Dancing at Daybreak

by Valerie Comer

  She slipped a little and grabbed at the car’s back bumper, but Seth caught her hand. “I’ve got you.”

  A small Bobcat rounded the drive-through and into the main lot, plowing snow ahead of it. The headlights caught her in the eyes, and she winced, holding up her free hand to shield her face from the sudden brightness. The plow trundled past, and Dixie got a glimpse of Dan’s familiar form hunched in the cab. She couldn’t see much beyond the bulky parka and knitted hat, but it was certainly his nose and chin. Not that he looked her direction for even a split second. He was focused on her job like she wasn’t even there.

  Dixie shook her hand free of Seth’s and took a step toward the Bobcat, but it drove right out of the unplowed lot, down the block, and into the competition’s parking lot.

  Great. What was she supposed to do now?

  “You’re sure it was her?” Tony’s voice rang with sympathy.

  “Uh, yeah. I know Dixie when I see her. Her coat, her red purse.” Her blond hair blowing in the cold wind. Her hand blocking the beams of the Cat. Blocking him. Of course, she’d do that, standing hand-in-hand with some guy in a parking lot at three in the morning.

  “I thought you said Juanita said—”

  “That Dixie had news for me? Probably got engaged to that other guy or something.”

  “You don’t know that, Dan. She took a step toward you.”

  “Dude. If I’d stopped, I’d have decked that bloke for touching my woman. That would have been a great time to find out she was in love with him, wouldn’t it?” Dan paced the living room. He needed to keep his voice down. The kids were still asleep, but it wouldn’t be long. Mandy, especially, had taken to waking up early over the school break. It was like she couldn’t get enough pictures colored in a day. Her new set of one hundred gel pens would dry out any minute now.

  “Pray for her.” Tony stood in front of Dan, blocking his path, arms crossed over his chest. “I mean, really pray. Pray for her to meet Jesus. Pray for the best thing for your relationship, long term. Pray for what’s best for the kids.”

  “Tony? Shut up.”

  “Not happening.”

  Darkness suffocated Dan’s mind. All he could see was Dixie’s startled face, then her hand lifting to block him, her other hand clasped in that unknown guy’s. He knew Dixie. She wouldn’t stay single long. She’d been seen with Basil a few days ago, now this guy.

  No wonder she wasn’t texting or calling him. She’d already moved on.

  His heart splintered in two. “Oh, God,” he cried.

  Tony guided him to the sofa and pushed him to sitting.

  In utter despair, Dan cradled his face between his hands, feeling the hot tears flow. His voice broke. “I believed, Tony. I had complete faith it was just a matter of time until she’d see the hope we have in Jesus. That she’d be attracted to Him.”

  He heard the nearby armchair creak as Tony lowered himself into it.

  “Where did I go wrong? Is it my fault? Is it because I’m not good enough in some way?”

  “Man, you know you’re not good enough.”

  The words stabbed. He looked up through blurry eyes.

  “That’s why you needed Jesus,” Tony went on.

  Somehow, Dan had forgotten. Well, not forgotten exactly, but lost his focus. He drove his hands through his hair. “I feel like I’ve failed her. That if she’d seen Jesus in me, she’d give her life to Him. Instead, she’s rejected Him along with me, and it’s my fault.”

  “It’s not your fault.”

  “It has to be.” Everything always was.

  “Dan, you’re not that powerful.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “She’s making her own choices, man. You can’t make them for her.” Tony’s voice gentled. “You can pray for her and for Juanita as they meet for counsel. Don’t give up praying, but that’s all you can do. You have to take your hands off and let God do His thing.”

  Dan envisioned unwrapping his hands and heart from around the woman he loved. Could he truly let her go, even if she’d chosen someone else? That meant trusting God more than he trusted himself. And, yeah, the words were easy.

  Doing them? Not so much.

  20

  He should have bought that child-size car for Buddy in the summertime. At this time of year, it required unending snow removal of the expansive back patio to keep the little guy happy. The four-year-old tried to help, but the little toy shovel could barely move a cupful of snow at a time.

  Dan leaned on his long-handled shovel and caught his breath. Right now, he wished for a wide back gate on the fenced yard. The Bobcat could clear this space in three minutes flat, but there was no access, not even a man-gate.

  “I help, Daddy.”

  “I know, Buddy.” Trying to keep his despair from showing to the kids over the past few days had been a moment-by-moment battle. Mandy had been quieter than usual, taking her gel pens and coloring sheets up to the window seat in the room she shared with her brothers. Henry’d been delighted to discover them, and the walls now sported a mosaic of glittery lines.

  An online search told Dan to use hairspray or nail polish remover. Yeah. That would have been easy if Dixie still lived here.

  He missed her like crazy. And, man, keeping the situation in God’s hands instead of his was like trying to wrestle an octopus into an open-cab Bobcat. Futile.

  “Shovel more snow.”

  Little dictator. But at least one member of the household was happy, so Dan picked up his shovel and began clearing another section of the patio. In another half hour, he would be done. Or, at least, as done as he could get since it had already begun to snow again. Not only would it be another working night, but he could look forward to coming home and shoveling the patio again in the morning.

  Yay.

  Finally, he leaned on the long handle and surveyed the handiwork. “Want some hot chocolate, Buddy?”

  “No. Drive car now.”

  Dan shook his head. He’d created a monster with that gift, but there was only an hour before dusk, so the little boy might as well play outside while he could. Dan opened the sliding glass door and stripped off his outdoor gear. He carried everything across to the entry at the front of the house and put it away.

  The kids were sure quiet. Henry would awaken from his nap any minute. Dan wouldn’t complain about time to put his feet up on the coffee table before the toddler demanded full alert. He should probably make supper, but hadn’t Tony said he’d be back in time for that? He was going to miss the other man when he moved out in spring.

  Dan poured himself a coffee, zapped it in the microwave, then settled in his recliner with his Bible app open. He’d been derailed from the reading schedule he’d established before winter blew in, but he could do some reading now. He tapped Psalm 147 and began to read.

  He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.

  Dan closed his eyes. Please, Lord. Heal me. Bind my wounds.

  Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving. Dan scanned the assorted reasons to be thankful, but his heart knew his big one. Forgiveness. Salvation.

  The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love. Praise the Lord...

  From upstairs came Henry’s wail. Dan waited for Mandy’s comforting voice for her little brother but heard nothing. With a sigh, he swung the footrest lever down, glanced out to see Buddy in his car, and got to his feet.

  He lifted the toddler from his crib, and the sobs immediately stilled as Henry burrowed against his neck. Dan rubbed the little guy’s back. “Hey, Daddy’s boy. Did you have a good sleep?”

  Henry squirmed, his sweaty curls rubbing Dan’s jaw while his little fingers flexed on Dan’s shoulder.

  “Where’s your sister?”

  No reply, not that Henry was given to many words.

  Dan changed the baby’s diaper then hoisted him back to his arms. He peeked into the master bedroom and even into Tony’s room, where the
door stood ajar.

  “Mandy?” But she didn’t answer. The bathroom door was open, too.

  Dan frowned and took a closer look around the second story, but she really wasn’t anywhere up there. He took the steps two at a time and scanned the main floor as panic flared within him. Where could she be?

  “Mandy! It’s not hide-and-seek time. Come out now.”

  Still nothing. Dan stepped into the backyard. He already knew she wasn’t playing with her brother, but he had to look. And, of course, she wasn’t there. “Buddy, have you seen Mandy?”

  The boy shook his head. “Car go fast. See?” He sped across the patio, nearly quickly enough to pass a tortoise.

  “That’s great.” Dan stepped back into the house and closed the door, clutching the toddler. What had happened to Mandy? She’d been coloring when he’d gone outside to shovel, and there was a clear line of sight between the two doors. Of course, he hadn’t been staring at the front door while he’d been working.

  He looked in the entryway again. Her boots were gone. Her shiny purple parka was gone. Her ballerina backpack was gone.

  Mandy was gone, and it would be dark soon.

  His heart seized.

  “Get downstairs right this minute.”

  Dixie held her phone away from her ear, stared at it, and put it back. “Hello to you, too, Mom.”

  “This nonsense has gone on long enough. Get down here.”

  “Here?”

  Mom snorted. “Are you some kind of moron? Yes, I’m outside. We need to talk.”

  “But—”

  There was a shuffling sound then a small voice said, “Mama?”

  Dixie’s blood ran cold as she sprang off Tanisha’s sofa. “Mandy?”

  “I love you, Mama. I miss you.”

  “I love you, too, baby. Put Grandma back on, okay?”

  Sniffles. “Okay.”

  “Are you coming downstairs now?” There was a triumphant ring to Mom’s voice.

  “What have you done?”

  “A girl needs her mother, don’t you think?”

  Had she entirely lost her senses? “Does Dan know where she is?”

  Mom laughed. “Dan’s got nothing to do with it. He can have the boys.”

  “Mom, there are legal things going on here. You can’t just — what did you do, anyway?”

  Her mother’s voice grew icy like the late December wind. “He said I couldn’t see my own granddaughter. That I had to ask some lawyer’s permission. Well, I showed him, didn’t I?”

  This didn’t sound good. Dixie grabbed her coat and shoved her arms into the sleeves then yanked up her boots. She headed for the stairs.

  “Dixie?”

  “Coming, Mom. You stay put. I’ll be right down.”

  “I thought you’d see it my way.”

  How had Dixie never noticed her mother had shifted beyond eccentric and on to erratic? She clattered down the stairs and pushed through the main apartment doors. Her mother’s car idled in the lot and, through the back window, Dixie could make out a small form.

  Oh, how she’d missed her daughter! But this wasn’t right.

  Dixie pulled on the backdoor handle, but it was locked, so she opened the passenger door instead. She knelt on the seat and reached to hug her daughter.

  Sobbing, Mandy wrapped her arms around her neck.

  “It’s okay, baby.” Dixie stroked the long tangled locks.

  “Grandma yelled at me,” Mandy sniffled. “I want Daddy.”

  Dixie fixed a glare on her mother sitting behind the wheel. “What’s going on?”

  “No man is going to keep Wayling women apart. We’ll show him.”

  Mom had to be high on something from the slightly crazed look in her eyes. For the first time, fear trickled down Dixie’s throat. Not just anger that Mom had apparently snatched Mandy when Dixie had been thinking through how to reunify her family via the proper channels, but actual fear for what an unhinged woman might do.

  “Let’s drive over to Bridgeview.” She tried for a casual tone.

  Mom snorted. “Are you kidding me? I was thinking more of Vegas.” She shifted the car into gear.

  “No way! We’re not going that far. I’ve...” No, Dixie didn’t have a job anymore. She couldn’t lie about it. “You’ve got a job. A boyfriend.” She forced that last word out as she thought of the creepy guy Mom had been with a few days ago.

  “He’s gone.” Mom veered onto the street, and Dixie’s door swung before she pulled it closed.

  “We can’t just do this. We need clothes, toothbrushes...” Wallets. Dixie’s was up in the apartment. All she had was her phone, tucked into her rear jeans pocket. She didn’t even have a jacket.

  “I’ve got money. Buckle up.” The car sped toward the nearest north-south thoroughfare.

  “Mom, no!” But Dixie snapped her seat belt. A quick glance over her shoulder revealed Mandy pulling her buckle around as she sobbed quietly. Of course, her booster was in Dan’s truck. “Mom, listen to me.”

  “No, you listen to me. We’ve got everything we need, the three of us. Don’t need no stupid men.”

  There was no universe where Dan fit that label. The only stupid thing he’d done was hooking up with Dixie in the first place, but he’d seen something no guy before him had. Somehow, he’d figured Dixie was a diamond in the rough, worthy of respect. Worthy of love. They’d started off on the wrong foot, but that’s who they’d been back then. Juanita had told her owning up to her past — repenting of it — was necessary, but she couldn’t dwell on the mistakes.

  There was no way she could be part of this, whatever had overtaken her mother. Somehow, she needed to get through to her before they reached city limits. If it were only her, she’d take her chance bailing out at a stoplight, but she wouldn’t have a chance to get Mandy, too. And, when they hit I-90, it would be that much harder. Not to mention that daylight was quickly fading.

  Her phone. But making a call or sending a text without her mother grabbing for it would be difficult. Did she have any other options?

  Think, Dixie, think.

  But nothing else came to mind.

  It had to be a phone call. Texting would take too long, unless she just tapped in Call 911. Would the recipient just do that, or ask what was going on? If it were Dixie on the receiving end, she’d think it was a joke.

  Dan would take it seriously. He had to know Mandy was missing by now. In the absence of clues, he’d suspect Dixie.

  Her head throbbed, but she couldn’t take the time to indulge herself. “Tell me what happened, Mom.”

  “He thinks he’s so smart. So much better than me or you. He deserves this.”

  “That’s no answer. What did you do?”

  Her mother kept raving about Dan’s ego as she swerved onto North Maple. They’d be crossing the river above Bridgeview in a few minutes, and the interstate was not far beyond.

  Dixie took a deep breath and shifted in her seat. Why did she always put her phone in her left hip pocket? That made it doubly hard to get out without Mom seeing her.

  Sirens grew louder. Mom cursed as cars pulled off to the side, but she did, too.

  Dixie quelled the hope that the sirens were for them. “What’s going on?” she asked as she reached around behind herself and tugged her phone free. “Can you see?”

  Two police cars flew southbound, sirens screaming.

  Mandy’s sobs increased in volume.

  Mom swiveled in her seat and glared at the little girl. “Shut up. This is for your best. We Wayling women stick together.”

  Dixie tapped Dan’s name in her texting app. Call 911. Send. Mom...

  Her mother’s hand grabbed the phone away. “What do you think you’re doing?” She pressed the window controller until a gap appeared.

  Dixie tried to snatch the device back, but Mom dropped it out the window as she steered back into traffic. “Grow up, Dixie. Don’t be so stupid. And shut that kid up.”

  “I need to get in the backseat with
her then.”

  “Fine, but I’m not stopping.”

  Dixie unsnapped her belt and crawled through the narrow gap. Mandy reached for her from the middle seat. Must have been force of habit for her to sit there, since of the three kids, she was the only one able to latch her own buckle. Dixie settled in where she could keep an eye on her mother and wrapped her arms around her daughter.

  She’d wanted to see Mandy — and the boys, of course — but not like this. Not basically a kidnapping. They’d have to stop for fuel somewhere, though if Mom had planned this instead of just snapped, they’d be a long way from Spokane before that became a necessity. Same with a pit stop for food or restrooms.

  As if on cue, Mandy said, “I have to go potty.”

  “Hold it,” Mom growled. “I’m not stopping.” She cranked the radio in an obvious effort to ignore the girl.

  Mandy sobbed. “But I have to.”

  Dixie rubbed her daughter’s trembling shoulders, helpless to meet the little girl’s need.

  The lights of Kendall Yards rolled by outside the window then land dropped away, and the Spokane River flowed far below as they soared over the bridge. Amid those lights sat the beautiful house she’d once lived in when she’d been too stupid to know how good she had it. Her two small boys were down there, safe from their tyrant of a grandmother.

  And Dan. Dan Ranta, the only man who’d ever truly loved her. The only man she’d ever loved. Would she see him again? Have the chance to reconcile? Or was her obviously insane mother going to ruin everything?

  This would be a good time to start praying. Juanita had told her God cared about her and would meet her needs if she only trusted. She had a big need right now. Safety for her and her daughter. Especially Mandy.

  God? It’s me, Dixie. I need help...

  21

  Friends and neighbors crowded into Dan’s living room. All it had taken was one call to Tony, asking if he’d seen Mandy, and word she was missing had gone out to the Santoro clan and, well, everyone.