Vanessa's Match

by Judy Christenberry

  “Yes, I was.” Rick took Danny’s hands in his own. “You know, it’s perfectly normal to be scared in a dangerous situation.”

  “Oh, I was scared.”

  “So was I,” Vanessa added, hunkering down to her brother’s level.

  “’Nessa, I’m glad you’re okay. ’Cause you bleeded a lot.”

  “Yes, I did, but now I have a pretty bandage. See?”

  “Do I get to sign it?”

  “No, sweetheart. It’s not hard, like a cast. It’s just a bandage.”

  “Danny, you’d better come back over here and play with your trucks,” Betty suggested.

  When the boy did as he was told, Vanessa checked on her mother, for her own peace of mind. “Mom, are you okay?”

  “Yes, honey, and the doctor said the baby should be, too. He told me to rest. But so far I feel great. Mostly I feel relieved that you weren’t shot.”

  “Me, too,” Rick said, putting his arm around Vanessa again. “It kind of puts things in perspective, doesn’t it.”

  “It does,” Vivian agreed.

  “I promised the policeman I’d come back to the kitchen and answer questions, but I thought Vanessa needed to sit down and take some aspirin for the pain.”

  Betty jumped up. “I’ll go get it.”

  “Thanks, Betty,” Rick said as he settled Vanessa in a large, comfortable chair. He fussed over her.

  “I’m not an invalid, Rick. I just cut my arm.”

  “I know. But I still think you should go to your doctor, just to be sure you don’t need stitches.”

  “I’m fine,” she repeated patiently. “Now you just be careful yourself when you talk to the police.”

  He smiled at her—that smile she loved. “If I managed not to offend anyone in China, I think I can handle an interview in my own language.” Then he kissed her again and walked out of the room.

  Betty returned. “Take your aspirin now, Vanessa.”

  To tell the truth, she was feeling her cuts more than she’d thought she would.

  “Just lie back and relax,” Betty ordered. “We’ve had a trying day.”

  “Yes, we have.” Vanessa couldn’t believe the events of the past few hours. It was as if she’d dreamed them. No, she corrected herself. They were more like a nightmare.

  But the nightmare was over.

  “I don’t really need to rest,” she told Betty, even as she did what the older woman had suggested.

  That was the last thing she remembered for several hours.

  VANESSA COULDN’T REMEMBER why she was sleeping in a big stuffed chair in the morning room when Will awakened her. Then it hit her. Sharon.

  With a groan, she slumped back in the chair.

  “Are you all right, Vanessa?” Will asked.

  She struggled up again. “Yes, of course. It was just—just shocking.”

  “Yes, it was. But you did everything right. Peter told me all that happened. And he said you saved all their lives by getting the door closed on Sharon.”

  “I know. But…I didn’t want her death.”

  “No one did. But Sharon brought that on herself.”

  Vanessa nodded. In her mind she knew Will was right, but her heart told a different version. “What time is it?” she asked him.

  “It’s almost three. The girls will be at Rick’s by four o’clock. Are you going to go ahead and have the sleepover?”

  “Yes, of course. I don’t want to disappoint Lindy.”

  “Okay. Mrs. Abby called, and I said I’d have you call her.”

  “I’ll do that at once.”

  When she called Rick’s housekeeper, Mrs. Abby was greatly relieved to hear from her. “Rick told me you were all right, but it sounded like a terrible experience.”

  “It was. But I want Lindy to have her sleepover. Is it still all right with you?”

  “Oh my, yes, I haven’t suffered any stress. I’ll be ready for you when you get here.”

  “All right. I’ll be there before four.”

  After that, she went upstairs and took a shower. She braided her hair as she had Lindy’s earlier. Then she donned jeans and a cotton sweater. She was beginning to feel more like herself—as long as she didn’t think of Sharon.

  After she was ready, she went to the kitchen to see what Betty had made for the sleepover. As usual, Betty had outdone herself. She had brownies and cookies, and even small uncooked quiches.

  “Mrs. Abby can serve these for a snack or for breakfast in the morning.”

  “All right. I’ll tell her. Thank you, Betty.”

  “I need to thank you for helping my Peter,” Betty said past a tight throat, obviously trying not to cry.

  “Peter and I worked together. I couldn’t have done it without his help.” She hugged Betty and then picked up all she had prepared. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

  After kissing Betty on the cheek, she headed to her car, trying not to look around and think about what had happened here that day. Instead, she pulled the car away, with high hopes for the night.

  RICK WAS QUITE PLEASED with himself when he left the jewelry store at three. He’d looked at every ring they had. Finally, he’d found the one that looked right to him. It was in his pocket.

  He started to go back to the office, then, realizing he needed to be home before the girls came at four, he headed there. Besides, he couldn’t wait to see Vanessa.

  Vanessa arrived right after him, pulling into the drive behind his Mercedes.

  As she came around the car, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, without saying a word.

  She broke off the kiss before it deepened. “What if someone sees us?” she asked, looking around.

  “Why would we care?”

  “If my teenager was going to a sleepover, I would be concerned if the chaperones were too focused on each other.”

  “Oh, the sleepover. Is that why you’re here? I thought it was for some other reason.”

  Vanessa smiled at the lascivious grin he shot her. “I need to get some things that Betty sent out of my car.”

  “I’ll help you.”

  He carried in a tray as well as a bag of movies. “I don’t even know these titles,” he said, peeking inside.

  Vanessa defended her selections. “They’re good stories that the girls will love.”

  “I’m not sure they’ll even watch them. Don’t you have an action movie? Something with big explosions?”

  “For teenage girls? Are you crazy?”

  “Do I have to watch them?”

  “What else are you going to do?”

  He gave her that grin again. “Well, I had in mind a little one-on-one.”

  “Not when the girls will walk in on us at any minute.”

  When they reached the kitchen, Mrs. Abby welcomed them. “I’m glad you got here before the girls.”

  Vanessa agreed. “Once they get started, they’re hard to settle down.”

  They set to work and at four o’clock exactly they had everything arranged, including a cooler with sodas, and two air mattresses in front of the big-screen TV in the den.

  “I don’t think we should mention anything about today’s events,” Rick said, suddenly getting serious. “It would upset Lindy.”

  “I’ll think up another reason for my bandage.”

  Just then the doorbell rang, and Mrs. Abby answered it to eight young ladies, squealing and giggling in excitement as all teenagers do.

  “Come right in,” Mrs. Abby said as she waved them through. A couple of mothers were standing behind the girls. “We wanted to be sure Miss Shaw would be here,” one of them said. “We heard about what happened today.”

  “Vanessa?” Mrs. Abby called to her as she welcomed the girls. “Can you come over here?”

  Vanessa hurried over and met the two mothers. “Yes, I’m here. Everything is fine.”

  “We didn’t say anything to the girls.”

  After Vanessa reassured the two mothers they left, and she rejoined the girls and Ric
k. Once the pizza arrived, she popped one of the movies into the DVD player and sat back.

  Rick watched the movie, though he didn’t admit to liking it. Vanessa couldn’t help but smile at that.

  When the girls moved on to the next one, he had other ideas. “I’d rather be alone with you,” he told Vanessa. “Mrs. Abby can call if the girls need us.”

  “Call? Where are we going?”

  “Just to my dad’s study. I think we need to leave the girls some time alone, you know.”

  “I agree,” she said, as he led her by the hand into the other room.

  Rick closed the door behind them. “I used to know I was in trouble when my dad closed the door. I figured I’d been so bad he didn’t even want my mother to know. Sometimes, I couldn’t figure out what I’d done, but I knew he’d tell me.”

  “He sounds like a really good father.”

  “He was. The only time he messed up was when he married Anita. He tried to make up for that later, but he was limited as to what he could do after they had Lindy—and Anita must have known that.”

  Vanessa nodded. “That’s the usual thing a gold-digger does. She has a child and then has a hold on the guy for the rest of his life.”

  “I want to have children, but not for that reason. Do you want children?”

  “Yes, but not right away. I want to establish my career—”

  Suddenly she looked stricken.

  “What’s wrong, honey? Are you afraid I’ll push you to have children before you’re ready?”

  “No. I remembered something I was supposed to tell you. Dr. Cavanaugh said for me to thank you for your generous donation. But I’d already taken care of the situation and I didn’t tell you. I tried to get Dr. Cavanaugh to return the check, but he wouldn’t.”

  “How did you fix it?”

  “I set Lindy up with another therapist, a friend of mine.”

  He pulled her into his arms. “Good solution.”

  “You aren’t mad at me?”

  “No.”

  “Dr. Cavanaugh saw it as a romantic gesture. I thought it was, too.”

  “I don’t care about the money. But I almost lost you today because I hadn’t realized how dangerous Sharon had become.”

  “I knew she was on edge, too, and I’m the professional. Still, even if I had seen it, the police couldn’t have arrested someone just because I thought they might be dangerous.” She shook her head in frustration. “But I can’t stop thinking I should have seen it coming.”

  Rick took her hands in his. “You can’t blame yourself, Vanessa. And I for one think you’ll make a great psychologist. Look what you’ve done for Lindy, and for me. You gave me back my sister, my family.” He dropped a kiss on her lips. “You’ve changed me, made me see there’s more to life than the Austin Group.”

  Tears glistened in her eyes when she looked up at him. “Thank you, Rick. That means a lot to me.”

  “There’s nothing we can do about what’s already happened, so I’m trying to put it behind me. Now I’m concentrating on the future.” He reached into his pocket and felt for the ring box.

  Just then someone knocked on the office door.

  With a frown at the interruption, Rick opened the door to find Mrs. Abby standing there.

  “Yes?”

  “Someone named Jim is calling for you. He said it was important.”

  “Thanks, Mrs. Abby.”

  He picked up the desk phone. “Jim? It’s Rick.”

  After several minutes, where Jim must have been doing all the talking, Rick hung up the phone.

  “What did he say?” Vanessa asked, a worried expression on her face.

  Rick gave her a brief kiss. “He said he has talked to Sharon’s doctor, and she wasn’t pregnant, as far as the doc knew. She apparently thought she could bluff her way through until after I paid her money.”

  Vanessa put her arms around Rick’s neck and leaned against him. “I’m so relieved. I was so upset when—” She buried her face in Rick’s chest as he held her close.

  “I know, honey, I know.” After a couple of minutes, he said, “Don’t you want to see what I have here?” He showed her the ring box. “I know we said we were going to wait, but I don’t want to wait any longer.” He looked deep into her eyes. “Vanessa, will you marry me?”

  She glanced at the box and then at his face. “Are you sure?”

  “Very sure.”

  “Then, yes.”

  Rick gave her a brief hug and pulled back. “Don’t you want to open the box? I want to show off my fiancée with a beautiful ring.”

  She took the box and flipped up the lid. “Oh, Rick, it’s beautiful!”

  “Not as beautiful as you,” he said, and kissed her the way he’d been yearning to do all day. “Here, let’s put it on your finger. I had to call your mom and get your ring size.”

  “It’s a perfect fit.”

  Rick pulled her close and kissed his future bride. As enthralled as they were, a few minutes later it took several rings for them to realize they were hearing the phone again.

  Rick muttered as he reached for the receiver, but said politely, “Hello?”

  “May I speak to Vanessa, please?”

  He handed the phone to her.

  “Hello. Oh, Rachel! You saw it on television? Yes, I’m fine. No, everyone’s fine. And Rick is especially fine,” Vanessa said with a wink at Rick.

  Rick stood there, his hands on his hips. That was what he got for proposing to a woman with as much family as Vanessa had. There would always be someone calling to be sure she was all right. But he’d make sure she was. As her husband, he would protect her—and any children they might have.

  He was thrilled, though. He finally had a big family.

  As he walked over to Vanessa, she motioned to her ring, clearly wondering if she could tell her sister. Rick grinned and nodded. He wanted the world to know.

  When Vanessa got off the phone, she said, “Rachel was thrilled.”

  “I can’t wait to meet her.”

  “Unfortunately they won’t be coming to Dallas until after she’s out of her first trimester.”

  Rick looked puzzled.

  “Oh, I forgot to tell you she’s pregnant, just like Mom.”

  “No, you hadn’t told me that. But I hope you can get married without her, because I’m not interested in waiting long.”

  “Maybe she can make one short trip. How long did you have in mind?”

  “How about next week?”

  “Next week! But—”

  He kissed her deeply.

  When she surfaced, a smile lit her face. “Maybe we can make it next week.”

  Epilogue

  It took a little longer than a week, but by the end of the month, a wedding took place in the morning room at the Greenfield house. It wasn’t the first one, but to Rick and Vanessa it was very special.

  Lindy, too, was excited. Not only would she get Vanessa as a permanent part of her family, but she would also get to move back into her own home after the honeymoon. Not that she wouldn’t miss Vivian and Will, Danny and Betty and Peter, but they would be close. And she would be returning to where she began—part of the family again.

  And today there was one other exciting thing. She was Vanessa’s maid of honor. Her dress was a shimmering blue silk that looked great on her, if she did say so herself. Staring into the mirror, she couldn’t believe how lucky she was.

  “Are you ready?” Rebecca called through her door.

  Lindy turned and grinned. “Yes, I don’t think I could be more ready.”

  “Want to see the bride?”

  “Is she ready?”

  “Yes, and she looks beautiful.”

  When Rebecca opened Vanessa’s door, Lindy gasped. “Oh, Vanessa, you look so beautiful! Rick is going to just melt right there at the altar.”

  Vanessa chuckled. “I hope not. There wouldn’t be much of a honeymoon if that happened.”

  “It’s time,” Rebecca said. “Will’
s waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs.”

  “Okay. Go ahead, Lindy. I’ll follow you.”

  As the girl left her bedroom, Vanessa turned and hugged her sister. “Rebecca, thank you for understanding about Lindy.”

  “Of course. Now come on. You’ve got a groom waiting.”

  “Okay, I’m ready.”

  She’d been ready three weeks ago, when Rick proposed. But it took a while to coordinate the family. She smiled to herself. That was one of the things a big family required—coordination. But finally, the big day had arrived.

  She took her bouquet from her bed and examined herself in the mirror once more. She wanted so much to please Rick.

  Walking down the stairs, she smiled at Will.

  “You look beautiful, Vanessa. You’re upholding the family honor quite well today.”

  “Thank you.”

  Then they walked to the door of the morning room. As the music changed to “The Wedding March,” Vanessa looked at Rick for the first time that day. He was very handsome, but then, he always looked handsome to her. More important, he was a warm, giving man. Oh, she loved him.

  Will led her down the aisle to Rick’s side and she took his hand. The brief ceremony almost seemed like a dream. But when Rick kissed her at its end, she knew her dream was a reality. A beautiful reality.

  With all the family there, and Dr. Cavanaugh and his wife, the house was almost full. But Rick wasn’t interested in hanging around.

  However, Vivian made a request before she’d let them leave. “I want a family portrait today. Please, may we do that?”

  Of course they couldn’t say no.

  Vivian quickly arranged the family around them. Carrie stood with Jim, their two-week-old in her arms. David and Alex were next to them. On the other side, Rachel and J.D. and their little girl posed next to Jeff and Rebecca with their two children. Danny moved next to Will and Vivian, and Lindy stood beside the newlyweds.

  The photographer didn’t even need to tell them to smile. They were already glowing with happiness at being together.

  After several photos and telling everyone goodbye, Rick took Vanessa aside. “I love your family, but I’m not interested in staying too long. You and I are going to spend two glorious weeks in Europe, just the two of us. Then we’ll come home and be a part of your wonderful family. Do you agree?”