Last Chance Family

by Hope Ramsay

  “I thought being honest was the right thing to do. Don’t you believe in honesty?”

  “Yeah, but maybe not like that. Andrea told me once that parents lie to their kids all the time.”

  “Okay, I’m an idiot. I just thought that she needed to know what was going to happen so she could prepare. And after the call I got last night, I’m starting to think I’ve completely underestimated her attachment to the cat and vice versa.”

  Except he hadn’t. For the last week, he’d known precisely how cruel it would be to take away Rainbow’s cat. But he’d forged ahead with that plan, sure that the tradeoff would be worth it. Rainbow would get Charlene as a mother and Timmy as a father. And the cat seemed like a small sacrifice.

  But now, with Charlene clearly not in the picture, losing her cat seemed like a pretty raw deal for Rainbow. The kid had been right to beat on him and tell him how much she hated him. He’d been ready to destroy Rainbow’s best friend.

  “Is she going to be okay?” Timmy asked in a softer voice. It occurred to Mike that this question should have been asked first.

  “She’s got a broken leg that requires something called an open reduction. The orthopedist just arrived, and she’s gone into surgery. She’s going to need a plate and some screws to hold the lower leg bones in place. But her injury isn’t life-threatening.”

  Timmy strode across the room and threw himself into one of the standard-issue chairs. “Thank God. But it means more hurdles for her.” Timmy’s voice still had that accusatory tone.

  Mike didn’t dispute his brother’s words or the tone. He deserved all the censure Timmy wanted to throw in his direction. He had failed to keep Rainbow safe.

  Cat or no cat, she would be better off with Timmy and Andrea. The two of them looked like a set of model parents. And maybe Mrs. Blake from Chicago would understand about letting Tigger stay with Charlene. Then Timmy could arrange visitation for Rainbow.

  So it was time to leave. Time to pull the plug on this distraction.

  “Look, Timmy, I got a call yesterday from a casino that wants to sponsor me. The initial signing bonus is a substantial sum, and I plan to put it in a trust for Rainbow. If I do well in the upcoming tournament, I’ll be getting a pretty steady paycheck. And it’s my hope that, by the time Rainbow graduates from high school, I will have saved a big pot of money that she can use for college or whatever it is she wants to do in life. I’ll need you to manage that trust. But I think supporting her financially is about the best I can offer her.”

  “You’re leaving? Now?” Timmy’s voice sounded hard and angry.

  “I need to get back by Thursday at the latest.” He looked up at his brother, and noted the disgust on Timmy’s face. Well, so be it. Mike wasn’t any kind of angel. And he was nobody’s idea of the perfect father or spouse. It would be better all the way around if he cleared out as quickly as possible.

  “If money is so important to you, then you should go.” The soft-spoken minister had clearly lost his patience.

  “It’s not about the money.”

  “Isn’t it?”

  “You think it’s a bad thing for me to set up a trust for Rainbow?”

  Timmy shook his head and let go of a big breath. “No. But I think it’s despicable of you to run out on Rainbow for a big sponsorship deal when she’s hurt and needs you.”

  “She needs me like she needs a hole in the head. I’m no good for her, Timmy. And you got it right when you came in here a moment ago. She wouldn’t be hurt if anyone but me had been looking after her. I’m no good at this.”

  Mike stood up and headed for the door. “We have an appointment with Eugene Hanks this afternoon. You stay here, and I’ll keep the appointment. I’ll see about getting you a medical power of attorney. Send me text updates on her condition, okay?”

  “What am I supposed to tell Rainbow when she gets out of surgery?”

  Mike stopped and stared at his brother. “Just tell her you love her, for chrissake.”

  His brother’s eyes widened, no doubt because Mike had taken the Lord’s name in vain. Well, tough.

  He walked out of the waiting room without looking back. He’d learned not to do that the day he’d walked out on Angie. Walking out on Timmy was just as hard, even though his brother was pissed off at him right at the moment. He hadn’t even fully processed the idea of walking away from Rainbow. Or Charlene. But that was going to be even harder.

  CHAPTER

  27

  Charlene left a message on the answering machine at work, letting Dave and Cindy know about the crisis. Then she dressed in the clothes she usually wore for farm rounds and headed out the front door on foot, with a baggie of cat treats in her pocket.

  She walked a mile and a half down Julia Street, poking under bushes and in alleyways and up people’s drives. She’d almost reached Palmetto Avenue when her cell phone rang. She checked the ID, hoping it might be Mike with some word about Rainbow.

  Disappointment. It was Elsie Campbell, but then Elsie probably had all the latest on Rainbow’s condition, so she pressed the talk button.

  “Hey,” she said.

  “Oh, honey, the minute I heard about little Rainbow I got in touch with everyone and we’ve got a rotating prayer vigil going at the hospital in Orangeburg. Sabina went up there right away, and thank God the news is good. I gather Rainbow broke her leg and needs surgery but it could have been so much worse. So, anyway, I know you’re not a member of the Altar Guild but I thought maybe you might want to sign up for the vigil and all. We’re trying to make sure Pastor Tim isn’t alone in this time of need. We’ve got a slot this afternoon at two.”

  “Isn’t Mike with him?”

  “I don’t think so.” The disappointment in Elsie’s voice came through loud and clear. “I had such high hopes for him, you know? He seems like such a good man, and he’s done such a fabulous job with Rainbow. So I was shocked when Sabina Grey told me that he’d left the hospital. Pastor Tim told Sabina that Mike has some kind of big poker deal. And since Rainbow is going to be okay, and Pastor Tim has all but agreed to become her daddy, there’s no real reason for him to stay.”

  Charlene gritted her teeth. Why did this hurt so bad? It wasn’t as if she hadn’t expected it. After all, the guy admitted that he planned to take Rainbow’s cat to the animal shelter. And he was planning to leave Rainbow because of a big payday. He was exactly like all the other guys who’d traipsed through her bedroom.

  They all chose money instead of her.

  “Elsie,” she said on a long sigh, “I’m out here looking for Rainbow’s cat. I don’t think I can commit to a specific time at the hospital.” In truth, she planned to stay away from the hospital. If she had to bet, she’d say that Andrea Newsome would eventually become Rainbow’s momma. And for Rainbow’s sake, Charlene needed to back off.

  “Honey, this could be your chance to bond with Pastor Tim. You know that, don’t you?”

  Oh, boy, Elsie and the rest of the ladies were sweet but so misguided. “Uh, yeah, but I don’t think Tim and I are a match made in heaven, Elsie. And besides…” Her voice choked, and she couldn’t go on. The truth was hard to take.

  “Hon, what’s up?”

  “Nothing. I just need to find Rainbow’s cat, okay?”

  “Honey, are you out there searching all by your lonesome?”

  “Yeah. The cat ran away just before the accident. Rainbow was running to catch her. Tigger couldn’t have gotten that far, but I can’t find her. She’s probably hiding or something. Poor thing.”

  “I’ll see if I can get you some help on that, okay?”

  “Thanks.”

  “All right, hon. You take care.”

  “Uh, Elsie—”

  “What?”

  “Ah, could you call if you hear any news about the child?”

  There was a long pause. “Honey, don’t you think you should be down at the hospital?”

  “Elsie, come on. I’m not marrying Tim. But I’d appreciate it if you could
pass along any information your Altar Guild ladies get.”

  Another long pause. “All right, Charlene.”

  “Thanks.”

  She disconnected, and two minutes later, Angel pulled his Jeep to the curb and got out.

  He looked exhausted, the skin beneath his eyes dark with fatigue. “Wow, you look like something the cat dragged in. Did you and Dave get any sleep on Saturday and Sunday?”

  “Not much. We did a lot of talking.”

  “Talking?”

  “It’s complicated,” he said. “But I’m not here to talk about me and Dave. Dave called this morning and told me about what happened to Rainbow. I’m here to take you to the hospital, which is where you belong right now.”

  “You know, I’m tired of everyone in this town thinking they know what I should be doing. As it turns out, Rainbow got hurt chasing her cat. The cat is missing, and Mike asked me to find it. He said it was important for Rainbow. And I agree with that. And there are dozens of church ladies holding vigil at the hospital. But no one is actually trying to find Tigger. So I think, all in all, I should stick with this job and keep my distance.”

  “Chica, that is silly. You care about her… and Mike.”

  “I do,” she whispered. “I care about them too much. Don’t you see? I think it would be better if I stayed away. I’m not marrying Tim. And I don’t think Mike sees me as his soulmate. Bed buddy would be a better description.”

  “Oh, my God. You slept with him?”

  She nodded. “Don’t worry. I was sober.”

  “And…?”

  “And he’s got talent between the sheets. But right afterward, he got a call from someone in Vegas with a big sponsorship deal. He’s going back. He’s exactly like Derrick and John and Phillip and Erik.”

  “Oh, I am sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I just need to find Tigger.” Her voice shook.

  Angel didn’t say anything, but his big brown eyes filled with compassion.

  “I’m fine. Are you fine?”

  He shook his head. “No, I’m confused. Ready to start a protest against the small-minded members of the Baptist church. But mostly fine.”

  Her eyes started tearing up. “Damnit,” she swore as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “How many times am I going to make the same mistake?”

  “I—”

  “No, don’t answer that.” She put up her hand. “I am done making that mistake. Because, look at me, I’m the one looking for the cat. Do you think four cats are too many for an unmarried woman in her early thirties?”

  Angel had the good grace not to answer that question either.

  Rainbow reminded Tim of a sleeping angel. The docs had sedated her so she was pain free at the moment. He looked up from his prayers. She would survive relatively unscathed except for a scar on her leg.

  He had not left her side since she’d come out of recovery.

  The clock on the wall had just clicked over to two in the afternoon. The next Altar Guild volunteer should be arriving shortly. They had come as a tag team to sit with him, get him drinks and sandwiches from the cafeteria, and pray. Their prayers were simple and direct and powerful. His own prayers were far more complicated. He didn’t think his Altar Guild would fully understand his doubts.

  Especially now that the clock read two. Back in Last Chance, Mike would be about to meet with Eugene and start the process of making him Rainbow’s guardian.

  The door opened. He looked up, expecting Elsie or Wilma, but instead Andrea Newsome strolled in.

  After the words they’d shared on Saturday night, he hadn’t expected to see her here. But the moment she arrived, the tension in his neck and shoulders eased. He’d had visitors all day, and finally someone had come who had the power to give him comfort, or at least listen without prejudice to his honest thoughts.

  “Hey,” she said in a soft voice. “I’ve been fighting with my better judgment all day, and I’m pleased to say that my judgment lost.”

  “So this isn’t a professional visit?”

  Was it guilt that made her cheeks get pink? She shook her head. “Well, I justified it as a professional visit. Rainbow is still one of my patients, at least for the time being. But, Tim, I think we need to make a change. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about last Saturday, and the truth is I want to pursue a relationship with you.”

  It wasn’t exactly a breathless declaration of love, but it felt like one.

  “I’d like to do the same thing,” he said as he stood up and moved to her side. He took her into his arms. She came willingly, her hair brushing against his chin, her scent enveloping him. He drank it in. Her soft, feminine body fit perfectly against his. A spark of desire ignited inside him.

  He gave her a long, deep kiss, which she returned in kind. He knew, right then, that the Lord had sent him something precious and wonderful. If Miriam Randall had predicted this, then she truly had a link with the Lord and his plans.

  The kiss didn’t last nearly long enough. But they stood in a hospital room, and one of his parishioners was likely to turn up at any moment. Restraint was called for. And Andrea seemed to understand that. She understood so much.

  She turned, still in his arms, and gazed down at the sleeping child. “So how did this happen?”

  “She was running after her cat.” He almost choked on the words. “Andrea, why would God send me a child who loved a cat that much? Is this His idea of a joke or a test?”

  She looked up at him, a gentle smile on her face. “I can’t answer that. You know my views on God.”

  “You don’t believe in Him.”

  “Oh, I think I do. But my God is not so deeply involved in our daily travails. I think he thought up the universe and walked away, just to see what we’d do with it.”

  “That’s a depressing way of looking at things.”

  She cupped his face in her hand, setting off little waves of internal longing. “I think it’s a realistic way of thinking. Bad things happen to people who don’t deserve it. And irony abounds, Tim. You know that.”

  “When I heard about the accident, I lost it. I don’t even understand why I got so upset. But I came in here with my emotions out of control.”

  “I’m not surprised.”

  “I took my feelings out on Mike. I think I made a terrible mistake.”

  Andrea’s eyebrow arched. “Why do you say that?”

  He tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “I came in here ready to blame Mike for what happened, but the longer I pray, the better I see the truth.

  “Rainbow would never have been trying to run away if I had been willing to find some accommodation for her cat. But I took such a firm, unwavering stance. I showed that child no pity. No compassion. No love.”

  “I think you sell yourself short. You said yourself that you came here today emotionally undone. Why do you think you felt that way?”

  “I just told you.”

  “No, Tim, you told me you came running here out of control. You probably didn’t even know about the cat. But you were already upset. Why do you think that happened?”

  He stood blinking down at her as the clock on the wall ticked down seconds. He mentally pushed his guilt aside and tried to recapture that moment this morning when Mike had called him.

  His throat constricted. Mike had been out of control, too.

  Tim closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I was afraid she might die, and I don’t want to lose her. I don’t want to lose Mike either,” he whispered.

  “Of course not. They’re your family.” She gave him a big hug and stroked his back for a moment.

  “But Andrea, there’s something else.”

  She eased back. “I know.”

  “You know?”

  She nodded. “But you need to say it out loud. You need to give yourself that space and be honest.”

  He nodded, emotions churning inside him. “I know I’m expected to take care of Rainbow. And I’m sure I will find a lot of joy in it. I’ve come
to love her, and last Saturday down at the river I had a blast swimming with her. But I don’t feel called to be her father, Andrea. I don’t expect you to quite understand this. But the more I pray on this, the deeper I feel about it. I’ve put this in Christ’s hands, and He keeps giving me an answer that I’m having trouble accepting.”

  “So you think maybe your Lord has another plan, huh?”

  He managed a chuckle. “That’s funny coming from a nonbeliever like you.”

  “I have been told I’ve got a good bedside manner.” She grinned.

  He tried to smile. He couldn’t quite manage it.

  “Just say it out loud, Tim. I’m not going to judge you for your feelings. They are just feelings.”

  “I don’t want to be her father. I don’t think I’m right for her.” He blurted the words, and they sounded so horrible being spoken out loud. “I care about her. I even love her. But I just don’t feel ready to take care of her. I wish…”

  “What?”

  “I wish Mike had never come here and dumped this on me.” He took several big breaths. “I’m a terrible person.” He let her go and strode to the single window in the room. He leaned against the windowsill and looked out at a darkening sky. A summer thunderstorm was headed this way.

  “Tim, you just punted. You fell back on guilt, which is a common thing that we all do. But you have to push those guilty feelings aside and go hunting for the truth. You don’t really wish that Mike had never turned up. You just admitted to me that you’re afraid they might leave you. And you don’t want them to go. Isn’t that true?”

  He nodded.

  “So your heart’s desire is for Rainbow and Mike to stay in Allenberg County?”

  “Yes.” He turned from the window. “Yes, yes. I want them to stay. But I don’t…” His voice trailed off.

  “Say it out loud.”

  “I don’t think I should be Rainbow’s guardian.” He said the words in a rush. Just saying them seemed so terribly selfish. But saying them aloud was such a relief.

  “I don’t think you should be Rainbow’s guardian either,” she said.