Timothy looked up at him and gave him a small smile. “Thanks.”
When Shayna showed up at the end of the hour, it took everything within Tristan to keep from asking her if they’d found a new home. Until she mentioned something to him, he couldn’t butt in where he was not welcome. So in addition to praying that they would find a new place to live, he would also pray that she’d confide in him because it was possible that if she didn’t find a place in time, he had a solution to her apartment problems.
The next Sunday, Timothy was still quiet, but Tristan wondered if perhaps it was for an entirely different reason. While the other kids spent the first few minutes of the class talking about the things they hoped they’d get for Christmas, Timothy and the only other little boy from a single parent family sat quietly.
It made Tristan’s heart hurt and wish he could do something for each of them.
Even when his dad had been a single parent with four boys, his income had still been good enough to give them a decent Christmas. Plus, they’d still had a set of grandparents who had the money to indulge them. In fact, they’d probably indulged them even more than most grandparents would have in an attempt to make up for their daughter’s bad parenting.
He didn’t know about the other little boy’s situation, but from what Shayna had said, there were no other family members in the picture for her and Timothy. Add into that a pending move and a car that sounded like it was on its last legs, and she’d probably be focusing on trying to save up money rather than spend it on Christmas gifts.
Unfortunately, Tristan kind of felt like his hands were tied. He didn’t want to overstep any boundaries she had in place with regards to Timothy.
He also resisted asking Timothy if his mom had found a place for them to live yet, but as it turned out, the little boy answered that question by asking a question of his own.
Leaning close, Timothy asked, “Have you finished building any of the tiny homes yet? Could we rent one of those?”
“We haven’t broken ground on them yet,” Tristan said, hating how the boy’s face fell at his response. “We aren’t going to do that until the spring, and the first houses will be for people who have bought them.”
Timothy’s gaze remained lowered as he nodded. “I asked Maman again about buying one since it would just be the two of us now that Lisa is moving in with her mom, but she said no.”
Before Tristan could respond, Timothy gathered up his Sunday School papers and trailed after the other boys. Letting out a long sigh, Tristan stuffed the papers and books into his bag then slung the strap onto his shoulder before leaving the room. The class was already settled into their row, and the leaders on the stage had begun to play the closing songs when Tristan joined them.
When Shayna showed up after it was over, Tristan could see how tired she was. He hated to see the toll her situation was taking on her, particularly when he knew he could help them.
Instead of asking questions about things he wasn’t supposed to know about, he smiled and said, “It was good having Timothy in class again. Hope your week has gone well.”
She glanced down at Timothy for a moment before meeting Tristan’s gaze again. “It’s been busy, but that’s about par for the course these days.”
Deciding to test the water just a bit, Tristan said, “Timothy mentioned that Lisa’s mom had an accident. I hope she’s doing okay.”
After a brief hesitation, Shayna responded. “She’s been moved out of the hospital to a rehab place. Lisa said she seems to be doing okay.”
“That’s good to hear. I’ll be praying her recovery goes smoothly,” Tristan said.
“I know she’d appreciate that.” Shayna took Timothy’s hand. “We’d better go. Have a good week.”
“You too,” Tristan replied then turned as another of the boys approached him. After chatting with the boy and his parents for a few minutes, he pulled on his coat and headed for his car.
Thoughts of Shayna and Timothy followed Tristan throughout the next week. It wasn’t until he found himself sitting in front of his monitor at work with a web page of apartment rentals in Winnipeg up on it, that he realized he’d hyper-focused on their situation.
It wasn’t too surprising that he’d ended up doing. From the time he’d been little, he’d had the tendency to focus in on one thing to the exclusion of everything else—particularly if something triggered his emotions. It had been great when it came to homework or school projects, and even better when he needed to troubleshoot something regarding either of his careers. It hadn’t been so great when he’d be playing with his Lego or a video game and his mom had wanted him to do something.
This was the first time his focus had honed in on a person—or rather, persons. He was pretty sure that Shayna wouldn’t accept anything financial from him, which left him with only one thing to do: try to find an apartment that might fit her budget. Of course, he had no idea what that budget might be.
What he did see was that a lot of apartments available on the lower end of the rent spectrum were in the not-so-great parts of the city. He was sure that she would prefer a two-bedroom, which automatically increased the cost.
Tristan leaned back in his chair, scowling at the monitor.
On some level, he’d always known that he and his siblings were fortunate in the life they’d been given. Even though the first house they’d lived in as a blended family had been rather cramped, they had still had a basically stable life.
If there had been financial stresses going on, his parents hadn’t discussed them in front of the kids. Maybe they’d done that because while it wouldn’t have been something worth worrying about for most of them, he and Makayla would have worried a whole lot. Much like Timothy appeared to be doing.
He didn’t doubt that Shayna tried to shield Timothy as best she could, but he was an only child—and an inquisitive one, at that—who probably knew more about the situation than his mom realized. Tristan had grown up with the distraction of his siblings’ antics, so he hadn’t had time to focus on what might have been going on with the adults in his life.
“Hey, man.” Tristan heard the words right before he felt the thud on the back of his chair. “You looking to move?”
Tristan spun his chair around to face Gabe. “Nope. What’s up?”
Gabe dropped down in the chair across the desk from Tristan. “Not much. Just making the rounds while I’m waiting for Maya to finish up.”
“Where’s Aika?” Tristan asked.
His brother beamed at Tristan’s query about his daughter. “She’s with Baba. We’re heading over to Max and Yuka’s to have supper with them and pick her up.”
Tristan had to say that one of the things he enjoyed most about his siblings becoming adults was how they were finding their life partners and growing their families. The next generation was rapidly increasing in number, and Tristan adored each and every one of his nieces and nephews.
Including the ones that had come into the family through marriage, those nieces and nephews ranged in age from infant to teen. He wondered how Timothy would fit in with them.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The thought of Timothy being part of his family like that had Tristan blinking in surprise. For that to happen, things would have to develop with Shayna beyond friendship, and Tristan was fairly certain that wasn’t going to happen.
He didn’t have a whole lot of experience with unrelated females. He’d tried dating a few times—usually a friend of a friend sort of thing—but when he’d find himself distracted by other things during the course of the date, he’d known there wouldn’t be a second or third one.
He didn’t feel it was necessary to waste their—or his—time when they didn’t connect on a level that kept him engaged. So he didn’t have much experience in how to deal with women romantically, except to know that there had to be some sort of connection. Whether that be mental, spiritual, or physical, there had to be something that made them each want to spend more time in the other’s company.
His parents had taught them not to focus on the physical connection, so that left a mental or spiritual one. In reality, that was what Tristan wanted—needed—the most. A woman who had some depth to her.
So then, why did he have the thought of them in his life as more than just mere acquaintances or friends? Sure, he had connected with Timothy, but he knew very well that the boy and his mother were a package deal. That should have made him want to steer clear of Timothy, but it didn’t.
Now he needed to find out why.
“Where do you keep going off to?” Gabe asked, pulling Tristan’s focus back to him.
“Sorry. I just have a few things I’m working on. You know how I get.”
“Is there trouble with the new project?”
It would have been so easy to take Gabe up on the excuse he had given him, but instead, Tristan shook his head. “So far, things are going smoothly. We’ve sold forty percent of phase one. Given the novelty of the tiny homes movement, I’m pleased with where we are currently. We still have six months before we break ground in the spring. I imagine we could quite possibly have seventy-five percent sold by then. Holly has been doing a terrific job of spreading information about it on social media. It’s definitely gaining interest, though many of the visitors are just curious.”
Those like Timothy and Shayna who had just come to look, knowing that they couldn’t afford to purchase one of the homes. But Tristan had no problem with curiosity. In fact, he loved it. As much as he loved talking to the ones who were serious, he also enjoyed answering the questions of the curious.
“That’s great,” Gabe said even as he shook his head. “Who would have thought that there would be so much interest in houses no bigger than the master suite in our home.”
Tristan could only grin, well aware that he wouldn’t find a buyer amongst his siblings, especially since most of them planned to have families that were too large for the homes he’d designed for the tiny village. He was still uncertain which way he was going to go. His first interest in the tiny home movement came more from the challenge of designing them than for environmental reasons.
Given the extreme temperatures of central Canada, he’d known that any designs he made would have to accommodate for that. And then there was the challenge of maximizing the space to include all the things that the owner would need. So while it hadn’t been a pursuit of a green lifestyle that had started him on the tiny home path, he had developed a deep understanding of its importance to people.
“Well, I’d better go find my beautiful wife,” Gabe said as he got to his feet. “You going to be at the game on Friday?”
“Yep,” Tristan said with a nod. He’d been thinking about asking Shayna to allow him to take Timothy with him since they knew each other a bit better this time around.
After Gabe left, Tristan turned to face his monitor again, but instead of continuing his search for an affordable apartment, he closed the browser window. Now was not the time for that focus. Work hours. Work focus.
If only it were that easy.
On Wednesday, Lisa came home for the second time since her mother’s accident, and when she left the next morning, she took more of her things with her. Though Shayna had offered to drive her back to her mother’s place, allowing Lisa to take more stuff with her, Lisa had declined. Considering the condition of her car, Shayna was relieved. She would have gladly helped her friend, but it would have benefited neither of them if her car broke down on the side of the No. 1 highway.
At some point, Lisa would have to rent a moving van or truck to remove the rest of her belongings. Most of the furniture in the townhouse was hers. All that belonged to Shayna was the furniture in her and Timothy’s rooms. Beds, dressers, and they each had a small desk. Otherwise, all they had was their clothing.
It would make the move both simple because she wouldn’t have to move much, and complex because unless she managed to find an apartment that was already furnished with what they would need, she was going to have to buy several large pieces of furniture and have them delivered.
Timothy had been in bed for about an hour, and Shayna had just finished putting together his things for the next day when her phone rang. Expecting it to be Lisa, she frowned when she saw Tristan’s name on the display. She hesitated for a moment before tapping on the screen.
“Hi Shayna, this is Tristan,” he said after she answered. “I wonder if I could talk to you for a minute.”
“Sure. What can I do for you?” Shayna wandered from the kitchen into the small living room and sank down on the chair next to the Christmas tree.
The glowing lights were all that illuminated the room, and while Christmas wasn’t her favorite holiday anymore, she did enjoy the lights.
“I know the last time I asked this question, you didn’t want to give your permission, but I hope now that you know me a bit better, you might reconsider.”
Shayna drew her legs up as she leaned her head against the back of the armchair, her face turned toward the tree. “You want to take Timothy to a hockey game?”
“Yes. There’s another game this weekend, and we’ll be in the box again. I thought maybe he’d enjoy going.” He hesitated before adding, “And as before, you are welcome to come along if that would put you more at ease about it.”
She thought about it for a moment, waiting for some sort of disquiet within her at the idea of Timothy spending time with Tristan. There was no doubt that Timothy would be thrilled to go, and it would be a good escape for him. The news that they would be moving had been met, unsurprisingly, with dismay. Timothy had wisdom beyond his years, so it hadn’t taken him long to figure out that they’d be leaving behind the cozy home they’d made, for something…less.
“I…uh…I think he’d enjoy that,” she said, plucking at the fabric of her fleece pajama pants.
“Really?” The surprise in Tristan’s voice told her that he hadn’t expected her to say yes to his request. “That’s terrific. Would it be pushing too much to ask if he could come for dinner beforehand?”
“No, that would be fine,” Shayna assured him without hesitation. If she was okay with Tristan taking him for the evening, she couldn’t very well say no to dinner. “He could use an evening of fun.”
“Would you like to join us? Maybe you could use an evening of fun as well?”
Shayna was tempted, but maybe an evening to herself was something she needed more. She loved Timothy above all others, but she knew that sometimes, a little time apart could be good for them both. Lisa used to be the one who would take Timothy out, giving Shayna some time alone at home to focus on whatever she needed to focus on or just to relax.
Those times apart had never been lengthy, but they had been long enough for her to be able to focus on paying bills or to relax in a bath with a book, knowing that Timothy was safe and having fun with Lisa. It had been awhile since they’d had that. Her, personal relaxation. Him, fun with a favorite person.
“I think he’d enjoy the time better without me. What time do you need me to have him ready for you?”
“I’ll pick him up around five, and we’ll go for dinner before the game starts at seven-thirty. I probably won’t have him home until ten or so.”
“That’s okay. It’s not a school night, right?”
“No, it’s not. The game is Friday night.”
“I’ll have him ready to go at five,” Shayna assured him. “Thank you for inviting him along.”
“It’s no problem. Timothy recently mentioned that you were going to be moving, and he didn’t seem too happy about it. I understand how a change can be upsetting. It was that way for me as a kid, too, so I thought I might try to distract him. Even if just for a little while.”
Shayna waited for him to ask more questions, but when they didn’t appear to be forthcoming, she said, “Yes, you’re right. He is a bit upset and worried about the move.”
“Then hopefully, for just a few hours, he’ll be able to forget about it.”
“Th
ank you for understanding,” Shayna said and truly meant it.
Timothy had been just two, and speaking in clear full-length sentences, when they’d realized that he wasn’t an average toddler. At the time, neither of them had known quite what to do about it. Then, a couple of years later, they’d seen how sensitive he was to things around him and again had not known how to handle him. Lorne had wanted to toughen him up, but Shayna hadn’t known if that was right. It was one of the few things they had disagreed about.
It was a relief for Shayna to know that after all the grief and heartache Timothy had endured with the loss of his father, he now had a man in his life who apparently understood him better than most people did. She and Lisa had been able to accept his personality a bit better than Lorne had, but Shayna knew that having a male figure who understood him would be even more encouraging for her sensitive, brilliant son.
After the call ended, Shayna smiled briefly at how excited Timothy would be when she shared the news with him. It would be like Christmas had come early. Sadly, given how slim the pickings might be under the tree come Christmas morning, it might be the best gift he received. Period.
Tristan guided his vehicle to a stop at the curb of the street outside the grouping of townhomes that matched the address Shayna had given him. At five o’clock, the sky was already dark with the shortened days of winter. Because of that, lights around the windows of the townhouses in the neighborhood and the Christmas trees they framed were clearly visible.
He smiled up at the small tree he could see through the sliding doors of the second-floor balcony as he made his way along the shoveled walk to Shayna and Timothy’s townhouse. It was three stories high but narrow, and it looked like it had a garage on the first floor.
Once at the door, he pushed the doorbell then turned to look around at the townhouses closest to Shayna’s. It may not have been the best part of town, but it looked like a decent place to live.
Reaching Her Heart: A Christian Romance (Callaghans & McFaddens Book 8) Page 7