The First Ladies Club Box Set

by J B Hawker

…

  When Gideon walked into the Miller house, he found everyone hard at work.

  “You’re making real progress here,” he exclaimed. “How can I help?”

  “Hello, Pastor,” Barry looked up from the floor where he was kneeling beside a bookcase, slowly examining the volumes and returning the undamaged ones to the shelves.

  A half-full trash bag beside him illustrated the extent of the damage to the Millers’ library.

  “Those vandals did a real number on your things, didn’t they,” Gideon commented, dropping to his knees beside Barry.

  “Why they needed to tear up so many books is a puzzle to me,” Barry said.

  Hearing her husband’s voice, Hope came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a paper towel.

  “Isn’t this awful?” she asked as Gideon stood up to greet her with a kiss on the cheek. “You should have seen the kitchen when I first got here. I’ve got another couple of bags of trash to take out and some restocking to do, but it’s almost shipshape, finally.”

  “Can someone help me here?” Mavis called from the master bedroom where she was wedged into the doorway struggling with a broken bedside table.

  Gideon hurried down the hallway and lifted the table out of her arms, setting her free.

  “Thanks, Pastor!” she breathed. “I thought I could get through there, but the angle was wrong.”

  “They even broke your furniture?” Gideon asked, looking over Mavis’s head into the bedroom.

  “Only a few things, praise be. And Barry can fix them. He’ll have this table as good as new in no time,” Mavis replied casting a weak smile toward her husband.

  “I can see you’ve got things well in hand, but what do you want me to do?” Gideon asked.

  “We haven’t even touched the spare bedroom, yet. I suppose you could sort out what’s ruined in there from what we can salvage,” Mavis suggested.

  “Will do,” Gideon said, going into the other room.

  He looked at the mess and poked his head out the door, saying, “You got any more of those trash bags?”

  Hope handed him the box of bags and returned to the kitchen to finish up in there.

  “Barry, I need a break. Let’s take Hope’s list and run to the store,” Mavis suggested.

  “Sure. Let me haul that table to the garage, first,” he said, picking up the nightstand.

  “We’ll pick up lunch for everyone on the way back. What can we bring you?” she called to Hope and Gideon.

  “Nothing for me, Mavis. I’ve only just got here and I haven’t earned a meal, yet,” Gideon replied.

  “Well, I’m starved. You can bring us a couple of hamburgers. If Gideon doesn’t want his, I’ll eat it,” Hope laughed.

  Mavis grabbed Hope’s list and the Millers left.

  Gideon got busy sorting through the destruction in the spare room. This room had been used as a storeroom and torn cardboard boxes were spilling their contents over everything. Even the mattress had been pulled off the bed, as though the intruders hoped to find treasure hidden beneath it.

  Gideon wondered, again, why anyone would expect to find anything worth stealing in the Millers’ modest home.

  With a satisfied smile Hope tied up the last two trash bags, hefted them and went out the back door.

  She tripped going down the back steps, dropping the bags, and uttered a cry of dismay.

  Hearing her, Gideon poked his head out the window of the spare room.

  “Are you okay, honey?”

  “I’m fine. Just embarrassed to be so klutzy, lately. I don’t know what’s the matter with me. Maybe I’m light-headed from hunger,” she laughed, beginning to stuff the spilled items back into the bags.

  “Didn’t you eat breakfast?” Gideon asked.

  “I wasn’t very hungry... not then,” she grinned.

  Gideon chuckled, pulling his head back inside to get back to work. Before turning from the window, he watched his wife retying the bags and heading to the gate.

  He loved to watch the way she walked, even with a simple task like taking out the garbage. She had a strong, controlled way of moving that always filled his heart with joy.

  Gideon was pulling his eyes away as she went through the gate when he noticed her step back with an awkward jerk.

  Had she tripped again?

  Her arm flung up over the fence and he saw another head in the alley.

  Alarmed, Gideon ran though the kitchen and out the back door. He pushed through the gate in time to see Hope on the ground.

  She was wrestling with the man from the campground. Although he had one arm in a cast, he wielded a knife in the other with remarkable strength and control.

  Hope was holding his wrist with both hands, her arms shaking with the effort of keeping him from stabbing her.

  Gideon kicked the man’s broken arm with all his force and Beto screamed and rolled off Hope. Before he could recover, Gideon kicked the knife away and jumped on top of him, pummeling his face and head.

  Hope whimpered and then picked herself up as she saw Beto slump back with his eyes closed.

  She put her hand on Gideon’s shoulder.

  “Stop, Gideon! He’s unconscious,” she cried. “You’ll kill him.”

  The red mist which had blinded Gideon when he first saw the man attacking Hope, slowly faded. He pushed himself off Beto and stood up, catching his breath.

  Beto groaned and opened one eye, but when he saw Gideon standing over him holding the knife, he didn’t attempt to get up.

  “Do you have your phone?” Gideon gasped to Hope.

  She pulled it from the pocket of her jeans, and, with trembling fingers, hit the emergency numbers for the police.

  Hope had never seen Gideon so enraged.

  If she hadn’t stopped him, would he have killed this man?

  “Hope? Gideon? Lunch is here!” Mavis called out from the back door.

  The Millers had returned from shopping and had no idea of what had been happening during their absence.

  “We’ll be in soon, Mavis. We just have to finish taking care of some trash, first!” Gideon responded, glaring at Beto.

  …

  When the police arrived to arrest Beto, Gideon explained what was going on to the Millers. Hearing about this latest attack on Hope stunned the couple.

  A still shaken Gideon apologized for leaving them with so much work still to do.

  “We can’t stay right now. We have to go to the Sheriff’s office to make official statements,” he explained. “I’ll come back tomorrow, as soon as I can get away from the office,” he added. “Hope may not come, though. She’s pretty upset by what’s happened.”

  He looked down at his bruised and bloody knuckles.

  “Of course!” Mavis cried. “Don’t worry about this mess. The kitchen and our bedroom are livable, now, so Barry and I can take our time sorting out the rest. Thank you for everything.”

  “Do you suppose that man is the one who did all this?” Barry asked, gesturing around the vandalized room.

  “It’s possible. He seemed to think Hope had something he wanted, but I can’t figure out why he was searching for it at your place,” Gideon replied. “He may have followed her here today, but your home was broken into before. I can’t figure it out,” he added with a shrug.

  “The criminal mind is a dark and tangled place,” Mavis remarked.

  Chapter TWENTY-TWO

  Returning home after making statements at the Sheriff’s Office, Hope sank onto the sofa and closed her eyes.

  “Wow! What a day!” she exclaimed. “I could use a cup of tea.”

  “I’ll get it,” Gideon said, gesturing for her not to get up. “Chamomile?”

  “Oh, that will never do. I need the hard stuff after this morning. Make it Earl Grey, please,” she replied, kicking off her shoes and tucking her feet under her.

  “Who would ever imagine a simple camping trip could lead to such mayhem?” she mused aloud.

  Gideon placed the steaming mug
on the coffee table and sat, putting his arm around Hope.

  “Are you going to be okay?” he asked. “I’ve never seen you so rattled.”

  “You think I’m getting soft?” she teased with a look. “How wimpy of me to let a little thing like an attempt on my life upset me, right?”

  “You know that’s not what I meant. But you are looking a little green around the gills. I think you should go up and lie down, at least for a little while, just to get over the shock.”

  “I feel a little shaky, I’ll confess. Letting that creep get the drop on me like that is humiliating,” she said.

  “You were ambushed. You couldn’t have known there was any danger in taking out the trash,” Gideon said.

  “I was amazed at how thoroughly you took him out,” Hope said, looking into his eyes. “I thought you were going to, well, do him some permanent damage.”

  Hope picked up Gideon’s hand and brushed her lips across his swollen knuckles.

  “Thanks for coming to my rescue,” she whispered.

  Gideon cleared the lump from his throat.

  “It’s been a long time since I let myself get out of control like that. Thanks for bringing me to my senses before it was too late. I’m sorry you had to see that side of me,” he said.

  Hope smiled at him and sipped her tea.

  “I think I will go lie down for just a bit,” she said when the cup was empty.

  “I’ll work on my sermon notes while you rest. I’m not sure how I’m going to reconcile my actions today with this week’s Bible text... perhaps this message will be meant more for me than for the congregation.”

  …

  Hope awoke an hour or so later, surprised at how long she’d been out. She was more exhausted than she’d expected.

  She found Gideon in his study, just finishing up his sermon notes.

  “I’d better go get Dawn. I want to be there when school lets out, just in case news of the troubles at the Miller house has already spread. You know how efficient the local grapevine can be. I’d hate for her to get upset, worrying about us,” Hope told him.

  “I’m almost finished here. I can go get her,” Gideon offered.

  “No need. I’m feeling fine, now. But you could think about fixing something for dinner if you really want to help. I’m not sure I can face cooking tonight.”

  “Will do,” Gideon said, crossing to his wife, taking her face into his hands, and brushing a kiss across her lips.

  Hope wrapped her arms around him, returning his kiss with vigor, then pulled away and turned to go out.

  “You really are feeling better, I see,” Gideon smiled. “Let’s continue this conversation later tonight, eh?”

  Hope laughed, tossed a wave over her shoulder and went out.

  …

  Thirty minutes later, Dawn flung open the front door, in mid-conversation with Hope who walked in behind her.

  “But what are we going to do?” Dawn demanded.

  “I told you, there’s nothing to worry about, now. That man is in jail where he can’t hurt me,” Hope insisted

  “But there were two of ‘em in the mountains, remember!” Dawn protested. “Where’s the other guy? He could be waiting for his chance.”

  Gideon came in the back door in time to catch Dawn’s words.

  “She’s got a point, Hope. I’d forgotten about the other man,” Gideon commented, but he seemed distracted.

  “We told the deputies all about the second attacker and they didn’t seem too worried. Now that they’ve got this one, I’ll bet the other guy will just take off. He’s the one who ran away in the mountains, remember,” Hope said, more to Dawn than Gideon.

  “Maybe. I’m not letting my guard down, just the same,” Dawn said.

  “That’s fine, but while your guard is up, go change clothes and do your homework. I believe your bedroom is pretty safe,” Hope teased.

  Dawn made a face, rolling her eyes, then grinned and ran upstairs.

  Gideon had remained in the kitchen with a frown marring his handsome features.

  “What’s up, Buttercup?” Hope asked, walking up to him. “Why the grim expression?”

  Gideon pulled something from his pocket.

  “We’ve got a problem,” he said.

  “What?” Hope asked looking puzzled.

  “I was taking out the trash. There was a rip in the bag, and this fell out,” he held out his hand with a small paper towel wrapped bundle on his palm.

  Hope shook her head with a questioning expression indicating she was still confused.

  “Hope. Dawn’s pregnant,” he said, finally.

  “Not Dawn!” Hope protested.

  He unwrapped the towel, uncovering a plastic pregnancy test with the bright blue positive sign clearly visible.

  “I know you think a lot of Dawn and how far she’s come, but her past was pretty wild. I think this changes everything,” he said.

  “Everything?” Hope asked.

  “How can we take on a teenager and a baby? I know we wanted to give Dawn a stable home, but how can we, now? We’ve never even raised one child. How can we cope with a baby and its mother who is still a child herself? There are just too many issues for us to handle.”

  “You’re saying you don’t think we can raise Dawn and a baby, too?” Hope asked, her eyes bleak.

  “You’d be a super mother, honey, I know that. Maybe someday we’ll get another opportunity to foster and you’ll be amazing. I just think this is too much, too soon,” Gideon explained.

  “We’ve made a commitment to Dawn,” Hope said.

  “We’ll make sure she gets help. There are those homes for unwed mothers, right?”

  “Gideon. Dawn is not pregnant,” Hope stated.

  “You don’t mean she’s had an abortion! Tell me she didn’t terminate the pregnancy,” Gideon pleaded.

  “Of course not. That would be unthinkable.”

  “Then, what? Did she miscarry?”

  “No. Gideon, listen to me,” Hope said, measuring her words. “Dawn is not pregnant. I am.”

  Gideon blinked. He was stunned.

  Once he took in what she’d said his eyes lit up.

  “Seriously? We’re having a baby?” he asked.

  “Yes, we are seriously having a baby,” Hope said with a benevolent smile.

  “You’re having a baby?” Dawn cried, coming downstairs just in time to overhear part of the conversation.

  Despite having too much responsibility for a series of infants in her foster families, Dawn adored babies.

  After her first feelings of happy excitement, Dawn sobered, considering what this news must mean to her own future. She’d heard enough to realize Gideon didn’t want to raise a teenager and a baby at the same time.

  “Congratulations,” she said, standing at the foot of the stairs, not meeting their eyes and trying to hide her dismay.

  “When’s it due?”

  “In the Spring. Won’t that be perfect?” Hope smiled, sharing her happiness.

  “Why didn’t you tell me before?” Gideon asked.

  “I was going to tell you tonight, but you jumped the gun,” Hope said with a cautionary glance at Dawn.

  Hope didn’t want Dawn to know what Gideon had wrongly deduced from the test stick he’d found.

  “Well. This is amazing. It calls for a celebration,” Gideon said. “Let’s go out for dinner.”

  “I’m not very hungry,” Dawn said, taking a step back up the stairs. “You guys go.”

  Hope frowned.

  “Wait, Dawn,” she said, going to the foot of the stairs. “What’s wrong?”

  Dawn, her eyes downcast, mumbled something.

  “What did you say?” Hope asked.

  “I said, when do you want me to move out!” Dawn shouted, running into her room and slamming the door.

  “That was not the way I thought this would go,” Hope said, slumping down onto a stair step.

  She leaned her head against the oak banister rail, her eyes m
oist with unshed tears.

  Gideon rushed over and sat down beside her.

  “Honey, it’s okay. Everything is going to be all right,” he whispered, pulling Hope close.

  She sniffed and lifted her head.

  “I wanted tonight to be special. I thought everyone would be so happy. I should have known how Dawn might feel.,” she said. “If I’m so oblivious about these things, what sort of mother will I be?”

  “You are going to be the best mother ever,” Gideon reassured her. “You’re just worn out from everything that’s happened today.”

  He stood and reached for Hope’s hand, pulling her up.

  “Let’s get you tucked into bed. Remember, Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning,” he quoted.

  “I can’t go to bed, yet. We have to talk to Dawn and let her know that my pregnancy doesn’t mean she has to leave,” Hope said, turning to climb the stairs.

  She took a step and stopped, looking at Gideon.

  “It doesn’t mean she must leave, does it?” she asked.

  “Of course not. Why do you need to ask?” he replied.

  “After what you said earlier...” Hope began.

  “That’s when I thought we would be dealing with all the issues of a teenage mother and baby, but having Dawn here will be a huge help to you with our baby, don’t you think?”

  “We are not going to use her as an unpaid nanny, like that ghastly Mrs. Jones did!” Hope protested.

  “That’s not what I meant. Older brothers and sisters are always a big help with a new baby. Dawn will be this little one’s big sister, that’s all,” Gideon said.

  While they were standing on the stairs talking, Dawn had crept to her door and opened it a crack to listen in. Hearing Gideon’s last words, she burst through the door.

  “Do you mean it? I’m gonna really be a big sister?” she asked.

  Hope and Gideon climbed the rest of the way up the stairs and put their arms around their excited foster daughter.

  “That’s right. If you want to be, that is,” Gideon said.

  “And I don’t have to leave?” she asked in a small voice.

  “There are issues to get straightened out with the foster system, but I think we can count on you being part of our family for as long as you want,” Hope said.

  With a sob, Dawn threw her arms around them.