by LoRee Peery
A while later, a second visitor stepped through the door.
“Hey, Oren. Is it time for you to be off work already?”
“I’m one of the bosses. Once in a blue moon I take off without explanation,” his brother said with a grin.
Rob straightened his back, squared his shoulders, and mimed greasing his hair and adjusting a tie. Then he smoothed imaginary lapels. “Glad to know you get some perks.”
Banter with a newfound friend, brother or not, made him feel good. “What’s up?”
“I wouldn’t know how to work whenever you feel like it. Think it’d be too tempting to turn lazy. I’ve risen to the sound of an alarm clock six days of the week for a long time now.”
“Being my own boss does take discipline. If I want to pay rent and shovel food in my face, I have to look on clients as my bosses. In other words, if I don’t work, I don’t eat.”
Oren laid a note on the scarred wooden surface next to Rob’s hand. “Here’s the address of the clinic I just came from. I let them stick my arm. It’s not overly painful and the tests are on me. They’re waiting for your DNA so we can make our connection all legal.”
*
No breeze stirred, birds rustled in the bushes, and children laughed at play in nearby yards. A perfect evening for eating outside. Whoever planned the placement of the deck on Aunt Rainbow’s house knew what they were doing. A huge maple tree shaded most of the table from the waning sun’s rays. Paisley left the sliding door open so she could bring the food from the kitchen and the deck overlooking the deep backyard.
She positioned the patio chairs without disturbing the red-tinted house and olive and gold finches peeping at the thistle feeder.
“Rumor has it, I’m the queen of jiggle,” Edna Mae said as she rounded the corner of the house with a gelled concoction. “You want this out here yet, or should I put it in the fridge?”
“Hi, you two. We’re ready, now. Bring it on up and I’ll get the potato salad.” Paisley soaked in her fill of Rob. His hair was damp and curling on his nape.
“Hey,” Rob said, arms outstretched in offering. “She baked dessert, too.”
Paisley swallowed and grabbed the wall to combat a wave of dizziness. She and Rob would have shared many patio dinners like this, alone, if she had stayed out West.
A dark cloud covered the bright depth of Rob’s bluish-brown eyes, as though he’d shared the same mental scene as Paisley.
She took the icy stainless bowl from his hand then swung back for the warm cake pan and set it on a side bench.
“Slide in here, Edna Mae. Thanks for coming and bringing your food. Take a seat, Rob.”
“Oh,” Edna Mae huffed. “I always contribute. We walked, though, so I’m thankful Rob was along to do the carrying.”
“That’s a yummy smelling dessert. Cinnamon is good for a body. But you didn’t have to bring two things.”
Edna Mae fluffed her hair and beamed. “Had some raisins that were drying so I plumped them up for spice bars. No big deal.”
“Well, thanks. They both look delicious.”
The older woman preened.
“Would you please say the blessing, Rob?” Paisley didn’t lower her head or close her eyes with the others. And she heard nothing except the “amen” because she concentrated on tracing every line and feature of his beloved face. She loved him. Plain and simple.
She sat bolt upright. She still loved Rob.
Was it God’s plan for them to start over here, so far away from all they had both known? What else could it be? Without her call to the middle of the country, the discovery of the photographs of Precious and Mark Waverly would have carried no impact, only curiosity, had Aunt Rainbow or Oren found them. Meeting Oren and the conviction he and Rob were connected could have only been orchestrated by a God who loved them all and wanted His best for His children.
Rob must have felt her gaze. So serious, she had a difficult time understanding how anyone who loved Jesus could wear such grievous expressions. Maybe she had something to do with it. Her rejection and flight had no doubt caused more bitterness to worm its way onto his brooding features. Would he lighten up now that he had a new family and was learning his heritage?
“Hand me your plate, Rob, and I’ll serve you a spoon of baked beans.” Edna Mae opened the conversation. “Paisley says you’re in your element, working with your father’s tools.”
“Yup. I can get lost in that shed for hours. Won’t be long and I’ll ship the ice skates off.” A glimmer of light entered his eyes and one vertical line smoothed from his brow. “Then I’ll uncover that milk truck and get her shining.”
“Those were the days,” Edna Mae commented. “Even though I was a toddler, I always loved a man in uniform. There was a time when milk delivery guys were sometimes the first man a woman saw early in the morning, arriving in clothes as white as the milk they delivered in bottles. They even wore hats.”
“Must have been something,” Paisley said. “We got our milk from farmers who had their own cows, even when we lived in the city.”
“I have memories like that. Co-ops and the street markets, or the small farms we’d visit and work in the gardens in exchange for produce,” Rob punctuated. “Did it ever make you feel odd, the way you slipped in and out of homes and schools? Did you miss not really belonging anywhere, living without stability?”
Edna Mae held dinner rolls in one hand and her salad in the other, seemingly enthralled by the conversation.
“Odd? Guess I never thought about it. No. Moving around was what I knew.” Paisley accepted the rolls and smiled at him. “Occasionally I may have felt somewhat displaced, but it’s what I grew up with. I was more comfortable around adults. As far as school, I was never bullied and adapted by keeping mostly to myself.”
“I’d guess you’ve always been pretty, and less attractive girls wanted to be your friend because you drew the boys. And the boys were too awestruck to give you a bad time,” Edna Mae inserted.
“Oh, please.” Paisley laughed. “Maybe because the young people I knew grew up the same way. Besides, it was as though all the adults took an interest in the younger and taught what they could about their outlooks on life. Even if they didn’t live by rules, they had some valuable insights to pass on. I learned how to be an independent individual, to earn my own way. And I learned to accept others for who they are, getting along despite differences.”
“I do believe I’ve caught Ms. Robbins in a little white lie.” Rob glanced at Edna Mae, then back at Paisley. He mouthed, “Later.”
She hadn’t accepted his moodiness.
“Speaking of moving, I wonder why my mother moved away from Mark Waverly. Did you know her, Edna Mae?”
“Only in passing, she was a few years younger. I’m sure Precious had her reasons for leaving the way she did. Nora and I talked about this. More so with girls, I think, it’s normal to want to leave home and seek adventure elsewhere. But I’m also sure, based on the man Oren is and my respect for Mark’s kindness, he didn’t know about you.”
“Is there anything you can tell me about her?” Rob leaned back in his chair, focused on Edna Mae.
“I knew who she was, but I was out of school and working,” Edna Mae added. “I’m guessing Precious didn’t know you were on the way, Rob. Then when she was gone from Norfolk, she probably saw it as too late to bring to Mark’s attention. She was no doubt too embarrassed and ashamed to come crawling back home. I heard her father was a tyrant.
“Later, as I mentioned when I first met you, Mark talked about Precious. I got to know her from his viewpoint. Your father loved your mother. You come from good solid stock, Rob. And never forget, the Lord has chosen us, the families we’re born into, and the people we’ll come to know and to love.”
Lord, help him take those words as comforting.
At the end of their meal, Paisley took the salads to the refrigerator, grabbed the dessert plates off the counter, and set the pan of raisin bars between Edna Mae and Rob.
/>
The back of her hand grazed Rob’s forearm. She reacted as if burned and shot her attention to his face. The fire in his eyes left her so breathless she barely registered the cinnamon spice in the dessert.
She remained quiet, listening to the peace of evening descend.
They finished their iced tea, and Rob regaled them about some of the antiques he’d restored and the eccentric people he’d met. That topic kicked in memories for Edna Mae’s comments.
The rare music of Rob’s husky laugh trailed a tingle down Paisley’s spine. She was a goner. Again. If he had laughed like that months ago, she would have never contemplated giving back that gorgeous ring.
I wonder what he did with it.
Her phone alerted her and she excused herself to answer in the kitchen.
A few moments later, Paisley returned to her patio chair, stunned by the call. She fought the moisture filling her eyes, shaking inside.
She felt their gazes, but couldn’t meet either of their eyes.
“Bad news, hon?” Edna Mae asked.
“I’ve been offered a job at a nursery south of San Francisco Bay.”
She had a choice to make. Her background included a pattern of fleeing whenever life got in the way, or a better sounding adventure appeared on the horizon, but for the first time, she saw how love for a good man like Rob equaled mighty sound grounds for seeking elusive stability and setting down roots.
What do I do now, dear Jesus?
7
Rob pushed up from the table so fast, his chair banged against the deck railing.
She was taking off. Again. Paisley would be gone, off to a new job and a new adventure in a different town.
He straightened the chair, adjusted the pillow on the seat, and aligned it just-so against the table edge. “I have to go. Thanks for the delicious food, ladies. Edna Mae, you OK walking home alone?”
“I’ve been walking on my own two feet close to seventy years now. I’m sure I can find my way home. You do what you have to do.”
He grabbed the handrails and leapt off the stairs without touching a step.
What was all Paisley’s talk about staying here for a time, checking out what Nebraska had to offer?
He knew better than to plan for them to shape any kind of future together.
Oh, God, help me with my attitude. I can feel the anger and disappointment building. I don’t know why I haven’t been a happy-go-lucky sort of guy that she wants me to be. I guess I’m just serious by nature. But the tease of having a chance with Paisley again gave me hope. Now I feel cheated. Please, show me the way! I don’t know how to deal with this.
“Listen to me. And my selfishness,” he mumbled. His feet stomped against the sidewalk. “Whatever happens, my God, it’s supposed to be about You. You are the One pointing me to family. You brought me here. You brought Paisley here. You alone can fix her need to roam. You alone can fix my heart, lift the heavy load the way You promise in Matthew eleven.”
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
He found himself at the end of the driveway. He tromped to the Waverly shed. He opted to reach for the lawn mower instead of a tool, and took out the rest of his adrenaline on the grass of the backyard. He’d wait for full light and attack the front in the morning.
And Miss Paisley Robbins better keep her distance.
*
“I am so sorry. He didn’t give me a chance to tell him I didn’t give my friend an answer. I shouldn’t have repeated the message,” Paisley said.
“You did nothing wrong.” Edna Mae patted her chest above the face of a Holstein cow on her bright pink shirt. She settled her gaze on Paisley. Those gray eyes sparkled with lively interest. “What a man, the way he reacted to your news. He must really love you.”
“Why would you say that?”
“For him to let loose with such passion, he cares beyond his ability. He doesn’t know how to harness all those feelings.” Edna Mae fanned her hand in front of her face. “Be still my heart. What a man. It’d be a genuine crime if you let him escape.”
Paisley dissolved into tears.
“I know I’m right,” Edna Mae patted her chest again. “Think about it, girl. Think about Rob coming to you here. He didn’t have to follow you to Nebraska. You’d handed back his ring. That has to be mortifying to a guy. We all knew what you told Oren, knew what to expect at Rob’s arrival. We knew what he’d find. But all Rob knew ahead of time was you. He’d given his heart to you, and bought you a ring. He knew nothing of the situation here.”
“How do I fix this?” Paisley choked on a sob and finished through her tears. “I handed back his heart and disappeared. He can only expect I’ll leave again.”
What had she done to both of them?
“But I never said I was leaving Nebraska. He stormed out assuming so. I always pray about those moving decisions.”
“But do you wait for the Lord’s answers?”
“I know with my head that God will work all this out in His time. For now, I’ll wash dishes”
“Ah ha. The heart is a different organ, altogether.” Edna Mae took charge. “I’ll wash dishes. As soon as you’re done feeling sorry for yourself, let’s get this table cleared. It’ll be full night by the time dishes are done. You can even walk me home and see if the storm has passed.”
Will there forever be a storm in Rob’s life?
*
The walk to Edna Mae’s home was quiet except for their footsteps and traffic a few blocks over. The basement windows were dark, which indicated Rob wasn’t downstairs. Motion sensors kicked on lights over the drive in front of Edna Mae’s garage.
Paisley looked to the right, and through the window of the shed, saw Rob’s head bent over the work bench. Was he still angry?
Edna Mae entered her home. The light next to the side door went on.
Paisley stepped off the cement onto the backyard path. She halted. The electric sound of a power tool gave background music to the buzzing of cicadas.
Did she want to see Rob again tonight?
The wind hadn’t been so brisk during their walk. She unwound her crimson scarf and wrapped it around as a shawl, hugging her arms, but she didn’t move forward.
The wind died and the grinder—or drill or whatever Rob used—shut off. He looked up and stared right at her. Backlit by interior light, did he see her standing in the shadows? An inner sense told her she and Rob should sleep and pray. That way she’d be fortified by heavenly Power prior to their next meeting.
*
The following morning, Paisley arrived at the Waverly house to catch sight of Rob’s back as he wheeled the mower into the shed. The fragrant smell of fresh cut grass was bittersweet. She imagined he’d awakened with the urge to work off anger and disappointment from the night before. She progressed methodically through the house, sometimes shaking her head over the volume of stuff accumulated.
Rob remained busy in the shed.
Throughout ensuing days, she observed his comings and goings, heard his rental car start up as he went about his business. He now worked with the overhead door of the shed open and the antique milk truck was in plain sight whenever she looked out the kitchen window.
The previous day, she’d found a wire birdcage in the attic. All wires appeared to be attached where they were supposed to be, but there was a hole in the wooden floor of the cage, easy for Rob’s handyman ability to repair. She waited for Rob to leave, and then set the birdcage on the workbench in the shed, grateful for not facing him yet.
They each needed a little more time to form their words.
She was building up strength to look into his eyes again.
Three more days passed without exchanging words with Rob. Things in the house were going along at a good clip. Andria had come over twice more to polish furniture, wash floors, and vacuum bedroom carpets. Oren stopped in periodically to see Rob but bypassed the house and went straight to the shed.
Paisley didn’t know what had taken place, except
the rental must have been returned because Rob now pulled into the Waverly garage driving an older pickup truck. Sometimes she felt like a genuine snoop or a nosy neighbor, the way she kept track of his activities.
She’d sorted and tagged and tossed. One bedroom had clearly belonged to Oren. She set aside the plastic model toys in case he wanted them.
She could no longer put off facing one of her phobias. Dark and dirty smelling places, thanks to an old cellar she’d entered as a small child, had scared her since. She’d been finding excuses for not going to the basement of the Waverly house. It would take an act of courage to descend.
The kitchen door banged open.
Paisley leaped out of her musings and noticed Sara. “Hi, girl, what are you doing out of school?”
Sara crashed through the door, then reopened it and held it for her mother. “Fall break. Mom said you need a break, too.”
“Nice to see you, Nora. Do you have a couple days off?”
“Only one. I have resource meetings tomorrow. Oren told me he hasn’t seen you because you’ve been hard at it. We really appreciate it. This has been quite an undertaking for you, I know. Hope you haven’t tried to move anything heavy, but you know Rob’s only a shout away. Since Rob has been working hard also, we’re going to kidnap you both, get you out of here for a couple hours.”
“We need a break, huh? It sounds like you two have been plotting.” Laughter was just what she needed. “Where are we going?” And how do you know Rob wants to be anywhere close to me?
“A long country drive,” Sara answered for her mother. “We haven’t been anywhere but school and work for months. And we need some country. So come on.”
Paisley sucked in her cheeks to keep from showing amusement over the adult sounding statement. Sara’s coloring was a combination of Oren and Nora. The almost black hair of her father and Nora’s blonde created a lovely shade of rich brown. The girl was dressed in layers, three tops in varied bright colors decorated with bling, and shorts over leggings.
Paisley turned to secure the door that hadn’t latched behind Nora and heard masculine voices. She hesitated, drawing a deep breath for strength to calm her pounding heart, and felt resistance on the other side of the door.
