Cimarron Refuge

by Margaret Daley

  Alice reached over and patted Laura’s arm. “My dear, I could say the same thing about you.”

  Pleasure warmed Laura’s cheeks. She heard Peter leaving the kitchen and making his way through the dining room as if he were a herd of elephants. She scrambled back to the couch and pasted a smile on her face that probably shouted to him that she had become a coconspirator.

  While Peter served the ladies glasses of iced tea and passed the plate of cookies to Laura, all she could do was wonder what Peter had told Alice about her. Her cheeks grew hotter as she contemplated what he might have said. What did Alice mean he thought highly of her? Laura couldn’t get that question out of her mind as she nibbled on the delicious cookie. Before long she took another one, and when Peter announced it was time to go, she grabbed a third.

  When Alice laboriously placed her left leg on the floor then put her hands on the arms of her chair to hoist herself out of it, Peter passed his foster mother the remote. “Stay there. I can find my way out of here.”

  “Don’t forget to take the cookies with you. All of them. You can bring the plate back later.”

  He kissed Alice goodbye, then grabbed the goodies.

  The smile Peter’s foster mother offered her sent a feeling of comfort through Laura. She hugged the older woman and whispered, “I’ll get the application and call you.”

  When she straightened, Alice said, “I know that Peter will be back, but I hope you’ll come visit, too. I just know we’re going to be good friends.” Then she winked.

  “When’s a good time?” Laura moved toward the entrance.

  “Any afternoon except Fridays I’m here. You don’t need to stand on ceremony.” Alice winked again.

  Out in the hallway Peter pivoted toward her. “Okay, what are you two up to?”

  Laura jabbed her finger against her chest. “Me and Alice? Why do you think we’re up to something?”

  “I know Alice. She doesn’t usually become a person’s best buddy in fifteen minutes. Granted she’s always been accepting and open with others, but all that winking? That only happens when she’s hiding something. I remember when she had a surprise party planned for Paul. I saw her wink five times in one afternoon. At first I thought she had an eye problem.”

  Laura marched toward the front door of the apartment building. “Really, Peter. It’s nothing.” At least, not at the moment, she added silently. “I promise you, we’re not planning a surprise birthday party. By the way, when is your birthday?”

  “Huh?”

  “Your birthday? When is it?”

  “Not until August 22.”

  “See, that’s over four months away. You have nothing to worry about.”

  “Still, why did she wink?”

  Laura shrugged and stepped outside onto the porch. “Maybe she had something in her eye this time. You could always go back and ask her.”

  “Ha! She would have made a great spy. No one is going to get anything out of Alice unless Alice wants it.”

  “She reminds me of Aunt Sarah.”

  “They’re friends. They’ve been going to the same church ever since I can remember.”

  “Speaking of Aunt Sarah, I’d better get home. The kids should be converging on the house as we speak, and I don’t want her to have to watch them long.”

  “Can’t Sean watch them?”

  “He could but he’s helping Chad.”

  “Really?”

  Laura breathed deeply of the flower-scented air. “Yes, Chad called my son last night and asked for help on training his dog. Sean’s done a wonderful job with Lady. I gather Chad’s mom gave him an ultimatum. Train the dog to behave or she’ll get rid of it.”

  Peter descended the steps to the walkway. “Your son does have a way with animals.”

  “I wish I could say the same with people.”

  “Maybe he and Chad will become friends.”

  Peter opened the passenger door for Laura. “Hey, I think you have successfully changed the subject.”

  She smiled. “My lips are sealed.”

  Chapter Seven

  LAURA SAT NEXT TO ALICE at her dining room table with the application for the More Than Dreams show spread out between them. “I think we’ve gotten everything filled out. This is the perfect solution for getting the house built in a reasonable amount of time,” she said with a feeling of accomplishment. I’m really doing something to contribute to Peter’s project.

  “You mean houses.” Alice took a sip of her iced tea.

  “You’re thinking big. I like that.”

  “I’m hoping the producers will agree and want to build two when they see the need there is for foster care housing that gives children more of a home environment.”

  “After touring the shelter this morning where the kids go when they are taken from their parents, I’m hoping so, too. The people at the shelter have good intentions, but my heart aches for those kids.” To think Peter had stayed at that very shelter right after his mother had died and there had been no one to take care of him. A heaviness in Laura’s chest squeezed her lungs. Thankfully he hadn’t stayed long, but the shuffling from foster home to foster home had left a deep mark on him that she suspected even today colored how he looked at the world.

  “If this doesn’t get them, then I don’t know what will.” Alice tapped the paper closest to her. “I appreciate you helping me with it. I want to help Peter with this, but I’m limited in what I can do. I don’t move as fast as I used to.”

  “I’ve got a secret. I don’t, either. Four kids will do that to a person.”

  Alice chuckled. “I remember. We always had at least four or five foster kids in our home.” She paused and looked at Laura. “Peter was used to having a lot of people around. I’m sure he gets mighty lonely out at that ranch all by himself. Too bad Diana couldn’t see her way to adopting.”

  A matchmaking twinkle sparkled in the older woman’s eyes, sending alarm signals out to Laura. “He told me he’s asked you to come live with him, Alice. Why don’t you?”

  She shook her head. “Oh, no. I’m too set in my ways. He’s young. He needs young people around, people your age.”

  Laura bit into her lower lip to keep from laughing at Alice’s blatant technique.

  “I never did like Diana. I know that isn’t being very fair, but I can’t help my feelings. I saw right through her when he brought her to meet me. I tried to tell him, but he was in love and wouldn’t listen. My heart broke when she left him and married another man as soon as the ink dried on the divorce papers.” Alice shook her head, a frown wrinkling her brow.

  “He says he’s worked his way past the hurt, but I don’t know that he has.”

  “He needs a good woman to erase Diana from his heart. He’ll see that when he meets the right one.”

  I’m not so sure of that. I can’t see myself being able to forget or forgive what Stephen did.

  “My dear, would you like some more tea?” Alice gestured toward Laura’s empty glass.

  She rose. “Let me get us both some more. Can I get you anything else while I’m in there?”

  “Oh, no, just tea. I’m really thirsty.” Alice stuffed her hands into the large pockets of her loose-fitting dress.

  Laura walked into the bright, cheerful kitchen with yellow and red accents and removed the pitcher from the refrigerator. Mostly empty shelves with a few plastic containers and a small carton of orange juice captured her attention. As she took note of Alice’s meager provisions, she heard the older woman say something and hurriedly slammed the door as though she had been caught doing something wrong.

  When Laura made her way back into the dining room, she filled Alice’s glass then sat again next to her. “If you need me to go shopping or something for you, I can. I often go for Aunt Sarah. It would be easy for me to do yours, too.”

  Alice fluttered her hand in the air. “I have everything I need. There’s only one of me. I don’t have to have a lot.” She patted her waist. “I’ve got to keep my girlish fig
ure.”

  “When I came in, the man across the hall asked about how you were doing. Is there something I should know?”

  “Ha! That old coot can’t keep up with me. Besides, after being married to Paul for almost fifty years, he spoiled me for anyone else.” Alice took a sip of her tea and leaned toward Laura. “You know, when I was pregnant I went into labor early. I nearly died on the operating table.” Tears glistened in Alice’s brown eyes. “I lived but our child didn’t. I couldn’t have children after that. But something good came out of that tragedy. We became foster parents to one hundred and fifteen kids through the years. You can’t beat that!”

  “But you lost your baby. You couldn’t have any more.” There were times her children drove her crazy, but she couldn’t imagine her life without them. Hearing Alice’s story made her reassess her situation. A lot of bad things had happened, but there had been some wonderful things, too. Without Stephen she wouldn’t have Sean, Alexa, Joshua and Matthew.

  “It was a small price to pay for what I was given. Those one hundred and fifteen children needed Paul and me. If we’d had our own, we might never have become foster parents.”

  Maybe I should appreciate what I have and make the best of it. She was reminded of the old saying about making lemonade when life hands you lemons.

  The sound of the doorbell startled Laura out of her reverie.

  “Can you get that for me?” Alice gathered the papers and stuffed them into a manila folder.

  “Sure. Are you expecting anyone?”

  Alice shrugged but didn’t say anything.

  Laura hurried to the door and thrust it open. Standing in the hallway was Peter, looking disheveled, his hair a mess as if he had run his fingers through it repeatedly.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, concerned by his furrowed brow and worried gaze.

  “I got a call from Alice. She asked me to come over. She just hung up after that, and when I tried to call back, it was busy. I came as fast as I could. Did she call you, too?”

  “No, I’ve been here for the past hour or so.”

  Frown deepening, he entered the apartment. “Then she’s okay?”

  “Peter, is that you?” Alice called from the dining room.

  “Yes.” He headed toward the sound of her voice. “You took several years off my life. Why did you call?”

  The bluish-white-haired woman smiled sweetly and patted the chair next to her. “Do I have to have a reason?”

  “Yes—I mean, no. Just don’t scare me like that.” He sat where she indicated.

  “Would you like some iced tea?” Alice took a long sip of hers.

  “No, thanks. So everything is okay?” Peter examined his foster mother’s face.

  Alice placed her hand on his arm. “My dear, I’ve just spent a lovely time with Laura. Everything is fine. Quit worrying. Come sit, Laura, and tell me about some of the donations you’ve gotten for the auction.”

  “I haven’t gotten a lot, mostly little items. I just started this week going around to the businesses and letting them know about the fund-raiser.” Laura looked at the table and noticed there was only one chair left and it was right next to Peter.

  “Hasn’t Noah donated anything?” Alice shifted her gaze from Laura to the chair then back to her.

  “Yes, he was the first person. He’s given us what will probably be the big prize—a vacation for four to Disney World.” She scratched her head, sure there had been a fourth chair earlier. Was she losing her mind or was this another ploy by Alice? As Laura took the only seat left, she glimpsed the fourth one right inside the kitchen off to the side. With a hand covering her mouth, she smothered a laugh. Definitely one of Alice’s ploys.

  “Ah, Noah is such a sweet man and so handsome.” Alice got a dreamy look on her face for a moment. “And you, too, Peter. Earlier Laura and I were talking about the kids I had in my home. You know, dear, out of the one hundred and fifteen children I helped raise, all but seventeen are married. Paul and I never officially adopted any of the children because we wanted to be able to serve as foster parents to as many as we could. You should see the pictures I get at Christmas from my kids. So many of them have such beautiful kids, who I consider my grandchildren.” Alice pinned her with an intensity as though she were homing in on her target. “You have beautiful children, Laura. Don’t you think, Peter?” Her sharp gaze shifted to him.

  “Have you met her kids?”

  “Not yet, but she showed me their school pictures. I’m sure those twins keep you busy.”

  “On more than one occasion,” Peter answered, then realized the question had been for Laura.

  Laura’s smile slid across her mouth. “Yes, they do, as Peter mentioned. In fact, I’d better get home. We’re starting to paint the house this afternoon, and I don’t want them to get it into their heads to begin without me.”

  “Wise of you. You should have seen the mess Peter made when he painted the garage with Jacob. I think they had more paint on them than the walls. Paul had to step in and take charge.” Alice pressed her fingers to her lips for a few seconds as though trying to contain her laughter. “And he ended up with more paint on him than the walls, too. What a trio they were. I think they played war or something.”

  “Our version of paintball.” He stood as Laura did.

  “Remember I can pick up some groceries for you when I go shopping for Aunt Sarah. Just let me know.” Laura hugged Alice goodbye then strode toward the front door.

  A hand on her arm stopped Laura before leaving the apartment. “What did you mean you can get her some groceries?”

  Peter’s touch kindled a spark that shimmered clear down to her toes. Staring up into his eyes, so intent, she realized she was getting in over her head. She took a step out into the hallway, her skin tingling where his fingers had been. “She didn’t have much in her refrigerator. I offered to go to the store for her.”

  “So she’s not eating properly?”

  “I don’t know that for sure. She insists that she’s okay.”

  “Alice would be on her deathbed and she would say that. I’ll have another talk with her.”

  “I know you care, but, Peter, maybe you should back off.”

  His gaze narrowed on her face.

  “Sometimes when you try to force an issue, the person will just dig in harder. I know something about wanting to be independent no matter what. Take it from me, she won’t appreciate your interference.”

  He sighed, the intensity melting from his features. “I’ll try. It’s not easy, though, when you care about a person and you have to stand back and watch them make a mistake.”

  “That sounds like what a parent has to do.”

  He blinked, then a wry grin curved his mouth. “I guess our roles have been switched.”

  “Which means, she won’t appreciate it.”

  “Okay, I’ll do it your way. See you later.” He turned back into the apartment and quietly shut the door.

  The click resounded in the foyer of the apartment building, reminding her of a cell closing. But instead of her emotions being hidden away, they lay exposed and open for exploration. She was in big trouble if Alice ever teamed up with Aunt Sarah and combined their matchmaking skills.

  * * *

  “MOM, MR. STONE is here,” Alexa shouted from the front yard, alerting the whole neighborhood.

  Halfway up the ladder against the house in the back, Laura peered down at her attire. Twenty minutes into painting and she had forest-green streaks down the length of her, probably much like Peter when he’d been a teenager. Remembering Alice’s story generated a smile as Laura climbed down and started around the side of her duplex.

  She literally bumped into Peter coming from the front. His strong hands clasped her arms and steadied her. For a brief moment all her thoughts centered on the feel of his fingers on her. She was sure the pleasant temperature of seventy-eight, so unusual for this time in June, soared into the eighties in a matter of seconds.

  “What brin
gs you by? Is something wrong with Alice?” Is something wrong with me? I have no business being attracted to Peter. Laura backed up a few paces, needing to breathe the fresh summer air instead of his enveloping scent.

  “No, but not long after you left Alice insisted I bring her over to visit Sarah.”

  “She did?”

  “I guess seeing you reminded her that she hadn’t seen Sarah in a while.”

  Sure, you keep on thinking that, Peter. “Where’s Alice?”

  “Inside with Sarah.”

  Oh, no! What she’d feared earlier was transpiring probably as she and Peter spoke. Those two old ladies were plotting their next moves, if the tingling at her nape was any indication. “I could have brought her over to see my aunt. Why didn’t she say anything to me?”

  “I don’t know. I went into the kitchen to get her some more tea and when I came out she announced she needed to come pay Sarah a visit. By the way, I did check out her food supply. I’m going to the grocery store later whether she likes it or not.”

  The second Peter was out of the room, no doubt Alice was on her cordless phone calling Sarah, just as Alice had called Peter to come over earlier while she was there. “You know what Alice is up to, don’t you?”

  “You mean trying to fix us up? Yes. She’s never been subtle. But I can’t refuse her when she wants me to do something. She doesn’t ask for much.” His mouth quirked up in a grin. “Besides, I wanted to come over and she gave me a reason.”

  “You did?” Her question ended on a squeak as though she had seen a mouse scurrying about her feet.

  He inspected the house. “Yes. This is a big project, and I’ve definitely improved since I was a teenager painting the garage.” His gaze skimmed down her length, pausing briefly at each swatch of forest-green on her skin and clothes. “I think you need me.”

  Need him? Those words panicked her. She would not become any more dependent on him than she already was. She enjoyed his company way too much. She was letting him help her with Sean. That had to be all. “It just takes me a little while to get into the swing of things.”