Homecoming Day

by Holly Jacobs

  She laughed. “Ha! Jay used to tease me about my car-singing habits. And rumor has it I’m just as bad in the shower.”

  She froze as she said the word shower, as if she’d shared something too personal.

  “So, what song?”

  “Lady Antebellum’s ‘Looking for a Good Time.’”

  “A country fan,” he commented, as they entered the small pizza joint.

  “Do you mind if we sit in the corner?” she asked.

  “Sure.” He led her to one of the vacant tables. “I’ll go place our order. Anything in particular?”

  “I’m not picky.”

  Normally, Seth would choose a traditional pepperoni pizza, but given Laura’s condition, he asked for a vegetable pizza instead and brought them both bottles of water.

  “So, tell me more about JT,” he said.

  “I teach art. I’m sure you guessed that when you walked into my classroom. Anyway, JT’s a freshman and she’s got talent. A lot of talent. I’ve so enjoyed having her in my class, but the other teachers…”

  “Not so much?” he supplied.

  “Not so much,” she agreed. She took off her coat and rested her arms on top of her huge stomach. “She rarely turns in homework and her classroom behavior isn’t much better. She’s passing, but only just.”

  Seth forced his gaze upwards and concentrated on Laura’s face. It had been easy to forget about her pregnancy when she was bundled up. “So she’s doing detention with you?”

  “I went to the principal Monday morning and requested it.” She continued recounting her conversation and concluded with, “We hope maybe a stint with me might give me the opportunity to find out what’s really going on with her. Possibly give her a chance to open up to someone.”

  “You must be reaching her on some level. After all, she did call you when she was waiting for her mom.”

  Laura nodded. “Yes, there’s that. Thanks. Although, it’s not like she’s said a lot that night or this week.”

  “So the strategy is to wait it out and try to get her to talk.” It was a statement, not a question. Seth hardly knew Laura, but he knew this much about her.

  “Yes.”

  “Is there something I can do?”

  “I’d take any advice you have. I’m at my wit’s end.”

  “Just keep caring about her. Sometimes it simply takes one person caring to help a kid turn a corner.”

  “Two,” she said.

  “Two?”

  “You care, too. You stopped by today to check on her because you care, so she’s got two of us in her corner.”

  “It’s my job.”

  She shook her head, looking as if she didn’t believe him.

  “It is,” he protested. “A good cop’s goal isn’t just to arrest someone, but to step in before they have to arrest someone.”

  She shook her head again. “It’s more than your job, at least with JT. You see a lot of troubled kids. You stopped by today because she’s more than a job for you.”

  “I could say the same thing about you,” he pointed out. “I’ll be the first to admit, we can’t save everyone, but we can save some. I have a sister, Cessy, who’s only a few years older than JT. I would hope that if she had problems, someone would step in and help her if I couldn’t be there for her.”

  The pizza came and they each chose a slice.

  After a couple bites, Laura asked, “Is your family here in Erie?”

  Not a topic he wanted to discuss, but he answered, “No, not Erie proper. They’re in Whedon.”

  Seth had grown up in Whedon, a small town just outside of Erie. But he’d joined the Erie police force because it was bigger and offered a lot more opportunities to advance.

  “That’s nice that your family’s so close,” Laura said.

  It didn’t seem as if they were close at all. The mere fifteen minutes distance might as well have been hours, days. Seth hadn’t felt connected to his family in years.

  No, that wasn’t right. He still felt connected to his siblings. It was his parents he was no longer close to. And the irony was, he loved them. But their estrangement had gone on for so long he didn’t know how to fix it.

  “How many siblings?” Laura asked.

  He smiled when he thought of his eclectic family. “There are six of us. My parents adopted us—” He stopped, unsure why he’d felt the need to share that. “You?”

  “Just me. An only child of two only children.”

  Seth couldn’t imagine what that was like. He had friends who came from big families, and most of them said they dreamed of being an only child. Not Seth. His family, the way it was, had been his dream. It was a dream that he sometimes thought he’d lost, and that hurt. Worse, he was unsure what he could do to get it back.

  Truthfully, he didn’t want to think about his family…or his past. He’d spent the last few years perfecting each as an art form. Concentrating on Laura was easier. Not that he was spying on her for the chief. But if he could put his commander at ease, without betraying Laura’s confidence in him, he would.

  “Do your parents live in town?” he asked conversationally.

  “My mom died when I was in fourth grade. After that it was me and Dad. He passed away right after I started college. Sometimes I think he held out long enough to be sure I could take care of myself before he felt he could join her.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Me, too,” Laura admitted. “About JT, maybe between the two of us we can get her to open up.”

  They chatted about Laura’s classes and he described his new job as liaison to the school district. She listened to him talk about his hopes for the position as they ate their pizza. Stunned that they’d been talking for more than forty-five minutes, he shoved his last bite of pizza into his mouth. “Laura, this has been great, but I’ve got to be at the station.”

  “Thanks for dinner, but more than that, thanks for caring, Lieutenant.”

  “I thought I was Seth now?” he reminded her.

  “You are.” Laura smiled as she repeated his name. “Seth. Thanks for following up with JT and for the pizza. Any night I don’t have to cook is a bonus.”

  “I’ll try to stop in and check on JT…Friday, if that works?”

  “That would be nice.”

  “I’ll see you then. Take the rest of the pizza home, would you? I hate to let it go to waste.” He stood up.

  Laura got up out of her chair. It was almost painful to watch her struggle onto her feet. “Sure. Feed the pregnant woman. That’s what she needs.”

  He’d forgotten about her being pregnant and blanched at the reminder. “Friday. See you Friday.” He bolted.

  He knew that’s what he’d done. It was cowardly. Still, seeing her reminded him of Allie. And even now, years later, it hurt.

  And now he’d promised to visit Laura on Friday.

  Way to go, Keller.

  ON THURSDAY AT HER SECOND period freshman art class, Laura took attendance and discovered that JT wasn’t there.

  She toyed with Seth’s card.

  During her lunch break, she called the number and got his voice mail. “Hi, Seth. You said to let you know if I had any problems with JT. Well, she didn’t come to school today. I’m going to head over to her house after school. I’ll keep you posted.” She was ready to hang up and then added, “Oh, I should have said, this is Laura.”

  What a moron, of course he’d know it was her. Who else would have called about JT?

  She tried the number listed on JT’s contact form. No one answered.

  By the time school ended, she gathered up her things and hurried out of the room…and right into Lieutenant Seth Keller’s ample chest.

  He jumped back as if he’d been burned, went beet-red and stammered, “Are you okay? The baby. I mean—”

  “I’m fine. We’re fine,” she assured him.

  “Where were you speeding to?” He pinned her with a look her father had often employed. One she suspected she’d need to learn as her b
aby grew up. The look said, go ahead and answer, because I already know the answer, and I’m not pleased.

  The look had made her feel chagrined when her father had employed it, not so when Seth used it. “To JT’s house, like I told you in that message. I’m worried that she didn’t show up at school today.”

  “You were going by yourself?”

  She nodded. Seth looked—well, he looked pissed. “Okay. Laura, I know I have no say in what you do, but—”

  “You’re right you have no say in anything I do.”

  She started walking down the hall and Seth dogged her heels, which she expected wasn’t all that hard considering her girth. She already felt winded, while he spoke in a nice, even measure. “Yeah, well, still…you’re pregnant and arriving alone at the home of a student whose mother you know has a temper…does that seem wise?”

  She stopped and hoped that he took the gesture as annoyance, not the fact she’d walked too fast and needed to catch her breath. To give herself a moment, she gave him a look she used on her students. It wasn’t as intimidating as the paternal-look was, but it was the best in her arsenal. When she thought she could speak without huffing and puffing, she said, “Pardon me, Lieutenant, but when did you sign on as my keeper? I missed the paperwork on that.”

  “Obviously someone should watch out for you.”

  The words hit her and her annoyance evaporated, replaced by sadness. Seth was right. Someone should. Jay should be here, fussing over her, worrying about her worrying about JT. She missed him. Terribly. Sniffing, she surreptitiously swiped at her eyes.

  “Are you crying?” Seth’s voice rose in a rather uncoplike way.

  She could distinctly hear the universal male horror at the thought of her tears. She lied when she said, “No,” the catch in her voice giving herself away entirely.

  “You are crying. I know you’re crying. I’ve got three sisters, and I can tell crying when I hear crying.”

  The fact he’d witnessed his sisters’ tears obviously hadn’t hardened Seth to the sight.

  She gave one more healthy sniff and blinked back the waterworks. “You’ve said the word crying more than any man—especially a cop—should. And you’re wrong. I’m not crying. I have…allergies. And I’m pretty sure the thing I’m most allergic to is you and your bossy ways.”

  “Right, allergies.”

  He was probably used to women hanging all over him and thought she was kidding. Well, she wasn’t. She didn’t need a keeper. “But let’s be honest, I don’t owe you any allergy explanations, and I certainly don’t have to check in with you when I’m going about my business. So good afternoon, Lieutenant.” She started down the hall.

  Seth easily matched her pace.

  “May I come, too?” he asked.

  “Why?” she asked defensively. “To keep an eye on the pregnant woman who obviously doesn’t have enough sense to take care of herself?”

  “No, of course not. I want to come because I’m worried about JT, too.”

  She could have taken offense if he was trying to control or protect her, but she couldn’t quite manage it if he was simply trying to help JT. She eyed him suspiciously. “Really?”

  “Cops care, too.” Then he smiled, held up a few fingers and said, “Policeman’s honor.”

  She sighed. “Fine. I’ll give you the address. You can meet me there.” It wasn’t the most gracious invitation, but she wasn’t feeling overly gracious.

  “Or…”

  “Or?” she repeated as she continued down the hall.

  “Or, I could drive and bring you back afterward to pick up your car.”

  She wanted to say no. As a matter of fact, she wanted to say hell no. But instead, she found herself saying, “Fine.” She was hopeless at directions. For her birthday last year, Jay had given her a GPS. She’d laughed, telling him she wasn’t planning any out-of-town trips.

  He’d responded he knew that. The GPS was for navigating around town.

  And for the first time since he died, she remembered Jay and had an urge to laugh rather than cry.

  She glanced at the quiet police officer next to her, and though he wore the same uniform, there weren’t any other similarities to Jay.

  Jay had worn his hair on the shaggy side of long, compared to Seth’s military cut. And Jay had been quick to laugh. She hadn’t seen any signs of quick laughter in Seth Keller. He’d smiled, but even then, the expression hadn’t quite reached his eyes. He wasn’t grim. More…sad. She wondered what had happened to make him that way.

  They walked in silence to the parking lot and he led her to a huge truck. It was blue and had one of the cabs that had a backseat with a second door. It also sat about a mile off the ground.

  Somehow Laura needed to get her beached-whale self up and into it. She was pretty sure it was going to take a forklift. She was about to ask if maybe Seth would consider taking her car when he said, “Would you be offended if I offered you a hand?”

  “I’m practical enough to admit I do need a hand.”

  He got her settled in the giant truck. She gave him JT’s address and they drove in silence toward the nice section of town. Seth stopped in front of a neat, two-story brick house.

  Laura slid out of the truck with more ease than she’d gotten in. She clutched the manila folder she’d put JT’s homework sheets in, pulled her coat tight against her chest and waddled to the door with Seth at her side. He let her take the lead. She appreciated that.

  She knocked and they waited. When no one answered, she rang the doorbell and called out, “JT, it’s Ms. Watson, and I’m not going anywhere until you open the door. And it’s very cold out here. I’m so huge that my coat doesn’t want to button, so the baby bump sort of sticks out. I bet the baby’s as cold as I am.”

  Yeah, using the baby was low, but if it got results, she wasn’t above it.

  Seconds later the door opened and JT stood there scrubbed bare of any makeup and wearing a pair of holey jeans and a pink, oversize sweatshirt that made her look so much younger than she did in school.

  “Ms. Watson?”

  Laura held out the envelope. “I brought your homework. Can we come in for a moment?”

  JT jerked her finger in Seth’s direction. “What’s he doing here?”

  “Lieutenant Keller stopped by and offered to bring me. He seems to think my absurd size makes it hard for me to reach the steering wheel and, therefore, I shouldn’t drive any more than I have to.”

  “You are kinda big.” JT’s grin said she was teasing. “I mean, you’re right, if you did up your coat, a button would probably pop off and become a lethal weapon.”

  Seth glommed on to JT’s mood and said, “Now, when my sister-in-law Eli was pregnant, I thought she was big, but then I met Laura here. She gives the phrase big-as-a-house a whole new meaning.”

  “Hey, you two.” Laura waved her hand and tried to look outraged. “I’m standing right here in my tight, unbuttoned coat.”

  JT grinned. “Yeah, big as a McMansion for sure.”

  Seth laughed. “I was thinking castle, but your definition works, too.”

  Laura waved both hands. “Hey, still here.”

  “Oh, we know, Ms. Watson. There’s no way anyone could miss that.” JT snorted with glee.

  “Gee, try to do something nice for someone and this is what happens,” Laura groused, which made both Seth and JT laugh.

  “Yeah, you guys can come in.” JT stepped aside. “I mean, Mom has a rule about no one in the house when she’s not home, but I’m guessing that doesn’t apply to cops and teachers.”

  Once inside, Laura’s first impression was, wow. The house was beautifully furnished. Not quite the McMansion that JT had mentioned, but a well decorated home in a lovely neighborhood.

  Laura wasn’t sure what she expected, but her dislike for Mrs. Thomas might have colored her opinion of the type of house the woman would own.

  JT led them into an immaculate living room. Curtains coordinated perfectly with the fabric
on the furniture. Books were arranged artistically rather than functionally. Fresh flowers rested in an elegant vase on the coffee table.

  JT seemed unsure of what to do next. “You wanna sit down, Ms. Watson? You look beat.”

  “I am beat. Thanks.”

  She sat on the couch, and Seth sat next to her. Now that JT was more at ease, Laura decided to broach her concerns. “JT, I stopped in because I was worried about you.”

  Guilt was written on the teen’s face. “I’m fine. I felt a bit funky this morning, but I feel better now.”

  “So, you will be in school tomorrow?” Laura asked. “You’re sure?”

  Gone was the guilt and in its place was defiance. “Yeah. I wouldn’t want to miss my detention.”

  “That’s not why I was worried, and I think you know it,” Laura said softly.

  JT sighed, sounding much older than she looked. “Yeah, I do. None of my other teachers minded I was absent, I bet. Especially not Mrs. Lutz. She’s the reason I’m serving detention.”

  Laura cocked her head to one side and raised her eyebrow. She’d found it was an effective expression when dealing with students. “She made you not turn in your homework?”

  “No, but…”

  Laura continued to stare at JT.

  “No. But she didn’t mind handing out the detentions. Mrs. Lutz hates me.”

  “Maybe that’s not hate. Maybe it’s frustration. Teachers feel frustrated when they can’t reach a student. She wants you to excel. So do I.”

  “I don’t know about Mrs. Lutz. I think what she really wants is for me to hurry up and finish her class so she can pass me on to some other teacher,” JT replied, skepticism thick in her tone.

  “And you think I’m here passing the buck, too?”

  “No. You don’t want me to do more detentions and brought my homework. Thanks.”

  Laura nodded. “That’s part of it.” She found herself adding, “And I was hoping if you caught up on your schoolwork tonight, you’d have time to come over and start that mural in the baby’s room this weekend.”

  JT jumped and clapped. “You mean it?”

  Laura hadn’t intended to make the offer, but seeing JT’s excitement, she was glad she had. “I told you it was a great design. And I don’t mind being around the paints at school because we’ve got a great ventilation system, but at home, my only ventilation would be an open window. It’s too cold for that, and I’d rather not be around the fumes long enough to paint the room myself, so you’ll be doing me a huge favor.”