“Is Tony going to ride in the am-a-lance?” Babette asked, wide-eyed.
Tassie gave her a reassuring smile. “Yes, the doctor needs to take care of that cut.”
“Can I ride in the am-a-lance with him? I never went in an am-a-lance.”
“No, honey, you have to ride home with me. You wouldn’t want me getting lonely, would you? Besides, we have to take Tony’s friends to their homes and tell their parents what happened.”
Babette smiled up at her. “Okay. I’ll ride with you.”
Knowing Mitch had to be told about Tony’s accident, as soon as the ambulance pulled out of the parking lot, Tassie dialed his cell phone only to get his voice mail. She certainly didn’t want to leave bad news like that in a message. Mitch would freak out, so she simply told him to call her as soon as he got her message. After that she called the station and was told he was out on a case and currently unreachable.
She had barely broken the connection when her phone rang and Mitch’s number came up on the ID. “Oh, Mitch, Tony had an accident at Wayman’s Lake, but he’s okay. The am—”
“Accident? What kind of accident? What happened?”
“He and his friends were at the end of that long dock, trying to shove one another into the water. That big kid, you know the one I mean, the Grisham boy—he got pretty rough with Tony and when he shoved him in, Tony either hit his head on the dock or one of the pilings and it knocked him out.”
“But he’s okay? Someone got to him in time to pull him out?”
“Yes. The EMTs checked him over and they said he looked fine but they took him to St. Francis to make sure and to have his cheek looked at. It’ll require stitches. I wanted to go with him but Babette is with me and someone has to take his friends home. Oh, Mitch, I’ve never been so scared.”
“I need to get to him. You and Babette go ahead and take the boys home. I’ll stay with Tony until they release him. And, sweetheart, thanks for being there for him. I’ll see you as soon as we get home.” He paused. “Tassie?”
He called me sweetheart! “Yes?”
“I—I love you.”
Her heart reeling at his unexpected words, she found herself almost unable to speak. “I—I think I love you, too.”
“Thanks for being there for my boy, and for being with Babette.”
“You’re welcome. I—I’m glad I was there.”
Once her mind began to settle down again, a wave of thankfulness washed over her as she gave in to reality. Tony could have died if she hadn’t gotten to him in time. But praise the Lord, God had answered her prayers. What an awesome God she served. And if that wasn’t enough, the man of her dreams had declared his love for her.
❧
Delana sauntered into the living room when Tassie and Babette entered the house. “It’s about time you got home. I was beginning to wonder if we were going to have to go without supper.”
“Tony had an accident while he was swimming. He nearly drowned,” she explained. “The EMT said he thought he was going to be okay, but they took him to the hospital. He sustained a nasty cut on his cheek that probably required stitches, and they wanted to check him out. Your father went to the hospital to be with him.”
The girl rolled her eyes. “That sounds like something my klutzy brother would do. He’s always doing something stupid.”
It upset Tassie to see how unconcerned the girl was about her brother, especially when she simply shrugged and went to her room without asking any more questions. How could she be so heartless?
It was nearly eight before Mitch arrived home, and Tony was with him, the side of his face covered by a big white bandage. Tassie nearly went into shock when Tony hurried to her and gave her a feeble hug. “Dad said I should thank you for jumping in after me.”
Mitch rushed to the pair and circled them with his long arms. “The EMT told us it was you who saved my son’s life, Tassie. Why didn’t you tell me you were the one who found him and pulled him out?”
As he pressed his head against hers she felt tears fall onto her cheek.
“All I did was jump in the water and search for him. It was God who led me to him. You wouldn’t believe how hard I prayed.”
Tony gave her a shy smile. “I’m glad you found me.”
She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry about your cheek. Does it hurt very much?”
“It’s okay. Good thing you stayed at the lake when I told you to go home.”
Mitch pulled back and stared at Tony. “You told her to leave? Why?”
“Because all the guys made fun of me, Dad. They called her my babysitter.”
“I’m glad you realize your babysitter is the one who saved your life while your so-called friends were all too busy having fun to realize you were in trouble. Tassie was pretty brave to leap into that water and search for you like she did. Especially after the way you’ve treated her. Maybe now you two can become friends.”
Mitch gave Tassie a wink, and wrapping an arm about his son, tugged Tony toward the stairway. “But right now off to bed with you, kiddo. You’ve had a busy day. I’m sure you’re exhausted.”
“I could fix you both a sandwich,” Tassie volunteered, gesturing toward the kitchen.
“Thanks, but we went through the drive-through on the way home and picked up a hamburger.”
She fought back tears as she watched them walk away. Realizing Tony was missing and then diving into that water, not knowing if she would find him or not, had taken its toll on her, too. Now that they were all safely back home and things had nearly returned to normal, every bone and muscle in her body ached. All she wanted was to finish loading the dishwasher then get a cool drink of water and head for her warm, comfy bed. But as she finished and turned off the light before heading to her room, in the darkness an arm circled her waist and pulled her close. From the scent of aftershave that filled the air she knew it was Mitch.
“Marry me, Tassie,” he breathed into her ear. “I’ve loved you from the moment you set foot in my house. It just didn’t feel right to admit it until we talked to Dale.”
She swallowed hard then held her breath. Was she hallucinating? Had she been underwater too long? Her brain been deprived of its much needed oxygen?
“I know my proposal is unexpected and I have no right to ask you this soon,” he went on, “and I wouldn’t be surprised if you slapped me. I’m not asking because you saved my son’s life—it’s because I love you. I—I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“Marry—you?” she squeaked out, still in shock.
“We’ve spent many hours together these past couple of months, you and I. We probably know one another better than many couples do after a long engagement. I know I don’t have much to offer you, a worn-out cop who works long hours with kids who are enough to drive any sane woman away, but I—”
“But your kids would never want you to marry me! They hate me.”
“I’ve finally realized it’s not you they hate. Like Dale said, it would be the same for any woman who came into our home. They’ll come around once they realize I love you. Look at Tony. He’s bound to accept you after what you just did for him, and Babette’s already crazy about you.”
“You really think so?”
“I know so.” His cheek lightly caressed hers.
“But what about Delana?”
“Where’s your faith? If God wants us together, can’t He change her mind, too? Look, Tassie dear, I don’t have a mansion or unlimited funds to lavish upon you, and I’m not only a failure as a father but as a husband and as a Christian, as well, so I wouldn’t blame you if you walked out that door come September and never looked back. But I can promise you one thing: If you say yes and marry me, I’ll love you until death us do part and I’ll try my best to be the God-fearing, God-serving, God-loving husband you deserve.”
“I—I. . .”
“Shh, don’t answer now. Before you say no, I want you to think about it. Like I said, I don’t feel this way a
bout you because you saved my son, and not because Babette loves you, and certainly not because of the wonderful way you keep this house and this family going, or the way you cook. I love you for you, sweet Tassie, and I want to love you as my wife.” With that he gathered her in his arms and kissed her.
She thought she was going to melt right there in his arms from the sheer wisps of delight that coursed through her body. Mitch, the man who had been the center of her wishful dreams, was there in the darkness, holding her, kissing her, declaring his love.
Finally, when their lips parted and he released her, all she could do was sigh in contentment. Never had she been so happy and yet at the same time, so confused.
“See you in the morning, my love,” he whispered and then he was gone, having disappeared into the darkness of the house.
Tassie felt as if her feet never touched the floor as she made her way to her room. After kicking off her shoes and preparing for bed, she picked up the phone and dialed a number. “Hi, Mom,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm. “I know it’s your bedtime, but I had to call you. I—I have good news. Mitch just asked me to marry him!”
“Tassie? Is—is that you? We must have a bad connection. I thought you said something about marriage.”
“Yes, Mom, it’s me, and I did say something about marriage. Mitch proposed to me!”
“Proposed to you? Why? You hardly know each other. Why would he do such a thing?”
“I know it sounds crazy, but I love him, Mom. I think I’ve loved him since the first day I came to work here. We’ve spent a lot of time together. He’s never been anything but kind to me. He’s a wonderful man. He—”
“Tassie, even if that were so and you two were in love, think about it. Do you really want to marry a man who already has three children? I know Mitch is good-looking and seems quite nice, but to marry him?”
She gazed at the third finger on her left hand, trying to imagine what it would be like to wear Mitch’s wedding ring. “But, Mom, Mitch shares my faith and you know how important that is to me.”
“But I thought you said he hadn’t been attending church for several years before he started going with you.”
“He hadn’t been but he had accepted Christ as his Savior when he was a boy.”
“I can’t imagine a Christian not wanting to go to church.”
“It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go. He’s been so busy with work and his family, he’s gotten away from the Lord. But he’s a new man now, Mom. He’s doing a turnaround. He wants to be close to the Lord. He loves going to church with me.”
“Maybe he’s just doing that to win you over. And what about his children? Wouldn’t you rather have children of your own?”
Tassie searched her heart. “Of course I want children of my own, but I love Mitch’s children.” Or at least I’m trying to. “We could always have children if we decided we wanted more. And, Mom, you’re wrong about him lying to me to win me over. You don’t know him like I do. He’d never do that.”
“He mustn’t have been much of a husband to his first wife. Didn’t you say she left him?”
“Yes. But she’s the one who left, not Mitch. Left not only her husband but her three children. She couldn’t have been much of a wife or mother to be able to walk away like that.”
“Well, I’d certainly want to know more about their breakup before committing to him if I were you.”
“I do know, Mom. He told me all about it.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I don’t know about this,” her mother said with concern. “Take your time. Don’t do something rash. You haven’t told him yes already, have you?”
“No, but I want to. He told me to think about it.”
“Smart man. I’ll give him that much credit. Every girl should think long and hard before accepting a marriage proposal, but it’s your life. You’ve always been levelheaded and made wise decisions. Whatever choice you make, I’m sure it will be the right one. But first pray about it. Let God lead you.”
“Thanks, Mom. I didn’t want to upset you, but I had to call you. I was so excited I was about to burst.”
“I’m not upset, dear, just a little shocked. By the way, I called you this afternoon just to visit, but no one answered the phone.”
“I drove Tony and his friends out to the lake.”
“Oh? Did you swim? I know how you love the water.”
Not wanting to go into detail, Tassie bit at her lip. “Sorta. I’ll tell you all about it later. Good night, Mom. I love you. Don’t forget to pray for me.”
“I won’t forget, sweetheart. I’m confident God will lead you to do whatever is in His perfect will as long as you remain open to it. I love you, too. Sweet dreams.”
Totally worn-out after her unusual and busy day, Tassie yawned as she hung up the phone. My dreams will be sweet, all right, and all about Mitch.
❧
Mitch was already dressed and waiting for her, drinking a cup of coffee at the table, when she entered the kitchen the next day. “Morning.”
She grinned. “Good morning to you. You already made the coffee?”
After placing his cup on the table, he rose and sauntered over to her. “Yeah, I’ll pour you a cup, but first. . .” He paused and gave her a bashful grin that made her heart sing. “First, I’d like to hold you in my arms and give you a good-morning kiss—if you’ll let me.”
Not sure how she should respond, Tassie simply stared at him.
“You’re not upset with me, are you—about last night?”
She shook her head.
He extended his arms toward her then opened them wide. “Then come to me, Tassie.”
His words were all it took. Without pondering his invitation or wondering if she should or should not, she leaped into his arms, lifted her face to his, and welcomed his kisses.
“Does this mean you’ll marry me?” he asked when he finally allowed her to pull away.
“I think so, but I still need time, Mitch—just a few days. I won’t take long. To me, as I’m sure it is to you, marriage is a lifetime commitment. We both need to pray about it. We want to be sure this is God’s will for our lives.”
Mitch dramatically wiped at his brow. “Whew, you scared me. There for a moment I thought you were going to say no, mainly because I’m still not sure you could ever love me.”
“Ever love you? Mitch! I think I’ve loved you since the day I came to work for you!” Her words plummeted out before she could stop them. Not that she really wanted to stop them; she just hadn’t planned on voicing them quite that way or at this moment.
He grabbed her up and whirled her about the room. “You do? You actually love me? Wow!”
“Of course, you silly! How else could I have put up with all the trauma you and your children have put me through?” she teased.
“I hate to admit it, but there may be more traumas in the future—before we get this thing licked.”
“I know.”
“And I want you to finish your education, Tassie. I’d never want marriage to me to stand in your way. I know how important it is to you.”
“I’ve been thinking,” she stated, grinning with a mischievousness lilt to her voice. “Maybe I should delay it for another year. Somehow, finishing my education doesn’t seem nearly as important now as it did when you hired me.” Her grin faded. “Mitch, if we do marry I want to be a full-time mother to your children, not just a caretaker. I don’t mean as a replacement for their own mother but as a second mother, one who loves them as her own and wants them to love her. Is that asking too much?”
“Not at all. In fact, that is exactly what I had hoped you would do. My children need a mother figure in their life. Just look what you’ve accomplished with Babette. That child has done a complete turnaround.”
“Babette is a beautiful child, Mitch. All she needed was love.”
“Tony was already coming around, and after what you did for him yesterday, I have a feeling he, too, is going to change.” He paused thought
fully. “It’s Delana I’m worried about. To be honest, I have no idea how she will respond if you accept my proposal.”
“I know. Rather than make any headway with Delana, I’m afraid all I’ve done is cause more problems. If I do accept your proposal, please don’t get me an engagement ring. Seeing me wearing your ring would upset her even more.”
Mitch lovingly gazed into her eyes and stroked her cheek with his finger. “As much as I’d want you to wear my ring, I know you’re right.”
“I want so much to get along with your daughter. I wish she wasn’t so angry all the time.”
“Everything you’ve done, you’ve done to help her. I think her mother’s leaving us for another man hit her much harder than I realized.”
“Mitch, tell me about June. If I’m to even consider being your wife, I need to know everything. You said she left you for another man. Was that the only reason she left? Had you two been having marital problems?”
He lowered her to her feet and motioned toward a chair at the kitchen table. “Yeah, I guess you could say we’d always had marital problems. June’s beauty, her free spirit, her carefree zest for life, her impulsiveness—all the things that had drawn me to her in the first place—became the things that separated us once we became husband and wife. She loved bragging to her friends that she was a cop’s wife, but she hated that it took up so much of my time. She spent money—money we didn’t have—without a thought to living on a budget but wouldn’t even consider going to work to help pay for those things. I shouldn’t be talking this way about her. I’m sure she had legitimate complaints about me, too.”
“Yes, Mitch, you should. I need to know. Surely there was some love between the two of you during your married years. You had three children.”
Rubbing his forehead, he began to pace about the kitchen. “I did love her, and I wanted to have children with her. She didn’t. But her girlfriends were all having babies, so she decided she would, too. She loved being pregnant with Delana and strutting around in her maternity clothes, and she was a fairly good mother at first. Then Tony came along. Caring for two children was way more than she could handle.”
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