Mirror Image Bride (Love Inspired)

by Barbara McMahon

  “Do you know why Brian and Isabella separated?” Violet asked.

  She shrugged, folding her arms across her chest, looking only at Maddie.

  “She up and didn’t come home one day. A few weeks later, Brian packed up and left. Never saw either again.” Her tone indicated she wasn’t unhappy about the way things turned out. “At least that got her away from Joe. I didn’t want him hankering after her. Or those twin boys—especially later when he and I weren’t so blessed.”

  Jack hit the side of the house in anger and stalked back to the truck. Maddie looked at him, then Violet, who looked as puzzled as she felt.

  “So you think maybe Isabella’s twin sons were Joe’s, not Brian’s?” Maddie asked, trying to get the information straight.

  From what she’d learned of her biological mother these last weeks, she was a strong Christian whose every action reflected that. Still, one of the great aspects of following the Lord was forgiveness for past sins. One thing she didn’t know was when Belle had accepted the Lord.

  “I agree with my brother—that’s not possible,” Violet insisted.

  “Joe used to taunt Brian about it, so you figure it out,” the woman said. “I’m done talking. You go find your folks and make them tell you what you want to know.” She jerked away and slammed the door.

  Maddie took a breath. “Maybe there’s someone else on the street who would know more,” she suggested. Instead of finding out the reason for the split, an entirely new scenario had been dumped on them. Was it possible Grayson was only her half brother? It was so confusing.

  “I can’t believe what this woman said. My mother would not have done that. Granted, she was young when she had us, but still, that’s not like her at all,” Violet protested. “She hasn’t even dated ever since I can remember. She certainly wouldn’t sleep around and then claim one man was the father of her children if another man was.”

  “We don’t know the whole story. Maybe that’s why they split,” Maddie said.

  “Then why did Brian keep Grayson? If he believed Joe was the boys’ father, he wouldn’t have raised him, would he?” Violet asked.

  “Not likely. Actually, Grayson and Dad are lots closer than our father is with either Carter or me,” Maddie said. “So that doesn’t make sense.”

  They joined Jack, who was leaning against the front fender, arms crossed over his chest, looking black as a thundercloud.

  “Bunch of nonsense,” he muttered.

  “It sure raises more questions than answers. Do you think she got the names wrong?” Maddie asked. “It was more than twenty-five years ago and how well do you know people’s babies if you’re neighbors? And from what she said, they weren’t close friends at all.”

  “Unless you nurse hard feelings for all this time,” Violet said, glancing back at the house. “I wish we could find someone else to give another perspective. That woman is seriously angry about it.”

  Maddie glanced in at Darcy. The child was still lying on the bench seat fast asleep. It was amazing she could sleep through all this.

  “Want to ask a few more neighbors if they knew our family?” she asked.

  For a moment she thought Jack was going to refuse, but then he inclined his head. “You two go. I’ll stay here in case Darcy wakes up.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Maddie and Violet returned to the car. None of the other neighbors who were home had ever known Brian Wallace or his family.

  “Great. Now instead of one question answered, we have a bunch more raised,” Maddie lamented as they prepared to return to the ranch.

  She expected them to analyze everything on the drive back to the ranch, but the two in the front seat were silent. When Darcy woke a short time after they began driving, Maddie pushed aside her frustration and devoted herself to entertaining the little girl. She’d been good on what had to be, to her, a long and boring day.

  They stopped only for a fast-food dinner and ice cream, and then pushed on.

  When they reached the ranch, Jack dropped Maddie and Darcy near Ty’s cottage and then turned into the drive for the main house.

  Ty came out when he heard the truck.

  “Hi,” Maddie said, surprised at the catch in her heartbeat when she saw him. He was becoming not only familiar, but an important part of her life on the ranch. She tried to draw a calming breath.

  “Hi,” he replied, nodding to her, and then looked at Darcy. “Have a good day?”

  “It was boring,” she said, standing a little closer to Maddie.

  “It was, wasn’t it? You were very good, despite that. Tomorrow we’ll do something exciting to make up for today.”

  “Like what?” she asked, looking up with interest.

  “I don’t know, I’ll figure something out before morning.” Maddie hoped she’d come up with something really fun for the little girl.

  “Okay.”

  “Did you get the answers you wanted?” Ty asked.

  “I’ll tell you later,” Maddie said, glancing at Darcy. She knew he probably asked to be polite, but she wanted to tell him all she’d learned. And get another person’s opinion on the situation. Jack and Violet were too close to their mother to be objective. However, Mrs. Earl’s comments couldn’t be ignored.

  Maddie had tried her father’s phone again on the ride home and been sent straight to voice mail yet again. Which didn’t help because the mailbox was still full. Where was he?

  She tried to ignore the clamoring of her mind as she joined Ty and Darcy on the walk to the barn. Darcy wanted to ride, but it was too late. Ty promised her he’d quit work early the next day to take her out on a ride.

  “Maddie, too?” she asked.

  “Sure, Maddie, too.”

  Terrific. Now she had something else to worry about—leaving the relative safety of the corral and really riding out on the ranch. She hoped she wouldn’t make an idiot of herself on a horse with Ty scrutinizing her every move. He already watched her enough to make her self-conscious. She knew he constantly saw her as the fluffy city gal who couldn’t do anything around a ranch and yearned for parties and clubs 24/7. Talking herself blue in the face wouldn’t work, so her prayer now was he’d see she could cope with things on the ranch and be a help, not a hindrance.

  When Darcy was in bed, they moved to the front porch of the cottage. She sat on the bench, while he leaned against the post supporting the overhang. She liked these few minutes each day. Talking about Darcy, discussing the future. She would miss it when she returned to Fort Worth.

  “So? Everything not neatly wrapped up?” he surmised.

  “Unraveled beyond my wildest imagination, would be more like it.” Maddie quickly recounted the afternoon.

  “Whoa, you’re saying Jack and Violet even had different first names? Couldn’t these be middle names and for some reason Belle began to use them?”

  “Not likely,” Maddie countered. “Especially since we found out a short time ago that Belle Colby isn’t even her real name.”

  “Okay, so she changed her name. Divorced women go back to their maiden names all the time.”

  “But divorced women usually don’t change the children’s names—first and last, do they? That’s plain odd,” Maddie added.

  “How did Jack and Violet take it?”

  “Jack flared up, of course. I know Violet’s as confused as I am. Both stood up for Belle, however. The accusation of her becoming pregnant by someone else was immediately discounted. I have to go with their judgment. They know their mom.”

  “Your mom, too,” Ty reminded her.

  “Mmm. I guess.”

  “Fact.”

  “Well, I’ve always thought of Sharla Wallace as my mom. I have all my life. Or at least from whenever I can remember back.” She glanced at him. “When do you suppose she and Dad married? And why not tell us she wasn’t our mother? Too many questions would result, I guess.”

  “Check out the county records. Where did they marry?”

  “Maybe Appleton? That’s where
we lived until after her accident. I remember the house there and my room. Not much else. I wish I could reach my dad. Like I said before, he has all the answers.”

  He turned toward her. “Still MIA, huh?”

  She nodded sadly.

  “Is he connected with some organization that could track him?” Ty mused.

  “No. Not anymore. He used to be but didn’t like the bureaucracy. Our home church raises funds and then equips him and off he goes.”

  “Maybe Pastor Jeb could track him down. He’s got contacts all over the state.”

  Maddie felt a blossom of hope. “That’s a great idea. I’ll ask in the morning. Speaking of that, did you know the church has a Vacation Bible School starting up next week? Darcy’s the perfect age.” She looked up at him. “I think it’s a good way for her to meet children before school starts. She’ll make friends in no time and that’ll help get her settled as well. Shall I enroll her?”

  He nodded. “If you don’t mind taking her and picking her up,” he said.

  “Of course not. She’ll love it.”

  He gazed at her. “And you, are you settling in? Or did seeing Fort Worth remind you of how much you’re missing being home?”

  “I’m definitely becoming a country person. I was glad Jack was driving in the city traffic today. How quickly I forgot.” She smiled. “I’m getting used to the slower pace of life here.”

  He looked away. “Not so slow—there’s always something to do.”

  “Different, then, from city life.”

  “There’s that.” He pushed away from the post and came to sit beside her on the bench. “There is a movie theater in town.”

  “I saw it down the block from the café.”

  “It plays second runs, not first, but if someone hasn’t seen a movie he wants to, doesn’t matter if it’s already played in Dallas or Houston.”

  “True.” She felt her heart flutter again. Was he leading up to asking her out? She thought he didn’t like her.

  “So this weekend they’re playing a Western. Not too many of those around.”

  “Which is too bad, because they’re great movies. Good and evil plainly set out for all to see, and good always triumphs,” she said. She waited, but he didn’t say anything more.

  “I think I’ll head for home,” she said, rising. Funny how a few weeks ago home was Fort Worth. Now it was her room in the big brick house on a ranch she’d not even known existed all those weeks ago. “See you in the morning.”

  “In the morning,” he said, rising with her.

  * * *

  Ty watched her walk the short distance to the main house. He wanted to punch something. He’d been that close to asking her out to see the movie. Then the thought of who’d watch Darcy had hit. He wasn’t interested in taking Maddie if his daughter tagged along. Was that an awful thought? He loved his child. He wanted to get to know her better, have her trust him, love him in return.

  But for one moment, he was willing to hand her off to someone else to watch that evening so he could take Maddie out on a date. How stupid was that?

  She’d have probably turned him down anyway—astonished he’d even ask after the way he’d treated her. Why would he think she’d spend any extra time with him? He stared at the darkening sky. Since his divorce and settling in on the Colby Ranch, his life had settled down. Or had it been after he accepted Christ? He still liked to take a woman out sometimes, although he had no interest in the wild parties he’d participated in when on the rodeo circuit.

  He’d found joy in learning more about his Lord. He was faithful in attendance at the church, though didn’t join in a lot of the extra activities. He had gone to one picnic, and this year he’d take Darcy. She’d love it.

  Would Maddie go with them, or stick with Violet and Jack? And Landon. What was the relationship between those two? He wasn’t sure. She’d been the reason Landon and Violet met. Yet she loved being with her newfound sister. He’d ask her to go with them and hope she’d say yes.

  Time to turn in. Maybe tomorrow he’d be able to issue the invitation to the movies. Maybe he needed to get someone lined up to watch Darcy before he asked.

  * * *

  The next morning as Maddie dressed in her new jeans and a cotton shirt, she thought about the changes she’d experienced over the last few weeks—not the least of which was her wardrobe. The jeans weren’t as soft as the slacks she wore at home. They were, however, very practical and wearing them made her feel more like she fit in.

  It was awkward being out of step. Everyone on the ranch had been part of it for years. Not only was she a newcomer, she wasn’t sure where her place would be if she stayed. Was she going to remain in Grasslands or return to Fort Worth? She’d better make up her mind. If she decided to stay, she needed to find a job beyond this temporary one Ty offered.

  She was torn. Her brother Grayson lived in Fort Worth. Her brother Jack lived in Grasslands. Her brother Carter lived wherever the Marines sent him.

  She’d known Grayson all her life. She was only getting to know Jack. Either way she went, she’d be hours away from one of her brothers.

  As she hurried from the main house to Ty’s, Maddie remembered her nervousness that first day. Now it was anticipation that had her rushing over every morning to prepare their breakfast. Watching Darcy proved no hardship. And she found herself daydreaming from time to time about a closer relationship with Ty. She loved the riding lessons. And the quiet time they spent each evening after Darcy went to bed.

  And last night she’d thought he was going to ask her out. That popped her bubble. Why hadn’t he? Or had she misread everything?

  When she entered the kitchen, Ty stood near the counter, watching the coffeepot fill. He looked at her. His dark eyes seemed to lighten a bit. Or was it more of her imagination?

  “Good morning,” she said, smiling in delight.

  “Good morning. Darcy’s still asleep. I can grab a bite and take off and you can fix her breakfast later if you want.”

  “Nope, I’m good with preparing yours and then hers when she wakes. Want eggs and bacon or an omelet?” she asked as she went to the fridge.

  He opted for eggs over easy and went to sit at the table, watching her. The silence grew while Maddie felt tongue-tied. She had so many questions to ask, so much she wanted to know. Not only with her own family situation, but about Ty. Here was the perfect opportunity to ask without his daughter around, and yet she didn’t know how to begin.

  “Want to go to the movies Friday night?” he blurted out.

  She spun around, joy flowing through her. He had asked!

  “I’d love to,” she said, trying not to feel giddy about the invitation.

  “I’ll see if I can get someone to watch Darcy,” he said.

  “Okay.”

  It was a date. Not an outing with his daughter. She turned back to the eggs, her heart feeling lighter than it had in a while. For a short time, she’d focus on the coming date and not the confusion their trip to Fort Worth had added to everything.

  * * *

  It was almost ten o’clock when Maddie and Darcy arrived at the church in town. The white paint gleamed in the sunshine. The tall steeple looked even taller as she approached the church. It was visible from quite a distance. She loved the old building with worn floors and highly polished pews.

  Heading to the side where the office was situated, she glanced down the path to the small prayer garden exploding with colorful flowers. It offered a quiet place for meditation and prayer. Her church in Fort Worth was on a busy street. Much as she enjoyed it, there was no quiet space.

  She’d explained to Darcy about Vacation Bible School and the little girl had mixed emotions. Never having attended, she didn’t know what to expect. And she’d mentioned she’d be the new girl. Maddie wanted her to enjoy herself, but she knew being the newcomer, there would be a settling-in period.

  “Will I like it?” Darcy asked yet again.

  Maddie was patient in responding. She w
anted Darcy to be happy. “I believe so. It’ll give you a chance to make new friends. Then you can have a friend to the ranch to visit and you can go to their house for a playdate.”

  “Like with Sally Skinner,” Darcy said.

  Maddie quirked a brow. “Who’s Sally Skinner?”

  “My best friend. She lives in our apartment building and I can go all by myself to her home, using the elevator.”

  “That’s because you show responsibility and your mother trusted you.”

  “I miss Mommy,” she said in a quiet voice.

  Maddie stopped in the walkway to give her a hug. “I know you do, sweetie. But you have your daddy now and he’ll take good care of you.”

  Sadie looked up from the papers on her desk when they entered. She looked almost frightened for a moment, then smiled. “What can I do for you two ladies this morning?”

  “I wanted to talk to Pastor Jeb if he’s available. And we want to register Darcy for Vacation Bible School,” Maddie said, her arm still across Darcy’s shoulders.

  “The pastor’s in his office. If you wish to speak to him privately, I’ll register Darcy while you go on in.”

  The door to the office stood open and Maddie nodded. She smiled at Darcy. “You’ll be okay with Sadie, and I’ll be right back.”

  “Okay,” Darcy said, going around the desk to stand by Sadie.

  “Do you have a minute?” Maddie asked from the doorway to Pastor Jeb’s office. It still surprised her that he was so young, only a couple of years older than she was, she guessed. Her pastor in Fort Worth was at least in his sixties. Violet had told her Jeb was a widower. He seemed far too young to have lost someone. His open expression gave her an instant feeling of rapport as he looked up and smiled at her.

  “I sure do. Don’t tell me, I’ll guess—Maddie, right?”

  She grinned. “The hair gives me away—I don’t wear mine like Violet. But the clothes match.”

  “Ah, you’ve discovered my secret. Actually, I was hoping you’d drop by. I like to have a chance to greet and get to know new members, and I haven’t had a chance to get to the Colby Ranch lately.”