Second Chance Reunion

by Merrillee Whren

  Scott looked up from his notes and tapped his pen—something he did when he appeared to be thinking. “Do I understand you to say that you’ve been substance free for a year, and yet DFCS will not reunite you with your children?”

  Annie nodded. “My caseworker says I haven’t proven that I can stay clean in an unstructured environment, and I’m a little worried that she may not consider The Village an unstructured environment, either.”

  “Are you free to come and go here?” Scott continued to tap his pen.

  “Yes.” Even though she’d answered affirmatively, her life here was sheltered. She had to admit she liked it that way. Her ill-fated job interview and one trip to the nearby strip mall had been her only excursions off campus since she’d arrived.

  “Then they can’t say you’re living in a place like the rehab center where you weren’t free to come and go as you please.” Scott scribbled a few more notes, then looked up at her. “I’m going to file a motion asking that custody of your children be given back to you.”

  “How long before we go to court?”

  “That depends on the court docket. I’ll let you know as soon as I find out.” Scott looked over at Ian. “Will you testify on her behalf?”

  “Melody will. I’m staying out of it. That’s why I asked you to handle the case.” Ian kept his eyes trained on Scott.

  Annie looked at Ian’s nervous expression. He’d never told Scott about their marriage. “I agree with Ian. He should stay out of it.”

  Scott looked puzzled as he shrugged. “If that’s the way you guys want it.”

  “We do,” Annie and Ian answered in chorus.

  “One more thing.” Scott nodded at Annie. “Melody tells me that you’ve had a job interview. It would certainly help your case if you have a job by the time we go to court.”

  Annie’s heart sank. Her failed interview was something she didn’t want to discuss, but was it wise to keep it to herself? She’d have to tell Melody sometime soon. Annie tried to tell herself another job would come along. “I’m working on it.”

  “Good. Let me know when you’ve got a job.”

  “I certainly will.” After the bad news this morning, she didn’t have a good feeling about her prospects. Jobs weren’t plentiful, anyway. What could she possibly expect to find with her drug-riddled background? Was there any way to put a happy face on this situation?

  Of course there was. She had a lot of people here rooting for her—Melody, Cora and her friends, even Ian. She couldn’t let troublesome events derail her determination. God had helped her overcome her substance abuse. He would be there through this trial, too. That’s what she had to remember.

  Chapter Five

  The following evening, Ian walked beside Annie on the stepping stones that led to his parents’ front door. Her successful meeting with Scott Bartlett appeared to have buoyed her spirits and put her in a good mood. He wished his mood could match hers. Then maybe he could survive the evening with her and his parents. She was dressed for success in one of the outfits Melody had helped Annie pick out when they had shopped at The Village store. Tonight she reminded him of the confident young woman he’d married, but he didn’t want to think about that time—too many memories—good and bad.

  Ian rang the bell. The door opened immediately, and Jordan Montgomery ushered them into the front hall. His parents now lived in a modest home—not the bigger, more lavish home they’d occupied when he and his two older brothers were all living at home. They’d downsized as soon as Ian had gone to college. He actually liked this smaller place better. It felt more like home even though he’d never lived here.

  “Good to see you, Dad.” Ian shook his dad’s hand.

  “We’re glad you two could join us for dinner.” Jordan immediately turned his attention to Annie. “And it is certainly good to see you, Annie.”

  Annie’s expression changed from confident to cowering. Her forced smile made her look ill at ease. “Thank you.”

  Jordan motioned toward his right. “Let’s go into the living room.”

  Ian followed Annie and his dad, hardly believing the change in Annie’s demeanor. He hoped the evening wouldn’t prove to be a disaster. He wished he could make Annie feel at home. He wanted to see a genuine smile rather than the one pinching her pretty features. Jordan pointed to the sofa covered in a brown-and-tan tweed fabric as he stood beside a brown armchair. Before Annie and Ian could maneuver around the dark wooden coffee table, Ian’s mother, Doreen, appeared with a tray of appetizers.

  Doreen put the tray on the coffee table, rushed over to Annie and gave her a hug. Stepping back, Doreen gazed at Annie. “You look wonderful. It does my heart good to see you.”

  “Thank you.” Annie nodded, her smile still tentative. “It’s nice to see you again, too.”

  “Please have a seat.” Doreen sat on the chair next to Jordan’s.

  Ian stared at the couch—the only place left for Annie and him to sit. Had his parents conspired to make sure he and Annie sat together? As he took a seat at one end of the couch and Annie went to the other end, he decided it was probably better than sitting face-to-face.

  His mom urged them to partake of the appetizers, and Jordan filled their glasses with some of his famous homemade peach iced tea. As Ian took a gulp of the tea to alleviate his parched mouth, he remembered how he and Annie would take glasses of this tea and sneak into the backyard and spike it with vodka, their parents never the wiser. He pushed the memory away. He didn’t want to think about those times, but Annie’s presence always seem to trigger those thoughts.

  For a few minutes his parents talked about the beautiful spring weather and his mother’s attempt at growing a vegetable garden this year. These nonthreatening discussions were probably meant to put Annie at ease, but the stiff set of her shoulders told him that even these innocuous subjects made her feel uncomfortable.

  A buzzer sounded in the distance, and Doreen hopped up from her chair. “Got to tend to the food.”

  Annie stood. “Do you need help?”

  With a wave of her hand, Doreen glanced at Annie. “Oh, no, dear. You just sit back and enjoy. I’ve got everything under control. We’ll eat in a few minutes.”

  “Okay.” Annie returned to her seat, her uptight demeanor unchanged. Didn’t his mom realize Annie wanted to escape to the kitchen? Apparently not. So Annie sat there, still as uneasy as the minute she’d walked in the door. There wasn’t a thing he could do to help her.

  Jordan scooted forward and gazed at Annie. “Did Ian mention that he’s going to talk to the church board about more funding for The Village?”

  Annie’s eyebrows knit as her gaze flitted between the two men. “No.”

  Her one-word response hung in the air like an unanswered question. Ian wanted to stop the conversation right there. He feared where his dad was going with his inquiry. “I didn’t have any reason to tell her.”

  Ian wanted to snatch back his response. That statement hadn’t come out right. It sounded as if her opinion didn’t matter. This evening was going from bad to worse. He wished his mom had asked Annie to help, then he wouldn’t be dealing with this.

  “She should know, since she’s going to help you with the finances.” Jordan nodded at Annie. “And I think it would be good if you talked to the congregation about how The Village is helping you.”

  Annie’s eyes widened and her mouth hung open as she looked from Jordan to Ian. “I don’t know.”

  “Well, think about it. Ian can give you some pointers.”

  Before Annie could respond, Doreen appeared in the doorway. “Food is ready. So come and eat.”

  Ian quickly joined his mother. “I’m ready.”

  “Good.” Doreen linked her arm through his, then glanced over her shoulder at Annie and his dad, who followed close behind. “I fixed one of Annie�
��s favorites.”

  “You did?” Annie drew closer.

  “You’re our special guest, so I thought I should make something especially for you. I remembered how much you liked my spaghetti pie.”

  “Yum. I do, and I haven’t had it in years. This is a real treat. Thanks.”

  “You’re more than welcome.” Doreen led the way into the kitchen. “I thought we’d eat here in the nook. It’s cozier than the dining room.”

  The thought of cozy didn’t help Ian’s appetite; nor did his dad’s invitation for Annie to speak to his congregation about her experience at The Village. She hadn’t been there that long. Would he be expected to accompany her? What did she think about it? The questions poured through his mind as his dad said a prayer of thanksgiving for the meal.

  When the prayer ended, everyone helped themselves to the food. Silence filled the room for several minutes as they ate. Ian kept hoping Annie wouldn’t bring up their interrupted conversation. He got his wish as the talk turned to Annie’s children and her upcoming court appearance. She produced a ragged photo of her and the kids taken at the rehab center several weeks before her release.

  “Oh, they’re so cute.” Doreen gushed over the kids as if they were her own grandchildren.

  “Thanks. I can hardly wait to be with them again, and this time I’m going to be the mother they can count on—the mother I should have been all along.”

  “And I pray you’ll succeed.” Doreen reached over and patted Annie’s arm. “My grandkids live too far away, and they’re growing up so fast. That reminds me. I have toys my grandkids have outgrown. After dinner we can look at them, and you can have whatever you want for Kara and Spencer. I’ve been meaning to give them to the church nursery, but this is a better idea.”

  Annie’s eyes grew wide. “Thanks so much.”

  Ian didn’t say anything, but he hoped his mom wasn’t building up Annie’s hopes. The court might decide against reuniting her with her children.

  “Ian, are you listening?” His mother’s voice shook him from his thoughts.

  Ian grimaced. “Sorry. What did you say?”

  “Do you have room in your car for the toys?” Doreen gave him a pointed look.

  “I’ve got plenty of room.” Ian wished his mom wasn’t so pushy. Annie had never pushed him. She’d let him make his own decisions. That’s one of the reasons he’d liked her from the start. He tamped down that thought. He didn’t need to be thinking good things about Annie, but he shouldn’t be thinking bad things, either. His mind was a mess. Annie was turning his world upside down again. He couldn’t let that happen.

  For the rest of the meal, Ian listened to Annie and his parents discuss a wide variety of topics. He’d forgotten how smart she was. She seemed more like her old self. At least that’s what Ian tried to tell himself. But who was the real Annie? Had he ever really known her? Trying to find out now would only bring him trouble.

  He’d moved on, hadn’t he?

  * * *

  On Monday Annie jogged across the quad on her way to the finance meeting. The air smelled of sunshine and the earthy odor of spring. She’d prepared all weekend for this meeting. Would they be impressed with her recommendations, or would they dismiss what she had to say? She had to have a positive attitude.

  Annie hadn’t seen or talked to Melody or Ian since the dinner at the Montgomery home. The visit had gone surprisingly well, even though she’d sensed Ian’s unease about the whole thing. Even helping her with the toys for the kids had caused him discomfort. He obviously hadn’t wanted to be alone with her in her apartment. He’d also managed to avoid her again at church on Sunday. She had to face reality. He didn’t like being with her.

  Annie had spent the preceding days in the library searching for more job opportunities. She’d sent her résumé to four more places early this morning. She couldn’t go on avoiding the inevitable. Today she would have to tell Melody about not getting the first job. Could she find a job before her court date in three weeks? Scott didn’t think it would matter since she was actively trying to find one, but Annie wanted every possible thing to be in her favor.

  Despite having to deal with Ian again, she was looking forward to this meeting. She needed things to do besides search for a new job and keep her apartment in order. At least the appointment would provide something temporary to occupy her time. She would have to look for more volunteer activities at The Village. She wanted to stay busy—less chance to think about her old life. She had to think about the future and not the past.

  When Annie walked into the designated library conference room, Melody was the lone occupant. Maybe this was the best time to give her the news about the job. “Hi, Melody.”

  “How was your dinner meeting with Ian’s parents?”

  “It was fine. Doreen gave me toys for Kara and Spencer.” Annie paused, wondering how much she should say. Melody seemed like a safe confidante, but Annie’s experience with real girlfriends was limited. Growing up, she’d kept pretty much to herself. She’d been a loner when she was a kid. Now she couldn’t image closing herself off from others.

  “Super. The kids will love the toys. Not much longer till your hearing.”

  “I know, and there’s something I need to tell you before the others get here.”

  Melody wrinkled her brow. “What’s that?”

  “I didn’t get that job.” Annie hung her head, afraid to see Melody’s reaction.

  “I’m sorry to hear that, but you’ll find something else.”

  Annie grimaced. “I don’t know. I’m not sure anyone will hire me because of my past.”

  “That’s not true. We work with companies who are willing to hire people in recovery.”

  “Oh, so that’s why I got the interview so quickly.”

  “Only partly. You have a great résumé.”

  “Then why didn’t I get the job?”

  “What did they say when they called?”

  Annie shrugged. “That they hired someone else. I’ve known for several days, but I was afraid to tell anyone.”

  “There’s no reason not to tell us. We’re here to help. Besides, you have to remember that several other people interviewed for that job. Only one person got it.”

  “Okay. I sent out four résumés this morning.” Annie frowned. “But I suppose I didn’t send them to the wrong places.”

  “Wherever you sent them will be fine.” Melody nodded. “I want to assure you that there are companies out there who work with people from The Village.”

  Annie didn’t know how to react. She wanted to be grateful for whatever opportunities The Village offered, but she hoped she didn’t get a job for the wrong reasons. “Thanks.”

  “If you want more practice with interviews, just let me know.” Melody’s phone buzzed as it lay on the table. She answered it, a frown knitting her brow. “Sure, okay. We’ll be waiting.”

  “Problems?”

  “Yeah. Adam had car trouble, and he called Ian to get him. They got stuck in traffic. So they’re going to be late.” Melody shook her head.

  Annie leaned forward. “Since Ian isn’t handling my case, please don’t tell him that I didn’t get the job.”

  Melody raised her eyebrows. “Should I ask why you’re worried about what Ian thinks?”

  Annie wished she could take back her request. Now she had to do more explaining, and she didn’t have a clear explanation herself. “From our recent conversations I’ve gathered that he doesn’t have much confidence that I can succeed.”

  “Did he actually say that?”

  Annie tried to think back over their conversations. Had he actually said those words? “No. He just doesn’t trust me.”

  “Why is that?”

  “He didn’t tell you?”

  Melody shook her head. “So why doesn�
�t he trust you?”

  Annie wished the others would show up so she didn’t have to answer Melody’s question. Annie had opened her mouth, and now she had to face a predicament of her own making. “I don’t know whether you noticed, but he wasn’t exactly thrilled when we talked about having me on the finance committee.”

  “Yeah, I noticed from the first time I mentioned it.”

  “He has good reason not to trust me.”

  “And why is that?” Melody asked.

  Annie hoped this was the last bad chapter in her life that she would have to reveal. “After our divorce, my life continued to spiral downhill. I moved in with this guy who kept me supplied with booze and drugs. We had two kids. A few years ago, I was in bad shape after losing my job, and I needed money. My low-life boyfriend had split because kids cramped his style. So I went to see Ian. He gave me money because he couldn’t stand to see my kids suffer, but I didn’t use it for the kids. I used it to buy more drugs. I also stole his ATM card and helped myself to some of his money.” Gripping the arms of his chair, Annie waited for Melody’s reaction.

  “Wow! Did he press charges?”

  Annie sighed. “No, but he tracked me down and confronted me about it. We had a terrible argument. That was the last time I ever saw him until I came here.”

  Melody patted Annie’s arm. “Thanks for sharing this with me. I know you didn’t have to. Now I understand Ian’s reluctance to include you in the finances.”

  “I figured it was better this way. The more you know the more you can help me.”

  “I’m glad you feel comfortable enough with me to share more of your story.”

  “Thanks for being my friend.”