Love Inspired January 2016, Box Set 1 of 2

by Carolyne Aarsen

  “Claire knows what she wants. I was a little surprised. She always wears hoodies and jeans. That dress is all femininity. Just look at those ruffles.”

  “Mmm-hmm. Looks like you got a new dress, too,” he said. It took significant determination not to stare.

  She glanced down at the red print dress she wore with a little red sweater.

  “Claire’s enthusiasm was very contagious. Generally I am not a big shopper.”

  “You look beautiful. You should wear scrubs less and dresses much more often.”

  Her face pinked and she smiled. “Thank you.”

  Matt held the door for them as they entered the lodge restaurant. “You notice how everyone is looking at us, wondering how I got so lucky to be escorting two beautiful women to dinner,” he said for their ears only.

  “Aunt Lily calls that honeyed talk,” Anne whispered to Claire.

  The little girl giggled.

  Anne pointed to a plaque on the wall, her face bright with excitement. “Look at this. The lodge portion of the facility is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1926 as a boarding house for the mill workers in the nearby mill. Why, my home is older than this.”

  “How old is your house?” Matt asked.

  “One hundred and nine years old. Goodness, this gives me hope my house will be approved when the paperwork is reviewed.”

  “I didn’t know you applied,” he murmured.

  “Too late, it seems, but you never know. I did put everything in God’s hands, right?”

  “Right. Right.” As he said the words Matt began to mull them and consider once again how he could help Anne save her house, because he knew that losing that Victorian lady would certainly put a divide between them.

  Once they were seated, Matt leaned over to Claire. “You checked your glucose before we left the house, right?”

  Claire nodded. “Not too high...”

  “Not too low.” He followed her example.

  Anne smiled and joined in. “But just right.”

  Matt chuckled at their inside joke.

  The waiter brought the menu and they spent another ten minutes laughing and talking while they decided what to order.

  As they waited for their meal, Anne reached into her purse. “I almost forgot your birthday present.”

  Claire’s eyes widened and her shoulders scrunched in an expression of pure excited delight as the small silver box with a silver ribbon was placed in front of her.

  “For me?”

  Anne narrowed her eyes, glanced around the room as if searching. “You’re the only birthday girl here.”

  Claire laughed at her antics. There was no savoring the moment as she opened the wrapping, until the box was free of trimmings. Inside, on a bed of white cotton, lay a sterling-silver, vintage charm bracelet. A diabetes alert charm in red and silver hung from the dainty chain.

  “Oh, it’s so pretty.”

  “They sure have changed Medical Alert bracelets, haven’t they?” Matt asked.

  Anne nodded.

  “Is this like what Aunt Lily wears around her neck?”

  “Not exactly. Hers has a little panic button. She can press it if she falls and someone will be sent to help her.”

  “I didn’t know that,” Claire remarked. She held up the bracelet to Anne. “Will you put it on me?”

  “Sure,” she returned.

  Claire admired her wrist where the bracelet hung. “So pretty.”

  “It is,” both Anne and Matt said at the same time.

  Her gaze met his and she smiled, melting the edges of his heart. For tonight, at least, it seemed as if they were in their own little world, and he liked it that way.

  “I guess maybe I could give you my present now, as well,” he finally said to his daughter. “I mean if you want it.”

  She gave a small gasp. “Another present? But you already bought me my dress and shoes.”

  “Oh, that’s just routine girl stuff.” Matt, too, pulled a small jewelry box from his pocket. It was smaller than the box Anne had given Claire, with a red ribbon around a white leather box.

  “Another jewelry box.” Claire grinned.

  “Like minds,” Matt murmured, his gaze meeting Anne’s once again.

  Claire fingered the small white box and played with the ribbon.

  “Aren’t you going to open it?”

  “Yes.” This time Claire gently removed the bow and slowly pulled open the hinged box. Inside, a silver heart locket with a chain rested on white velvet. She looked up at him, chewed her lower lip then inhaled and swallowed.

  “The locket opens.”

  Claire’s breath caught when she flipped open the locket and turned the case around toward her to examine the inside photo. “Oh, it’s my mom.” She held it out for Anne to see. “It’s my mom.”

  “Beautiful,” Anne said. When she smiled her eyes became suspiciously moist.

  Matt was totally unprepared when Claire placed her napkin on the table, eased from her chair and threw her arms around his neck as she kissed his cheek. “Thank you, so much, Daddy.”

  She’d finally used the D word.

  He was forced to look away as the realization of how far he and his daughter had come shook him to his core.

  When he turned back Anne was talking to Claire and he couldn’t help the direction of his thoughts. If the good Lord could perform this miracle with his daughter, then certainly He could get Matt to the place where forgiving Anne wasn’t just words. Could he put his pride aside to seek a second chance with Anne?

  Would she be open to one?

  The thought terrified him as much as it excited him.

  When dinner was served, things moved quickly as Claire became very impatient for her promised treat; the dessert that Lily Gray had suggested was fitting for a birthday girl. There was little discussion once the sweets cart appeared at their table.

  “Lava cake. That’s the one.”

  An elderly woman walked by the table and paused, her gaze lighting on first Matt and then Anne. “Excuse me for interrupting, but I’ve been watching your family. I can see it’s your daughter’s birthday. She’s such a lovely girl. You two have done a fine job raising her.” She turned to Claire. “Happy birthday, dear.”

  Claire beamed. “Thank you.”

  When the woman left, Claire leaned close to Anne on her elbows and whispered behind her hands. “She thought you were my mother.”

  “I’m sorry. Does that upset you?”

  “No, because I know my mother would really have liked you. Just like I do.”

  “Oh, Claire, that’s so sweet.” Anne’s eyes once again were bright with moisture.

  Matt also found himself overcome with emotion. The constant what-ifs of the time lost between him and Anne continued to spin through his thoughts.

  He’d promised himself today was all about Claire, yet he couldn’t ignore the woman across from him or his confused feelings for her.

  When the waitress brought their check he turned to Anne. “Do we need to get you back home soon? Is Lily alone?” he asked.

  “Oh no, she goes down to Alamosa a few times a month to visit with a friend in a retirement community. They came and got her today.”

  “Is she thinking of moving there?”

  “Never. She loves to visit, but she’s determined to stay in her house.”

  “Did you know that Anne’s great-great-grandfather built that house? Aunt Lily’s grandpa,” Claire commented. “He put that white stone on the fireplace.”

  “White marble,” Anne corrected. “From Marble, Colorado. The same stone that’s in the capitol building in Denver.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  No, he had to admit he hadn’
t considered the home’s emotional history before now. He’d merely designed the best ingress and egress to the lake community. No emotions involved. Simple pragmatics. While he’d always understood the historical connection and value of housing structures, today’s discussion about his heritage caused him to consider the emotional aspect. Roots and family tree were absent from his life, but not from Anne’s.

  Was there something he hadn’t thought of? Something he needed to do that could change everything. Could it be the Lord was nudging him to dig deeper. To find a way to save Anne’s home?

  It seemed an impossible task.

  * * *

  Anne reached for her chiming cell phone and offered a groggy hello. She blinked but her room remained dark. Either she was dreaming or it really was the middle of the night.

  “Anne, I’m sorry to bother you, but Claire’s blood glucose level is registering low.”

  “Low? How low?”

  “No reading. Just low.” Matt’s voice was taut with fear.

  Her eyelids popped open and she sat up in bed, instantly awake. “Is she responsive?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you? Are you okay?” she asked him.

  He released a breath. “Trying to be okay is the best I can do right now.”

  “Matt, you can handle this.”

  “Can I? I’m starting to think I’m the last person who should be handling this.”

  “You know the drill. Give her a box of juice and test her glucose level in ten minutes.”

  “Can you come over?”

  “Of course. Tell me where you live.”

  He rattled off an address in downtown Paradise.

  “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Call me back if you need to.”

  “Okay. Thanks.”

  Anne went to peek on Lily and then realized she was still out of town. She brushed her teeth and pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt and then grabbed her keys. Running a hand through her hair would have to suffice as a fix for her bed head.

  There was no traffic in Paradise except one lone patrol car parked on the edge of town. The town’s only deputy waved at her from his marked vehicle. She waved back and checked her speedometer, easing up on the gas pedal. No use breaking the law.

  Matt could handle things, despite his thoughts to the contrary. She understood that this was his first diabetic crisis and she would be on hand for moral support, but she was confident that he’d do everything right. Matt was a very smart man.

  His little rental house was only a few blocks off Main Street. He was right; it was a tiny cottage with a postage-stamp-size yard illuminated by a trail of solar-light stakes. She could hear Stanley barking from inside the house as she approached the front walk.

  The door swung open and Matt stood behind the screen with the excited dog pushing his way around him in an effort to see who had arrived.

  Matt’s jeans were wrinkled and his T-shirt was on inside out. The relief that was evident on his face spoke volumes and she was flattered that he trusted her expertise.

  “How’s she doing?” Anne asked.

  “Better.” He held open the screen. “The meter popped up into a low normal range with the juice.”

  “What do you think happened?” Anne asked.

  “I don’t know. Maybe she ate less than she thought she did. She was sniffling earlier after dinner. Did you notice? Could be she’s getting a cold.”

  “Good evaluation, Dad. All good answers. But did you ask her?”

  “No. I didn’t want to come off as the bad guy. I waited for you to get here.”

  “Aha, you want me to be the bad guy.” Anne chuckled. “You know that eventually you’re going to have to take over that role. I won’t be around every time her sugar drops.”

  “Yeah. I know. More than you realize.”

  Anne frowned at his words. “May I see her?”

  He nodded and she followed him down a short hallway to Claire’s room. A soft light glowed from a bedside lamp. Claire sat up in bed with at least a dozen stuffed animals around her. Matt had done a nice job transforming the little room into a girly retreat with pale pink walls and matching décor.

  “I see you’re having a slumber party. You know I’ve never been to one before.”

  “Never?”

  “No,” Anne said with a sigh. “Aunt Lily wouldn’t let me out of her sight overnight.” She glanced around. “Who are all these guys?”

  Claire smiled. “This is Shorty.” She lifted a pink bear and then pointed toward the rest of the lineup. “I haven’t really named the rest of them.”

  “How are you feeling?” Anne asked.

  Claire shrugged.

  “May I see your journal?”

  The girl opened the bedside drawer and took out the notebook and handed it to her.

  “Everything here looks good, except that...hmm, I don’t see your bedtime snack.”

  Claire’s lips became a thin line.

  “Maybe I missed it?”

  Anne turned a page slowly.

  “No. I forgot. I ate so much at my birthday dinner...”

  “And you dosed adequately. Your glucose levels were fine two hours after dinner.” Anne set the journal aside. “Who’s driving the car, Claire?” she asked gently.

  “I am.”

  “That’s right. Where are your snack attack cards?”

  She pointed to her pink backpack.

  Matt reached for it and pulled out the cards, handing them to Claire.

  “What kind of snack would you like?” Anne asked.

  Claire shuffled through the cards. “Cheese sticks.”

  “I’ll get them,” Matt said.

  Anne’s gaze followed Matt out of the room before she turned back to Claire. “You know that it’s your job to get your snack at night? Right?”

  Claire nodded. “I’m sorry.”

  “There’s nothing to be sorry about. You’re still learning to manage your diabetes. All I ask is that you remember that you’re in control, so you take responsibility. Right?”

  “Right.” Claire gave a soldierly nod of her head.

  Matt returned and handed his daughter the cheese sticks.

  “I’m sorry I was bad,” she murmured as she took them.

  Anne reached down to hug the little girl. “Oh, sweetie. Your blood sugar isn’t about being good or bad. You are not your diabetes. You are the same wonderful Claire if your glucose levels are high or low.”

  A wobbly smile appeared.

  “This is all about helping you to stay healthy. It’s true for all of us. We all want to stay healthy, and I bet your eating choices are helping your father eat healthier, too.”

  Anne glanced at Matt.

  “I hate to admit it, but Anne is right. Claire, you saw my refrigerator when you first moved in. I was eating nothing but junk food. Now I eat healthy like you and I feel better.”

  “Really?” Claire asked as she bit into her second cheese stick.

  “Really.” He smiled at her. “We’re a team. We’re going to do this together.”

  “Can Anne be on our team?”

  “She is right now.”

  She is right now. Anne mulled the words. Was Matt trying to tell her something? She looked at the small pink clock on Claire’s bedside table. “It’s getting late.”

  “Could you stay a few more minutes? Until I fall asleep?” Claire begged.

  Anne looked up at Matt and he nodded his approval.

  “Okay.” She eased into the wicker chair next to the bed. Claire reached out to hold Anne’s hand, the other she tucked around her stuffed animal.

  “Thank you for coming over,” she whispered. Her voice said she was very much still a little girl who needed reassurances t
hat everything would be okay.

  Anne leaned down to press a kiss on the top of Claire’s silky head. “You’re welcome. Your father will check your glucose one more time tonight, and I’m sure everything will be fine. Now go back to sleep and I’ll see you on Monday.”

  Claire nodded and minutes later her soft rhythmic breathing indicated she was asleep.

  Anne slid her hand from beneath the smaller one and rose from the chair. She stretched her arms, her eyes upon the girl who slept peacefully.

  Matt was very fortunate to have such a wonderful daughter in his life. Out in the living room she found him sitting, staring at his folded hands.

  He stood when she entered the room. “I’ll walk you out.”

  “You have a nice little place,” she said.

  “Emphasis on the little?”

  Anne smiled. “Not at all. And it’s much tidier than I expected.”

  He released a small deprecatory chuckle. “Right. That would be because I straightened it really fast while you were on your way over.”

  “That wasn’t necessary.”

  “Oh yeah, it was.” As he walked past the couch, Matt grabbed a kitchen towel off the cushion. “I’m trying to train Stanley to do housework, but it’s been slow going.”

  “If you can manage that, I’ll consider getting a dog. Possibly two.”

  “The downside is he wants a biscuit every time he does anything.”

  She grinned and looked around. “Where is he?”

  “I let him out in the yard once more for the night.”

  Matt pushed open the screen and followed her down the short walk to her truck. “Dogs take time, and you were right. You’re too busy for a dog. I don’t know how you have time for Claire.”

  “I suppose we make time for things we want to have in our life.” She pulled her keys from her pocket.

  “Thanks for coming over,” he said.

  “No problem.”

  Hands thrust in his pockets, Matt stared hard and long at her for a moment. The planes of his face were stark in the harsh light of the streetlamps.

  “No,” he finally said. “This isn’t like thanks for letting me borrow a cup of sugar. You’ve done an amazing job with Claire. You’ve changed both of our lives. Thank you. I mean that.”