“I’m not planning on getting in trouble.”
“You didn’t plan on getting pregnant either.” Audrey regretted the barb the minute it was out, but Landyn didn’t react. “Honey, at least let us check into bus tickets, or maybe you can book an Amtrak trip.”
“That would take three times as long, Mom. And I can barely afford the gas. I sure can’t afford to book tickets. Not to mention I want to leave now. I made it here just fine driving, and I was just as pregnant then as I am now.”
“Yes, but I didn’t know you were pregnant then.”
Landyn laughed—not the sarcastic mocking Audrey had grown used to from her, but genuine laughter. It warmed her to realize she still had the power to elicit that from this child of hers.
“Couldn’t Chase come here? I’m sure he would if he knew about the baby and—”
“No, Mom. I’m not telling him. And nobody else better tell him either.” She dropped her head. “I don’t want him making any decisions for the wrong reason.”
“Landyn, a baby . . . finding out he’s going to be a father . . .what better reason could there be to work things out between you? Think about it.”
“You don’t think I haven’t?” She let her backpack slide to the floor. “Mom, that’s all I’ve thought about since I started to suspect I was pregnant.”
Audrey sighed. Why had she and her daughter butted heads so sharply almost since the minute Landyn had pulled into the driveway three weeks ago? They’d had their moments when Landyn was a teenager, for sure, but nothing like this. Was it just the volatile cocktail of pregnancy hormones tangling with menopausal hormones?
She wished she could talk to Corinne and Danae about it, but she’d decided long ago that unless it was truly a matter of life and death she would never gossip about one of her children to the others. She’d seen too many families damaged beyond repair that way. But that didn’t change the fact she was worried about Landyn. She never would have pegged her youngest as one who would let something so relatively trivial threaten her marriage.
“Landyn, will you please at least wait until Dad gets back? He will be so hurt if you leave without saying good-bye. And what about the other kids? Do Corinne and Danae know you’re leaving? And Link?”
Landyn shook her head. “No one else knows. I just decided myself. I didn’t want anyone trying to talk me out of it. I need to do this.”
A bolt of inspiration struck Audrey. “Honey, is it possible that’s how things happened with Chase?”
“What do you mean?”
“Could he have felt so strongly about taking that studio apartment that he did it quickly—so no one would try to talk him out of it?”
Landyn bit her bottom lip. “That doesn’t make it right.”
“But it makes it fine for you to take off without telling any of us good-bye?”
“You don’t know the details, Mom.”
“Maybe not. I just want you to be safe. And I want you to be happy. That’s all any of us want for you, honey.”
Seeming unmoved, Landyn picked up her backpack and hoisted it over her shoulder. “Please tell everyone good-bye for me. I—I’ll call you along the way.”
“Do you need money?” Not that they had any to give.
“No. I’m fine. See you, Mom. Don’t worry about me.”
Audrey stood glued to the beautiful new hardwood floors in the foyer, knowing there was nothing she could do to change her stubborn daughter’s mind. Grant would probably be upset she didn’t call him, but she’d seen that fire in Landyn’s eyes before. There would be no stopping her. All they could do now was pray.
11
Why didn’t you call me?” Grant had been angry with Audrey plenty of times over the past year and a half, especially in the course of remodeling the house. But he couldn’t remember ever wanting to wring her neck the way he did now. “What were you thinking, letting your pregnant daughter drive out of here on a whim? It’s a thousand miles to New York, Audrey. One thousand miles!”
Audrey rinsed a handful of silverware and distributed it into the dishwasher basket. “You think I don’t know that? She’s twenty-three, Grant. Besides, she made that drive two weeks ago and she got here just fine.”
“I don’t care. She’s carrying our grandchild. She never should have driven one of those miles, let alone a thousand.” He picked up the frying pan from the stove and set it hard—too hard—on the counter beside Audrey.
To her credit she took it from him without comment and rinsed it under the hot running water. Warm steam rose between them. “She was carrying our grandchild two weeks ago, too, Grant. We just didn’t know it.”
Audrey was using that tender voice she used when she was trying to diffuse his anger. Well, he wasn’t ready to be diffused. Not by a long shot. “Have you heard from her yet?”
“No. I tried to call about ten minutes ago and got her voice mail. But you know her, Grant. She’s going to make us worry a little first.”
“Yes, and may all her children be just like her.”
“Grant—”
“Well . . . It’d serve her right,” he muttered. “What time did you say she left?”
“It was about nine, I think.”
He looked at his watch. She’d been on the road four hours. Four down, twelve to go. And knowing Landyn, she’d try to drive it straight through again. “Do you have Chase’s number in your phone? We need to let him know she’s on her way.”
Tight-lipped, she dried her hands and retrieved her cell phone from the charging station on the bar counter. She swiped the screen, scrolling through her contacts, then handed him the phone.
He would need to apologize to Audrey later. He’d spoken too harshly and blamed her for things that were not her fault. But he was too mad and too worried right now. He punched Call and waited.
“This is Chase. You know what to do.”
Blasted voice mail. What good were cell phones if people just let every call go to voice mail? He tapped his foot on the wood floor, waiting for the beep. “Yeah, Chase, this is Grant. Listen, give me a call the minute you get this. I need to talk to you. It’s . . . about Landyn.”
“Grant! You’re going to scare him to death.” Audrey snatched her phone back from him.
“Well, maybe it would do the boy some good to be scared.”
“He’s not a boy. Besides, put yourself in his shoes, Grant. For just one minute.”
Her words were instantly convicting. He hated how she could do that to him. He exhaled. “I know, I know . . . I’d probably be Chase in this situation.”
She put a hand on his cheek and he covered it with his own, his anger seeping away. “Yes, you would.”
“You’re right. Is that what you want to hear?”
“I’m right. As always.” She grinned up at him.
He tried unsuccessfully to make his voice stern. “Not so fast, woman. I’m not conceding everything.”
“Not yet anyway.”
He pulled her close and held her, feeling stronger in her embrace. He knew she was feeling the same with him. That cord of three strands worked its miracle again, and he rested his chin atop his wife’s head and whispered a silent prayer of thanks.
* * *
After sitting on the tarmac at LaGuardia for almost two hours, the plane finally took off. Chase put in his earbuds, leaned his seat back, and closed his eyes. He would never admit to anyone—except Landyn—that he had used the two-hundred dollar voucher from his last flight to fly to Missouri. Even with the voucher, it had cost him over a hundred dollars out of pocket. And he wasn’t in Missouri yet. This rift between them was going to be their financial undoing.
But he didn’t care. He would go get his wife, and he would win her over if it was the last thing he did. And if it took them the next twenty years to pay off the stupid credit card, it’d be worth it.
His agent had freaked out a little when he told him he was leaving New York again. Especially when Chase admitted he’d bought a one-way ticket and didn’t know wh
en he’d be back. He’d promised Miles that he could work—paint—from Missouri. But he’d only been able to fit a few basic art supplies in his carry-on. He was pretty sure Landyn’s parents would let him set up a work space at their place, but it would cost a small fortune to buy the supplies he needed. And even more to ship any finished art back to Miles.
But he’d do it, if that’s what it took.
It was three short flights back to Cape, but between Philadelphia and St. Louis, he slept. And dreamed of Landyn. The girl he’d loved since the first day he’d laid eyes on her. He woke groggy and disoriented to the flight attendant tapping his shoulder.
“Sir, I need to ask you to put your seat in the upright position in preparation for landing.”
He went through the motions, but the dream was still so vivid, and it filled him with a longing he hadn’t felt in a while. Landyn. Please God, somehow turn her heart back to me.
He couldn’t imagine his life without her. All his dreams, all his desires were wrapped up in his beautiful wife. The day she’d walked down the aisle with a smile only for him, he’d thought it too good to be true. Too good to last. And now it seemed as if maybe those misgivings had been warranted.
But he wanted to share a life with her. Build a family with her.
The thought instantly produced a stab of fear. Children. Someday, maybe. If he didn’t spend every dime he made flying to Missouri on a win-her-over mission. But Landyn wanted a family. Someday. Certainly not now. They could barely put food on their own table, let alone think about other mouths to feed. Little . . . people to be responsible for. But God had a lot of work to do on him before he was ready for that.
As he trudged up the jetway into the St. Louis airport, his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He waited until he got into the terminal, then found a seat at an empty gate in front of a flight board, searching for his departure. Good. He had a few minutes to catch the short hop into Cape Girardeau.
He had a voice mail message from Landyn’s mother. He clicked Play and listened, surprised when it was Grant Whitman’s voice on the recording. Landyn’s father sounded odd, and his message was cryptic. Too cryptic. But he said it was about Landyn. Chase’s gut knotted. Something was wrong.
He almost couldn’t make himself call Audrey’s phone, but he did, and was relieved when it was she who answered instead of Landyn’s father. “Audrey? It’s me.”
“Hi, Chase. Thanks so much for calling back.”
Her friendly tone sent relief surging through his veins. “Is everything okay?”
“I think so. You—haven’t talked to Landyn have you?”
“No. Why?” The knots in his gut tightened again.
“She’s on her way back. She wants to talk to you.”
“Back? To New York?”
“Yes. She left here about nine.”
“Nine this morning?” He looked at his watch. It was five fifteen. Surely Audrey didn’t mean what he thought she meant. “When was her flight? Was she flying in to LaGuardia?”
“Oh, no . . . I mean she drove. Took her Honda.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“We tried to stop her, Chase.”
“Well, I hope she’s not sitting on the side of the road somewhere. That Honda is not dependable.”
“Grant did work on it some. I’m not sure if he got it fixed but it seemed to be running okay—”
He heard Grant in the background asking what was going on, and Audrey trying to explain. In a minute she came back on. “Are you there, Chase?”
“I’m here.”
“Landyn didn’t want to talk to you over the phone. She wanted to talk face to face.”
He didn’t know if that was good or bad.
“I just hope she’ll stop somewhere for the night,” Audrey said. “But in case she drives straight through, we wanted to let you know she was coming.”
“Audrey, I’m not in New York.”
“What?”
“I’m sitting in St. Louis. At the airport. I’ve got a flight into Cape tonight. We board in twenty minutes.”
“You’re in Missouri?” Audrey’s voice rose on a squeak.
“Yes. I came—to talk to Landyn. Unbelievable,” he muttered.
“This is crazy.” Audrey’s squeak turned into nervous laughter.
“Listen, I’m going to hang up and try to catch her before she gets any farther. When did you say you last heard from her?”
“We haven’t. Not since she left here around nine.”
That didn’t concern him too much. Landyn was notorious for not answering her phone. But he had to catch her before she got too far. Still, if she’d already been on the road for almost eight hours, she was halfway there. “I’ll try to get hold of her. Have you tried texting her?”
“Yes. Texting, calling, sending smoke signals . . . You know how she can be.”
He blew out a breath. “Okay. I’ll see if she’ll answer me. Surely she’ll stop for the night if she hasn’t already. We can catch her before she heads out again in the morning.”
Audrey sighed on the other end. “I just hope she does stop for the night. She drove straight through on the way here.”
“Are you kidding me?” Anger boiled in his belly. “What was she thinking?”
“Chase, I think—”
For a minute he thought they’d gotten cut off. “Audrey?”
“I’m here. I’m sure we’ll get hold of her. Grant just sent her a text. Let’s all keep trying. We’ll get her turned back around toward home as soon as we can.”
“If you reach her before I do, tell her to stop someplace for the night. She can put it on our credit card. Tell her I said so.”
“Okay. I guess— I’ll let you go so you can try to reach her. You’ll stay with us, of course. I haven’t made Landyn’s room up yet. Do you need someone to pick you up at the airport?”
“No, don’t worry about it. I can rent a car.”
“Nonsense. We’ll pick you up. Our guests are all checked in for the night. We can get away. What time does your flight get in?”
He searched his pocket for his boarding pass and relayed the airline information. “This is crazy! Why didn’t she call me before she left? I don’t think she even has a key to the apartment.”
“Oh, no.” Landyn’s mom suddenly sounded on the verge of hysteria. “Well, does she have a friend she can call, someone she could stay with?”
“Don’t worry. We’ll catch her before she gets much farther.”
Chase didn’t think his words convinced Audrey any more than they convinced him.
12
Have you heard from her yet?” Audrey felt bad greeting Chase at the baggage claim with those words, but she was desperate to know Landyn was okay.
He shook his head and her hopes dimmed. Imagining her daughter alone on the road somewhere—maybe trying to drive into New York after dark—put a heavy stone in the pit of her stomach.
To her surprise, Chase put down his bag and embraced her. “It’ll be okay. Landyn knows how to get around in New York. She has friends there that she can call.”
She took a deep breath and blew it out with a prayer. “You were lucky to get a flight on such short notice. Here . . . Grant’s parked right over there.” She pointed to their Highlander parked across the drive from the baggage claim at the tiny airport. “When did you last try to call her?”
He hiked his duffel back onto his shoulder and fished his phone from his pocket. “About twenty minutes ago—the minute we landed. But I’ll try again as soon as we get in the car. I want to say hi to Grant first.”
She leveled a look at him. “I’d try her one more time . . . first, if I were you. Grant’s pretty worried.”
He gave her a wry smile and punched a button on his phone. He put it on speaker phone and Audrey heard the burr, then an immediate switch to voice mail—Landyn’s voice.
Chase brightened. “That’s the first time I’ve gotten her voice mail. Always before it was the system—like
she had her phone turned off.”
“Thank the Lord. Maybe she—”
Chase’s phone beeped and he held up a hand and spoke into the phone. “Landyn, hey. I’m at the airport in Cape with your parents. We’ve all been trying to get hold of you and we’re starting to get worried. Call me. Or call your mom . . . But call somebody. I’m serious.” He hung up and shrugged.
Audrey wasn’t sure she liked how casually he was taking this, but he probably knew Landyn better than they did these days. She led the way across the drive and watched while Grant greeted Chase—rather curtly, she thought—and helped him put his luggage into the back of the car.
She motioned for Chase to sit up front with Grant, and climbed into the backseat.
“So . . . any news?” Grant kept his hands at two and four on the wheel, his eyes straight ahead as he pulled away from the curb.
Chase brought him up to speed.
But Grant didn’t respond until they were on the highway. “It’s ironic that in this age of communication overload, you two can’t even get your schedules straight.”
It may have sounded like he was teasing, but Audrey hoped Chase didn’t laugh because she knew Grant saw nothing funny about this whole fiasco. She didn’t either, but she had to admit Chase’s calm demeanor had eased her mind considerably. And he said Landyn had friends she could call. That was something. If she hadn’t lost her phone—or forgotten her charger. Why wasn’t she answering her phone?
* * *
The rain came down in sheets, smudging the headlights of early morning traffic and leaving Landyn dizzy and disoriented. She’d slept—if you could call it that—for two hours in a Walmart parking lot outside of Pittsburgh, but other than that, she’d had no sleep in almost twenty-four hours.
This trip had seemed even longer than the same route west, despite the fact she wasn’t pulling a U-haul this time. Her dad had helped her unload the trailer and return it—which pretty much ate up the last of her cash. She was scared to check their credit card balance, especially if Chase was using it too. But she couldn’t think about that now.
But she was here. New York, New York. It wasn’t even a month yet since she’d left, but it felt like she’d been away for a year. And this wasn’t the New York she knew—the Upper West Side—and everything felt as foreign to her as the first day she and Chase had arrived in the city.
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