Reflecting Love's Charms (Bellingwood Book 14)

by Diane Greenwood Muir

  "Maybe we stay here until water and electricity are fixed in part of the house."

  She grinned and took the chopped vegetables from him. "Kitchen first?"

  "Of course."

  "I still can't believe you enjoy cooking so much. Did your mother teach you?"

  "It was actually Dad. Mom didn't like to cook. She did it when she had to and she really liked to bake, but Dad was the creative one in the kitchen. He made all sorts of things. One of these days I'll make his double crust breakfast pizza for you. One piece and you're stuffed." He gave her a wistful smile. "One time a bunch of us ended up at the house after a game. Dad said he'd make breakfast and started building this monstrosity. He challenged the guys, telling them that no one could eat more than two pieces. They were absolutely miserable trying to get through that third piece of pizza."

  "Really?"

  "It was his homemade pizza dough on the top and the bottom of the pizza. He filled the insides with so much. Mom and I just watched it happen. No one ever went hungry at our house."

  The oven timer rang and Hayden took the cookies out while Polly bent over and brought out the cooling racks. He slid the next cookie sheet into the oven and reset the timer.

  "Can I have a warm cookie?" Andrew asked, coming over to the kitchen. He slid a stool out and sat down on it. Polly realized that he wasn't jumping up to sit any longer. The boy was growing like a weed. He'd be as tall as Jason soon.

  "Sure," she said. "Jason? Heath? Come on over. We have cookies."

  The two boys stopped playing their video game and came over to join them. Kayla was in the living room and Polly pointed that way for Jason to go get her.

  "Hayden," she said, pointing at the refrigerator. "Could you get the milk out?"

  He nodded, took it out and after handing it to her, opened the cupboard for glasses.

  "Are you going to get Rebecca a phone now?" Andrew asked, taking the glass she handed to him. "Mom said I can't have one until she does because it wouldn't be fair, but Jason got his when he turned thirteen and I did that weeks ago."

  Polly hadn't intended for Rebecca to have a phone until high school, but this changed everything. It infuriated her that she was about to react to a crisis, but there was no way she wanted Rebecca to ever be out of touch with her again. She hated having outside forces interfere with the things she believed to be right.

  "I need to talk to Henry and your mom," Polly said. "But you're right. It isn't the worst idea in light of what happened today."

  Henry stepped into the dining room. "A phone?" he asked.

  Polly nodded up at him.

  "I'm all for it. Especially when she..." He stopped and looked at the boys in front of him. "Nope. I won't ruin the surprise."

  Andrew jumped right on it. "What surprise? Her birthday present?"

  "That's right and you aren't talking us into telling you what it is," Polly said. She slipped the rest of the cookies off onto the cooling rack and moved around Hayden to leave the kitchen. "Can you handle this?" she asked, handing him the spatula.

  "No problem." He passed it to Heath. "You're in charge of the cookies."

  Polly took Henry's arm and walked him toward his office. "Do I change my mind now about a cell phone?"

  "It's not a bad idea." He bit his lower lip. "I want her to always be able to reach us."

  "Me too. Andrew says Sylvie wouldn't let him have one because I wouldn't let Rebecca. I should probably talk to her before we say anything." Polly glanced over her shoulder at the kids hanging out in the kitchen. "Hayden asked about living at the house this summer. You need to settle the numbers with him so he isn't worried about getting a summer job."

  Henry nodded. "Not tonight, though, okay?"

  "I know. Not tonight. But at least talk to him before he heads back to school on Monday. He's only got a week left. He's been patient enough."

  Henry frowned. "I've already talked to him about working for me. That's settled. He knows I'll take care of him."

  "Then he was probably just asking whether or not we'd let him and Heath live over there while they worked on the place." Polly reached out to touch him and he pulled away.

  "No." Henry said. "It's too dangerous. They can sleep here."

  She looked into his eyes and saw that his fear was hurtling toward anger. "Okay. No worries. They stay here."

  Henry looked at his watch and then up to the clock on the wall. "How long is this going to take?"

  "I don't know."

  Both of them jumped at a knock on their front door. Henry took Polly's hand and ran to the living room, only to sag when Sylvie came in. He turned away and walked into their bedroom; Polly watching with worry.

  "How are you doing?" Sylvie asked.

  "Worried. Jittery. Freaked out. Pick a description like that," Polly said.

  She looked around. "I thought there would be more people here."

  "They went home. We aren't much company."

  "That's not what we're here for." Sylvie took Polly's arm. "Henry?"

  "I don't know. I'm worried about him. Is everything over downstairs?"

  "All closed down. Eliseo was putting the last of the tables away when I came up. He's pretty worried about you all."

  "Tell him to come on up and wait with us. He's family. He should be here."

  While Sylvie composed the text, Polly said, "Henry and I are getting Rebecca a phone now. Neither of us want her to be without one. Andrew said you were making him wait because I wouldn't let her have one."

  Sylvie chuckled. "The last thing I wanted to do was stir up more trouble with you and Rebecca about that and Andrew doesn't care." She leaned to see into the kitchen. "Jason really wanted one. He was so ready to grow up."

  "Do you have a free afternoon this week?" Polly asked. "Maybe the four of us could go to Boone. We'll get phones, go to the bookstore and do dinner."

  "The two of them picking out phones together? That will be entertaining."

  Henry came out, walked past Polly and into the dining room. "Obiwan. Han. Let's go outside," he snapped.

  The two dogs ran to his side and he headed for the back door. Polly turned to his mother, who stood up and came over to join them.

  "He's not handling this very well, is he," Marie said.

  "I suppose he's handling it better than some," Polly said. "But this isn't like him. I don't know what to do."

  Marie took Polly and Sylvie's arms and led them into the dining room, then pointed at two chairs. "Sit. Let me get you something to drink."

  Lydia had followed them out and looked at the activity in the kitchen. "Cookies? That's a good idea." She wandered over to the peninsula and sidled up between Jason and Kayla. "Got some for an old lady?"

  "You aren't old," Kayla said. "You're pretty."

  "Thank you, sweetie," Lydia said. "Hayden, be a dear and hand me a plate. I need to rescue some of these cookies before y'all eat them up."

  Han bounded through the rooms, followed closely by Obiwan. They stopped in front of Polly and she reached down to give them each a snuggle. "Where's Henry?" she asked, then looked up as she heard his footsteps.

  "Have you heard anything yet?" he demanded.

  Polly stepped back at the fury in his tone and in his face. "Not yet."

  "I can't just sit here and wait for her to be returned to us. We have to do something."

  The decibel level in his voice grew with every word, causing everyone in the apartment to stop what they were doing and stare at him.

  "Stop staring at me," he roared. "We should be doing something. This monster has my daughter and you all expect me to sit here and wait for someone else to rescue her. How am I supposed to do that?"

  He stormed back through the media room into his office and when his feet hit the back stairs, Polly shot a panicked look to Marie and ran after him. She caught up to him as he put his hand on the door leading into the garage and hesitantly reached out to touch his shoulder.

  "What?" he snapped, turning on her.


  "Henry..."

  Before she could say anything more, he brushed her hand away and pulled the door open, walking out into the darkness of the garage. "Don't try to make this better," he growled.

  With light coming from the store room, she stepped around her truck and stood in front of him. "Okay. It's not better, but you're making it worse."

  "I don't care. I can't bear it when everyone I love faces appalling horrors. The rest of you expect me to sit passively while a storm rages within me."

  She reached out for him and he stepped back. "I can't," he said. "It's too much."

  "But Henry, you have to."

  He stopped and peered at her. "What?"

  "You have to be our rock. Look at the family you have around you. I find dead bodies and get myself into situations any sane person would run from. It's not like I want to be there, but that's what happens. Heath lost his parents, lived with a cruel aunt and uncle, tried to become a hoodlum and had to watch as a friend murdered two others. He feared for his life through all of that. Rebecca's mother died last year and she was only twelve. She is as gregarious and creative as anyone I've ever met and she loves with passion that I can't believe. With all that the three of us bring to this family, what is the one thing it needs?"

  Henry reached for the hood of her truck and used it to hold himself up. "This isn't fair."

  "Of course it's not." Polly stepped into his space and when he didn't pull away, put her arms around his waist and drew him close.

  He released the truck and wrapped himself around her. "Sometimes it's too much."

  "But only for a moment," she said. "We all know that you aren't passive. Nobody would accuse you of that. But we do know that you're strong and the depth of your love for us knows no bounds. That's why this family works. No matter what happens, you will love us and take care of us."

  "It's a lot of responsibility."

  Polly tilted her head up and brushed her nose across his chin, then waited for him to kiss her. He brought his hand up to the back of her head and put his lips on hers, crushing them with the intensity of that raging storm that frightened him so badly. Polly had never known him to be like this. The heart-melting, knee wobbling kisses that she anticipated paled in comparison, and she responded with all that she had.

  When they separated, he looked at her, brought his thumb to her cheek and brushed away tears. "I made you cry?"

  Since she was incapable of forming words, Polly kissed him again and they held each other.

  "I'm sorry I got loud," he finally said.

  "No one is upset about that."

  He chuckled. "Really?"

  "Okay, I was a little upset. But everyone understands and it's one of those things that makes me love you even more. You don't get angry very often, but when you do, it's important."

  "Mom is going to have my head."

  "No," Polly said with a smile. "She's raised two children. She knows what it's like to worry when you have no control over a situation. Do you want to go back upstairs or stay here?”

  "How many more do you think will have left the apartment this time?" he asked.

  "I'm afraid those who are left are staying the duration."

  Henry took her hand and they walked to the back door. "I can't stand this waiting. My mind creates scenarios and images that are unspeakable."

  "That's why I made cookies, why Hayden is making tomorrow's breakfast and why the kids play video games," Polly said. "Everyone finds their own way to blur their thoughts."

  He took his hand off the door handle and led her out of the garage to the back yard. "I can't do it. I just can't do it. I can't sit quietly while my family stares at me, worried about how I'll react if something awful has happened to Rebecca."

  "Then we walk," she said.

  "Is it fair that we left the kids upstairs?"

  Polly squeezed his fingers. "They have other people to take care of them right now. Don't worry."

  Henry heaved an immense sigh and guided her down the lane toward the corner garden. They sat on the bench, listened to the bubbling of water, while Polly leaned against his shoulder. All she had to do was breathe.

  Her phone rang and Polly jumped to her feet, taking it from her back pocket.

  "It's Aaron," she whispered, swiping the call open.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  "Calm," Henry said before she answered it. "It’s going to be okay."

  Polly looked at him and nodded. "Aaron?" she asked tentatively. "Do you have her?"

  "Yes. Stu is taking her over to the office. Could you come down?"

  Polly nodded to Henry, beckoned to him, and they walked out of the garden. "We're on our way. Is she okay?"

  "She's not hurt badly, but she's pretty shaken up. It's been a rough night."

  "What happened?" Polly asked.

  "I'm sorry, Polly," he replied. "I need to take care of things here. We'll talk later. Come get your girl."

  Polly slid her phone into her pocket and gave a little skip. "He says she's okay, Henry. We just have to go get her."

  They arrived at his truck and Polly looked up at her apartment. "We should tell them that she's okay."

  "I don't want to make her wait," he protested.

  "I'll run up, grab a sweater for her and tell them we're heading out. They need to know."

  He put his hands on the front of his truck and bent his head. "Go ahead. I just need to say a few things here."

  "By yourself?"

  "Yeah. I'm fine. Go on."

  Polly ran in and up the steps, then in to the apartment. "She's okay. Aaron has her," she yelled.

  Kayla jumped down from her stool, another cookie in her hand. "Is Stephanie okay?"

  "I'm sure she is, honey," Polly said, realizing she hadn't even thought to ask.

  Polly was surrounded by people and questions about Henry and Rebecca and Stephanie. "Stop," she said. "I need to go get her. Henry's waiting in the truck and I wanted to tell you, then grab a sweater for her."

  "Do you want us to wait here?" Marie asked.

  "That's fine," Polly replied. "If you don't want to wait, you'll see her at her party tomorrow."

  Lydia touched Polly's arm. "You're still having it?"

  "Absolutely. This time it will be a 'Welcome Home - Happy Birthday' thing."

  When Polly came out of Rebecca's bedroom, she walked into a mild argument between Andrew and his mother.

  "He wants to go with you," Sylvie said. "I told him we could wait here until you all get home."

  "I want to go too," Kayla said.

  Polly's mind swirled with the questions about what Henry would think, what Rebecca needed and how much she could handle. She glanced at Heath and Hayden; brothers who wanted nothing more than to be part of this family.

  "Why don't you all stay here for now. I don't think we'll be that late. If it looks like it's going to take a long time, I'll text you." She looked at Sylvie. "And everyone can go home until tomorrow."

  Sylvie put her hand on Andrew's shoulder and grabbed up Kayla's hand. "That's a good idea. Come on kids, let Polly go."

  Polly darted over to Heath and gave him a quick hug. "I know you're worried," she whispered. "She's okay. We'll be back soon."

  He gave her a small smile as she ran for the back steps and out to Henry's truck. He'd already turned it around, so as soon as she jumped in and belted up, they were off.

  "Andrew and Kayla wanted to come with us," she said.

  "I'm glad they didn't."

  "I thought about it for a split second, but then I looked at Heath and there was just no way we were going to get everyone in the truck. If it isn't too late, they'll still be there when we get home."

  "I couldn't have taken Andrew's chattering all the way down," Henry said. "Love that boy, but he doesn't know when to turn it off."

  Polly smiled. "He's a good kid and I know this scared him."

  "Can you blame him?" Henry asked. "He's known you longer than Rebecca and you've done some scary things. If people
didn't know better, they'd think she was yours by birth with all the scrapes she gets herself into."

  He turned into Boone and Polly looked at the homes as they drove past. People were doing what they did every Saturday night: lights turned off as they went to bed, televisions were playing, a couple was sitting on their front porch. Life was normal for them and they had no idea what had been going on in a little girl's life this evening. She remembered having the same thoughts when she'd gotten the call that Everett had died. No one else knew that inside, a girl who had just lost her last connection with home was silently screaming.

  Polly remembered walking past a local bar. Young people were outside, while smoking cigarettes, laughing and talking. One young man was tapping out a beat on the brick wall of the building with a pair of drumsticks he'd produced as if by magic. They were living their lives and Polly felt like she was losing hers. If the world was so connected, how was it that she felt so alone at times?

  "You're thinking awfully loud over there," Henry said, putting his hand on the console, palm up.

  She took it in hers and gave it a squeeze. "Just thinking about how all of these people have no idea what's going on with us tonight. They're just doing their thing with no thought to the fact that a little girl was kidnapped and held hostage."

  "I wouldn't want to know about all of the awful things that happen in some of those homes every night," Henry said. He turned right on Mamie Eisenhower Avenue.

  He drove into the parking lot of the sheriff's office and they went inside. Polly was nearly sick to her stomach with excitement at seeing her daughter. Just as they were about to give their names to the front receptionist, Stu Decker walked through.

  "There you are," he said. "She's been asking for you."

  "Where's Stephanie?" Polly asked.

  Stu took a deep breath. "Aaron didn't tell you?"

  Polly looked at him in panic. "What didn't Aaron tell me? Is she okay? Did her father hurt her?"

  "They've taken her to the hospital," Stu said. "Things didn't go quite as easily as Aaron planned. There was a fight."

  "With Stephanie?" Polly stopped in front of Stu before he opened a door. "Tell me what's going on."