by Arlene James
“You don’t understand,” she said, putting some distance between them. “I was living with my father because I lost our home when my business failed.”
Her father had alluded to something like that, so Phillip wasn’t surprised.
“At least you had your own business,” he said. “That’s more than I’ve ever had. What kind of business was it?”
She shook her head, but then explained. “Proprietary software. You know, personalized code, one-of-a-kind stuff for specialized businesses.”
“Oh. I didn’t realize there was a need for that kind of thing.”
“Obviously not a great need,” she muttered, laying her head back onto his shoulder.
Phillip pondered that for a moment. “You’re talking about actually creating computer programs from scratch.”
She tilted her head, giving him an odd look. “They all use the same language. Only the platforms are different.”
Widening his eyes, he grinned. “O-kay.”
Warming to the subject, she started to explain in detail. “The code is in the pattern. These days you just have to put in the commands—”
He held up a hand. “Don’t bother. It’s all Greek to me.”
Suddenly Grace appeared in the doorway to the little hall that opened off the sitting room and led to the suite’s two smaller bedrooms. “Mommy,” she said, rubbing her eyes with both fists, “where’s the air fixer? I’m cold.”
Carissa bolted upright, shrugging off Phillip’s arm in one frantic movement. “Uh. The air...”
“The thermostat is on that wall,” Phillip said, pointing, “but I’ve found that in this big old house it’s sometimes best just to close the vents in certain rooms. I’ll take care of it.”
“No, no,” Carissa insisted, beating him to a standing position. “We’re fine. You can go now.”
Her pinkened cheeks clearly demonstrated her embarrassment at having been caught sitting with his arm around her, and now she was none-too-subtly dismissing him. Again. He took his time getting to his feet just to let her know that he didn’t appreciate being sent away like a neighbor kid who had overstayed his welcome. Her hands fluttering like hummingbirds, Carissa went to escort Grace back to bed, but before she could reach her daughter, Grace ran straight for Phillip. As the girl raised her little arms, Phillip realized that she was about to launch herself. He didn’t know whether to hold her off or pretend he didn’t understand what she wanted. In the end, he simply caught her and swung her up into his arms.
Grace wrapped herself around him, her arms, legs and wiry little body clutching him. “You forgot my night-night hug,” she informed him, squeezing with all her might.
He laughed, hugging her back. “Here’s a super-duper one to make up for it.”
“Super-duper!” she crowed, all but throttling him.
Carissa started forward, an anxious look on her face. Phillip met her halfway and handed off Grace with a smile and a pat for the girl’s soft red head. Turning, he left as quickly as he could then. His heart felt too big for his chest, and he could have sworn that a tiny fist clutched a corner of it.
But what really shook him to the core was how right it had felt to hold Carissa Hopper in his arms, and how easily her problems seemed to become his problems. He’d called her sweetheart, of all things.
Maybe she hadn’t noticed. Suddenly, he didn’t want to face her across the dinner table, not after Grace had caught them all but embracing on the couch. He wondered what excuse he might give the aunties for going out and even went so far as to call his older brother, Asher, to see if he and Ellie had plans for the evening. They did, so Phillip called his younger sister Petra next, but it was her and Dale’s bowling night. In sheer desperation, he telephoned his baby sister Dallas and offered to treat her to a meal at one of her favorite restaurants in thanks for her help with the kids that morning. She readily accepted, and though he had misgivings, Phillip preferred to risk Dallas’s infamous prying than take a chance on sitting down to dinner with Carissa.
He need not have worried. Over their steaks, Dallas chatted about the children, saying that Tucker viewed him, Phillip, as something of a hero, which Phillip found flattering but suspect, and that Grace adored him, which made Phillip smile. He felt a certain fondness for the little girl himself. Dallas admitted that Nathan resented Phillip terribly but advised that the boy would eventually come around. To her credit, Dallas said nothing about Carissa, neither did she ask any questions about a possible relationship between him and Carissa.
Instead, he and his sister discussed his nonexistent job search and the continuing-education course she was taking over the summer. She warned him that their newly retired parents were going to be spending more time in Buffalo Creek than ever before.
“What makes you think so?”
Dallas smiled. “Asher’s daughter, Marie Ella, of course.”
Phillip frowned. “What does our niece have to do with it?”
“She’s their first grandchild, and the older she gets, the more difficult it seems to be for them to stay away,” Dallas answered wryly.
Phillip was horrified. “Surely, you aren’t saying you think they’ll move here from Waco!”
Laughing, Dallas said, “Stranger things have happened. But it’s only sixty miles. I think they might content themselves with driving up a couple times a week.”
“We can only pray,” Phillip muttered, and Dallas laughed again.
Phillip loved his parents, but the last thing he needed was his father advising him on career choices and his mother pushing him to settle down.
Dallas changed the subject then, announcing that she was dating someone new. In the next breath, she stated calmly that she sensed it wasn’t going anywhere, though she didn’t know why. She seemed sad about that but not overly disturbed. Phillip understood all too well. He’d never had a relationship that lasted longer than six months, and the very thought of it made him sad.
What was going on with him and Carissa? He constantly felt the need to know what she was doing and that she was well, and he didn’t like that.
He didn’t like it at all.
* * *
Thanks to the dumbwaiter in the wall on the landing just outside the door to the master suite, Carissa and the children were able to enjoy a private dinner that evening. Carissa kept things low-key afterward by digging out a board game. After making certain that Nathan and Tucker each won a game and Grace came in second, Carissa allowed the children to watch some TV before starting the process of baths and bedtime stories. This necessitated some unpacking.
However, the children didn’t appear inclined to hurry the process. They had lived with unpacked boxes for a long time already at their grandfather’s; that apparently felt normal to them. At the same time, they seemed quite comfortable in their rooms, though Nathan complained about having to share a queen-sized bed with his brother.
“The Chatam ladies said we could bring in the bunk beds if you want,” Carissa ventured carefully, much to Tucker’s delight.
“I want a princess bed like yours!” Grace declared, running into the room in a towel while trailing her nightgown behind her. She had been in love with the large sleigh bed in the master bedroom since she’d first laid eyes on it. A genuine antique, the thing scared Carissa. What if she accidentally damaged it? She didn’t even want to know what something like that was worth.
“The bed you’re sleeping in is just fine,” Carissa said, taking the towel to dry her daughter’s back before pulling the nightgown over her head and helping her slip her arms through the sleeves. Carissa patted the mattress of the boys’ bed, saying, “Hop up so we can read.”
“No, I want to read in the princess bed,” Grace persisted.
Before Carissa could insist that they all pile onto the bed in the boys’ room, Tucker let out a yip and
raced out into the short hallway, a giggling Grace on his heels. Nathan rolled his eyes but followed, the chosen book under his arm. Sighing, Carissa went after them. They had made it halfway across the sitting room when a knock came from the outer door of the suite, freezing them all in their tracks. Carissa’s breath caught. Was that Phillip come to say good-night? If so, the children would be thrilled—unfortunately, so would she.
She remembered him crooning the word sweetheart to her earlier that evening when she’d fallen apart in his arms. She was sure he hadn’t meant it romantically, but it had been so long since anyone had said anything even remotely romantic to her that she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
“Come in.”
Disappointment hit Carissa when Odelia Chatam Monroe’s frothy white hair appeared around the edge of the door.
“Are we inconveniencing you?”
“Not at all. You’re always welcome.”
She opened the door and came in, her lime-green caftan fluttering like gigantic butterfly wings. Phillip entered right behind her. Carissa’s heart fluttered at the sight of him. Oh, she wished he’d stay away—and was extremely glad he wouldn’t, whatever his reasons. She couldn’t prevent a small smile of greeting.
He seemed to relax but remained silent as Odelia asked kindly, “How are you bearing up?”
Tucker screwed up his face. “Bearing up?”
“She wants to know how you’re doing,” Phillip explained with a wink.
“It’s been a long, difficult day,” Odelia said, “with your grandfather’s funeral this morning and you not being able to go back to his apartment.”
To everyone’s surprise, Grace suddenly burst into tears, wailing, “I want Grandpa!”
“Oh, darling,” Odelia crooned, even as Carissa went down on one knee to pull Grace into her arms.
Clearly embarrassed, Nathan poked his sister in the shoulder and hissed, “Shut it! He was always old and sick and about to die.”
“Nathan!” Carissa scolded.
“We all knew it,” Nathan insisted.
“You’re right,” Phillip said, “but it’s still sad.”
Nathan folded his arms and looked down.
“Can we stay here now?” Tucker wanted to know, clearly concerned.
“For a while,” Carissa said evasively.
“How long?” Nathan demanded.
“It doesn’t matter,” she told him. “I expect all of you to be on your very best behavior, especially while I work.”
Nathan scowled, and Tucker frowned.
“Boys,” she prompted. “I want your word that you’ll be on your best behavior. Otherwise, we’ll have to find someplace else to stay. Do you hear?”
Nathan nodded reluctantly, while Tucker whispered, “Yes, Mom.”
Carissa gave Grace a squeeze. “That goes for you, too, young lady.”
Grace made a solemn face and nodded, then she looked at Phillip and broke into a wide smile, even as her tears sparkled on her cheeks. “I’ll be good,” she said. “I promise.”
Phillip chuckled. “I’m sure you will.”
Smiling, Carissa dried her daughter’s face with her fingertips, as Odelia moved to the sofa and sat down, gathering the boys to her.
“Perhaps, after a day like today, we should all have a word of prayer together.”
“Oh. Of course,” Carissa said, bowing her head.
She kept her eyes open, however, and saw that her children glanced at each other in some confusion. Had it been so long since they’d prayed together outside of church or around the dinner table? She promised herself that she would do better in the future. From now on, they would pray together every night. Resisting the urge to glance at Phillip, she listened as Odelia began to pray aloud, thanking God that Marshall was now happy and well in Heaven. She praised God for making it possible for her and her family to have the Hoppers as their guests and made it clear that they were welcome to stay as long as they liked. Finally, she asked that God’s will be done in all their lives.
After the prayer, Carissa felt better, and her children seemed to, as well. Even Nathan seemed more relaxed. As Phillip escorted Odelia to the door, Carissa thought that if he were not in the house, the situation would be very nearly perfect. Then she wouldn’t have to worry about this hopeless attraction and these unwieldy emotions leading her into something that could only leave her—and her children—brokenhearted.
Odelia took her leave of them, saying that breakfast would be served in the sunroom at eight in the morning. Carissa thanked her and waited for Phillip to go, as well, but he lingered a moment longer.
“Do you have everything you need?”
“Yes. Everything.”
“Dallas will come by to stay with the kids in the morning.”
She made an exasperated sound. “You can be very high-handed, you know. I’m used to managing my own children, thank you.”
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll tell her to forget it. Don’t get your feathers ruffled. I just thought that since we were going to be busy emptying the apartment...”
Carissa ached to tell him that she could take care of the apartment on her own, too, but she knew the truth. She couldn’t move furniture by herself, and she couldn’t ask Chester to take off work to help her when Phillip, a much younger man with free time, had already volunteered.
“Yes. Thank you.”
He inclined his head. “See you at breakfast, then.”
She managed a smile and nodded, wondering if it was possible to choke on one’s pride. That thought plagued her for some time, but despite some tossing and turning, she slipped off to sleep and, after a surprisingly restful night, hit the ground running on Tuesday morning.
The first item on her to-do list was to cancel the phone at her dad’s apartment and get a private telephone installed in the suite. That required nearly an hour of her time to arrange. Phillip showed up during breakfast in the sunroom. He wore cargo pants, a simple T-shirt and lace-up boots. A bandanna and a pair of gloves had been tucked into various pockets.
Carissa did her best to ignore him while she talked to the telephone company on her cell phone. Tucker and Grace ignored her while she snapped her fingers at them as they tried to use Phillip as a jungle gym. Somehow, he still managed to help himself to bacon, eggs, toast, orange juice and coffee. Then he cleaned his plate, tickled Grace and held off Tucker all at the same time. After that, Phillip coaxed the younger kids into eating their own meals, all before Carissa got off the phone. Throughout, Nathan glared sullenly and picked at his food until he finally managed to clean the plate.
Carissa gulped down her cold coffee and rose to leave, anxious about emptying the apartment, but Phillip wouldn’t budge until he’d slapped some scrambled eggs and bacon between two pieces of toast, wrapped the resulting sandwich in a paper napkin and thrust it into her hands.
“Go,” he said, then, “Eat on the way.”
Biting her tongue rather than the sandwich, she headed for the door. The children quickly followed behind her.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Phillip barked, bringing everyone to a halt. “Where are they going?” He pointed to the children.
“With us,” she answered, frowning. “They can help.”
He lifted a hand to the back of his neck. After a moment, he waved a hand. “Fine. Go. I’m right behind you. Just have to stop off and trade my car for a truck.”
Sandwich in hand, Carissa herded the children into the minivan and set off for the apartment. By the time Phillip arrived, she’d eaten and gotten the key, as well as a number of empty boxes, from the manager. Thankfully, the manager told her not to worry about cleaning the place after it was emptied, saying that a special cleaning crew would have to be brought in anyway. Carissa unlocked the apartment so she and the children could begin loading the van.<
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Phillip had borrowed a pickup truck from his brother-in-law, Dale, who was a carpenter, which made their job much easier. It also helped that most of her stuff was already boxed. Despite a fistfight between Tucker and Nathan, Grace falling and skinning her elbow, a broken lamp and a shattered picture frame glass, they made progress. In fact, they had moved a full load, shifted around Phillip’s few things inside the hot metal storage space to make room, unloaded Carissa’s boxes and were stacking them when Dallas arrived at the storage unit just before lunchtime.
Looking enviously at the neat redhead’s cool white capris and matching tank top worn beneath a turquoise gauze shirt, Carissa pushed her lank, plain brown hair out of her eyes and tried not to slouch in her baggy cutoffs and gray T-shirt.
“Have you come to help us move?” Carissa asked.
“In this sweltering heat?” Dallas returned, pushing her white sunglasses farther up her nose with a perfectly manicured fingertip. “Actually, I thought I’d go swimming at Chatam House.” She pulled the shades down to look over them at the children. “Want to come?”
Both Tucker and Grace started jumping up and down, and even Nathan yelled, “Yes!”
Phillip mopped his sweaty face with the bandanna and lifted his eyebrows at Carissa. It was only going to get hotter out here, of course, and things would go much more smoothly without the children underfoot. Still, her self-respect warred with her common sense and her concern for her children. In the end, of course, her dignity bowed to logic.
“Do you think you can manage all three of them in the pool by yourself?”
“Not only am I a schoolteacher,” Dallas reminded her, “I’m also an excellent swimmer, lifeguard certified.”
“Please, Mom!” Tucker wheedled.
“I’ll stay with them until the two of you return, no matter how late,” Dallas promised.
“We’ve already taken such advantage of you,” Carissa argued. “You were with them for hours yesterday.”
“For which I was amply rewarded with a steak dinner,” Dallas replied, smiling at Phillip.