Wayward Hearts

by Susan Anne Mason

  Maxi motioned to the sofa, and they both moved to sit down. “Lily said you were interested in becoming a stylist yourself.”

  Dora Lee pushed some stray wisps of hair off her tired face. “I’ve got to find some way to make a living for me and my boy. Other than waitressing, I have no experience.” She paused as if gauging how much to say. “I got pregnant in my senior year of high school. I did manage to finish the year, but once I had Robbie, it was next to impossible to find work and pay for a babysitter. So I moved in with Dennis, Robbie’s father.” Her face hardened. “But we can’t stay there anymore. And I need to find a way to support myself.”

  Though Maxi could see no evidence of Dora Lee’s mistreatment, she recognized the pain in the girl’s eyes. Not all wounds were physical. “Hair stylists don’t get paid a whole lot, especially in the beginning. You have to really love it to keep it up.”

  Dora Lee smiled, transforming her face into something very attractive. “I do love it. When I was little, it’s all I ever wanted to do.”

  Maxi pursed her lips, taking in the girl’s bone structure and the length of her hair, which would fall well past her shoulder when free of impediments. A win-win idea crept into the creative side of Maxi’s brain. She could help Dora Lee, and, in the process, get some more material for her portfolio. “Tell you what. I’ll give you a few tips, if you’ll let me use you for a project I’m working on.”

  The girl looked skeptical. “What type of project?”

  “I’m putting together a portfolio of interesting hair styles for my job in New York. Would you consider being one of my models?”

  Dora Lee frowned. “I don’t think I’m model material.”

  “Leave that part up to me. How’s tomorrow? I’ll bring everything we need.”

  Dora Lee shrugged. “OK, I guess.”

  “Don’t worry. It’ll be fun, and if you don’t like how the pictures turn out, I won’t use them.”

  Maxi had no doubt the results would be fantastic, and for the first time in weeks, she looked forward to the next day.

  ****

  Exhaustion crept through every one of Jason’s muscles—his body’s silent rebellion after working all day at Nick’s, then pulling a five-hour volunteer stint at the fire hall. He shifted into park and slammed out the door and onto his driveway. Maxi’s car was nowhere in sight. He blew out a sigh. Maybe he could escape to the basement and sleep for the next forty-eight hours straight.

  The look on his mother’s face when he entered the kitchen sent that idea up in smoke. She sat at the table, tears staining her cheeks, with Bernice holding her hand.

  Tension tightened his stomach muscles. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’ll let you two talk.” Bernice squeezed Ma’s hand and then wheeled her chair out of the kitchen, throwing a sympathetic glance at Jason on her way by.

  Ma swiped at some strands of hair on her forehead. Real fear gripped him. Was his mother sick?

  “Sit down, son. I have some news you’re not going to like.”

  Slowly Jason lowered himself into the chair across from his mother. Every drop of moisture vanished from his mouth, making speech impossible.

  Please, God, don’t take her from me. She’s all I’ve got.

  “I had a visitor today.” Ma’s eyes swam with pain. For the first time he could remember, she looked much older than her age. Taking a deep breath, she continued, “Your father’s back in town.”

  Jason jerked upright on the chair. In all the years he’d been gone, Clint Hanley had never once tried to contact them. The hatred and bitterness Jason had worked so hard to overcome rose to the surface in a steaming mass of anger. He clenched his fists on top of the table. “What does he want?”

  She pulled a tissue from her pocket and wiped her nose. “He wants to see you.”

  Jason stood up so fast the chair crashed over. “Now, after twenty years with no word, he suddenly wants to talk? Sorry, not interested.”

  He stalked into the living room and began to pace like a man trapped in a burning building. His mother followed and stood in the doorway.

  “I told him you wouldn’t want anything to do with him. But he insists he’s not leaving until he talks to you.”

  “Then he’ll be waiting a very long time.” Jason fought to contain the fury that threatened to explode within him. He wanted to put his fist through the wall, smash all the glass figurines off the mantel. Anything to ease the awful pressure in his chest.

  “There’s something else you need to hear. Please sit down a minute.”

  The despair on his mother’s face broke through the haze of Jason’s anger. He was so busy focusing on his own issues, he’d forgotten how hard this must be for her—seeing her former husband again after so long. For her sake, he stifled his rage and sat beside her on the couch.

  She took one of his hands in hers. “I…I’m not proud of what I’m about to tell you.” She hesitated, eyes downcast. “The truth is your father did try to contact you over the years.” She took a deep breath. “I wouldn’t let him see you.”

  Jason’s mouth fell open as he struggled to make sense of her words.

  “At one point, Clint even wanted to come back. You were about five by then. We’d adjusted to life on our own, and I couldn’t bring myself to trust him again, so…I refused.”

  Knots formed in his stomach, twisting his insides like his mother’s mangled tissue. His father had wanted them after all. Had wanted to come back, but his mother had turned him away. To be fair, he tried to see things from her perspective. “Can’t say I blame you for not taking him back. But why wouldn’t you at least give him visitation rights?”

  He watched the struggle play over her tired face. Finally she looked down at their clasped hands. “I guess it was spite, pure and simple. He left us, and I wanted to punish him. Show him he couldn’t just waltz back in like nothing had happened. I wanted to hurt him as bad as he’d hurt me.” A lone tear trickled down her cheek. “Trouble is, I didn’t think about what it would do to you.”

  Jason clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth together so hard he thought they might crack. His mother had denied him a relationship with his father. How different would his life have been if Clint had been part of it?

  “Because of my selfish decision, you may never find true peace or happiness. Can you ever forgive me?” She was sobbing now. This woman who had given him everything yet denied him his father. His heart wrenched as he put his arm around her shaking shoulders. He would not let her feel guilty for his dysfunctional attitude.

  “Of course I forgive you. You did what you thought was best at the time. Who’s to say you weren’t right?”

  Ma sniffled and wiped her nose with the tissue she held in a death grip. “So you don’t hate me?”

  His kissed her cheek. “How could I hate you? You gave up your life for me.” He thought of his father and a nerve jumped in his jaw. “No, the only person I hate is Clint.”

  “You won’t even consider talking to him? For your own peace of mind?”

  “No.” Jason could not suspend his deeply ingrained resentment. If Clint had really wanted them back, he could’ve tried again. He wouldn’t have given up so easily. “And I don’t want him coming around here upsetting you. We’ve made it fine without him all these years. We don’t need him now.”

  Jason sat with his arm around his mother for several more minutes, making a silent vow to protect her from any more pain Clint Hanley could dish out. As far as Jason was concerned, the door to the past would remain firmly closed.

  14

  Maxi took a second look at the image on the screen and lowered the camera. Dora Lee peered at her from her spot on the couch in the living room of the shelter where Maxi had finished capturing the girl’s makeover.

  “Well, what do you think?” Dora Lee bit her lip.

  “They’re gorgeous.” Maxi grinned, unable to believe her eyes. Dora Lee’s before and after photos just might be her ticket to swaying Philippe’s decision o
n the partnership at Baronne’s.

  She handed the camera to Dora Lee who took one look and promptly burst into tears.

  “I’m pretty again.” She threw her arms around Maxi in a ferocious hug. “It’s been so long since I’ve felt good about myself.”

  Laughter bubbled up and erupted as Maxi hugged her back. She’d taken a frumpy young mother in sweats and transformed her into a goddess any modeling agency would die to have on board. This was Maxi’s gift to share with the world—the ability to take the ordinary and turn it into the extraordinary. And no one appreciated it more than Dora Lee.

  Leslie, the timid woman who had answered the door the other day, smiled for the first time. “Pretty? You’re stunning.”

  Maxi wished she could perform the same miracle for Leslie. Unfortunately, the lacerations on Leslie’s face needed time to heal. Maxi had tried hard to ignore the injuries to Leslie’s face and arms, not wanting her anger to be misconstrued by the fearful woman. Maxi couldn’t do anything to lessen the scars, but she had helped the woman feel better with a small makeover.

  Leslie’s chemically straightened hair had long since outgrown its style. With a new cut, she immediately seemed to gain more confidence. Helping these women made Maxi feel like a true fairy godmother.

  “How can I ever thank you?” Dora Lee asked.

  “By letting me use these photos for my portfolio.”

  “You really think they’re good?”

  “They’re better than good. They could be the key to a huge promotion.” Maxi grinned at the girl. She might only be a few years older than Dora Lee, but Maxi felt like her mentor.

  “You’ve only had one lesson, but I can tell already you have an aptitude for hair. You should be able to make a career for yourself with the proper instruction.”

  Dora Lee frowned. “I don’t know how I’d manage that. Daycare on top of tuition is more than I can afford.”

  Leslie looked up from tending to her young son on the floor. “Some community colleges offer free daycare to students. You could check into it.”

  Dora Lee brightened. “This has all happened so fast. I haven’t had time to think straight.”

  “What did your boyfriend do to you, Dora Lee?” The question slipped out before Maxi could check herself. The haunted expression on Dora Lee’s face made her wish she could learn to keep her mouth shut. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that.”

  “It’s OK. The therapist says I should talk about it.” Dora Lee stood to pick up some kids’ books from the floor. “It started with shouting, insults, and names. Then it escalated until one day he broke my arm. Dennis was always careful not to hit my face. He made sure the bruises could be covered by clothes.” She straightened and placed the books on the shelf, her expression hard. “I took it because I had no job and nowhere to go. But the day he hit my baby was the last straw.” She placed her hands on her hips, her stance combative. “I got a restraining order and came here.”

  Maxi looked up from packing her gear. “Do you worry he might find you?”

  A shadow flickered over her delicate features. “Yes.” She handed one of the styling brushes to Maxi with trembling fingers. “Until I find a new place to live, there’s not much I can do. Except pray.”

  Maxi hoped prayers would be enough to keep this woman and her son safe.

  Half an hour later, Maxi hummed as she drove out of the driveway at Logan House. For the first time in a week, she felt a glow of optimism spread through her. She left with the promise to return in the next couple of days to provide Dora Lee with some more tips that might help her when she started school for her cosmetology degree. Helping Dora Lee made Maxi feel alive inside, rekindling her enthusiasm for her craft.

  Maxi’s good mood led her right to Lily’s driveway. She couldn’t wait to report on Dora Lee’s progress and to share her newfound enthusiasm with her best friend. She hopped out of her car, smiling at nothing in particular. When she noticed Jason’s truck on the road, the smile morphed into a frown. It had been several days since she’d seen him. She’d hoped he would’ve gotten over his snit by now. Instead, he seemed determined to avoid her at all costs.

  Maxi slammed her car door shut and strode up the walkway toward the house. She would not let Jason and his irrational mood swings ruin this happy moment for her.

  Then she heard the shouting.

  Loud male voices erupted from somewhere outside. Were some of the neighbors fighting? She continued up the steps until one voice stopped her cold.

  Jason.

  Chills raced down both arms. She couldn’t ever remember Jason raising his voice like that before. Instinctively, she followed the sound around the side of the house and into the backyard. Her feet faltered at the vision before her. Jason stood in his work jeans on the back patio, hands clenched at his side, his face a picture of rage and hatred. A gray-haired man with a neatly trimmed moustache seemed to be the object of Jason’s anger.

  “If you’d let me explain,” the man said, “maybe you could understand…”

  Jason lunged forward as if to strike the man but checked himself before any physical contact. “I told you. I don’t care what you have to say. Get out of here now and don’t ever bother me or my mother again.”

  Maxi’s mouth fell open in disbelief. No matter what this man had done, he didn’t deserve such rude treatment. Jason’s behavior was completely out of character.

  She edged closer to the scene. The two men were so intent on each other, they didn’t even notice her.

  “I’m not the only one at fault, you know. Your mother played a part in this as well.”

  Maxi swore she could see steam blowing out of Jason’s nostrils. He looked exactly like an enraged bull ready to charge its victim.

  “Don’t you dare say one word about my mother,” he spat. “Get out of here now before I do something we’ll both regret.”

  The man held his ground for a moment, standing toe-to-toe with Jason. Then his shoulders sagged, and he stepped back. “Fine. But I’m not leaving town until you hear my side of the story.”

  Maxi was grateful not to be the recipient of the glare Jason gave him. It sent shivers down her spine—even at ten feet away. The stranger turned and headed right toward her, allowing Maxi a good look at his face. Who was this person that had Jason so riled up?

  He gave Maxi a brief nod as he passed her and made his way around the side of the house. Maxi started as understanding broke through her confusion. Jason’s rage made sudden sense. Only one man could cause this type of reaction.

  Maxi’s heart squeezed with the pain Jason must be feeling as she watched the hurt and anger he’d repressed all these years now erupt like a flash fire. Jason grabbed a hammer from his tool chest and hurled it across the lawn. It hit the ground with such force that grass and dirt hurtled in all directions.

  She shook a little at the violence evident in him, but despite her trepidation, she couldn’t leave him alone. He needed her—whether he’d admit it or not.

  With quiet resolve, she took a few tentative steps toward him.

  ****

  The hammer hit the earth, spewing debris in its wake, but the action did nothing to relieve the emotion coursing through Jason’s body. His arms and legs quaked with the force of his rage. He wanted to destroy something, rip something to shreds. Drive his car through a fence, or over a cliff. Better yet, he’d like to drive Clint Hanley over a cliff.

  “Jason.” Maxi’s soft voice penetrated the red haze around his brain.

  “Go away, Maxi.” The last thing he needed was her to be anywhere near him in this state. He felt naked, his emotions stripped raw.

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  The stubborn words only increased his irritation.

  “That was your father, wasn’t it?”

  He turned so fast he nearly tripped over her. “How did you know that?”

  Did anyone else in town know? He would not be the subject of small town gossip.

  “You
have his eyes.”

  Instead of helping, the quiet sympathy on her face only made him angrier. “This is none of your business. Just leave it alone.” At the hurt brewing in her eyes, he felt like he’d kicked a puppy, but he was beyond caring. He wanted to maim everyone, make the world feel the way he did.

  “Would you like me to get a beer?”

  The unusual question jarred him out of his thoughts. “What did you say?”

  “Do you want to get a beer?”

  “You know I don’t drink anymore.”

  She shrugged. “It’s what they do in the movies when someone’s upset. How about a coffee then? Or an ice cream sundae. I know from personal experience it helps take the edge off.”

  “Ice cream.” Despite the anger, he barked out a harsh laugh. As if ice cream could help this situation.

  “Don’t laugh at me.” Maxi’s thin brows shot together in a frown. “You don’t know if you don’t try it.”

  “Believe me. Ice cream can’t fix this.” He walked over to retrieve his hammer and brought it back to his box. He scrubbed a hand over his face. He doubted he’d get any more work done today. How Clint had tracked him down at Nick’s house he’d never know.

  “How about a ride out to Rainbow Falls? It’s a good place for talking or thinking.”

  He looked over at her, his heart rate starting to come down a notch. Maybe it was a better option than hurtling off a cliff. He released a long breath. “Fine, but you’d better drive.”

  ****

  Maxi glanced over at Jason’s stony face as he sat rigid in the passenger seat of her father’s old Toyota. She was glad he’d agreed to come with her, but now that they were getting close to the falls, she had no idea what to do. Surprisingly, she found a silent prayer on her lips.

  Lord, Jason’s dealing with a lot of pain right now. Please help me find the right words to comfort him. And if possible, help him let go of the anger and hatred he’s harboring against his father.

  She pulled the car into the small parking lot and turned off the engine.