A Home for Haley

by Mary Jane Morgan

  She forced her thoughts back to all she had to do to get ready for their trip to California, but knowing that Ethan was upset enough with her to leave before breakfast, had her stomach in knots. How would they handle a trip with the children if there was this much tension, but how could she smooth things over when a part of her couldn’t seem to forgive him for overstepping his boundaries?

  “Do you have physical therapy today, Dottie?” she asked, hoping to force her thoughts in another direction.

  Dottie nodded. “I’m down to only three times a week though, but I still have to be on that blasted machine for what feels like the entire day. I might lose my mind before I’m done with that.”

  “Only a few more days before you can quit the machine,” Aunt Jo reminded her. “Besides, you’ve made great progress. Now you only cuss during therapy instead of crying. I count that as progress, don’t you?” Aunt Jo winked at Haley.

  Kayla jumped up from the table and ran over to her grandma, hugging her around the neck. “I don’t want you to hurt, Grandma.”

  Dottie hugged her back. “That makes two of us, but I won’t hurt much longer, and I’ll be so much better than before the surgery.” She rolled her eyes at Jo. “I’d better be.”

  Haley took her last bite of breakfast, drank the rest of her orange juice and stood, gathering her plate and glass. “I’m ordering you to leave this to me, Jo.”

  A cry came over the baby monitor. “Oops. Ryan’s awake. Don’t touch a thing. I’ll take care of it when I get back.”

  Kayla took her grandmother’s hand.” Come play Chutes and Ladders with me.”

  Smiling, Dottie grabbed her cane and stood. “Wanna race?”

  Kayla shook her head. “You’d lose.”

  “I’ll race you.” Aunt Jo took off down the hall, Kayla right behind her.

  Haley stopped beside Dottie. “Need anything before I go get Ryan?”

  Dottie shook her head. “You go on. I’m fine. But if you hear a big thud, it’s me hitting the floor so hurry back down.”

  “Will do.” Smiling, Haley went upstairs, taking them two at a time. Within a few minutes, she had Ryan in a dry diaper and clothes. She carried him downstairs, plopped him in his high chair and tossed some Cheerios onto his tray. “That should keep you busy until I get your eggs made.” She poured some milk in his Tommy Tippy cup and set it beside him, then got to work scrambling some eggs.

  She’d just put his eggs on his tray when Jo returned.

  “I thought you were playing Chutes and Ladders with Dottie and Kayla.”

  “One loss is enough for me. Besides, I have a feeling you need to talk.”

  “I’m fine,” Haley insisted, grabbing dirty dishes and shoving them into the dishwasher.

  After pouring herself a cup of coffee, Jo sat at the kitchen table. “Stop that nonsense and come sit with me. I have something I want to tell you.”

  Haley glanced at Jo, who cupped her mug of coffee with both hands and watched her. Haley shut the door to the dishwasher, picked up a rag and walked over to Ryan, who had shoved most of his eggs onto the floor and was doing his best to get the tray off. “Me want down.”

  She wiped his hands and face, set the tray aside and lifted him to the floor. He raced out of the kitchen yelling, “KayKay, KayKay.”

  “He’s pretty perky for this early.” Aunt Jo smiled and patted the seat beside her.

  Warily, Haley sat. What in the world did this woman want to tell her? Surely Ethan hadn’t said something to her about their argument last night. Haley’s face heated at the thought.

  Jo patted her arm. “You’ve seemed better lately, so what has you uptight this morning?”

  “Some days I’m better. Some days not.”

  “That’s how it goes, honey.” Jo eyed her again. “Living without the one you love is hard. The emptiness and missing him can drive you crazy if you let it.”

  Haley’s throat clogged with emotion, and she could barely swallow her sip of coffee.

  “When my husband passed, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to live.” Jo shook her head, tears in her eyes. “Then I discovered that Ethan had overheard everything when the government officials told me my husband had been killed in action.” Jo wiped her eyes. “I totally fell apart and poor little Ethan saw me.” She blinked hard and fought for control. “He was heartbroken because he didn’t feel like he’d taken care of me, but he was only a boy. Just a little boy a few years older than Kayla.” Jo grabbed a napkin off the table and wiped her eyes. “Ethan thought he was taking care of you, Haley, by preventing you from getting the news the way I did. I know you were terribly angry with him, but you seem to be getting over that. Or at least I thought you were until I saw Ethan this morning. It was obvious he was upset. I don’t know what it’s about, but I feel the need to give you some insight into my nephew. He’s very protective. Always has been, and I’m sure a lot of that has to do with what he witnessed with me when I found out about—about my sweet Wally. I totally fell apart. Ethan held my hand and kept telling me he loved me, trying his best to keep me together until Dottie could get here.”

  Haley covered her mouth with shaky fingers, her heart aching for Jo and the little boy who’d had to deal with his aunt’s grief. “Ethan was very brave, wasn’t he?” she murmured.

  “Very brave and very scared. He spent a lot of time with me from the day he was born. And then even more time with me after Wally died. Thank God I finally got it together and realized I wasn’t being fair to that boy. That’s when I started living again, getting out with friends.” She gave Haley a watery smile. “Ethan will probably tell you I’ve never really started living again, but I have. Just not the way he thinks I should. You have a lot to live for, Haley. I’m proud of how well you’re taking care of Ryan and setting an example of how life goes on.”

  Haley couldn’t keep her tears in. “I’m trying,” she managed to say.

  “Yes you are. And I think the trip to Disneyland will be good for you. Get your mind off of your loss for a while. In fact, I’m betting you have a grand time there.”

  “I hope you’re right. Unfortunately, I am still mad at Ethan. I thought I was better, but we visited last night, and he said something that made me realized how far I still had to go.” Haley grasped Jo’s hand. “Knowing what I now know will help me. Thank you for telling me.”

  Jo nodded. “Let Ethan be your friend, Haley. He wants what’s best for you, so try to forgive him if he overstepped his boundaries. I think he saw himself in a position to really help you in a way he couldn’t help me.”

  Haley was too overcome with emotion to speak. She wished Ethan were here. “I owe him an apology, but I promise I won’t tell him that I know about him taking care of you. I’ll let him tell me sometime if he wants to do that.”

  Jo nodded. “That’s a good idea.” Patting Haley’s hand, she stood. “Thank you for listening to an old lady you barely know. You’re a blessing to this family and don’t you ever forget that.”

  ****

  “I see the ocean!” Kayla exclaimed, pointing out the plane’s window and grinning from ear to ear.

  Ryan scrambled from Haley’s lap onto Ethan’s. He pressed his face against the tiny window. “See it?” Ethan pointed toward the mass of water and Ryan grinned.

  “Swim?”

  “Absolutely. We are going to do lots of fun things out here in California. You kids will love Disneyland, but you’ll also love all the other stuff we get to do.”

  Haley motioned a grinning Ryan back to her lap and buckled them in, her own excitement growing. She’d been so busy these last few days getting ready, she hadn’t had much time to think about Dale, let alone cry. Plus the kids’ excitement was definitely contagious. She was only sorry Chloe had gotten sick and couldn’t come with them. Kayla would have loved having her here, but Ethan promised they’d take another trip with Chloe.

  “We’re getting closer.” Kayla high-fived her dad, a huge smile on her face. “The first thing I want to d
o is see Frozen and meet Anna and Elsa and Olaf. Do you think they will sing?”

  “Of course they will.” Haley loved the music from Frozen, especially the songs, “Reindeer Are Better Than People” and “In the Summer.” She was as excited as Kayla to see the Frozen exhibit, but everything about this trip had her pumped. She hoped Ryan was old enough to remember some of it, because she knew he would love Disneyland, especially the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. Her heart raced as the plane’s wheels touched down, bounced once and then rolled for what felt like an eternity before finally turning and coming to a halt at the gate.

  The minute the stewardess gave the okay, Kayla jerked her seatbelt off and stood. Haley unfastened her and Ryan’s belt.

  “How about you keep Kayla corralled and let me hold this little guy?” Ethan asked, reaching out to Ryan.

  “Deal.” Haley grinned, almost feeling like a kid herself. It was a great feeling. Ever since Jo had given her some insight into why Ethan had felt compelled to be the one who told her about Dale, the tight band of anger Haley felt toward Ethan had eased, making her more light-hearted than she’d felt in several years. And now the look on her little boy’s face had her feeling almost jubilant.

  By the time they’d rented a car and were heading toward the townhouse, Ryan had fallen asleep. Haley’s nerves, on the other hand, were sizzling like cold water in a hot frying pan. She knew she had a bedroom and bath to herself, but she still felt edgy about the sleeping arrangements. Surely that would go away once she saw the layout of the townhouse. She and Ethan had been on much friendlier terms these last few days, but she still had apprehension about them living in close quarters for a week. At home, there was enough room to spread out and not be bumping into one another at every turn, but here, she wasn’t sure about.

  “Ryan’s probably getting his second wind,” Ethan said. “Think we should wake him?”

  Haley shook her head. “He’s been awake all day. A short nap is just what he needs to get through the evening.”

  Ethan glanced at the sleeping boy. “You’re probably right. I figure by the time we get checked into our townhouse, we’ll all be starving. After we eat, how about a walk on the beach to collect shells and then back to the townhouse early, so we can get a good night’s sleep and be rested in the morning?”

  “Sounds good to me.” Haley craned her neck to see everything as they turned off the expressway. “I can’t believe I grew up in California and never got to see Disneyland.”

  “Me either.” Ethan patted her leg. “But you’re going to see it soon. Ashley says there’s an ice cream store we have to try while we’re here. Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop. I’m sure the kids will be game after our walk on the beach.”

  “To heck with the kids; I’m always up for ice cream.”

  “I want a double-chocolate dip,” Kayla hollered from the back seat.

  “After dinner. Your Aunt Ashley is meeting us at the townhouse so she can take us to a fabulous pizza place—the Pizza Press I think it’s called.”

  “Yay! Pizza and ice cream are my two favorites.”

  “I’m sure your Aunt Ashley knows that. You rate pretty high with her you know.”

  “She’s the best!” Kayla all but bounced in her seat as they wound their way through a complex of townhomes. When they pulled up to theirs, Haley gasped. “This is really nice.”

  Ethan chuckled. “You haven’t even seen it yet.”

  “I’ve seen enough to know it has to be awesome. Goodness, this must have cost a fortune.”

  “Ashley got us a discount. We’re only two miles from Disneyland and even closer to the beach.”

  “It must be nice to have some clout,” Haley teased.

  Ethan grinned. “I guess when you’re the public relations director for Disneyland, you get some pretty good perks.”

  “No kidding.”

  “You couldn’t pay me a million bucks to live here. Too much city for me, and no way would I raise a child in this area. But,” he added with a grin as he turned off the car, “this is pretty darn cool.”

  Haley stepped from the car and stretched, pulling the fresh air into her lungs. She could smell the ocean and it brought back good memories from her childhood. One of her best memories was the time her mom brought her to the beach when her dad was out of town working. It had been a marvelous day, but her father had thrown a fit that her mother had spent money for something so frivolous, and her mom had never taken her to the beach again.

  She twirled in a circle then turned to Ethan. “I’ve always loved the ocean.”

  “Good because not only will we be hanging out at the beach, but we’re going on a dolphin watch.”

  “We get to see dolphins?” Kayla gave a whoop and raced around the car.

  “If you scream like that on our watch, you’ll scare them off. I know you’re excited, but no need to yell. Okay?” Ethan arched his brows and Kayla scowled before grabbing Haley’s hand and dragging her toward the front door.

  “Hold on, Kayla. I need to get Ryan.”

  “I’ve got him.” Ethan picked up a still-sleeping Ryan and followed them. When he reached the door, he stooped down, moved a ceramic toad and grabbed the keys. “Courtesy of Ashley,” he explained as he unlocked the door and then motioned everyone in.

  The minute they entered the townhouse, Haley gasped at the magnificent bright, flower arrangement on a maple table in the entryway. “Wow. Your mom would love those flowers. They smell heavenly.”

  “Mom helped me choose this place,” a familiar voice said. Grinning, Ashley hurried over to everyone, her arms outstretched. “I am so excited to see you guys.” She grabbed Kayla’s hands and twirled her around, then gave Ethan a peck on the cheek before kissing an awake, but sleepy, Ryan. She turned to Haley, smiling from ear to ear. “What do you think?”

  “It’s gorgeous.” Haley took in the fancy room. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in such an elegant place.” She was surrounded by white carpet and white leather furniture. Bright red throw pillows adorned the couch and added a nice splash of color. As did the colorful spray of flowers made up of delphinium, pink gerberas, snap dragons and white gladiolus. Walnut tables at each end of the couch added even more elegance. “It’s like some magazine layout in Better Homes and Gardens,” Haley said in awe.

  “I’m so glad you like it.” Ashley grinned. “Wait ‘til you see the Jacuzzi in the master bedroom. There are three bedrooms and two bathrooms here, so there’s plenty of privacy.”

  Haley’s nervousness dropped a couple of notches. She walked through the living area and pulled open the long white drapes. Evening sunlight streamed through the pristine white room, and Haley cringed at the thought of all the damage Ryan could do. She opened the sliding doors for a better look at the fountain and swimming pool. With a sigh, she turned back to a smiling Ashley. “I need to put a huge sheet of plastic down to protect the carpet. And towels on the couch,” she joked even though it truly did worry her.

  “I want to swim now, Daddy.” Kayla’s plea had Ryan scrambling out of Ethan’s arms.

  “Later. There’ll be plenty of time.” Ethan headed toward the front door. “Let’s get unloaded and go eat, then we’ll walk on the beach and see if we can get some seashells.” He opened the door and went out.

  Kayla turned to Haley, a pleading look on her face. Haley held up her hands. “Your dad’s the boss. I’m only the nanny.”

  Kayla grabbed her arm. “But you’re my friend, too, right?”

  “Of course I am,” Haley agreed, wondering where this was going.

  Ashley grabbed her niece and held her close. “Don’t take advantage of Haley’s sweet disposition, Kayla. You have all week to swim.” Ashley bent down so she was eye level with Kayla. “And believe me, you’ll love swimming in the ocean a whole lot more than a pool.”

  Ethan stepped back inside with an arm full of luggage. “I didn’t expect to see you here, Ashley. Did you think I couldn’t find my way?”

&nbs
p; “Very funny. I wanted to surprise you. Besides, I needed a breather from work.”

  “Bad way to live your life. But glad for the benefits you have,” he added with a wicked grin.

  She pointed a finger at him. “Just save me a room at your dude ranch during Labor Day weekend.”

  “You got it. Now make yourself useful and help me get the luggage.”

  With a backward glance and grin at Haley, Ashley followed her brother outside.

  Haley watched them go. She’d always wanted a little sister. Obviously that longing had never quite left her. It would be nice to get to know Ashley better. She smiled down at the kids. “Are you guys excited, because I sure am?”

  “Yes.” Kayla jumped up and down and Ryan tried his best to imitate her, but fell on his bottom after only a few tries.

  “Let’s go check this place out,” Haley said, taking Ryan’s hand. “Lead the way, Kayla.”

  Giggling, Kayla skipped over to the stairs and bounded up them. Haley followed, curious to see the living quarters for this week.

  CHAPTER TEN

  “I ate so much at dinner, I barely managed to get all that ice cream down.” Groaning, Ethan rubbed his full stomach as he watched the waves wash ashore, their rhythm relaxing his muscles.

  “We Richardsons like our ice cream,” Ashley said with a groan of her own. “I have to go back to work feeling like a stuffed turkey. Guess I can at least rinse my sticky hands before I head out. Standing, she strolled out to the water, bent over and rinsed her hands as a wave rolled over her bare feet.

  Ethan nodded toward Ryan. “As sticky as he is, we’ll swish his whole body through the water.”

  Haley glanced down at her son and laughed at the huge chocolate ring around his mouth. His hands were even worse. She glanced at her blue blouse and scowled at the chocolate smudges. “I need cleaning up almost as bad as he does.”

  Kayla kicked off her flip flops and raced to the edge of the water, digging her toes deep into the packed, wet sand, and then splashing Ashley, who grabbed up her shoes and ran toward her car. “I’ll talk with you tomorrow, Ethan,” she shouted as opened her car door.