Reunited by a Secret Child

by Leigh Bale

  Katie led the way down the narrow hall and he stepped into Chrissy’s room. Books were stacked neatly on a shelf, the twin bed covered with a bunch of stuffed toys. Katie swept them aside and pulled the covers back. Reese laid the girl’s head against the pillow, then drew a blanket over her.

  “Aren’t we gonna have prayers first?” Chrissy said in a sleepy voice. She opened one eye, then the other.

  “I thought you were asleep,” Katie said.

  “I was, but I can’t go to bed without prayers,” the child insisted.

  “Okay, let’s do it,” Katie said.

  Chrissy slid off the bed and knelt on the soft rug. Folding her arms, she leaned against the mattress and stared up at them expectantly. Her parents. The two people she should be able to trust most in the entire world.

  Katie immediately knelt beside her daughter and Reese followed suit. She wondered if he knew how to pray.

  “Can you help me, Dad?” Chrissy looked at him with wide, innocent eyes.

  Katie tensed, holding her breath.

  Reese blinked, as though trying to remember what to do. And then he began in a halting voice, pausing periodically so that Chrissy could repeat the words after him. A simple prayer, asking God to watch after Grandpa Charlie and Mommy. He quickly closed in Jesus’s name.

  “Wait!” Chrissy looked up at Reese, a small crinkle in her forehead.

  He stared back and whispered reverently, “What?”

  Chrissy didn’t explain, just bowed her head again. “And please bless Daddy, so that he can find a new job and stay here in Minoa with us forever. Amen.”

  Chrissy climbed into bed, seeming oblivious to her stunned parents. The girl had pulled her teddy bear close and settled against her fluffy pillow before Reese and Katie could recover.

  Reese leaned down and kissed her forehead.

  “I love you, Daddy.” The girl yawned sleepily.

  His mouth dropped open and he blinked quickly. Katie got the impression he was overcome by emotion.

  “I love you, too, sweetheart.” His voice sounded soft and thoughtful, like he really meant it. And that caused Katie’s heart to squeeze hard.

  A knock on the door caused them all to turn. Charlie stood in the doorway and looked at Reese.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but you have a visitor,” he said.

  Reese tilted his head, looking cautious. “Who is it?”

  “It’s Jared Marshall, the fire management officer,” Charlie said.

  “I’ll finish tucking Chrissy in. You go on and speak with him,” Katie said.

  Reese stepped over to the door. He glanced back at her, holding her gaze for several long moments. Katie wasn’t sure, but she thought he wanted to say something more. Then he turned and followed Charlie down the hall. She wanted to call Reese back, to ask him not to leave Minoa. To stay here with her and Chrissy. But she couldn’t. She wouldn’t beg. Wouldn’t put herself in a situation where her heart could be broken again. If Reese chose to stay here, it must be his decision.

  “Hi, Jared. What’s up?”

  Katie heard Reese greet the FMO in the living room, and then Jared’s deep reply. “Can we talk in private?”

  “Sure,” Reese said.

  Katie considered listening in but didn’t think that was right. Instead, she clicked off the light in Chrissy’s room and pulled the door closed before she went to her own room. A part of her couldn’t help hoping that Jared was here to talk Reese into staying in Minoa on a permanent basis.

  * * *

  Jared lounged on the sofa and Reese sat opposite him in a recliner. As he did so, he noticed he no longer felt nervous around the FMO. No rush of panic filled his chest, no sweaty palms, no urge to run. Knowing this man was a friend, Reese felt calm, but curious.

  “What’s up?” he asked.

  Jared tugged at the collar of his shirt. Like Reese, the man was missing the tie he’d worn to church earlier. But as a member of the clergy who worked with the teenage boys in their congregation, Jared had likely been involved in a variety of meetings that afternoon. And Reese couldn’t help wishing he’d had a leader like Jared around when he’d been a youth. Someone to rescue him from himself. And that made Reese want to help other teenage boys who might be in the same situation. As soon as he got settled somewhere permanently, he was going to follow up on the idea.

  “I was just wondering if you’d like to join the Minoa Hotshot Crew in the Fourth of July parade on Wednesday,” Jared said.

  Reese’s spine stiffened. “Thanks, but I better not. I’m trying to stay out of the public eye. I don’t want to give the media any more stories to write about.”

  Jared leaned forward and whispered in a conspiratorial tone. “What if you can go incognito?”

  “Incognito?” Reese repeated.

  “Yeah. I can promise that you’ll have a great time, get to ride in the parade, and no one but us hotshots will have any idea it’s you.”

  Reese smiled, his interest piqued. “Okay, I’ll admit you’ve tantalized my curiosity. What exactly did you have in mind?”

  Chapter Twelve

  “Why didn’t Daddy come to the parade with us?” Chrissy asked for the umpteenth time that morning.

  Lifting two adult-sized folding chairs out of the back of the truck her father always drove, Katie handed them to him. She then reached inside for Chrissy’s child-sized chair.

  “He said he had something else he had to do,” Katie said. But she couldn’t help wondering the same thing. They’d invited Reese to join them for the Fourth of July festivities—the morning parade, an afternoon barbecue at their house and then the fireworks later that night. He’d accepted the invitation to eat with them and watch the fireworks but said he was busy in the morning.

  “But he’ll miss the parade,” Chrissy complained.

  Charlie tugged gently on the girl’s ponytail. “He can’t be with us all the time, bug. He’s got his own life and has things to do.”

  “What things?” Chrissy asked. She hefted her toy rabbit up on her shoulders, holding its legs with her hands as she gave the animal a ride.

  “I don’t know. Ask your mother,” Charlie said.

  Katie tossed him a peevish frown, then faced her daughter. “I don’t know for certain, but maybe he doesn’t want to be seen by the media.”

  Chrissy pursed her lips with irritation. “I sure wish those mean old reporters would leave town. Haven’t they done enough harm already?”

  Katie couldn’t help chuckling at her daughter’s grown-up words. The child was repeating a sentence Katie had used just last night. It was a reminder that she needed to be careful what she said. Little ears were always listening.

  “Maybe you can ask Reese yourself when he comes over to our place for barbecue this afternoon,” Katie suggested.

  There. That would hopefully cut off any more questions. Katie hated to admit that the day just didn’t feel as festive without Reese here. She was missing him as much as her daughter was, and she didn’t feel like speculating as to why he couldn’t celebrate with them.

  “I will ask him,” Chrissy said, with a final nod of her head.

  As she tromped ahead of them toward the crowded sidewalk, Katie could hear Chrissy muttering something about dads needing to be with their daughters during parades so they could hold them up on their shoulders.

  Katie shook her head, trying to ignore Charlie’s smile of amusement.

  “She acts more and more like her mom every day,” he said.

  Katie definitely ignored that comment. Keeping her daughter in sight, she hurried toward Main Street, where they looked for a comfortable place to sit and watch the parade.

  “Katie! Over here.” Megan Marshall waved from where she sat in front of her restaurant with her nine- and six-year-old children, June and Caleb. The thick branches of a sycamore tr
ee provided plenty of cool shade.

  “Hi, there,” Katie said.

  “Why don’t you sit with us? There’s lots of room,” Megan offered.

  “This looks like a great place to me. You’ve got a front-row view,” Charlie said.

  “Yes, it’s premium real estate for a hometown parade. I’ve had to defend it since early this morning.” Megan laughed.

  They opened up their lawn chairs and turned to face the street. Chrissy immediately went to join Caleb and June, standing along the sidewalk.

  Katie sat in her chair and crossed her legs. “Isn’t Jared joining you?”

  “No, he and the other hotshots are in the parade.”

  “Of course.” Katie hadn’t thought about that. Maybe that was why Reese didn’t want to join them. The parade might be a sad reminder that he’d recently lost his own crew.

  “Papa, can we have a snow cone, please?” Chrissy asked Charlie, pointing at a vendor on the corner.

  Charlie smiled and stood up with help from his cane, then beckoned to Caleb and June. “Of course you can. Come on, kids. What’s a parade without a snow cone or cotton candy?”

  “You mean we can have both?” Caleb asked in awe.

  “No, just one,” Megan called after them.

  “Aw,” the boy said.

  “Come on, I’ll race you,” June said.

  The three children took off like a shot.

  “Not too fast. Wait for me,” Charlie called as he hobbled after them.

  The children slowed down for Chrissy’s grandpa. They all held hands and their happy chatter faded as they went to buy their treats.

  “Chrissy looks happy today,” Megan said.

  Katie laughed. “A parade and snow cone will do that to a child.”

  Megan looked at her critically. “You look happy, too.”

  “Do I?” Katie didn’t know what else to say.

  “Yes, you do. Have you seen Reese lately?”

  Surprised by the question, Katie reached into her bag for a bottle of water. She popped the lid and took a shallow drink before responding. “Why do you ask?”

  “No reason. I just hear that he’s been over at your place quite a lot lately.”

  No doubt the maids were gossiping again. And no doubt the woman was curious about him being Chrissy’s daddy.

  “He’s been doing a few chores for Dad. I think he’s about given up on hiding from any news reporters,” Katie said.

  “Yes, he’s been working all over town, from what I’ve heard. I never knew him when he was in high school, but I understand that he was pretty wild in those days.”

  “He was, but I think he’s changed a lot,” Katie conceded, wondering why she felt suddenly territorial.

  “Has he asked you out yet?” Megan asked.

  Katie gave a nervous jerk. “No, we don’t have that kind of relationship.”

  Her friend tilted her head in confusion. “Don’t you? But I thought he was...” She left the sentence hanging.

  “What?” Katie pressed.

  Megan brushed her comment off with a swipe of her hand. “Oh, nothing. It’s none of my business.”

  No, it wasn’t, but Katie didn’t think the woman was trying to be unkind. And something settled inside her. A bit of acceptance that wasn’t there before. For the first time, she didn’t feel ashamed to admit the truth.

  “Yes, Reese is Chrissy’s father, but that’s all. We’re just friends,” Katie finally said.

  “I still don’t see why he hasn’t asked you out,” Megan said. “You’re beautiful and single, with a lot to offer. He’d have to be insane or dead not to notice.”

  Katie didn’t say a word.

  “And he’s a handsome man. Maybe you should ask him out. What have you got to lose?” Megan said.

  Just her broken heart.

  “No, I’m too old-fashioned to ask a man out. Besides, we’re not interested in each other that way.”

  “Really? Then why do you both light up like Christmas morning every time you see each other? I’ve noticed how he looks at you.”

  Katie almost groaned. If Megan weren’t such a good friend, she might tell her off for being so blunt.

  “It’s just your imagination running wild,” she said.

  “Uh-huh. Yeah, right.” Megan eyed her with an expression that said she didn’t believe a word.

  Katie had absolutely no intention of asking Reese out, but she didn’t get to say that because the kids came bouncing back with their snow cones and little miniature American flags Charlie had bought them.

  Live marching band music filtered through the air, growing progressively louder. Katie took that opportunity to turn toward the street.

  “Look! The parade has started.” Chrissy pointed as the high school band came into view.

  Katie breathed with relief. She wouldn’t have to answer any more of Megan’s questions, nor consider her own growing feelings for Reese.

  Two majorettes marched in front of the procession. Wearing red-and-white uniforms with tasseled boots, they carried a wide sign between them with the school name and colors emblazoned across the front.

  The bass drums were so loud that they pounded in Katie’s chest. Charlie held Chrissy on his lap, while Caleb and June waved their little flags. They all laughed and had a good time, but Katie still felt like something was missing.

  Or someone.

  Several floats decorated with crepe paper and white pompons passed by, followed by members of the 4-H club mounted on their horses. The blast of a loud horn announced the green Forest Service pumper trucks. When they came into view, the children squealed in delight.

  “Look, Mommy! It’s Smokey the Bear,” Chrissy yelled.

  The bear was actually a man wearing a large, furry costume, but the girl didn’t care. When Smokey tossed a handful of saltwater taffy at the spectators, Chrissy ran with the other children to snatch it up.

  “Don’t get in the street,” Katie cautioned.

  She started to rise from her seat to go and supervise, but Charlie held out a hand.

  “I’m the grandpa. I’ll go,” he announced in a cheerful tone, not seeming at all bothered by his cane and pronounced limp.

  The children waved and jumped up and down to get Smokey’s attention. And then the bear seemed to take direct aim at Chrissy. The candy peppered her and she busily gathered up so much that she had to use her shirttail to hold it all. She beamed happily as Charlie helped her unwrap a piece to pop into her mouth.

  Megan chuckled. “The kids sure are having fun. Last year, Jared played the part of Smokey Bear. Caleb and June were so excited when they found out it was him in the suit.”

  Katie nodded, unable to contain a huge smile. “I’ll bet they were. Do you know who it is this year?”

  Before Megan could answer, a Forest Service truck stopped right in the middle of the street. Jared and Sean hopped off the back and went over to scoop up Chrissy. At first, the girl looked startled, but Jared said something to her and she nodded willingly.

  Katie came out of her seat and hurried toward the truck. Where were they taking her daughter?

  The two men lifted Chrissy up and Smokey pulled her into his arms. Katie couldn’t be sure, but she thought the bear was speaking to Chrissy. The girl nodded several times, a giant grin on her face.

  “Give me a big smile,” Tessa called from the street, lifting a camera to take a picture.

  Katie came up short, realizing the firefighters had perfectly choreographed this photo op. But why had they singled out Chrissy and not some other child?

  Her daughter laughed and wrapped her arms around Smokey’s neck. She kissed Smokey’s furry face and Tessa kept snapping pictures. The photos would be absolutely adorable. And that was when a thought struck Katie. Was it possible that Reese was inside the bear suit? M
aybe that was why he’d told them he couldn’t join them for the parade. If he was Smokey, it would be a perfect cover for him to participate, yet hide from the media.

  “Smokey! Smokey!” The other kids yelled and waved to get the bear’s attention. He set Chrissy down and tossed more taffy their way.

  Several hotshots stood around the truck, blocking the children from getting too close to the large tires.

  Sean lifted Chrissy out of the vehicle and set her safely on the ground beside her mom. “Here she is.”

  He smiled and raced back to the truck. As soon as he was on board, it started moving again. Smokey waved goodbye. The entire stop hadn’t taken more than a minute. It happened so fast that Katie wondered if she’d imagined it all.

  “Did you see me with Smokey, Mom?” Chrissy cried happily.

  “I did, sweetheart. We’ll have to ask Tessa for copies of the pictures,” Katie said.

  “Yes. I want one for my room.”

  “What did Smokey say to you?” Katie asked.

  Chrissy shrugged. “He just asked if I was having fun and if I wanted to have my picture taken with him. I want to tell Papa about it.” The girl ran over to her grandpa, leaving Katie to follow more slowly.

  So. The bear might not have been Reese, after all.

  “Did you see me, Papa? I got my picture taken with Smokey the Bear,” Chrissy said.

  Bracing himself against his cane, Charlie smiled and gave her a hearty hug with his free arm. “I did see you, bug. That was quite an honor.”

  “Yeah, and he gave me this.” Chrissy held up a little Smokey the Bear doll that was about eight inches long. Katie hadn’t noticed it until now. The bear was a perfect miniature version of the real thing.

  “Smokey said he wanted me to remember this day forever. And I will, Papa. I will,” Chrissy said.

  “That’s real nice, bug. I’m glad.” Charlie kissed his granddaughter’s cheek.

  All Katie could do was stare and wonder about the incident. But more and more, she believed Reese had done this. And from the way Chrissy’s eyes gleamed with joy, Katie figured it had been effective and very worth his effort. His thoughtfulness was over the top. He’d made their daughter so happy.