded.
When she pulled back, instead of leaving his arms like he expected, she remained while searching his eyes. He took advantage of having her close and studied the shape of her nose, the curve of her brow, the growing rosiness of her cheeks, and lastly, the fullness of her lips. It would take nothing to lean in and place his lips with hers. He wouldn’t though without a signal or sign that she was ready.
“Jill?” he whispered.
Before he could say anything more, she went up on her toes and brushed her lips on the corner of his mouth. A tease to say the least but her hastiness out of his arms was her signal to him that this was all she could give. Her eyes apologized to him for not being able to give more. He understood this was hard for this independent woman.
He reached out and brushed his thumb over her cheek. “Thank you,” he stated as he reluctantly walked away. “Now get inside, it’s freezing out here.”
Her retreating form was the last thing he wanted to see. If Emily wasn’t in the car, he may have been bolder.
Girly giggles in the seat next to him indicated that Emily had seen it all. “Not a word young lady.” He smiled with her as he pulled out of the drive.
“My lips are sealed,” she declared with an action over her mouth like that of locking a door.
He woke Sunday morning with his phone blaring in his ear from the nightstand. In the sleepy haze, he reached for the device, completely irritated at the early call. He was up late with visions of Jill dancing in his head; dreams of what could be.
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