“I was, but I’m not anymow.” He sighed.
Nick turned at the sound of footsteps approaching from behind.
“Is everything okay over here?” Joy asked in a whispered tone.
“Apparently, this little guy no longer wants to be in the play.” Nick regarded Joy with a questioning eye.
Joy reached out and tucked the pad of her thumb under the child’s chin. “You don’t? Why not, sweetie?”
Jordan sniffled before answering. “Some of the kids wuh teasing me,” he stuttered.
Nick’s jaw tightened. “About being a mushroom?” When it came to teasing, kids could be so cruel. While teaching in Chicago, each year Nick taught a lesson plan on bullying. It was something he’d never tolerate in or outside of the classroom.
Jordan only shook his head.
Joy took a seat in the empty chair. “You can tell us, sweetheart. Were they teasing you about the way you talk?”
“Yeah.” He sniffed twice.
Nick looked over at Joy. She was good. How did she know that was what had his son so upset?
“They laughed at me when I told them I was going to be a mushwoom.” He rubbed his eyes. “One kid said since I talk funny I could only play a twee or a mushwoom. Is that why I don’t have any lines to memowize, like Tyler does?”
Joy ran her hand down his cheek. “Of course not. You were excited to play the part.”
“Not anymow—do I have to?” His eyes pleaded for a no.
Nick wasn’t thrilled to see his son back down to the bullies, but he didn’t want him to be unhappy either. He glanced at Joy, who gave him a slight nod. “No, if you don’t want to play the mushroom, we’ll cast someone else in the role. Are you sure this is what you want to do, son?”
Jordan sat in silence.
“I have an idea,” Joy broke in. “Why don’t you play the overture?”
Jordan’s brow crinkled. “I’m not sure I know how to play that. Is it a puhson?”
Nick and Joy shared a smile.
“No, sweetie. An overture is the music that’s played before the start of a movie or, in our case, a play,” Joy explained in a caring tone.
His eyes popped. “You mean...play the piano in fwont of the whole school?”
Nick couldn’t imagine Jordan would agree to Joy’s suggestion. For one, he was way too shy, and plus, he never wanted anyone outside of the family to know he played.
“Yes, but we could situate the piano on the stage in a way that you wouldn’t even have to see the audience. I could sit beside you and we could pretend you’re playing for me in your living room.” She winked. “What do you say? You play so beautifully, Jordan. You shouldn’t be embarrassed by your talent.”
Nick kept a close eye on his son as his brow furrowed while contemplating Joy’s suggestion. Playing in front of the entire school would be a huge step for Jordan. He never enjoyed being the center of attention, but perhaps this would help him to overcome his shyness.
Jordan looked up at Joy. “Do you pwomise you’ll sit beside me the whole time?”
She reached for his hand and gave it two squeezes. “Yes. I’ll never leave your side.”
“I can’t wait to tell Ty that I’m back in the play!” Jordan sprang out of his chair and ran across the stage toward his brother.
Nick’s heart was full. “You were amazing.”
Joy’s cheeks flushed. “What?”
“With Jordan—I could never talk him into performing on stage.”
She pushed her hair away from her face. “I’m sure you could. He just needed a little nudge.”
“He trusts you...probably more than me,” Nick admitted. “You’re great with the kids, Joy.” He bit down on his lower lip. Maybe she did deserve to be principal. It was true, she didn’t have her master’s yet, but she had a way with children that could never be taught from a book. Had he been wrong thinking he was the man for the job?
Chapter Six
Saturday morning, Joy laced up her running shoes and pulled her hair into a high and tight ponytail. Being a creature of habit, she ran five miles several mornings a week. She always headed out at 6:00 a.m. rain or shine, except on Sunday, when she typically ran in the evening. Of course, when the heavy mountain snows hit, she was forced to use her treadmill. Thankfully, so far this winter the roads had remained clear.
Outside, her feet pounded a steady rhythm against the pavement. She loved the feel of the mountain air pulsating through her lungs. Inhaling a deep breath of the frigid air was a reminder to those living in Whispering Slopes that Old Man Winter had taken his grip. They were due for a big snow. Although each season provided its own beauty, spring had always been her favorite.
As she continued her way down the winding country road, her thoughts turned to what had transpired before rehearsal earlier in the week. She was thankful she’d been able to convince Jordan to remain a participant in the play. Playing the overture would be a first step to getting him to come out of his shell. He was such a sweet boy with a loving heart.
They’d had another rehearsal on Thursday where she’d insisted on working with Bella in her role as Little Red Riding Hood. If possible, she had to avoid helping Tyler with his part. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she needed to protect her own. Staying as far away from the Big Bad Wolf was the only way to keep the horrible memories from bubbling to the surface.
An hour later, after a quick shower and a toasted onion bagel, Joy snatched her car keys and headed out the door. She’d promised Faith and Joshua she’d come over to the resort a little earlier to keep Bella entertained while they got things ready for the school’s winter festival.
A few minutes later, she approached the entrance to the Black Bear Resort. Hitting the turn signal, she began the slow climb up the steep, Fraser fir–lined driveway. At the top, the parking lot was getting full. She circled to the back row and found an empty space next to Mrs. Buser’s delivery van.
Placing the vehicle in Park, she grabbed the last few sips of her coffee and headed inside.
“Aunt Joy!” Bella greeted her in the foyer.
They exchanged a hug and Joy kissed her warm, pink cheek.
Joy still couldn’t get over the inn’s transformation. When Joshua and Faith were deeded the property by his father, Joshua had made Faith a promise. Being a man of his word, he’d expanded the Black Bear Inn into a massive resort and restored the old family home where she and Faith had grown up with their grandparents. Later, their grandfather had financial difficulties and the land had been purchased by Joshua’s father. He’d done a fabulous job with all of the renovations of the home, including many modern upgrades.
Joy looked down at Bella, dressed in blue jeans with tiny embroidered daisies on the back pockets. Her heart melted. Bella’s brown-sugar curls were pulled back into a loose ponytail. “Are you excited for today?”
Bella grabbed her hand and led Joy toward the kitchen. “Yes! I can’t wait for Tyler and Jordan to get here. We’re going to have so much fun.”
Joy knew the boys would have a good time. She hoped Nick would as well. He hadn’t seemed the same since the night of Jordan’s first lesson. Had listening to his son talk about missing his mother triggered too many painful memories? If anyone knew about triggers, she did, especially with the play and having the wolf lurking in the shadows...just waiting to pounce.
Early morning sunlight filtered through the kitchen window, casting a golden light on Faith’s fair complexion as she rinsed the breakfast dishes.
Coffee. She needed gallons of the stuff to get through this day. She’d been up late last night studying for another online exam she planned to take next week. Thankfully, because the degree program was self-paced, it allowed for flexibility. Of course, since Nick had returned, Joy felt pressured to step up her speed. The sooner she could get that piece of paper, the better.
&
nbsp; “Good morning, sis.” She released Bella’s hand and headed toward the coffee maker for a refill. Bella whizzed out of the room.
Faith dried her hands. “Hey—thanks for coming so early. I feel like there’s a million things left to do.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s already after eight o’clock. A couple of the events start at ten.”
Joy refilled her cup with the steaming brew and took a quick sip. “Relax—there’s plenty of time. Besides, the school staff should start to trickle in anytime now. They’ll be eager to help, especially if we get them loaded up on caffeine.”
For the next fifteen minutes the two sisters chatted. Joy updated her on Nick’s wife and what had transpired during the last few rehearsals.
The sound of whistling put an end to the conversation.
“Mommy, what time will Tyler and Jordan be here?”
Joy and Faith exchanged a glance.
“I don’t know, sweetie, but even if they don’t come, your entire school will be here. You’ll have plenty of other children to play with,” her mother responded as she twirled Bella’s ponytail.
“Yeah, but it won’t be as much fun.” She turned on her heel and then spun around. “Oh, yeah, Daddy wanted me to tell you there aren’t any hamburger buns,” Bella announced as she skipped out of the room.
Faith sprang from her chair and grabbed her phone. She sent a quick text to Joshua, who was out on the slopes with some of his crew. Her arms dropped to her side when her phone chimed a response.
“What’s wrong?”
“We’ve got over two hundred patties and no buns. Joshua thought I was getting them and I thought he was.”
The perfect opportunity to take a break from talking about Nick. Joy grabbed her coffee mug and pushed away from the table. “No worries. I’ll go to the store.” She turned on the faucet and rinsed her cup.
“You’re a lifesaver, sweetie. Mr. Swanson is holding the order at the market.” Faith scurried to the pantry and removed her purse. “Here, take this.” She whipped out a credit card and handed it to her sister.
“You got it. I’ll be back in less than a half an hour and then you can put me to work.” Joy grabbed her bag and flung the strap over her shoulder. “See you in a bit.”
Outside in the parking lot, she walked at a fast pace toward her car. Funny, although it was parked on a flat surface, the passenger side appeared lower. Joy walked to the other side of the vehicle. Oh, great. The rear tire was as flat as a sand dollar and she had no spare. Not that she’d know how to change it if she did. She’d kept meaning to have Joshua show her how it was done, but it had always slipped her mind.
She turned at the sound of tires crunching on the gravel lot. The familiar silver SUV with Nick behind the wheel caused her pulse to quicken.
He pulled his vehicle beside her disabled car and rolled down the window. “Need some help, Jo Jo?”
Her heart twisted at the sound of her old nickname. It seemed like a lifetime ago since she’d heard it. As kids, Nick had come up with the name, and to this day, he was the only one who’d ever called her that.
The twins jumped out the moment they came to a stop. “Hi, Miss Kelliher! Can we go inside and see Bella?” Tyler begged.
“Hello, boys.” Joy looked at Nick as he stepped out from his car, then turned her attention toward the twins. “Ah...if it’s okay with your father.”
“Can we? Can we?” Tyler and Jordan jumped up and down in circles.
“Are you sure it’ll be okay with Faith?” Nick asked.
“Of course—anything to keep Bella occupied. It’s been a busy morning for Faith and Joshua.”
“Go ahead, but behave yourselves.” Nick smiled at Joy. “They’ve been so excited. Ever since they got out of bed this morning, they’ve talked nonstop about seeing her today.”
Joy smiled. “She’s a special little girl.”
“Yes, she is. Do you want to pop your lock? I’ll put your spare on for you.”
Her cheeks warmed as she looked at the ground and kicked a rock. She’d been grateful that since the last rehearsal, they’d had a little more peace between them. As long as they didn’t discuss the principal position or his ex-wife, things seemed to stay civil.
“Let me guess—no spare?”
She shrugged. “What can I say? I was never a Girl Scout.”
“Okay, then. Can I give you a lift somewhere?”
A quick glance at her watch told her things would really start to get busy soon. “I don’t want to trouble you. I’ll just borrow Faith’s car.”
“That’s not necessary. Please, let me help out. That’s what I’m here for. Besides, it’s the least I could do after you were so good to Jordan, suggesting he play the overture. You’re pretty incredible with him.”
She fingered the gold chain around her neck. Faith didn’t have time to run the errand and Joy didn’t have time to deal with the butterflies that were flitting in her stomach since Nick had arrived. “Okay, I just need to go to the grocery store. There’s been a hamburger bun emergency.”
He chuckled. “Sounds serious.”
The tension released in her neck. “I guess that sounds strange, but it’s the truth. We need two hundred rolls, pronto. People around here like their burgers.”
“Well, let’s go, then. But first, let me run inside to let the boys know and make sure it’s okay with Faith to leave them here to play with Bella,” he said.
Minutes later, Joy secured her seat belt and slid her cell phone from her purse. “Excuse me a second. I need to call the auto club.”
Following a short drive, they pulled into the parking lot at the market. She’d been relieved to have been put on hold for so long when she called for assistance—no unnecessary small talk had been required, so she was guaranteed not to say the wrong thing to Nick.
Once inside the store, Joy hurried to customer service to pay.
“Go ahead and pull your car around front. We’ll get you loaded up and on your way in a jiffy.” Mr. Swanson smiled and handed Joy the receipt.
“Thank you so much for your help,” Joy said as she and Nick exited the store.
The sun beamed into her eyes when they stepped out of the store. She reached into her purse for her sunglasses and slid them on.
They climbed into the car and buckled up. Nick put the SUV in Drive and eased up to the front of the store. An uncomfortable silence hung inside of the vehicle as Joy twisted her purse strap around her finger and then unraveled it.
“Nick, I wanted to apologize again for questioning you about getting help for the boys and for yourself. Sometimes I don’t know when to mind my own business. It’s just...”
“What is it, Joy?”
“Jordan tugged on my heartstrings the night of his piano lesson. He’s so confused about his mother and God’s plan. He had so many questions about his mother, but I didn’t have answers for him. I guess I got upset that you didn’t step up to the plate and ease his troubled mind.”
A slight shake of his head told her she’d once again overstepped her bounds.
“Here I go again—I’m sorry. I’m just overprotective when it comes to children,” Joy said as her shoulders relaxed when she spotted Mr. Swanson approaching the vehicle with the flatbed loaded with the buns. Somehow, she’d have to keep her feelings under control if she was going to make it through this day.
* * *
The resort was a beehive of activity when Joy and Nick pulled into the parking lot. Groups of skiers milled about, anxious to hit the slopes covered with several inches of artificial snow. When the twins spotted their father and Joy unloading the buns, they raced to the car. Bella followed behind.
“Daddy! You should have seen it.” Tyler stopped to catch his breath. “Miss Faith took us sledding! We were flying down the hill really fast. It was the most fun ever!” His face beamed.
; Nick’s chest lightened. He was happy to see the boys having such a good time. He’d been nervous about uprooting the boys and moving them to a strange town, but seeing the joy in their faces today, he knew he’d made the right decision.
“So what do you guys want to do next?” He scanned the children’s jubilant expressions and then locked his gaze on Joy.
Tyler spoke up first. “Can we go on the hot air balloon ride, Daddy? That would be so cool.”
Jordan remained quiet.
“I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea, guys.” He hated to put a damper on the day, but with Jordan’s fear of heights, Nick didn’t want him to go along with the group and end up being scared in the balloon.
“Aw...come on,” Tyler and Bella whined in unison.
“Herb’s been taking people up in his balloon for years, Nick. The boys will be safe,” Joy said as she looked up into the sky. “Besides, the weather is ideal. The winds are calm and the temperature feels nice.”
Bella and Tyler ran around in circles, while Jordan took a step back. Nick leaned toward Joy, away from the children, and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sure it’s safe. I’m just a little worried about Jordan.”
Concern spread across her face. “What’s wrong? He’s not sick, is he?”
“No, he’s afraid of heights. Of course, he’s not going to admit that in front of Bella. He’s not as fearless as Tyler. He wasn’t always like that, but after his mother died he seemed to become more fearful.”
Joy turned to the children before responding. “I think it might be good for him. We can all go up together—trust me, it’ll be fine. I think he’ll love it!”
A Mother for His Twins Page 7