Second Chance Father

by Renee Andrews

  “It’s 2:00 a.m. in LA,” Roland said. “Figured I’d catch you before you start that hideous early morning run ritual. And I thought if I called at an odd enough hour, you’d consider the possibility of a family emergency and pick up the line.”

  Jack had to hand it to him; the guy was smart. Then again, most studio execs were. But Roland went above the typical intelligence of the big players in LA, primarily because he wasn’t merely working for himself. He considered Christians as a whole and the way they benefited from the product he put on the market. And he knew Finding Home wouldn’t be as successful as Jack’s previous films without the director’s promotion.

  But Jack didn’t want to promote a film for God. Didn’t want to do anything for Him. He certainly hadn’t done anything for Jack.

  “We need you on board.” Roland’s authoritative tone said he wouldn’t back down.

  Neither would Jack. “That’s not happening, Roland, and I’m pretty sure you knew that when you called.” He sat up, swung his feet off the side of the bed and sighed heavily as he ran a frustrated hand over his stubble. This conversation was going south fast.

  An onslaught of nonstop coughing rumbled through the line, undoubtedly triggered by Jack’s refusal. Guilt nudged Jack’s heart. He liked Roland and had always appreciated the fact that he stood for something he believed in within an industry that typically cared only about the take at the box office. And Jack felt sorry for him. The mighty exec had been a heavy smoker in his youth and currently battled emphysema as a result of the teenage vice.

  “Roland, have you got your oxygen handy?”

  “Don’t you worry about me and my lungs. I’ve got this under control. What I need you to worry about are the appearances Marketing and PR has scheduled for you.” He rattled through a clearing of his throat. “Screening is set for the day after Thanksgiving, then three weeks of talk shows and print interviews, with the official release, as you know, on Christmas.”

  Christmastime and Easter, the two best dates of the year for releasing a Christian film, and Jack knew Roland would spare no expense in the press junket. “Sounds like a good press run,” he said. “But you’ll have to set it up without me. Book the cast...that should satisfy the public.”

  “That won’t suffice, Jack, and you know it. Now, I’m going to tell our PR team to book your appearances, and you’re going.”

  Jack clenched his jaw, counted to five and then answered, “I’m not, Roland. Now, I made a good film for you. It was the best I could do, and the public will love it. But I’m not making any more, and I’m not promoting it.”

  “The public needs to know that it’s the best you could do, and they need to hear that from you. Not the cast. Not me. Not our PR team. They trust you to give them a God-focused film, something that will make them cry, laugh, cheer...and pray. You do that, Jack, every time, and they want to know that you’ll do it again with Finding Home.”

  Jack had heard this before, many times, and he knew better than to try to stop Roland while he was on a roll, so he took a deep breath and braced for the rest.

  Roland didn’t miss a beat. “We need the public behind this film before it even hits the screen. We need their faith, their prayers, pushing this to be the most popular movie in the world. Think of the lives we can touch. Don’t you remember the photos and videos of people leaving the theaters after The Journey and Jacob’s Dream? They were gathering in huddles right then and there and praying, Jack. And this movie is even stronger, will produce even more of a spiritual journey for everyone who sees it. How can you not want to promote it?”

  Jack pressed his fingers against his forehead, pushed them outward to fend off the throbbing in his temples. “How can I promote something that I no longer believe? Tell me that, Roland.”

  Roland hissed out a thick breath. “You’re contractually obligated, Jack. You know I don’t want to go that route, but I will. We’ve already pushed the release back twelve months. We aren’t going to lose any more time, and we aren’t releasing this film without director backing.”

  “Are you honestly going to sue me? Is that what you’re saying?”

  “Listen, Jack. I like you. I’ve always liked you. You’re the best director in the business if you ask me, but I’m not going to let this film get any less credit than it deserves, and without your endorsement, it won’t stand a chance against the heavy hitters that weekend.” He hardened his tone. “So yeah, I’ll do whatever it takes to make you fulfill your end of the deal.”

  The throbbing pulsed mercilessly against his temples. Jack pressed against the ache and tried to remember if he’d bought any aspirin. “Roland, you don’t want to do that.”

  “You’re right, Jack, I don’t. But I will. The first thing on your junket is the day after Thanksgiving, the screening in LA. You can be there, or you can expect to hear from the studio’s attorney.”

  The line clicked as Roland disconnected. Jack growled his frustration, tossed the phone on the bed and searched for his running clothes. No, it wasn’t daylight yet, but he needed to burn off some steam, and the prospect of getting more sleep was about as likely as the prospect of fulfilling his duties in Roland’s press junket.

  Not happening.

  * * *

  Elise hardly slept. The past two days had thrown her world off-kilter, and her mind wouldn’t stop replaying the most surprising—and somewhat disturbing—moments. Finding Jack, a reclusive loner she still only knew by first name, living in the woods. Seeing Cody start easing out of his shell because of Jack. Feeling an attraction toward a guy who exuded every characteristic of the type of man she’d promised to avoid forever.

  What made Cody relate to this guy?

  Why did Jack see her as different?

  Who was JJ?

  For that matter, who was Jack?

  She’d woken at five thirty, or more accurately, that was when she decided to get out of the bed and give up on any additional sleep. By six thirty, she’d already showered, dried her hair and gotten dressed. Breakfast would be served promptly at seven, when she’d meet up with Cody and begin their day, probably by heading to Jack’s place as soon as they finished eating so they could find out what this “planer” thing could do to repair the wood.

  She should tell Cody they couldn’t go. Because every way she played out how this scenario with the recluse might end, there was one fundamental truth that could not be denied: she wouldn’t be able to fix a broken man.

  And Jack was most definitely broken.

  She examined her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she brushed her hair and pulled it into a high ponytail. Gray shadows tinted the skin beneath each eye, a sure sign that she’d tossed and turned most of the night. She unzipped her makeup bag and withdrew a stick of concealer, swiped it over each side and then smoothed it in. After performing a quick scan of the other contents in the bag, she selected a shimmery rose-tinted gloss and skimmed it over her lips.

  Another look in the mirror showed a lady who hadn’t cared about wearing makeup since she’d arrived at Willow’s Haven but suddenly found the need to hide her dark circles and draw attention to her lips.

  “God help me.”

  She reached for a tissue to wipe the gloss away but stopped when an urgent knock sounded from the cabin door. The impatient rattle left no doubt who she’d find on the other side.

  When she opened the door, her suspicion rang true.

  Cody shifted so quickly from foot to foot that he appeared to be jogging in place. His fingers tapped together at his chest, but the hiking flash card kept his fingertips from touching and snapped with each beat of his hands.

  Resolved that her workday would start a little earlier than she’d anticipated, she asked quietly, “Cody, is everything okay?”

  He stopped the tapping, turned the card to make certain Elise saw the picture and then poin
ted to the mountain man.

  As much as she wasn’t thrilled about Jack proving to be the best means of helping Cody, she acknowledged her patient’s progress. Instead of barging into the woods on his own, he’d taken the time to inform her of his plan and include her in his journey.

  Definitely a step in the right direction.

  “Thank you for telling me that you want to go see Jack.” While she spoke, several boys and girls as well as cabin counselors passed her front porch heading toward the dining cabin.

  Dylan Evans, Brodie and Savvy’s fifteen-year-old son, stopped on his way. He wore a Claremont football jersey and khakis, game day attire for the junior varsity team and a stark contrast to Cody’s choice of clothing, yet another classic car T-shirt paired with dark jeans.

  Even the way Cody dressed served as a reminder that things were different in his world.

  “Hey, Ms. Elise. Hey, Cody. Y’all coming to breakfast?”

  Cody didn’t acknowledge he’d heard Dylan’s question, didn’t even turn to see who had spoken. Thankfully, Dylan had become familiar with Cody’s lack of communication and didn’t seem bothered by the snub.

  “We’ll see.” She knew better than to promise they would go, because she suspected eating was the last thing on Cody’s mind.

  “Okay, but they’re fixing banana pancakes, if you change your mind.” Dylan turned and sprinted to catch up with some of the teen boys from the next cabin. He was a great kid, energetic and genuinely happy. His birth mother, Willow, had passed away a couple of years ago, and Brodie and Savvy had adopted him and his two sisters. At one of the devotions last week, he explained how Willow’s Haven was named after his mom and had been formed so more kids could find a new home, like he and his little sisters had found with Brodie and Savvy.

  Elise wanted Cody to have a chance at a family like that. She’d worked with a few autistic children who had been adopted, but none of them had gone through the upheaval Cody had experienced. Based on his case file, he’d been very communicative and on track to function independently in society as an adult. He’d even been mainstreamed into the public school system last year, but since the accident occurred merely a week before this school year began, he hadn’t even started yet.

  Each morning, when Dylan and all the other kids at Willow’s Haven were picked up by the school bus, Elise was reminded of yet another thing on the long list of goals she had for her patient, getting him back to school.

  But Cody was nowhere near ready. However, he had started making progress, because of the handsome recluse at the end of the trail.

  As if knowing where her thoughts had headed, Cody huffed out a thick breath and slapped the hiking card.

  Elise nodded, acknowledging the request. “I know you want to go, but wouldn’t you like to have breakfast first? They should begin serving in a few minutes. Banana pancakes sound great to me.”

  His lower lip rolled in, head shook emphatically. For a moment, she thought he might say—or even yell—his refusal, but instead he pushed the hiking card so close to her face that it nearly touched the tip of her nose.

  Elise peered over the card expecting to see frustration or defiance that she’d even suggested they wait until after the meal, but instead she found sadness. Longing. Pleading.

  He needed to see Jack.

  She closed the door and prayed that she could keep herself from needing the same thing. Why did she feel so compelled to fix broken men?

  Elise took a deep breath, let it out and mentally tightened the lock on her heart. She would keep this relationship with Jack professional. She had to. Otherwise she might not survive the fallout. “Okay, let’s go.”

  His mouth stretched outward, and for a moment she thought he might smile, but then he bobbed his head once, turned and walked purposefully toward the trail without acknowledging the kids he met along the way. Elise followed, making certain to smile and greet those who continued to attempt to make Cody feel welcome. It was as if the children at Willow’s Haven understood that, while they had each other for friendship and companionship and bonding through their situations, Cody had no one. Except Elise. And Jack.

  Brodie and Savvy’s home, a log cabin painted yellow, was situated a short distance behind the cabins for children and counselors, and Savvy exited her front porch as they passed.

  “Not waiting until after breakfast?” She knew about their trips to Jack’s place and had stayed up late last night discussing the guy with Elise. She, like Elise, didn’t think he seemed dangerous, but she agreed that a man choosing to live on his own in the middle of the woods seemed odd. As did the fact that he didn’t appear to do anything that generated any sort of income.

  Cody stopped, glanced from Savvy to Elise, and still held that look of longing that she couldn’t ignore.

  “No, we’re not waiting,” Elise confirmed, while Cody appeared visibly relieved that the two women weren’t going to require him to eat first.

  A look of compassion crossed Savvy’s features, and then she blinked a couple of times and nodded. “I understand.” Elise had explained to the other woman the importance of getting Cody to spend time with the other kids, even if only during meals. Social interaction wasn’t possible for someone who blocked himself off from the surrounding world.

  An image of Jack flashed across Elise’s mind. Jack, alone, by choice. Secluding himself from the outside world.

  Savvy leaned over the porch rail as she spoke. “Cody, Dylan and the other junior high players have a football game tonight, and all of the kids here are planning to go. A bus is picking everyone up so that we can ride together. There will be popcorn and soda and cotton candy. I know he’d really like for you to watch him play.”

  Cody’s eyebrows dipped, jaw tensed and mouth squeezed into that familiar flat line, but instead of acknowledging Savvy’s request, he turned to face Elise head-on and lifted the hiking card.

  The football game would be a great way to introduce him to the idea of joining the local school system while in a more comfortable setting than a classroom, so she wanted him to give it a try. But she also knew that getting him to go along with the idea wasn’t happening without a little give-and-take on her part. “Cody, how about this—we’ll go see Jack now—” she waited a beat for him to make eye contact and then continued “—and then later, after we’ve helped him with his furniture, we’ll go to the game and support Dylan and his teammates.”

  He frowned, glanced toward the woods, then shrugged and nodded.

  Elise smiled her gratitude to Savvy. “We’ll be there.”

  Savvy blinked a couple more times, her eyes glistening with emotion. “That’ll mean a lot to him, Cody. Thank you.”

  Again, the boy didn’t acknowledge he’d heard, but he’d undoubtedly remained still for as long as he could manage, because he slapped the hiking card and then continued toward the woods.

  Savvy waited until he was several feet away, then lowered her voice and said, “I think you’re right... Whatever is happening with that Jack fellow is helping him. I asked Brodie if he knew anything about him, and he said he’d thought that cabin was still abandoned.”

  “Not anymore.” Elise watched Cody and saw the flash card flitter from his hand a few feet shy of the trail. “I’ll let you know if I learn any more about him today.”

  “I’ll pray that y’all have a good day,” Savvy said.

  Elise thanked her and then left to catch up with Cody. She’d take all the prayers she could get, not only for Cody, but also for her heart.

  Her patient stooped to pick up the card from a pile of crushed leaves and dirt. She watched him gently wipe the bits of debris away and then study the image of the man. He seemed so intent on examining the hiker that he didn’t notice Elise now stood beside him at the beginning of the trail.

  “That reminds you of Jack, doesn’t it?” she asked
softly.

  He didn’t look up but nodded once.

  Not wanting to stop the limited form of communication, she continued, “Does it remind you of your dad too?”

  She expected another nod, but after a brief hesitation, he shook his head. He made no effort to start walking and remained transfixed on the image, so Elise suspected there might be an even more personal reason for his connection with Jack. “Cody, does that picture remind you of...you?”

  He didn’t nod, didn’t acknowledge any response to her question. For a moment, she thought he’d changed his mind about seeing Jack, because he simply stood there staring at the card for over a minute while Elise silently asked God for any help He could provide.

  Then a single teardrop fell onto the card.

  Elise’s heart clenched tightly in her chest.

  Cody wiped the damp spot away with his thumb. His Adam’s apple pulsed with a thick swallow, and then without making eye contact, he forged ahead.

  They walked in silence, as usual, but Elise did her best to initiate any type of communication by admiring the natural beauty of the woods.

  “I love the smell of the forest.” She inhaled the earthy scents of damp leaves and crisp pine. Even though most flowers were no longer blooming, she still spied bits of deep scarlet and golden-yellow wildflowers against the dark brown base of the trees. The heady scent of the blooms added yet another layer to the blended fragrance of the woods. “Don’t you, Cody?”

  He never broke stride.

  Undeterred, Elise continued, “There’s a state park not far from my apartment in Birmingham. Oak Mountain State Park. Several of my coworkers hike there often, but I’ve never taken the time. Now I’m seeing what I missed.”

  Cody stopped, tilted his head toward a sound nearby. Elise heard it too, an animal rustling through the woods. She didn’t think there were any bears in this area and suspected it was probably a deer, maybe a fox. She’d also seen a rabbit on one of her hikes and, of course, several squirrels, but this sounded larger than any of those. She appreciated the reminder that they were passing through God’s incredible masterpiece and pondered whether the Garden of Eden had been similar to this. “Wow, it’s peaceful out here, isn’t it?”