"Mom was in the hospital for several weeks and I got out of my routine. I just started getting back into it this weekend."
He nodded and asked, "Left or right?"
Tara gave him directions the rest of the way and when they pulled into the parking lot she squealed with delight. "We made it and still have ten minutes to spare. Thank you so much."
The joy in her eyes made him long to hold her. He touched her cheek instead, brushing it affectionately with his thumb. "You're very welcome."
She watched him, swallowing hard.
Before he could talk himself out of it, he gave her a quick peck on the lips.
Her face turned red and his neck heated in response. "Where to now?"
Tara pointed at a tan stucco building. "Over there."
He hopped out of the truck and opened her door. She slid from her seat and stood staring up into his eyes. Did she want him to kiss her again? He leaned forward to see and she pressed her palm against his chest. "Let's get inside before we're late."
She stepped around him and he pushed the seat forward and prepared to help Tara's mom down from her seat. She stirred and gazed at him with weary eyes. A yawn overtook her and she watched him with caution like she wasn't sure why he stood so close and what his role was.
"Mrs. Hinkson, I'm here to help you down from your seat." He offered his hand to assist her. She unclipped her seatbelt and then accepted his hand.
As she slipped her feet to the floor she grabbed him around the neck and leaned in to kiss him. Her lips dove on his but he turned his face away so her mouth landed on his cheek. He was so stunned that he pushed her a little too forcefully away from him. He glanced over at Tara, who smiled like she found that amusing.
"Sorry. I forgot to warn you. Mom loves handsome men and the first thing she tries to do when they get close is to kiss them."
"And that doesn't bother you?"
"It did at first, until the doctor explained that sometimes people with head injuries become highly sexualized after a severe brain injury. He said it's normal."
Tara's mom was smiling and staring at Josiah and he couldn't help shivering. "That just seems so... wrong."
"She can't help it. She knows a good-looking man when she sees one. One time she pulled her shirt off when the agency sent over a male health aide. I thought he was going to melt into a puddle. He was so embarrassed. Mom didn't seem to notice, thank God. She really has no clue that it's wrong. I've tried telling her, but it goes right over her head."
He tried to imagine how awkward he'd feel if she pulled her shirt off in front of him.
Tara's mom said something that sounded a lot like "he's cute" and giggled as Tara removed her mother's purse from the truck. She handed it to her and asked Josiah, "Do you want to say out here, or wait for us in the lobby?"
It was pretty warm out, so he opted to go inside. "I'll come with you."
As he followed Tara and her mother, he marveled at how much Tara had grown up since they used to date. And honestly, he couldn't help being proud of her. Christian or not, she was showing how much she loved her mother by serving her. Isn't that what Christ's love was all about? Maybe she wasn't as far from the faith as she used to be. That possibility gave him immeasurable hope.
*****
Tara nibbled on the corner of her fingernail. She hated taking her mom to the doctor because sometimes she gave the medical staff fits and screamed like a three year old. Today she was actually acting more mature than she had in the past. When the medical assistant took her pulse, her mother just smiled. Was it possible that she was learning some new behavior after all, and wasn't destined to be like this forever? Or was that just wishful thinking on her part?
The neurologist did the usual follow up questions and asked if her mom had a history of seizures. Thankfully, her mother didn't have that additional issue to deal with. Being brain damaged was hard enough without all of the other nasty symptoms that can result from trauma to the brain. Her mom looped her arm through Tara's as she headed for the waiting room.
Tara found Josiah playing with an adorable blond-haired blue-eyed boy who clearly had autism, given the way he screeched and flapped his hands when excited. Josiah showed the boy something on his iPod, which made the boy laugh. She smiled as she stood next to her mother in line, waiting to schedule a follow up appointment.
Josiah didn't notice her watching him. He was too engrossed in interaction with the blond boy and his mother.
The child gave Josiah a bear hug and she saw Josiah's nose tinge red around the ends and flair, as if he was on the verge of crying. The young mother of the little boy gazed at Josiah with an adoring look that made Tara feel prickly inside. The way she leaned close and arched her back to show off her ample cleavage didn't help matters. And the woman had the audacity to go braless on top of everything else. Hadn't anyone ever told her wearing a tank top without a bra bordered on obscene?
At least the woman didn't sag like an old lady, not that Tara noticed. The woman was beautiful, in a rugged sort of way. She had on Daisy Duke style shorts and, of course, her legs were perfect. Even more reason to dislike her. She better not try to hook up with my... my what? They weren't even dating.
The child's mother gave Josiah an affectionate rub on the arm and laughed. She didn't look much older than twenty-five. The boy was probably kindergarten age, or close to it. Tara couldn't help noticing that there was no wedding band on the young woman's hand, which made Tara feel that much more prickly inside.
"Ma'am?" Someone was calling her. She turned to the window, and her mother scribbled on a business card with a pen. Ugh. She was destroying their appointment card.
She took it gently from her mother but saw that it was blank, so she handed it back but removed the pen from her hand. The woman behind the desk watched her expectantly. "He said three months."
The receptionist smiled and clicked on a keyboard as she looked at the screen. After giving Tara a few possible dates, Tara selected a Monday, since she always had them off, and wrote it on the card that her mother had scribbled on. She tossed it inside her purse. No sense wasting another card.
"Thank you."
Her mother garbled something that sounded similar and followed Tara until she stood in front of Josiah, who was fully engaged in conversation with the young woman whose son clung to Josiah like plastic cling wrap. Autism diagnosis, or not, this boy had quickly attached himself to Josiah, and she wasn't sure what to make of that.
"Hey, Tara. This is my new friend, Aiden, and his mother, Cherry."
She couldn't help noticing that Cherry was not happy to meet her. Maybe she was looking for a daddy for her child, and thought Josiah would be the ideal candidate.
"Nice to meet you." That was such a lie, but she hoped her face didn't show it.
"Cherry lives in Whetstone. She was asking if we did horse therapy at my dad's ranch. I told her I just moved back to town, but I think that's a great idea. Don't you?"
"I guess." She glanced between Cherry and Josiah and tried to remain neutral.
Josiah frowned. Apparently he hadn't liked her answer. "I'm going to look up equestrian therapy and see what I can come up with. Then if it looks like something we can provide at the ranch, I'll call you so we can get started. Sound good?"
Josiah was talking to Cherry, or she would have told him that she didn't see how he could launch the new venture and run his dad's ranch, too. Then again, hadn't he said his dad was now home from the hospital? Plus, his father had ranch hands. She'd seen them before. Not that any of those young men had ever noticed her.
"Sounds wonderful," Cherry smiled and leaned closer. She was actually batting her eyelashes at Josiah. Since his cheeks had tinged pink, he had obviously noticed. Either he liked her flirting, or he was embarrassed. Tara couldn't tell which, but one thing she did know was that she didn't want that woman with the cheesy name spending any more time with him.
"We need to get going before my mom gets upset. It was so nice meeting yo
u."
Tara's mom grunted as Josiah pried himself free from Aiden and stood.
Aiden started to screech and wail. Josiah winced. Tara's mom let go of her arm and started pacing with her hands over her ears.
She had to get her mother out of there. Nothing irritated her mother more than loud noises. Ever since her accident, she seemed to be hypersensitive to sound.
As she steered her mom toward the exit, she saw that Cherry had kissed Josiah's cheek and whispered something to him that made Josiah's neck turn crimson. She slipped something into his hand and squeezed.
Josiah nodded and headed for the door. Before Aiden could attack him on the way out, his mother scooped the boy up and held him as he flailed and kicked in his effort to get down.
Poor lady. She almost felt sorry for the woman for having to deal with a child who displayed such aggression when he was upset. As she peered through the window, she saw that Aiden was now trying to bite his mother's arm. Her heart filled with compassion. No doubt she felt overwhelmed. And while Tara understood her pain, that didn't mean she wanted Josiah getting to know her better. Maybe she could talk him out of starting equestrian therapy at his father's ranch. Then Cherry wouldn't have a reason to keep in touch with him.
She noticed the sadness in Josiah's eyes as he watched the boy attack his mother through the wall-length glass window. They could see inside but the people in the waiting area couldn't see them, so Cherry and her son would not know she and Josiah watched their struggle. Her heart thumped as she watched Josiah's face fill with pain for a brief moment. His eyes quickly softened with father-like tenderness that made a lump form in her throat. What she wouldn't do to find out what he was thinking right now.
Maybe she'd ask. "You look sad. Something bothering you?"
Josiah wiped his now-wet cheeks and turned his face away from the window. "Huh?"
"I asked if something was making you sad."
Josiah swallowed several times. "He... he reminds me of my little brother."
Her heart pounded. Little brother? He didn't have a little brother. Or did he?
"I... don't know what you mean." She wanted to hug him as she watched more tears roll down his cheeks. She had never seen Josiah cry before and it broke her heart to see him in pain.
"That's because I never told you about him. It hurt too much."
"What happened?"
"Remember when we met at Tombstone High? When we first started dating?"
She nodded, not sure what to say. She remembered a sadness that had drawn her to him on an emotional level, which was probably why she felt compelled to comfort him with kisses at the time. Of course, he never tried to stop her. In fact, he'd encouraged her to go all the way with him. Now she could never go back and undo what they'd done. They had been too young to become so intimate. She saw that now.
"He died the summer before my freshman year. He was only five and I was babysitting him when he... he..."
Tears welled in her eyes. Josiah had a baby brother? She'd never seen any evidence of that, but then again, she'd only been to his house a few times. "I'm sorry."
He sniffed and wiped his wet eyes on the sleeves of his tee shirt. "That's okay. I can't believe how much seeing that kid affected me. I thought I'd finally gotten over... what happened. What I let... happen. I guess I haven't."
"Want to talk about it?" She touched his arm.
Josiah blew out a shaky breath. "No, I'd better not."
Was he afraid to show his heart to her? Or was he embarrassed that he'd gotten tearful in front of her? Maybe it was too painful.
She offered him the most compassion-filled gaze she could muster up and touched his cheek. "If you change your mind, I'm here for you."
Josiah rested his hand over hers and nodded. He glanced over her shoulder. "Don't look now, but your mom is about to get on that elevator."
Panic shot through Tara. She turned and ran until she caught up with her mom. She steered her from the doors. "Mom, I told you to always wait for me."
Her mother glanced at her and her shoulders sagged. It must be killing her mother to have to be so dependent on her daughter. But what else could Tara do? She didn't want her mother getting hurt. As she glanced over at Josiah, who peered through the glass windows for one last gaze at the little boy and a forlorn look on his face, she realized she didn't want him hurt either.
But what could she do to protect him?
Chapter Eight
As Josiah walked toward the parking lot, he couldn't help thinking about little Aiden. The resemblance was frighteningly similar to his kid brother. It was as if Bryan had reincarnated into Cherry's little boy. And the fact that they both had autism was beyond freaky.
Was it possible that the Lord could use this little boy to heal his heart? But how would he handle the child's mother? It was obvious she was interested in him. If he'd had any doubt in his mind, it evaporated when she had whispered in his ear that she'd like to get to know him better. The suggestive tone of her voice told him what her words didn't.
While he couldn't help noticing her perfectly shaped, tan legs and her braless chest, he didn't find her nearly as attractive as Tara. Cherry's whole demeanor announced that she would be an easy target if he wanted to take advantage of her. No doubt she got lonely as a single parent. He admired her for taking care of her son and being so committed to him, but not enough to date her. He had a feeling she wouldn't want to stop with one kiss.
He preferred more modest women, anyway. Tara probably thought he found Cherry attractive. But no one could hold a candle to Tara because he had experienced her passionate side. She may seem a bit reserved and wholesome on the outside, which was a good thing, but he remembered how intense she could be when she wanted to please him. As she walked in front of him, he examined the gentle sway of her hips and had to stuff his hands in his pockets and direct his attention elsewhere before something potentially embarrassing happened.
Tara talked softly to her mother when he caught up with them. He pressed the button on his car fob to unlock the door. Tara helped her mother inside, and settled her in the back seat. She then climbed in after her. Tara had no idea how attractive she was. That made her all the more appealing to him. He had to find a way to tell her about the Lord so she could get saved and they could start seeing each other again. If they were both Christians, it should make it easier for them to abstain, too. Right?
He slid into the seat next to Tara. He glanced back at Tara's mother, who tipped her head and smiled at him. He offered his warmest smile he could muster in return, which made the woman laugh. At least she was in a good mood.
"You're good for her, you know." Tara smiled, her voice a bit shaky as she leaned over her seat and grabbed her mother's hand before she touched Josiah's face.
Starting the vehicle, he paused for a moment before backing out. As Tara bent over the front seat to help her mother with her seatbelt, he clipped on his own to avoid staring at Tara's behind. Since Tara seemed a bit nervous right now, he decided to ease her discomfort with reassuring words. First, he waited until she'd settled in her seat.
"I'm not attracted to Cherry." He said in a rush of words as he pulled out of the parking spot. He glanced at Tara for a moment from the corner of his eye.
Disbelief registered on her face. "You have got to be lying. I know an attractive-looking woman when I see one. She has perfect legs, and lips, and... other things."
"Doesn't mean I'm attracted to her."
"You'd have to be blind."
"I'm not just talking about physical things, Tara. I'm talking about personality and friendship. I like a woman who has a life of her own and is not just looking for a man, which is the impression I got from Cherry. I just wanted you to know that you have nothing to worry about with me."
"Who said I was worried?"
Tara's mom had closed her eyes. Her mouth hung slightly open as she breathed heavily. The woman must've been exhausted.
"I don't mean to assume. I just figured...
Oh, never mind."
Tara's mouth twisted into a wry grin. "Do you want me to be worried?"
He smiled. "Maybe."
As he drove in silence, he felt her watching him, but didn't dare look because he needed to keep his eyes on the road as he cut through traffic and headed back to the freeway.
Before he pulled on to the road leading to Tara's place, he asked, "You need a car?"
"Of course. But I can't afford one."
"I have a truck I was planning to donate to Junque for Jesus because I don’t need it. There is nothing wrong with the truck. It just needs a paint job."
"That's nice, Josiah, but even if you give me a vehicle I can't afford the gas and insurance."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes. I told you, I have to pay for my mom's care and we live from check to check. I wouldn't be able to afford to drive it."
"You are serious."
"Unfortunately."
"What if I paid for six months insurance or got you a gas card? Or both?"
Josiah pulled onto the road leading to Tara's apartment. She seemed baffled. Or overwhelmed. He couldn't tell from where he sat.
"Why would you do that for me?" Tara's arms crossed and covered her pretty chest.
"I hate to see you stuck like this. If you had your own vehicle you wouldn't have to rely on others or a cab to get to Tucson. It's so expensive."
Her shoulders relaxed and she uncrossed her arms. "I'll think about it."
"Okay, I'll hold off on donating it until next week. Sound good?"
"Sounds perfect."
Josiah parked and helped Tara and her mother out of his vehicle, then climbed back inside. He waved at them and smiled as they waved back. Tara's mother acted more like a five year old than an adult in her late forties.
As he drove to his house he couldn't help wondering if Tara ever thought about herself and her own needs. Her own future. Or was everything about her mother first?
The only way to find out was to spend time with her every week. And as they got to know one another better, he prayed she'd be open to hearing about his faith in Christ.
The Lonely Lady Page 7
