Tears pricked his eyes. “I’m here, Jesus. I came home because I believed that was what You wanted. Was it? Was I wrong? I’m trying to understand. I’ve hurt so many people that I love. How can I make it right?”
Clasping his hands together, he bowed his head. “Lord, send Your comfort to Nicki and to Kasey. They must both feel lost and scared. I know I do.”
Wiping his eyes on his shirtsleeve, he looked up. “Take care of them. Please.”
Clay sat for a while longer, absorbing the peace and serenity of church. A sudden sound made him look over to see Reverend Michael Garrison entering through a side door. Michael paused for a second when he caught sight of Clay, then approached. “I’m sorry if I disturbed you.”
“Don’t be. It’s your house.”
“It’s His house, so you are welcome to stay as long as you need. Is there something that I can do for you?”
“Tell me how I know what He wants from me.”
Michael took a seat beside Clay. “I think Jesus laid that out pretty well. We are to love God with all our heart and minds and to love our neighbor as ourselves.”
How could Clay love the people who’d destroyed Nicki’s dreams? “In theory that sounds pretty simple. In reality, it ain’t so easy.”
Michael smiled. “So I’ve noticed.”
“Kasey was taken away from Nicki today.”
“I just heard. Emma Barnet called me. She’s a friend of Nicki’s and our local social worker. She’s very upset at the way the whole thing was handled. I’m on my way over to Nicki’s now.”
“They don’t want Nicki to even visit Kasey. It’s not right. That little girl has lost two mothers now.”
“We must pray that Miss Cassidy has a change of heart. Mrs. Barnet has suggested Nicki petition the court for visitation rights. Both Emma and I will testify on Nicki’s behalf.
“How long will that take?”
Michael shook his head sadly. “I have no idea.”
“Thank you for trying to help.”
Rising, Michael nodded. “Clay, the way we know what He wants from us is to examine our hearts. The answer is there if we aren’t afraid to look.”
As Michael walked away, the meaning of his words sank in. Clay realized he had been afraid to look inside his own heart. Deep down he believed he didn’t deserve the love of his family or Nicki’s love.
He turned and called out, “Reverend Garrison, do you know the name of Kasey’s new guardian or where she lives?”
“All I know is that her last name is Cassidy and that she lives in Kansas City.”
It wasn’t much, but it was a start. Clay rose to his feet and walked toward Michael. “When you see Nicki, please tell her that I’m thinking of her and that I’m praying for her.”
Michael gave him a knowing smile. “I think you should tell yourself. After all, you’re in love with the woman.”
Momentarily taken aback, Clay looked at Michael in surprise. “Is it that obvious?”
“Yes.”
“I do love her. And I intend to tell her, but I’ve got something I have to do first in Kansas City.”
Michael’s face grew sober. “You aren’t going to do something foolish, are you?”
Clay just smiled. “I’ve been doing foolish things all my life. Why change now?”
Nicki sat up on the side of her bed and wiped away the last of her tears. Her whole body ached with loss, but she was done crying. She had to face the fact that she would never see Kasey again. All she could do now was pray that her little girl would have a happy, loving home.
Rising, Nicki opened her bedroom door and walked down the hall toward the bathroom. On the way, she passed the closed door of Kasey’s room. Soon, she would have to put away the clothes, the bedding, even the toys that Kasey loved. But not now. Not today.
After splashing water on her face and dragging a comb through her hair, Nicki walked into the living room. Her mother was sitting on the sofa staring out the window. Her arms were folded tightly across her middle as if holding in the pain.
“Are you okay, Mom?”
Glenis looked at her. “I should be asking you that. Never mind, we both know the answer. No, we are not okay.”
Sinking onto the couch, Nicki welcomed the comfort of her mother’s embrace. They leaned against each other, drawing strength from one another.
Glenis smoothed back Nicki’s hair and tipped her chin up to examine her face. “I’m so sorry.”
“I love her so much. I miss her already.” Nicki didn’t think she had any tears left, but they began to flow unchecked.
“Hush, baby.” Glenis rocked her back and forth as if Nicki were a child again.
“What am I going to do, Mama?”
“You’re going to grieve, darling.”
“I wish Daddy were here.”
“I wish that, too.”
They sat together in silence for a long time. Finally, Nicki found the strength to pull away. “I have to stop crying. Clay will be here soon. I don’t want him to see me like this. He’ll blame himself.”
Sighing deeply, Glenis said, “Clay has already been here. Reverend Garrison stopped by, as well.”
“Why didn’t you tell me Clay was here?”
“You were so upset. I thought it was best not to disturb you.”
Nicki shot to her feet. “Mom, how could you do that? I know you didn’t like Clay much when we were in school together.”
“He was always so irresponsible. He was a bad influence on you.”
“He’s changed. Besides, we’re not school kids anymore. We’re adults. Clay and I belong together. I love him the way you loved Dad. You’re going to have to accept that.”
“Nicki, you could do so much better for yourself.”
“How could I do better than to love a man with all my heart and soul?”
A look of defeat settled over her mother’s features. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You always did take after your father. He was never the most practical man in the world.”
“Dad loved God, and he loved you. What else does a man need?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what he would have said.”
Nicki moved to pick up the phone. “I have to call Clay. I know he must be as upset as I am.”
She punched in his number but after several rings it went to voice mail. Disappointed, she left a brief message asking him to call, then returned to sit beside her mother.
Glenis pulled an envelope from her purse beside the couch and handed it to Nicki. “Clay wanted you to have this.”
Nicki opened it and pulled out a letter. As she unfolded it, a slip of paper fluttered to the floor. She read the letter once and then read it again unable to believe what she was seeing. She pressed a hand to her heart as it swelled with pride and love.
Clay had done this for her, for all of High Plains.
She handed the note to her mother. “It’s from a man named Dewey. He owns a hotel-construction business in Dallas. He’s sending a crew of electricians to finish the wiring on the Old Town Hall and any other homes in town that need work. They’ll be here Friday. Plus, he’s included a check for double the amount of money that was stolen from us as a personal favor to Clay. He says Clay saved his daughter’s life.”
Picking up the check, Nicki handed it to her mother. “I think this proves Clay isn’t an irresponsible man.”
Glenis pressed her fingers to her throat. “Oh, dear. I hope you can forgive me.”
“Forgive you for what?”
“I told him you blamed him for losing Kasey.”
Nicki could only stare at her mother in shock. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I thought it would be best for you if he left.”
“He won’t leave. Not now. Not when he knows I need him.”
“That’s just it. Reverend Garrison told me Clay has gone. He’s on his way to Kansas City, and Michael is worried he’s going to do something rash.”
Chapter Sixteen
&
nbsp; Clay rang the doorbell of a small brick home located in an older section of Kansas City. Looking around, he saw a neighborhood slipping past its prime. The sidewalks were cracked and buckled. The chocolate-brown trim of the house in front of Clay was badly in need of painting, as were several of the neighboring buildings.
The surrounding streets were quiet, but then it was only nine o’clock on Thanksgiving morning.
The Kansas City phone book listed fourteen Cassidys. This was the twelfth address he’d visited in the last two days.
As he waited for someone to answer the bell, he prayed this was the right house, and that he’d be able to convince a total stranger that Kasey and Nicki belonged together.
Please, Lord, don’t let me mess this up.
The door opened. A weary looking white-haired woman in a blue print housedress stood on the other side of the screen door. She looked at him with mild suspicion. “Yes, may I help you?”
Clay pulled off his cowboy hat. “Are you Miss Cassidy?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Clay Logan, ma’am. Do you have a great niece by the name of Katherine?”
Suddenly, Kasey appeared beside the woman. Her little face lit up. “Hi! Hi, ’orsey man. Go ride. Please?”
Looking from the child to Clay, the elderly woman smiled. “It seems that she recognizes you.”
The woman pushed open the screen, and Kasey tumbled out into Clay’s waiting arms. He hugged her tightly. Grinning, she patted his face between her hands. “’Orsey man. Love you.”
Rising, with the little girl in his arms, he smiled at her. “Hey, sugar, how you doing? I’ve been missing you.”
Peering over Clay’s shoulder, Kasey frowned. “Where Ni Ni?”
“Nicki’s at home, honey.”
Looking confused, Kasey said, “Me go home. Me go wif Mommy Ni Ni.”
Clay transferred his gaze to Miss Cassidy. “That’s what I’d like to talk to your aunt about.”
Miss Cassidy folded her arms over her chest and pressed her lips tightly together. Clay watched the indecision play across her face. Finally, she nodded and led the way inside.
He let out a long breath of relief.
Following the woman to her tiny living room, he took a seat on her blue floral sofa. A few of Kasey’s toys were scattered about, the room itself was clean and tidy if overcrowded with furniture and knickknacks.
His eyes were drawn to the dozens of pictures lined up on the mantel and covering the wood paneling of the walls.
He tried to set Kasey down, but she squawked in protest and held on to his neck. Patting her back to reassure her, he allowed her to stay on his lap and gave her his cowboy hat to play with. She giggled and immediately began her favorite game of peek-a-boo covering her head with the hat and then lifting it up to grin at him.
Taking a seat opposite them in a padded rocker, Miss Cassidy folded her hands in front of her. They were gnarled and work-worn and bare of any jewelry. “Katherine has been asking for Ni Ni all the time.”
“Ni Ni is her name for Nicki Appleton. Nicki has been Kasey’s…I’m sorry…Katherine’s foster mother since July. Allow me to offer my condolences on the death of your niece.”
“Thank you.”
Clay nodded toward a framed portrait of a young woman with dark brown hair and hazel eyes on the mantel. Clay saw only a slight resemblance to the child he held. “Is that Dana?”
“Yes. She was my brother’s only child. He was nearly fifteen years younger than I. We were never very close until his wife became ill. Dana’s mother died of cancer five years ago. My brother died of a heart attack a year later. I often thought it more the case of a broken heart. He missed her terribly.” Miss Cassidy sat quietly staring at the portrait.
Clay saw the sorrow deeply etched on her face. “What was Dana like?”
Glancing back to him, Miss Cassidy smiled softly. “She was a dreamer, always flitting from one job to another, from one man to another. After her father died, she ran away with some young man, but they didn’t stay together. She wrote a few times that first year, but I never heard from her after that. I didn’t even know that she’d had a child.”
“That’s why you didn’t come forward.”
“I heard about the toddler who was found after the tornado, of course. It was in the news for weeks, but I never connected that child to Dana. The police believe she was on her way here when she was killed. I’d like to think that. I’d like to think she had straightened out her life and wanted me to meet her daughter.”
Clay chose his next words carefully. “Ms. Cassidy, I can’t imagine how difficult this has been for you, but Nicki Appleton is…someone very dear to me.”
Kasey stopped playing and looked around. “Ni Ni?”
Clay ruffled her hair. “Nicki loves this little girl with all her heart. She was planning to adopt her. I came here today to ask if you would allow Nicki to visit Katherine.”
“One hears such terrible things about foster care these days. When they told me Dana had a daughter who’d been in foster care for all those months, I couldn’t bear the thought.”
“She was in a loving home from the minute she was released from the hospital.”
“But she wasn’t with family.”
How could he make her understand that that was exactly where Kasey had been? His gaze was once again drawn to the photos on the mantel. The answer, he realized, was right in front of his eyes.
Clay pulled his phone from his pocket. It took him a second but he finally accessed the video he’d made at the day care the week before.
Setting Kasey aside, Clay rose and handed the phone to Miss Cassidy. “Love is what makes a family. This is the woman who loves your great niece. Please, let her stay in this little girl’s life. It will mean the world to both of them.”
As the recording played, Clay watched emotions cross the elderly woman’s face. He could hear Nicki’s voice and the sound of Kasey’s happy greeting. He didn’t need to see it, he’d memorized the loving look on Nicki’s face as she held and rocked the child of her heart.
“Me see.” Kasey, tossing his hat aside, hurried to her aunt’s side and climbed into her lap. She pulled the phone from Miss Cassidy’s hands.
Grinning up at the adults, Kasey said, “My mommy. My Ni Ni.”
She brought the phone to her lips and planted a kiss on the screen.
Parking her car in front of Jesse’s house, Nicki wished she hadn’t given in to Maya’s pleading at church. She’d never felt less like celebrating Thanksgiving in her life. Nor did she feel like spending it alone. This was the lesser of the two evils. Besides, there was still a slim chance that Clay would show up.
Tommy and Layla were taking advantage of the beautiful weather and were playing with a soccer ball at the side of the house. Layla was laughing as she tried to steal the black and white ball from Tommy.
Was Kasey having a happy Thanksgiving with her great-aunt? Was she laughing her adorable giggle? Nicki tried to believe that she was.
Bracing herself, she put on what she hoped was a less-than-sad face. Maya, too, had to be dealing with her share of disappointment after learning Clay wouldn’t be there.
Where was he? Why hadn’t he called?
The answers weren’t in her car. Nicki opened the door and stepped out. She heard the front screen door slam and looked up expecting to see Maya or Jesse coming to greet her. Instead, she saw Clay grinning from ear to ear. In his arms, he held her Kasey.
Shrieking with joy, Nicki raced up the steps and pulled Kasey into a fierce hug. Smothering her cute baby face with kisses, Nicki thought her heart would burst with happiness. It felt so wonderful to hold her.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” Clay said, smiling at her.
“How did you do this?” She looked at him in astonishment.
“I beat down a few dozen doors, then kidnapped her from a white-haired lady.”
Nicki’s eyes widened with shock. “You didn’t?”
“No, but
I had you for a second, didn’t I?”
Slowly, Nicki became aware that they weren’t alone. Clay’s family had gathered around. Maya, with an enormous grin on her face, was holding hands with Greg while Jesse stood looking on from the doorway. Tommy was making faces while Layla was busy trying to punch the soccer ball out of his hands. Behind him, a small gray-haired woman Nicki didn’t know was watching it all with interest.
Following Nicki’s gaze, Clay said, “Nicki, this is Miss Wilma Cassidy, Katherine’s great-aunt.”
With a sinking sensation, Nicki realized Kasey wasn’t back for good. She was only here for a visit. Her grip on the child tightened. Yet, if Miss Cassidy had allowed one visit, perhaps she could be convinced to allow more.
Nicki stepped toward the woman. “I can’t thank you enough for bringing Katherine here today. I’ve missed her so much.”
“Who’s Katherine?” Tommy quipped.
Wilma tipped her head slightly as she regarded the boy. “That happens to be my great-niece’s given name, but you can continue to call her Kasey. I think that’s a name that fits her.”
Layla finally managed to free the ball from Tommy’s hands and took off with it. Shouting his ire, he ran after her.
Wilma smiled at the horseplay. “My brother used to drive me crazy when he was Layla’s age. It wasn’t until later that we became friends. Miss Appleton, Mr. Logan tells me that your intention was to adopt Kasey. I’d like to hear more about those plans.”
Hope sprang up like a startled deer in Nicki’s chest, robbing her of breath. Was it possible? Miss Cassidy turned and walked to a pair of white whicker chairs at the end of the porch.
Nicki’s gaze flew to Clay. The abiding love in his eyes gave her courage. She held out her hand, and he gripped it tightly. “Thank you.”
“Go. Convince her that she and Kasey can both be a part of your family for as long as they live.”
Clay watched Nicki and Kasey’s great-aunt deep in conversation at the other end of the porch. Their smiling faces were turned toward Kasey playing near their feet, but occasionally, Nicki looked up to meet Clay’s eyes and gift him with a beautiful smile that warmed his heart.
A Family for Thanksgiving (Love Inspired) Page 17