Redeeming Honor

by E. A. West

  Her smile was sweet enough to muddle his thinking. Unable to resist, he lifted her hand and kissed the back. Her surprised gasp and the blush that stole across her cheeks let him know taking the risk had been worth it.

  His courage bolstered by her reaction, he said, “We should go out sometime.”

  “Are you asking me on a date?” She glanced at him with wide eyes and then focused on the road once more.

  “Yes.” He couldn’t deny it when the truth was so obvious, and he had a feeling she didn’t mind his newfound boldness. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it. “So, would you like to go out with me?”

  “I would love to.” The gentle pressure of her fingers against his sent his pulse racing.

  “How does next weekend sound? Maybe Saturday?”

  “It will have to be later in the afternoon or the evening. Next Saturday is my farmer’s market day.” She pulled her hand from his to navigate a turn. “What are we going to do?”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “If the weather cooperates, we could have a picnic dinner at the park.” She sent a shy smile his way. “I really enjoyed our last date there.”

  “So did I.” He could still barely believe he had admitted his love for her. Even more stunning was that she had accepted it and confessed her love for him as well.

  He wasn’t sure how much longer he could refrain from having a serious discussion with her about marriage. He had dropped a few hints already, but she hadn’t said anything other than to agree getting to know the person before you married was important. Maybe another walk through the park would be the perfect time to bring up the subject of marriage again.

  A little voice in the back of his mind insisted he was going about it the wrong way—that he should be talking to her father before anyone else. But he was in America now, and it was past time he started doing things the American way rather than the Afghan way.

  ~*~

  Meghan paused in winding her latest batch of yarn and looked out the window. The gorgeous summer day begged to be enjoyed, but she had to finish winding the yarn into skeins so she could sell it at the farmer’s market the next day. If Basir was there, she might be tempted to abandon her yarn and go outside anyway, but he and Ryan both had appointments at the VA clinic that morning. They would be over sometime after lunch to help pick the produce for the farmer’s market. She planned to finish with the yarn before then so she could be outside enjoying their company.

  As she went back to work, her thoughts drifted over the last week of living on her own. She had adjusted to the absence of her housemates faster than she’d expected. Part of it had to do with Ryan dropping Basir off before breakfast every morning. While he cared for the alpacas, she cooked. Then he came in, and they shared the meal while discussing the rest of the day’s work. Ryan had stopped by for lunch or dinner a few times, but he was busy with his job and Sara. That meant most of the time Meghan and Basir were on their own until she took him home in the evening.

  The time they spent together had brought them closer, and Meghan could see Basir’s confidence grow every day. He still hadn’t done anything more affectionate than hold her hand, except for the day she’d helped him move and he kissed her hand. That moment was burned into her memory, and she couldn’t wait for their second date. Maybe he would finally kiss her, but even if he didn’t, she was thrilled to be going out on their first official date without a chaperone.

  Looking back over their relationship so far, she was amazed at how far they had come since Ryan first brought Basir into her life. The shy, timid man who wouldn’t look at her and barely spoke to her had been replaced by a confident man who held her hand and talked to her with ease. She had changed as well. Since meeting Basir, she had learned to be calmer, quieter inside. Her patience had been tested and strengthened, and even her clothing had changed. In her attempt to make Basir more comfortable around her, she had discovered a style that made her more comfortable as well. Gone were the shorts and tank tops that had once been staples in her summer wardrobe. She had replaced them with long skirts, jeans, and T-shirts, a change that when combined with Basir’s appreciative looks made her feel more feminine and cherished than ever.

  She finished with the yarn and packed it into a box. With it still too early for lunch, she headed out to the garden to face the never-ending task of weeding. No matter how many weeds she pulled, new ones always popped up to take their place.

  As she worked her way down the first row, she heard a car on the drive. Ryan and Basir must have decided to join her for lunch. She kept working, certain they would come find her soon enough. When she heard two sets of footsteps rounding the house, she straightened and turned toward them.

  “Hey, you guys are—” Her heart thundered in her chest at the sight of two strangers in green-and-khaki uniforms. “Not who I expected. Can I help you?”

  “I hope so.” The older of the two men removed his hat as he stopped at the edge of the garden. “Are you Meghan Carpenter?”

  “Yes...” A sense of dread settled in the pit of her stomach. Even though Ryan was no longer serving and was safe, she had spent so long fearing a visit like this. Two uniformed men arriving to tell her something terrible had happened to her brother. Never mind that the rational part of her knew they would have gone to her parents’ house, not hers. The fear had still lingered, and these two visitors brought it back full force.

  “I’m Colonel Jamar Spencer. Your brother, Ryan, served under me.”

  “It’s good to meet you.” Meghan left the garden and joined him, hoping he would soon get to the point of his visit. Otherwise, she was liable to burst into tears or scream.

  “I heard Ryan is living here now. Is he home?”

  “He did live here, but he moved into town last weekend. He has an apartment above the hardware store.” She wrapped her arms around her middle as her heart sent up a continuous stream of prayer. “Is everything OK?”

  “Oh, yes. Everything is fine.” Spencer gave her a reassuring smile. “I didn’t mean to make you worry. In fact, I’m not even here to see your brother. I’m looking for his friend Basir Hamidi. Rumor has it he’s staying here too.”

  “He was, but he moved into Ryan’s apartment.”

  “I see.” Spencer motioned his companion over. “This is Lance Corporal Adams. Would you mind giving him your brother’s new address?”

  She recited the address and watched the young man no older than twenty-one write it down in a small notebook. Why was the colonel looking for Basir? Had something fallen through with his green card? Were they deporting him? Did they want him to go back to being an interpreter?

  The thought of him going back to Afghanistan for any reason terrified her. She had a feeling he wouldn’t make it out alive again.

  “Thank you, Miss Carpenter,” Spencer said, replacing his hat on his head. “We’ll be on our way.”

  She watched the two men leave as suddenly as they had appeared. A moment later, she heard their car go back up the drive. Unfortunately, her fear didn’t follow them. It remained strong in her heart as she prayed harder than ever for Basir’s safety.

  ~*~

  Lunch held little appeal after Colonel Spencer’s visit, but Meghan forced herself to eat anyway. Regardless of why the colonel was looking for Basir, she had a farm to run and a farmer’s market to prepare for. Both tasks took a tremendous amount of energy, and she needed to keep her body well-fueled if she wanted to complete them successfully. Since her livelihood depended on her success, she made a sandwich and sat down at the table with it and a glass of ice water.

  She finished the last bite and carried her dishes to the sink. Before she could wash them, she heard the front door. Relief flooded her. Everything had to be fine if her brother and Basir had arrived right on time. Stepping into the hall, she spotted only her brother.

  “Where’s Basir?” she asked with a sinking feeling.

  “He packed a bag and went with Colonel Spencer.” Ryan grinned, making her want
to strangle him for his nonchalance. “By the way, both the colonel and Lance Corporal Adams said you’re cute.”

  “Great. It’s nice to know I can still impress marines just by being alive.” She rolled her eyes despite her worry. How many times had the men her brother served with hit on her or made some comment about her looks?

  He laughed, appearing completely unconcerned that the Marine Corps had just hauled away his best friend. “I think Adams wishes he could have hung around a little longer just so he could get to know you.”

  “Too bad for him I’m already taken.” She drew in a deep breath, hoping to calm her nerves. “Do you know where they took Basir?”

  “Nope. But I’m sure they’ll bring him back soon enough.” Ryan walked past her toward the kitchen. “So, what are we doing first? Picking produce or working on the weeding Colonel Spencer mentioned you doing?”

  Meghan sighed and followed him. Clearly her brother wasn’t going to discuss the situation with Basir any further. “Let’s finish the weeding. It’s still a little early to work on the produce.”

  As they worked their way through the garden, Meghan wanted to cry. She felt the loss of Basir so deeply, and the lack of information on where he had gone and for how long scared her. Ryan’s calm demeanor gave her a glimmer of hope that nothing bad would happen to the man she loved, but she needed to know what was going on in order to fully trust he would be safe. Then there was the fact that she had no idea when he would return. Would he miss her while he was gone? Would he still want her when he returned?

  Why hadn’t he called to let her know what was going on?

  Her heart ached with the realization he hadn’t called. Wasn’t that what a man did when he loved a woman? Called to let her know he was going away for a few days or longer? With his rural upbringing in rather primitive conditions, she couldn’t discount the possibility that calling her hadn’t even occurred to him. But surely he would have had the presence of mind to give Ryan a message for her—unless he didn’t love her as much as he claimed.

  “Father God,” she whispered, thankful her brother was working a few rows away and couldn’t hear her. “Help me to trust Basir’s love. Help me to trust that You will keep him safe and bring him back in one piece. And, Lord, please help me to stay calm and be patient while I wait for his return. I know worrying won’t help, but it’s hard not to worry when the man I love is picked up by the marines and taken to an unspecified location for an indeterminate length of time. I know You are with him and me both, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a long wait for him to get back. Please help me survive the wait with a minimal amount of freaking out.”

  She blinked away tears as she reached for another weed. Even knowing God was looking out for Basir and would give her comfort, she couldn’t shake the fear that something bad would happen. How would she survive the heartache of losing the man she wanted to spend her life with?

  Her vision blurred once more at the thought of never seeing Basir again, and she sighed. Yes, it would be a very long wait indeed.

  17

  Saturday morning lasted an eternity as Meghan faked smiles and engaged in cheerful small talk when all she wanted to do was cry. All around her, the farmer’s market bustled. Yet she was alone, wondering if she would ever hear from Basir again.

  She had tried several times the previous evening to get more information out of her brother, but Ryan wouldn’t tell her anything. Finally, he had threatened to leave her to finish picking produce on her own if she didn’t stop asking him things he couldn’t answer. She acquiesced, but she couldn’t shake a new question. Why couldn’t her brother answer her seemingly simple questions about where Basir had gone and for how long? Was it because he didn’t know, or had Colonel Spencer sworn him to secrecy?

  The uncertainty had plagued her all night, and now she had to pretend that everything was fine so she had a chance of selling everything she had brought with her.

  She added a few more cucumbers to the display and smiled at the passing people. Someone approached the booth as she straightened the tomatoes, and she prepared to convince the latest customer to buy some produce. Turning toward the newcomer, her stock greeting died in her throat.

  “Sara, hi! I didn’t expect to see you today.” Meghan’s face heated. “I mean, Ryan’s at work, so...”

  Sara laughed and stepped closer. “I understand. I’m actually here to buy a few things. Ryan’s coming over for dinner tonight, and I know he would enjoy eating from your garden.”

  “My brother got spoiled living with me,” Meghan said with a smile. “I’ve been sending fresh veggies home with Basir most days since they moved out.”

  Sara picked up a pair of cucumbers. “Where is Basir? I’m surprised he’s not here helping you.”

  “He had to go out of town.” Meghan adjusted some of the herbs and tried not to think about how far out of town he might have gone.

  “Oh? Is he going to be gone long?”

  “I’m not sure. According to Ryan, he’ll be back soon enough.” Meghan sighed and met Sara’s curious gaze. “I didn’t have a chance to talk to Basir before he left.”

  “Weird. I would have thought he would call you.”

  “Basir rarely does what I would expect from an American man.” And she loved him for all his quirks and strange behavior. Even so, she couldn’t help wishing that for once he would have done the American thing and either called her while he packed or once he arrived wherever Colonel Spencer took him.

  “He certainly is unique.” Sara’s laugh faded as she studied Meghan. “Wait a minute. I thought Ryan said something about you and Basir going out tonight.”

  “We were supposed to, but then he had to leave.” Meghan shook her head and commanded herself not to cry. “I guess we’ll just have to postpone our date until he gets back.”

  “After you waited so long for him to finally ask you out?” Sara set down the produce she had collected and reached for Meghan’s hands. “I can’t imagine how hard that must be. Why don’t you come to my house for dinner?”

  Meghan’s heart lifted a little at this show of caring from her brother’s girlfriend, yet she couldn’t help feeling guilty at the invitation. “I don’t want to ruin your date.”

  “You won’t. It’s not really a date, anyway.” Sara grinned and gave her hands a gentle squeeze. “Mainly, Ryan didn’t want to have to cook tonight, and I never object to the opportunity to spend time with him.”

  “Well, I guess I could join you.” She hoped her brother wouldn’t mind her being a third wheel, but it was Sara’s house.

  “Great!” Sara released her hands and looked over the produce once more. “Now, I just need a few more things. We’re having lasagna and salad.”

  Meghan helped her find what she needed, and then bagged it up. When Sara tried to pay, Meghan refused to take the money. “It’s on me. Consider it a thank you for keeping me from having a lonely Saturday night.”

  “Well, if you’re sure...”

  “I am.” Meghan leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Between you and me, sales are slow today. I’m likely to end up hauling a lot of this home, so whatever goes with you is that much less I have to pack up at the end of the day.”

  Sara laughed and nodded. “All right, then.”

  After providing her address, Sara wandered off. Meghan went back to trying to entice people to buy her products. Some weeks she sold out quickly, but days like this one left her glad her yarn business was a large part of her income. By the end of the market, she still had more than she liked to carry home. As she packed, she loaded a couple of plastic bags with produce to take with her to Sara’s. Ryan could take one home, and Sara could have the other. Even after separating those vegetables out, she still had two and a half boxes to figure out something to do with. She might give them to friends at church or make casseroles or other items that could be frozen. If enough of it was in good shape on Monday, she could drop it off at the food pantry.

  By the time she unl
oaded her truck at home and stored everything, she barely had time to change into a long summer dress. Then she was back in her truck and heading for Sara’s small house a few blocks from downtown. Ryan’s car sat in the drive behind an older compact car, so Meghan parked at the curb. She grabbed the two bags of produce and climbed out. As she walked up the path lined with cheerful flowers, the front door opened, and Ryan stepped out.

  “Hey, sis. Come on in.”

  “Thanks.” She paused before stepping through the doorway and looked at him. “I hope you don’t mind me being here. Sara insisted I wouldn’t be in the way, but—”

  “She’s right. I should have thought of it myself.” He slung an arm around her shoulders and guided her inside. The warm scents of tomato sauce and baked cheese surrounded them. “I know you’re worried about Basir and upset that your date with him has to be postponed. Leaving you on your own tonight would be wrong.”

  “I don’t know about that, but I am glad to have company.”

  Ryan gave her a hug, and then stepped away to close the door. When he turned around, he gestured toward the bags in her hands. “Sara didn’t say anything about you contributing to dinner.”

  “I’m not. It wasn’t a good day at the farmer’s market, and I have to do something with the leftovers.” Meghan handed him the bags. “There’s one for you and one for Sara.”

  “Thanks.”

  She followed him through a tidy living room with a tan couch, a metal-and-glass coffee table, and an upholstered chair in the back corner with packed bookshelves on either side. They stepped into a nice-sized kitchen with pale sage walls and white cabinets and countertops. Off to one side stood a white-and-light wood table and matching chairs. A window above the sink showed a backyard blooming with flowers.

  Sara turned from the white gas stove and smiled. “Hi, Meghan! I’m just about to cut the lasagna.”

  “It smells delicious.”