It was a monumental day when his grandfather was able to finally go home and Mitch was there to help him settle in. After his mother had fussed around after his grandfather and made sure every need had been attended to, not once, but twice or even three times, she left the two alone.
After the door had closed behind her, Mitch and his grandfather looked at each other and smiled.
“She’s a good woman, your mother. Your father did well when he married her.”
Mitch shrugged. Truth was he loved his mother dearly, but she did get on his nerves at times.
“She’s had a lot on this year. Did you know about her health scare?” Pop’s words were still slurred, but Mitch could make them out.
“What health scare?”
“The doctors thought she had bowel cancer. It turned out it was just her colitis flaring up again, but she had to have a lot of tests done.”
Mitch glanced over towards the door where his mother had so recently stood. “Why didn’t she say anything?”
“She didn’t want any of you to worry.”
“Does Dad know?”
Pop shook his head. “He knows now, but he didn’t at the time.”
Mitch was silent, thinking. She was strong – he knew that and suspected it was why the two of them had often clashed. But she was his mother and he did love her. He’d have to let her know how much she meant to him before he went back to Uni.
“Now, tell me more about this young lady of yours. I got the impression you were keeping something back from me before.”
“Pop, you’re incorrigible. I can’t keep anything from you. Yes, I was keeping something back. It’s nothing bad or anything – well, maybe it is – but not in the way we’ve all believed all these years.”
“All these years. Do I know this young lady?” His Pop sounded puzzled.
“You do, but you don’t. You’ve never met her, but you know her family.”
“And who are they?”
Mitch hesitated. “You remember that I told you that Jaena was raised by her single mother after she’d left her abusive husband?”
His grandfather nodded.
“And that her mother only agreed to the divorce after her husband had abducted Jaena?”
Again his grandfather nodded.
“Well, Jaena’s full name is Jaena Hamilton. Her mother’s maiden name was Madeline Johnstone. Jaena is Stephen Johnstone’s granddaughter.”
He watched closely to see how Pop would take the news. At first he seemed stunned, and then he dropped his head into his hands. Mitch could only make out a few words that he spoke. “All these years … all these years … I never thought … never knew … my dear friend Stephen … I misjudged you … misjudged you all … I should’ve known … I should’ve known that there was a reason … but I thought the worst … believed the worst.”
He raised his head and Mitch caught his breath at how ragged his grandfather looked.
“I’m sorry, Pop. I shouldn’t have told you like this.”
“No, no. You did right to tell me. God has just shown me how selfish and judgemental I’ve been. I know He can forgive me, but can Stephen ever forgive me? That’s if he’s still alive?” He looked keenly at his grandson.
“He’s still alive. Jaena told me that he had a stroke last year, but that he recovered.”
“I’d like to see him again – if he’ll see me. Too much time has gone by and I need to make amends. And I’d like to meet this young lady of yours, too.”
“Ah.” Mitch rubbed his forehead in embarrassment. “That presents a little problem. You see, she’s not talking to me at the moment. I managed to offend her. Again.”
“What did you do?”
“Suggested that her mother and a man Jaena calls ‘Uncle Marcus’ were romantically involved after Jaena’s mother was divorced.”
“And were they?”
“I have no idea. Well, no, that’s not true. From Jaena’s reaction, I’d say that they weren’t. It just seemed a little suspicious to me. This Marcus character was Jaena’s father’s cousin and was like a father to Jaena throughout her growing up years.”
“What’s so suspicious about that? He was family.”
“Yeah, he is. I guess I just assumed the worst.”
“Because of me.” His Pop was once again contrite. “Because I taught you to think the worst of this family. May God forgive me for my wrongdoing all these years.”
“He will. Remember what you always told me: ‘If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’”
“So you did pay attention!”
Mitch smiled indulgently at his grandfather. “You know I did.”
“So what are you going to do about this Jaena girl?”
“What can I do? She won’t talk to me.”
“Make her talk. Apologise. Admit you were an idiot.” When Mitch looked up in surprise, his Pop laughed. “Well you were. This girl sounds like one that you shouldn’t let get away.” He paused and his eyes became dreamy. Mitch suspected that he was thinking of his wife, dead for over twenty years. Pop had never once stopped loving her and as time had gone on he seemed to miss her more, not less. “If there’s one thing I know about Gallagher men it’s this: they only fall in love once and when they do, they do it so thoroughly that nothing can ever change the way they feel. Remember that, my boy.”
“Well, if that’s the case, then I’m going to end up single for the rest of my life,” Mitch replied glumly.
*********
“Ever played hockey before?”
Jaena glanced up at the girl next to her who was tying the laces on her turf shoes.
“All through school. Why?”
The girl who was extremely attractive in a movie-star kind of way shrugged. “Just hadn’t seen you around at any of the rep games, that’s all.”
“I didn’t play rep.”
“Can’t be too good then. We only want the best on this team. Why don’t you go back where you came from and stop wasting everyone’s time?”
Jaena raised her eyebrows and then gave a tight smile. She could’ve told the girl that there’d been ample opportunity over the years for her to play at the representative level, but she’d chosen not to because the games were held on Sunday and in her family Sunday had always been honoured as the Lord’s Day. But even though she held her tongue it didn’t stop her from wishing dire consequences on the girl in question.
“Don’t worry about her,” another girl next to her whispered after the first girl had walked out of earshot.
“I’m not.” Jaena smiled at her friend. She had met Shari Phillips at the beginning of the semester when they had been the first to sign up to try out for the women’s hockey team. That they had both thought to do it months ahead of the trial date had made them both laugh. They had started chatting and had discovered that they shared many of the same interests and beliefs. Shari’s father was the pastor of a local church and Shari still lived at home. While she had never known the pain of a broken family, she had lost a brother to cystic fibrosis and had a lot of compassion for those who were suffering. They had become close friends from that first meeting, and if Jaena had not already committed herself to the church she was attending, she would have been tempted to change.
Their coach arrived after that and warm-up exercises began. While they were waiting for the trials to begin to see who would make the team, Jaena happened to glance up and notice Mitchell playing in the game that was just about to finish on the turf. She hadn’t seen him since that day she had gotten angry with him and had stormed out of the cafeteria. She regretted her actions and had hoped for a chance to apologise. Now here he was. She stood and watched him for a few moments. He was good. Very good.
He glanced up as if aware that he was being watched and saw her. He dropped his eyes and appeared to concentrate on the game, but when there was a pause in the play he glanced up again. She smiled and waved and he seemed to ack
nowledge her with a dip of his head.
Her coach called them together then and sent them off running around the perimeter of the turf. When she got back to the dugout the men’s game had finished and they were heading off to the showers.
She didn’t have time to think of Mitch as she concentrated on proving that she had the skills to make the team. Forty minutes later she was sitting in the dugout while the coach worked with some of the other players when she heard someone come up behind her.
“How’s it going?”
It was Mitch. She remained focused on what was happening on the turf.
“Okay, I think. I hope I make the team.”
“You should do. You play brilliantly.”
“Thanks.” She was touched and embarrassed by his words and didn’t know what else to say. It was twilight, but it was darker in the dugout and it brought a sense of intimacy that she found somewhat disconcerting.
“It makes me wonder: is there anything that Jaena Hamilton can’t do?”
She turned and looked at him then. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you play hockey and play it quite well. I’d hazard a guess that you’ve been playing for a number of years. Am I right? Thought so,” he added when Jaena nodded. “I’ve heard you play the piano at church and you obviously have a lot of talent. Again, I’d say you’ve been playing for years. And then our ‘Ethical and Moral Considerations of Women’s Literature Throughout History’ class isn’t exactly for the squeamish. Some of those assignments we get!” And he whistled to show that he thought they were hard. “Well, you’re obviously intelligent, that’s all I can say.”
She didn’t know how to answer that and turned her attention back to the turf. The coach was rearranging the players into different groups and sending some off and calling for others to come back on. It would probably be her turn next.
“Actually, it wasn’t what I meant. I was wondering how things in general were going for you.”
She shrugged. “Okay, I guess.”
“I’m sorry. For the other day.”
He said what she had been about to say and mentally she kicked herself that he’d beaten her to it.
“No, I’m the one who should be sorry. I’ve been rude and obnoxious and everything I’ve accused you of.”
“And I’ve judged and misjudged – just as you said.”
She reached for her stick as the coach turned in her direction.
“How about grabbing a burger after the game?”
She allowed herself to glance at him. “I’d love to except I’ve got Bible Study. Besides, I came with a friend and it would be bad manners to dump her. Perhaps another time?”
He nodded. At that moment the coach indicated that she was wanted back on the field and Jaena stood and made her way on to the turf. But if she was honest, it was the last thing she wanted to do just then.
*********
She was surprised and pleased when Mitch turned up at her Bible Study group that night. He explained to their host that he’d been attending the Monday night group, but that it now clashed with his classes. The others accepted his reason and welcomed him warmly into the group.
Afterwards, he offered her a ride home and she accepted.
“How about grabbing a coffee or hot chocolate first?”
“Sounds good.” Jaena felt more nervous here in the car with him than she had when they’d been sitting in the hockey dugout a few hours earlier. But hot chocolate did sound good and she wasn’t ready to go home just yet.
It wasn’t until after they’d placed their order and were sitting in the booth of the fast food restaurant that he spoke again.
“Did you make the team?”
“I don’t know. The list comes out in two days. I’m hoping that I did. I love the game and I missed playing last year.”
“As I said earlier, you’re great. You should make the team.”
“You’re not bad yourself. Been playing long?”
“Since first year of high school. Before that it was basketball, but I grew tired of it.”
She nodded and then didn’t know what to say. They sat in silence. She unwrapped the paper from the disposable spoon and stirred her hot chocolate with it. She didn’t take sugar, but it gave her something to do.
“Mitch, I’m really sorry about how I behaved to you last time – you know, in the cafeteria. Actually I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you all along. I’ve mistrusted you and I’ve not been fair. I’m sorry.”
He picked up his coffee and took several sips before putting it down on the table between them. “I accept your apology as long as you accept mine. I was all those things you accused me of. I tried to understand and I thought I was being open, but I guess years of thinking the worst of your family – and for that I was wrong – I know that now – well, I guess it’s a bit like my default mode – I’d try to think the best, but kept finding it easier to slip back into old – and wrong –” he hastened to assure her, “patterns of thinking. So, I’m sorry too.”
They smiled at each other. He took another drink before looking at her again. “So any chance of hearing the rest of the story?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve told me Madi’s story and your Uncle Marcus’s story: but what about the rest of the story?”
When she was quiet, he probed further. “There is more to the story, isn’t there? Surely there is. It can’t just stop where you left it. If Marcus loved your mother as much as you said he did, there must be still more to come. Perhaps even a joint story?” And he sounded hopeful.
Jaena lifted her drink and drained it before crushing the cup and placing it next to his cup. She smiled. “Yes, there’s more to the story.”
Madi and Marcus’s Story
Chapter Nine
“I had an interesting conversation with Jaena the other day when I took her out for a driving lesson.” Marcus was making himself a cup of coffee in Madi’s kitchen. Madi, a confirmed tea drinker, had never been able to make a decent cup of coffee. Marcus had started stocking her pantry with quality coffee years ago just so that he wouldn’t have to drink the dishwater she called coffee.
Madi opened the refrigerator and pulled out the milk and set it down on the table.
“Mmm?” For a woman who knew that her daughter often confided in him, she didn’t seem particularly interested. Madi pulled out a chair and seated herself at the table. Pushing aside mail, she cleared a space for her cup.
“She’s concerned about going off to university and leaving you all alone. She even mentioned that she’s thought of staying home just so you won’t be lonely.”
Now Madi seemed awake. “I hope you told her that she can’t do that.”
“Of course I did.”
Madi poured milk into her tea and took a sip. She winced as the drink burnt her mouth. Marcus put his cup down on the table and pulled out a chair. “I don’t know why you never learn. You always burn your mouth. Don’t you know that patience is a virtue?”
“If it is, it’s one I’m sadly lacking.” Madi reached to the cupboard behind her chair and pulled out a jar of home baking. One of the advantages of her small kitchen was that everything was within reach. “Have a chocolate chip biscuit. Jaena made them.’
Marcus took one and dunked it in his coffee. “Jaena also told me that she thought the two of us should go out together.”
“What? You and Jaena?”
“No. You and me. On a date.” He didn’t know why he was saying this. He’d threatened Jaena to keep it quiet and now here he was spilling the beans himself. The truth was that he’d not been able to get Jaena’s suggestion out of his mind since that fateful driving lesson.
“A date?” Madi’s voice broke, but Marcus pretended not to notice.
“She’s worried that you’ve not dated since – well, since Damien. She doesn’t want you missing out on love.”
“And what would my daughter know about love?” Madi asked with amusement in her voice.
<
br /> Marcus smiled. “Going on what she said to me – I’d say not a lot.” He dunked the last of the biscuit in his coffee and popped it in his mouth. “What do you say, then?”
“About what?”
“You and me going on a date.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. Why?
Madi picked up her cup and slowly took a sip. Even more slowly she set it down in front of her. “We’ve known each other – how long?”
“About twenty years.” He could tell her to the day, but he wasn’t about to say that now.
“We’ve been friends all that time and you’ve never once asked me for a date. Why now?”
“Because you’re no longer married.”
“My divorce was finalised twelve years ago.”
“I know.” Marcus spoke quietly. “But I suspect that you’ve still been married in your heart to Damien all these years. But now that he’s dead, I’m hoping that you now feel free.”
Madi rose abruptly and went to stand at the sink and stared out the window. “Why are you asking me now? Is it because of what Jaena said? Because if it is, you don’t have to feel sorry for me.”
Marcus rose and stood behind Madi. “Don’t you know?”
“Know what?”
Marcus didn’t reply. Madi spun around and looked him in the eye. “What don’t I know?”
“That I’ve loved you from the first time I saw you.”
Madi stared at him. Marcus couldn’t read her expression. Disbelief? Anger? Revulsion?
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