Finders Keepers

by Catherine Palmer

  She stared into her son’s serious eyes. “Oh, Nick …”

  “He’s right,” Zachary said. “Seek and you shall find. That’s what the Bible says.”

  “You see?” Nick told her. “I’m right. And now we should pray, because that is how you talk to God if you want to tell him what you’re looking for.”

  She straightened and turned to Zachary. “Out of the mouths of babes.”

  “OK, I will pray,” Nick announced. He took the Bible from his mother and held it in midair. “Dear God, we are seeking for Magunnery’s daddy. Please help us to find him, because he’s lost. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.”

  “Amen,” Zachary said. “Good prayer, Nick.”

  “Oh, yes, it was a good prayer,” the boy said. “I am very good at prayers. And now I will give everybody my special treat.” He reached into his backpack and pulled out a handful of miniature Snickers bars. “Boompah gave them to me.”

  They walked across the grass to a park bench and sat down, Montgomery on Zachary’s lap and Nick snuggled close to his mother. Elizabeth peeled the crinkly paper and slipped the bite of chocolate into her mouth. Leaning back, she gazed out at the darkened forest, its oak and maple trees thick with leaves.

  As the chocolate melted, she thought of the oddity of this little group. None of them really belonged together, none were related by blood or genetics. Yet God had drawn them by his invisible threads to this narrow bench in a quiet park.

  She looked down the path toward the fountain, and there she spotted a dark shape hunched over, head in his hands. Reaching out, she touched Zachary’s arm. In silence, she nodded in the direction of the figure.

  “Seek,” she whispered.

  He nodded. “And you shall find.”

  THIRTEEN

  “Hey, Luke.” Zachary approached the silent figure. “It’s Zachary Chalmers. We’ve been looking for you. You OK?”

  The man raised his head, his eyes red-rimmed in the soft light of the park’s old street lamps. “Hey, Zachary.”

  “Montgomery saved you a couple of roast beef sandwiches.”

  “She with Elizabeth?”

  “Yep. Sitting on a bench right down that path. She misses her dad.” He sat on the rim of the stone fountain. “Today was rough on both of you, I guess.”

  Luke lowered his head. “I can’t figure how to get through this.”

  “I doubt there’s an easy way.”

  “You ever lost someone you loved?”

  “I never loved anybody.”

  He gave a low laugh. “Be glad.”

  “Yeah? All those good years with Ellie weren’t enough to outweigh the pain you feel right now?”

  “It’s hard to think about the good times. When I do, it cuts real hard that she’s gone.” He let out a breath. “I can’t look after Montgomery right now. She’s got to stay with Elizabeth.”

  “You’re her dad.”

  “I don’t trust myself.” He straightened and stood. “I’m mad. Crazy mad. Yesterday I threw a chair through the kitchen window, you know? I was so glad Montgomery was over at Elizabeth’s house. She can’t see me like this.”

  “You think you might hurt her?”

  “Not with my hands. But I can’t have my little girl seeing me this way. I want everything to be all right again before I take her back.”

  “What’s going to make everything all right?”

  “I don’t know.” He began to pace. “I just don’t know. Maybe I need to move out of town. The house is too quiet. Too many memories.”

  “You’ve got a lot of friends here in Ambleside. People care about you.”

  “Yeah, right. They like me when I’m doing my deacon thing—passing around the collection plate, knocking on doors, handing out the church bulletin. But they haven’t seen me throwing chairs through the window or drinking so much I can’t stand up straight. When everything’s OK with you, everything’s OK with them. But let a man get in a bad way—”

  “I used to think that, too. Sure, some people will always let you down. But I’m starting to find out that there are folks who’ll care about you no matter what you say or do.”

  Luke gave a grunt.

  “Don’t buy it?” Zachary asked.

  “Nope.”

  “I guess I’m going to have to prove you wrong.” Zachary stood and faced the broken man. Even as he spoke, he realized he was taking yet another risk. To love Elizabeth left him open to losing her. And he could get burned reaching out to Luke. Yet his surrender to God’s plan had made it impossible to turn away from either of them.

  “Let’s head over to that park bench and eat those sandwiches Montgomery saved,” Zachary suggested. “And tomorrow morning, I’ll drop by your place to make sure you’ve hauled your carcass out of bed.”

  Luke stared at him. “Why?”

  “I guess watching you and Ellie taught me a thing or two. You may not feel it right now, but the life you shared with your wife was worth every shred of the pain you’re feeling now. When Elizabeth told me that Ellie was dying, I thought about the fact that I didn’t care about anybody enough to mourn their loss. And nobody cared about me. That’s when I realized how empty I felt.”

  “Look, I don’t want anyone’s pity.”

  “I really don’t care what you want, Luke. I know what you need—and that’s a friend.”

  “Great.” Luke looked away, his large shoulders bent with heaviness. “When you want someone around, you can’t have her. And when you don’t want someone around, he sticks like a leech.”

  Stepping over to the man, Zachary laid a hand on his shoulder. “Come on. Your daughter’s waiting.”

  “Where is Zachary?” Nick was sitting beside his mother on the porch swing. The sweltering summer evening had taken its toll on Elizabeth, who felt her patience dripping away with every bead of sweat that rolled down her neck.

  Three days had gone by since she and Zachary had walked together to the pavilion following Ellie Easton’s funeral. There he had kissed her and held her close. How about if we join hands and hearts … and see what God has in store for us? His words of commitment had echoed through her heart. Was it possible that God had a future for her with Zachary Chalmers?

  “I don’t know where Zachary is,” she told her son. “How should I know where he is? You know, Nick, it would help me a lot if you would just drop the subject of Zachary Chalmers. The man is not a part of our family. He has his own life, and he can do whatever he wants in the evening. Honestly.”

  “Are you mad at Zachary? Or are you mad at Mr. Fox for letting the bad guys into Grace’s house?”

  “I’m not mad at Phil Fox. I’m not mad at anybody.”

  “You sound mad.”

  OK, maybe she was a little angry. Why hadn’t she heard from Zachary in all this time?

  She had almost let herself believe that her heavenly Father could take two adversaries and strip away everything that separated them. In spite of interfering neighbors and a pestering little boy whose matchmaking efforts had nearly derailed them, she and Zachary were finding common ground. And maybe a common future.

  So, where was the man?

  What was he up to?

  Where had he gone?

  Why hadn’t he shown up at her shop? or on her porch?

  Why hadn’t he even called?

  She brushed her hand down the back of her neck. Why did she care? She’d spent years alone. She didn’t need a man. Certainly not. She and Nick had a perfectly happy life together. God had given her more than she could have dreamed. A lovely home. A thriving business. A precious son. She should count her blessings and stop thinking about a man who confused her as much as he thrilled her.

  “Zachary doesn’t like Mr. Fox very much either,” Nick said, swinging his legs back and forth. “I think Mr. Fox is a bloodsucking bleach.”

  Elizabeth let out a groan and leaned her head against the porch swing’s chain. She studied the mansion, its darkened windows ghostly in the bright moonlight. Mosquit
oes and moths danced around the single light on its back porch. How often had Grace sat out there in her favorite wicker rocking chair and fanned herself as she sipped a glass of iced lemonade?

  “Zachary would never let Mr. Fox—”

  “Nick, I asked you not to talk about Zachary. And I don’t want to hear about Mr. Fox either.”

  The boy fell silent. Elizabeth felt the heavy curtain of mother-guilt drift down over her shoulders. She shouldn’t be impatient with her son. Nick always had trouble switching from one topic to another. Once his thoughts settled on something like math, or dinner, or Zachary Chalmers, he couldn’t let the subject go without fully exploring it. That made school difficult for the child, and it nearly drove Elizabeth nuts. But it was Nick’s personality, and she was his mother.

  “I will change the subject,” he announced. “Mrs. Wrinkles taught me how to do it.” He thought for a moment. “It is very hot weather tonight.”

  “Yes it is. I’ll bet the temperature is in the nineties.”

  “I will check the thermometer.” He jumped off the swing and raced across the porch. Standing on tiptoe, he peered at the little gauge. “Oh, yes, it’s very hot. That little silver stuff … what do you call it? Mars?”

  “Mercury.”

  “It’s high up in the thermometer.” He sauntered back to the swing. “Zachary has air-conditioning in his apartment. He told me it’s always cool there, even at lunchtime. Zachary said it’s good to stay cool in the summer, because if you get too hot, you can’t think straight. Is Zachary right, Mommy?”

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “I’m sure he is.”

  “I think that’s why Zachary didn’t come here tonight. It’s too hot. He wants to stay in his air-conditioning apartment. I like his apartment, but I like our house, too. When you get married to Zachary—”

  “Nikolai!” Elizabeth turned and took his tiny shoulders. “Please, honey. Don’t talk about Zachary. Don’t talk about Phil Fox. In fact, don’t talk about anything. Just be quiet.”

  “Maybe I should go and see Magunnery. She says nighttime is the saddest of all the times without her mommy. That’s when she cries.”

  Pushed to the limit, Elizabeth let out a breath. “You know I don’t like for you to go anywhere when it’s dark.”

  “But look at the moon, Mommy. It’s not dark at all.”

  “OK, fine. Go to Montgomery’s house. Cross through the Muellers’ backyard instead of walking down the sidewalk. You can stay for a few minutes and play with Montgomery, if her daddy says it’s all right. But when I call you, I want you to come right home.”

  “Yesss!” He pumped his fist. “Magunnery will be happy to see me. She loves me.”

  “I love you, too,” she called after him.

  Nick paused in his headlong flight down the porch steps. “Magunnery and I will think of a way to make you feel happier, Mom. Don’t worry.”

  “Nick, you don’t have to make me happy …” She watched him hop down the three porch steps and disappear across the moonlit yard. No one could make her happy. Her joy needed to come from the knowledge that Christ loved her. He had made her whole and complete.

  Oh, God, why did you put this awful longing inside me? she prayed. She stretched out sideways on the swing and rested her head on a pillow. Father, you’ve given me so much. Please take away this aching desire for human contact. Take away my longing for a man … for Zachary. Help me to rest in you.

  She drifted, letting peace slide through her. Snippets of Scripture floated across her thoughts. My gracious favor is all you need. … Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. … I will never forsake you. …

  It was true. She didn’t need anyone or anything. Whether Zachary came or went was totally in Christ’s hands.

  Aware of a slight breeze wafting across from the river, Elizabeth focused on her work furnishing the three old houses in Jefferson City. She had less than a month to complete the job, and she still needed to locate quite a few items. Maybe she would take Nick out for an antiquing foray one of these afternoons after his summer-school session was done for the day. He loved to scrounge through the flea markets and junk shops where she often found her treasures. They could take along a picnic supper.

  Elizabeth was searching for a hand-hooked rug in shades of taupe and cranberry. And she needed to find a lamp for one of the parlors. Maybe something with a Tiffany-style shade made of intricately leaded stained glass …

  “Beautiful.”

  The word shot through Elizabeth like a bolt of lightning. Her eyes flew open to find Zachary Chalmers standing before her, a gentle grin on his face.

  “You scared the fire out of me,” she said, trying to regain her breath.

  “Good. Nick tells me you’re too hot, and it’s making you grumpy.”

  Sitting up, she swung her bare feet to the porch floor. “Thank you, Nick. Where did you see him?”

  “Over at the Eastons’ house.”

  “You were there?”

  “Sure. Luke’s been showing me some of his cabinetry work in the evenings. I’m thinking of putting him to work on one of my projects.”

  “Luke?”

  “Easton.”

  “I know who he is.” She tucked her legs under her and smoothed her skirt down over her feet. “So, how’s Luke?”

  “Not great. He’s struggling with the single-parent role. He’d like to move Montgomery in with you for a few weeks, but I think she’s keeping him afloat. He can’t lose it completely when he’s got a responsibility to look after his daughter. He has to function.”

  “Is he safe?”

  “Oh, yeah. Don’t get me wrong. He loves Montgomery fiercely. Luke is just real torn up. Did you know he built the bed he and Ellie slept in all nine years of their marriage? It was her wedding present.”

  “Luke made that four-poster? It’s spectacular.”

  “Yeah. Now he wants to get rid of it.”

  “I’ll put it in my shop for him. It would sell in no time.”

  “You’d let him sell their bed?” He turned to face her. “With all the memories of his marriage filling it?”

  She had to give a little chuckle. “Now you sound like me running on about my glass counter. All those memories, all that tradition, all the past wrapped up in an object.”

  “You convinced me—of a lot of things.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “Hey, Elizabeth, are we alone?”

  “I’m sure half of Ambleside has their binoculars trained on my porch.”

  He leaned over and brushed a kiss across her lips. “Here’s to Ambleside.”

  She sat breathless for a moment, drinking in the sensation of his hand on her shoulder and his warm breath against her cheek. He smelled of lemons and something else. Pine trees. The T-shirt he’d pulled on over his jeans was soft, a pale cottony blue that molded to his chest.

  “How long is Nick going to be at Montgomery’s?” he murmured.

  “Until I call him.”

  “Then why don’t you and I go inside for a while?”

  She moistened her lips, trying to concentrate. One moment, she had been sure Christ was all she needed, all she wanted. And now, with a few whispered words, she was tempted to abandon that security.

  “I’d like to be alone with you, Elizabeth,” Zachary said against her ear. “I’ve had to force myself to go over to Luke’s house every day after work. All I can think about is that afternoon in the pavilion and how you stood on tiptoe to kiss me.”

  “Wait.” Hopping off the swing, she grabbed the chain and forced herself to suck down a breath. “Zachary, we can’t do this.”

  “If we go inside, nobody will—”

  “I thought you surrendered.”

  He stared at her, his green eyes depthless. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying we don’t get to pick and choose which parts of the Bible we’re going to follow.”

  “Spending a few minutes alone in a house with a grown woman is a sin?�
� He stood. “Or are you just worried about what the neighbors will think?”

  “I gave up caring what the neighbors think a long time ago. They thought I was nuts to open an antiques shop on the town square. They couldn’t believe I wanted to live in the apartment behind it. They called me crazy when I went to Romania to adopt Nick. The residents of Ambleside don’t run my life.”

  “Then why won’t you go inside with me? We could sit on the couch and … and visit.”

  She tilted her head and raised one eyebrow. “Visit?”

  “OK, I’d rather not kiss you in front of God and everybody.”

  “God’s in my living room, Zachary.”

  “God doesn’t mind when people kiss.”

  “Is that all you want to do?” She gripped the chain. “Because that’s not all I want to do.”

  He regarded her evenly. “Elizabeth …”

  “Zachary, I can’t. I won’t.”

  He jammed his hands into his pockets and looked away. “I’m not used to this. I mean, a man dates a woman …”

  “I’m not just any woman.” She lifted her chin. “I’ll understand if you want to rethink this.”

  “Well, what are we supposed to do? Sit out here on the porch swing night after night?”

  “I didn’t ask you to be a part of my life. I’m telling you who I am and what I believe. I follow the teachings in the Bible. I try to stay surrendered. And, yeah, I sit on the porch swing a lot.”

  He walked to the white railing that defined the perimeter of her porch and leaned his hands on it. “This is not the nineteenth century, Elizabeth. Is it wrong to want each other, to feel desire?” He gave the railing a smack with his palm and then swung around to face her. “How much am I supposed to change who I am, Elizabeth? I want you. I want to be with you. Am I supposed to give up who I am and what I need?”

  “That’s the definition of surrender, isn’t it? Give up. Let go. Become a new man in Christ.” She sat down on the swing. “I didn’t say it was easy.”