Annie paused and smiled. “I’m thrilled to report that my daughter and son are now a part of my life again. Most importantly, The Village has grounded me in the truth that faith in God will guide me through good times and bad. They have connected me with people who care what happens to me. I urge you to consider supporting The Village through your prayers, volunteering and financial contributions. You will be giving a helping hand to many like me.”
Ian’s admiration for Annie grew. He’d never stood before a large crowd like this and admitted his substance abuse. He’d done so in his small recovery group, but it never went beyond that. More often than not he tried to hide his past rather than show how God had changed his life. He could take a lesson from Annie. She freely admitted that without God in her life she would never have overcome her addictions. The same thing applied to him.
His dad leaned over. “She’s come a long way. Have you thought about—”
“Not now.” Shaking his head, Ian turned away.
He tried to focus his attention on Annie’s presentation, but his mind wandered back to the previous evening at his parents’ house. The children had devoured the pizza, and his mom had entertained the two youngsters in her playroom, thrilled to have little children about again. She hadn’t given away all her toys, almost as if she expected to see Annie’s children on a regular basis. His dad had even gotten down on the floor and helped Spencer build a tower with blocks.
The whole family-like atmosphere served to make Ian examine what he really wanted. He couldn’t deny that he was falling in love again. There was no doubt about it. Did he have the courage to do something about it? He wasn’t sure. His dad was sure to press for answers. Ian didn’t miss the fact that his parents were campaigning to get Annie and him back together. Would it work this time?
He wanted to quit thinking about it, but with Annie standing before him the task was impossible. He glanced toward the other side of the auditorium. People appeared to be hanging on her every word. Not surprising since she was doing the same thing to him. Her charm and grace were winning hearts and minds for The Village of Hope’s ministry. She was winning his heart and mind, too.
When Annie finished her short talk, she came and sat next to Ian. As his dad got up to give the sermon, Ian leaned over to Annie. “You did a great job.”
“Thanks.” She didn’t look at him, but a smile curved her lips.
When the worship service was over, folks greeted Annie and told her how much her talk inspired them. As she took time to speak with each person, everything about her was engaging. He was losing his battle not to love her. Her life testified to the goodness of God.
She was no longer the girl who had let her parents’ disinterest drive her toward a destructive lifestyle. He could still see the girl he had once loved—the one with the tender heart who had lost her beloved grandparents. She’d become a woman who knew God’s grace and knew what she wanted from life. And he was afraid it didn’t include him.
While Ian stood there trying to figure out his own feelings, his mother approached with Kara and Spencer in tow.
Kara bounded up to him and shoved a paper at him. “Hi, Mr. Ian. See what I made.”
Ian inspected the paper with cotton balls glued all over it. “This must be a sheep.”
Kara wrinkled her nose. “A lamb.”
“Of course. A lamb.” Ian glanced over at Annie, who was exclaiming over Spencer’s paper. “Another masterpiece?”
Annie smiled at him. “Absolutely. Don’t you know my children are brilliant?”
“Their mother is brilliant. Let me tell you again what a great job you did.”
Doreen came up and put an arm around Annie’s shoulders. “She did, didn’t she? I’m so proud of you. The men who count the offering told me the special offering for The Village was close to five thousand dollars between the two services.”
“That will definitely help with the finances, but we still have a ways to go.”
“We’re getting there little by little. Some of the permanent changes we’ve made will help the ministry going forward.” Annie sounded more like a finance person than a former drug addict. “And we have more churches to talk to.”
“But those congregations are much smaller than this one, so there won’t be any five-thousand-dollar offerings.” Ian could only hope for a small portion of that sum.
“God might surprise you.” Annie gave him a speculative look.
“I’m hungry.” Kara pulled on Annie’s arm, interrupting the adult conversation.
“You’re always hungry. Do you have a hollow leg?” Smiling down at her daughter, Annie poked at one of Kara’s legs.
The little girl giggled. “You’re silly, Mommy.”
Annie’s face brightened at the word mommy. She seemed to be getting along well, but he hadn’t had a chance to talk to her and ask how things were going with the kids. Would she ask for help if she needed it, or would she be too proud to admit she needed assistance? The children seemed happy, and Annie seemed happy. So why should he worry about it? None of it should be his concern, but it was. He’d aided Annie in reuniting with her children. He had an obligation to see that it went well.
While they waited for his dad to finish greeting the folks who filed out of the auditorium, Annie fished in her purse and produced a bag of snacks that she passed out to Kara and Spencer. Then she turned to him and held up the bag. “Want some?”
For just an instant, the enticing tone of her voice and her expression took him back to the first time he’d experimented with drugs in the basement of her parents’ home. Like in the story of Adam and Eve, he had followed the path of Adam and didn’t resist the temptation. From that moment on, he was lost until an accident saved his life. He shook his head as he pushed the unpleasant memory away. “We’ll be eating soon enough.”
Annie smiled. “Okay, kids, let’s go with Mr. Ian to the restaurant.”
On the way, Ian listened to Kara and Spencer chatter about their Bible school classes. Annie was strangely silent. On Mother’s Day was she thinking about her own mother or maybe her grandmother? He wanted to ask, but he was afraid the subject would make her sad. He wanted her to be happy whether her happiness included him or not.
After they were seated at their table, a server took their drink order and instructed them to help themselves to the buffet. Ian helped Annie get plates for the children. They returned to the table just as the server brought their drinks.
She put the drinks on the table. “You have a lovely family. Happy Mother’s Day.”
Annie looked at Ian with a grimace, and he decided there was no point in explaining to the server. He smiled and nodded.
“Thanks.” Annie’s voice squeaked. After the server was gone, she looked over at him again. “That was awkward.”
“Don’t worry about it. It was a natural mistake.”
Before Annie could say anything else, Doreen and Jordan arrived.
“Can Ms. Doreen sit by me?” An imploring expression painted Kara’s face.
“Sure I can.” Doreen motioned for Ian to move over, and she slipped into the chair next to Kara. “What do you have to eat?”
As Kara listed the foods on her plate with great drama, Ian watched his dad helping Spencer. His parents and Annie’s children had adopted each other right from the beginning. He hoped it was a good thing. During the meal, they talked and laughed like the real family the server had mistaken them for.
Before they headed to the dessert portion of the buffet, Jordan tapped his glass to get everyone’s attention. “I want to wish Happy Mother’s Day to these two lovely ladies.” He gave Doreen and Annie cards and gifts.
Annie thanked Jordan for the book and gift card to a big-box store, and Doreen hugged her husband after she found a spa certificate inside of her book. Ian handed a card to his mother that cont
ained a gift certificate to her favorite shop as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.
But he hadn’t thought of getting anything for Annie, not even a card. Why had he been so stupid? Maybe he was having a hard time thinking of her as a mother. For most of the days since she’d reappeared in his life, she’d been without children. That was his only excuse.
Doreen fished in her purse and produced a couple of cards that she handed to Annie. “Some children were very busy at day care on Friday. I stopped by to be sure I got these before they were lost.”
As Annie took the cards an expression of awe spread across her features. She opened the envelopes and carefully extracted the handmade cards. Her eyes filled with tears as she gazed at the simple pictures on the front and the little handprints on the inside. Wiping away the tears that trickled down her cheeks, she hugged Kara and Spencer. “Thank you so much. These are awesome. This is the best Mother’s Day ever.”
Despite his neglect, without a doubt for Annie the statement was true. She had her children back. That made for a perfect day. Could this new life she was building for herself ever include him?
* * *
Clutching her cards and book in one hand and holding Kara’s with the other, Annie followed Ian as he carried Spencer to his car. Today was a Mother’s Day to remember—the best Mother’s Day of her life. She was clean and sober, and she had her children.
As they buckled the kids into their car seats, Annie wondered whether Ian resented having to cart her around. Did he view her as an obligation he couldn’t disregard? She hated the thought of being someone’s obligation, especially Ian’s.
After they were settled in the car, Ian glanced at her as he pulled out of the parking lot. “When we get back to your place, will you have time to talk to me, or will you be busy with the kids?”
She studied his expression as he drove along the main road back to The Village. What did he want to talk about that he couldn’t do here in the car? “The kids have a rest time in the afternoon, so we should be able to talk.”
A few minutes later Ian pulled into the parking lot near her building. They unbuckled the kids, and Ian again carried Spencer, who was nearly asleep already. Annie put Kara in her own bedroom with some books and puzzles so she wouldn’t disturb Spencer, who went to sleep almost as soon as she put him into his bed.
When both kids were settled, Annie joined Ian in the living room. “What do you have to say?”
“I want you to have this.” Standing, Ian brought an envelope out of his pocket and held it out. “I won’t take no for an answer.”
Annie took the envelope. She opened it and pulled out a check for an amount that would cover the expenses involved with getting Cora’s car. “I can’t—”
“Yes, you can, and you will.” Ian stepped closer. “I didn’t get you anything for Mother’s Day. I feel bad about that.”
“You shouldn’t feel bad. I’m not your mother. I’m not your wife anymore, and we don’t have children together. So I didn’t expect you to get me anything. And just because you feel bad doesn’t mean you should give me this.” She waved the check in the air.
“You can pay me back when you’re able. Take it.” Ian’s gaze didn’t waver as he stared at her. “Cora doesn’t want the bother of selling that car. Do it for Cora.”
Annie wondered why she was fighting with Ian over this. She needed a car. Was it her pride or something she couldn’t define? She already owed him so much. She didn’t want to owe him more. She released a heavy sigh. “Okay. I’ll do it for Cora.”
“Thank you.” Ian smiled. “How’s everything going?”
Annie wondered whether she should share her anxieties with Ian. Would he think she wasn’t doing a good job and wish he hadn’t helped her reunite with her children? Today was the best day so far, but things were far from perfect. “Let’s sit down instead of standing here while we talk.”
Ian smiled. “I was waiting for an invitation to sit.”
Annie grimaced. “I’m sorry. I forgot my manners.”
Ian plopped onto the sofa. “I was only kidding.”
Annie frowned as she sat on the nearby chair. She thought a little distance between them would help keep her romantic thoughts in check. His kind gestures of the past few days had planted too much hope for reconciliation in her heart, and she couldn’t let it get out of hand. “Don’t tease me.”
He chuckled. “You were always fun to tease.”
“Did we have fun together?” The question came out of her mouth before she thought about the wisdom of the inquiry. It wasn’t good to go there—back to the days when they were together.
Ian nodded. “I think before the alcohol and drugs took over our lives.”
“I’m sorry I brought up the past.” Annie shook her head. “We don’t need to talk about it.”
“There’s still something from your past that we need to talk about. Let me have my say before you dismiss it again.”
“What?” Annie was pretty sure she didn’t want to hear what he had to say.
“While we were at the restaurant I was thinking about how you should visit your parents.” Ian held up a hand. “I know you were angry with me for bringing this up before, but it’s something you need to do if you really want to leave your past behind and move on with this new life. I’ll watch Kara and Spencer when you go.”
Annie nodded, knowing Ian was right. Last night’s Bible reading for her study group had been about forgiveness. The scripture had put the topic front and center in her mind. She wanted Ian’s forgiveness, and how could she expect that when she was unwilling to forgive her parents? Maybe reconciliation with her parents could be a precursor to reconciliation with Ian. She could only hope. “I won’t argue. I realize it’s something I need to do, but it won’t be easy.”
“I won’t try to convince you otherwise. Forgiving is never easy.”
“Is that the way you feel about forgiving me?”
He nodded and motioned to her. “Come sit by me.”
Annie swallowed hard as she joined him on the sofa. Her heart pounded. What was he going to say? Besides the forgiveness, she longed to hear him say he still loved her. That wasn’t going to happen, so why couldn’t she stop thinking about it?
“I’ve struggled with forgiving you. That’s why I know it’s so important for you do this.” He looked her in the eye. “I told you before I was working on this, and I need to say it to you. I forgive you, Annie. Forgive me for taking so long to tell you.”
She wanted to throw her arms around him and tell him not only did she forgive him but that she loved him and wanted to start over. Instead, she smiled. “Thank you. I needed to hear that. And you don’t have anything to be sorry for.”
He smiled wryly. “You asked about being friends. I’d like to try that. What do you think?”
Annie nodded, afraid to say anything for fear her voice would crack with emotion. She wanted so much more than friendship, but friendship was a beginning. Maybe that’s what they needed. Any reconciliation required a new start and what better start than as friends? She couldn’t make Ian love her, but she could be the best friend he ever had.
Ian gave her a speculative look. “Okay, now back to my earlier question. Is everything good with you and the kids?”
If she wanted friendship with Ian, she was going to have to be completely honest with him. “It’s a mixed bag. Today was a wonderful day, but the first night was miserable.”
Ian frowned. “What happened?”
Annie didn’t want to relive that night, but she told Ian about Spencer’s problems going to sleep and the constant reminders that she didn’t do things like Ms. Tami did. “Tami gave me a very detailed report about what she’d been doing with the kids and explained their regular routine. I didn’t have a chance to read it that first night, but I’ve gone over it now. Th
ings are better.”
“They’ll continue to get better.”
“The day care workers hope so. Spencer was not happy at day care on Friday. He cried most of the day.”
Ian shook his head. “But he was so happy Saturday night and today.”
“I know. He loves your dad.”
“The feeling appears to be mutual.” Ian sat forward. “Do you think the kids are ready for me to babysit?”
Annie couldn’t help smiling at Ian’s concern. “Are you worried about them or you?”
“Both.” His eyebrows knit together. “You know I haven’t had much experience with kids. I might see my nieces and nephews three times a year at the most.”
“Are you trying to back out on your offer to babysit?”
“No, I want you to talk to your parents. The kids and I will survive. I’ll bribe them with pizza. They seemed to have inherited a love for pizza from their mother.”
Annie laughed. “What time can you get here?”
“You can go right after you finish your work with the finances if you want. I’ll pick up the kids from day care and bring them home.”
Annie pressed her lips together. Was that a good idea? Would they balk at being picked up by someone other than her when this routine had just begun? There were so many unknowns. “Before we make any decisions, let’s talk to the kids when they get up. If we let them be part of the decision, hopefully, you won’t have crying kids on your hands.”
“Okay, we’ll see what happens when we talk to them.”
Annie stared at Ian. Did that mean he intended to stay until they got up from their naps? How was she going to survive this much time alone with him? She wanted a new start with Ian—one that was based on the right things. She should use this time to work toward that goal. “Can you answer a question?”
Second Chance Reunion Page 14