Filled with relief, Caleb watched him go. Now all he had to do was keep Larry and Jimmy from asking a thousand unanswerable questions, then reporting back to their mother.
18
Amanda took her exhausted sons upstairs and tucked them in without the usual nighttime rituals, then went back down to find Caleb standing at the kitchen window, his expression pensive as he stared out into the darkness.
“Is everything okay?” she asked. “I hope the boys weren’t too much trouble.”
“Your sons couldn’t possibly be too much trouble,” he said. “There’s nothing I’d rather do than spend time with them.”
“Are we talking about the same boys? Eight and nine, about so tall?” She held up her hand, palm down. “I seem to recall an adventure with a nail gun while we were building this house and another surprise excursion up to the roof.”
Caleb’s lips curved slightly. “Typical boys, that’s all.”
Shaking her head at his nonchalance, Amanda said, “You might not find it so charming if they were yours. My heart still starts pounding when I think about it. Took ten years off my life.”
“I imagine they’ll do worse before they’re grown,” he said.
She regarded him with alarm. “Please don’t say things like that.”
This time he gave her a full-fledged smile, the kind of smile that made her tingle with the suggestion that they were somehow in this together.
“Prepare yourself, Amanda. Just wait till they hit their teens. Get all the sleep you can now, because during those years it’ll be in short supply. Wait till they’re out on their first dates, or out beyond curfew with the car.”
“Now, aren’t you the cheery soul?” she said, then studied him. “How do you know so much about teenaged boys?”
“For starters, I was one. For another, I spend a lot of time with the youth group at church. It’s about time we got you started with that, too. I’m thinking sometime in the next few weeks. I didn’t press before the holidays, but things shouldn’t be so rushed now. Once you’ve spent some time with these kids—and let me add that these are all good kids—you’ll see what I mean. It might prepare you.”
“Prepare me?”
“For a few years from now when Larry and Jimmy hit their teens,” he said. “Isn’t that what we were talking about?”
Surprised by the edge in his voice, she studied him intently. “What put you into this odd mood, Caleb?”
He avoided her gaze, then sighed. “I’m trying to decide whether or not to tell you something.”
Amanda was surprised by the cautious note in his voice, to say nothing of the fact that he hadn’t yet learned that keeping secrets from her was a sure way to provoke her. “Evasions, Caleb? I thought you’d learned that lesson.”
“I’m afraid I’m still tempted to try it when it comes to anything related to your father,” he replied. “That topic usually gets you pretty stirred up.”
Her heart flipped over in her chest. “Is he worse?”
He immediately looked apologetic. “Oh, no, nothing like that. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
She was startled by the depth of her relief. Apparently she’d made more progress in forgiving Max than she’d realized, or maybe the concern was simply instinctive, ingrained by all those years when she had cared. “What about him, then?”
“We ran into him tonight,” he said, studying her closely.
Amanda went perfectly still. “You ran into Max? While the boys were there?”
He nodded.
“Did you plan it?” she asked, ice in her voice. “Did you decide I wasn’t moving fast enough to suit you?”
Caleb shook his head. “No, I didn’t plan it, Amanda,” he said, looking hurt by the accusation. “It just happened. And I did the best damage control I could. Josh and Cord got the boys out of the restaurant and I talked to your father and asked him to leave.”
“And did he leave?”
Caleb nodded. “Reluctantly, yes. They barely crossed paths.” Then he added with some urgency, “He’s dying to meet them, Amanda. Surely you can understand that. You even promised him you’d take them out there over the holidays.”
“I was busy, dammit!”
“I know that,” he soothed, “but you know that Max isn’t a patient man.”
“Maybe I should rethink that promise,” she retorted coolly. She wasn’t sure if her forgiveness extended to Max’s rejection of her children.
“Please, don’t.”
She watched Caleb suspiciously, certain that he hadn’t told her the whole story. “I know you’re trying hard to make it sound like it, but this wasn’t an accidental encounter, was it? If you didn’t set it up, he did.”
“Yes,” Caleb admitted. “George saw him earlier tonight and mentioned where we’d be and that Larry and Jimmy would be with us. I suppose your father couldn’t resist. I can’t say that I blame him, but I swear I did everything I could to keep them apart. They never even exchanged a word with him, and none of us explained who Max is. Still, I imagine the boys will have a lot of questions in the morning. They certainly had them tonight.”
Her heart started to pound. “What did you tell them?”
“The truth, up to a point. I said he was someone you know and I was sure you’d take them to meet him one day soon, but it was up to you to do that.”
“And of course that only made them more curious,” Amanda concluded wearily, recalling that Larry had already picked up on Max’s existence and had even found out somehow that he was ill. He’d even shared some of what he’d figured out with Susie, more than likely with Jimmy, as well. She wasn’t ready for all the explanations this was going to require. Taking the boys and Susie to see her father would mean the end to the war of wills between them. It would amount to saying that she’d forgiven him completely and trusted him not to hurt them. Once she’d allowed him into their lives, she couldn’t change her mind.
But even if her own feelings were mellowing, did she trust Max? He’d been her rock for nearly twenty years and he’d almost destroyed her. How could she entrust her children’s fragile young hearts to a man capable of that?
“I hate being in this position,” she said angrily. “I’m not ready for this.”
“Nonetheless, you have to deal with it,” Caleb said, refusing to cut her even an inch of slack. “I’m sorry this happened tonight, but that’s where we are. If you ignore it, I wouldn’t put it past Larry to go looking for his grandfather. I think he suspects that’s who Max is. Jimmy was more oblivious to the undercurrents, but Larry wasn’t. He didn’t want to leave the table when Max arrived.”
She regarded Caleb with dismay, fully aware of her son’s determination and daring. “You don’t think he’d try to find his way out there on his own?” she asked, then shook her head. “Of course he would. Larry’s the one with absolutely no fear.”
“Then you can’t take a chance, Amanda. Take them to see your father, and do it soon,” Caleb pleaded. “That way you control the situation.”
“As if anyone ever controls anything when it comes to Max,” she scoffed, then sighed. “Okay. I’ll take them, but you’re coming with me.”
“Fine.” He met her gaze. “What is it you think my presence will accomplish?”
“You’ll be handy when this meeting blows up in my face. I won’t have to go hunting for you to kill you.”
She wasn’t entirely joking, and based on the expression of alarm in Caleb’s eyes, he knew it.
Max hadn’t suffered many humiliations in his life, but being forced to leave a restaurant without saying so much as a word to his own grandsons was just about at the top of the very short list. He was still stewing about it on Sunday afternoon. Worse, Caleb hadn’t called to say how things had gone when Amanda had found out. Nor had Amanda shown her face.
He should have forced the issue right then and there, he thought, feeling totally out of sorts and out of control. Leaving had been a mistake. Amanda would probably
turn this into some sort of big whoop-de-do and use it as an excuse to keep him from those kids forever.
The only reason he hadn’t stayed was out of respect for Caleb. The man had been a good friend, and he’d worked to help Max make peace with Amanda. How could Max have turned his back on that and left Caleb stuck out on some limb all by himself? Max had experienced the full brunt of Amanda’s fury. He couldn’t very well subject his friend to that on his behalf, especially not if what he suspected about their feelings for each other was true.
He supposed the next couple of hours would tell the story. Caleb usually came by in midafternoon. Once he showed up, he’d fill Max in on just how ticked off Amanda was about the other night. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that she knew every detail. Caleb didn’t have enough sneakiness in him to keep that kind of secret, not after he’d vowed to her that the secrets were over.
Jessie appeared on the porch, that dad-gum pitying look back in her eyes.
“What do you want?” he growled.
“I was just wondering if you’re getting hungry or if you want to wait to eat when Caleb gets here?” she responded, unfazed by his grumpiness.
“Why would I wait on him? Do you think he does me the courtesy of letting me know if he’s coming?”
She grinned at that. “He comes every Sunday, Max. Don’t pretend you’re sitting around on pins and needles waiting for his phone call. The two of you don’t stand on ceremony.”
“Well, maybe we should,” he grumbled. “Maybe he should wait to be invited.”
Jessie merely rolled her eyes. “Am I putting some lunch on the table for you or not?”
“I’ll wait to eat with Caleb when he shows his face,” he said. “But bring me a sandwich out here so I don’t starve to death in the meantime.”
“Any particular kind of sandwich?”
“You have any of that meat loaf left?” he asked hopefully.
Jessie hesitated. “Uh, no, you finished it.”
Max frowned at her. “Something wrong with me asking about the meat loaf?”
“No, of course not,” she said a little too hurriedly. “Nothing at all.”
Max sighed at her pitiful attempt at evasion. “We haven’t had meat loaf in a while, have we?”
She shook her head. “It’s not surprising you’d think about it. It was always one of your favorites.”
“Next to your fried chicken,” he said. “That’s Caleb’s favorite. I imagine that’s what we’re having for supper, since you have a soft spot for him.”
Her tight expression eased. “Of course, but it’s got nothing to do with Caleb. You know perfectly well that Sunday fried chicken is as much a tradition around here as my sweet potato casserole on Thanksgiving or my black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day.”
Max regarded Jessie with genuine fondness. There’d been a time when they might have been more to each other, but his heart had always belonged to Margaret, even after all the years she’d been gone. “You know how important you are to this family, don’t you? I know I don’t say it half enough, but Amanda and I wouldn’t have made it without you. And I’m not sure I could have carried on when she left, if you hadn’t been around to nag me.”
“Oh, hush that nonsense,” Jessie said, her cheeks turning pink and tears welling up in her eyes. “You’re gonna make me cry, old man.”
“Maybe you ought to sit down here next to me and we could both have ourselves a good cry,” Max suggested. “Seems to me we’re due. Lord knows we shed enough tears the day Amanda left here.”
“Which would never have happened if you hadn’t been your stubborn, contrary self,” she admonished him. “I hope you don’t do anything to ruin this reconciliation.”
“I’m not going to ruin anything,” Max huffed indignantly. At least he hoped not. Of course, based on Friday’s incident, there was a good possibility he already had.
Asleep in his rocker on the porch, Max was awakened by the sound of a car winding its way up the driveway. He pulled himself out of a troublesome dream and watched anxiously to see who was coming. He told himself he wasn’t disappointed that it was just Caleb’s familiar sedan.
Only after it had pulled to a stop did he see that there were other occupants in the car. Amanda was sitting stiffly in the front passenger seat and her three children were in the back. Max felt his heart clutch at the wondrous sight. Only Jessie knew how much he’d longed for this day over the years.
All three kids were spilling out of the back seat before Caleb could get out from behind the wheel. Amanda was much slower to exit. In fact, she waited until Caleb circled the car and opened her door. Max didn’t think it had a blessed thing to do with manners. He was pretty sure she’d have stayed put without Caleb standing there waiting for her to move.
He saw her shoot a scowl up at Caleb, reserving another one for Max as she slowly crossed the lawn, the kids running ahead. They hung back when they reached the bottom of the steps till she joined them.
Max clutched the arms of the rocker, willing himself to let Amanda handle this in her own way. If it had been up to him, he’d have scooped every one of those kids into a bear hug by now. All the vicious thoughts he’d ever had about their daddy faded as he studied those precious faces.
“Hello, Daddy,” she said at last, her voice even shakier than it had been on her first visit.
Max realized she was nervous or angry or both. He nodded at her and waited, but his gaze kept straying to the boys standing on either side of her and to the girl clutching Caleb’s hand. That darling child was the spitting image of Amanda when she’d been that age.
Amanda turned her back on him and hunkered down in front of the children. “This is your grandfather,” she told them, that hitch back in her voice. “He’s been wanting to meet you.” She glanced over her shoulder with a look that warned him not to make a liar out of her.
Max stood up then. “I surely have,” he said, taking a step toward them.
Jimmy’s face lit up in recognition. “I know you. You were the man at the restaurant Friday night. How come Caleb made us leave without talking to you?”
“He was just trying to do the right thing,” Max said. “He knew your mama wanted to be the one to introduce us.”
Susie took a cautious step forward, her sweet little face filled with curiosity. “How come we never knew you before? Did you live far away?”
Max shook his head. “No, I’ve always lived right here.” He faltered after that, unsure of what to say.
“Your granddaddy and I had a big disagreement a long time ago,” Amanda said quietly. “I was very mad at him and we haven’t seen each other since then.”
Larry inched closer to her, his attitude admirably protective. “Are you still mad at him?” he asked her, regarding Max with suspicion.
Amanda rested a hand on his shoulder. “We’re working on making things better,” she said.
“I’ll bet it’s ’cause he’s sick,” Susie guessed. “Mommy’s always extra nice to us when we’re sick.”
Max felt that odd sensation in his heart again, an old pain that had never really gone away. “Whatever the reason, I’m real glad of it, Susie. I’ve missed your mama.”
Susie crept closer, then held out her arms to be picked up. Max scooped her up and held her tight against his chest. To his astonishment, she gave his cheek a pat, just as Amanda used to do.
“It’s okay, Granddaddy. You can cry if you want. I cried my first day of school ’cause I missed her.”
Max felt the tears cascading down his cheeks and wasn’t the least bit ashamed of them. “Caleb, why don’t you go inside and tell Jessie we have company. I think she baked cookies today. I imagine a few won’t spoil Sunday dinner.”
“Cookies?” Susie asked, squirming to get down. “I’ll go with Mr. Caleb. He probably needs help.”
Max released her with regret, then smiled as she scampered inside ahead of Caleb, practically bouncing with excitement. His gaze sought Amanda’s. “I could always win
you over with cookies, too.”
Her lips curved slightly, but the smile didn’t take. “I’m not as easily won over now,” she told him.
Max nodded. “I understand that.” He smiled at his grandsons. “What about you? You want to help with the cookies while your mom and I have a talk?”
“Sure,” Jimmy said at once, and raced inside, letting the screen door slam behind him.
“Larry?” he asked.
“I’m staying with my mom,” he said fiercely.
Max nodded. “That’s fine with me.”
Amanda, however, ruffled the boy’s hair. “It’s okay. You go on with the others. I’ll be fine.”
Larry’s gaze narrowed. “But are you still mad at him?” he asked again.
“I’m working on it,” she said.
“How come?” Larry asked.
“Because, no matter what, he is my father, just like I’m your mom. I hope if we ever have a fight, you’ll forgive me.”
Larry looked bewildered. “We have fights all the time.”
Amanda grinned. “Those are little disagreements,” she told him. “The one your granddaddy and I had was a humdinger.”
“Oh,” Larry said, still looking puzzled.
“You don’t need to understand,” she told him. “It’s between your granddaddy and me, and we’ll work it out. I want you to get to know him, okay?”
“I guess,” Larry agreed reluctantly.
“Go have some cookies and think about it,” Amanda encouraged. “And make sure Caleb doesn’t let Susie have too many, especially if Jessie made fried chicken for dinner.”
Larry grinned and looked at Max with the first less-than-hostile look since they’d arrived. “Susie gets sick and throws up,” he said happily. “You’d better watch out.”
Max laughed at the warning. “Good advice. I’ll be sure to stay out of her path if she has too many cookies, and between Jessie and Caleb, I imagine she will.”
Larry finally went inside, leaving Max alone with his daughter.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.
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