But there’s someone I think you’ll be honest with. Pastor Ryder.”
Her eyes widened and she dropped her arms. She once again looked like his little girl. “Please, Dad. I don’t want to tell him.”
He thought briefly about giving in. She looked so young and innocent. But so many of the criminals who came into his office looked the same way. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Sarah. But we’re going to go to counseling.”
“Counseling!” She jumped up, shock in her voice.
“What did you think I meant?” he asked, bewildered.
“I thought you were going to make me tell him so Meghan would get in trouble.”
His mouth thinned. “Oh, you’ll tell him, but Meghan isn’t going to get in trouble because she didn’t give you that can. And then you’re going to tell Dakota just why you find it necessary to have beer in the first place, to hang around kids who are causing trouble and why you’re lying.”
“I don’t want to go,” she insisted.
He shrugged, feeling very old and very tired. Standing, he said, “You no longer have a choice. I’m not letting you head down the wrong path, Sarah. I don’t care to what lengths I have to go. I love you too much.”
Her eyes filled with tears even as her face hardened.
It hurt him to see that look. “We’ll go to Pastor Ryder and you are going to talk to him and we’re going to get to the bottom of this, no matter how long it takes.”
When she didn’t say anything, he turned toward the door. “Come on. You’ve been suspended from school 166
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for the next three days and I have some chores I want you to do.”
“Chores?”
Chase pushed open the door of the gym. “Oh, yeah.
If you think you are going to have three free days while you’re out of school, think again. The list in my mind is growing even as I walk. As a matter of fact, I can think of so many things, you’re liable to be busy for the next month.”
Miserably Sarah walked past him as he pulled out his cell phone to call Dakota and set up a time to talk about his budding juvenile delinquent.
Chapter Fourteen
The night breeze had turned cooler. No longer were there any leaves on the trees except for the evergreens that dotted some of the front yards along the block.
Meghan pushed at the ground, rocked the swing on the front porch and sighed contentedly.
Dakota wasn’t home yet. Carolyne and Meghan had shared dinner with each other and now they were on the porch.
Meghan pulled her sweater about her. “I’m going to hate when it gets colder and I can’t be outside. The air here is so wonderful.”
Carolyne nodded. “It won’t be long. The chill makes me think we’re going to have a bad winter.” Carolyne shifted in her chair and reached for her hot cup of coffee. Turning back to Meghan, she confided, “I have our ideas drawn up and was planning on talking to Dakota tonight—”
She paused and then chuckled when she saw him coming down the street in his compact.
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“Guess you can. Should I go in?” Meghan asked as she started to get up.
“No,” Carolyne halted her with a shake of her head.
“You’re part of this. Stay.”
Meghan thought it would have been nice for Dakota and his mom to have some time alone, but since Carolyne didn’t seem to want it right now, Meghan eased back down into her seat. She was on her cane tonight.
Evidently she’d done too much yesterday, because she’d woken up today and found she was having trouble walking again.
As Dakota strolled up, Carolyne asked, “Have you eaten?”
He nodded. “I grabbed a sandwich on the way home.”
Glancing at Carolyne, Meghan felt her face heat and was glad it was twilight out. She had no business feeling what she did for this man. He was a friend from ae-ons ago and it was best kept that way.
“So, what have you two been up to tonight?” He walked up the stairs and took a seat next to his mom, facing Meghan.
Carolyne smiled. “Something that I’d like to discuss with you.”
Surprised, Dakota turned toward his mother. “This sounds serious.”
“In a way.” Carolyne leaned back in the chair and clasped her hands, as was her habit. “Did you know Meghan was in a shelter for a short time in Fort Worth?”
Dakota glanced back at her and sympathy was in his eyes. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
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however. “She was attacked there and the drug use was rampant.”
Dakota started up out of his seat as if to come over to her but his mom stopped him. “She’s fine. She wasn’t hurt but that just underscores what I’m saying. Can you imagine Meghan, who has done nothing, being hurt in one of those places?”
Dakota found he didn’t want to think about it. Meghan nearly raped. His pulse pounded in his ears.
“I want to open a shelter here.”
Dakota turned back to his mom, his fear for Meghan pushed aside. “What? But you just said—”
“Exactly, son. We need a good shelter here. Have you seen all the people on the streets? These are hard times for many. And if they can’t take a bath, they can’t interview for a job. If they’re hungry, how can they concentrate on filling out an application? Meghan and I have discussed the idea and she is willing to help me. She had planned to go out and get a job, but she’s agreed to live at the shelter full-time and help run it. She needs a job.
We need a shelter. And I—this is something I think I’ve wanted to do for a while though I’m only now realizing it.”
“But Mom,” Dakota started. His thoughts whirled.
Two women in charge of a shelter? That was too dangerous.
“Chase has looked over our initial plans and wants to help as well. He is a great carpenter—remember when he was a teenager? And we’d screen the people we accept in.”
“Your mom has been very thorough,” Meghan added.
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church will never go for it. I’ve tried to open a shelter before.”
“We’re not going through the church,” Meghan said quietly.
His gaze shot to hers and then to his mom’s. “Well then, how?”
Carolyne laughed. “You’ve been a pastor too long, honey. There are other ways of helping the community.
And if we start it up, unlike you, we don’t have to get the elders’ approval.”
“But what about finances?” he asked.
“There are grants that we qualify for and I can get a business loan if I have to.”
“Where would you put the shelter?”
“One of the empty buildings downtown.”
Dakota winced. The Bennetts would love that. But then, on the other hand, he had wanted to see a shelter opened since he’d taken over the church. “You know,”
Dakota said, thinking of the building he’d wanted to rent for the youth, “if you go through a Realtor other than the one I’ve been using, the huge building we wanted for the youth would be available, and at a good price.”
His mom laughed. “Thank you, honey. I’ll show you the plans and tell you what we’ve been discussing, but first—”
Dakota saw his mother glance behind him toward the neighbors’ house.
“—I need to go talk to the sisters.” She stood. Leaning down, she kissed her son on the cheek and hurried down the stairs, leaving Dakota with Meghan.
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call out to the sisters and the two sisters reply as they started up a conversation.
In the near darkness, he could make out the planes of Meghan’s face. She was watching him, her eyes steady and sure. He also not
iced the cane by her leg, resting on the chair.
“How are you today?” he asked.
“Good. And you? You look tired.”
He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Been busy as usual. I had several scheduled meetings, as well as a few unscheduled ones. Hospital visits, home visits. Worked on my sermon in between. We broke ground today for the new youth section, and I had to meet with city officials about that, and on the list goes.”
She didn’t say anything for a long time, and he wondered what she was thinking. The sound of his mom’s laughter drifted across the lawn.
“You’re trying to do everything yourself.”
Her voice was so soft, he almost didn’t hear her. When it registered what she’d said, he sat up. “Excuse me?”
“You’re tired, Cody.” She used his childhood name.
“You leave before light many days and get back after dark. You’re spreading yourself so thin that you’re losing out on so much.”
Offended, Dakota smiled tightly and explained, “I’m only doing my job.”
Meghan backed off, or so he thought. Her gaze cut to the side. Her hand touched her cane and, just as he was about to apologize for sounding short, her soft voice came back, “Your mom has been researching my disease. I’ll never be able to repay her for all she’s done 172
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for me. I made an appointment with a neurologist, for Monday, and have contacted the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Multiple Sclerosis Society of America who both had information about how to slow the progress of this disease.”
“That’s great.” Dakota had been worried about Meghan’s condition and was glad to know something could be done about it. His mother had explained a bit to him about it and her plans to help Meghan.
“She also found out that if I do too much, it can cause fatigue. You see, yesterday I overdid it and today I’m on the cane because of that.”
“Well then,” Dakota said, immediately worried,
“you’d better slow down and think next time. We want you healthy.”
Meghan’s gaze lifted to Dakota’s. “Your mom wants you healthy.”
He hadn’t seen that trap coming. Consternation filled him. Before he could reply, Meghan continued, “Your mom misses you. She’s never said it, but she sets a place for you every night and then takes it away when you don’t show up. She’s mentioned a couple of times the stress that lack of sleep can cause and that it sends many to an early grave.”
“Meghan—”
“Hear me out, please, Dakota. I owe your mother this much. I’m an outsider and can observe what sometimes those close to a situation wouldn’t see.”
Dakota let out a long sigh and then nodded. Sitting back, he waited for Meghan to continue.
“I really don’t mean to pry, but this youth project…
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times Carolyne and I have been up to church. He spends a lot of time praying and working on his sermon but little time helping out. Oh, I know he visits the youth and things, but really, why isn’t he the one overseeing this youth project? Doesn’t he want to or is it because you are always jumping in before he has a chance? He’s young and new. Have you wondered if maybe you in-timidate him when it comes to certain things?”
She waited and he realized she wanted a response.
“He’s always asking questions.”
She nodded. “Put him in charge of overseeing everything that has to do with the kids. He can bring the plans to you and let you make the final decision, but that would take so much off your shoulders.”
He didn’t comment but thought about her words.
“That would ease my load. But I’m just not sure—”
“You trust him with the youth?”
“Of course I do.” He was bothered that she’d ask that.
“Then why not trust him with an inanimate object?”
She had him there. Guilt touched him. “You’re right.”
He hadn’t realized he’d been controlling so much of the youth program. Now that Meghan mentioned it, he saw in hindsight that his youth pastor had been wanting to get involved but Dakota had been so busy doing that, he hadn’t seen Jeff’s desire to help.
“Can I say something else?” she asked timidly.
He grinned. “You might as well.”
She clasped her hands much the way his mom did when she was concentrating. “I’ve been reading in Acts, and it made me wonder why the elders and deacons of the church aren’t helping with hospital visits and home visits and other things like that.”
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“Huh?” He was glad she had been reading in Acts, but what was she talking about?
“You know, Stephen and those who were appointed to take care of the widows?”
He blinked.
“Why aren’t the people at this church helping out like that?”
Embarrassed, he had to admit, “We’ve never done it that way.”
“Why not?”
Her innocent question struck a chord in his heart. “I don’t know. But you’re right. And I do know other churches have people who go out and do things like that. Still, this church isn’t used to change.”
“They wouldn’t let you build a shelter.”
He nodded. “Very frustrating.” And it had frustrated him to no end that they wouldn’t let him start that project. They didn’t want change, didn’t want that type of people associated with their church. Their church? It was everyone’s church. It was God’s church.
“And yet, you aren’t willing to change and allow others to help?”
Conviction hit him between the eyes. He was angry that others wouldn’t change, but here he was leaning toward the same problem. He could handle it because they’d never done it that way before. He hadn’t realized he was being just as immovable as some in the church.
In utter disbelief he stared at the woman before him.
How many years had his mom been suggesting the same things but Meghan was able to turn him inside out and make him see that he was doing too much and not allowing his church to help.
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She made him see things that he’d never seen before.
Had he been so busy that he wasn’t paying attention to God, and God had to send this wonderful woman to shake him up and get his attention?
“What are you thinking about?”
He realized he was still staring at Meghan. He got up, moved over next to her and sat down on the swing.
“You.”
This close he could smell the soft scent she wore and see that his answer disconcerted her. “I didn’t offend you, did I?”
Her golden hair hung in soft strands and he wanted to reach up and touch one. It was quite beautiful with the inside light from the house reflecting through the lace curtains and highlighting the gold in her hair.
“Never,” she said as he studied the top of her head.
When she didn’t look up, he reached down and touched her chin.
He released her chin and sat back a bit to break the spell. “I was thinking that you have been a godsend, Meghan. I’ve been working so hard that, though others have tried to point out how busy I was, I didn’t slow down to hear. In the short time you’ve been here, you have analyzed my life and pointed out some areas that need changing.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean to—”
“No.” He touched her lip and then pulled his hand back, thinking that was too intimate. “No,” he repeated and took her hand. It was small, soft, and trembled. “It just amazes me how accurate you are. Maybe I have been too busy and stuck in my own ways to see what you pointed out.”
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“I wasn’t criticizing you,” she argued.
Dakota smiled tiredly. “I didn’t take it as that, sweet Meghan.” Her hand
felt so good that he found he didn’t want to release it, especially when those tiny fingers of hers curved around his larger hand. He felt peace, something he realized he hadn’t felt in a long time.
He leaned back and rested next to her. “You know, I haven’t had much time to talk with you, but I find I enjoy it.”
Rest filled him and he asked, “What are your plans, Meghan?”
She shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t understand.”
He squeezed her fingers and reluctantly let go of her hand. “Your plans. What do you see yourself doing for the future?” With a toe, he pushed the swing into motion, causing it to rock back and forth in a soothing, relaxing motion.
Meghan hesitated. He shifted his hands behind his head and stretched out, waiting, allowing his knees to bend with the swing as it moved. “I’m not sure,” she answered.
“Well, then, what are they for tomorrow? Talk to me,” he encouraged. “Your voice is soothing.”
It was, but he also wanted to put her at ease.
It worked.
“Well, I have to learn to pace myself, as your mom said.”
He nodded.
“We’re going to go to the doctor about medication and see about financial help from the MS Foundation since I don’t have insurance. Your mom has really done so much to help me. And of course, she’s asked me to help with the shelter.”
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“So you’ll be staying here,” Dakota surmised and that thought pleased him. He sat up, sliding his arm behind her on the swing and turning to face her.
He saw surprise on her face. “I guess I am. I hadn’t really thought about it, but if I do help your mom, then yes, I suppose I have decided to stay here. But I’ll have my own place to live soon at the shelter,” she added.
“Don’t worry about that, Meghan. This isn’t an in-quisition. I was just curious about your plans.”
“I’ll have a job, a place to live….” She trailed off. “I don’t know what else.”
“What did you do as a job before?” he asked and turned back to face forward. His mother was currently listening to Mary as she expanded on something about the building and undesirables. He couldn’t make out the entire conversation—they were too far away.
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