by Laura Domino
“This was after I was born?”
“Yes. Why? Why would you think to ask about Dan’s blood type? Did you talk about that with him? I don’t get why you would ask.”
“I gave blood for the first time earlier this week. I have Type O blood.”
“Okay. Good to know.” She shook her head, still not getting it.
“Did Dad say why he thought he had Type O blood?”
“No.”
“I looked it up, just to double-check. If a mother is Type O blood, and her baby is Type O, the father can be either Type A or B or O blood. Not Type AB. If a mother is Type O blood, and the dad is Type AB, the baby can be either Type A or B blood. Not O. If the mother and the dad are both Type O blood, the baby has one hundred percent chance of having Type O blood.”
She grabbed Adam’s arm. “No. He knew. He knew before your brother was born. He knew both your blood types. And ours. He knew everything.” Her wide eyes turned back to the casket.
“Dan said he wasn’t going to tell you that Dad knew about you and Dan. That’s why he left. Mom, what would have happened if he had told you?”
“Hard to say for certain, but if I had known that both of them knew everything, I would have been so ashamed of myself. I don’t know why he didn’t confront us. I would’ve felt horrible. I would’ve been mad at them. I might have told you boys everything if I was angry enough. I’m glad I didn’t.”
“You’re glad you lied to us?”
“You didn’t need to know.” She walked to a folding chair and sat down. “You didn’t need to know what kind of a person I had been. How was that going to help you?” After her loud whispers, she seemed embarrassed. She lowered her head.
He sat beside her, turned his head and whispered, “I think I would’ve liked to know that my real father was still there for me.”
Abruptly, she gave full eye contact. “But he wasn’t there for you. Not really.” Tears started filling in the rims of her eyelids.
“He might have been. You don’t know. He might have stepped up his game. We didn’t give him a chance to be a father, did we?”
She sniffed and wiped her cheeks. “You mean I didn’t. I didn’t give him a chance. Adam, I was the one who wanted children. I could have said no to Dan before you were born. I could have been happily married for years, but without children. I don’t know. Maybe Dan was giving me children, not because he was trying to steal me away from his best friend, but because he knew that was the only way I could have children. I wanted children.” More tears rolled down her cheeks. “I made mistakes. A lot of mistakes.”
“I’m sorry, Mom.” This wasn’t the best time for their discussion. The pastor had arrived, and people were taking their seats. “I’m sorry.” He held her hand.
XOXO
The overcast sky cooled the cemetery. When Benita had thought of Adam throughout the afternoon, she couldn’t wait to stand beside him and support him. The timing of her meeting with Casey and Fulton Ridge’s traffic patterns made that impossible. After Dan’s graveside service ended, she rose from her folding chair, glad that she wasn’t too late to attend the last half of the service.
Benita saw Adam shaking hands with people. The line of mourners was short. She left her place in the back of the crowd and started walking toward him.
Adam saw her at the end of the line of people. After he greeted and thanked the person in front of her, he smiled and shook her hand, but didn’t let go.
“Hey. Glad you could come by.”
“I had to be with you, Adam. Share the moment. Give you my support.”
“I knew you would. Thanks. And in spite of the fact that you’re at a funeral, you look happy. And beautiful. But you always look beautiful.” He reached down for a hug.
Benita kissed his cheek lightly while in his embrace. Pulling back, she looked into his eyes for a glimpse at how he was really feeling. “How are you? Are you and your mom doing okay?”
“Yes. We’re fine. Thanks for asking.”
“Sorry I wasn’t here earlier.”
“You’re on your way out of the country. Aren't you? Looking forward to being on that Spanish beach? You won the promotion.”
She nodded. With renewed confidence, she stood like an Olympic athlete about to receive her medal.
“Now you can take the screensaver of the Mediterranean Sea off your computer. You’ll be standing on the beach soon, taking a selfie to replace it. Congratulations. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks. But there is a problem.”
“What’s the problem?”
“I’ll be too busy at work to lead a care group. Do you know of someone with experience in that area?”
“Me.”
“I can’t make it through the week without you telling me how many people you’ve complimented. Adam, please go with me.”
He was stone-faced.
“And my assistant is going with me. She’ll need help with the language. She might call you and ask for tutoring. She will have to pay you.”
He didn’t laugh or even smile.
She took his hands in hers. “Please don’t make me get down on one knee. It’s a little muddy here.” She tried to stop smiling, but she couldn’t. She was so happy that she could only express herself with an almost-serious face. “Adam, I’m asking you to marry me.”
He smiled politely and took his hands out of hers. “This is not how a proposal is supposed to be. I find it funny that you actually thought I’d say yes to a proposal in a cemetery. Not romantic. Is it?”
“Sorry?” She was confused, but she laughed to hide it. “What?” The whispers of clouds moved in the wind, opening up a window for the sun to peek through. Squinting, trying to figure out where he was headed with his complaint, she kept her smile the very best that she could. But her insides chilled with the onset of panic.
“You don’t need me anymore as your tutor.”
“I do.” She finally lost her smile. “Adam, you have to consider this very carefully. I have it all worked—”
Adam put his finger on her mouth to silence her. “You don’t need me as a tutor.” Hands dropped to his sides, he continued. “You don’t need me to teach you about Spain’s culture. You don’t need me to teach you about using care groups to build up the community and build a legacy of kindness.”
“No!” Her whisper was almost a shout.
“Hush now. What do you need me for?”
Benita was so scared about what he was saying she had to start wiping tears off her cheeks.
“How about…” He pulled a ring box out of his pocket and showed the dazzling ring inside. “This. You need me for a relationship of commitment and support. You need me for a commitment to love and honor. You need me to be a fantastic husband and terrific father and a man who will spoil his grandchildren.”
Laughing through her tears, she shouted, “Yes! Yes!”
Adam almost lost his balance as she threw her arms around him.
Benita hugged him, trying to stop laughing long enough to kiss him.
When he pulled back from her kisses, Adam’s eyes glistened with joy. “You almost made me drop this. Try it on.” He opened the ring box again.
The ring dazzled in the sunlight. She put it on her finger, slowly, until she worked it into place. It was perfect. “Adam, I love it.”
“I couldn’t let you leave the country without me. Neither of us would be happy.”
“I’m happy now.” She couldn’t stop looking at her hand, enthralled by the ring. “Wait.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just thought about how hard you tried to make a success of the care group. What are you going to do about that? Just let it go?”
“No. Charlie and my mom will keep it going.”
“I guess that worked out pretty well.” Something else still bothered her.
“When do we leave?”
“Priorities, Adam. I still haven’t met your mom.”
“Oh, yeah. She’s still here
.”
“The plane leaves the day after Thanksgiving.”
“That’s only three weeks away. Can you pack and plan a wedding before we leave?”
“I can plan a wedding for the Sunday before Thanksgiving. I’m a winner, remember?” She laughed. “I’ll need your help, of course.”
“If it’s not super fancy, it can be done.” He shrugged. “I don’t need anything fancy, do you?”
“I just need a wedding. Everything else will work out in time.” She thought about how she could avoid ordering a dress. Buying one off the rack would be a better idea. “Adam, what about your house? Do you know a good realtor?”
“Yes. Actually, my mom does. But I’m not selling it.” He smiled. “Charlie and the girls are moving in. I’m charging them less than their apartment manager, and my house has two full bathrooms.
“Good. They’ll be very happy living across from the school.”
He turned his attention to the ten or eleven people still visiting, most of them displaying disapproval at their joviality.
One face stood apart. A woman wore her smile proudly as she started walking toward them. From four feet away, she held out her hand to shake Benita’s. “Benita?” She kept walking until their hands gripped. “I’m Adam’s mom. You can call me Pam, if you like.”
“Mom.” Adam took Benita’s hand, his gaze on the gem shining in the sunlight.
“Yes, Adam?”
“Look what I bought.” His eyes squinted at his mom in a smile on the brink of laughter.
“Nice ring, Adam.” She turned to Benita and hugged her. “I wish you all the best together.”
“Thanks.” This would be a long day with all the catching up Benita wanted to do. “It’s so good to finally meet you. I’ve known that I would like you ever since I met this gentleman that you raised.”
“He’s not a bad guy.” Adam’s mom reached for a hug from him. “I’m so happy for you. I can leave you two alone. I just came over to make sure I introduced myself.”
“Wait.” Turning to Adam, Benita lowered her voice. “Do you feel like talking? I mean, here we are at the cemetery. You never gave your brother’s eulogy. Do you feel like it now?”
Adam pursed his lips and let his gaze fall to the ground. “Okay. The roller coaster just keeps on going, doesn’t it?” He turned to his mom. “I told her how messed up I was.”
“I’m so glad you didn’t stay that way, Adam. You have so much to offer people. I’m so proud.”
“Mom, do you want to go to his grave with us? I think I have to do this.”
She nodded and walked beside him a couple of rows over until they found his grave.
Adam cleared his throat, hesitating before speaking. “It looks smaller than I remember. But I wasn’t really paying attention then. A new stone.” He read the dates, stopped, and cleared his throat again. “You know what I remember? The memories of so much fun growing up.” He looked at his mom’s face.
Tear streaks ran down Pam’s cheeks, but she was smiling. “I just want to hold my boy one more time.” She started fussing with her purse.
Benita guessed she was trying to find a tissue to dry her face. She would’ve offered to give her a tissue, but she knew there wasn’t one in her own purse.
Adam put his arm around his mom’s shoulders, and Pam leaned in, tilting her head against him.
Benita held his hand. “Are you okay?”
“No. This is actually a lot harder than sitting through Dan’s service.”
She squeezed his hand. “You can say the eulogy now.”
Adam drew in a breath and released it slowly, blinking. “I can do this.” He took another breath. “Toby found God before I did. He searched for eternal truth early, but he kept searching for a deeper life within that truth. He found that too. His life was about helping people. He lived life to the fullest, and at the same time prepared for his death. He was ready for it. But it was way too soon. He wanted to change the world. He really tried. Not only did he work at saving souls by showing God’s love and grace, he also saved a girl’s life. This was my brother and friend. These words aren’t for you, Toby. They’re for us. We want to honor you. I need to say thanks. And I really miss you. I still can’t believe you’re gone.”
His mom took a breath and straightened her posture. “Thanks. That was nice.”
“Mom, I’m so sorry that I let myself become a prisoner of grief for all those months.”
“Adam, honey, I’m glad you’re back.”
He swallowed and pulled his mom close on one side. Benita snuggled on the other. He whispered, “I’m ready to go.”
Now that Adam could move on, they had their whole life ahead of them.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank God first and foremost. There are so many ways I’ve seen his love in my life.
Thank you to my parents, husband, kids, and family who have been so supportive.
Thank you to the critique group who took me in so many years ago.
Thank you to Chandler Bolt and the whole SPS community for the many ways you encourage new authors.
Thank you to RE Vance who offered guidance and helped me put the pieces of the plan together.
Thank you to my team who patiently stayed in my corner, urging me onward.
And finally, thanks to my readers. You are the ones I’ve thought about and prayed about. My hope is that you’ve finished this book with a desire to run to God when things get crazy.
Now that you’ve finished…
You can be helpful to other readers by posting a brief, honest review of this book. Your review shows other people why they may enjoy reading it. If you tell in two short sentences what you would say to a friend who reads Christian fiction, they will better understand why they should read it because of hearing how it affected you.
Here’s the link:
https://www.amazon.com/Promotion-Fulton-Ridge-Book-ebook/product-reviews/B077SQM2JQ/
Thanks for reading.
Laura Domino
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Other Books by Laura Domino
FICTION:
The Promotion: Fulton Ridge Series Book 1
The Iceberg: Fulton Ridge Series Book 2
The Renovation: Fulton Ridge Series Book 3
NONFICTION:
Heroine: Rising to the Challenge
5 Powerful Ways to Show Love
Scriptures and Scribbles (Lined Journal)
Scriptures and Scribbles (Unlined Journal)
An Excerpt from: The Iceberg
Chapter 1
Curtis looked up at the bright sunny sky and breathed a sigh of relief. No clouds. Rain would’ve hindered their moving day sprints back and forth from his apartment to Jerrod’s new house in a nicer neighborhood on the north side of Fulton Ridge.
“I’m locking the door. Do you have everything?” Curtis double-checked the door and dropped the keys into his jeans pocket.
“Yes.” Jerrod shoved the last box of table linens into the back of Curtis’s Suburban. “Hooper and Son.”
“No. I’m not your son.” Curtis moved a few things around in the back of his car to make sure nothing would get broken on the drive over to Jerrod’s new house.
“We could say you are.” The glint in Jerrod’s eye gave away the fact that he was just having fun.
“No one would believe you. We’re the same age.”
“I’m older. My name should be first.” Jerrod spread his hands out, framing the title as he spoke. “Hooper and Baker.”
“I don’t want people to call us Hooper’s Bakery. We’ll just leave our names out.
Why do you want to change the name anyway? It’s fine the way it is.”
“Courteous Catering. Sounds like you used your name to me.”
“It’s been on our business card all this time.” Having been friends since high school, Curtis didn’t want to mess up their friendship or their business.
“And now, it’ll be on your Suburban. I’m not really feeling the love.”
“See you over there,” Curtis yelled to Jerrod, who was already halfway to his dark blue Corolla. He closed the back doors of the enormous white SUV, got into the driver’s seat, then pulled out of the parking lot and into Fulton Ridge traffic.
Being partners in a catering business required much patience from each of them. They both wanted to be the best in the area. Moving the business out of their cramped apartment meant success was close at hand.
Curtis found the new house in a few minutes, and not for the last time since all of his belongings would stay in the apartment. Jerrod’s personal furniture and clothing would go upstairs to the main bedroom. Curtis carried business supplies and office furniture into the dining room. Small appliances and kitchen tools fit nicely in Jerrod’s new spacious kitchen. Everything else went to the back of the house, filling the living room and garage.
“Fist bump for the new house.” Curtis held out his fist.
“We already did that.” Jerrod walked by without bumping the fist.
“Are you still trying to get over that breakup with your ex-girlfriend? I’m sorry if you’re still dealing with heartache. I’ll try to be—”
“No. The heart’s good. I’ve moved on.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Curtis’s Catering at your service.” His voice was cheery, but his expression told the truth. Not being recognized for his efforts was starting to put a strain on their friendship.