by Ginny Aiken
“Jeff, take down my cell phone in case you need anything. Do you need anything in the hospital?”
“No, thank you. I have my Bible, and I think that’s all I’ll need for awhile.”
The melancholy in Jeff’s voice seemed familiar, and Mattie wondered how long he’d been dealing with these issues. Perhaps he wasn’t as interested in chess or secondary things in high school as she’d thought. Maybe there was a reason Jeff seemed like an old man, wise beyond his years, in school. Her own obliviousness to the matter and her callousness in chastising him for a high school dance ten years later struck her as the height of selfishness.
“I’m sorry you’re dealing with all this, Jeff.”
“It’s nothing new,” he said, his voice absent of feeling. “Joan’s been leading this family on a path to the depths since I can remember. The only difference is now she’s involving Kenny, and I’m not willing to support that. I’ve paid for Joan’s sins since I can remember; I’m not letting Kenny do the same thing.” He paused for a moment. “The doctor’s here. Tell my grandmother I’ll call her as soon as I have word.”
“Jeff!” she rushed before he hung up.
“Yeah?”
“My cell phone number is 555-4488.”
“Mattie, look—I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but we can handle this. We’ve been dealing with this longer than you and I have even known each other.”
“I know, but something tells me you’re tired of dealing with it alone.”
He grew quiet, and they both hung up without another word.
Chapter 4
Church was uplifting, but Mattie’s mind was elsewhere. She wondered about Jeff and how he was at the hospital and worried about the little ball of energy wearing out his great-grandmother. After the service Mattie quickly drove to Jeff’s grandmother’s house. She maneuvered through the labyrinth of pink adobes, taking a few wrong turns until she found Agave Circle. She parked alongside the house and ran toward the door.
Helen Weatherly’s home looked as if a flash flood had rushed through a toy store and left a wake of toys strewn in chaotic disarray. Helen’s face was drawn and anxious, her gray hair still in curlers. “I must look a fright, but I’m so glad to see you, Mattie.”
“Where’s our little bolt of lightning?” Mattie asked, as she instinctively picked up the maze of toys that led to the boy asleep in a ball on the couch.
“He finally fell asleep watching his train video. He’s been up since five a.m., but that didn’t seem to deter him. I’m sorry the house looks so bad, but after chasing him I didn’t have the strength to bend over and pick all that up. I wanted to.”
Mattie smiled and patted Helen’s shoulder. “Helen, I don’t think I could keep up with his energy. I can’t imagine how you did it this long. Why don’t you sit down and take a rest? I’ll look after him now.”
“You always did have the heart of an angel, Mattie. It’s too bad Jeff had too much on his plate when it was time to gather you up.”
I’m still gatherable, Mattie thought.
As though reading her mind, Helen kept speaking. “I hope there’s a chance for Jeff to settle down. He’s always taken on too much responsibility, always been an adult. I wish the man would have some fun. I always thought you were the one to bring it to him, Mattie. Maybe I still do.”
Mattie laughed. “That’s something you have in common with my grandmother.”
“Well, you know us old goats. We have too much time on our hands, and we hate to see our loved ones unhappy. Your grandmother and I married too well not to want the same things for you kids.”
The door opened, and Jeff filled the doorway. His blue eyes looked tired but animated. When he saw Mattie she thought she saw excitement in those worn eyes. “Mattie, you’re still here.”
“I just got here, Jeff. It’s only noon.”
Jeff looked at the sleeping Kenny on the couch. The little boy’s knees were tucked under him, and his backside pointed toward the ceiling. “That doesn’t look too comfortable, but I might settle for that myself.”
“How’s Joan?” Helen asked.
Jeff shrugged. “She’s fine. That woman is a cat, and she’s well past her nine lives.” He collapsed into an easy chair. “So, Miss Mattie, what do you say to that lunch I promised you? I missed out on cafeteria food especially for the chance.”
Mattie looked toward Kenny. “I was about to give your grandmother a break. She hasn’t had one yet.”
“Oh, go ahead,” Helen insisted. “He’ll sleep until at least three now. When Kenny crashes, he crashes but good. Besides, it will do my heart good to see Jeff enjoy himself for a change.” Helen crossed her arms, tapping her foot. “He’s been an old man too long.” She nudged Jeff in the stomach.
Jeff grasped Mattie’s hand. He stopped for a moment, staring into her eyes, and she fell silent. What did he hide in that look? What did he possess that hypnotized her so?
“I intend to forget all about my sister for the afternoon. I intend to focus on the beauty of life, of God’s gifts for the day.” Jeff pulled Mattie forward a bit and led her to his Cherokee with its fancy leather seats and electronic dashboard. She’d seen only the back when they loaded her grandmother’s items for the sale.
“Nice car.”
“It’s my daddy-mobile. I needed something practical for Kenny. I traded in my jeep with the ragtop for something safer.”
“You’ve done a lot for that boy.” Mattie slipped into the front seat, and Jeff shut the door behind her and came around to the driver’s side.
“That boy has done a lot for me, but I don’t want to talk about him. I want to know what you’ve been doing, Mattie. Are you dating anyone?”
Mattie’s ear suddenly itched. “No, I’ve been a bit consumed with painting. My business is going gangbusters.” She saw Jeff look at her questioningly. “And there’s no one that’s interested me enough to take me away from the palette.”
“Do I interest you enough?”
Mattie swallowed over the lump that rose in her throat. Jeff hadn’t started the car yet; he still looked at her. His forwardness was completely out of character for the Jeff she remembered. The intensity of his gaze caused confusion, and she didn’t know how to answer, but for some reason the truth bubbled out of her.
“Yes,” she said. You interest me enough to make me forget the color wheel altogether, she added silently.
Jeff started up the car. “Good. That’s all I needed to hear. You still like Mexican?”
Mattie grinned. “I love Mexican. What kind of self-respecting Arizonan doesn’t?”
“Still like it as hot as it comes?”
“You bet.”
“Muy caliente. Very hot. I’m glad to know some things never change.”
“Me, too,” Mattie said, the intent in her voice clear. “Too many things have changed.”
“Not the important things, Mattie. You are still beautiful and full of life. God is still sovereign.”
“Amen to that last.”
“You know, I plan to be there for Kenny as long as I’m able, but if I weren’t there, God would raise up somebody else. God doesn’t need me. I have to remember that when I’m in such turmoil. He can fix things without Jeff Weatherly.”
“What are you saying, Jeff?”
“I’m saying that I have put off courting you for ten years. I’m sorry if that expression sounds dated, but that’s exactly what my plans are, Mattie Stevens. To court you until you can’t resist me.”
“Well, if that includes caliente Mexican food, I fear I’m putty in your hands.”
The sound of their laughter mingled together brought tears of joy to Mattie’s eyes. She was the princess, and this was her Prince Charming, just as Gram said. Nothing else mattered at the moment.
Once at Pedro’s, Mattie felt the lightheartedness she’d felt in high school. She felt proud to be on the arm of Jeff Weatherly and wished he’d understood her fascination with him had been more than a high schoo
l crush. His spiritual maturity magnetized her, and she felt his pull stronger than ever. It wasn’t her imagination the restaurant patrons stopped eating to watch them walk to their table, and she knew that whatever it was between them other people felt it, too.
Jeff pulled out her chair for her and placed the napkin in her lap. “Mademoiselle.”
Mattie giggled. “I believe the word you’re looking for is señorita.”
Jeff cleared his throat. “I’m trying to be classy here—do you mind?” His eyebrows rose in mock annoyance, and the blue of his eyes gleamed, like the brilliant turquoise of the local Indian jewelry.
“I fear it’s going to be futile to put on airs while eating chile relleno served muy caliente.”
“You remember my order. Well, get a load of this.” He lifted his hand for the waitress to come. “Watch the gringo at work.” He winked toward Mattie. “Yo quiero un chile relleno, muy caliente, y un pollo enchilada, muy caliente tambien, y dos Pepsi.”
Mattie couldn’t hold back her smile. “You remembered.”
“You know, I never have been able to take another woman out for Mexican food. To watch a woman pick at her meal daintily, eat the tame stuff, and complain. It was more than I could bear.” He shook his head in apparent disgust. “I lost respect for them. I like a woman who can handle her jalapeños and serranos. Is that too much to ask?”
“Not in Arizona.” Mattie winked. “It was all those fancy girls you probably dated back East during college. Fancy girls can’t appreciate good Mexican.”
“Well, there is no good Mexican food back East.” He mumbled under his breath. “I won’t comment on the women. I dated very little in college. I don’t think I was cut out for the casual relationship. I’m too intense by nature. I’ve seen too much to make light of dating.”
“Is dating something you want? Or something you think our grandmothers want?”
“Both.” The waitress brought their sodas and a basket of chips and salsa. “I almost forgot. Can you bring us an extra cup of salsa?” Jeff asked the waitress, picking up a water glass to insinuate size. “My girlfriend here, she kinda hogs it,” Jeff whispered aloud. He turned to Mattie and laughed uproariously. The sound was like a pleasant jingle in her ear.
“So now I’m your girlfriend?”
“Hey, it wasn’t nice to call my date a piggy. I made myself look good there—don’t you think?”
“You are terrible.”
“And you love me anyway.” Jeff grinned from the side of his mouth, and Mattie had to agree. Who wouldn’t love Jeff’s easy candor and selfless style? If the woman was out there who could resist him, she’d like to meet her. It was then that Mattie started to giggle aloud. The woman was out there, and she came in the form of her cousin Melissa. The thought struck her as overwhelmingly humorous.
“What’s so funny?”
“The idea of you and Mel on a date.”
“We never got that far, but I knew I’d get the information I wanted through that date. I’d hear what Mattie Stevens was up to through Mel. That’s the only reason I agreed in the first place.”
Mattie’s eyes thinned. “You’re a convincing liar.”
Jeff slapped his chest. “I do not lie, Mattie. I would think my AV classes from high school might convince you I never took the date seriously.”
“You are terrible.”
“I’m simply a man who knows what he wants.”
Jeff’s cell phone rang, and he paused, looking at the number before he answered it. “It’s the hospital.”
“You have to answer it,” Mattie said.
“My life is on hold for my sister. Always. I don’t want her to ruin this.”
“Jeff, you won’t ruin anything with me. It’s me, Mattie.”
Jeff answered his phone, and his lighthearted countenance changed instantly. “Thank you.” He hung up and stared at Mattie. “My sister has run away from the hospital. They don’t know if she’s strong enough to make it without the IVs they had her on.” He shook his head, his teeth clenched.
“Well, we have to go look for her.”
Jeff sighed. “I know. Can you ever forgive me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive. You go ahead. I’ll get our food to go and meet you at your grandmother’s.”
Jeff dropped a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “I’m sorry, Mattie.” He then kissed her on the lips. “Hang in there with me, Mattie. This can’t go on forever.”
But Mattie thought it could, and yet she hardly cared. A little of Jeff was better than none at all. She’d had ten years to come to that conclusion.
Chapter 5
Monday came, and no sign of Jeff’s sister was reported. Mattie loaded her paints into the car and headed out for the long, traffic-laden drive to Scottsdale. Most of her supplies were still in the magnificent hacienda where she’d been working. Mrs. Cox, the home’s owner, had allowed Mattie to keep things in the pool house so that transport wouldn’t be as difficult. But this Monday morning the drive away from Jeff and Kenny, who needed her support, burdened her heart. Her task of finishing an elaborate mural almost embarrassed her while Jeff searched for his sister, tried to care for his nephew, and held down his job.
The drive went unusually fast, as Mattie’s mind flittered in and out of conscious driving. It appeared the car knew the way, regardless. Mrs. Cox was directing some furniture movers as Mattie appeared. She parked her car around back, lest anyone see her tacky economy car in the neighborhood. Mrs. Cox met her at the back door.
“Mattie, darling, you won’t believe what’s happened.”
Try me, Mattie thought sarcastically but smiled instead. “What has happened, Mrs. Cox?”
“Alexa says the ponies on her ceiling scare her. She can’t sleep. I’ve had workmen paint over them, but she still wants the ponies on her wall, so you can get started on that today.” Mrs. Cox’s thin smile was genuine. The woman had no idea she’d set Mattie’s schedule back a week, and Mattie thought she would burst into tears right there. She felt her own lip quiver. A week might cost her the next job or, worse yet, Jeff’s extra room for Kenny.
With uncharacteristic boldness Mattie spoke. “Mrs. Cox, I will have to come back to do the ponies again. I have other clients waiting for my services.” Mattie flipped open her ragged paper calendar while Mrs. Cox put her hands on her hips.
“This is ridiculous. Your other clients will have to wait. I have you now, and that’s the way it works. You finish your job for me first.”
Mattie tried quickly to calculate if she could afford to drop the job and take only the advance she’d received. Figures of her car payment floated through her head then her reputation. Would Mrs. Cox tell her friends Mattie was unreliable? Or would her waiting clients be more of a problem?
“Mrs. Cox, I’m sorry, but I was scheduled to finish up today, and my murals are highly sought after during the summer when schedules are easier to manage.” Mattie squared her shoulders. “Alexa can wait for me to paint her ponies, or I can give you the names of some other artists I could recommend.”
Mrs. Cox inhaled like some kind of zoo animal, with depth and snarl. “Mattie, I told my husband this house would be done by a certain date. I’ve given you every allowance—even let you keep the paints in my pool house. Surely you owe me something akin to finishing the job I paid you to do.”
Mattie wavered. She hated to let anyone down. Yet the employer had technically only paid for the supplies, not the work. And Mattie had done the work.
Mrs. Cox’s phone rang inside the house, and the waif-like woman walked away in her black capris, looking very much like the long limbs of a spider easing across a sparse desert.
“Hello?” Mrs. Cox paused. “Yes, she’s here, but she’s here to work, Mr. Weatherly. I suggest you find another time to arrange a date. Humph.” The click of the phone resonated in Mattie’s head, and Mrs. Cox came back to the door. “I’d appreciate it if you would tell your friends this is a private number, and you are working here. I am
not your secretary.”
Mattie’s cheeks heated. “I need to use your phone, Mrs. Cox. I gave that number to my grandmother in case of an emergency only.”
“Anything you have to say to Mr. Weatherly can wait until you’re off my clock.”
Mattie could barely breathe she was so nervous. And angry. Jeff would never interrupt her work for something trivial. “If you won’t let me use your phone, Mrs. Cox, I have no choice but to find a payphone. My cell phone doesn’t work out here.”
“Mattie, my daughter wants her ponies. I hate to be an ogre, but you’re leaving me little choice. You were contracted to do a job.”
“A job which I did.”
“Not to my satisfaction.” Mrs. Cox opened a drawer and pulled out her contract. A contract Mattie wrote and felt confident about.
“I have to go.” Mattie threw what supplies were hers into the car and rushed toward town to find a payphone. Mrs. Cox screamed something at Mattie while the car left the driveway. Mattie considered herself fortunate she hadn’t heard the barb.
She wound around the desert roads and pulled into a mall parking lot. She ran toward the payphone, beads of sweat building quickly. She dialed her calling card into the phone and punched Jeff’s cell phone number.
Jeff answered on the first ring. “Hello?”
“Jeff, it’s Mattie. You called me?”
A long sigh erupted. “Oh, Mattie, I had to tell someone. My sister called the authorities. She’s left custody to me. She’s abandoned Kenny. I’ll have to go through all the channels to make it final, but I need you here to pray with me. To help me with God’s will.”
“I don’t understand, Jeff. I thought you wanted custody.”
“Not this way, Mattie. How do I tell Kenny his mother isn’t coming home?” Jeff paused for a moment. “I can’t even fathom what this will do to him. He’s so much older in his mind than a four year old.”
“But he is a four year old, Jeff, and you need to let him rest in his childhood. Is your sister all right?”