Carly’s grin faded to curiosity. “What’s a dis...a dis—”
“Dispute?” Rick tousled her hair. “That’s a pretty big word, isn’t it?” He eyed Angie, hoping she could save him.
“Dispute is sort of like what the judge had to do. He had to make a decision.” She gave him a quick look as if asking if her response had been satisfactory.
Carly nodded. “Because if I had to be there a long time, I would want to come home and that would be another dispoot.”
“It would.” He gave her a wink. “But now we don’t have to worry. The judge said you’re here until your mom comes home.”
“I get to live with you now.” She skipped down the sidewalk and back. If he hadn’t been an adult, he might have joined her.
Despite his relief, he still had a challenge. Carly’s belongings had to be moved to his house, and he hated the confrontation that was bound to occur.
* * *
Angie gazed out Rick’s apartment window watching dusk lower in the sky and listened to the hum of Carly’s prayers as he tucked her in. The days had passed in a blur of activity as Carly moved her clothes and toys to Rick’s while Rick dodged Glenda’s comments, but they’d both agreed it could have been worse. Once the judge had spoken, the disagreement ended—not ended exactly, but Glenda’s few complaints had had nowhere to go.
Angie understood Glenda needed a way to vent her frustration. Although Angie disliked the woman, Glenda was Carly’s mother and that meant finding positive attributes. The woman would be in her life from now on if she married Rick.
If she married Rick. The idea still twirled like strands of colorful ribbon, bright and lovely yet delicate. Angie feared the ribbons might snag and tear in the whirlwind of her excitement.
Her life plans had made a full turn. She’d pondered what she needed to do. She’d waited too long. The time had come to face what she’d dreaded. If Rick loved her and wanted her as his wife, he needed to know the truth about her life with Cal. She’d always feared the admission with any man she might get serious with, yet knowing Rick, she sensed he would forgive her for the past... At least, she hoped it with all her heart.
The voices quieted, and she settled on the sofa, picturing Rick and Carly saying good-night. She had longed to go into the bedroom and listen, but this was a time of adjustment for Carly, and her presence didn’t seem appropriate. Not yet.
Her pulse skipped as possibilities soared through her mind. She and Rick had agreed to hold off their discussion until Carly’s problem had been resolved. And now it had. Her mother had flown out a few evenings ago after Glenda and Carly had said their goodbyes.
Rick had guaranteed Carly and Glenda the phone calls would be plentiful, and he even suggested video chats and offered to put one of the programs on his computer so Carly and her mother could see each other as they talked.
Hearing a noise, Angie swung her head to the doorway. Rick walked in carrying two mugs. “Coffee? I thought you might like a cup.”
She nodded. “A good thought.” She grasped the mug handle, took a sip and set it on the table beside her. “How did it go? I know it’s been an adjustment, but is she really okay?”
“Better than I expected. She’s a little sad about her mom leaving, but she thinks of the alternative and is happy again. Carly’s so grown-up, Ang. I can’t believe how well she thinks through things. I might have a little genius on my hands.”
“That girl of yours takes after her daddy. She’s loaded with common sense.”
Rick set down his mug and sank beside her. “You think so? Sometimes I wonder if I have a brain.”
She gave him a playful punch. “I’m sorry I keep asking how she’s doing. I can’t help but worry.”
“Carly’s strong and begged to stay in Owosso, so I’m confident she’ll be fine. She’ll miss her mom, especially as time passes. I have no doubt, but it’s only a month...” He gave a shrug. “It’s natural. I miss you when it’s been a full day and we haven’t been together.”
She’d experienced the same longing to see him. “This week has been one of those, but I knew you had a multitude of things to do with Carly. Gathering her belongings, moving them to your place and settling the child-care arrangements, so many details. But I still missed you.”
Rick shifted on the sofa and drew her closer. His eyes lowered to her mouth as his lips found hers. The gentle kiss lingered, sending her pulse galloping. Rick eased back, kissing the tip of her nose and touching her lips again before settling against the sofa cushion while keeping his arm around her. “I hope that lets you know that I missed you, too.”
He leaned over and grasped his coffee mug. “We’ve won the battle, Angie. Our prayers were answered, and Carly is with me. It’s something I wanted forever but never thought would happen. Believe it or not, I do feel sorry for Glenda. Despite her busy life and devotion to her work, she loves Carly in her own way, and she will miss her. I’ll do everything I can to help them connect. I would hope that she would have done the same.”
“You’ve been great, Rick, and I’m glad you have compassion for Glenda. I also love that you said we’ve won. That means the world to me. You know I adore Carly. I couldn’t love my own child more.”
An easy grin curved his lips. “That’s another reason you mean so much to me, Ang. It’s why I love you.”
Her heart stopped beating for a fleeting moment, and she caught her breath. He’d never spoken the word love before, and she hadn’t been prepared, but her own feelings rose to her throat. “I love you, too, Rick. I cherish you.”
“Then that means...”
She touched his arm and nodded. “It does mean what you hope, but before you say anymore, I really need to talk with you.”
His happiness turned to muddied concern. “What is it, Ang?” His frown deepened.
Her chest tightened, weighted by the admission she had to share. “It’s nothing about you or my feelings, Rick. I want to be open with you. I need to put everything out on the table so one day you don’t hear comments that disappoint you. And you need to know who I’ve been and decide if I’m the kind of woman you can still love.”
“Woman I can still love?” Question filled his eyes. “Angie, what are you talking about? I don’t understand. Were you in trouble or—”
“No. Not that kind of trouble, but I need to tell you about my life with Cal.” Her throat caught as she shared her sorrow at giving herself to him without marriage, living a life she didn’t believe in, though one she thought would bring her happiness and a successful marriage.
As she looked back over the years, her delusions sent her questioning her sanity. Her father had said who needed to buy a cow when the milk was free. The saying had angered her at the time, but her father had been correct. Cal had got what he’d wanted while she’d been left feeling dirty and empty as he’d gone off with his friends, usually dragging her along even though she didn’t enjoy their company or their morals. Drugs. Alcohol. She’d been surrounded by it and had joined them on occasion, only to feel more degraded.
Rick rose, his eyes burning. “No more. Angie, I’m disappointed in you.”
Her heart sank, her hopes and dreams shattered. “Rick, please.” She swallowed a sob. “I—”
“Stop, Angie. Please.”
Her heart plummeted to the depths of her being, and a sob lurched from her throat.
“Don’t cry.” He studied her with eyes that looked as if they were carrying the weight of the world. “I can’t believe that you would think my feelings are so shallow. What kind of person do you think I am?”
Her eyes blurred with tears. “I wasn’t judging you, Rick. I’m condemning myself. Back then, it wasn’t the me I could be proud of. I—”
He touched her arm, drawing her up. “I can’t bear to have you even think...” He closed his eyes and drew in a le
ngthy breath. “I love you, Ang. Not things that happened in your past.”
“But I’d hoped you could forgive—”
Rick pressed his finger to her lips. “Forgive you? There’s nothing to forgive. How would you even question my feelings?”
His eyes probed hers as her chest constricted.
“I love you for who you are now.” A tender look flooded his face. “Do you think I’ve been sinless? I’ve done my own foolish things, and those behaviors weren’t me either, but all my friends were doing it. It went against my beliefs and my values, but I wanted to be like my friends.” He shook his head. “You’re not alone. We’re all sinners and, thanks be to God, we are forgiven.”
She searched his face, realizing for the first time that love and forgiveness were one, the same as marriage, a union that was blessed by the Lord. How could she have allowed her fears to hold her back from the amazing experience of loving Rick?
He lifted her chin and tilted her head up, his eyes drawing her in. “Now, you have to forgive yourself.” He lowered his lips to hers.
The kiss washed over her as if a baptism, cleansing her shame and sadness with Rick’s undying love...just as the Lord had done.
“Rick.” She gazed into his eyes. “Thank you for who you are and for who you’ve helped me become.”
He studied her a moment before a grin played on his face. “Now, sweet Angie, can I ask that question?”
She smiled back, her heart filled with more love than she’d ever known. “Please. Ask.”
“Angie, my best friend and soul mate, the woman of my dreams, will you be my wife?”
She flung her arms around his neck. “You know I will. Did you ever doubt it?”
He gave a faint shrug. “On occasion, but I kept nudging the Lord and He heard me.” He wove his fingers between hers, drew her hand to his mouth and kissed her ring finger. “I’d like to make it official at Carly’s birthday party on Saturday if it’s okay with you? We’ll have everyone there, and they can share in our happiness.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, and before we do anything, you should talk with Ca—”
“I asked her tonight, and I had to wrestle her to keep her in bed. She’s happier than I’ve seen her since you bought her the bigger ball.”
His sputter brought her to laughter. She wiped her eyes, trying to control her giggles, and knew this was the kind of life she wanted always. She slipped her arms around his neck again and lowered her lips to his, offering him the kiss she’d wanted to give him since the day she admitted to herself she loved him.
* * *
Rick grabbed his cell phone and tried to open his eyes. Who would call him at six in the morning? He forced his eyelids wider and gaped at the caller. Questions flew as he pushed the talk button. “Glenda. Is something wrong?”
“No, not really, but—”
“It’s six a.m. here.”
“Sorry, I forgot the time change. I wanted you to know I have a change in plans.”
His heart stood still. “You’re coming back sooner?”
“No. I’ll be staying here longer.”
A sound caught in her throat and he realized it was something he rarely heard other than anger. “How long, Glenda? Have you considered Carly’s feelings?”
“Yes, and that’s why I wanted her here with me.”
Fire rose up his chest. “You mean you knew you were going to be there longer and—”
“Rick, I wasn’t certain how things would work out.” A sigh rattled across the line. “Let me explain.” She released another stream of air that puffed in his ear. “A while ago a coworker from Germany came to the States to work on a joint project. He had lived in the US for years. I knew him then, but he had moved back to Germany to be with his mother, who was in poor health. She died, but he’d settled in his job here, and...”
He waited, trying to piece together her rattled explanation to make some sense out of it. “And what?”
“We’d started dating, and I really liked him. John was like me, driven by his work and yet enjoying the comforts of life, too.”
“So now what?” He guessed what was coming.
“He’s asked me to marry him, and I said yes. I know it seems fast, but he was in the US for months a while back, and we’ve been on the phone since he left. I know this is it, but there’s Carly.”
“Yes, there’s Carly, Glenda.” A thousand questions spun in his mind. “How long will you be there?”
“I think I can work here for a while, and then we’ll decide. If they won’t keep me on, I’ll find something else, but we’re hoping we can both come back to the US eventually. John is willing to look for work there. He’s very qualified and could get another job if it came to that.”
Her words tumbled over each other without being sorted, and he knew being in love didn’t always leave time to get a plan together. His feelings for Angie left him befuddled at times. “You’ll figure it out, Glenda. I’m happy you’ve found someone, but my concern is Carly. When will you tell her?”
“I thought...I...”
Struck by reality, he grimaced. “You thought I should tell her for you. Is that right?”
“Rick, you’re there. I don’t want to ruin her birthday and call her then to break the news. If you tell her now, then she’ll have time to... I don’t know. She’ll have time to take it in.”
He stared into space, unable to decide how to deal with her request. “Has Carly met him? That would make her more prepared.”
Silence. He knew the answer. “Glenda, why didn’t this John guy meet her? She’s your daughter, and he must have known you had a child.” Horror struck him. “He did, didn’t he?”
“Yes. He knew. But...”
“But he doesn’t like kids?”
“Not exactly. He didn’t want to be tied down to a premade life, and so I just let it go until he began to feel about me the way I felt about him. Now, yes, I want him to meet her.”
“I’m not shipping her to Germany, Glenda. She’s just beginning to adjust to being here without you. You don’t expect me to—”
“No, I don’t expect you to send her here, but we’ll work out something.”
His mind flashed. “I proposed to Angie yesterday, Glenda, and she said yes. Maybe I can bring Carly there on our honeymoon. Maybe you could take vacation time and have quality time with her while Angie and I have a little honeymoon time alone. Do you think—”
“That would be perfect, Rick.” Relief filled her voice. “Would you do that for me?”
“I’ll do it for Carly, Glenda. I know she’ll want to see you and meet your new husband.”
“Thank you, Rick.”
“I’ll keep you posted, and I don’t like breaking the news to her. You could call back later when she’s awake.”
“It’s not a good time. That’s why I called now, and yes, I forgot about the time change.”
“I think telling her is your...” His thought faded. “Will you call her on her birthday? It’s in two days.”
“I’ll call her then.”
“We’re having a party at Angie’s, so call on my cell.” He gazed at the clock now reading six thirty. “She’ll be anxious to talk with you, Glenda.”
He heard a tremor in her voice. “Tell her I love her.”
“I will.” He ended the call, and dropping back on the pillow, he faced what he’d been asked to do. How could he break the news to Carly? A child needed to hear it from her mother. In the midst of frustration, he knew life would be better. He had a partner who understood what Carly needed—what he needed. Angie’s unadulterated love completed his life. Her openness and expressions of joy and delight over becoming a family filled him with a wholeness he’d thought had been lost.
Since Glenda had put him in a bad spot
, he would make the best of it. Yet if he didn’t tell Carly, the news would ruin her birthday, and he couldn’t do that. He stared at the ceiling and prayed he would find a way to tell her that she could handle.
* * *
Angie rested her shoulder against the archway door and watched the interaction between her parents and Rick’s mother. So far so good. Her sister, Connie, had latched on to Rick’s sister, Rene, and they were sitting on the back porch watching the children play games. The men were participating in the ring toss, each joining one of the children while El and her dad pretended to referee. Though she and Rick still had their employment to deal with, they’d decided long ago that the old-fashioned rule needed to be challenged. If anyone could do it, she and Rick could. They’d already dealt with challenges greater than their employment. They both had talents and either one could work somewhere else if necessary. Laughter came through the back door and sounded sweet in Angie’s ears.
Soon Rick ambled through the door and gave her a wink. Carly followed him, her face glowing with her secret, and Angie anticipated it was time for the announcement.
“Everyone.” He motioned from the doorway. “Let’s all go outside to the card tables and chairs so we can do our celebrating together.” He gave her a grin and headed back out.
Angie heard Carly’s giggles as she whispered to her daddy. Her smile reassured Angie that she had accepted her mother’s engagement and her delay in returning home from Germany without being too upset. Rick had called her after he and Carly had talked to let her know how it had gone, and she was as proud of Carly as he had been and thrilled that they would go to Germany together on the honeymoon.
Honeymoon. Her pulsed skipped envisioning the reality of her upcoming marriage and wonderful trip. Though taking a child along on a honeymoon might not be typical, she loved the idea. They would have a week or so following the wedding before they left and those private days would be enough before they left on the trip.
Her chest tightened as she watched their families and friends gather in the backyard. The roses were profuse, and the wave petunias had proved their worth by spreading into gorgeous displays of flowers. Today had been perfect.
A Mother to Love Page 19