by Laura Scott
“Tomorrow morning. But I’m sure I can get one of the nurses I work with to cover my shift if I can’t find someone to watch Sebastian.”
“I’ll do it,” Devon offered.
Her mouth dropped open in shock and she wondered if she’d really heard him correctly. “Do what?”
“I’ll watch Sebastian tomorrow. I have Monday and Tuesday off work, so it’s no problem.”
She was stunned speechless by his generous offer. As much as she didn’t want to take advantage of Devon’s friendship, she also knew that she needed to get back to work in order to pay her next month’s rent.
“I don’t know what to say,” she finally managed. “Are you serious?”
“Absolutely. I’ve been watching you and it doesn’t look that difficult to do his exchanges. Of course, I’ll need to practice, but I’m sure I can manage.”
Janelle stared at him for several seconds. Was Dev’s offer an answer to her prayers? Or a complication she couldn’t afford?
She was afraid she’d end up depending on him, far more than she should.
Chapter Five
Devon watched the play of emotions across Janelle’s face, wondering if he’d overstepped his bounds.
Why had he offered to babysit anyway? Just looking at Sebastian made his heart ache for what he’d lost. Before he could try to backpedal, she slowly nodded.
“All right, then. Thank you, Devon.”
“You’re welcome.” He stared down at his plate of French toast for a moment before picking up his fork. Two days wasn’t the end of the world. He just needed to help her out until she found someone to watch Sebastian on a regular basis.
“Yay! I get to play with Dev!” Sebastian shouted.
“That’s right, but now it’s time to eat breakfast, okay?” Janelle said. “And then we have to get ready to go to church.”
Dev shouldn’t have been surprised by the announcement, after all, most of the town went to church on Sunday. He swallowed hard, wondering if she expected him to come along.
He hadn’t been inside the church since Debra’s funeral.
“Dev?”
He jerked his head up, realizing Janelle had been talking to him. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
She tipped her head to the side, regarding him thoughtfully. “I asked if you were working again today.”
“Yeah, I’m on duty tonight, starting at three in the afternoon. That’s the main reason I have the next two days off.”
“I work the early shift on Monday and Tuesday, seven to three-thirty, so you’ll still have some time to relax.” She paused, then continued, “I owe you, big, Devon. I’m out of paid leave and really need to work to avoid going into debt.”
The puckered frown in her brow made him glad he’d impulsively offered to help. “It’s no problem, Janelle. You don’t owe me anything, you saved my life two years ago, remember?”
“The doctors saved your life,” she corrected with a smile. “I just helped.”
He clearly remembered the way she’d held onto his hand in the ER, talking to him and reassuring him that everything would be okay. Yeah, the doctor’s skills had helped, but emotionally, he’d clung to Janelle’s voice like a lifeline.
“Are you going to come to church wif us?” Sebastian asked around a mouthful of food.
“Chew and swallow first, then talk,” Janelle told him.
Dev felt trapped by Sebastian’s wide blue eyes. He hadn’t intended to attend church services, but then again, he needed to learn how to do the peritoneal dialysis exchanges too. It would look pretty obvious if he left before church and then came back afterwards.
“I’m sure Devon has things he needs to get done before work,” Janelle said, giving him an out. The intensity of her gaze, as if she knew exactly why he didn’t want to attend, made him feel vulnerable.
Janelle had been here in Crystal Lake long enough to know he’d lost his fiancée. But she’d never asked him about his loss.
And no one knew that Debra had been pregnant. He’d never told anyone about that fact.
“I, uh, don’t know,” he hedged. What was wrong with him? Why hadn’t he taken the excuse Janelle had offered?
“Finish your breakfast, Sebastian. We have to infuse another bag through your catheter before we go.”
“Okay,” Sebastian agreed, popping another large bite of French toast in his mouth, smearing maple syrup across his chin.
Dev was impressed at how well the boy accepted the treatments he needed to have—what had Janelle said—three times a day.
“More coffee?” Janelle offered, rising to her feet and walking toward the pot.
“Yes, please.” Sitting at the kitchen table, sharing a meal with Janelle and Sebastian gave him a pang in the region of his heart. This was what he should have had with Debra and his own son or daughter.
No point in looking backward besides, this cozy family scene wasn’t what he wanted anymore. He needed to make a difference in the world. He wanted to fight crime and to help keep cities safe for other kids.
The same way his brother had.
When breakfast was finished, he stood and then carried his dirty dishes over to the sink. He hid a smile when Sebastian copied his actions, even though the little boy couldn’t even reach the counter.
“Thanks Sebastian,” Janelle said, taking the plate from him. She took a clean dishcloth and efficiently wiped down the child’s sticky hands and face. “Time for your medicine.”
Sebastian scrunched his face into an expression of distaste. “Do I hav’ta?”
“Yes,” Devon spoke up firmly. “No games until you take your medicine.”
Sebastian gamely swallowed the thick liquid, wrinkling his nose at the taste before dashing into the living room.
“I’d like to watch the exchange,” Dev said.
“Watch?” She echoed, lifting a sardonic brow. “You need to actually practice doing the exchange.”
He knew she was right. “Okay, but you’re going to walk me through it, right?”
“Of course.” She rinsed the dishes and set them in the dishwasher. “Wash your hands and I’ll show you how to set up the supplies.”
She talked him through the entire process and his fingers felt large and clumsy as he disconnected the catheter and hung a new bag.
“The biggest threat is infection,” she said quietly. “That’s why you have to be careful not to contaminate anything.”
Remembering how sick Sebastian had been made him realize just how high risk this process really was. Oh, it didn’t look complicated, but one wrong move could cause a life threatening infection. He held his breath as he worked, feeling a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his face. He didn’t breathe normally until he was finished.
“Good job,” Janelle said. “Now open the clamp on the tubing, just part way because if the fluid runs in too fast it will cause stomach cramps.”
He carefully adjusted the flow and then stepped back, curling his fingers into fists to stop his fingers from shaking. He felt as if he’d run five miles. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the edge of his sweatshirt.
“How long will it take to run the fluid in?” he asked.
“Sebastian tolerates about an hour.” She gathered up the empty wrappers and carried everything over into the kitchen.
“Can we play a game while I’m waiting?” Sebastian asked in a plaintive tone.
“Sure, why not?” He shot a quick glance over at Janelle. “That is, if your Aunt Janelle doesn’t mind.”
“One game,” she cautioned, giving Sebastian a stern look. “Just remember, we have to leave for church once the fluid has infused.”
“I know,” Sebastian said. “Let’s play the racecar game!”
Dev didn’t mind playing video games, but as they raced around in their respective cars, he couldn’t help wondering if it was okay for Sebastian to play outside. Granted he knew that the child probably shouldn’t run around too much, considering the fluid that w
ould be dwelling in his abdomen, but surely he could play on a swing-set and maybe play catch.
He made a mental note to ask Janelle since the weather was predicted to be decent over the next few days.
After forty minutes, Janelle returned to the kitchen wearing a knee-length tangerine skirt and matching sweater. He was so distracted by how pretty she looked that he crashed his racecar into the wall.
“I win, I win!” Sebastian shouted.
He blinked, and hoped the back of his neck wasn’t too red with embarrassment. “You sure did.”
Janelle crossed over to check Sebastian’s infusion, seemingly unaware of how she’d managed to cause him to lose the game. “Just a few minutes to go. Then you’ll need to get dressed for church.”
Sebastian gazed up at him with his wide blue eyes so much like Janelle’s. “I want Devon to come to church with us. Please?”
He hesitated and then nodded, unable to refuse the child’s simple request. “Okay, I’ll come with you. But then I need to get home, okay?”
“Goody!” Sebastian beamed, as if he’d been given a precious gift. Dev shoved his misgivings aside. If going to church with them brightened this kid’s day, then it was worth braving the shadows of his past.
Janelle walked him through the rest of the procedure and then sent Sebastian to his room to change.
“You really don’t have to go,” Janelle murmured once they were alone.
He searched her eyes, trying to read her thoughts. “Would you rather I didn’t?”
“Of course not, I’d love for you to attend services with us. I just don’t want you to think you have to do every little thing Sebastian asks of you.” She hesitated, then added, “I want him to have as normal a life as possible and that means not always getting what he wants.”
“I get what you’re saying,” he agreed. “But it seems like such a little thing to do to make him happy.”
She regarded him steadily. “And what about doing what makes you happy?”
He found it difficult to tear his gaze away. Somehow, Janelle seemed to look all the way through him, down to the center of his soul. “I think it’s time I put the past to rest, don’t you?”
She smiled, her entire face lighting up. “I’m so glad to hear you say that, Devon. God has been waiting for you.”
He wasn’t so sure, but Sebastian returned just then preventing him from needing to answer. He glanced down at his own attire, knowing he couldn’t show up in worn jeans and sweatshirt.
“I’ll meet you there, okay?” he said as they walked outside. “I need to change my clothes.”
“No problem,” she agreed, opening the car door so Sebastian could climb into his booster seat.
Devon slid in behind the wheel and headed home. Without giving himself time to change his mind, he quickly donned a button-down shirt and dress slacks. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d dressed nice for a woman.
Not that he was dressing up for Janelle. No, he was only going with them to service because of Sebastian.
Yeah, right. Who was he kidding?
He was going to church with Janelle and Sebastian because he wanted to. For the first time in almost five years, he wasn’t allowing sorrowful memories of Debra to hold him back.
In fact, he felt certain that spending time with Janelle and Sebastian would create new memories.
And oddly enough, he found himself looking forward to them.
Janelle wasn’t sure if Devon would really meet them at church or not. She knew he hadn’t been to church in several years, and had been surprised that he’d agreed to come at all.
Obviously he hadn’t wanted to disappoint Sebastian. She was troubled by the way her nephew had glommed onto Dev, idolizing him. She told herself it was good for Sebastian to have a male role model, especially since his father wasn’t allowed anywhere near him.
But she couldn’t help thinking that Sebastian would be hurt once Dev moved on. She’d heard through the town grape-vine that he was applying for jobs outside of Hope County.
Not that Devon’s career choices were any of her business. Still, he’d become so close to Sebastian in such a short time. The child would be devastated once he left.
She really needed to find someone else to babysit Sebastian while she was at work. Dev could help her out for the next couple of days and she had Wednesday off. But then she needed to figure something else out.
The sooner, the better.
“Hi Janelle, hi Sebastian,” Merry Crain greeted her cheerfully as they approached. “Looks like you feel much better, young man,” she said addressing Sebastian.
“Yep,” the little boy nodded. “All better.”
“Will you be at work tomorrow?” Merry asked.
“Yes, I have day care set up for Monday and Tuesday,” she agreed. “But I still don’t have anyone regular lined up.”
“Something will work out, you’ll see.” Merry only worked very part-time because of her own baby. She swapped child care with her sister-in-law, Julie Ryerson.
“I’ll keep praying,” Janelle said. “Come on, Sebastian, let’s go inside.”
“We hav’ta wait for Dev,” the little boy protested, hanging back.
“Devon Armbruster?” Merry echoed, her eyebrows lifting in surprise. “He hasn’t been here in a long time.”
“I know, and I’m honestly not sure if he’ll make it after all.” Janelle glanced down at Sebastian. “How about we go inside and save him a seat?”
Sebastian reluctantly went along with her plan, dragging his feet. Several pews were already full, so she slipped into an empty space near the back.
The organist was playing a soothing hymn and she closed her eyes, letting the music wash over her. Instantly she felt a sense of peace, as if God had lifted each heavy burden off her shoulders.
She silently prayed that God would send her someone to watch over Sebastian so she could return to work. And she prayed that Sebastian would stay healthy, getting the kidney transplant he needed. Lastly, she prayed Devon would find his way back to church and faith.
Sebastian fidgeted in the seat beside her. Her sister hadn’t taken him to church, and learning to sit still and listen was a trial for him.
She reached over to put a hand on his shoulder, trying to tell him without words that he needed to sit still.
It took a moment for her to realize that Sebastian had caught a glimpse of Devon striding toward them. Dev looked so handsome in his charcoal gray button down shirt and black pants, her heart squeezed in her chest.
He flashed her a hesitant smile, and then settled in on the other side of Sebastian. She wanted to reach over and clasp his hand reassuringly, but that wasn’t possible with her nephew between them.
She was humbled by his presence, especially after he’d been away from church for so long.
As Easter had just passed, the theme of Pastor John’s sermon was life after death. She hoped Devon would find the peace he deserved.
It wasn’t easy to concentrate on the service, she must have glanced over at Dev at least a dozen times. The parishioners glanced at them curiously, no doubt wondering if they were a new couple.
She hoped Devon wouldn’t mind the rumors that would no doubt ripple through their small town. If he noticed their interest in the fact that they were sitting together, he didn’t let on.
The service was over far too soon. She knew Devon had to work, so she steeled herself to say goodbye.
“That was nice,” he said as they walked back to their respective cars.
She knew she was grinning like an idiot, but couldn’t seem to care. “I’m so glad to hear you say that. I thought maybe you’d change your mind about coming.”
His brows pulled together in a small frown. “I told you I would,” he murmured. “I keep my promises.”
“Are you coming to our house?” Sebastian asked, tugging on Devon’s belt loop.
“Devon has to work today, remember?” She didn’t want Dev to feel as if he had to kee
p entertaining her nephew. When Sebastian’s face fell, she hastened to reassure him. “But he’ll be back tomorrow morning to play with you while I’m at work, okay?”
The little boy kicked a rock and shrugged. “Okay,” he agreed, his tone mirroring his disappointment.
Dev accompanied them to her car. “How about I give you a call, later?” he suggested. “We’ll finalize things for tomorrow.”
“Uh, sure, of course,” she said, feeling flustered at the thought of Devon calling her. He pulled out his phone and looked at her expectantly. She rattled off her number and he quickly punched it in.
She licked her lips, and told herself to get a grip. Devon was a friend, nothing more. He was sweet enough to help her out of a jam. She had to stop reading something more into his motives.
“Talk to you later,” she said, helping Sebastian get into his car seat.
“Will do.” Dev waited until she slid behind the wheel to walk over to his truck.
She wrapped her fingers around the steering wheel, biting back the crazy urge to ask him to come over to spend the rest of the day with them.
Ridiculous since she had to make phone calls to possible babysitters anyway.
It didn’t take long to drive back to her townhouse, but as she approached she noticed there was a silver sedan parked on the opposite side of the street, directly across from the townhouse.
The same one Devon had noticed last night?
She lifted a hand to shield the sun, trying to see the plate number. But the vehicle abruptly pulled away from the curb, tires screeching as the driver took off.
Her heart leaped into her throat as she pressed hard on the accelerator.
This time, he wasn’t going to get away!
Chapter Six
Janelle was all too aware of the fact that she had Sebastian in the car with her as she tried to close the gap between them.
If only she could get the license plate number!
The silver sedan flew past a stop sign, and Edna Cole, one of the elderly women from their church, lifted a fist and shook it at the vehicle.
Janelle stopped and tapped the steering wheel impatiently as the elderly woman strolled across the street heading toward Rose’s café. When the cross walk was clear, she pushed the accelerator, narrowing her gaze as she scanned the area for the silver car.
