She got up from the table as tears started and fled to her room.
“Zoe!” Kit rose out of her seat, then sat back down again.
She wanted to follow her daughter but the expression on Tunney’s face stopped her.
“Please, believe me. I don’t love Johnny. I’m not going to marry him. She must be mistaken. I don’t know anything about this.”
The decibels of her voice rose with every word she uttered. Hysteria threatened.
He sat quietly, his face scowling.
She got up to speak to her daughter.
“Go away!” Zoe spat.
“I never said I’d go back with your father. Never.”
She spoke through the closed door of her daughter’s bedroom.
“He said you would. He promised me. You have to mom, you have to. I hate the divorce. I hate it! Please, please…marry Daddy again,” the girl sobbed.
Kit didn’t know what to do. She went back to the dining room table, stopping to kiss Tunney, but he pulled away from her.
“What are you going to do, Kit?”
“I’m not going back with Johnny. He’s out of his mind. He’s probably got three more girls by now.”
“What about your daughter? She’s putting a lot of pressure on you.”
“I couldn’t possibly. I love you, Tunney. Please believe me.”
“Perhaps you two should work this out alone,” he said, getting up.
“Don’t leave! Please.”
“Call me when you’ve resolved this,” he said, putting on his coat. He gave her a light kiss as he passed through the door.
Kit put her head down on her arms on the dining room table and cried.
* * * *
Mac and Callie Caldwell’s house
Plans for Thanksgiving at the Caldwell house started three weeks before the holiday. Callie could hardly contain her excitement at having Sarah with her. The sisters had not shared a Thanksgiving table since Callie was eighteen. Including their friends with their relatives, Callie and Mac were preparing for twelve adults plus six children, and one baby. Their house resembled a tornado, a whirlwind of activity. Callie took charge of the meal while Mac handled entertaining the children.
When Sarah, Jim and her kids arrived, Mac and his brother, Peter, were still setting up a big table in the dining room for the adults and a smaller one in the living room for the children. Through the organized chaos, Sarah hung back until Jim laced his fingers through hers and took her around to greet everyone.
The aroma of slowly roasting turkey blended with the spicy scent of pumpkin pie, baked at the crack of dawn. Sarah entered the kitchen nosing around.
“Looking for something?” Callie asked her sister.
“An apron. This dress is new.”
“Oh, no. Out,” She said, gently shooing her sister out the door.
“What do you mean?” Sarah planted her feet firmly, her hands on her hips.
“You do too much. Be my guest this year. Sit in the living room, talk to Pat and Lara. Tickle the baby, but stay out of here. I have Sam plus Eliza to help me.” She blocked the kitchen doorway.
“Callie this is a big group, there’s so much…”
“Stop, Sarah! Please. Let me take care of you, for once. Okay?”
Her eyes searched her sister’s face.
“I want to. You’ve done so much for me. Please.”
Sarah smiled at her sister and gave her a hug.
“Ok.”
“So go sit down…give Lara some pointers on parenting, have a drink, relax.”
Callie disappeared into the kitchen again. The kids were playing tag, running wild through the house.
“Mac!”
Her tall, blue-eyed husband appeared, a questioning look on his face.
“Get the kids out of here before there’s an accident. You’re in charge…do something!”
“Roger,” he said, performing a mock salute.
She gave him a playful slap on the shoulder but lifted her face for his kiss.
“Soccer! All kids, front and center…in the living room. Dads and kids soccer game!”
Each child grabbed their father and headed for the door. Mac went to tag Laura and Scottie as his, but he was too late. Laura hung back while Scottie ran to Jim.
“Come on,” the boy said, slipping his hand into Jim’s.
Jim shot a questioning look at Sarah who smiled and nodded. He grabbed his coat, turning to Laura before leaving.
“Come on, Laura,” he said, extending his hand to her.
“I’m busy,” she said, turning away.
Four-year-old Casey Maine walked over to Laura, reaching for her hand.
“Come on, Laura, play soccer with me,” he said, smiling at her.
Two-year-old Teddy Caldwell, Callie and Mac’s youngest child, toddled over to Laura, too. She looked at the handsome four-year-old with his brilliant blond hair wearing a devilish grin then at her cousin, Teddy, and her resistance melted.
“Come on,” Casey said, tugging on her hand.
“Okay, okay, I’m coming,” she said, reaching for her jacket.
Jim stopped to give Sarah a serious good-bye kiss. Knowing looks were exchanged among his friends. Sarah touched his face then stepped back, a blush creeping up her neck.
“Let’s go, Jim,” Scottie said, tugging on the man’s sleeve.
A hush fell on the house after the men ushered the children outside. Lara took her baby, five-month-old Ellie Caldwell, upstairs for a nap. Sam Caldwell, Mac’s father, donned the apron Sarah had been eyeing to join Callie in the kitchen. Sarah settled on the sofa with a cup of coffee next to Pat, Sam’s wife.
In an hour, Callie returned to the living room and took her sister by the hand. “Let’s go for a walk, I need some air.”
They walked down the empty street, enjoying the quiet of the holiday when everyone devoted their day to cooking, friends and family.
“So what’s up with you and Jim?” She asked her sister.
“I knew this wasn’t going to be just a walk, more like an inquisition.”
“I’m just asking. If you don’t want to tell me you don’t have to.”
“Like I could keep anything from you.”
“You make me sound evil,” Callie said, hurt. “I want you to be happy, Sarah.”
“I know, I know,” she said, patting her sister’s arm.
“So? What’s up with you guys? Are you sleeping with him? Are you going to marry him?”
“Callie!’ Sarah put her hands in her pockets, she had forgotten her gloves.
“What’s the big secret? We’re both adults.”
“You need to respect my privacy.”
“Come on, share with me.” She slipped her arm through Sarah’s.
“Maybe…” Sarah said, weakening.
“Are you in love? Because Jim sure looks like he is.”
Sarah averted her eyes from Callie’s probing stare.
“Now I know what Mac means.” Sarah said, a smile curling her lips.
“What?”
“He says you hound him for information. Relentlessly. You are a bloodhound.”
“That’s not a nice thing to say. Observing your kiss is all.” She dropped her sister’s arm and moved a few feet away from her.
“He shouldn’t have kissed me like that…in front of everyone.” Sarah moved to her sister and took her arm again.
“Why not?”
“Because…because our relationship is our business.”
“Not in a town this size,. Now it’s going to be everybody’s business.”
“Oh, God.” Sarah covered her eyes with her hand.
“What’s wrong with being in love with him? He’s a great guy. I’ve known him a long time. I think he’s good for you.” She patted her sister’s shoulder.
“How so?”
“For one, he won’t beat you up…” Callie faced her sister.
“Callie!” Sarah stopped, her eyes wide.
“I do
n’t want to have to worry if my sister is being abused ever again…abused by a drunken husband.” She stared at Sarah.
“Who says he’s going to be my husband?” She pulled away from her sister.
“You could do a lot worse.”
“He is a great guy…you’re right.”
“Scottie has taken to him.” Callie stooped to re-tie her shoe.
“He has,” Sarah admitted.
“Says a lot about him, don’t you think?”
“I do.” A smile played at the corners of Sarah’s mouth.
“So what’s the big deal if you’re in love with him?” Callie raised her eyebrows.
“I’m not used to sharing so many…intimate details…”
“I didn’t ask you any intimate details. I’d never do that. Besides, I’m your sister. We have a bond beyond friendship…so you are sleeping with him, right?”
“You don’t give up, do you?” She chuckled as color stained her cheeks.
Callie shook her head as a mischievous smile swept over her face.
“I’ve slept with him. There. Happy?” She laughed.
“I want you to be happy. Does he make you happy?”
“You mean in bed?”
“I mean in general.” Callie felt heat rising to her face. She slipped her arm through her sister’s again.
“He makes me very happy.”
“Have you told him?”
She shook her head.
“Why not?” Callie cocked her head.
“I’m nervous…my history with men hasn’t been good.”
“He deserves to know. Don’t wait. You might lose him.”
“Is Jim seeing someone else?” Sarah stopped walking.
“No, no. How long do you think he’ll stay if you don’t tell him you love him?”
“I don’t know.” Her brow furrowed.
“Maybe…a deep breath and jump in.”
“Easy for you to say. You don’t know much about Bob and me, do you?”
“We weren’t in contact much…for a long time.” She looked down at her shoes.
“My fault. I’m sorry.” Sarah slipped her arm around Callie’s shoulders for a hug.
“You’re here now. What happened with Bob?”
“I met him at Yorkville College. He studied engineering and computer science. I thought he’d make a good living…he’d always have a good job.”
“But you didn’t love him, like you loved Mike?” Callie questioned her sister.
“No one could replace Mike.”
Callie turned them around so they strolled back toward the house.
“So what happened?” She slowed her pace.
“Bob was crazy about me. He had a good offer at a high tech company in Seattle and wanted me to go with him. He proposed. I accepted.”
“Did you love him?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. He seemed stable, or so I thought. Someone I could lean on…and he was, for a while. I felt bad about leaving you…” Sarah patted Callie’s hand.
“I understood. You needed to save yourself.”
“Thanks.” Sarah smiled at her sister.
“So what happened to your grand plan?”
“I had Laura pretty soon after we were married, then Scottie. Things were good.”
“But not like with Mike, right?”
Sarah shook her head. “I stayed home as a fulltime mom, which I loved. Then Bob lost his job. I had to go to work.”
“What did you do?”
“I’ve always loved writing. I lucked into a job writing press releases for a congressman. I did well…ended up working for the governor.”
“How exciting!”
“Yes…until everything fell apart. As my star rose, Bob’s fell. He couldn’t get a job and began to drink. He took out his frustration on me. At first only by yelling, but that didn’t seem to satisfy him.” Her hand fisted at her side.
“Oh, Sarah.” Callie’s eyes filled with tears. .
“He started throwing things. Before long he started aiming at me. Then he hit me.” Sarah’s voice faded to a whisper, a shudder ran through her body.
“I wish I could have been there…”
“Nobody could have helped me. I had to help myself. After the second drunken beating, my friends in the governor’s office found me a temporary space. I packed up the kids and fled in the middle of the night, when he was passed out.”
Sarah stopped and took a deep breath.
“We hid out in a cockroach-infested room on the other side of town. I filed for divorce. Bob came looking for us one night, in a rage, after he’d been drinking. You know the rest.”
“Fatal drunk driving accident…” Callie took Sarah’s hand.
“Then you were kind enough to invite me to come here.” She squeezed Callie’s hand.
“I love having you here, sis. You’re safe. And you have Jim.
Sarah chuckled.
“Still the incurable romantic, Callie. Some things never change.” Sarah’s eyes danced with laughter.
They were back. Stepping into the warm house made Sarah feel almost as good as confessing her story to her sister did. Soon after they got back, the children and men returned. Chaos replaced the calm atmosphere as tired, cranky children cried and whined, hungry men broke open the beer while the delightful smell of a cooking turkey made stomachs rumble.
At four o’clock, the entire Caldwell clan sat down to a beautiful meal and the cacophony of happy people, talking, eating, laughing and spreading their love echoed from one end of the house to the other.
Chapter Seventeen
On the last few days of her vacation, Zoe tried several times to get her mother to agree to remarry Johnny. Kit kept refusing. Tunney didn’t call. She sought to wear her mother down using every argument the girl could think of to no avail. Her mother wouldn’t budge.
The atmosphere between mother and daughter grew frosty. Kit dropped Zoe back at school, still insisting there would be no remarriage. The daughter cried, but the mother refused to bend. When she returned home, she called Tunney, but there was no answer. She called every half hour, left messages, finally giving up at midnight. He must be with someone else. Her stomach filled with jealousy.
* * * *
Tunney sat in his truck in the mall parking lot, finishing a cup of coffee when his cell phone rang. He put the paper cup on the truck floor to look at the display. Another call from Kit. He didn’t want to talk to her. More lies? How can I believe her? He turned his phone off. He walked into the empty bar and sat at the counter alone.
“Wadda’ll it be, Tunney.”
“Brandy, Willie. A double.”
“You got it.”
* * * *
Monday morning at nine a.m. the doorbell rang. Kit leaped out of bed threw on her robe and raced to the front door. Tunney! Two men from Nichols Building were there to refinish the floor. Her heart sank. She called the construction company.
“Tunney Nichols, please.”
“Who’s calling?” Anne Marie asked.
“Kit Alexander.”
“Oh, hi. Tunney’s in Seattle.”
“Seattle? Do you know when he will be back?”
“He’s got business there. He could be there for weeks. Any problem with the men I sent over to finish the renovation?”
“No, no problem. This is personal business.”
“I hope you’re not hung up on him.”
“Why?”
Tunney’s a great guy, but he can’t commit. Never has, probably never will.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I’ve known him since he came back. I’ve never seen him stay with a woman longer than two or three months, tops.”
“I thought he didn’t date much?”
“He dates plenty, just doesn’t stay with anyone long.”
“You say he can’t commit?”
“Right. But when he finally grows up, if he ever does, I’ll still be right here.”
Kit unde
rstood immediately.
“If he calls in, please tell him I called.”
“Sure thing.”
Kit went up to the third floor.
Letter number forty nine
Dear Dan,
I’m ashamed to admit I gave up on you today. Too long for me. I woke up this morning with a sense of dread. I looked in the mirror and said you were not coming home. I went to the library with the little strength I had. Took out a new romance book, perfect to read in this nasty, cold, damp weather we’re having.
I spent the day in front of the fire reading about love and hardships. Still, none of the characters in the book were MIA. Then Lily called. She talked about plans for a Memorial Day picnic. I yelled at her, told her memorials are not reasons to have picnics. I’m afraid I hung up on her. I spent the rest of the afternoon thinking you were dead, feeling sorry for myself.
Then Mary Jane Peters, Ida Sorenson and Barbara Richmond came over. Mary Jane had that great hamburger casserole she makes. Ida had a big salad, Barbara brought homemade brownies. They ate with me. They told me I had to continue to believe, because if I didn’t believe you were alive after forty-nine weeks, then they couldn’t believe their husbands were coming back either.
I never thought of myself as a role model. Heck, I’m usually too busy trying to get everything done to worry about things like popularity. But when I looked at their faces, I realized I had to continue to believe. If I couldn’t do it for me or for you, then I had to for them and their men.
Lily called. We made up. So I’m back, Dan, believing you’re alive. Sorry for the lapse. I hope you have enough food and a warm blanket. Come home to me.
Love,
Mary
Mary, if you can believe Dan is alive after forty-nine weeks of silence, then I can believe Tunney and I will be together. Kit planted herself in front of her computer ready to bang out the latest chapter of her book.
The men finished up her floors in ten days. The tired, worn wood had been given a new life. No longer dull, the floors fairly danced with shine, the wood grain pattern appeared fresh and new. Still no word from Tunney. Only one week left before Johnny would come to Willow Falls to pick up Zoe. Kit spent her days re-reading and editing her book. Staying busy helped her avoid thinking about Tunney.
Now and Forever 4, The Renovated Heart Page 15