Signs of Love

by Kimberly Rae Jordan

  When Beth came back with Genevieve in her arms, Caden immediately straightened and left Alana's embrace. The little girl clapped, a huge smile on her face when she saw Caden. Beth set her down on the floor and Caden took her hand and led her to the toys that were piled in a corner of their living room.

  "Do you want to take a shower?" Beth asked. "I have some clothes I can loan you."

  Alana took a moment to try and formulate a plan. She hadn't wanted to change until Caden could as well, but she needed to be able to go out in public so she could get what he needed. "Yes, I would appreciate a shower and a change of clothes."

  Though they were about the same height, Beth had curves that Alana didn't so likely anything she gave her to wear would be a bit baggy...which was just fine with her. Beth didn't take long to find her some clothes and then sent her down to the bathroom she'd used during their previous stay with them. Though a bath in that lovely tub was tempting, Alana resisted and showered instead, using the shampoo and conditioner Beth had told her were there for her.

  Once finished the shower, she dried off and pulled on a pair of capris and a T-shirt and then used the towel to remove as much of the moisture from her hair as she could. Lowering the towel to the counter, Alana looked into the mirror and took a deep breath. The shower had helped to lift the remaining fear and worry which allowed her to focus on her plan of attack. Knowing that Caden was now in a safe place with people she trusted gave her the most comfort. Everything else she could fix. It wouldn't be the first time they'd started over.

  She didn't plan to stay with Beth and Daniel indefinitely, so she needed to get a plan in place that would allow her and Caden to find another home of their own. First things first...she would ask Beth if she could watch Caden and then use the money they'd been given for food for bus fare. Once she had a couple of outfits for both her and Caden, they would be that much closer to feeling normal.

  Alana closed her eyes briefly and prayed. "God, please let there be some good deals at the thrift store today. Thank you for providing us with a place to stay and good friends. And, if possible, please provide a tablet for Caden. Please."

  As she opened her eyes, verses that she'd clung to in the past whispered through her mind.

  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

  So many times she'd murmured that verse—particularly the first part—when she'd been worried about how she and Caden would survive. Be anxious for nothing. And God had provided for them time and again.

  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. How often had she wondered if she'd be able to cope with the weight of responsibility of Caden's care once they'd left Craig? Time and again she'd managed to pull through even the most trying and difficult situations, and she knew it was only with God's strength.

  But the verse she'd clung to the most during the two years they'd been on their own had been And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. And He had supplied all their needs. Sure what they'd had hadn't been fancy or expensive, but they'd had clothes to wear and food to eat and a roof over their heads. Things might have changed, but God had already begun to provide for them again through Beth and Daniel's generous offer of a place to stay. And she was confident that He would continue to provide as she sought to replace what had been lost.

  Her thoughts went to the fire and this time to the man who most likely had been responsible for it and how he'd paid for that with his own life. Was he at peace finally? She realized that she could have done more for the man. Though he'd made her uncomfortable, she could have extended friendship to him. She hoped that this experience would make her more sensitive to those around her who might be hurting.

  With one final press of the towel to the damp ends of her hair, Alana hung it on the rod and left the room with her smelly clothes in her hands. Once Caden could change, she'd ask Beth if she could do a load of laundry. As she looked around the room where she and Caden had stayed not that long ago, she could hardly believe how much had changed in their lives.

  Suddenly eager to get her plan underway, Alana left the bedroom and headed for the stairs. She had just set her foot on the bottom step when she realized there were voices coming from the main floor. Lots of them.

  A little self-conscious about the short sleeves on the shirt, Alana didn't really want to see anyone, but Caden was up there and wouldn't be able to communicate with anyone. Resolutely, she walked up the stairs and into the living room. Her eyes widened as she recognized the group of women sitting in the living room with Beth.

  Victoria slid off the couch when she spotted her and came over, arms outstretched. Alana bent over to hug the woman, still not really used to affectionate embraces from anyone but Caden.

  “I'm so sorry to hear about what happened," Victoria said as she stepped back. "We all are."

  "Thanks. We're both still alive, and that's really all that matters," Alana said, meaning every word of it.

  "Well, we're thankful you're okay." This time it was Lindsay who spoke. "And we want to help you get back on your feet."

  Alana's eyes widened as Lindsay motioned to a pile of bags by the coffee table. She looked at Beth, who was grinning.

  "If you don't like what we bought, you can take it back, but first you can blame Justin," Victoria said with a laugh.

  "Justin?" Alana asked, watching as Brooke and Lindsay began to pull items from the bag.

  "Yeah. He was the one who told us what to buy you." Victoria grinned. "He said you preferred longer skirts and to skip the skinny jeans."

  Heat rushed into Alana's cheeks. "Really?"

  "Sure thing." Victoria wiggled her phone in the air. "I have the text messages to prove it. And he said that Caden liked Spiderman."

  Oh, that man tugged at her heartstrings like no one else ever had. Even before all of this, she'd been teetering on the edge of falling for him. It may have been a small thing that he'd noticed what she preferred to wear and what Caden liked, but it was just enough to shove her off that cliff.

  Tears pricked at her eyes as Lindsay and Brooke held up some of the items they'd bought for her. It didn't escape her notice that several of the blouses had long sleeves, something else he'd noticed and cared enough to mention. Was it more than just caring for her and for Caden?

  "We have a whole bunch of stuff for Caden too," Brooke said. "I hope we got the sizes right. He looked to be about the same size Danny was at that age."

  At the mention of Danny, Alana's gaze went to the corner where Caden had been playing before she'd gone for her shower and she noticed that two more kids had joined them. Sarah and Danny were now bent over a pile of blocks with Caden while Genevieve was doing her best to knock them over.

  "I don't know what to say." Alana brushed at the dampness on her cheeks. "Thank you seems so...inadequate."

  "Thank you is more than sufficient," Lindsay said with a smile. "I'm just glad that we were in a position to be able to help. I want you to take these things and don't look back."

  "Thank you," Alana said again as Victoria took her hand and guided her to the growing pile of clothes on the coffee table.

  ~*~*~

  When Justin pulled his truck into the driveway of Beth's house, he recognized Trent, Eric and Than's vehicles on the street. Beth had called him a little earlier to let him know that they had shown up and the decision had been made to order pizza for everyone that was there.

  He got out of the truck and opened the door to the back and lifted out the three boxes that sat on the seat. After closing the door with his elbow, he made his way to the front door and let himself in. He stowed the boxes on the top shelf of the closet where he usually put his weapons and laptop. This time around, he'd left them at his apartment at the compound even though he still wore a weapon in his ankle holster as per Alex's request that they be armed.

  The smell of pizza tantalized him as he walked into the living
room and saw the group of people gathered there. It looked like all the women who'd gone shopping for Alana were still there as well as their husbands. The only one still missing appeared to be Lucas Hamilton. He'd had no idea when he'd taken Beth, Daniel and Alana to the company family day that the collision of his co-workers and his family would be something that would come to mean so much more. Looking at them all gathered there warmed his heart in a way he wouldn't have thought possible not that long ago. He'd spent a lot of years keeping his work life separate from his family.

  A sudden impact against his hip had him reaching for the wall to keep his balance. Even as he looked down, Justin knew whose face he'd see smiling up at him. Returning the smile Caden had for him, Justin slid his hands under his arms and lifted him up. As the boy buried his head into Justin's shoulder once again, he realized that he no longer had that acrid smoky smell clinging to him.

  Justin hoped the memories of the fire would also no longer cling to Caden, although he had a feeling it might take a little longer to get to that point. But he was going to make sure that if—or when—Caden wanted to talk to him about it, he'd have that ability with the new tablet he'd bought him.

  "Thank you." The softly spoken words drew his head up, and Justin found Alana standing in front of him.

  Her big green eyes regarded him warily. He wondered what it would take to get rid of the wariness she seemed to have whenever she was around him. Did she not realize yet that he would never ever do anything to hurt her or Caden? He knew he'd been an idiot at the start, but he'd tried to show her that he was different once he realized how far off the mark he'd been. Yet she still seemed to expect him to lash out at any moment.

  He gave a quick nod of his head, his hand splayed across Caden's back. "You're welcome."

  "It was very unexpected and thoughtful." Her fingers twisted together in front of her. "I'm not sure what I would have done if you hadn't found us."

  Justin reached out and covered her hands with his. "You're a strong and competent woman, Alana. I have no doubt that you would have done what was best for Caden and moved forward."

  Her eyes widened a bit more, but her fingers remained still beneath his. "Some days I don't feel very strong. This morning when I couldn't manage to get Caden out of the apartment, I didn't feel very strong."

  "Being strong doesn't mean you can do everything perfectly without feeling fear or weakness. It just means you can face what comes your way and deal with it, even if that means just setting one foot in front of another until you get things figured out. Knowing something of what's brought you this far, I can say without a word of a lie that you're strong. Just like Beth is. I don't think I've met two stronger women in my life."

  Some of the wariness eased from her expression, but she still held herself rigidly and perfectly still. Slowly, he let his fingers slide from hers. Suddenly, the little boy in his arms held his hand out to his mom, his fingers in what looked like the sign people made to rock on.

  A smile curved Alana's lips, and she lifted her hand and made the same sign before pressing it against Caden's. All wariness was gone from her expression as she made that connection with her son.

  "What does that mean?" Justin asked, figuring there was significance to it just as there was to anything Caden did with his hands.

  Alana's gaze swung to his as she moved her hand from Caden's. "It means I love you."

  Justin studied the position of her fingers until she lowered her hand and when he looked at her face, he saw a sweep of pink in her cheeks. Maybe she wasn't as unaffected by him as he'd thought she was.

  "Why don't you come get something to eat?" Beth came to stand next to Alana, a wide smile on her face. "I tried to save you a few pieces before your buddies ate them all."

  He bent to place Caden on his feet then followed Alana and Beth to the table where large boxes covered its surface. Genevieve sat in a high chair near the table, and her face lit up when she saw him. His heart clenched when she signed Hi to him. He dropped down to his haunches in front of her and signed it back to her then leaned forward to place a kiss on her curls.

  "You, my man, are a softie," Than said with a chuckle.

  Justin straightened and took the plate Beth held out to him before she went back to the living room with Alana. He shot Than a look and grunted in response as he put a couple of pieces of pizza on the plate.

  Than just laughed. "I always suspected you might have a soft side, but this is way more than I imagined."

  "Loving my family doesn't make me soft," Justin said then took a bite of his pizza.

  Than tilted his head and regarded him with a serious gaze. "Caden isn't your family. Neither is Alana."

  Justin glanced around to make sure no one else heard Than's softly spoken words. "No, they're not."

  His thoughts went to the company family day and the conversations that had gone on between Alana and Caden. He set the piece of pizza back down on his plate and said, "What were Alana and Caden talking about at the compound the other day?"

  Than's expression changed, closed off and he shook his head. "That's not mine to share, man."

  Justin stared at him, wondering if there was anything he could say or do to change Than's mind. But as frustrating as not knowing was, he appreciated that Than honored the privacy of the conversation between Caden and Alana, and he would do the same. He gave Than a nod and turned to look at the group gathered in the living room. Some sat on the furniture while others, like Trent, were seated on the floor. They had all made themselves comfortable in his sister's home and it felt right.

  Once they had finished eating, they began to clean up their dishes and the guys took the pizza boxes out to the trash. Eric and Staci were the first to leave with Sarah, but it wasn't long before the rest followed. Soon it was just him left. He thought of the boxes in the closet by the front door and hoped that Alana would receive them in the way she'd accepted the clothing and other essentials that had been given to her and Caden.

  This was more than just giving them some electronic toys. From previous conversations, he knew that she used her laptop to earn money and he had personal experience of what Caden used his tablet for. These weren't frivolous items. They were necessities.

  Since Daniel had taken Genevieve upstairs to give her a bath, Alana was in the kitchen with Beth. Caden sat at the table, his legs swinging as he colored in a book someone had bought him. From what he could see, it appeared to be filled with pictures of his favorite superhero.

  While they were all distracted, Justin went to the closet and pulled the boxes down. He stood there for a moment and sent up a prayer that Alana would accept these gifts. He needed to do this for her. For them.

  Back in the dining room, Caden's eyes grew wide when he saw Justin put the boxes on the table. He set the smallest box aside without opening it, focusing instead on the medium-sized one.

  "What you got there, Justin?" Beth dropped the dishtowel she'd had in her hands onto the counter and came around to where he stood.

  Alana followed her, and Justin knew the moment it registered with her what he had in front of him. He heard her swift intake of breath as her gaze darted to his. She gave a slight shake of her head, but Justin held up a hand.

  "You need these things, Alana. They are vital to both you and Caden, so please, just accept them."

  "It's too much," Alana said even as she reached out and ran her fingers along the box that held Caden's tablet. The label clearly marking it as the most up-to-date one on the market. She looked up at him, her green eyes shining with moisture. "It's too much."

  Justin stood there, needing her to accept the gifts. Wanting her to see that he really did understand that she and Caden needed these things. Her gaze went back to the boxes, and Justin could almost hear the internal conversation she was having with herself.

  He saw her lips move as if reciting something to herself and then her gaze lifted and she nodded. "Thank you."

  Justin wanted to fist pump his victory in the air, bu
t instead he gave her a quick smile and then lifted the lid on the box. He freed the tablet from its packaging and took a second to bring the screen to life. "You're going to need to put your information in the login so you can download his apps from the app store."

  Since this was the same type of tablet he had, Justin was able to quickly hook up to Dan's wireless and then handed it to Alana to put her information in. She quickly tapped the information in then handed it back. He sat down on a chair to download Caden's apps and immediately the boy was at his elbow watching the screen.

  The boy signed something to his mother, looking from the tablet to Justin to Alana. When Alana nodded, his gaze jerked back to Justin and a big smile spread across his face. Then he signed another sign that Justin recognized. Thank you.

  Justin signed you're welcome in return. It was the one sign he felt fairly confident using.

  Once again, the sparkling in Caden's eyes told Justin just how much the little guy appreciated his efforts to communicate with him. As he did a few more things on the tablet, he felt Caden rest his head against his shoulder.

  After he was done, he handed it to Caden and watched as he stared down at the screen and then pressed the tablet against his chest. When Justin thought of how much he'd had when he'd been Caden's age, it touched him that Caden hadn't taken for granted what he'd been given.

  When Caden lifted his hand, Justin expected him to hold out his small fist for a fist bump like they'd done before. Instead, the little boy gave him the same sign he'd given Alana earlier.

  I love you.

  The air whooshed out of his lungs as he heard Alana's gasp beside him. He almost glanced at her, but his gaze was held by the look in Caden's eyes. A serious expression had taken over the sparkling of just a few minutes ago. Time stood still as Justin realized the ramifications of that moment. But he wasn't going to dash the boy's hopes, especially when he realized that he could respond honestly.

  Lifting his own hand, he copied the gesture and then pressed his fingers to Caden's the way he'd seen Alana do it earlier. A smile spread across Caden's face and as their gazes met, the little boy nodded and then pulled his hand back. He returned to his seat, his head bent over the tablet.