The Foster Girls

by Lin Stepp

  “I didn’t see you,” she whispered up against his chest now.

  “I figured that.” His reply was soft and sultry.

  She started to pull away, but he held on to her.

  “What was that I heard you screaming through the woods just now?”

  “I wasn’t screaming,” she argued in a muffled voice against his chest. “I was just calling out, trying to get your attention.”

  “Well, you’ve got it.” His answer was soft again and Vivian began to be conscious of how Scott’s hands had slid around to find a place up under her shirt.

  “I thought about what you said,” she told him, finding it harder to speak now that he was so near. “I want to be there for you, whole like you asked.”

  “No petals?” His voice was husky.

  “No petals. I’ll call the media tomorrow if you want, Scott.” She let her fingers drift over his back. “I’ll let them know I’m here. I’ll do interviews. I’ll go on television. I can do a special at the camp; it will probably be good publicity. Oh, Scott, I’ve never wanted to be totally genuine with anyone like I want to be totally real with you. Do you believe me?”

  “I might.” He tilted her face up so that he could look down at her in the dark. “Do you love me, Vivian?”

  “I have for a long time,” she confessed softly. “Did you mean that about the ring on my finger?”

  “Yes.” He traced a finger down her face. “And that part about you being in my bed, too. I’m especially looking forward to that one.”

  He slipped his hands into the back of her shorts and right down inside her panties then, cupping her bare bottom in his hands. Vivian caught her breath, feeling her legs and all her defenses grow weak at their close contact.

  “Isn’t this nice?” he murmured, pulling her up against him and holding her tightly there. “It’s going to be great between us, Vivian.” As the lightning flashed between them as it always did, Vivian leaned against him more in wonder than in outrage, her heart beating madly up against his.

  He ran his lips softly over hers. “It’s okay to touch a little when you’re practically engaged,” he informed her softly, allowing his hands to roam around inside her clothing in a way that had her breath coming in little ragged gasps.

  He chuckled in the darkness and then moved his hands up under her shirt again.

  “Scott.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “Will there always be this magic when we’re together? Do you think it will always be this good between us?”

  “Vivian, honey, we haven’t even begun to tap into good yet,” he whispered back, moving his lips to hers and starting to run his tongue gently over hers. “We’re just enjoying the surface. You just wait, sweet girl. You just wait.”

  They were caught in the moment for a long time there in the woods between the old Jamison farmhouse and Buckeye camp. And for a while there was nothing but sensation and new joys. Then, all too soon, Scott walked Vivian back to the farmhouse.

  “You won’t forget about that ring, will you?” Vivian said into the darkness as Scott started back toward his house and the camp.

  “Not a chance. End of summer when camp’s out. Start making your plans, Vivian.”

  He laughed then. “Lord, Aunt Mary and Mother are going to have a fit with another wedding to plan, aren’t they?”

  “Especially when they find out who I really am.” Vivian giggled. “The press will turn out for Viva Leed’s wedding, Scott. I hope you’re ready for this.”

  “We’ll handle it together, Vivian.” Scott stopped for a moment and blew her a kiss before he walked on back home. “We’ll handle it together.”

  And somehow, for the first time, Vivian knew they would. She hugged herself at the thought. Life didn’t get much better than this.

  Chapter 21

  Scott’s old congenial temperament returned as soon as he had fully committed to Vivian. She had changed toward him, too, now that there was a new understanding between them and no secrets keeping them apart. In fact, it seemed as if the floodgates had opened with her. She was more confiding and natural. And she laughed more. He liked that, especially.

  They spent more time together these days, enjoying activities, sharing their lives, staying up late talking. Yesterday they had explored the Tremont area of the Smokies near Cades Cove. Vivian hiked an eight-mile roundtrip trek up the Middle Prong Trail to Indian Flat Falls and back without a feminine whine or complaint. They picnicked on a big rock in front of the falls, enjoying the peace and beauty of the scene. This boded well for their future, as Scott knew he wouldn’t be very happy with a prissy sort of woman who didn’t love the outdoors.

  It was Sunday now and they sat together at the morning worship service at the Wildwood Church. Reverend James was doing the morning announcements.

  “Does anyone have any special prayer requests or announcements?” he asked.

  Ruth Hart asked for prayer for a hospitalized member, and then Scott raised his hand.

  “I have an announcement.” He stood up and grinned at Vivian. He hadn’t told her he was going to do this.

  “Vivian and I are engaged.” He enjoyed hearing the collective gasp from the congregation. “ I guess we’ll be having a wedding here at the end of summer after my camp sessions are finished. We wanted all of you to know.”

  Seeing Vivian’s mouth gaping open in surprise, Scott pulled her to her feet to join him. Whispers of congratulations and good wishes traveled through the congregation while everyone applauded.

  “Vivian’s been asking me about a ring ever since we first talked about this.” Scott grinned at the laughter this remark brought. “So I thought it would be nice if I gave her that ring right here, with all of you as witnesses.” He pulled a small square box out of his pocket and offered it to Vivian. It had been a push to get into town, get the ring on Friday, and keep it hidden as a surprise until now.

  Vivian opened the box with tears in her eyes, pulling out a shimmering oval diamond set on a slim, gold band.

  She smiled around the room while muttering at him under her breath. “I can’t believe you’ve done this right here in front of everybody.”

  “I told you I was an out in the open kind of guy,” he whispered back in her ear while he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

  The church service was entirely disrupted now as everyone came over to see Vivian’s ring, to shake Scott’s hand, and to give Vivian hugs.

  Even Ellen cried, and she wasn’t ever the weepy type. She hugged Scott and then Vivian. “Thank you, Scott Jamison. Now I’ll get to keep my best friend here.”

  Eventually, Reverend James brought the well-wishing to a close. “Let’s settle down now and all take our seats again.”

  Scott dropped into the pew and then realized Vivian was still standing. He tugged on her hand to pull her down, but she remained upright.

  “I have a little announcement to make, too,” she stated.

  Scott heard her take a deep breath and wondered what she was up to.

  “Because I’m going to be living among you and because you will all be close to me as my new church family, I want to entrust a new aspect of myself to you today.”

  Startled, Scott hissed up at her, “You don’t have to do this, Vivian.”

  “I know,” she whispered back, before she gathered another breath to go on.

  She looked around her. “Most of you know that I do some writing. But what most of you don’t know is what kind of books I write. Many of you have asked, and I’m sure you remembered I was evasive. That’s because what I write is rather well-known and because I actually came here to the valley to escape the hounding of the press and all the reporters about my work.”

  A speculative murmur trickled through the church members then.

  Vivian paused. “Now, don’t get unduly upset,” she admonished them. “I don’t think I write a type of literature you will disapprove of. At least I hope not. I write The Foster Girls books and collaborate with the FBR network on the scripts for Th
e Foster Girls television series.”

  There was a collective gasp now around the room. And everyone heard Mrs. McFee say out loud without thinking, “Well, I’ll be switched!”

  Vivian giggled at that. “My writer’s name is Viva Leeds, but my birth name really is Vivian Leah Delaney as you all know me. My father’s people lived around here in this Smoky Mountain area, and one reason I chose to come here was hopefully to find some of my family, if I could.”

  She smiled around the room. “I’ve come to love every one of you already, and I am happy that I am going to be able to stay here among you and make my life. But I can’t keep my writer’s identity a secret forever and I wanted to be the one to tell you about myself before some persistent journalist tracks me down and exposes me.” She sighed. “It’s bound to happen. It has before.”

  Scott watched Vivian look around at the stunned faces. His, admittedly, was one of them. This was a really brave thing for her to do when she so valued her privacy.

  A small silence fell.

  “Would you sign a copy of one of my Foster Girl books for me?” asked one of the McFee girls, breaking the quiet and bringing a needed laugh to all.

  Clyde Harper, a quiet man of few words, stood up to speak then, further surprising them. “Miss Vivian, you can be sure we’ll help keep your secret right here in the valley so you can keep writing in peace and quiet. We take care of our own here, and you can be sure we’ll help protect you from nosy outsiders.”

  A murmur of agreement moved around among the congregation. Scott saw tears gather in Vivian’s eyes at their concern and protectiveness.

  He stood up and took her hand. “Thank you everyone. Your support for Vivian is really appreciated.”

  Somehow the service moved on and finally ended.

  Well-wishers bombarded Vivian and Scott at the end of the service. Plus many questions were directed to Vivian about her writing life.

  Reverend James laughed as he shook hands with Scott and Vivian at the front door. “I doubt anyone will remember the topic of my sermon after your joint announcements this morning.”

  He gave them an affectionate smile. “I’ll expect you both in for marriage counseling sessions soon. And we’ll look at the calendar for a good wedding date.”

  Scott led Vivian out into the May sunshine.

  “Are these all of your surprises for today?” Vivian asked Scott as they got into his truck.

  “Nope.” He flashed her one of his quick grins. “Now, we’re going out to my parents to have Sunday lunch and meet all the family.”

  Vivian groaned.

  He leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. “Come on, you know you want to show off the ring,” he teased.

  They chatted happily about friends and family all the way out to Scott’s parents’ house. Scott’s family home was outside of Sevierville on a hillside above Douglas Lake - a sprawling, rustic two-storied house with a broad back porch looking down the hillside toward the water’s edge. A rock pathway wound down the hill to a lakeside patio and pavilion beside a covered boat dock on the water. The Jamisons had always been a boating family, and Scott had grown up on the lake skiing and swimming. Every month or two the family all gathered to eat, boat, and enjoy each other’s company by the lake. They were lunching out on the pavilion by the lakeside today, and Vivian was soon enveloped into the warmth of Scott’s family.

  “Vivian and I are engaged,” Scott told them right away, pulling Vivian protectively to his side as he announced it. He knew his mother and his Aunt Mary would spot the ring in the first handshakes, so he figured he’d better just get one step ahead of them or he’d have no chance to be the one to tell his own news.

  “Oh, I just couldn’t be happier!” bubbled Aunt Mary. “Now I’ll have an excuse to plan another wedding. What date have you set?”

  Vivian’s smile was bright. “Not until the end of summer after Scott’s camp sessions are over. Scott will be too busy before then. And we both need some time to plan.”

  Aunt Mary, Nancy, Scott’s mother, and his two sisters-in-law soon had Vivian off to the side talking about weddings, so Scott went over to join his brothers, his father, and his Uncle Leo around the grill. Pork loin was smoking over the coals along with foil-wrapped ears of corn. Bowls of green beans, slaw, macaroni salad, sliced tomatoes, and an army of desserts stood on a side table near by.

  “Smells great.” Scott sniffed the air with pleasure before settling down in an outdoor chair to prop his feet up on the boat railing. He smiled contentedly, watching his niece and nephews and Nancy’s boys paddling on floats in the lake.

  “You look smug and content for someone who’s getting ready to take the plunge into the big M world,” Scott’s brother Raley drawled. He and Kyle were sitting by Scott, keeping an eye on the kids while their father and Uncle Leo supervised the grill.

  Scott grinned lazily. “Don’t razz me, brothers. I’m a happy man, and I’ve found a good woman to spend my life with.”

  A call to lunch interrupted any further conversation and the brothers got busy hauling kids out of the water and toweling them down so they could eat.

  Scott’s second surprise for Vivian showed up just as the women were setting out plates and glassware on the tables. He smiled and nodded at his mother before pulling Vivian away from the women and toward a blue van that was just pulling up.

  “You’re being rude.” Vivian chided him under her breath as he dragged her away.

  “No I’m not, and, besides, they understand. There’s someone here I want you to meet.” He kept her arm in his. “Some extra company.”

  Out of the van came two couples, an older and a younger, and two children.

  “Are these some more relatives of yours you want me to meet?” Vivian looked at him with a question in her eyes.

  “No, actually, I believe these are relatives of yours.” He enjoyed the shocked expression that crossed her face.

  Scott watched Vivian’s eyes come back to his with confusion and question.

  He put his arm around her waist. “See that van there, Vivian? It says Delaney’s Florist on the side. I saw it stop for a delivery when I was in town one day, and I got to wondering if it might be a link to your family tree. I remembered you telling me your father, Will Delaney, was in the military, but had a side passion for the garden and flowers. So I just had to ask. Turns out the lady driving the delivery truck was your daddy’s sister, Patti.”

  Scott gestured to a tall, sandy-haired woman, probably in her late thirties, walking up to meet them.

  “Patti Delaney Hale,” Scott said. “This is Vivian Delaney Mero.”

  Patti reached out to take Vivian’s hand in hers, tears welling in her eyes. “I’m so pleased to meet you. Your father, Will, was my older brother. Vivian. I idolized him and followed him around everywhere when we were kids. I named my son after him.”

  She kept Vivian’s hand in hers. “When Scott approached me that day in Sevierville, I thought there was a very good chance that you might be Will’s daughter. Once Scott gave us some information about you, we were able to do some further checking through the military records and birth records in California to confirm our suspicions. We just got all the verification back a few days ago.”

  She smiled and gestured to the group behind her. “We’re your Delaney family, Vivian. These are your grandparents, Everett and Vi Delaney, and this is my husband, Gordon Hale and our two children, Will and Melanie”.

  The older man came forward then. “I’m your grandfather, dear.” He held out his hand with tears in his eyes. “I guess this has all been a big shock for you. Maybe Scott should have talked to you about us before we came over today, but he said he wanted it to be a surprise.”

  He hung his head a little then. “I regret we didn’t even know you existed, child. You see, Will went through a wild stage before he took off and joined the military. We had a lot of family rows then. For a long time, we didn’t hear from Will. Finally, a few years after he left, we got a letter
from him. He said he was in the Army and stationed in Ft. Irwin, California. We also learned he’d met a nice girl and gotten married – said he wanted to bring her home to meet us someday. Your grandmother and I were eager to make peace. We even started planning a trip to California but learned Will had been sent overseas to the Middle East in military intelligence. We hoped for more word from him after that, but the next news we got was that he’d been killed.

  “We never met your mother,” Everett Delaney told Vivian with a sad shake of his head. “And she never got in touch with us after Will’s death. We just assumed she went back to live with her own people.”

  Vivian looked at Scott with questioning eyes.

  “Is all this true?” she asked.

  He nodded. “The pictures they have of their son Will look like the ones you have of your father, Vivian. All the facts we investigated match up.”

  Everett Delaney held out two photos to Vivian and watched as she examined them. “That top photo there is the military picture Will sent us in his letter.”

  Vivian studied the first picture quietly and then turned to the second one underneath.

  “That next photo is of Will and his wife. Your mother. Will wrote us that her name was Charlotte. She looks a lot like you.”

  That’s when Vivian started to cry.

  “I have this same picture,” she whispered.

  Scott felt like a real heel then, but he watched as Vivian’s grandmother, Mrs. Delaney, came forward in a purely instinctive way and gathered Vivian into her arms for a strong hug.

  She patted Vivian and made soothing sounds. “There, there, dear. It must have been a terrible shock to lose your father when you were just a mite and then your mother at such a young age. And to have no family you knew of to go to. We’re just real sorry that we didn’t know about you. We’d have come right away. But here we are now, and maybe we can all be a comfort to each other even now.”

  She smoothed back Vivian’s hair gently. “Did you know my first name is Vivian, too?” She smiled. “Will and his wife must have named you for me. That just makes you even more precious to me, child. It’s like getting a bit of my boy back to have you.”