“He’s great with Cammy.” Meg had to admit it. “And when I mentioned that experimental surgery at the University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital, he wanted to know more about it. I wrote down the Web site for him.”
“He misses his own children.”
“I know.” Meg’s heart actually ached for the guy.
She slowed as she drove by the field. Kent spotted her car and waved.
“Let’s shop in Danville.” Leah settled back into the passenger seat. “They’ve got some stores that we don’t have here.”
“Okay.”
“I practically need a whole new wardrobe before Dave arrives.” She blew out a nervous-sounding breath. “He’ll be here two weeks from Wednesday. Dad and I are picking him up at the Bluegrass Airport.”
“I know. You’ll be fine. Relax, Leah.” Meg didn’t add that Dave was scheduled to fly in on her birthday. She hadn’t told Vance or Cammy and hadn’t reminded Grams and Dad or Ryan and Kelly. If felt odd to promote her own birthday, and she didn’t want anyone going out of their way just because she’d told them. She hoped Grams or Dad would plan something special, but if not, Meg would be happy to spend a quiet evening with Vance and Cammy. Their company would be gift enough for her.
“Dave’s background check came out squeaky-clean.”
Meg glanced at Leah. “You told me. What a relief, huh?”
“You can say that again.”
While it was all repeat information, Meg didn’t mind listening. Leah had been there for her. She’d lent an ear while Meg vented about Mom and Dad and Vance. Now it was her turn to listen to Leah.
“I hope I’m not getting on your nerves. I tend to say things over and over and over. I drive my dad and brothers nuts.”
“Leah, you’re one of my dearest friends.” Without taking her eyes off the road, Meg stretched out her hand and Leah smacked her palm. “And friends encourage each other.”
Leah caught her hand and gave it a sisterly squeeze. “I’ve needed a good friend. I’ve prayed for a long time for one like you. Someone I could match wits with, someone who wouldn’t mind coming over to watch a movie with while eating super-buttery popcorn. Most single women I know like to drive into the next county to frequent bars and nightclubs, but I’m totally not comfortable in those places.”
“Me neither. Not anymore, anyway.” Meg couldn’t even imagine herself at a club these days. “But I’ve never been much of a party girl.”
“Me neither—obviously.”
They shared a smile.
“But, seriously, before you came to town I felt—lonely. Like some homely loser whose only thrill was corresponding with troops overseas.”
“Don’t put yourself down. That’s a viable mission.”
“Yes, but I guess what I’m trying to say is, if for nothing else, Meg Jorgenson—” Leah’s voice was thick with emotion. “—you came to Miracle just for me.”
Chapter Twenty-four
Vance showered away the day’s grease and gunk, toweled off, and changed into clean clothes. Towel-drying his hair, he entered the dining room where Cammy sat at the table, working on her homework.
“What time’s Meg coming over?” He couldn’t believe he forgot to ask.
“About now.”
Vance half-grinned at the distracted reply. “Did she say anything about bringing supper? Maybe I should throw something together.”
Cammy lifted her gaze. “She’s bringing supper.”
“Good. I’m starved.”
“Me, too.”
Vance felt a smidge of guilt, because he’d begun to anticipate Meg making supper every night. She insisted she enjoyed bringing over meals; it was part of her passion for “feeding people,” after all.
Vance thought he could get used to having Meg around full-time. He thought about her all day long, to the point of distraction. He looked forward to seeing her briefly in the mornings. Her sunny smile made his day. He relished spending time with her in the evenings, and maybe it was wrong, but sometimes he couldn’t wait until Cammy went to bed so he could have Meg all to himself.
Cammy peered up at him. “Daddy, are you and Meg going to get married?”
“Maybe.”
“Why maybe? Don’t you love her?”’
Vance pulled out one of the dining room chairs and sat down. Did he love Meg? He thought about her all the time. He missed her when their schedules conflicted and he didn’t see her in the evening. He relished their conversations, their easy banter, and the sound of Meg’s laugh. And when he took her in his arms and kissed her, all his troubles seemed to vanish. But there was a small part of him that felt a pinch of guilt for finding happiness with Meg, even though he had felt ready to get on with his life for some time now. In some weird way, he felt unfaithful to Angie.
“Daddy?”
Vance shook off his musings and looked at Cammy. She stared back at him, obviously waiting for her answer.
“Sure, I love Meg, but we’ll have to make sure before we can talk about weddings. Meg’s only been in Kentucky three months. We need to give things more of a chance.”
“Oh.” Cammy nodded like she understood. “Well, I can’t tell you that Meg loves you, cuz she said she wants to tell you herself.”
“I see.” Vance hid his grin and rubbed his hand across the chest of his red T-shirt. It was a purely innocent blunder on Cammy’s part. But why did he feel both apprehensive and overjoyed by her slip of the lip?
Well, he’d let God work it out in His time.
But speaking of slips of the lips. . .
“Hey, you didn’t give away the birthday secret, did you? About Meg’s party next week?”
“Oh, no, Daddy. I’m pretending I don’t know anything about it and I make myself forget while I’m at school.”
“All right. That’s good. Because Mrs. Jorgenson wants it to be a surprise for Meg.”
“I know.” Cammy put her hand over her mouth and giggled. “She’ll be surprised, Daddy.”
Vance nodded and raked a hand through his damp hair. Sounded like the set-up might work. Kids got off at noon on Meg’s birthday, the Wednesday before the Thanksgiving holiday, but teachers had to stay until four o’clock. Vance took a vacation day to help prepare for the party. Boz and his wife and their kids were coming. Leah and her dad had to pick up her marine friend, but then they’d join the party later. Meg’s dad and stepmom, sister and brother had been invited, too. And, of course, Tom Haynes. It’d be a nice little get-together—if Meg didn’t figure things out first.
A knock sounded at the front door, followed by Meg’s entry.
“Anyone home? Anyone hungry?”
“That’s a double affirmative.” Vance turned and saw Meg struggling to carry the burden filling her arms. He rushed to assist her. “Why didn’t you call? I would have met you in the driveway.”
“Oh, yeah, I guess I could have done that.” She laughed, stooping down and sliding a baking dish onto the kitchen counter. “I’m so used to being on my own, doing things myself.”
“Get over it.” Vance tossed her a teasing grin.
She smiled at the quip, but too soon a somber expression pulled at her brows. She stepped beside him and touched his forearm. “After Cammy goes to bed, I need to talk with you about something important.”
“All right.” The intense look on her face made Vance wary. “Can you give me a hint so I don’t have to fret for the next three hours?”
“It’s about some information I requested. It came in the mail today.”
“What kind of information?”
“That’s what I have to speak to you about.” Meg smiled. Next, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. It warmed Vance’s insides, and his arms instinctively encircled her waist. “Nothing to worry about.” She leaned back, peering up at him. “Would you like to see what’s for dinner?”
“Maybe in a few minutes.” He stared into her face, memorizing each freckle smattered across her cheeks and nose. “You’re beautiful, you know that?” He be
nt to place a kiss on her full, pink lips, when—
“Are we ever going to eat?” Cammy voiced her impatience.
She’d rolled her wheelchair into the kitchen and now sat grinning at the two of them.
“Of course we’re going to eat. I’ll dish up the plates right now.” Meg sent Vance a look filled with both remorse and embarrassment.
He just smiled and scrutinized his daughter’s expression. It seemed to be saying, “What do you need to make sure of? You love her. Just marry her, you big silly!”
Once Meg was certain that Cammy had fallen asleep in bed, she grabbed the brown paper packet from the University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital and plopped herself down beside Vance on the sofa.
“This is what I wanted to show you. It’s information about these new experimental wireless devices that are being used to help SCI patients walk.”
Meg saw a flick of interest enter his gaze before he took the colorful brochures from her and started leafing through them.
“The initial consultation is free.”
He examined the material. “The other alternative discussed in this brochure is surgery. Cammy’s had enough surgeries in her young life.”
“I realize that, but I wanted you to consider the wireless devices.”
He flipped through the information too fast to have read it. Finally, he shook his head. “This won’t help Cammy.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because doctors have said she’ll never walk again.”
“Doctors here in Stanford, at Logan Hospital.”
“The physicians here are just as skilled and capable as the ones at UK Children’s Hospital.”
“I’m sure they are, but things in the medical field have changed greatly in the last three years. New and better technology has been developed.”
“I take Cammy to see her doctor and a physical therapist every three months. Nothing has changed with her condition.”
“Getting another opinion, Vance, might be a wise thing to do. In any case, it can’t hurt.”
He seemed to turn himself off at that point, erect a wall, and block her out, just like he did when she suggested putting the dishes in a different cupboard or the knives in a different drawer.
But Meg wasn’t ready to give up. “You told me Cammy’s spinal cord wasn’t severed, just bruised.”
“Her back was broken.”
“Several vertebrae, right?”
“Right.”
“Well, Vance, something’s changing with her; she told me it tickled when I polished her toenails. And Kent Baldwin said she moved her leg while in the rowing machine before he lifted her out. She remembers how to walk, and those muscles have nerves that remember, too. I’m no doctor, but it seems to me that these new medical devices might enable Cammy to use her legs again. Maybe even walk.” Meg set her hand on Vance’s shoulder. “What’s wrong with at least getting a free consultation?”
Long, tense moments passed, then Vance looked her way. “If I agree to do this, you know Cammy will get her hopes up. And what if it doesn’t work? Why should I shatter my daughter’s dreams of walking again? Part of being a kid is having idealistic views about the future. Why should I destroy them by taking her to doctors who’ll just say the same thing the doctors here in Stanford have said?”
“Because there is a good chance they might say something different.” Meg didn’t want to argue with him. “Just think it over, all right?”
He let the literature balance on his left leg, and Meg noticed the stubborn set to his jaw.
“Kent agreed that Cammy might be a good candidate for the devices.”
“Kent?” Vance whipped his gaze at her. “Who asked him?”
Meg detected a note of jealousy in his voice, even though Vance struggled to keep his tone calm and even. “He’s Cammy’s phys ed teacher, and he’s got a background in PT.”
Vance gathered up the material. “Let’s drop this subject, okay?”
“Won’t you at least think it over?”
Without a word, he stood. Meg did the same and followed him into the kitchen. She watched with a mix of hurt and surprise as he threw the info packet into the garbage.
“Vance?”
“This discussion is over.”
She crossed her arms. “Why are you being so hard-headed? It’s a free consultation. You won’t even consider it?”
“Time to mind your own business, Meg.” Vance brushed by her and left the kitchen.
She felt like she’d just been slapped. Immediate tears welled in her eyes. “I thought you and Cammy were my business.” She’d spoken the words so softly, she felt sure Vance hadn’t heard.
But she’d heard his message loud and clear. Mind your own business. His words cut deep.
She flicked her gaze around the kitchen, the baking dish and saucepan in the sink along with plates, silverware, glasses, and coffee mugs. She always cleaned up the supper dishes. Vance usually offered to help. Tonight, however, she wasn’t going to clean up his kitchen. He could do it himself. She wasn’t some sort of hireling, but that’s how he’d just made her feel. Mind your own business.
She was good enough to prepare a meal for him, but not worthy enough to have her ideas and opinions considered.
Meg glanced at the cupboards and then her gaze moved upward to the kitchen’s pretty little border. Those four words also told Meg that she’d never completely have Vance’s heart.
Having just part of it wouldn’t be enough for her.
She walked through the dining room and collected her purse. She slung its skinny leather strap over her shoulder. Vance sat statue-still, staring at a television commercial for deodorant soap. Couldn’t he even look at her? He might try apologizing. That’d be a start to a healthy discussion.
Nothing.
Without a word, Meg left his house, got in her car, and drove back to Miracle. Vance didn’t even make an attempt to stop her from leaving.
Vance hated the way Meg left. He hated himself for not begging her to stay. She’d only been trying to help. She loved Cammy—and hadn’t he been hoping and praying to meet someone who’d love his little girl like she was her own?
Sitting forward on the couch, Vance put his head in his hands and thought over their conversation. While the free consultation idea might sound good to Meg and that musclehead Kent Baldwin, it ran contrary to the very grain of Vance’s soul. Medical procedures involved risk. What would happen if he’d lose Cammy? In the span of three short years he’d lost Angie and both his parents. There was only so much losing a man could take.
As for those wacky medical devices, he wasn’t interested. They sounded like some newfangled gadget on a TV infomercial, and he certainly wasn’t about to allow his daughter to be some kind of experiment.
Vance’s fault was that he didn’t bother sharing his feelings with Meg. But he’d been afraid he’d sound weak-minded, wimpy—uneducated. Maybe she’d understand. Maybe she wouldn’t. But one thing was sure: Meg hadn’t deserved the harsh way in which he’d reacted.
Oh, God, I let my insecurities take over my common sense, and I hurt Meg.
He stood, ambled into the kitchen, and faced the mess. He didn’t mind cleaning it up. As for Meg, he’d let the situation cool off tonight and look at things with a level head tomorrow. He’d apologize first thing in the morning. Knowing Meg, she’d be quick to forgive him.
After school, Cammy watched Miss Jorgenson—Meg—as she erased the white board. All the other kids had left, and Daddy would come to pick her up soon. She knew something wasn’t right between him and Meg. Daddy acted crabby all weekend, and Meg wasn’t smiling and talking to him a lot. She didn’t come over on Friday or Saturday, and after church Daddy didn’t drive them to the Jorgensons’ for Sunday dinner. She didn’t come over yesterday, either.
What happened?
“Miss Jorgenson?” Cammy didn’t use her first name since they were still at school. “Are you coming over tonight?”
S
he turned and Cammy thought she looked a little sad. “No, not tonight.”
“Are you ever?”
She looked down, then towards the door, and finally back at Cammy. “I don’t know.”
“Don’t you and my daddy love each other anymore?”
“My feelings haven’t changed, Cammy.”
Uh-oh, Daddy must have done something wrong, wrong, wrong! But, even if he had, Cammy knew deep inside that he still loved Meg.
“Sometimes people say things they don’t mean. Like once a fifth grade boy called me ‘the retarded girl in the wheelchair.’ He didn’t mean it. He just didn’t know that I’m not retarded.”
“I know, Cammy. I’m aware that people say things they don’t mean. I’ve done it myself.”
“If my daddy said something wrong, he can apologize.”
“He already has.”
“Don’t you forgive him?”
“Well, yes. But, as I’ve told your dad, our misunderstanding, or whatever it is, goes beyond mere words.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, honey, but I can’t discuss anymore of this with you.”
“But I miss you.”
Meg swallowed hard and placed her fingertips on her lips, like she was trying to keep her feelings locked in.
“Please come over. I’ll cook. You already know how I make macaroni and cheese.”
“The best I’ve tasted. But, no, I can’t come over.”
Cammy felt scared inside, thinking Meg wouldn’t be Daddy’s girlfriend anymore. Then they wouldn’t get married and Meg wouldn’t be Cammy’s new mommy. She’d already imagined what their wedding would be like and how they’d be a happy family together.
And what about her surprise birthday party tomorrow?
“Please, Meg. I mean, Miss Jorgenson.”
Before she could answer, Daddy walked through the door. Meg got all nervous and started straightening papers on her desk. “Better pack up, Cammy.” She didn’t even look up when she spoke.
“Yes, Miss Jorgenson.” Cammy looked at Daddy. He placed a kiss on the side of her head.
“Did you have a good day, punkin?”
“No.” She stuck out her lower lip and folded her arms real tight. She was mad at both of them.
Love Finds You in Miracle, Kentucky Page 23