Baby's Breath (Garden of Love 2)

by Melanie Wilber

  Josie went to meet Tommy and listened to how his day had gone and all about the new turtle Mrs. Foster had placed in the classroom.

  “Can I get a turtle for my room, Mommy?” Tommy asked.

  “Maybe,” Josie said. “We’d have to learn all about them so we could take good care of it.”

  “Mrs. Foster is going to teach us how. She says we will all have a chance to feed it and clean the tank.”

  Josie smiled at Tommy’s enthusiasm. “The next time we go to the library we’ll have to look for some books about turtles.”

  “Can we go now?”

  Josie followed Tommy into the apartment, debating whether or not they had enough time. They could wait until Saturday, but Tommy had an afternoon game, and she had to work. Today would be better.

  “Can you make it without your afternoon snack?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. Let me grab my purse, and we’ll go,” she said.

  Josie asked Natalie if she wanted to come, but she told them to go ahead. She and Tommy walked to a MAX station and rode the light-rail train uptown to the Multnomah County Library. Once inside the multilevel historic building, they stepped to an open computer, and Josie brought up the search screen.

  “Can I do it?” Tommy asked, nudging his way in front of her.

  “Let me get on the right screen,” she said keying in the right code and hitting ENTER.

  “Okay. Type turtles. T-U-R-T-L-E-S.”

  Tommy punched the keys, and Josie looked at the list the search produced. “Turtles; Turtles as Pets--Juvenile. That looks like the one we want.”

  Selecting the line, they waited for the book titles to be displayed. Josie jotted down the call numbers of several children’s books and then they made their way to the spacious children’s library on the same level.

  “Here’s one,” Josie said, pulling a book from the shelf and handing it to Tommy. “Here’s two more.”

  Tommy took them from her and looked at the one on top of his stack. “This one looks like George,” he said.

  “Is George the turtle’s name?”

  “Yes. Mrs. Foster let us name him.”

  “That should be enough,” she said. “Do you want to get any other books while we’re here?”

  “No. I want to go home and look at these. Can we read them all tonight?”

  “I think it will take us a few days to look through all of them,” she said.

  Josie wasn’t sure she wanted them to get a turtle, but she enjoyed seeing Tommy excited and interested in them. A turtle would be a good alternative to a cat or dog, neither of which were allowed in their apartment building.

  “Uncle Patrick might know about taking care of turtles. I think a friend of his had one and he took care of it for a few weeks once. You should ask him when we see him next time.”

  “Brandon has one,” Tommy replied, lifting the books onto the check-out counter.

  “He does?”

  “Yeah, he told me.”

  “When?”

  “When we went swimming.”

  “Well then, he probably knows a lot about them.”

  Tommy's words were confirmed less than two hours later. As soon as Brandon stepped through the door, looking a little more nervous about this than Josie expected, Tommy asked him about it.

  “You really have a turtle?” Josie asked after Brandon said he would be happy to teach Tommy all he knew about them.

  “Yep. Her name is Lucy, and she lives in my office. She keeps me company while I work.”

  “How long have you had her?”

  “About four years. I had another one before that.”

  “Can I see her?” Tommy asked.

  Brandon raised his eyes to Josie. “Can we spare a couple of minutes?”

  “Fine with me,” she replied with a mild laugh. Somehow this seemed like an appropriate way for their date to begin. It did help her to relax and remember what a good friend Brandon had already become. Tommy and Brandon left to go see Lucy, then returned after a few minutes. Tommy kept asking him questions, and Brandon answered each one.

  “I’m glad we went,” Brandon said, pulling a bouquet of miniature roses from behind his back. “I forgot these the first time.”

  Josie took the flowers. “Thank you. They’re beautiful,” she said, drinking in their sweet scent. She found a vase and set them on the kitchen table. Grabbing her coat from the closet and her purse from the shelves by the door, she felt nervous. I hope this isn’t a mistake.

  “We’re going to go now,” she told Tommy and gave him a hug. “You be good for Aunt Natalie, okay?”

  “He always is,” Natalie called from the couch.

  “See you later, buddy,” Brandon said, shaking Tommy’s hand in a grown-up fashion. He leaned down and whispered something in Tommy’s ear that Josie couldn’t hear.

  Tommy giggled and looked at her, but he said nothing.

  When they were out in the hallway, Josie asked Brandon what he had said to Tommy.

  “Just a little guy talk,” he said with a sparkle in his eye.

  “What did you tell him?”

  “Sorry,” he said, holding up his hands. “It’s between Tommy and me.”

  Josie surprised herself by reaching over and attempting to tickle Brandon in the ribs. “Tell me!” she said.

  Brandon broke into a jog and stepped out of her reach. She gave up and slowed her pace. Brandon waited for her at the elevator. Aware of his eyes on her and his slight smile, she felt her cheeks warming.

  “You look great tonight,” he said. “That’s a nice color on you.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “And thanks for showing Tommy your turtle. That meant a lot to him.”

  “Are you thinking of getting one?”

  She sighed. “I don’t know. Do you think it’s a good idea?”

  The elevator doors opened, and they stepped inside. “You might want to wait to see if he’s serious about it, but I think he will take good care of one. They make great pets and live long lives. The one I had before Lucy belonged to my grandfather before he passed away. He had him for years.”

  “Are they expensive?”

  “The turtles themselves aren’t, but the initial investment of a good tank, a heating unit, and everything else will add up. If you decide to go for it, I could help you know which species is best for an indoor tank and show you everything you will need.”

  “That would be a big help. I’m not much of an animal person. We never even had a dog. I had a goldfish once, but he didn’t last very long.”

  Brandon laughed. “Maybe it would be better if I just let Tommy help me with Lucy.”

  They continued in casual conversation on their way to the restaurant a few blocks away, and her first-date jitters slowly subsided. She couldn’t quite describe the way being with Brandon made her feel. He was so easy to be with, it was almost like having dinner with a friend she had known for a long time, but a lot more was going on in her heart than mere friendship, especially when they walked to the theater at a relaxed pace and Brandon reached for her hand. She wondered what Brandon thought of their evening thus far. He seemed his usual self, but she didn’t know what that meant. Did he see her the same way as he had seen Kristin and Allison: someone he enjoyed being with but not as anything more than a friend? She began to feel uneasy once again, realizing the vulnerable position she had placed herself in.

  “Hey,” he spoke softly. “Are you okay?”

  She looked up at him and smiled. It was the first time all evening she had felt uneasy, and he had noticed.

  “Are you always this perceptive?”

  “Do you mind if I hold your hand?”

  “No. It’s fine.”

  “Are you having a good time?” he asked seriously.

  “Yes,” she replied.

  “Does that surprise you?”

  “No.”

  He stopped walking and turned to face her.

  “I’m not surprised either,” he said softly.
“I should have done this weeks ago.”

  “I think this is better timing,” she said. “It’s given me a chance to get to know you, and for you to--to sort some things out.”

  “Yes,” he sighed. “I wasn’t sure I could get past it all and move on, but God’s grace--it’s a real thing.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Josie enjoyed the movie. They had popcorn and shared a large Sprite. Brandon offered to buy her a chocolate-covered, Häagen-Dazs bar, but she said she didn’t need one. Taking a small bite of his after they had settled in their seats was a mistake. She ended up eating half of it.

  The romantic comedy was a heartwarming story. Brandon held her hand off and on, and he seemed to enjoy the movie right along with her. She could have stayed there all night.

  He reached for her hand once again when they stepped out into the night air. They walked toward the waterfront, but Brandon didn’t seem to be in any hurry to get back.

  “Are you working this weekend?” he asked.

  “Yes. Why?”

  “Just wondering when I can see you again,” he said. “I’m sorry I have that business lunch on Saturday and can’t make it to Tommy’s game.”

  “That’s all right,” she said. “He has a few more left before the season is over.”

  “Maybe we can do something Sunday afternoon, if you’re up for it,” he said. They came to a stop at the intersection and waited for the walk signal to change.

  “You mean all three of us?”

  “Sure.”

  She didn’t detect any hesitation in his reply, but she felt compelled to speak her mind anyway, wanting their relationship to be as open and honest as possible.

  “Does it bother you that a lot of the time we spend together will have to be with Tommy, rather than just you and me?”

  “No. I already told you that.”

  “I know, but--” She wasn’t sure what she wanted to say. She believed that Brandon didn’t see Tommy as being in the way, but could he really know that yet?

  The crosswalk signal changed, but Brandon didn’t move. He released her hand and placed his arm around her back, drawing her close before she could take a step onto the street.

  “If there’s one thing that my relationship with Kristin taught me, it was to not fake anything, and I can honestly tell you, Josie, that when it comes to you, and to Tommy, I’m not saying or doing anything that isn’t real, and I’ve enjoyed all of it. The only reason I wanted some time with just you tonight was to get to know you better and take you out to have a nice time. I’m not going to ever ask you to give up time with Tommy, and I’d never dream of trying to compete with him for your attention.”

  She wanted to believe him, and she had every reason to. She was basing her fears on the way other men had acted and the decisions they had made, and she wanted to believe Brandon could be different, just like Mark had been, only someone that she could truly fall in love with. But it seemed too good to be true. Brandon seemed too good to be true. He was everything she had prayed for and more. She believed he was being honest with her, but did he know what he was getting himself into?

  “I want to believe that, but--”

  “Then believe it,” he interrupted.

  She smiled and decided to believe him for now. He looked up the deserted one-way street before leading them through the crosswalk that now said, DON'T WALK, once again.

  “The way I see it,” Brandon said, “Tommy will give us a good excuse to do some fun things.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like going to the zoo, and isn’t there an amusement park around here?”

  “Oaks Park?”

  “Yeah. Do you take him there a lot?”

  “We’ve gone with my brother’s family a few times. I’m not much for rides so Patrick has to be there or else Tommy wouldn’t have anyone to go with. The carousel is my limit.”

  “That’s what you have me for. I told you I’m just a big kid.”

  Brandon continued talking about different things the three of them could do together. Josie pondered his words--have me. Did she have Brandon? He certainly talked like she did, and after several weeks of wanting this in a fantasy-like way, the reality of their relationship progressing to this level was a pleasant one. But she had a cautious feeling in her heart. She couldn’t afford to fall hard and fast. She needed to take this one day at a time.

  They were almost to the waterfront, and she assumed they would be heading back. It had been a wonderful evening, and she felt sad about only having a few more minutes with him. But she supposed parting now would be a good thing and give them both a chance to think about how they had enjoyed the evening and where to go from here.

  “Did you want to get back in time to put Tommy to bed, or is it too late for that?”

  “What time is it?” she asked.

  “Nine thirty.”

  She knew he was probably already asleep, and even if he wasn’t, she hadn’t told him she would be back at any certain time. He had been doing well with going to bed for Natalie, and she realized she hadn’t been worried about him. She always felt the same way when she was at work and knew he was in good hands, but not always when she went out.

  “He’s either in bed, or staying up late watching a movie with Natalie.” She smiled. “Either way, me coming home right now probably isn’t necessary.”

  They had come to a stop at the courtyard area in front of their building. Going right would take them to the front entrance, and their date would be over in a matter of minutes, unless he invited her into his apartment, which she didn’t feel ready for at this point. Going there during the day was one thing, but going there now? She didn’t think she would agree to that.

  Going straight, on the other hand, would take them to the park where they could either walk along the river, stop somewhere for coffee, or find a bench to sit on. All three appealed to her, but she waited to see what Brandon was thinking.

  “Are you cold, or can we sit for awhile?” Brandon asked.

  He had thought of another option. There were some benches right there in the courtyard area. The one Natalie had been sitting on the night she arrived in town was close to the front doors, but there were others that provided more privacy.

  “I’m all right,” she said, feeling glad she had brought her coat rather than a sweater as she had debated about earlier. She wasn’t ready for their time together to end yet.

  They walked to one of the benches and sat down. They were both quiet for a moment, and she listened to the gentle flow of the nearby fountain and waited for Brandon to speak. He never seemed to be at a loss for words around her.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” he said, confirming her suspicions that he may have a specific reason for wanting to sit and talk, and his question wasn’t surprising either. “I’ve been wondering about Tommy’s father, and I’m assuming he hasn’t been a part of Tommy’s life because neither you or Tommy ever mention him. But does he fit into the picture somewhere?”

  “No,” she replied. “I haven’t seen or heard from him since the last week of college. We were supposed to be going to the same medical school in the fall, but when I told him I was pregnant, he didn’t want us to get married or to have any part in becoming a father. So, he went on to medical school, and I stayed behind.”

  “Is he the reason for that guarded look I see in your eyes, or have there been other guys that have hurt you too?”

  “I haven’t been with anyone seriously since then, except for Mark. We were together for almost a year, and he was good to me, but I felt about him the way you felt about Kristin.”

  “How long ago was that?”

  “We broke up in August. He was a doctor at the hospital where I work, but he was going back to California to work with his dad in his family practice, and he asked me to marry him and go with him, but I told him no.”

  She went ahead and told him more about Mark, and then Kent too. She felt comfortable telling him everything, which didn�
�t surprise her. He didn’t comment or interrupt with questions, but he was very attentive.

  When she couldn’t think of anything else to say, he let silence rest between them for several moments before he asked her something. And his question was more of a philosophical nature than anything specific related to Mark or Kent.

  “What do you want, Josie?”

  His tone was gentle. His words were like a blank check that she could fill in with anything she wanted. His question was unanticipated but easy to answer, if she had the courage to speak the words.

  “A father for my son. A husband. Happily-ever-after.”

  “Do you see me as someone who could fit into that?”

  She did, but she wanted to ask him something before she said so. “Are you interested?”

  They were already semi facing each other with some space between them. Brandon reached over and took her hand without taking his eyes from her own and moved closer, putting his other arm behind her on the bench.

  “I’m interested,” he said.

  She looked down at his hand holding hers. Her heart was beating wildly at his touch and his closeness, but it wasn’t the physical contact. It was how he made her feel on a heart-level. She didn’t have words. Not even Kent had made her feel this: whatever it was.

  She looked back into his eyes and said what she was thinking. “I see you as someone I could let into my heart and be loved by for a very long time.”

  He lifted his hand to her cheek and stroked it gently. Leaning forward, he kissed her, and everything she already felt for him just grew exponentially. Everything about Brandon was gentle and stirred so much passion in her. She was amazed by how her body and soul responded to him. She hadn’t felt this way since college, and it had taken more than a simple kiss to get her to this place.

  Brandon pulled back slowly and seemed equally affected. He took a deep breath but didn’t appear surprised by what he felt.

  “Why does it feel like we’ve done that a thousand times before and enjoyed it every time?” he asked.

  She smiled. “I don’t know.”

  “I enjoy being with you, Josie. Whatever we’re doing.”

  “Me too.”