by Elsie Davis
“But not liking them and taking action against them are two different things. That’s commendable.”
“Whatever. I did it because I couldn’t not do it.” Gemma didn’t want his praise for doing something any good friend would have done. It didn’t make her special. They continued walking down the street and tacking posters up along the way.
“So, what happened to toughen you up?” Jake’s question brought up unpleasant memories.
She looked over at him, trying to decide how much to share. Gemma took a deep breath. It was a long time ago. Something that recent events had managed to stir to life. “Life. It wasn’t fair. It was either get tough or get beaten. And I’m referring to emotionally, so don’t get all crazy on me and start digging for some deeper meaning.”
“Okay. Thanks for clarifying. I won’t have to make it a personal mission to go beat someone up on your behalf.” He smiled and kept walking.
* * *
Jake knew well enough to let the matter drop based on the set of her jaw, not to mention he was craving more of her warm smile. He loved to watch her face light up when something sweet caught her gaze, like the old couple walking down the street hand in hand.
He hadn’t missed the way her gaze had followed them into the hardware store.
Yesterday, when he’d first pulled into the driveway, the picture of her laughing face while she played with his son warmed his heart and touched places he hadn’t known still existed. It was when the reality check hit, he’d gone into jerk mode.
There were other ways he could have handled the situation, but he chose the easiest. Putting distance between them had been better for everyone involved. But somewhere in the middle of the night while he lay in the dark, tossing and turning, he realized he had to fix things. And not just for Chad’s sake.
She was leaving soon, but it didn’t mean they couldn’t be friends. And for the first time in a long time, he found himself wanting to be friends with a woman.
And not just any woman. Gemma.
“Ready to test Mrs. Jenkin’s memory skills?” Jake pointed over at the library.
“I guess. Isn’t she in her eighties?”
“Eighty-three to be exact. But shhh, don’t tell anyone. Patient information is top secret.” Jake tucked her free arm under his as they marched up the sidewalk together, united against the evil library forces.
Gemma giggled. “Please stop. I don’t want to know anymore.”
They entered the old brick building, passing the exterior columns gracing the entryway. “Right over here.” He led her to the main desk.
“Morning, Mrs. Jenkins.” He spoke louder, knowing her hearing wasn’t good. “I brought you a visitor.”
Mrs. Jenkins looked up and smiled. “Well, hello there, honey. Are you the doctor’s girlfriend?” She pinned Gemma with a stare and pushed her glasses up on her nose to see her better.
Gemma coughed. “Umm, no. I’m Gemma Watson. I’m visiting—”
“Chad Andrews. I may be old, but I hear the news all about town. Maybe you should be Doc’s girlfriend. You’re pretty, and I see the way he’s looking at you.”
“Mrs. Jenkins, I promise we’re just friends. Gemma’s headed back to Syracuse soon,” Jake chimed in to help stop the spread of any misinformation.
“Seems a shame. Your youngin’ needs a mother.” Another highly opinionated, but well-meaning individual determined to set him straight. Why did everyone seem to think he couldn’t handle things on his own?
“Dad, Kyle, and I are doing just fine, but thanks for your concern.” Jake winked at Gemma when Mrs. Jenkins wasn’t watching.
“What you got there?” The old woman leaned over the desk to see what they had in their hands.
“Posters.” Gemma took the lead. “I’m organizing a fundraiser for the rescue squad. They saved my dog, Brody, and I’m trying to find a way to pay them back for their generosity.”
“Oh. Yeah. I just heard about the fundraiser from Mrs. Smith, who I think was talking to Mr. Landon, who heard it from Sally Little.”
Word traveled fast. Jake expected nothing less from the town he called home.
“I can’t cook too much, but you can put me down for a couple of strawberry-rhubarb pies.”
“That’s perfect. I haven’t had strawberry-rhubarb pie in years. Might have to bid on one for myself.” Gemma’s kind words made old Mrs. Jenkins smile, shaving ten years off her aging face.
A sense of pride filled Jake. He was a part of this community. A community who banded together and helped one another. It had been the best decision he could have made to come back here and take over Dr. Anderson’s practice. He was making a difference in the world, and so were all these other people.
Gemma was right. It wasn’t what they did to help, it was that they did it. Everyone contributed what they could, and no matter how little or how big, every bit of it was important. What else was Gemma right about?
“Why do I think I know you? I know everyone from around here, and you look familiar, but Watson doesn’t ring a bell. Did you ever live here? Have you ever been to my library?”
Gemma tensed, hesitating long enough in her answer for Jake to jump in.
“We have to get going. Perhaps another time would be better for a long chat. There are lots of posters to hang and we’re limited on time, unless of course, you want to come and help us?” She couldn’t help, but it was the quickest way for him to end the conversation.
“Oh, dear heavens, boy. I’m too old for that kind of stuff. That’s for you youngins. But you can hang a poster on the front window and one on the bulletin board.”
“Thanks. We’ll do that.” Jake grinned at Gemma as she mouthed a thank you.
“Mind you, make sure it’s straight. You know I like everything exactly in its place. And I have enough to do with all these darn kids nowadays leaving books everywhere. No respect for the written word, I tell you. The excuses I hear could fill a book.”
“I’m sure they could, Mrs. Jenkins. I’ll take care to get it hung straight.”
“It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Jenkins.” Gemma leaned in to hug the slight woman, wanting to apologize in her own way for circumstances out of her control twelve years ago.
“You too. Don’t go and let Jake monopolize all your time. You come back and visit me, so we can talk. I think you’re trying to pull the wool over my eyes ‘cause whatever’s between the two of you is almost tangible. A connection. I can sense these kinds of things. Mark my word. And I still think you look familiar. Maybe I’ll get out the school yearbooks tonight when I get home.”
“Yes, ma’am.” They walked outside.
Gemma glanced his way and let out a deep breath. “That was close. I thought she was going to recognize me. Thanks for the cover.”
“You’re welcome. Hopefully, it puts me in your good graces again.” He leaned in to give her a quick hug, breathing in the fresh vanilla scent still wafting from her hair. They were on the same team again, and he was enjoying it.
“More than likely. How about we call it even.” Her smile cracked open his heart and let plenty of warm sunshine in, melting away the cold icicles of disappointment his ex-wife had left behind.
They spent the afternoon hanging posters, Jake surprised to see how fast time passed. The other guys had long since called in after they finished their areas. The extra donation requests had slowed him and Gemma down, but he didn’t regret it one bit.
“One last stop. There’s a small grocery store on the edge of town. Small family-run place.”
“Okay. You’re driving and the boss. At least for today.” Her hair framed her face almost as though she were an angel as she tossed him her best condescending look. But it was her mouth that captured his attention the most, and he had the sudden urge to kiss her. Again.
Not that he would. That first time by the rocks had almost been his undoing, except he’d been saved by the dog. Kissing Gemma would be like a recipe for Heartache Pie. Add one dollop of laughter. On
e long kiss. One hint of a smile. Bake for twenty minutes. And he’d be hooked.
And then she’d leave. No, kissing her was not a good idea.
He pulled into Angie’s grocery store parking lot. It was more like an old run-down gas station converted to a general store, the parking lot barely large enough to hold four or five cars at a time. There was food, clothes, fishing equipment, hunting equipment, minnows, candy, lottery, all packed into a five hundred square foot building. The peeling paint outside was an excellent reflection of the condition inside. The place was old but clean, and Jake counted Angie and her family amongst his friends.
“Hey, Angie. I want you to meet a friend of mine. This is Gemma Watson. Angie Lattimore. Gemma’s organizing a fundraiser for the rescue squad.”
“Bless your heart, dear. Thank you.” The older woman’s soft smile was at odds with her tightly drawn brow as she gazed at her.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Lattimore.” Gemma held herself stiff.
Jake sensed her unease and moved closer.
“Folks all over town are talking about you, not minding their own business. You’d think the sky had fallen when you showed up in town for all the caterwauling going on trying to figure out who your mother might be.”
“I don’t think—” Jake interrupted.
“Don’t interrupt, young man. Just because you’re a doctor doesn’t mean you can’t be rude.” Her smile took the sting out of her words as she reached up to pinch his cheek.
“It’s okay, Jake.” Gemma flashed him a resigned smile.
“As I was saying, they need to leave you and your mother alone. She did the best she could all those years ago, and I imagine Chad’s day of reckoning landed on his lap the day you pulled into town. Well done, dear.”
“What? I mean, you remember me?” Gemma looked stunned; her eyes wide with curiosity.
“Of course, I know you, I taught you in fourth grade. Gemma Sanders. Amy Sanders’ daughter. Your mother was a strong woman. How’s that husband of hers working out?”
Gemma shrugged, her gaze darting to the floor. “He died recently.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Your poor mother.”
“Didn’t you used to make me stay after school to help clean up the classroom? You look familiar.”
“I sure did.” Angie grinned as if she had a secret. “Your mother didn’t get off work for another thirty minutes after class let out. It was the only way I could make the school let you stay unsupervised. But that’s just between you, me, and the lamppost. The school never did catch on.”
“Trust me, your secret’s safe. And here I thought it was because you didn’t like me and so you held me up after class as punishment. The kids made fun of me for being the classroom janitor.”
Jake remembered Gemma telling him earlier about the bullying and wondered if this had been part of the problem. He couldn’t stand the idea of any child being bullied, whether by another child or an adult. It was something he paid close attention to with all his young patients, the GiddyUp Kids, and his son.
“I’m sorry, dear. You should have told them I let you do more reading than cleaning if I recollect right.”
Gemma relaxed, her angelic face softening.
Jake wished he could have been there to protect her all those years ago. He understood what she meant when she said she didn’t have a choice. If anyone tried to hurt Kyle or the other kids in the program, he’d have to do something about it too. “That sounds more like the Angie I know.”
“That’s true. But back then I didn’t see the milk and cookies as anything other than payment for janitor services. Thanks for helping my mom and me.” Gemma hugged Angie. “Um, folks around here haven’t figured out the connection, and for as long as I can, I’d prefer to keep it that way.”
“Say no more, dear. You’re secret’s safe with me. You tell your mother I said hello and I’m sorry for her loss. I miss her. She was a good girl who found a bit of unexpected trouble. Who doesn’t? She was so proud of you and to be your mother. Her eyes would light up every time you walked into a room.” Angie pulled a tissue from the sleeve of her blouse to dab her eyes.
“I’ll tell her. That’s such a sweet thing to say.”
“Not meant to be sweet. It’s the truth.”
He sensed Gemma’s discomfort and stepped in to end the discussion. “I hate to interrupt, ladies, but I need to be getting back to Kyle.” Angie’s words gave him more proof the judgment he’d passed on Gemma when he’d first met her couldn’t have been more wrong. It was starting to appear the fault lay entirely at Chad’s doorstep. But none of it explained away the photo album.
“We stopped in to ask if we could hang flyers here.” Gemma held up the posters in her hands and shot him a look of gratitude.
“Of course. And don’t worry, I won’t say a word. You’re in excellent hands with the doctor, Gemma. He won’t let no one bother you. You stick with him.”
“Oh, we’re not together.”
“Oh? Imagine that. Could have fooled me.”
“I live in Syracuse, so I guess he’s safe from me.”
“As long as you’re still here, providence can do anything it wants to. Even move mountains.”
Long after he dropped Gemma off back at the fire station, he couldn’t help but wonder about Angie’s words.
Chapter Thirteen
Gemma rounded the corner into the living room, the dancing flames in the fireplace a welcome sight. She stood close, warming her hands a few minutes, before resigning herself to break away for the much-needed cup of coffee. Back by the fire, she sat in the rocking chair, warm, cozy, and content.
They were headed for church this morning, but after the crazy rush of last week, she relished these few moments of peace and quiet.
The shower was running in Chad’s room, a good indicator he’d been up and out, fed the horses, and was done and back, ready for the next part of his day. Most people, including her, couldn’t imagine having to adhere to his regimented schedule which included many daily pre-dawn activities.
Gemma downed the rest of her coffee, pouring a second cup before making her way back to the bedroom. It was almost eight-thirty, and she’d promised to be ready to ride into town with Chad. She realized she was looking forward to this morning’s service. Back home, she didn’t get to church much, but last Sunday had been enjoyable. Other than the run-in with the queen of gossip.
Twenty minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot, Chad parking in the back row, the same as he’d done last week. His consideration for others no longer surprised her. It was as if it was a natural part of who he was, his every thought and action designed to be gracious and helpful to others.
After being welcomed by the ushers, Gemma stepped into the chapel. Her gaze automatically drifted toward the spot where Jake and Kyle sat last week. Kyle’s face was wreathed in a smile, as he waved his arm like a flag, gesturing for her to come and sit with him. Jake sat talking to the woman on his right, unaware Gemma was about to join them.
Gemma reached out to grab Chad’s arm. “Do you mind if I sit with Kyle?”
“Not at all. You go right ahead. I’ll just sit back here with the SOGGY group.” Chad chuckled and nodded toward his friends.
“Soggy?” She’d never heard the term before.
“The single-old-grumpy-guys. We sit in the back row. In a town where the older single ladies outnumber the men ten to one, we try to escape after the service.” Chad winked and headed for the back pew to sit with his friends.
Gemma made her way to the row where Jake and Kyle sat. “Excuse me,” she said, passing the four people who separated her from Kyle. Jake turned to see who had joined them, his eyes full of surprise to see her.
“Hi, Miss Gemma. I saved you a spot. You sit here, wight next to me.”
“Good morning, Kyle. It’s crowded this morning. Thanks for saving me a spot.” His smile warmed her heart better than any cup of coffee or toasty fire could. She sat down next to him.
He inched his way closer until his leg was touching hers, his small body nestled close to her side as he held out a Bible. “We can shawe. I can’t wead all the words yet, but I listen weal good.”
Jake’s gaze hadn’t left them, the set of his jaw tense, and unyielding. “Good morning.” The tight nod of his head and reluctance in his voice reminded her of their parting words Friday night. She had hoped the time they’d spent together yesterday might have changed things, but she’d been wrong. He still didn’t want her around Kyle.
Too bad. It’s not like she had the plague or anything. It was about sharing a little love.
“Good morning.” She nodded, then turned her gaze back to Kyle. “So, what did you do for fun yesterday, young man?” Gemma focused all her attention on the boy as if every word he uttered was of the greatest importance.
A little hand slid into hers. Her heart swelled two times its size, even as she cast an apologetic glance at Jake.
“Gwamps and me played in the leaves again. He said no sense letting all the hawd work go to waste. It was fun, but it would have been mo funner wif you jumping too.”
“More fun,” she corrected.
“Yes. It would’ve been mo fun.” It gave her the warm fuzzies to know Kyle liked her and Brody as much as she liked him. It was a mutual admiration society, and Jake was the only one not a member.
Sitting there in the church, the organ music filled the air. Gemma found herself remembering Sunday’s as a child. The church in Glen Haven wasn’t much different than the church in Hallbrook. Small, hard wooden pew benches filled with churchgoers every Sunday. It was a time she used to imagine and draw all the things she wanted in her life.
Like pictures of her family sitting in church. And then there were the family pictures she drew at Christmas, and Thanksgiving, and at Easter. They were all her wishful-thinking pictures. They all had a mommy and daddy and Gemma sitting between them.
In a fit of anger when she was twelve, she’d thrown them all away. All except one. She kept the one she’d drawn of them sitting in church. Maybe part of her hoped God would hear her prayers and make her daddy come home. The last thing she’d wanted back then was a new step-dad. The picture still lay folded and worn in her keepsake box, and her prayers had remained unanswered.