He shook his head. “Naw, first where’s your date and how’d you end up with Matt? Not that I’m complaining.”
Heather shared a smile with Matt as he came around the hood of the van. “It’s a long story, Brad, but you don’t have to worry about Howard any more. I told him tonight I wouldn’t be going anywhere with him again. I think we’ve decided to be friends.”
Brad’s grin covered his face. “Way to go, Mom.” He quickly sobered. “Hey, I’m sorry I took off with the guys. I probably won’t be doing that anymore either.”
“Why not?”
Brad shrugged. “Things they do aren’t cool like I thought. It isn’t the same since we…” He looked at Matt. “since we started going to church. I was headed home when I saw the van. Man, I couldn’t believe my eyes.”
Matt clapped Brad’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re all right, son. Guess I’ll get on home. Becka’s been pretty worried about you.”
Brad shuffled his feet. “Yeah, tell her I’m sorry, and I’ll see her Sunday at church.”
With a quick smile for Heather, Matt turned toward his Bronco. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and punched some buttons. He was talking when he got behind the wheel and backed out.
“Mom, you’d better not let him get away.”
Heather swung back to stare at her son. “What do you mean by that?”
“You called him when you couldn’t find me, didn’t you? You love him, don’t you?”
She blinked under Brad’s steady gaze and knew she couldn’t avoid the truth. “Yes, Brad, I love Matt very much. But, what more can I do? I told him how I feel, well mostly anyway. I did everything except propose to him, so I can only assume he doesn’t feel the same way. Maybe we’d better be content to have Matt for a friend. That’s better than nothing, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Brad sounded about as convinced as Heather felt.
~*~*~*~
~Nineteen~
Three weeks later Matt sat in the high school gym holding Kristi. Brad held Candace while Ricky and Gary sat to one side. Only a splattering of onlookers occupied the folding chairs facing the stage, but Matt knew how important this mother/daughter fashion show was to Becka.
After seeing Heather with Howard, Becka had withdrawn, holding her hurt close. Today she seemed more her old self, especially after Heather showed up in her new dress as school dismissed for the day.
A woman and girl modeling pants outfits concluded their walk as the moderator announced Becka. “Becka Sanders has constructed a lovely dress made of polyester and cotton suitable for a visit to the park, yet nice enough for church. Her mother, Mrs. Heather Conway, sewed a matching dress from the same pattern but with different fabric…”
Matt let the woman’s voice drone on while his heart swelled with love and a touch of pride when Heather and Becka stepped on the stage. They began their walk hand in hand. He wondered if Heather had caught the moderator’s slip in calling her Becka’s mother. He’d spent many hours the last three weeks on his knees allowing God to work in his life. Without doubt he believed God brought Heather and him together. He knew God would take care of them if they’d put their trust in Him. He couldn’t wait for the fashion show to end so he could tell Heather how he felt.
“Mama.” Candace called out, and Brad shushed her.
“Mama.” Kristi followed her lead.
Matt leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “That may be what we want, but let’s be quiet now and watch.”
“You aren’t kidding, are you?” Insecurity mixed with hope in Brad’s voice as he leaned close to whisper.
Matt straightened to meet the question in the teenager’s eyes. He shrugged. “We don’t always get what we hope for.”
“Maybe you should ask.” Brad’s frown held accusation.
Laughter threatened to erupt, but Matt only smiled. If only Heather felt the same way. He gave Brad a quick nod. “All right, I will. Now let’s watch the show.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah, I promise.”
He watched a wide grin cover Brad’s face before he turned toward the stage. Heather and Becka walked slowly, stopping to twirl around before interlacing their fingers and moving forward again while the moderator continued describing the dresses.
Love for Heather swelled in his chest. She had made good changes after Brad disappeared. She’d hired a part time lady to work the evening shift so she could go home shortly after school dismissed and spend time with her kids. Hers and his. The first time she called to say his kids would be at her house, he hadn’t thought anything about it. All eight of them had eaten dinner each evening for the last three weeks at Heather’s except for once a week when he treated them all to dinner out. He felt the time had come to merge their families permanently. He hoped and prayed Heather felt the same way.
The fashion show ended with all the mothers and daughters gathering on the stage in a long line. Matt stood with the rest of the audience and applauded. He found Heather, let his gaze slide to Becka, then come back to rest on the woman he loved and admired. No other woman could be the mother of his six children. Brad, Gary, and Candace were the children of his heart.
~*~
Heather leaned her head back against the headrest on the passenger side of her van and let a silent sigh escape. The kids sat quietly talking and watching the landscape go by while Matt’s strong hands guided the vehicle. He drove past the city limits sign on the north side of town.
“Where are you going?” Heather sat up and looked around.
He laughed.
“This doesn’t lead to the highway, so we aren’t going to the city.” She frowned. “Actually, this road doesn’t go much of anywhere.”
Another chuckle came from Matt. “We’re about there.”
He turned onto a gravel road, and Heather turned toward Matt. He was watching her. He smiled, and her lips turned up of their own accord. She relaxed, trusting him to take care of them. When he turned into a driveway seemingly in the middle of nowhere and stopped, she looked around. An old oak tree spread its branches over the yard beside a concrete foundation. A dilapidated gray-weathered barn leaned toward the east, barely standing.
“There’s nothing here.” Becka voiced Heather’s thoughts.
Matt opened his door. “Let’s take a look.”
He no sooner spoke than the sliding doors on both sides opened and kids poured out. Even Candace had her seat restraints unbuckled by the time Heather reached for her. After setting the two little ones down on the brown uncut grass, Heather and Matt stood by the van watching the kids explore the old farm.
He offered his hand, and she took it. With the sound of children’s voices calling to each other in the background, Heather looked into Matt’s face trying to understand and hoping her guess at his intentions would prove true.
“Do you like it here?” His expression said her answer meant everything to him.
She looked at a field of corn across the road and open fields as far as she could see surrounding the house site. A stand of trees stood to the north. She nodded. “Who wouldn’t? It’s quiet and peaceful. I grew up on a farm. I love the country, but why are you asking, Matt?”
“See the foundation?” He pointed toward the short cement walls that had been poured in a large rectangle.
She nodded.
“That’s only the beginning. I want you to go over the blueprints and make any changes you want. That is…”
When he let his voice drift into silence, she looked into his eyes and saw the love she knew was a reflection of her own. She smiled at his hesitation, knowing and understanding the insecurity he felt. “Are you suggesting I might live here someday? I don’t think I’ve saved enough money to build yet. I can barely pay you for the room on the daycare.”
He laughed. “You don’t intend to make this easy for me, do you?”
She shook her head, but her smile grew. “Make what easy, Matt? Surely this isn’t the way you usually ge
t jobs.”
He advanced on her with a twinkle in his eyes and pulled her into his arms. She no longer heard the children’s voices. Her focus narrowed to Matt’s dark eyes and his beloved face. Just before their lips touched, he stopped and murmured, “If you kiss me, you’ll have to marry me. Then I’ll build you a house right here in this spot without charge.”
“Oh, Matt.” Those two words held all her love as she closed the distance to press her lips against his. When the kiss ended, she again looked into his eyes. “I’ve prayed for three weeks you would ask me to marry you. Are you sure that’s what you want?”
He pulled back and looked at her. “Three weeks? God worked a miracle in your life that night, didn’t He?”
She nodded.
“He’s been working on me, too. I’ve been afraid of loving you and then losing you.”
His arms tightened around her. “The thing is, I can’t control what happens, but I know who’s in control. He’s promised He will never place more on us than we can bear. Yesterday in church when we sang the song “Learning to Lean,” I felt God’s assurance it would be all right as long as we both lean on Jesus. Can you do that, Heather?”
She smiled through a mist of tears. “Yes, He’s our strength. I love Him and I love you, Matt.”
“I love you, Heather. I always will.” This time when he kissed her, a chorus of catcalls and whistles jerked them apart.
The four older children stood in a group with Becka and Brad holding the little girls’ hands. “Way to go, Matt.” Brad called. “Or do I get to call you Dad now?”
Heather and Matt laughed as Becka, Ricky, and Gary joined their comments with Brad’s.
“Daddy, did you ask her?”
“What’d you say, Mom?”
“Are we a family now?”
“Yeah, we’re a family,” Matt called to the kids.
Gary and Ricky gave each other a fist bump. Warmth flooded Heather’s face. Their children had witnessed a scene she would treasure for the rest of her life. A personal scene between her and Matt. But this affected all of them. Happiness rushed into her heart as the full impact of Matt’s plans hit her. He wanted to marry her. He was willing to take on the responsibility of her children. Of their children.
As if a pin pricked her euphoric bubble, fear rushed in, and she swung to stare at Matt. “Can you afford this? I have some savings, but it won’t go far.”
“What if I can’t? Will you still marry me?” He didn’t smile, but searched her eyes as if trying to read the answer there.
“Oh, yes.” She didn’t hesitate. “We just can’t build a house yet. Maybe we could move into your rental. It’s larger than mine. The boys won’t mind sharing a room. I mean a couple of bunk beds should work. And, the girls—”
“Heather.” He took her hands. “I can afford to build you a house. Did I ever mention I owned a fairly large construction company in the city?”
She shook her head.
“After I came out of the fog from Eva’s death, I needed time for my kids. I wanted them out of the city. So I sold out and moved here. Being a handyman gives me freedom to arrange my schedule around my family, and it still gives me a good enough income. I got a decent price for my house and belongings. My business didn’t go cheap. I’m not a multi-millionaire, but I’ve got enough to keep us a long time to come.”
He glanced at the kids who were advancing on them and grinned. “I can keep shoes on this bunch, and build you the house you want, too.” He turned back to her. “In fact, you can sell the daycare and stay at home if you want.”
“See, Brad, I told you they would get married.” Becka smiled at Heather. “I know you’re going to be the best stepmom ever.”
Brad stuck his hand out. “Hey, Matt, welcome to the family. Hope it’s okay if I forget sometimes and call you Dad.”
“I hope you do.” Matt gave Brad’s shoulder a squeeze.
“And I can call you Mom now.” Becka threw her arms around Heather for a warm hug as she whispered. “It’s okay because I always called my mother Mama.”
Tears filled Heather’s eyes with the children surrounding them, competing to be heard. A snowflake landed on Matt’s dark coat. Another fell and then another. Within seconds the sky became white with the first snowfall of the season, and the kids ran across the yard with arms flung out in wild abandon.
Their exuberance touched Heather so she laughed. She took Matt’s hand in hers and gave him a smile. Then she lifted her face to the heavens, white with falling snow, and prayed aloud. “Thank you, Lord, for giving me the desires of my heart even when I didn’t know what they were. Most of all thank you for peace to replace the fear that kept me from trusting You. I’m so glad I’m learning to lean on You.”
Matt’s arm slipped around Heather’s waist, drawing her close as he continued her prayer. “Thank you, Lord, for bringing us both back into a right relationship with You. Thank you for Heather and for all our kids. Be with us when the going gets rough and we forget to trust You. Give us wisdom, patience, and an abundance of love to bring our family into one accord with Your plan for us.”
“Amen.” Heather leaned her head against Matt’s shoulder and watched their children run through the falling snow.
~*~*~*~
About the Author
Mildred Colvin enjoys creating romantic stories for others to read and enjoy, whether historical or contemporary. She started writing children’s stories in the late 1980s, but soon found the joy of romance books. She was first co-published with her sister in 2001 when Barbour Publishing accepted Circle of Vengeance into their Heartsong Presents line and has had ten other books published since then.
Connect with Mildred Colvin on her blog at http//www.mildredcolvin.blogspot.com
Other Books by Mildred Colvin
A New Life
She’s city. He’s Country. She just found out they have something in common. Her son!
Kimberly has to decide what’s best—keeping her secret from Travis and her son or taking the chance that Travis will become the father their son desperately needs.
Lesson of the Poinsettia
Abigail Stevens, part owner of Kingson Steel, lets her older sister take care of business while she hides in the dark. Nine years ago Abigail lost her sight, and she’s given up on leading a normal life. Then her nine-year-old neighbor sneaks across the street to see Abigail’s flowers and her father soon follows. Because of the lesson in Abigail’s Poinsettias, Abigail and Seth learn to see beyond the darkness of their lives and in the process find love to last a lifetime.
Love Returned coming soon!
Forced to give her baby away, Megan resents her mother. Then she meets Scott and his adopted son, Randy. Is Randy her lost baby, or do circumstances only point her to that conclusion? If she confronts Scott, will she lose his love and her son all over again?
By Regina Tittel
Abandoned Hearts
Stranded by flood waters in the heart of the Ozarks, Ann McHaven is forced to stay with a rugged farmer, Jacob Durham. Her annoyance with him soon turns to attraction. The magnetic pull between them puts her faith to the test as temptations tease her thoughts.
Independent and stubborn, Jacob’s eyes and heart are opened to all he has to lose when a fearless mountain lion turns him into the hunted. Will his life be spared long enough to restore his trust in God, and admit his love for Ann?
~*~*~*~
Learning to Lean Page 19