Ezekiel took off his jacket and loosened his tie.
“Mr. Gaines?” Jack watched him. “You’re not going to tell my dad, are you?”
“I think we can give you a pass this time on calling. But I can’t very well let this slide either. You can’t go around hurting people because you are hurting. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be good from now on. I promise.”
“Tomorrow you need to apologize to Tia. Also, I want you to begin thinking before you act. No more clowning around in class. I want you to take your learning seriously. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Okay, one more thing before I let you go to call your dad.” Ezekiel rose and came around the desk. He gave the boy a hug. “If you have any problems. Anything at all, I want you to talk to me or another adult. Do you understand? We’re here to help. All of us.”
“Yes, sir.” Jack gripped him tightly.
When was the last time the boy had received a hug?
“Go on now. Call your father. I’m ready to whoop you in a game of hoops.”
“Nuh uh! I’m gonna win. I’m going to wipe the floor with your face!” Jack let go and ran out of the room. “Thank you, Mr. Gaines!”
Ezekiel groaned. And he’d thought he’d done so well getting through to the boy. Stacking up the papers to be graded, he placed them in his briefcase. He’d be up late getting them done, but it was worth it to make progress with Jack.
Ten minutes later, he and Jack were on the court. Ruby sat on the side, watching them cheering on her brother which Ezekiel thought was cute. After winning the first game and losing the next, they decided to play one more game ― a tiebreaker. Ezekiel didn’t even think of letting Jack win. Jack had skills and gave him a run for his money.
“Yay!” Ruby cheered as her brother won the last game. “You beat him!”
“You wait, little lady,” Ezekiel teased. “Next time, I’ll get him.”
Ruby laughed and hugged her brother. Ezekiel held out his hand to Jack. “Good game, bud. You better take your sister home now, and remember what I said.”
“Yes, sir. I will. I promise.”
“Jack!” Ezekiel called as they turned to leave.
“Yes, Mr. Gaines?”
Ezekiel grabbed his briefcase and shuffled through his papers. When he found the right one, he pulled it out and handed it to Jack. “I want you to complete this tonight. I’m marking ten points off for it being late, but it will be a start to getting your grades up.”
Jack groaned and took the paper. “Yes, sir.”
“Come on, Jack!” Ruby tried to cheer him up. “I’ll help you with it!”
“Oh, brother.” Jack frowned.
Ezekiel let out a hearty laugh. He watched as the kids left then grabbed his things and headed home. At least he’d gotten one situation taken care of. Jack wouldn’t be a perfect angel, and he didn’t expect him to be, but he was sure the kid would try, and that was something.
Ezekiel walked home and went straight to his apartment. Usually, he stopped in to let his parents know he was going out to his apartment but didn’t want to risk any unnecessary interactions with Bekah.
No time like the present. Resting the briefcase on his desk, he rejected the idea of a cup of coffee. He pulled out the stack of papers to be graded and got to work.
A bit later, an urge to go into the house and check on his mother struck, but he decided against it. His mother was more than capable of handling company, and he’d only be in the way.
About halfway through the math pages, his stomach growled. He hadn’t eaten a thing since breakfast. Checking his small refrigerator, all he found was a stick of butter, a jar of pickle juice with one floating pickle, and what used to be Chinese takeout. He threw the takeout container away and fished out the lone pickle. He popped it into his mouth before pouring out the juice and discarding the jar. Still, he was hungry. He found nothing of interest.
His mother always baked cookies when she had guests. It was what she did. His mouth watered as he sat back down at his desk and tried to concentrate on grading papers. Warm chocolate chip cookies straight out of the oven accompanied by a tall glass of milk called to him from the main house.
“That’s it!” He stood and groaned at the prospect of seeing that woman again. But his hunger won out, and he headed for the door. “I’m going to get me some cookies whether she’s there or not.”
His mother would have food on the table soon enough as well. One of the benefits of living at home was that he always had a hot meal waiting for him at dinner time. He'd thought of moving into his own place many times, but when his dad had agreed to allow him to remodel the garage, he'd had no reason to leave. Living only a block from the church and having his own space, he'd have been a fool to move away. Besides, after renovating the two-car garage into a fully functioning studio apartment with a kitchenette and bathroom, his parents could rent the place once he moved out. It was a retirement investment for them, and he'd paid for all the work himself.
Ezekiel headed into the house, the aroma of baked chicken teasing his senses. Heading straight for the kitchen, he stopped in the doorway, unable to believe his eyes. There at the counter, chopping up vegetables, was the same woman he’d brought home hours before, only she looked entirely different.
Gone was the heavy make-up she’d worn that made her look like a starving vampire. Instead, her face was void of anything artificial and Ezekiel wondered why she’d ever want to cover it up. She wore a long, flowered dress, and the ring that once protruded from her nose was gone. She looked up, and Ezekiel noticed something he hadn’t before. Her eyes were the most stunning shade of hazel he’d ever seen.
Stumbling over his feet, he came into the room and almost ran headfirst into the tiled floor. His mother turned and gave him an odd ‘are-you-okay look.
Thanks, Mom.
Bekah giggled, her face turning a warm shade of red.
“That boy! Always tripping over his own feet!” his mother said, stating the painfully obvious. “Grab some plates and set the table.”
Ezekiel snatched a cookie from the plate on the counter, popped it into his mouth, then went to the cupboard and pulled out four plates.
“Bekah, would you like to pour the tea?” His mother smiled warmly at the woman.
“Yes, ma’am.” Bekah gave Ezekiel a sly grin.
She was up to something. She may have looked and acted like a different person, but Ezekiel wasn't falling for it. Drumming his fingers on the countertop, he lowered his brow and glared into the woman’s eyes.
“She prefers to be called Bekah,” his mother said as if the two of them were old friends. “Isn’t it a cute name?”
“Yeah.” Ezekiel set the plates around the table. The girl must enjoy nicknames. She’d already given him one after knowing him for all of five minutes. Maybe his mother had let her guard down, but Ezekiel was not about to. Pretty or not, he had no plans of playing nice. Throwing on a dress and washing her face didn’t make her any less of a threat. Jack’s words came back to him, and he grinned. Hot didn’t describe what he was now seeing. The woman should go for a career in acting.
“Not falling for it,” he grumbled. She’d be gone in the morning.
“Did you say something?” Bekah strode up next to him with two tall glasses of iced tea.
Ezekiel cleared his throat and walked away. “Mom, I’m going to skip dinner tonight. I’ve got a lot of grading to do.”
“Okay, honey. I’ll put a plate in the refrigerator for you. If you get hungry, you just come on in and get it.”
“Sure thing.” Ezekiel gave his mother a kiss on the cheek, secured a couple of cookies, and retreated back out the door. There was no way he was letting “Bekah” charm him with a pretty smile, alluring eyes, and cute little nickname.
Chapter 9 — Bekah
After the largest dinner Bekah had consumed in a long time, she helped Doris clear the table, wash the dishes, and put them away.
“Thank you, Bekah.” Doris placed the towel on the counter. “It’s so nice to have company around here.”
“Yes, thank you.” Pastor Gaines walked into the kitchen, patting his belly. “There’s nothing better than good company and great food.” He kissed his wife on the cheek.
“I’m glad to help.” Strangely, she meant it. “If you don’t mind, though, I’d like to get some rest now. I have a long morning ahead of me.”
“Of course.” Pastor Gaines nodded. “We’ve got a storm coming in the next couple of days, and if you’d still like to earn a couple of dollars for gas, I’ll set you up with a little yard work in the morning before the heat sets in.”
“That would be great, Pastor Gaines. Thank you.” Bekah groaned inwardly and headed back to the guest bedroom.
She glanced around for a moment, then sighed and relaxed on the bed. What would it be like to stay in a place like this where there was no drama, no one yelling, people expressing their appreciation, and a handsome man such as Ezekiel to look at? Unfortunately for her, Ezekiel hadn’t stayed around for dinner, and it was undoubtedly her fault.
She’d enjoyed the way he’d tripped over his own feet when he’d seen her wearing his mother’s long dress. Who’d have thought something so modest would have made a man stumble? He’d been nervous from the moment he’d stepped into the kitchen and had excused himself the first chance he got. People in Sunshine were a strange bunch. Or maybe it was just people in this particular household.
Either way, Bekah had to move on. As much as she’d enjoyed their company, Sunshine was not the place for her. Putting their kindness to the back of her mind, Bekah quietly waited for the lights to go out and the house to grow silent. It wasn’t what she wanted to do. But the truth was, this wasn’t her kind of town, and she wasn’t waiting around until morning to do some menial yard work for the preacher to get enough money to leave.
Just after midnight, Bekah sat up and stretched her legs over the side of the bed. Looking down at the soft dress she still wore, she ran her hands over her lap. The softness of it comforted her as if trying to convince her that what she was about to do could be the biggest mistake of her life. But she had to. There was no way around it.
Lifting the dress over her head, she smoothed it out and folded it neatly. Next, she put back on the clothes she came in. Immediately she felt restricted. It was as if she’d gained ten pounds at dinner alone. She hadn’t. Her clothes fit the same way they always had. Tight. Taking a deep breath, Bekah lifted her keys from the side table next to the black Bible and snuck out of the room. Since she’d lied to Pastor Gaines about losing her purse, it was still stuck under the seat in her vehicle. Picking up her pumps, she stuffed them under her arms and opened the bedroom door.
Heading straight for the kitchen, she stumbled quietly through the darkness of the living room. Once inside, the only light was that of the overhead above the stove. Not nearly enough to see by, but she already knew what she was looking for. She’d noticed it earlier and hoped it would still be there.
Fumbling around on the counter, Bekah found what she was looking for. With a sorrowful sigh, she grabbed Doris’ purse and brought it closer to the stove. Earlier, she’d noticed several bills protruding from the woman’s wallet and hoped they were still there and that it was enough to at least get her out of town.
She pulled the bills out and counted them. Just a little over forty dollars. She slipped the money into her bra. Next, she flipped open the woman’s wallet. Her bank card was there on the slot just above her driver’s license. Bekah slipped out the bank card and shoved it into the hem of her skirt. As she started to close the purse, she noticed a sealed tube of Chapstick. She took that, too. She skimmed through the purse some more. Finding nothing else of value, Bekah placed it back where she’d gotten it from on the other end of the counter.
Feeling bad about what she’d done, Bekah slumped her shoulders and headed out of the kitchen. She rushed for the front door before she changed her mind. It would do no good to start catching feelings now. Once she got settled somewhere, she’d send back every penny she spent.
As she reached for the door handle, a deep voice startled her. “I wouldn’t do that.”
Bekah whirled around as a light snapped on, and a head popped up from the couch, scaring her half out of her wits.
“Zeke!” she whispered, thrusting her hand to her chest. “You scared me!”
Ezekiel stood and walked toward her. “It’s Ezekiel. Going somewhere?”
Play it cool. Bekah’s heart raced in her chest, and she took a step away from the door. “Just going out to get some fresh air.”
“Really now?” Ezekiel stood between her and the door. Without a word, he held his hand out and gave her a stern nod.
“Fine.” Bekah reached into her skirt and pulled out his mother’s debit card. She handed it over and stepped toward the door.
He nodded again, his eyes never leaving hers.
With a roll of her eyes, she pulled the Chapstick from her bra and handed it to him.
“You can keep that. I’m sure you’re going to need it.” He nodded again to her chest.
“Fine!” Bekah reached in and grabbed the wad of cash. She slapped it into his hand with a grumble.
“Have a nice night, Bekah.” He said her name as if it were a dirty word then turned and went back to the couch, letting her know he’d be watching all night if he had to. “I expect you to be gone by morning with nothing more than what you came here with.”
Bekah shuffled back to the guest room like a scolded child. She had a mind to walk out the door right then and there, but that would mean sleeping in her car and no opportunity to work for Pastor Gaines in the morning to earn gas money.
Back in her room, Bekah fumed over being caught. Who did that man think he was, and how did he know what she had planned to do? Maybe she’d go back and tell Pastor Gaines he had a psychic living in the house. That would really get his goat.
With no other choice, Bekah changed into the long nightgown Doris had given her and laid back in the bed. Only she couldn’t sleep. Not sure whether she felt more guilty for stealing from them or embarrassed that she’d gotten caught, she closed her eyes. And the worst thing about it was, Ezekiel would surely tell them what she’d tried to do, and she would have to see each of them in the morning.
THE NEXT MORNING, BEKAH woke up to the mouthwatering scent of bacon and eggs. Her stomach grumbled, and she sat up, looking at her surroundings. Thinking she could quite possibly be in heaven, she basked in the aroma for a moment before she was reminded of the episode the night before. How would she face Doris and Pastor Gaines, who would surely know what she’d tried to do? They would hate her.
The story Mrs. Gaines had told her about the Japanese being removed from their homes after the bombing of Pearl Harbor came to mind – Sometimes, as people, we allow our fears to rule our hearts. Maybe they would understand why she’d done what she did. And maybe they would kick her out without even giving her a chance to explain.
She had to at least try. She’d give them both a full apology and even though she was an excellent actress, this time, she would mean it.
Placing on a soft, flowered dress that Mrs. Gaines had given her, Bekah made the bed and went out to the kitchen. Fully expecting to see Ezekiel standing guard on the couch, she was surprised that he was not there.
She followed the delicious scent into the kitchen, hoping they would at least allow her to eat before chewing her out and sending her on her way. They seemed like the kind of people who were forgiving. After all, no harm had been done.
“Good morning, sunshine!” Mrs. Gaines smiled as Bekah entered the kitchen. “It’s just you and me for breakfast. The boys have already eaten and gone off to the church.”
Bekah hesitated, searching the woman's eyes. “Good morning, Mrs. Gaines."
“Well, have a seat before it gets cold!” The woman directed her to the table. “How did you sleep?”
"I was worried that old twin bed might be too small. Hardly enough room to stretch out in that thing." Doris piled bacon, eggs, and fried potatoes onto her plate and topped it off with a slice of toast. “Milk or orange juice, dear?”
“Orange juice is fine. Thank you.”
What in the world? Bekah had never met anyone quite like Ezekiel before. Why wouldn’t he have told his mother that Bekah had tried to steal from her?
Doris placed a glass of orange juice in front of Bekah and then sat in the chair across from her, filling her own plate. “Pastor Gaines would like for you to head down to the church right after breakfast. He says the two of you agreed you would work for him a bit in the morning to earn some gas money. I told him he should just give it to you, but he’s always insisting that people appreciate it more when they’ve had to work for it.”
Preferring not to speak to Pastor Gaines just in case Ezekiel had confided in him, Bekah opened her mouth to protest that the woman had enough right there in her purse, but admitting that she knew how much money was in the woman's pocketbook was not an option. “A deal is a deal. I’m just hoping to be out of here before the storm hits.”
“I’m sure he’ll do his best. The weather is quite unpredictable at this time of year. Lord knows we could use the rain around here.”
Bekah took a bite of her eggs and followed it with a swallow of orange juice. “This food is delicious. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a home-cooked breakfast. Thank you.”
“Of course, dear. You didn’t think we’d allow you to leave on an empty stomach, did you?”
Bekah looked away. If the woman had only known, she wouldn’t have been so kind to her.
The Act of Falling Page 4