“Get out, Brad! And pick up your banana!”
Brad smiled, stooped over to pick up his banana as instructed, then walked over to Hannah, his face now inches away from hers. “You need me here, Jules, and you know it. Plus I’m a paying guest and I’ve already checked into my room. You might as well get used to me being here. We have a deal to finalize and I don’t plan on disappointing my brother or his ‘rain-lovin’ wife. Trust me, Laci is not a person you want to mess with – I’ve tried and it doesn’t work.”
His deep southern voice made Hannah’s whole body quiver, which she hated and loved all at the same time. Although disgusted by this new turn of events, she was even more afraid of turning him away and losing everything to complete strangers. She lowered her eyes to the floor in defeat and huffed, then looked into Brad’s eyes. “Fine. But don’t expect this to be like old times, Brad Young. This is business – nothing more. That should be pretty easy for you given your history and all. We’ll start tomorrow at nine a.m.”
“Yes, ma’am. Nine a.m. it is,” he said softly, then smiled and headed up to his room.
Hannah’s gaze followed him as he walked, never blinking. His voice still makes me weak in the knees – so ridiculous! And, he still wears my favorite cologne… figures.
Lois yanked on Hannah’s sleeve. “Psst… Jules, wake up girl,” Hannah turned.
“What Grams?” She leaned down to hear her better.
“Ask him to join us for dinner,” Lois whispered.
“No.”
“Yes, Hannah Jules. Be polite to your guest,” Lois replied, using her ‘pay attention’ voice – or what little of it she had left.
Hannah threw her head back, knowing she couldn’t refuse her grandmother’s request. She turned around and yelled out his name.
Brad was already on the staircase when she called, but stopped and smiled. He enjoyed hearing her say his name out loud after all these years. He removed his smile, then turned around. “Yes… Hannah?” he replied, his tone rich with sarcasm.
Hannah bit her tongue at first, then took a deep breath. “Would you like to join us for dinner tonight? Around six?” Her teeth were grinding together as the words came out.
“I’d like that. Thank you,” Brad smiled smugly, like he’d just won the first prize blue ribbon in the county fair, then continued on to his room.
7 – A Sweet Reunion
Back in his room, Brad paced the floors trying to decide whether to be furious or thrilled about the circumstance in which he now found himself. Buying and becoming the new owner of his first love’s family estate wasn’t really on his bucket list after all. He needed to vent and there was only one person to call, so he pulled out his phone and dialed Mitch’s number.
“Hey Brad – how are things? Have you made it out to the estate yet?”
“Mitch… I can’t do this. We can’t do this!” Brad was worked up and had no idea what to say or tell Mitch. He’d never mentioned his love for Jules to anyone, or how badly it had ended.
“Slow down big brother! Is something wrong?”
“I can’t be here. She’s… ugh! She’s the one, Mitch. It’s Jules – Hannah is Jules.”
“Umm… I’m not much of a psychic translator, Brad so you’re going to have to spell it out for me. What in the heck are you talking about? Start at the beginning. And who is Jules?”
“Jules was the woman I fell in love with up in High Point when I was building that museum. She… she would have been my wife if I hadn’t left her.”
The phone was quiet. Mitch was stunned by Brad’s confession, and utterly speechless that he had just used the words ‘love’ and ‘wife’ in the same sentence.
“I… wow, Brad. I had no idea you had ever fallen in love like that. Why didn’t you tell me when you came back home?”
“Well, I wasn’t exactly proud of how it ended – how I ended it. I was embarrassed. Then after I came back, Karin got sick and my mission became you and Caleb. Time moved on and I didn’t see the need to bring it up. I wanted to forget her and leave it all behind me I guess.”
“Brad, I’m so sorry. Man, you should have told me. I’m your brother for crying out loud!”
“Yeah, I know. I never really figured I’d see her again. This was definitely a curve ball I didn’t see coming. What do I do, Mitch?” Brad’s stress spilled over.
Mitch could sense that his brother was in turmoil over seeing Hannah again, and although he felt somewhat bad for his current situation, he didn’t feel a bit sorry for him. Mitch laughed out loud just thinking about how poetic this whole thing had turned out, and now it all made sense.
“Why are you laughing at a time like this, Mitch? I am in dire straits here! I need a solution, brother!” Brad’s shoulders dropped and he sat down on the bed, holding his head down between his knees.
“Brad, buddy… I can’t help you. This is a situation in which God alone has placed you, and he is the only one that can help you through it. I do believe this was planned long before you and I ever existed though, so you’re going to have to come to terms with it and accept the fact that you are exactly where you are for a reason. Maybe the man you are now, is exactly the kind of man she needs in her life to get through this. You never know. I do know a thing or two about the man you used to be however, and he probably wasn’t ready to be a husband, if you get my drift. Maybe that’s why your story was put on hold for a while.”
Hearing Mitch’s calm, rational voice and listening to his words of assurance brought Brad a much needed sense of peace. That was Mitch’s gift – he was always the one who gave everyone else strength during stressful situations. When their dad died, it was all Brad could do to keep going, even being the older sibling. Mitch held it together though, and they got through it one day at a time.
“I hope you’re right. I’ll give you a call in a few days to let you know how things are going. In the meantime, will you… will you pray for me? And Jules?” Brad asked.
“I’m sorry. Could you speak up a bit? I could swear you just asked me to pray for you. Did I hear that correctly, Brad Young? I do believe God has just worked a miracle in my brother’s life! Hal-le-lujah!” Mitch said jokingly, adding a little ‘southern preacher’ flair for effect.
“Don’t push it, Mitch. That took a lot for me to ask. Just do it, okay? You’re always saying how well it works. I figure it’s time I give it a try.”
“Yeah it does. So why don’t you try it yourself? That would help even more, you know,” Mitch replied, smiling on the other side of the phone. “By the way, what was it like… seeing her again? I’m going to go out on a limb here and say you still feel the same way about her, right?”
“Yeah, that’s a pretty solid limb to say the least. I know it sounds crazy, but I never stopped loving her even after I left. And she looks amazing, Mitch, even more beautiful now than she was before. My heart stopped when I saw her. She’s changed, but in all the right ways. She’s flat out gorgeous! What am I supposed to do with that? How am I supposed to work under these conditions?”
Mitch chuckled. “Knowing you, I’m sure you’ll find a way.”
“Well, I’d better go.”
“Hey Brad, one last question. Why did you leave? What happened?”
“I left because of dad,” he replied softly.
“Dad? What did dad have to do with it?”
“I know it sounds crazy, Mitch, but you remember how much trouble I had after we lost him. If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have made it. I guess I didn’t want to love anyone that much ever again – that way I wouldn’t have to feel the pain if they ever… well, if I ever lost her. I know you lost Karin, and then you almost lost Laci, but you’re stronger than me. I didn’t think I could handle it,” Brad’s voice cracked.
“It’s not crazy, brother. I get it, but you have to remember one thing… you caused yourself more pain by walking away, and robbed yourself of the fullness and happiness her love could have given you. Knowing that kind of love m
akes all the other ‘stuff’ that happens in life – good and bad – worth living. It’s time to live a little, Brad. Live the life that dad would have wanted you to live.”
“Yeah. Easier said than done. Anyway – I’ve gotta go. I’m supposed to have dinner tonight with Jules and her grandmother. And please don’t tell Laci about this yet… she’ll never let me live it down.”
“I won’t tell her, not yet at least. She’ll find out eventually, you know.”
“I know. I just need some time to process this first.”
“So… she asked you to join them for dinner, huh? I’m impressed!”
“Don’t be. It was her grandmother’s idea – she forced Jules to ask me. It was pretty funny actually.” Brad smiled at the thought.
“Well, don’t start pushing her buttons right off the bat. You tend to do that, you know? Can you mind your manners for the first meal at least?” Mitch pleaded.
“Too late. I pushed her button merely with my physical presence. She’s not happy about me being here, I can tell you that. It’s going to be an interesting few weeks around here.”
“Few weeks? What do you mean? You’re there for at least two months… maybe longer. Didn’t you know that?”
“What? Two months – are you kidding me, Mitch?” Brad shouted. “You said to come up, check the place out, sign some papers and make some suggestions to improve the place. You never said anything about taking up residence here!”
“Calm down. I did, but you were so worried about going to see the ‘hot chick’ that you probably missed all the important details. Get a grip, Brad! I need you there to see this through if it’s going to work. You are there to finalize the sale, make changes, put them in place, then make sure she has enough help and support to run the place so she doesn’t fall flat on her face again. She needs your help, Brad. Don’t you get that?” Mitch was flabbergasted by Brad’s lack of focus and neglecting his responsibilities.
“Fine. I’ll stay. But I don’t have to like it.”
“Well, only time will tell on that.”
“Mitch… I want to make an offer on the estate.”
“What? You haven’t even been there a full day yet! Shouldn’t you check the place out first? What if it’s a lemon?”
“Make the offer, Mitch. Please?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll make an offer. If you’re good with it, I’m good with it,” Mitch replied.
“I have an idea about the sale however – doing it a little different. Are you open to that?” Brad asked.
“Well, what do you have in mind?”
Brad shared his idea about how to handle the sale of the estate, then Mitch spent a few minutes talking about things back home and hung up. After their call, Brad collapsed on the bed from exhaustion, longing for sleep. Hard as he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about Jules and how she was back in his life after all these years. Is this my second chance, God? Is she still the one? Worried that he would fall asleep and miss dinner, he set the alarm for five thirty, then rolled back over and closed his eyes.
“Well, it looks like I’m cooking dinner for three now, thanks to you,” Hannah said, escorting Lois to her room.
“It was the right thing to do Jules, and you know it,” Lois replied. Her cough had improved since they’d returned from the doctor, thankfully.
“So you say, but now it’s time for you to sleep so I can cook. You’ve had a long, hard day. I’m giving you orders to stay in bed until I come and get you for dinner, okay?”
“Oh, alright Sweetie. I am pretty tired.”
Hannah got Lois settled into bed and took off her shoes, then sat down next to her and stroked her soft, white hair.
“Get some sleep, Grandma. I love you.”
“I love you, sweetie .”
Now, to figure out dinner! Hannah thought to herself. Just what I wanted to do… cook a meal for the man who left me! Ugh! She fumbled around in the kitchen trying to decide what to make, when finally she settled on liver and onions, baked potatoes, and boiled spinach from the can. This was one of her favorite meals growing up and knew her grandmother loved it, but she also knew that Brad hated liver. Suddenly, she felt quite light and giddy as she prepared their meal.
Around five-thirty, she walked down the hall and helped her grandmother get dressed for dinner, then they headed to the dining room. Outside of setting the table, everything was done for the most part, and she’d even managed to cook dessert – cinnamon raisin bread pudding. She didn’t really know if Brad liked that or not, but she was hoping he wasn’t a fan.
“Dinner is almost ready, Grandma. Do you want some tea?” Hannah asked.
“Nope.”
“Well, what do you want?”
“I want you to come over and sit down, then tell me about Mr. Banana Brains up there.”
Hannah couldn’t help but laugh at her grandmother’s comment. It was so fitting!
“Oh Grandma, I love you. But there’s not much to tell really. I met him when I lived in North Carolina and worked for that construction company.”
“That was during your rebel years, wasn’t it? Didn’t you move down there after you got mad at your father?”
“Yes, but we patched things up not long after I moved. By then, I’d found a job that I really liked, plus, I’d met Brad and… well, I fell for him, okay?”
“Really? I would have never guessed!” Lois was a bit sassy for her age, and even managed to sling a few zingers now and then.
“It wasn’t serious. Not for him anyway. He had bigger and better things to do – like go build tall skyscrapers and earn a big fat paycheck.” Hannah’s bitterness was more than evident.
“It was a choice he had to make for himself. It doesn’t mean it was the right one. I could hear it in his voice – he still feels something for you.”
“It won’t do him any good if he does. I’m about to lose my parent’s estate that they worked tirelessly to keep running since the day I was born. I have nothing to offer him or anyone else for that matter.”
“Hannah, you did everything in your power to save this place. No one could have done any better with what you had to overcome. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“Maybe you’re right, but it sure doesn’t make it any easier. I don’t see much hope at this point. Can you believe that man is back in my life after all these years? I think God is surely punishing me!”
“It may seem like that now, but sometimes those moments can be blessings in disguise,” Lois smiled.
Brad’s alarm went off and he freshened up a bit before dinner. As he made his way downstairs, he heard the ladies chatting in the dining room. It sounded a little intense, so instead of going in and making his presence known, he stopped short and stood silently in the lobby – out of sight. He knew it wasn’t right, but he inched closer and listened in on their conversation…
Hannah’s voice was elevated. “I don’t think so, Grams. You weren’t there! He crushed every dream I had – he gave up! All I wanted to do was to spend the rest of my life with him, and he walked away for big money!”
“We all make mistakes Jules. Maybe there was more to it than that, and maybe he regrets what he did.”
“He doesn’t – trust me. He only cares about business. Why else would he be here? He’s just in this for the kill – the power that comes from taking on another big project.”
“Well, it’s been eight years, Sweetheart – everyone deserves a little grace. Besides, it’s in your blood,” Lois said, her voice a little shaky.
“What do you mean ‘it’s in my blood’?” Hannah was intrigued by the notion.
“The McRae’s are Irish, and the Irish meaning of our name is ‘Son of Grace’ – or in your case, ‘Daughter of Grace’. You see? It’s in your blood, my dear. In fact, one of your ancestors settled in North Carolina in the 1800’s, so maybe it’s not a coincidence that you found your way there all those years ago.”
“That was then, and this is now, Grams. Besides, I moved back
here – to my real home.”
“Home is where the heart is Jules, and I’m not sure your heart ever left North Carolina.”
“Grandma – I think you need to take your meds,” Hannah smiled.
Brad couldn’t bear to listen any longer – afraid of what Hannah would say next. It was too hard. He tip-toed back upstairs a few steps, only to turn around and come back down, making a loud, deliberate entrance. He set his foot down on each step, hard and heavy, then yawned with great emphasis as he got closer to the dining room.
Hannah heard Brad coming down the stairs. “My heart is not –,” she whispered, but stopped mid-sentence as Brad entered the room. She looked up and gave him a big, toothy smile.
“Good evening, ladies. I hope I’m not interrupting. The food smells delicious. What are we having?” Brad took a seat next to Lois, figuring it was safer on her side of the table.
Hannah smiled and said, “Liver and onions… your favorite right?”
“Huh? Oh, umm… sometimes I guess. That’s really kind of you to remember,” Brad replied. His face was contorted at the thought of eating the one food he hated the most, then his gag reflex kicked in and he almost lost it. Well, I’ll give her credit… she at least remembered how to torture me. He smiled a half-smile, then took two pieces to spite her.
Dinner was mostly a conversation between Lois and Brad. They danced around big topics like politics or religion, and settled on his winery in North Carolina, Brad’s brother Mitch and Laci, and Laci’s struggle with breast cancer, plus a few other random facts. Hannah kept silent, enjoying every bite of her dinner, then excused herself to the kitchen to clean up. Brad started to get up and help, but Lois set her hand on his to stop him.
“Let her be, son. She’s suffered a great deal over these past few years. Losing her dad’s estate is the last straw – she’s going to need some time to figure things out. Selling to your brother was one thing, but now that you’re involved… it makes things very difficult,” she said.
Grace After the Storm Page 9
