Until Then (Cornerstone Book 2)

by Noorman, Krista

  It was strange having parents who were dating and having babies. Shouldn’t that be me?

  Louise joined her daughter in the church foyer. “Congratulations.”

  Marvin followed close behind. “Good job, Michelle.” He was a nice man — kind of loud and a little rough around the edges, but he made her mom happy.

  “Thanks, Marv.” Michelle looked over at her mother, who looked as if she might cry. “Mom, what is it?”

  Louise shook her head and dismissed her with a wave.

  Michelle stepped closer and gave her a hug.

  Her mother spoke quietly in her ear. “I’m so proud of you.”

  Michelle couldn’t remember her mother ever saying those words to her. They tugged at a place deep inside her heart, a place that longed for the special mother-daughter relationship she had seen between Maggie and her mom.

  “Thank you, Mom. I love you.”

  Louise let go of her then and straightened, smoothing her shirt over her dress pants, as if the time for serious emotion had passed. “Love you, too.”

  The distance expanded between them again.

  Maggie’s family gathered around, and they exchanged introductions and pleasantries.

  Louise had never been very good at getting to know new people, so it was no surprise to Michelle when she and Marv left soon after.

  At least they came. Dad certainly couldn’t bother himself to show up.

  “You girls have worked so hard for this.” Maggie’s mother hugged Michelle. “I’m very proud of you both.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. James,” Michelle said.

  “Oh, sweetie, you know after all these years you can call me Patty.”

  “I know.”

  Ron scooped his daughter up in his arms. “I love you, Magpie.”

  “Daddy.” Maggie closed her eyes as she held onto her father.

  “I’m proud of you, baby girl.”

  Michelle’s heart ached. No matter how much she despised her father, something inside still wanted the kind of connection Maggie and her dad shared.

  “Congratulations, Michelle.” Ron took his turn hugging her next, and she fought hard to keep from breaking down.

  “Thank you,” she managed.

  He let go and turned his attention back to his family.

  A tear slid down Michelle’s cheek before she could catch it.

  “Hey, you,” a familiar voice called from behind.

  She turned to see the friendly face of Janice, her former R.D.

  “Oh, sweet girl, I hope those are tears of joy.”

  Michelle could no longer contain her tears, and she leaned into Janice’s open arms and let them fall.

  “Let’s talk.” Janice led her to a seat in a quiet corner of the auditorium, where they could speak privately. “What’s going on?”

  “My dad didn’t show.” Michelle sniffled.

  “I’m so sorry, sweetie.”

  “I didn’t really expect him to come, but I sent him and Bitsy or Betsy or whatever his new wife’s name is an invitation anyway.” More tears began to fall. “I don’t know why I’m so upset. I guess because Maggie’s dad was hugging her and telling her how proud he was of her.”

  Janice put an arm around Michelle’s shoulder and gave her a squeeze. “It’s all right to be upset, Michelle. You don’t have to be strong all the time, ya’ know? God sees your heart. He knows how you’re hurting. You can give it all to Him.”

  “I know I can. I know that. I just didn’t expect to feel like this. It’s not like my dad’s ever been there for any of the important events in my life. But it feels different now. I guess because I’m different now.”

  “Can I pray for you?”

  Michelle nodded, and her sweet friend and mentor prayed her through the sadness and disappointment. Janice had been a constant in her life ever since the night she wandered into her room asking about Jesus. She could always count on Janice to listen, give an encouraging word, and be her prayer warrior.

  “Thanks, Jan.” Michelle gave her a hug.

  “You bet. Are you ready to go or do you need a few minutes?”

  “A few minutes would be good.”

  “All right.” Janice stood. “I’ll see ya’ later. Love you, girl.”

  Michelle closed her eyes. Just a few minutes of quiet before she went in search of her grandparents. She bowed her head and focused on her breathing. And in the calm of the moment, she could almost hear her Heavenly Father whispering these words to her.

  I’m proud of you, baby girl.

  “Where have you been?” This was the greeting she received from her grandmother, who stared at her stone-faced as she walked into the foyer.

  “Nice to see you, too, Grandma.”

  Her silver-haired grandfather wore almost the same expression as his wife.

  “We’ve been looking for you for twenty minutes,” Grandma stated.

  Michelle didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry. I was talking with a friend.”

  “Well, we came all this way to see the results of our investment. The least you can do is give us a little of your time and respect.”

  “I do respect you guys,” Michelle assured them, “but I’m not an investment. I’m your granddaughter.”

  “We know that, Michelle,” Grandpa said. “Grandma just meant—”

  “I know what she meant.” Michelle tried not to lose it all over again.

  “I didn’t mean anything by it,” Grandma insisted. “Don’t blow this out of proportion.”

  Being around them always reminded her of Dad. It was easy to see where he got the quick temper and permanent scowl.

  “You got me out of Chicago, away from my reckless life, and I will always be grateful to you for that.” Michelle tried to let the love of Jesus shine through. “Thank you.”

  Grandpa seemed taken aback by her kindness and Grandma more so.

  “Well, I …” Grandma stuttered. “We were happy to help.”

  “It was the least we could do.” Grandpa’s lips turned up in a little smile.

  Michelle couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him smile, if ever. She thought about his words. The least we could do.

  “Because of Dad?” Michelle asked.

  Her grandparents didn’t reply.

  “It was really nice of him to show up today.” Her words dripped with sarcasm.

  “Avey’s sick. He couldn’t get away,” Grandma explained.

  Michelle got an uneasy feeling at the mention of her baby sister. She shook her head. “You don’t have to make excuses for him, Grandma.”

  Grandma reached into her purse then and retrieved an envelope. “This is for you. From your dad.”

  Michelle stared at the card in Grandma’s hand. She wasn’t sure whether to take it or run for the hills.

  “Well, go on. Take it.” Grandma practically shoved it at her.

  The envelope felt as heavy as a brick in her hands. Not because there was anything substantial within, but because of the weight of emotion that overcame her as she held it.

  “Open it,” Grandma ordered.

  “Maybe I should wait until I get home.”

  “Fine,” she grumbled. “Do what you want.”

  But she was too curious to see what it said, so she slid her finger under the closure. “Ow!” A paper cut? Really?

  She pulled the card out and was greeted with a generic picture of a graduation cap next to a vase of flowers with “Congratulations, Graduate” across the top. She cracked open the card, which read “All the best for your future.” His name was scribbled beneath. Not “Dad”, but his full name, like he was signing a contract or something. Her heart sank, and tears filled her eyes again.

  “What’s the matter?” Grandma asked.

  Michelle took a deep breath and, just then, spotted Simon walking toward them. “Thank you for coming. And thanks again for all you did for me and my college education, but I have to go.” She shoved the card back into Grandma’s purse and walked aroun
d her toward her best friend.

  Grandma called after her, but she couldn’t stay there with them any more.

  Simon’s smile was the most welcome sight. The tears were still hanging in her eyes when she met him.

  “Chelle, what’s wrong?” He held his arms out to her.

  She walked into him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

  He kissed the top of her head and held her comfortingly.

  She brushed the tears away and looked up at him. “Can we get out of here?”

  “Heck, yeah! Let’s party!”

  Simon’s Uncle Pete lived in a modest house on Algonquin Lake. It was a simple, white, two-story with a couple bedrooms and a bath. The yard was large and nicely landscaped, with plenty of frontage along the water. There was a picnic table, a bonfire circle, and an old wooden dock with a pontoon boat in the lake.

  Michelle sat on a bench beside the bonfire guzzling Mountain Dew after Mountain Dew. If it had been beer in her cup, she would have been very drunk by now. But those days were long gone. Even so, she wished there was something that could take the pain away. How many times had she prayed for God to heal the hurt her father had caused her? How many hours had she spent talking with Janice about that very thing? Always when she thought she had moved past it, something would happen to bring it to the forefront of her mind again. Seeing that card with the canned message and formal signature had done the job.

  She glanced toward the lake and sighed. The water shimmered in vibrant pinks and oranges that faded into a deep blue as the last light of day reflected across its surface.

  “You know you’re supposed to be celebrating, right?” Simon dropped beside her on the bench and took a bite of hot dog, mustard leaking out the bottom of the bun and sliding down his chin.

  She couldn’t help but grin. “You are the biggest slob.”

  He wiped the mustard from his chin with the back of his hand and smiled at her with a chunk of bun sticking out of his mouth.

  Now she was smiling.

  The sound of splashing water caused them both to turn their heads as a dozen partygoers jumped off the dock. Their jubilant cries echoed across the small lake.

  “They are crazy.” She shivered thinking about how cold the water probably was at this time of year.

  Simon inhaled the rest of his hot dog and grabbed Michelle’s hand as he stood. “Come on.”

  “What are you doing? No! I don’t really feel like taking a polar bear dip.”

  He tugged at her arm. “It’s not that cold. Let’s do it. This is our night.”

  She smiled up at him, but he didn’t give her a chance to reply. He pulled her to standing, grabbed her around the waist, and threw her over his shoulder.

  “Simon!” She pounded on his back, but she wasn’t actually mad. She loved every minute of it.

  He marched to the dock. “Are you ready?”

  “Put me down,” she demanded.

  “One … two …”

  “Simon!”

  He didn’t reach “three” before he tossed her into the lake and jumped in after her.

  “Oh my gosh! It is cold.” His teeth chattered.

  She couldn’t stop laughing. Simon always seemed to have a way of bringing her out of her funks. Whether it was with a joke or a hug or some kind of distraction, he was her ever-present source of joy.

  She swam to him and grabbed his head, trying her best to dunk him, but he was too strong.

  He swiftly turned the tables and dunked her instead.

  Michelle coughed and spit water in his face when she surfaced. “Thanks a lot, jerk.” She hacked up more water, then put on a show with more coughing.

  “I’m sorry, Chelle.” He swam closer to make sure she was all right.

  She let out a loud exaggerated cough before she propelled herself upward, pushing his head under the water on her way down.

  He grabbed her waist as he came up and spit a fountain of water in her face.

  “Ack!” She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.

  Their laughter carried across the water.

  His hands slipped around her back, holding her to him. “Feel better now?”

  “Much.” She needed this — the closeness. She wanted to be held. But she and Simon were friends and, despite the fact that they had been like two peas in a pod for the past four years, there had never been talk of anything more than that. Not since the night at McDonald’s when he called her his best friend for the first time. Their relationship was so much stronger than it had been that night, and she wondered if it was time to let him know how she felt about him. How she’d always felt about him.

  Simon’s lips brushed against her temple then, and it gave her just the encouragement she needed. She nuzzled his neck and lifted her legs, wrapping them around his waist.

  The muscles in his back tensed, and he loosened his grip on her, letting the water flow between them.

  She immediately dropped her legs and floated back away from him, too embarrassed to make eye contact.

  He let out a slow breath, but said nothing.

  The silence was killing her, and she gave in and glanced over at him.

  Those hazel eyes of his were following the ripples his hands were sending out across the surface of the water.

  She had to break the tension. This was too much. She splashed him.

  His eyes met hers, and he grinned.

  She splashed him again, which started a full-on splashing war.

  Tension broken.

  A couple weeks later, the familiar tune of The X-Files theme song filled Michelle and Maggie’s apartment as Michelle dumped a bag of microwave popcorn into a gigantic bowl.

  “It’s starting,” Simon cried from his place on the couch.

  “Hold your horses.” She carried the bowl across the room to him.

  He snatched it from her hands, spilling a handful of popcorn in the process.

  “Hey!” She plopped down on the couch next to him.

  “Season finale time,” he declared.

  She grinned at him and shook her head.

  They watched in silence as Mulder was hospitalized by a reaction to a strange, possibly extra-terrestrial artifact, and Scully ran off to find out more.

  Michelle glanced over at Simon, who was intensely watching the television and crunching the half-popped kernels left in the bottom of the bowl. They really were like an old married couple sometimes — having dinner together most nights, watching their favorite television shows, staying in more than they ever went out.

  Maggie often said, “Why don’t you two just start dating and get it over with.”

  Simon dated plenty. He always seemed to be going out with someone new, never settling down with any one girl. It bothered her, but when he would tell her he had a date, she never took it seriously. Probably because he didn’t take it that seriously.

  Michelle could have dated, too, but she chose not to. There was a part of her that was fearful. The life of a new Christian had not been without its struggles. She knew her past was her past, but she also knew what she was capable of when it came to guys, and she was afraid of making a mistake again. Her mind returned to the bonfire, the way she had wrapped herself around Simon in such an intimate way, and her cheeks warmed as the embarrassment and humiliation hit her all over again. There had never been anything but friendship between them. What was I thinking?

  Except she knew what she was thinking, and she thought about it a lot. She couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to be closer to Simon — physically. And he was her biggest hesitation when it came to dating. She was holding onto hope that one day he would finally see what was right in front of his eyes.

  At a commercial break, Simon grabbed her knee and squeezed playfully.

  She grabbed his and did the same, squeezing as hard as she could.

  The click of a key in the door did not hinder their attacks.

  “Aaah!” Michelle cried.

  Simon laughed. “Say ‘unc
le’.”

  “Never!” She cringed.

  Maggie came through the door and tossed her purse and keys on the kitchen counter.

  “Say it!” he ordered.

  She winced as he squeezed harder, knowing she would probably have a bruise on her thigh by morning.

  “Uncle! Uncle!” she finally conceded.

  He smirked proudly, then stood and walked to the kitchen.

  “Hey, Canon.” Simon greeted Maggie with the nickname he had given her during one of their many photography classes. He was very proud of his Nikon camera. Maggie’s preferred brand was Canon, hence the nickname.

  “Hi,” she replied with an edge of annoyance in her voice. She did not appreciate the nickname.

  “Where’s your boyfriend tonight?” he asked.

  “Working.”

  He helped himself to a refill of iced tea and returned to the couch for more Mulder and Scully.

  Michelle noticed Simon’s gaze follow Maggie into her bedroom.

  “She’s extra friendly tonight,” he remarked.

  Michelle shrugged.

  Maggie still did not like Simon. She hadn’t let him off the hook for the way he broke Emma’s heart freshman year. Poor Simon, God love him, tried his hardest to win her over with his friendly teasing, but she would have none of it. The more she snubbed him, the more it seemed to bother him. Michelle wished he would just let it go, but he never did.

  Simon soon became absorbed in alien artifacts and conspiracy theories again, but Michelle’s mind wandered. She couldn’t help it when she was sitting so close to him. She shifted and grabbed the throw blanket from the back of the couch. Simon snatched a corner and pulled it across the both of them, stretching his arm across the empty spot where the blanket had been. Michelle leaned her head against his chest, and he lowered his arm to her shoulders. She found it impossible to focus on what Skinner was telling Scully or on Krycek’s evildoings. All she could think about was the warmth of Simon’s arm and the faint smell of his cologne.

  It seemed everyone she knew was either in a serious relationship, engaged, or married. Everyone was finishing college and settling down. And she wanted that. After all this time not dating, she wanted it so badly.

  At episode’s end, Simon and Michelle looked at each other with wide eyes, having been left with a whopper of a cliffhanger.