Their Family Blessing

by Lorraine Beatty

“Oh? Then would you care to explain why you went from excited hostess to grim greeter in a flash?”

  There was no use in trying to fool Thelma. She knew her too well. “Natalie used to be Mack’s girlfriend. A long time ago.” She hoped Thelma wouldn’t press any further. She didn’t want to relive her humiliation from that summer.

  Thelma chuckled. “Well, it’s about time.”

  “What?”

  “That you’re finally admitting you have romantic feelings for Mack. I always knew you did.”

  “No, I don’t.” The skeptical look on Thelma’s face made Carly squirm.

  “A woman doesn’t usually experience jealousy when she doesn’t care.”

  She patted her shoulder and headed toward the kitchen. Carly sighed and sank onto the leather sofa. Her fun weekend was suddenly a burden. Thelma was right; she did have feelings for Mack. She just wasn’t ready to deal with them. But spending the next three days watching Mack and Natalie interact was going to be difficult. Thankfully, her schedule provided her plenty of activity apart from the two of them. She’d concentrate on her responsibilities and the children. That was all that mattered.

  Everyone was so excited and happy, filled with anticipation for the weekend. She was the only one who felt sick to her stomach. If ever she needed a sign that she and Mack weren’t mean for each other, Natalie’s unexpected appearance had confirmed that.

  It was going to be a long weekend.

  * * *

  Mack stood beside the bed as Carly tucked the girls in for the night. Lucy was spending the night with Ella, but both girls were so keyed up from all the excitement of the orphans’ arrival he doubted they’d fall asleep quickly. Each time they looked at each other they burst into fits of giggles.

  Carly kissed Ella good-night and Mack placed a kiss on Lucy’s forehead. “You two had better settle down. There’s a lot more fun coming tomorrow.”

  “We get to swim with all the kids.”

  “And go in the boats.”

  Carly turned out the light. “Now hush and go to sleep. You’ll need all your energy for the pool.”

  Giggles and squeals was their only reply.

  Mack followed Carly downstairs. “I think our girls are overtired.”

  “It’s been a busy evening. Would you like some tea?”

  “That would be nice.” Mack took a seat on the sofa, his gaze taking in the cozy room.

  What would it be like to come home to a wife and family each day? If it was a warm and welcoming place like Carly’s, he doubted he would ever grow tired of it. There’d been only a few times in his life when home had felt like a haven. A few years spent with his mother after Val had moved away, and the short time he’d been engaged. His fiancée had owned a little cottage that had been a refuge at the end of the day. Until it wasn’t.

  Carly returned with his tea and handed it to him, then took a seat in the chair. He watched her a moment. She’d been unusually quiet since the children had arrived. But then they’d all been busy with the cookout and the campfire. He was glad Jack and Natalie were keeping up with the children, because there were too many and they were too energetic for him.

  “I’m not sure who had more fun this evening, the children or our girls.”

  Our girls. Is that how she thought of Lucy and Ella? It sounded good to him. It would be so easy to think of the four of them as a family. “I agree. So far everything has been going well.”

  “Have you checked the weather lately? Has the hurricane moved off?”

  “Not quite. It’s still drifting northwest so all we should get is a shower here and there. I’ll keep an eye on it. This early in the hurricane season you never know how those storms will react.”

  “Good. I’d hate to have the weekend ruined for the kids.”

  She toyed with her glass a moment. “I was surprised to see Natalie.”

  “Yes. I was, too. I had no idea she was part of Magnolia House.”

  “So you haven’t seen her since that summer?”

  Realization dawned. Carly was jealous. His heart skipped a beat. You weren’t jealous of someone you didn’t care for. “No. We never spoke after that day. We didn’t really click. We had very different interests.”

  “She seemed very glad to see you again.”

  “It’s always nice to see a friend you haven’t seen in a while.” He held her gaze, willing her to understand what he was really saying.

  “Yes, it is.”

  His pulse raced with fresh hope. Maybe Carly had feelings for him, too. Come to think of it, Carly had been distant all day. He’d hardly seen her until the cookout, and then she’d not spoken a word to him. He hadn’t thought too much about it until now, though he could see now that Carly was particularly standoffish whenever he and Natalie were together.

  He took a sip of his tea. Maybe it was time to test the waters. “Natalie and Jack make a good couple, don’t you think?”

  Carly’s head popped up, her brown eyes revealing her surprise. “I didn’t know they were a couple.”

  “Really? It’s not like you to miss something like that. Anyone can see they’re crazy in love.” He stood, stifling the smile on his lips. Carly did care. Now all he had to do was get her to admit it. But with the uncertainty of the lodge hanging between them, he wasn’t in a position to explore their relationship. “It’s going to be a busy day. I’d better turn in. Thanks for letting Lucy stay with you and Ella.”

  “Believe me, it’s easier to handle them together than separately.”

  “Agreed. Good night, Carly. Sweet dreams.” He held her gaze, pleased to see a faint pink tinge rise in her cheeks.

  He left through the French doors leading to the deck, keenly aware of Carly watching him. His hope rose. As soon as the situation with the lodge was settled he’d have a long, personal talk with Carly.

  First chance he got, he’d tell her of his decision to sell the lodge. He should have done that already. Then he’d admit that he’d always loved her and let the chips fall where they may. If it didn’t work out, then perhaps the Lord must have a better plan in store for him.

  Chapter Eleven

  Carly scheduled a few tweets and a Facebook post on her laptop before taking a long sip of coffee. Last night had passed quickly, with a cookout at the pavilion near the playground and a campfire complete with s’mores and a sing-along thanks to Jack and his guitar. Natalie had been preoccupied with the children, making sure each of them was settled and happy. Everything had gone like clockwork, and she’d been reluctantly impressed with how skillfully Natalie handled the fifteen children in her care.

  Today would be busy, as well.

  Mack and Dwayne had taken the children fishing and boating first thing this morning. Ella and Lucy had been included in the expedition and both had been bubbling with excitement all morning.

  Carly had taken advantage of the free time to catch up on her virtual-assistant business, which was growing faster than she’d expected. After lunch Carly and Mack would lead the group on a hike along one of the trails, followed by craft time at the pavilion; then the rest of the afternoon there would be swimming in the pool.

  Work completed, Carly changed into comfortable shorts and a top and laced up her walking boots. The temperature was in the high eighties today so a walk in the woods would be welcome. She was looking forward to showing the children all the wonders of the woods and the creek. If she could ignite even one child with an appreciation for nature she’d be happy.

  She was also eager to spend some time with Mack. They’d both been busy with the events and she wanted his take on how things were going. More to the point, she wanted him to herself for a short while.

  Carly and the girls arrived at the trailhead later that morning to find the orphans all eager to go on the hike. The fishing and boating had done little to curb their energy. Lucy and Ella ran ahead to be
with the kids. Mack and Natalie were standing a good distance away, their expressions indicating something wasn’t right. She joined them. Mack approached Carly.

  “We have a problem.”

  “What? Did something happen to the children? Has there been an accident?”

  “No. It’s the hurricane.”

  Carly frowned. “That’s down on the coast and it’s headed west. It shouldn’t impact us at all.”

  “It changed course overnight. It’s shifted back east and north. That puts us directly in the path of the outer bands of the storm.”

  Carly didn’t have to ask what that meant. Living in south Mississippi, she’d seen her share of hurricanes. As dangerous as the center of the storm could be, the outer bands of wind could cause just as much havoc with the high bursts of wind and the spin-off tornadoes. The storm had put them in a precarious position now.

  “When will the outer bands reach us?” Hopefully, the hurricane would either slow, start to weaken or, God willing, change directions again and spare them.

  “According to the weather service, it’ll be here overnight or early morning. No way of knowing for certain.”

  Natalie stepped forward. “I think maybe we should cut the weekend short and head home with the children.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Mack said. “Evacuation orders have already been issued for Hastings and surrounding areas, which means the roads are going to be clogged. You might end up stuck on the highway when the storms roll over. It might be better to stay here and hunker down until it passes.”

  “Mack is right, Natalie,” Carly chimed in. “We’re safe here. The lodge has been through several hurricanes. One was a direct hit and we suffered only minor damage. The safety of the children is most important.”

  “I agree. And I’d hate to deprive the kids of the rest of the fun things they are looking forward to doing.”

  “No need for that. We can finish out the day and we’ll move the kids into the lodge at bedtime.”

  Carly nodded. “We’ll make it like a special surprise. I’d hate to have them upset about the storm.”

  Natalie smiled. “Thank you both. The children are having such a fun time. I’m glad I don’t have to ruin it.”

  “In the meantime, I’ll have Thelma get things ready at the lodge and keep an eye on the storm.” He looked at Natalie. “Why don’t you go with Carly on the hike? I need to check with Dwayne and see what we need to do to prepare the grounds for the storm. We’ll need to pick up some plywood to cover some of the windows.”

  Carly made a head count of the children, then added Lucy and Ella to the total. All present and accounted for.

  After giving the children instructions to remain on the path, not to run too far ahead and not to touch any plants unless they checked with Carly first, they started down the Piney Woods Trail. Carly had chosen this trail because it would be the most fun and the easiest to corral a bunch of rambunctious children. Natalie fell in step with Carly, making her a bit anxious.

  “I have to admit I haven’t been on these trails since—”

  “Since you and Mack dated?” Carly could have kicked herself for the comment. She sounded childish and petty.

  Natalie cocked her head and smiled. “If you count going out two times dating. He had other fish on the line.”

  What did she mean by that?

  “Do you have a problem taking the children on the hike with me, Carly?”

  Heat infused Carly’s cheeks. She’d never been very good at masking her emotions. “No, of course not. Why would I?”

  “Maybe because you’ve been casting curious glances my way all weekend. I got the feeling you wanted to ask me something.”

  “No. Nothing at all.” Her words were quickly followed with a request for forgiveness from the Lord.

  Natalie grinned. “If you say so.”

  Carly started off by pointing out the Longleaf pine trees explaining the campgrounds were named after them, but it soon became evident that the kids were more interested in pointing out bugs and asking questions than listening to the usual spiel. It was just as well since her heart wasn’t in it.

  Natalie chuckled softly. “Don’t feel badly. The kids have short attention spans. Some of them have never experienced the woods like this.”

  “I guess I take it for granted, having grown up here.”

  “I always envied you that.”

  “You did?”

  “Sure. You had this whole campground to play in, you were so comfortable with the guests, and you had Mack hanging on your every word.”

  “No. That’s not—”

  “Carly, whatever happened between Mack and me years ago meant nothing. He was trying to be honorable and not cross any boundaries. But his feelings for you were clear to anyone who really looked. I never understood how you couldn’t see it. Toby Cruise, get back here. Don’t get so far ahead of the others.” She turned to Carly. “And just for the record, I’m engaged to Jack, so you don’t have to worry about anything starting up again between me and Mack.”

  Carly’s conscience tugged. “I’m sorry, Natalie. I didn’t mean to be so rude. I never understood what happened between you and Mack back then. Forgive me. It’s a wonderful thing you’re doing with Magnolia House.”

  “Don’t apologize or explain. Maybe when this situation with the will is settled, you and Mack can be honest about your feelings. You belong together.”

  The talk with Natalie relieved many of Carly’s concerns, but brought forth a few others. Was there something brewing between herself and Mack? Were they both too uncertain to admit it, or was it the will that was complicating their relationship?

  She had found no suitable answer to that question by the end of the afternoon. It had made working with Natalie more comfortable. They’d bonded over the crafts activity and got everyone fed at the snack bar and into the pool for the afternoon.

  The skies had started to cloud over and the wind had swelled from time to time, which meant the hurricane was getting closer. So far it hadn’t threatened any of the activities. Swim time would be ending shortly, then the kids would return to their cabins to roast hot dogs over fire and make s’mores again. Jack and Natalie had several games lined up for them to play, as well.

  A sudden dark cloud obscured the sun. Carly looked skyward to see the unmistakable swirling clouds in the sky. The outer bands of the storm were arriving. As if reading her mind, Mack pulled up to the pool parking lot and hopped out. She could tell by the look on his face he wasn’t bringing good news. He glanced at the sky as he drew near.

  “What is it?”

  Mack motioned for Natalie, who was sitting on the edge of the pool watching the kids, to join them.

  “The storm has shifted again. And it’s sped up. We’re going to get the first hit in about two hours.”

  Natalie exchanged anxious looks with them. “What does that mean?” A strong gust of wind swept across the area.

  “I think we’d better get the kids settled in the lodge as quickly as possible. The rain could start at any time and they need to be indoors. Let’s get the children out of the water and back to the cabins. Have them pack all their things and take them to the lodge.”

  Carly spoke up. “Have them bring their pillows and blankets from their beds. Thelma and I decided it would be best to keep all the children in the main room of the lodge. I think they’ll feel better together than in separate rooms.”

  Natalie nodded, clearly anxious about the sudden shift in plans. “Yes. I agree.”

  “Mack, why don’t you help Natalie with the kids and I’ll work with Ronnie to close up the snack bar and close the hurricane shutters.”

  A gust of wind, stronger than the last, pushed through, underscoring the need to act quickly. Wind damage was always a threat, but it was the pop-up tornadoes in the outer bands that posed
the biggest danger.

  It was going to be a long night.

  * * *

  Carly stood at the back entrance to the lodge as the children trudged up onto the deck lugging their backpacks, blankets and pillows. They appeared excited, as if they were going to take part in a great adventure. They weren’t wrong, but it might not be the kind of adventure they were expecting. She directed the children toward the center of the large lobby, where furniture had been shoved back to allow the children to spread out on the floor near the fireplace and away from any windows.

  Thelma settled the boys in one area, the girls in another. The chatter and laughter almost made Carly forget that there was a dangerous storm approaching. It was already getting dark outside and the wind whipped the trees in circles as the conflicting wind currents swept over them.

  Ella and Lucy had begged to stay with the children, and since she and the other adults would likely be up all night on watch, they had agreed. The girls entered from the apartment with blankets and pillows, each hugging a favorite stuffed animal.

  “Mommy, can Poppy and Petunia come in now? They’ll be all alone in the storm.”

  “They’ll be fine. I shut them in the bathroom with a warm blanket and some food and water. That’s the safest place for them.”

  She’d just finished getting Ella and Lucy settled near the other girls when Mack entered the room and came toward her. “How’s it going in here?”

  “We’re about settled down, though I don’t think the kids are aware of what’s ahead. What about you?”

  Mack nodded, resting his hands on his hips. “We’ve done all we can. We boarded up the windows on your apartment and some of the ones in the lodge. Dwayne told me your dad had installed hurricane-resistant glass in the large window, so we should be okay since we’re not taking a direct hit.”

  A rush of wind rattled the windows, causing a sudden silence among the children. Their eyes were wide and curious.

  “Is it going to be a bad storm, Miss Natalie?” freckled-faced Cory asked, looking anxious.