A Future for His Twins

by Susanne Dietze

  Nodding, she turned around and they started walking at a leisurely pace, super slow. The speed didn’t matter, though. All she cared about was getting a full update on the kids. “So Logan and Nora are okay? Saturday was awful. I feel so bad about it.”

  “I guess Kellan mentioned Chloe’s idea that you move in with her to someone who told the mayor, and from there, the rumor spread. I assure you, I didn’t know. Nor did I tell the mayor I wanted your storefront, because I don’t. But it devastated the kids.”

  “I am so sorry about that. Did you tell them it’s all bunk?”

  “No, because I wasn’t sure what you’d decided, but I did tell them it would be okay. Anyway, thanks for finding them. Both of them.”

  “I didn’t do anything special. I just happened to be looking down at the right angle to see Nora. And I was thinking how much Logan likes the big boulder, so I thought I’d check.”

  “You know them really well, Faith.” Tom stopped walking and faced her, and oh, boy, his citrusy smell waved over her and she had a hard time not staring at his scruffy chin and cheeks, so close she could touch them. “They care about you.”

  “I care about them, too.”

  “I know.” He smiled as if the knowledge made him happy. “Come in here for a second.”

  They were at Apple a Day, the store by Faith’s Finds. “Do you need vitamins or something?”

  “Something, yeah.” He held the door open, so she went in, blinking as her eyes adjusted. It smelled like vitamin powder and fruit. “I want to show you something. Right there.” He pointed at the back corner that was stocked with herbal teas last time she was here. Now it was empty.

  They walked past Gwen, the redheaded proprietor, who greeted them with a nod as she helped a customer. Tom took Faith to the empty corner, placing her in front of it like he was going to put her in an old-fashioned time-out. “This, Faith, is stop number three in the Widow’s Peak Creek Museum Walk.”

  “The what?”

  “In 1850-whatever—I can’t remember, you’ll have to help with that part—this building was used by the assayer. So right here, where you’re standing, we’re going to put a museum-quality display of artifacts that the assayer used. Scales, photos, maybe a little gold, and a document explaining what the assayer did. Come on.”

  He took her hand and tugged her out of the store, but her brain was still in the back corner. “I’m super confused, Tom. Can I talk to Gwen about this?”

  “Later. Let’s go to stop number four.” He took her into Del’s Café, grinning like Logan when he was asking for more dessert.

  The aromas of soup and coffee filled her nostrils as Tom pulled her to a stop in the front of the café, right by the register. George, the manager, rubbed his hands together. “Isn’t this neato?”

  “Isn’t what neato?” Faith whispered.

  Tom pointed to the bare wall. “George and Sandy are putting a cabinet here to display some of the tools the barber used in here, since this was the barbershop and bathhouse.”

  Her brain scrambled to catch up. Stop number four on the—what had he called it? “A museum walk?”

  He squared his shoulders. “Until Widow’s Peak Creek gets a museum, the Main Street businesses are all participating in a museum walk. Each store has committed to displaying artifacts from the building’s original business. They’re dedicated to keeping the items secure and clean, and to serving as docents for those particular items. If that’s okay with you, of course.”

  Faith’s hands went to her mouth. It was difficult to speak, much less untangle her words. All the stores? Everyone?

  “Why are you doing this?” she managed at last.

  “Because we need a museum, and we all want to help people learn about this town until one can be established the way it should be. Come on. See what everyone’s done. They can’t wait to show you.”

  “I can’t wait to see.”

  Faith had to jog to keep up with Tom’s long excited strides. Sure enough, every store they visited had cleared space for displays. Maeve was so excited about the dental artifacts going into her yarn store she’d already ordered a special cabinet.

  “That’s not all.” She took Faith by both hands. “If the mayor doesn’t think there’s enough funding for a museum, she either hasn’t studied the budget well or she’s plain biased against one. So I’ve decided we need a new mayor. I’m going to run in the next election.”

  Faith hugged her. “You’d be amazing at it, museum or not, Maeve.”

  “Until then, we’re all excited about Tom’s walking museum idea. Isn’t he a genius?”

  “He’s—”

  She couldn’t finish once she met his smiling gaze. He was something, all right.

  Tom took her hand again. “Wait until you see the others.”

  Claudia at Angel Food Bakery, once the town stationer, showed them where she’d set her display cabinet. Emerald’s Restaurant, originally a dry goods store, planned a presentation of old cans and a poster listing 1850s prices for goods. Kellan grinned when they entered the bookstore. “No room for an anvil like the blacksmith once had here, of course, but a few authentic smithy tools can go in this cabinet. I’m expanding my selection of local history books, as well.”

  Faith gave him a half hug before Tom drew her outside, across the street.

  As Tom said, each store was participating, from Neopolitan’s Ice Cream Parlor to DeLuca’s Pizza. Instead of crossing the street back to Tom’s store, however, Tom turned her around the way they’d come. “Let’s go to the park for a minute so I can tell you the rest. Don’t worry about your store. Angie’s fine.”

  “What about your store? And the kids?”

  “Ender is running things, and Mom is watching the kids play on the rock climbing thinga-ma-bob.”

  Elena knew Tom was with Faith? Huh.

  She had other things to think about right now, though, as they walked southward toward the old church, and beyond it, the park where she’d found Logan. “This is amazing, Tom. I’m overwhelmed. And confused. I didn’t think anyone else was supportive of a museum, but now everyone on Main Street is hosting mini-museums?”

  “You’ve taught us all about our heritage, Faith. Me, the kids and every shopkeeper on Main Street. I wanted to consult with you before I set up my display, though. I was thinking of hanging old tack on my wall to commemorate the livery. Do you like that idea?”

  “It’s wonderful. And you are, too—I mean, thank you.”

  “I’m going to add historic trail tour maps and the occasional guided hike to the mines, too.” They stepped onto the walking path that followed the creek. Ahead, the park sat lush and shady. “Let’s go to the boulder.”

  “Sure.” Maybe he wanted her to show him how she’d found Logan.

  It was cooler here, beneath the large shady oaks. Faith knew her goose-pimpled flesh wasn’t all about temperature, though. It was about Tom’s gift of the walking museum. “Thank you, Tom.”

  “It’s not the museum you want, but it’s better than my dumb idea of using the schoolhouse, don’t you think?”

  “Much.”

  “A lot of things are better than I dreamed. Like coming home.” He slowed to a stop beside a bench near the boulder, and by unspoken agreement, they sat. “I wanted to run away from my past, and when I started taking the kids to church, I realized God was sending me home so I could start over. Seems an odd choice of places to go when you don’t want to relive the past, but this was where I needed to be. Thanks to Him and you, I was reminded again and again that while I need to trust Him for my future, I also need to trust Him with my past. I’m not defined by my mistakes, but He also cares about the legacy I leave behind. Family and spiritual, both.”

  “I trusted God with the future of the museum and it’s turning out better than I dreamed, because it involves so many people. And keeps you next d
oor so your kids are cared for the way you wanted them to be.” Faith shifted on the cool wood bench slats. “Wherever God leads now, I’m going to try to do a better job of trusting Him.”

  “Is He leading you to move to San Francisco with Chloe?”

  “Honestly? The past few weeks I’ve felt...rootless. Friendless in some ways. Which has been hard, because Widow’s Peak Creek was the only place I’ve ever felt I belonged.”

  “And I changed that, because I avoided you?”

  He admitted it, which hurt anew. At least he was honest. “Yes. Plus the mayor’s attitude.”

  “My mom didn’t help, saying the things she did to you. Yeah, she told me. The thing is, though, my parents are right.”

  “About you not dating.” She fixed her gaze on the mossy-dark creek. “I get it, but I thought we were friends.”

  “Not regular friends.” When she looked back, his eyes had darkened to deep pools of ink. “My parents saw what I couldn’t admit. That my kids loved you. That I want more than friendship with you.”

  Oh.

  “I had to step back for the kids’ sake, as well as ours, because the truth is, I don’t want to date. When the time comes, I want a marriage. Not a short-term relationship. Does that make sense?”

  “You care about me, but the timing is wrong. Are you asking me to fade out of your lives or wait?” She’d never asked such a bold question before.

  “I’m not saying it well.” He reached out and gently took hold of her chin. “I love you, Faith. So much. I want to be with you. But not to casually date. To be with me and build a future with me and the kids. I’m not trying to scare you, telling you all of this, but you should know my intentions. I come with a lot of baggage, though. Twins and a dog and a workaholic tendency I’m scared to death of falling back into. If you aren’t interested in a bigger commitment down the line, if you don’t feel the same way about me that I do about you—”

  She had to stop him right there. “I love you, Tom.”

  “You do?”

  Couldn’t he hear her heart pounding so hard and loud it was about to explode out of her chest? “You and the kids. I’ve missed you all so much it hurts.”

  His hands gripped hers, warm and fierce. “The future won’t be perfect, but I’ll be by your side, if you let me. Me and the kids.”

  All she ever wanted. “But what about your parents? They’ll disapprove.”

  “Actually, they’ve come around.”

  Really?

  “I can’t guarantee the kids won’t destroy any more of your store displays, and I’m sorry about that.” His gaze lowered to her lips.

  “I could use a little more chaos, I guess.”

  He didn’t smile at her tease. Nor did he remove his gaze from her lips. “You really love me?”

  “Yes, Tomás.” So much she could marry him here and now on this bench.

  It would have to wait, though, because he cupped her jaw, kissing her thoroughly. Like she’d never imagined a kiss could be, and she was in a dazed stupor when he stopped.

  “Sorry that was in public. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

  His voice quavered, which made her feel smug. Faith could get used to this.

  “Not embarrassed, but if anyone saw us, they’ll talk, so we’d better hurry and tell the kids.”

  “Yeah?” His face lit up.

  “Yeah.” She stood up, clutching his hand. “We haven’t had our pizza tradition in a few weeks.”

  “No, we haven’t.”

  “And we definitely need to celebrate with the kids tonight.” The Walking Museum and being together. So, so much to celebrate.

  For the first time, Faith was running into the future. And with Tom by her side, it felt wonderful.

  Epilogue

  Two months later

  Faith entered her apartment, stepping into utter chaos.

  The blue rug askew on the foyer floor. The kitchen abandoned, even though marinara sauce sputtered out of the pot, messing up her stove. The garlic bread in the oven smelled perfect. Much longer and it would burn.

  She and Chloe had been gone all of what, twenty minutes? However long it had taken for them to run for fixings to put on the ice-cream sundaes Tom insisted they needed for dessert tonight, leaving him and the kids to finish cooking dinner in her kitchen.

  It had been weirdly uncharacteristic of him, sending her out like that, even after she offered to take them all to Neopolitan’s if he was in that big of a mood for ice cream.

  But he’d insisted, so she and Chloe ran out to buy a half gallon of vanilla, chocolate syrup and whipping cream. Faith set the canvas bags of groceries down on the counter and checked the garlic bread. Yep, golden brown on top, but it would be black if she didn’t rescue it now. She donned an oven mitt and took the pan out of the oven, and then she placed a lid over the marinara. “Where is everybody?”

  “Bettina’s not in the bathroom,” Nora yelled from down the hall.

  “Bettina’s missing?” Stripping off the oven mitt, Faith went through the kitchen to the living room, where Tom was on his hands and knees, head behind the couch. “Maybe she went down to the store.”

  “I doubt it. The door’s been shut since you left.” Tom glanced up at her before shuffling to look under the adjacent chair.

  “You sure?” Chloe joined the search party, peering around the bookshelf.

  “Yeah, I’m sure. She was here.”

  “She’s not playing in the shower curtains,” Logan shouted.

  Faith fought a rising sense of fear. Why would they be looking so hard for her cat if nothing was wrong? “Is she sick or something? What happened?”

  Tom stood and took firm but gentle hold of her shoulders. His inky-dark gaze met hers, calming her as only he could. “She’s fine. The kids want to play with her, that’s all.”

  That didn’t exactly constitute an emergency, but Faith would pitch in and join the hunt. “She’s probably sleeping somewhere.” Much as she preferred to stay in the circle of his arms all day, she pecked Tom’s delicious-smelling cheek and reached to open the guest room door. “Maybe she found a quiet spot under Chloe’s bed.”

  “Don’t go in there!” Chloe ran to lean against the door.

  “Why?” Faith didn’t remove her hand from the knob.

  “Because it’s a mess.”

  “It’s always a mess, when you visit.”

  “But Tom and the kids don’t need to see that.”

  This was weirder than weird. Faith was about to push her way into the guest room, but a snuffle drew her around. Nora stood in the hallway behind them, her eyes wide with worry. Logan peeked out of the bathroom, chewing his lip.

  Faith’s heart turned to mush. “You guys are really worried, huh? Let’s go look under my bed, okay? Chloe can check under her bed away from our prying eyes.” She glanced at her sister. “Then maybe you can put the ice cream away?”

  “Sure.” Chloe snuck into her bedroom like it held a top-secret conclave of world leaders inside.

  That must be one huge mess in there.

  Leading the kids into her room, Faith crouched at the foot of her double bed, nudging the blue-striped bed skirt up enough for them to peek beneath it. Sure enough, Bettina lay in what Faith called her “Cleopatra” pose, back legs curved to the side, front paws together, her posture both regal and relaxed.

  “See, she’s fine.” Faith lowered the bed skirt. “Let’s allow her to go back to sleep.”

  “I think we should get her out.” Nora’s voice held a tinge of panic.

  “Are you worried because she’s in a tight space? It’s okay, honey. Cats like to be cozy.”

  “She should be cozy in the living room,” Logan insisted.

  “Daddy?” Nora called.

  Something woofed at the same time. Not from the street below, but t
he next room. Faith stood up, straining to hear. Nothing. Maybe Chloe had moved a chair and it sounded like a woof or—

  There it was again. A woof she knew quite well by now. “What’s Roscoe doing here? What’s going on?”

  Several things happened at once. Tom appeared in the threshold, his face utterly devoid of expression. Nora slithered beneath Faith’s bed and shooed Bettina out the other side, where Logan caught her and handed her to—Tom?

  Enough was enough of this weirdness. “Tom, is that Roscoe?”

  “I’ll take care of it. Here.” He handed the cat to Faith. Bettina’s name tag jingled against the metal clip on her collar while Faith rushed to the guest room door, which now stood wide open. The guest room was now vacant, but the sounds of dog breathing and shuffled steps came from the living room.

  Faith was there in two steps.

  Roberto and Elena, holding Roscoe by a leash. Faith gaped. “Hi.” It came out more like a question.

  “Hello, Faith.” Roberto grinned.

  “Did you see Bettina?” Nora popped to her tiptoes.

  “Of course I did, I’m holding her. I—”

  Faith looked down. The jingling noise hadn’t been Bettina’s name tag against the metal clip of her collar. The noise came from her name tag striking an addition to her collar, a gold circle with a stone on it.

  A solitaire diamond ring.

  She gaped at Tom.

  With a nervous lick of his lips, he took Roscoe’s leash from his dad’s hand. Roscoe, she now saw, wore a pale blue bandana with writing on it.

  Will you marry my dad?

  Faith’s stomach bottomed out. This was happening. Really happening, right now. “Tom?”

  “The dog isn’t asking on my behalf, exactly.” Tom dropped the leash and reached for Faith, his warm hands on her shoulders. “But this is about more than you and me. The kids had input in this proposal, and we decided to include everyone in our families. Pets and people.”

  “All of us,” Elena said. And by her smile, Faith could tell she meant it. Things hadn’t been perfect with Elena since she and Tom started dating, but Elena had apologized for the things she’d said to Faith. Together, they’d worked toward a healthier relationship. Elena’s words now felt like a blessing.